Hotspot guidelines ignored
NOT a single premier has adopted national COVID-19 hotspot guidelines developed by Australia’s top public health officials to determine if community transmission of coronavirus in an area is a risk, with harsh border measures and unfounded fears tearing bush communities apart.
Under definitions proposed by the Australian Health Principal Protection Committee and adopted by the Federal Government last week, a metropolitan area is considered a COVID-19 “hotspot” if there are 30 or more cases over three days, while a regional area is considered a risk if there are nine cases.
No local government areas in NSW considered “regional” would be classed as a hotspot under the official Commonwealth definition, but farmers and families remain unable to cross into Queensland for work or school. No single local health district in the state meets the “hotspot” threshold, according to the latest NSW Health information.
The district with the highest number of cases in four weeks to September 4, was South West Sydney with 46 cases, followed by Western Sydney with 45, South East Sydney with 31 and Northern Sydney with 21 cases. No remote health districts in NSW have any COVID-19 cases.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Michael Kidd said the hotspot definitions released on Friday would be a “trigger” for the Commonwealth to provide further assistance with relevant states.
Queensland recorded two new COVID-19 cases on Sunday linked to a college student and a hospital worker at Ipswich. There are now 25 active cases in Queensland and there has been 1131 confirmed cases since the pandemic started. Meanwhile, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has released the state’s hotly anticipated roadmap out of restrictions.
Melbourne residents face two more weeks of the Stage 4 lockdown, but some restrictions will ease somewhat.
Restrictions will be gradually wound back in Melbourne and regional Victoria in five stages. Victoria yesterday recorded five deaths and 63 new cases – its lowest daily total since July 2. NSW reported 10 new cases.