Weekly COVID news at a glance

International travellers touch down at Sydney 

Nearly 600 days after Australia closed its international borders, planes flew into Kingsford Smith International Airport early on Monday with passengers being offered Tim Tams and native Australian flowers as they emerged from customs.

QF12 from Los Angeles touched down in Sydney at 6am with no border or quarantine restrictions for incoming passengers who are fully vaccinated. Initial flights are limited to Australian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate families and parents. Fully vaccinated passengers do not have to quarantine in a hotel or at home, paving the way for Australians stranded overseas to be able to return for Christmas. 

VIC daily COVID-19 pressers scrapped

The Victorian government has announced it will no longer run daily COVID-19 press conferences, as Victoria reunites under eased restrictions. Since the virus’ third wave broke out in Victoria, the state government and health officials have been holding daily press conferences to update the community. During Victoria’s second wave last year, Premier Daniel Andrews personally led daily press conferences for 120 consecutive days.

The last press conference to be held in Victoria after 19 months was on Saturday. From now on, daily COVID-19 updates with key information and statistics will be shared through a government press release at around 11am. Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton will now only hold press conferences for major COVID-19 updates.

Unvaccinated 20 times more likely to spread COVID

Data analysis has found that unvaccinated people are 20 times more likely to spread COVID-19 to vaccinated people. The Victorian Department of Health has also found that unvaccinated people are ten times more likely to contract COVID-19 than vaccinated people.

Vaccinated people are also less likely to transmit the disease even if they become infected, according to Doherty Modeling. Many vaccinated people are concerned about the prospect of mixing with unvaccinated people. This mixing might be travelling on trains, at pubs or at the supermarket and also at family gatherings.

Outdoor Economy cash vouchers

The Victorian government has launched a voucher program to help pay for set up costs for outdoor COVID-19 safe operations. Seven thousand vouchers valued at two thousand dollars each are available to businesses, community organisations, not-for-profits, charities, and trader associations.

The funds will help to pay for the hire and purchase of furniture and equipment, such as marquees, screens and umbrellas and obtaining insurance. Applications must include a plan detailing how they will move business activities outdoors and provide proof that the payment was used for eligible items.

Pregnancy vaccinations

Experts are concerned about pregnant women holding back from getting their COVID-19 vaccines due to misinformation. There is no evidence that the vaccine is harmful.

Scientific data shows that vaccines have no effect on fertility and are safe while pregnant. Senior Lecturer in Gynaecology and obstetrics, Michelle Wise, said there is evidence that the COVID-19 virus can cause severe disease in pregnant women.

Myths around vaccines affecting fertility can be traced back to American websites that highlighted a European doctor’s claims in 2020 while the vaccine was in stage 3 trials. But studies have since confirmed his claims were not proven or factual and there have been NO reports of infertility or miscarriage in relation to the vaccine.

Only half of Australia’s Indigenous fully vaxxed

Half of Indigenous Australians aged 16 and older are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as Aboriginal leaders seek an urgent prime ministerial meeting about failings in the rollout.

Concerns were raised after more than 200 Indigenous workers at remote community stores, mostly in the Northern Territory, were left unvaccinated two weeks out from the jurisdiction’s jab mandate deadline.

National Indigenous Australians Agency head Blair Exell has told a Senate estimates hearing 50.4 per cent of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 16 and older are double-dosed. About 63 per cent had received one dose.