Weekly COVID news at a glance

1 Melbourne’s North and West still a concern

Most of Melbourne’s COVID-19 cases are in the northern suburbs, while the western suburbs are still a concern. Over 70 per cent of Saturday’s cases were detected in Melbourne’s north with 166 in the Hume local government area, 87 in Moreland and 41 in Whittlesea. Dozens of cases were also recorded in the city’s west and in the south-east.

Whole households are being infected due to the nature of Delta and the Department of Health have urged people not to break rules prohibiting home visits. As the majority of the population remains unvaccinated, authorities urge people to follow the health advice to keep cases numbers down.

2 Pregnant Women Urged to get Vaccinated

Women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning pregnancy now have priority access to get the Pfizer vaccine. Health authorities are concerned about the growing number of Delta cases in pregnant women and urge pregnant or breastfeeding women to get vaccinated. There are seven pregnant women with COVID-19 hospitalised at Monash Health and one woman who is 24 weeks pregnant is in intensive care.

/Monash Health’s obstetrician Dr Ryan Hodges

Catching Delta while pregnant means you are five times more likely to be hospitalised, said Monash Health’s obstetrician Dr Ryan Hodges. The risks include increased chances of needing oxygen therapy or intensive care and having emergency deliveries, needing caesarian sections, premature births and stillbirths. The lowered immune system during pregnancy with the increased workload of the heart and lungs means pregnant women are especially at risk for respiratory illnesses, Dr Hodges said.

3 Sydney social housing towers residents protest ‘overpolicing’

Residents of the Common Ground Towers in Sydney protested ‘overpolicing’ on Saturday after The Feed revealed this week that officers were searching packages and confiscating alcohol under the direction of NSW Health.

The Common Grounds Resident Action Group said they had organised the protests on Thursday and Saturday to call for an end to ‘overpolicing’, as well as a rent refund for their time in lockdown. The building is run by Mission Australia, with most residents having experienced long-term homelessness.

Residents asked those living with 5km of the building to “show solidarity”, bring a rainbow or Aboriginal flag, and exercise underneath the Common Grounds housing estate on Saturday wearing purple or white. NSW Police said it is aware “there is some activity” at the building this afternoon but “thus far there have been no arrests or charges.”

4 Tony Abbott cops $500 fine

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott has copped a $500 fine for not wearing a mask out in public while in Manly on Wednesday. Abbott was pictured by a member of the public who then sent the image to the NSW Police before Abbott was fined on Friday night.But, despite saying he wouldn’t contest the fine Abbott slammed the community member implying their actions were un-Australian.

/ Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard refused to comment on Abbott specifically but urged the pubic to comply with the public health orders. The NSW health orders currently mandate that everyone in the Greater Sydney region must wear a mask while outdoors at all times, unless exempt.

5 New campaign targets unvaccinated

Another $50 million will be spent trying to convince the 20 per cent of Australians who are reluctant to get a COVID-19 vaccination.The federal government on Sunday launched a new campaign promoting an expanding network of vaccination sites, targeting a “younger age group”.

Health Minister Greg Hunt

Health Minister Greg Hunt said research showed a growing number of people were willing to be jabbed, as the nation looks to a 70-80 per cent fully vaccinated rate before easing lockdown and travel restrictions.

6 Australia secures extra Moderna

/ Scott Morrison

Scott Morrison is urging families to take a trip to their community pharmacy to get vaccinated against COVID-19 after securing an additional one million doses of the mRNA-type Moderna vaccine.Describing it as a “family-sized dose of hope”, the prime minister secured the additional supply from European Union member states, doubling the nation’s Moderna vaccines.

In addition, he said the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation is now recommending Moderna for everyone 12 years and older. The Therapeutic Goods Administration had previously given provisional approval.