COVID-19: SNAP 5-day lockdown of Victoria from Midnight tonight

The Premier of Victoria, Daniel Andrews has just announced a five day, level 4 lock-down ‘circuit breaker’ of Victoria effective from 11:59 pm today (Friday 12 February).

This means only essential travel including shopping, caregiving, for compassionate reasons, or for essential work that can’t be done at home is permitted. Exercise (limit 2 hours) is permitted, but you must stay within 5 kms of your home.

Masks to be worn everywhere except at home. Public gatherings and family visits are not permitted. Schools will close, except for at-risk children. Child care centres will remain open however. You can also forget about public gatherings, sport, weddings and funerals with more than 10 attendants.

For full advice on the Victorian lockdown, visit the Victorian Health website.

Background

Victorian Cabinet and health officials have been meeting about how to best address the COVID-19 breakout surrounding staff and returning passengers at the Airport Holiday Inn, Melbourne Airport.

There are currently 19 cases of the virus associated with the outbreak of the ‘UK version’ of the virus, that is proving to be more infectious. Health experts say that by the time they diagnose as positive a close contact, the virus has already been transmitted to others, frustrating the speed contact tracers can work at. So far only known contacts already in self-isolation have been confirmed.

The outbreak originating in the Melbourne Airport Holiday Inn hotel, and having been transmitted across a corridor from one room to another is thought to be associated with the prohibited use of a vaporising medical Nebuliser by one of the quarantine residents.

Melbourne a declared hotspot by some states

The Northern Territory has declared Greater Melbourne a coronavirus hotspot for any arrivals after 10:45 am today, and will direct them to 14 days of mandatory lockdown.

New South Wales Health have issued a public health alert for Terminal 4 (Jetstar) at Melbourne Airport between 4:45 am and 2 pm on 9 February.

‘Out of an abundance of caution, NSW Health is asking anyone who is a household contact of someone who visited Terminal 4 on 9 February at the above time to stay in isolation until that person receives a negative result.’

I would expect further states to announce restrictions focusing on Victoria post the lockdown announcement.

2PAXfly Takeout

This is another timely reminder to wear your seatbelt when seated. Holding you close to your seat will protect you from the sort of injuries sustained on this flight, when unsecured passengers flew to the ceiling of the aircraft, and then came crashing down once the ‘drop’ ceased.

The hope will be that this is an anomaly – a ‘freak accident’ in casual parlance. If it is a systemic error either mechanical or electronic, then this is a larger concern for the airlines that fly Boeing Dreamliner 787 aircraft. Let’s hope it isn’t. If it is, it will pile on the woes to Boeing’s existing stack.

Gosh things move quickly!

I was scheduled to be on a flight about now down to Melbourne for the weekend to catch up with friends, go to the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) Triennial, and to sample the gastronomic delights of our southern relative during this Valentine’s day weekend.

We cancelled yesterday for several reasons, one being not to jeopardise a planned trip to the Adelaide Festival next month. I was reluctant at the time, but now feel increasingly justified.

If we had gone, this announcement would have been made in the air, and would have given us quite a surprise on landing at Melbourne’s Tullermarine airport.