Perth lockdown saga

Perth lockdown

A Victorian completed hotel quarantine at Perth sparks lockdown of Perth and the Peel region.

A 54-year-old Victorian man had completed his 14-day stay in hotel quarantine at Perth Mercure Hotel, but later tested positive for COVID-19.

The case triggered a three-day lockdown in the Perth and Peel regions, which ended at midnight on Monday.

The Anzac Day dawn services in the lockdown areas were cancelled and people must wear masks when leaving their homes.

A woman who failed to wear a mask at the Super Rugby game at at HBF Stadium on Friday is the first person to be fined under the lockdown measures.

“I would characterise it as having failed the attitude test, so she has been issued with a $1,000 infringement,” said WA Commissioner of Police Chris Dawson.

/ WA Commissioner of Police, Chris Dawson

He urged people to abide by the rules.

“So please do not try and test this.

“The purpose of this is to support the Department of Health to protect us all and to stop people’s movement over the next three days.”

A Federal quarantine framework

WA Premier Mark McGowan said he remained deeply frustrated the federal government had not yet supplanted the hotel quarantine framework – established at the pandemic’s outset – with permanent facilities.

/ WA premier, Mark McGowan

He reiterated quarantine was a federal responsibility under the constitution but the states and territories were paying for hotel quarantine.

Mr McGowan suggested Commonwealth facilities at Curtin Air Base near Derby could hold 1500 people and Christmas Island could also be used, but hotels were not built to serve as quarantine hubs.

“CBD hotels are not fit-for-purpose quarantine facilities,” he told reporters.

“It’s time for the Commonwealth to step up and help – my government stands ready to work with them and help establish Commonwealth quarantine facilities, they have a range of facilities available.

“We cannot continue down this path for another year or beyond.”

Premier McGowan:

I can confirm that WA has recorded no new cases of Covid-19 overnight. This is a fantastic result. It shows an immediate lockdown has delivered the results that we needed.

 

 COVID Test

Snap Lockdown finished but restriction continues

McGowan says that since Friday there have been 29,963 tests.

The first stage of restrictions will be in place from 12.01am tomorrow until 12.01am Saturday.

Premier McGowan:

We need to be cautious as we come out of lockdown as the virus could still be out there. That is why a stepped approach is safe in the best way forward. We can’t go back to where we were like last week just yet. This step-down approach will give us confidence to begin to get back to normal while we wait for further testing and the incubation period of the virus to come to an end.

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It is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, the day after this first set of staged restrictions is set to end, and would usually have one of the biggest crowds of the year for any event in the state.

McGowan:

“[We] will make decisions based on public health advice later in the week … the game is on Sunday.

[Does it] follow that they can have a full crowd? No, it doesn’t. We’ll follow the health advice, based on how test results emerge over the next 48 to 72 hours.

We wait for that advice.”

The first stage in release of lockdown

From 12.01am Tuesday (27 April):

• People in Perth and Peel will be free to leave home but masks are mandatory;
• All schools will resume. All students and staff at secondary school will be required to wear a mask, but primary school students will not need to;
• There will be a 20-person limit in all homes and private indoor and outdoor gatherings;
• All public venues including hospitality, entertainment and retail can reopen, except for the casino and nightclubs and indoor fitness venues. The four-square-metre capacity rule will be in place, with a limit of 20 patrons not including staff.