The Covid Wrap: A State-By-State Summary On Covid Across Australia

This week has been all about COVID vaccination rates as Australia hit 50 per cent of eligible people fully vaccinated on Friday.

However, dotting the i's and cross the t's over vaccine targets has also taken the human element out of the equation, rendering more questions, than answers for some.

Calls for politicians to dial down the rhetoric, particularly with vaccine hesitancy and issues around mandating vaccines, and instead deliver science-lead evidence to diffuse misinformation resonated around the country but was clearly 'demonstrated' in Victoria.

Melbourne was plagued by seismic anti-vaccine protests all week, with one protestor now in hospital with COVID, sparking fears of a super spreader event.

What started as a grassroots construction sector rally opposing the state government's vaccine mandate, by mid-week, escalated into mayhem, with a cohort of anti-vaxxers, so-called ‘freedom defenders’ and "culturalist far right" agitators, dishonouring the Shrine of Remembrance.

In addition to lockdowns going on for so long and restrictions so onerous, the disparity between two COVID ravaged states and their dissimilar pathway through the pandemic seems to be more about politics than consequences.

However, it’s hard to put vaccine targets aside as they determine the best roadmap out of lockdown, clearly seen with New South Wales looking set to hit targets of 70 per cent double-dosed vaccinations as early as October 11.

Not without a warning, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian cautions terms like ‘Freedom Day’ were not realistic, instead it will be "step-by-step”.

“So while we are all looking forward, almost a gallop to the finish line in terms of the double dose [target], we need to make sure that what we do at 70 and 80 per cent is done cautiously and also moderately and to appreciate, as I will and as many would, that if you have elderly parents or loved ones, even if all of you are fully vaccinated, the disease can still [affect] those closest to us"

- Premier Gladys Berejiklian

Meanwhile, Queenslanders no longer have to wear masks in public while seated in a minor change ahead of the NRL grand final, as New South Wales and Victoria remain locked in limbo for the AFL Grand Final weekend.

But, in the event of an over-zealous sporting nation slipping up over the weekend, tens of thousands of retired doctors and nurses are preparing to return to the front line as a surge in intensive care admissions approaches.

The urgent boost to healthcare across metropolitan and regional Australia must be in place according to the Australian Medical Association (AMA) before borders open to the “inevitable” surge in Covid cases, regardless of vaccination targets.

"The health system needs to be much better prepared to deal with the growing burden of COVID-19, as well as be able to deliver non-COVID-19 related care," President Dr Omar Khorshid said.

Meantime, the rollercoaster of lockdowns and restrictions continues to plague the east coast of the country.

As Sydney's 12 COVID hotspots enjoyed a week of eased restrictions, Byron and Cowra, along with Kempsey, the Tweed and the Yass Valley were all thrust back into lockdown, while Glen Innes in the northern Tablelands, Albury along the Victorian border and Lismore in the northern rivers have all emerged from their cocoons.

While down in Victoria, joining greater Melbourne under stay-at-home orders are Ballarat in the state's central highlands, along with greater Geelong, the Surf Coast and Mitchell Shire.

Meanwhile, across the country:

With the tightest border in the country, Western Australia have mandated that travellers from a 'high risk' state are required to provide evidence that they have received their first COVID vaccine and have tested 72 hours prior to departing for the western skies. Elsewhere Queensland, Victoria and the ACT are considered 'medium risk' and require an exemption to enter WA. Lucky South Australian's have been deemed 'low risk', so they may play in WA but only with a border declaration. That leaves 'low risk' Tasmania, the Northern Territory and New Zealand as the only visitors allowed into the state. WA recorded no new COVID -19 cases on Friday.

South Australia continues to keep the gate firmly locked to Victoria, NSW the ACT, and some parts of Queensland. Visitors from WA and NT are allowed but must have a series of COVID tests and self-quarantine until receiving their first negative result. And once again the only Aussies deemed ‘restriction free’ are Tasmanians. There was one new COVID case recorded in South Australia on Friday.

Lockdown in the Australian Capital Territory continues until midnight October 15. Further, border restrictions have been tightened for all non-ACT residents entering the capital from locked down areas of Queensland, Victoria, and New South Wales, effectively not allowing them in. Meanwhile, travellers from all other states and territories must stay abreast of exposure site locations. The countries capital recorded 19 new COVID-19 cases on Friday.

The Northern Territory is closed to travellers from hotspots – NSW, ACT, and Victoria – and returning NT residents face mandatory supervised quarantine and all arrivals must complete an online Border Entry Form. Meantime, anyone who has been at a public exposure state in any other state must get a COVID -19 test and quarantine in a suitable place for 14 days. NT recorded no new COVID cases on Friday. 

To Queensland and they have extended border restrictions to all of NSW except for LGA's along the NSW border bubble to allow students and essential workers carrying a border permit to cross the state line. In addition, essential workers crossing from NSW must provide proof of having had at least one dose of a COVID vaccine. Victoria and South Australia, along with greater Darwin and Katherine are considered a ‘hot spot’, while travellers from the NT, WA, Tasmania, and SA are permitted to visit the sunshine state but must complete a travel declaration form up to three days prior to arriving. Queensland recorded no new COVID cases on Friday.

After another week of stable COVID numbers New South Wales recorded 1043 new infections and 12 deaths on Friday. Sydneysiders remain gated into their burning hot spot, while those who are fully-vaxxed can engage in outdoor recreation with up to 5 other double dosed friends. Stay at home orders apply to the local government areas of Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Strathfield, and some suburbs of Penrith. For outsiders wanting to enter NSW, particularly those from Queensland, South Australia, the ACT and Victoria they must complete a travel declaration form.

Down south and Victoria continue to break records with 733 new locally acquired COVID -19 cases reported on Friday and tragically one death. From Thursday 2 September, 6 Victorian and 2 NSW LGA's were removed from the border bubble and a strict permit system remains in place for all states and territories, with anyone wanting to enter the garden required to secure a permit. Meantime, no-one from NSW, the ACT, or some parts of south-east Queensland are allowed in. However, this week the state government announced Victorians stranded in extreme risk zones in NSW and the ACT will be able to return home as early as September 30.

Tasmania remain tightly zipped off from the mainland to avoid the Delta downfall as they continue with zero COVID cases. The Apple Isle is now off limits to people from NSW, the ACT, and Victoria, while travellers from South Australia, WA, parts of Queensland and some parts of New Zealand may visit if they don't bring any nasties with them.

Across the ditch and New Zealand will not be reopening its trans-Tasman travel bubble any time soon, as COVID cases numbers remain vigilant across NSW and Victoria. Set to remain in place until November 19, New Zealand's ban on quarantine free travellers from Australia hinges on vaccination rates. New Zealand reported nine new COVID cases on Friday.

Finally, to wrap up in the words of Mr Scott Morrison “there are shifting sands when it comes to the evolution of this issue". 

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