An emerging coronavirus cluster of 17 locally acquired COVID-19 cases on Sydney's Northern Beaches has led to an anxious wait for New South Wales over what other states and territories will do next.
Key points:
- Anyone arriving into Western Australia from NSW will be required to self-quarantine in a suitable premise for 14 days
- Queensland declared anyone who has been to Sydney's Northern Beaches since Friday December 11 and arrives in the state after 1:00am Saturday must go into hotel quarantine
- Tasmania will refuse entry to anyone who has been to that area of Sydney
With the border re-opened for little more than a week, Western Australia's Premier Mark McGowan has adopted a wait and see approach, even with Christmas fast approaching.
"If we need to we will put up a hard border with NSW," Mr McGowan said.
Western Australia has announced that New South Wales will move from a 'very low risk' state, to a 'low risk state' from Friday.
That means anyone arriving from NSW will be required to self-quarantine in a suitable premise for 14 days.
Premier Mark McGowan said the state would also take further steps to "prevent COVID-19 coming into the WA community."
"WA's Chief Health Officer has consulted further with NSW Health and the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) and has provided updated advice to the Western Australian Government on our controlled interstate border and the evolving situation in New South Wales."
Queensland declared anyone who has been to Sydney's Northern Beaches region on or since Friday December 11 and arrives in the state after 1:00am Saturday must go into hotel quarantine for 14 days at their own expense.
The restrictions include Queenslanders and visitors to Queensland.
Victoria's Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) says anyone who has been in the Northern Beaches area of Sydney since December 11 should stay at home and get tested.
The department added they should stay at home until results were available and especially avoid visiting aged care facilities and hospitals.
The ABC understands Victoria closed the border with South Australia when there was 15 cases based on public health advice.
Tasmania will not allow anyone who has been to Sydney's Northern Beaches in the past week into the state.
The Northern Territory declared the northern beaches a hotspot effective from Friday, adding that anyone travelling to the NT from the Northern Beaches will have to undertake 14 days quarantine either in Alice Springs or Darwin.
The ACT Government advised all Canberrans not to travel to the Northern Beaches, saying anyone who had been in the area from Friday, December 11 needed to immediately self-quarantine and get tested.
Before the numbers were updated to 17 on Thursday night NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard — whose electorate sits in the southern parts of the new cluster — said he is confident in NSW Health's excellent track and tracing record.
"We are making every effort to do what NSW does extremely well and that is to keep it all in perspective and just deal with what is coming our way at the moment."
Rejoicing with family as restrictions loom
Hours before states and territories imposed restrictions on visitors from Sydney's Northern Beaches, one family rejoiced at seeing their grandfather for the first time since lockdown began.
Affectionately known as 'Opa', 71-year-old Allan Lette was met by more than 25 family members after flying into Sydney from Perth.
Allan's daughter, Karen Lette, said she's hopeful Sydney's rapidly changing coronavirus situation won't impact his stay.
"He has 25 grandkids, including one that he hasn't met yet and he has eight kids," she said.
"Our mum passed away three years ago, he moved away after she passed so we haven't seen him for ages, so it's just exciting to have the family back together."
She said not having him around, due to Western Australia's hard border, has been "devastating" and "difficult" for the family.
"He wasn't meant to be here for Christmas so we're just glad that he's here," she said.
"Hopefully he doesn't want to return anytime soon."
Allan's grandson, 12-year-old, Curtis John Lehrer, said he was excited to "go up and say 'hi Opa I've missed you so much'".
"I'm going to surprise my Opa when he flies in because I haven't seen him since March," he said.
Curtis said meeting his grandfather at the airport wasn't the only surprise he had in store for him.
"When I do my pamphlet delivery...I earn $85 so I saved up and tomorrow we're going to go on a helicopter flight around Sydney."
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMicGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIwLTEyLTE4L25zdy1ib3JkZXItY29uY2VybnMtZm9sbG93aW5nLWNvdmlkLTE5LW91dGJyZWFrLWluLWF2YWxvbi13YS12aWMvMTI5OTU1MTLSASdodHRwczovL2FtcC5hYmMubmV0LmF1L2FydGljbGUvMTI5OTU1MTI?oc=5
2020-12-17 17:52:00Z
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