Australia COVID LIVE updates Cases continue to grow across the nation as states ramp up vaccination measures

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Some Victorian private schools are cutting fees as students prepare to do seven weeks of remote learning this term and possibly more in term four.

Kilvington Grammar School, a co-educational school in Ormond, and Goulburn Valley Grammar School in the COVID-hit regional centre of Shepparton have informed families they will cut prices.

Kilvington Grammar flagged an interim fee reduction last Wednesday.Credit:Penny Stephens

But retired principal Phil De Young said widespread discounts were unlikely because many term-four fees had already been issued, and he instead predicted no or low fee increases for 2022.

Read more here.

The first batch of Pfizer vaccines sent from the United Kingdom to Australia has been boosted by 160,000 additional doses.

Deputy chief medical officer Dr Sonya Bennett said on Sunday the first batch from the UK was “in the air” and on its way to Australia with the first batch bigger than originally expected.

Australia and the United Kingdom agreed a swap where Australia will get doses now and send future doses to the UK, which is further ahead in its vaccine rollout.

“We’re getting an additional 4 million doses of Pfizer from the UK under a sharing agreement. And I’ve been advised that the first batch of those doses is currently in the air,” Dr Bennett said.

“That was planned to be about 290,000 doses, but fortunately we’re expecting 450,000 doses so an increase of 160,000 on the first batch, that’s currently winging its way here to Australia.

“So the additional supplies really reassuring and does mean that we just would like to encourage all Australians given the circumstances to book in and go and get their first dose as soon as possible. And particularly, Australians over the age of 60, who we know are most vulnerable.”

Read more here.

Good afternoon, I’m handing over COVID-19 blogging duty to Carrie Fellner now, but before I go here’s an update of what’s happened so far today.

The Australian Government Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Sonya Bennett is providing an update on COVID-19.

New Zealand’s daily COVID-19 numbers continue to provide good news as the nation looks ahead to start stepping down alert levels.

On Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson and Director General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield reported 20 new cases in the community, all in the Auckland region.

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield reported that new COVID case numbers had stayed at 20 on Sunday.Credit:Getty Images

On Saturday authorities reported 20 new cases, and the first death from the virus in 2021. Daily case numbers have been declining since the outbreak reached its peak of 83 cases last Sunday.

Read more here

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says he is open to easing some restrictions earlier should the state reach its 70 per cent first dose vaccine target before September 23.

“Every [vaccine] appointment that gets made, every shot in the arm between now and then will bring that date forward,” Mr Andrews said on Sunday.

“So that is another reason to go and get vaccinated and don’t wait for next month, don’t wait until some other time. Act on that now.

Victorian Premier Dan AndrewsCredit:Scott McNaughton

“That will mean that the date comes forward a bit. We can’t be certain exactly how much earlier it will be, but all of those things that we have already indicated that we are working on for what was on or about the 23rd. If that can be a bit earlier, then great,” Mr Andrews said.

A wider range of easing is possible should cases come down along with a faster take-up of the vaccine, he said.

“We have also made some commitments about whether it’s outdoor recreation, whatever possible to fold into the 70 per cent first-dose marker,” Mr Andrews said.

“Two really important points: The more people who get vaccinated, the quicker we will get to the 70% mark - that’s obviously a good thing.

“Secondly, the harder we all work to follow these rules and limit the cases, the more options we will have. Those two things work together very, very closely.

“That’s why it is so upsetting for those who are following the rules, millions of Victorians, to see such shameful examples of people who aren’t.

“That’s what makes people angry. I know we are all under the pump and sometimes a mask will slip down - innocent mistakes like that - those things happen, but when it’s much more obvious than that, people just making a judgement that the rules don’t apply for them, that it is for somebody else to follow the rules, that’s what makes people angry and so it should.”

Mr Andrews said people shouldn’t feel powerless during the lockdown, instead, they should focus on keeping cases as low as possible knowing it will allow restrictions to ease.

“People’s frustration is often coupled with that sense that there is nothing they can do to impact this, that is happening to them and they are not part of it - well, we are all able to influence where this goes,” Mr Andrews said.

“Following the rules means less virus, less virus means more options.

“I am proud to lead such a resilient state, to lead a state filled with people who are doing the right thing and know that we are in this together and the acts of kindness, the support for each other
is inspiring.

“It is also infuriating when we see some people doing the wrong thing, assuming that they can, with some sense of entitlement or privilege. Don’t do anything that might put more people in hospital.

“Have, for heaven’s sake, enough regard for our nurses, if you have no regard for anyone else, at least have regard for our nurses and don’t do anything that might make their job harder. That is a pretty simple message.”

Sydney Morning Herald photographer James Alcock visited Sydney Olympic Park for vaccination ‘Super Sunday’ which is aiming to vaccinate emergency service and aged care workers who live or work in eligible areas.

Eligible areas are: Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Camden, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown
Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Penrith, Strathfield.

Details about where vaccinations are being offered are here.

Crowds proceed to a vaccination hub at Figtree Avenue, Homebush for immunisation against COVID-19 on September 5, 2021. Credit:James Alcock

Emergency services workers are being prioritised for COVID-19 vaccinations today at the Homebush vaccine hub.Credit:James Alcock

Homebush immunisation hub on September 5, 2021.Credit:James Alcock

The West Australian government will inject $1 billion in additional funding into the state’s response and recovery to COVID-19, including a drive to boost its lagging vaccination rates.

The funds will be part of the 2021-22 Budget released on Thursday, on top of the $8 billion already announced as part of the WA Recovery Plan.

WA Premier Mark McGowan said a new drive to boost immunisation rates would include vaccine buses and mobile clinics to help those who can’t, or are hesitant, to go to clinics, doctors, or pharmacists.

WA Premier Mark McGowanCredit:Peter de Kruijff

WA has a fully vaccinated rate of just over 34 per cent, NSW has 40.3 per cent and ACT leads the nation at 45.3 per cent.

Mr McGowan said the financial discipline in the first term of government took significant effort, but it had been crucial in giving WA the financial capacity to respond to a one-in-one-hundred-year crisis.

“We have committed a staggering $9 billion to WA’s COVID-19 response and recovery efforts,” he said. “To put this in perspective this equates to almost one-third of general government service
delivery costs for health, education and other services in 2021-22.

“More than $1 billion has already been spent to date on frontline services including hotel quarantine, COVID-19 testing, medical equipment, the vaccine roll-out and border controls.”

If you’ve tried out kayaking or paddleboarding during this long lockdown, you’re far from alone. Sydneysiders - well, those lucky enough to have water access and the freedom to participate in outdoor recreation - are flocking to the harbour’s edge for a fresh way to exercise and stay sane.

“It’s an absolute boom,” says Shannon O’Brien, owner of Sydney Harbour Kayaks in Mosman. Last month, aided by good weather, they processed about 2000 rentals compared to 550 in the same month last year. Now they’re hiring more staff to handle the workload.

James Wheeler of Annandale Boat Hire, in the yellow shorts, says there has been a kayaking boom during lockdown.Credit:Steven Siewert

The craze is palpable from Middle Harbour to Blackwattle Bay and Cabarita to Cronulla - wherever sun- and fun-starved Sydneysiders can find a patch of water (within five kilometres of home, of course). James Wheeler, owner of Annandale Boat Hire, says the lockdown and winter sunshine combined to create a “perfect storm” for his business.

Read more here.

Parents and swimming instructors are worried about the loss of kids’ water safety skills during COVID-19 restrictions, while lifesavers prepare for a surge of beach visitors once Sydney’s lockdown eases.

Swim Australia chief executive Brendan Ward also warned the closure of swimming pools ten weeks ago could impact Australia’s medal tallies at future Olympics.

Emma Baldwin, pictured with her children Lucas, Eloise and Leyla, said COVID-19 and lockdowns have impacted swim lessons. Credit:Louise Kennerley

“This is a big concern with a lower base of swimmers gaining not only core life skills but also transitioning to competitive swimming,” he said. “This is likely to manifest for 2032 and beyond.”

Swim Australia estimates more than 250,000 lessons have been missed each week in swim schools and school-based programs during the current COVID-19 lockdown in NSW.

Read more here.

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