COVID-19 / Australia / 19th & 20th November Updates

Just when you think it’s safe to go back in the water, the state of South Australia, after 3 months of no community Covid transmission, has seen the virus ‘escape’ from a quarantine hotel via a cleaner who had had no contact with the ‘guests’.
They assume she must have got it off a contaminated surface somewhere. The virus strain was traced to a ‘guest’ who had arrived from overseas on November 2nd and went directly to quarantine.
So far, 22 cases have been detected.
Their government has enacted an immediate “circuit breaker” which includes a six-day lock down and a further eight days of lesser restrictions in the state.
The rules are listed below. Compare these to what is in place in other countries around the world. Victoria took similar action but not as quickly and for much longer. So far that state has had nearly three weeks of zero transmissions.
Lock downs, while tough for the population and business, work!

All South Australians will have to stay put in their house for six days. Wherever they were at midnight this Wednesday (yesterday) that’s where they have to remain.
All schools will be shut except for children of essential workers and vulnerable children;
Childcare will be open only to essential workers, and shut to everyone else;
People will not be permitted to leave their home to exercise.
Takeaway food will be shut;
Universities will be closed;
Pubs, cafe’s, food courts and other food venues will be closed;
Elective surgery will be closed, except for urgent operations;
Cancer treatment will be closed;
Real estate inspections will be closed;
All outdoor sport and physical activity will not be permitted.
Regional travel is not approved. Holiday houses are closed. Schoolies, which police commissioner Grant Stevens said yesterday was still on, is now off;
Aged care and residential disability care is in lock down;
Factories other than for food and medical products are closed, apart from essential maintenance;
The construction industry is closed;
Weddings and funerals will be banned for six days;
Face masks are required when outside the home, although it’s just encouraged not mandatory as many in SA do not yet have masks;
Families with joint custody arrangements have been asked to find an arrangement that works for the next six days, without moving between houses.

Remaining open:
Supermarkets will remain open for one visit from one person per household per day;
Critical infrastructure — power, telecommunications — will remain open;
Medical services including mental health services will remain open;
Public transport will remain open;

Airport and freight services will remain open;
Petrol stations will remain open;
Banks and financial institutions will remain open;
Post offices will remain open;
Mining, smelting, and large factories will be allowed to continue to operate at a level required to ensure continuity of service delivery or to prevent damage, but not for anything else;
Veterinary surgeons will remain open;
Agriculture workers will be able to move around to ensure the safety, welfare and processing of animals and animal products, like dairy.

Update: No new SA cases reported today, Thursday. In fact there were zero new cases Australia wide.

Update: 20th November: Apparently the decision to lock down was based on information given to contact tracers by an infected person. It has now been established that this contact had lied and the situation, while still serious, was not critical.

So the SA government has revised their strategy and restrictions have been substantially reduced.

As of 12pm today, Friday 20 November 2020 exercise outside of your home with members of your household is permitted.
Masks are not mandatory but are encouraged.
Schools will re-open on Monday 23 November 2020.
As of 12:01 am on Sunday 22 November (Midnight Saturday) we will revert to similar restrictions that were in place on Monday 16 November 2020.
This includes:
1 person per 4 square meters will apply.
All food and beverages will need to be consumed while seated.
No dancing
Updated gathering provision numbers being:
Onsite purchase and consumption of food and beverages- 100 people maximum and no more than 10 people at each table.
Funerals- 50 people maximum
Weddings- 150 people maximum and registration of all guests with SA Health
Religious ceremonies (not including a wedding or funeral)- 100 people maximum
Private gatherings- 50 people maximum
Private residence- 10 people per house (unless more than 10 people permanently reside at the residence)
Personal care workers will need to wear masks.
Gyms are permitted to reopen.