COVID live updates: Federal economic and mental health support packages for NSW to be finalised ‘in very near future’

WA records zero new local cases

One case was detected in hotel quarantine.

WA Health is now monitoring 12 active cases, including five from the northern suburbs cluster.

Two of the 12 cases are in Perth hospitals.

They include a man in his 30’s transferred from hotel quarantine to hospital on Sunday, where he remains in a stable condition, and a crew member from the MV Emerald Indah, who remains isolated in another hospital in a stable condition.

SA woman believed to have died from rare blood clot syndrome

The South Australian government says a 72-year-old woman is believed to have died from a rare blood clot syndrome linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The woman was vaccinated on June 24, was admitted to hospital on July 5, and passed away overnight.

Her death has been reported to the Therapeutic Goods Administration and the South Australian Coroner for further investigation.

South Australia has two new cases of COVID-19, both people in hotel quarantine.

It brings the total to 20 active cases in the state, with two people being treated in hospital.

There are no known exposure sites in SA linked to the removalist

Where did the removalist go in SA so we have an idea

-Limestone Coast

Any mention regarding the removalist stopping in regional NSW anywhere on his way to and from Vic and SA?

-Al

Speaking a short time ago, SA authorities said one of three removalists who helped a family relocated to South Australia from NSW has tested positive, but he didn’t stay overnight and there are no known exposure sites in the state.

South Australia is further tightening its borders with New South Wales

From midnight tonight, returning South Australians from the Greater Sydney area will face a higher level of scrutiny before being allowed to come back into the state.

The Premier Steven Marshall says people will no longer be able to just tick a box on a form, and instead will have to prove they can quarantine alone at home.

Essential travellers such as truck drivers will have increased testing requirements.

Confused about the Pfizer letter?

What letter is Hunt referring to? So hard to hear the journalist questions that often I completely miss what they are talking about in these pressers

-Hard of hearing

G’day, Hard of hearing — you can catch up on the letter situation right here.

The TL;DR is that former prime minister Kevin Rudd contacted Pfizer chairman and chief executive Albert Bourla directly at the end of June to see if anything could be done to expedite the delivery of vaccines to Australia.

A spokesperson for Pfizer in Australia says reports suggesting any third party or individual had a role in “contractual agreements reached between Pfizer and the Australian Government” were “inaccurate”.

Here’s a bit of what Mr Hunt had to stay on the story a short time ago:

“My respectful words are we thank anybody who wishes to put in a good word for Australia but Pfizer couldn’t have been clearer that this outcome was something which was already set, and in particular, we know this because we published the range, and we would not have published that range in June unless and until we were confident that it was contract.”

‘No final decision’ as to whether a booster shot will be required

Mr Hunt was asked about booster shots, and whether Australia has enough stock.

He says while there is no final decision as to whether a booster will be required, “we are planning as if” it will be.

“We have 51 million Novavax which are contracted to arrive in Australia. They have always been intended as being used for the booster program although they have been in reserve as a first round if that were required,” he said.

“In addition, we have a further 15 million Moderna that are due to arrive in 2022. They are specifically contracted to allow for variation as a very nimble platform to adapt to any variants.”

Should Australia approve at-home testing?

Mr Hunt was asked about NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant’s earlier comments, urging those with symptoms not to attend GP clinics for testing, and whether there is a need for at-home testing in Australia.

He says testing — and testing standards — are a matter for the AHPPC (Australian Health Protection Principal Committee).

“Very significantly, we continue to have very, very high rates of testing in Australia. We are now well over 20 million tests that have been conducted and I just want to thank all Australians for coming forward but continue to urge Australians to come forward to be tested, most particularly in greater Sydney and surrounding areas if they do have symptoms.”

About 40 per cent of the aged care workforce has been vaccinated

Mr Hunt says that figure is “increasingly significantly every day”.

“I want to thank those workers for coming forward. We have made this a decision through National Cabinet that the public health orders will be issued for this to be a mandatory condition for working by each of the states and territories,” he said.

“That was reconfirmed on Friday through the National Cabinet. We have a series of ways to ensure that all those vaccinations… can be achieved so as everybody is in a position to take that up.”

Where to watch the SA press conference

SA Premier Steven Marshall is speaking live.

You can find that over on the ABC Adelaide Facebook page.

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Arm Yourself campaign ‘always planned for this exact moment’, Hunt says

Mr Hunt was asked about those two vaccine advertising campaigns you may have seen over the weekend.

The Health Minister was pressed on why they encourage young people to get the jab, when many aren’t eligible yet.

“The vaccines over the course of the year, we were always proceeding in four stages, which roughly align with the different quarters of the year,” Mr Hunt said.

“We have now moved into the third quarter phase and the Arm Yourself campaign was always planned for exactly this moment and so it’s commencing at the time that we were intending but we have increasing numbers of Pfizer coming into the country.

“We have good uptake of the AstraZeneca and we’re encouraging people to come forward. It is a message to people both for now and 
in the future. It sends the message that all of us can play our part in protecting ourselves and each other. Anyone of us can save a life. Any one of us can inadvertently risk a life.”

More than 9 million vaccine doses delivered across Australia

Mr Hunt is delivering a few fast facts about the vaccination rollout now.

He says last week provided a “record number of vaccinations again”, bringing the national total to approximately 9.15 million jabs.

That includes 6.8 million people who have had a first dose, and 2.3 million people who are now fully vaccinated.

“Very significantly, we now have for the over 50 population, 56.5 per cent…  have had vaccinations. For the over 60s, 65.4 per cent have had vaccinations and for the over 70s, a very heartening 73 per cent of the population have had vaccinations,” Mr Hunt said.

“My message is very clear. If you are over 60, please do not hesitate.”

Economic and mental health support packages to be finalised ‘in the very near future’

Mr Hunt says discussions between the federal and NSW governments in relation to economic and mental health support packages are ongoing, and “it’s expected to be completed with NSW in the very near future”.

“So these are supports to assist people through the difficult challenging lockdown period,” he said.

“We have done this before, we have done this nationally. We have done this in other states and yerritories. We have been through this in Victoria… and we will do this again in New South Wales.”

‘This is a difficult and challenging and stressful time for so many people in Sydney’

Health Minister Greg Hunt has stepped up.

He says it’s a “difficult and challenging and stressful time for so many people in Sydney”, adding that “virtually every Australian” will have connections with friends and family who are under lockdown.

“In order to assist with that, the Commonwealth will be making a health support package available that’s been approved… and that will include support for general practices, for pharmacies and for allied health practitioners,” he said.

He says the following will be delivered to healthcare workers through seven Primary Health Networks across Sydney:

• 1 million surgical masks
• 1 million N95 masks
• 250,000 pairs of gloves
• 250,000 gowns
• 250,000 goggles

“These are to assist in infection control to support our health practitioners as they support the community,” Mr Hunt said.

“It’s a recognition that whilst they may not all be required, at this point in time they will be made available through the primary health networks and to our doctors and to our nurses, to our pharmacists, to our allied health workers who are conducting essential services.”

Where to watch Greg Hunt’s press conference

As a reminder, we’re expecting to hear from the Health Minister shortly

Thanks for reading along so far

Bridget is taking over the blog for the afternoon.

Canberra’s restrictions should ease first, Chief Minister says

Andrew Barr says he hopes restrictions other states have imposed on the ACT are lifted “first” when Sydney gets its COVID outbreak under control.

“I would hope restrictions can be lifted from the ACT ahead of Sydney,” he says. 

More quick Q’s

If I am under 40, and talking the pill, does this increase the chance of blood clots along with age?
Many thanks to your team for always delivering the blog :-)))

-Question

This is something you really, really, really need to discuss with a doctor. Federal health advice doesn’t explicitly list taking the pill as something that increases your (still very slim) chances of vaccine induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia, but direct advice about your own personal health situation from a medical expert > broad government advice. I am also not a doctor, so, I’d get in touch with one of those. 

When will the Novovax doses become available in Australia ?
Is there any negotiation happening between Australian government and french vaccine maker Valneva which produce inactivated vaccines ?

-TM

Not 100 per cent sure about Valneva, but Novavax is still going through the TGA approvals process in Australia. The federal government says IF it’s proven safe and given the all-clear, “it will be available in Australia in the second half of 2021”. Considering it’s already mid-July I’m not really sure what their definition of second half of the year is, but hopefully we’ll get some more info soon.

On avg how many comments and questions do you get in a day?
Youse all do a ripper job, thank you so much!!!

-QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ

As of almost 1pm, I’ve had about 1,100 questions come through. At least 10 per cent of those are asking what time press conferences are though.

Cubans rally in anti-government demonstrations over slow vaccine rollout

Australians aren’t the only ones with some thoughts on the speed of the COVID vaccine rollout. 

Thousands of Cubans have joined one of the country’s largest anti-government demonstrations in memory to protest against poor economic conditions and the slow COVID-19 vaccination rollouts.

Police in Havana initially trailed behind as protesters chanted, “freedom“, “enough” and “unite“, but there are reports that a few protesters were pepper sprayed and hit with batons. 

Full story on all of this here.