Received
- Details
- Written by Grant Broadcasters
- Category: Received
- Hits: 107
Queensland's daily COVID-19 numbers continue to jump substantially with 369 new Infections recorded, up from 186 the previous day.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said case numbers will continue to rise as the more infectious Omicron variant spreads throughout the state.
"We will see an escalation of cases, like we are seeing in other states," she said from the Gold Coast on Thursday.
It comes as a new mandate is enforced in the state, with mask requirements for theatres and cinemas as well as workers in hospitality venues.
Ms Palaszczuk is pleading with Queenslanders to go beyond the mandated rules and wear masks when inside public areas.
"When you are going indoors, please mask up," Ms Palaszczuk.
The tighter rules follow the state hitting the 90 per cent threshold for first-dose vaccinations on Wednesday, according to federal government data.
At least 85.3 per cent of eligible residents aged over 16 are now fully vaccinated with modelling suggesting Queensland will hit 90 per cent double-dosed in early-to-mid January.
Despite the day-on-day jump in cases, Chief Medical Officer John Gerrard said only one patient was in ICU.
Another 93 cases are being managed in hospitals, and 163 in home quarantine.
"We're not going to stop (the virus), we're going to just try and slow it down a little bit to enable people to get those doses. So we don't expect to stop it," Dr Gerrard said.
© AAP 2021
- Details
- Written by Grant Broadcasters
- Category: Received
- Hits: 118
Family and friends are gathering to farewell one of the six Hillcrest Primary School students who died in a jumping castle accident in northwest Tasmania.
The funeral for Zane Mellor, 12, is being held in the city of Devonport on Thursday morning.
An order of service includes the poem 'The Broken Chain'.
"It broke my heart to lose you, but you did not go alone, for part of me went with you," it reads.
Streams of people have continued to leave flowers, soft toys and tributes as they pay respects outside the school in Devonport, one week since the tragedy.
Two children remain in a critical condition in the Royal Hobart Hospital, while one other injured in the accident is recovering at home.
Tasmania's Governor Barbara Baker visited the school on Wednesday and spent time with first responders and education staff.
"Thank you to you all for the invaluable and caring work you have done and continue to do with everyone affected by this tragedy," she said.
"We very much appreciate your service and dedication and want you to know how much you are all appreciated by our Tasmanian community."
An online fundraising page set up by Devonport local Zoe Smith has raised more than $1.4 million for the families.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who visited the school along with wife Jenny on Saturday, has announced $800,000 will be made available to fund trauma counselling for people impacted.
Police, including specialist officers from NSW, have started interviewing the many young witnesses of the accident, which will be examined by the coroner.
Around 40 children were enjoying end-of-year celebrations when a freak gust of wind picked up the jumping castle and several inflatable zorb balls.
Earlier this week, the Glenorchy City Council in southern Tasmania banned jumping castles and inflatable devices from being used on council-owned property.
Tasmania's education department has put a stop to inflatable equipment being used on school sites.
© AAP 2021
- Details
- Written by Grant Broadcasters
- Category: Received
- Hits: 126
Zane Mellor, one of the six victims of a jumping castle accident in northwest Tasmania, has been remembered as kind and strong and a passionate gamer.
Family and loved ones gathered on Thursday morning in Devonport to farewell the 12-year-old, one week since the Hillcrest Primary School tragedy.
"I was so young when I had you, only 15, and now I know why," Zane's mother Georgie told the service.
"You grew up with me, held my hands and kissed my face in all the hard times.
"You were my man of the house always, my protector, my strength, my gamer.
"I love you Zane. No matter what the weather, we're together."
Zane gamed with friends from across the world under the nickname 'Jurassic Zane' in reference to his love of dinosaurs.
A letter from Zane's grandfather was read out, recalling a fishing trip off the northwest town of Stanley where they were surrounded by dolphins.
His aunt described him as "kind and strong".
"He lived life to the fullest and wasn't afraid to show the world who he really was," she said.
"I watched you take your first step ... you were my gaming buddy. You will never be far from our minds."
Messages from Zane's classmates and teachers were also shared.
"I loved your personality, every day you would put a smile on my face," one school friend wrote.
Streams of people have continued to leave flowers, soft toys and tributes outside the primary school.
The condition of two boys injured in the accident has steadily improved from critical to stable, Premier Peter Gutwein said at a press conference in Hobart.
"I understand they have been moved out of the ICU," he said.
One other student injured in the accident is recovering at home.
An online fundraising page set up by Devonport local Zoe Smith has raised more than $1.4 million for the families.
Police, including specialist officers from NSW, have started interviewing the many young witnesses to the accident, which will be examined by the coroner.
Around 40 children were enjoying end-of-year celebrations when a freak gust of wind picked up the jumping castle and several inflatable zorb balls.
Tasmania's Governor Barbara Baker visited the school on Wednesday and spent time with first responders and education staff.
"Thank you to you all for the invaluable and caring work you have done and continue to do with everyone affected by this tragedy," she said.
Earlier this week, the Glenorchy City Council in southern Tasmania banned jumping castles and inflatable devices from being used on council-owned property.
Tasmania's education department has put a stop to inflatable equipment being used on school sites.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who visited the school with wife Jenny on Saturday, has announced $800,000 will be made available to fund trauma counselling for people impacted.
© AAP 2021
- Details
- Written by Grant Broadcasters
- Category: Received
- Hits: 97
The NSW government is considering providing free rapid antigen tests in the mail and it's likely there will be a return to mandatory QR check-ins at retail and hospitality venues.
But Premier Dominic Perrottet is still resisting bringing back mask mandates at indoor venues, despite NSW Health urging everyone to wear them in high-risk settings.
COVID-19 cases are spiralling in NSW and testing clinics are being overwhelmed.
Some 15,815 people have tested positive since December 16, and Wednesday's record daily caseload of 3763 infections could be smashed on Thursday.
Mr Perrottet emerged from a national cabinet meeting on Wednesday to flag a plan to provide residents with the rapid tests, which are in short supply and expensive.
"Providing rapid antigen testing kits for those who want to do the right thing will help take the pressure of our testing clinics while giving people confidence to get on with their lives," he said on Wednesday.
"This will also help people monitor their symptoms and go about their daily activities in a responsible manner helping protect themselves, their families and the community."
The need to relieve pressure on COVID-19 testing sites across the state is becoming more urgent with just two days until Christmas, after days of long queues at the facilities.
People wanting to travel interstate or get the all-clear to attend Christmas celebrations are waiting hours to get a PCR test and around 72 hours to get a result.
COVID-19 restrictions eased in NSW on December 15 for all residents, including the unvaccinated, but the government is now expected to announce it will bring back mandatory QR check-ins at supermarkets, shops and hospitality venues.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people in NSW are facing Christmas in isolation as the Omicron variant of COVID-19 continues to run rampant.
Under current rules, people with COVID-19 must self-isolate at home until medically cleared, even if fully vaccinated.
"If you are self-managing you are able to leave self-isolation 10 days after your positive test, as long as you have had no symptoms for 72 hours - you will receive an SMS with this information," NSW Health says.
Broadcaster Michael Turner, who is fully vaccinated, tested positive on Wednesday after suffering "nothing short of the worst" symptoms he's had with any illness over the prior two days.
"It's heartbreaking to be spending Christmas and New Year away from my family and potentially in hospital," he told AAP on Wednesday evening.
"While things may be opening up, and we are vaccinated, it can still hit you hard and the symptoms for those who get the full blast are certainly not just a simple cold/flu."
One in five cases uncovered in the past week has been in Newcastle or neighbouring Lake Macquarie, while the City of Sydney and Canterbury-Bankstown have experienced faster spikes in recent days.
After NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard on Tuesday blamed "tourism testing" for long queues at testing sites, national cabinet on Wednesday asked a national medical expert panel for advice on whether negative tests should continue to be required for interstate travel.
NSW's double-dose vaccination rate sits at 92.61 per cent of people aged 12 and over.
The majority of infected patients in hospital intensive care units are unvaccinated, the health department says.
© AAP 2021
Page 1224 of 1496