Australia news LIVE Medical regulator considers COVID-19 rapid antigen testing in workplaces homes ACT lockdown extended as infections rise in NSW Victoria

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Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton and COVID-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar are providing a coronavirus update after Victoria recorded 423 local cases.

You can watch it live here.

The Victorian regional city of Ballarat will go into lockdown for a week, the government says.

The government said in a statement on Wednesday that Ballarat is of concern due to multiple waste-water detections in the region that are not accounted for by the current positive cases.

The lockdown will begin at 11.59pm tonight and last for a week, until midnight on Wednesday, September 22.

Ballarat will have the same restrictions as metropolitan Melbourne.

Two new positive cases of COVID-19 were reported in Albury, on the Victorian-NSW border, by the Murrumbidgee Local Health District on Wednesday morning.

Both cases were from the region, with one case being cared for in Victoria, while the other is isolating in Albury.
Contact tracing is underway.

Residents with symptoms are urged to get tested with walk-in testing is available at the Lavington Hall and Albury Showgrounds.

Good afternoon and thank you for reading our live coverage of the day’s events. If you are just joining us now, here’s what you need to know:

NSW has recorded 1259 new local coronavirus cases and 12 deaths, as Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced 80 per cent of people aged 16 and over in the state had now received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.“We’re up to 47.5 per cent of our adult population [aged 16 and over] completely vaccinated,” Ms Berejiklian said. “It’s that number we’re looking to, to allow us freedoms [for fully vaccinated people] at 70 per cent double dose.”

The 9pm to 5am curfew in place in 12 local government areas across Sydney’s west and south will lift tonight.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Wednesday.Credit:Janie Barrett

The 12 deaths included a woman in her 30s from south-western Sydney with significant underlying health conditions who died at Royal North Shore Hospital and a woman in her 60s from south-eastern Sydney who died at home. Ten other people aged between their 50s and their 90s died in Sydney hospitals.

Ten of the 12 people who died had not been vaccinated against COVID-10. One person had received one dose and one person was fully vaccinated. The fully vaccinated person was a man in his 90s with underlying health conditions, who died at Westmead Hospital. He acquired his infection at the Hardi Guildford aged care facility.

NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant.Credit:Edwina Pickles

NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said NSW’s 234 intensive care COVID-19 cases are across “all age groups”. There are currently 1241 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital. Of the intensive care cases, 108 require ventilation. Dr Chant said the range of ages of COVID-19 cases in intensive care reflected that the virus was a “severe disease for all”.

Victoria has recorded 423 new local cases of COVID-19 and two deaths. One of those deaths was first reported yesterday: the Australian Services Union confirmed on Tuesday that one of their Victorian members, 46-year-old Martin “Marty” Blight, had died with COVID-19. We are expecting a press conference at 12.30pm AEST.

Victorians may be able to enjoy small outdoor gatherings ahead of grand final day with a slight easing of restrictions expected to be announced on Sunday.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The ACT recorded 13 new COVID-19 cases overnight. Five of those cases were in quarantine during their entire infectious period. Eight cases are linked as close household contacts and the remaining cases are under early investigation. Seven people are in hospital, one of whom is in intensive care.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the territory will today reach a milestone of 75 per cent of the population aged 12 and over having received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

People aged 60 and over will be able to opt for a Pfizer vaccination jab in Queensland from this weekend. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the move was possible as supply of Pfizer from the federal government had finally increased.

New Zealand has recorded 14 new cases of COVID-19. They are all in Auckland, which is cut off from the rest of the country by a stage-four lockdown and border checkpoints.

This is Michaela Whitbourn signing off on the live blog. Cassandra Morgan will keep you informed of the latest news throughout the afternoon and evening.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr says the territory will today reach a milestone of 75 per cent of the population aged 12 and over having received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

Today, NSW reached an 80 per cent first-dose milestone for people aged 16 and over.

Mr Barr has this to say at today’s coronavirus update:

This is one of the toughest moments in our city’s history. And I want people to know it is okay to reach out and ask for help if you need it.

There will be better times ahead for Canberra. Our vaccination milestones are in sight.

He said more than half of the ACT population aged 12 and above had now received two doses of a COVID vaccine (some 185,000 Canberrans).

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

“From Monday of next week, the ACT government will start taking bookings in our most vaccination clinics for 12-to 15-year-olds. Bookings are also available for 12-to 15-year-olds through GPs,” Mr Barr said.

Mr Barr said the vaccination figures would “continue to grow in the coming weeks with around 70,000 people still waiting on a first dose through an ACT government clinic.

“There will be tens of thousands more who will receive their first dose through a primary healthcare provider; either a GP or a pharmacist.

“Soon, we will have administered first doses to everyone who wants one. And the balance of the vaccination program will then shift to second doses and will significantly pick up pace.

With a vaccine mandate for the state’s health workers due to come into force at the end of September, NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant says she is “really confident” enough will come forward in the next few days.

Dr Chant said 88 per cent of health workers had now received a first dose of vaccine.

“I am really confident that healthcare workers will put the interests of their patients and the interests of their own health,” she said.

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant.Credit:Edwina Pickles

The Chief Health Officer said a “comprehensive package” of health measures, including vaccination programs, and restrictions had led to declining cases in some hot spot suburbs.

She said that although it was pleasing there had been a rapid rise in vaccination of younger age groups, she remained concerned by the slowing of first doses in the elderly.

After Queensland announced it would be making Pfizer available to people aged 60 and over to combat hesitancy, Dr Chant said she would be continuing to follow the advice from national vaccine advisory group ATAGI and making the AstraZeneca vaccine available to older cohorts, noting it had been “holding up very well” against the Delta variant.

Dr Chant said three generations of her family â€" her son, herself and her husband, and her mother-in-law â€" had all received the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The ACT has recorded 13 new COVID-19 cases overnight. Five of those cases were in quarantine during their entire infectious period.

“Eight [are] linked as close household contacts and the remaining cases are under early investigation,” ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said.

“Good news, the numbers in hospital have dropped to seven. There is one person in intensive care requiring ventilation.”

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says the freedoms which will be available to fully vaccinated people once 70 per cent of people aged 16 and over in the state have received a first dose of vaccine are “clear”, with a health order to be signed closer to the date.

Ms Berejiklian stressed both staff and patrons of businesses allowed to reopen for indoor dining and retail would need to be fully vaccinated.

“At 70 per cent double dose there is no question, unvaccinated people will not be able to utilise hospitality venues, they won’t be allowed into particular events, they won’t be allowed into particular indoor settings,” she said.

“They are the rules, based on health advice, based on the national plan and what our government is currently doing is working towards what 80 per cent looks like.”

She added that the plan for easing of restrictions at 80 per cent had not been publicly released “because we’re still working on it”.

She said the government was currently working through legal and enforcement issues for the road map, adding that the onus would need to be on the individual as well as the business, although this may depend on the size of the business.

“We appreciate that many small businesses have been hanging on by a thread: it’s got to be a good balance between ensuring everybody is doing the right thing but also making sure that people don’t cut corners,” she said.

The Premier was also asked specifically about vaccination rates in Byron Shire. The popular tourism spot, also known for lower childhood vaccination rates, has the second-lowest COVID-19 vaccination rate by council in the state: just 55 per cent of people have received a first dose.

She said people could choose to not be vaccinated but “they won’t be able to participate in the activities the vaccinated people will”.

Ms Berejiklian said health authorities would give the government advice on how to deal with communities will high rates of vaccine hesitancy as well as areas with high case numbers as the state reopens at 70 per cent full vaccination.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr provided a coronavirus update at about 11.45am AEST.

We will have the playback clip for you shortly.

Victorian opposition leader Matthew Guy has called for a series of immediate changes to the state’s COVID-19 restrictions, including lifting Melbourne’s curfew, allowing small outdoor family gatherings, getting year 11 and 12 students back to school this week and bringing interstate Victorians home.

But Mr Guy, in his second week back as leader, was forced to clarify his position after the first point on his media release demanded to “end the lockdown”.

He stated at his press conference that this was in fact a reference to the 9pm to 5am curfew, which he said was enforced without medical advice.

State Opposition Leader Matthew Guy.Credit:Wayne Taylor

“I think all of us understand there are ways we can make changes today. If the government has a grand plan for Sunday, that’s fine. Victorians are looking for something. There are changes we can make today,” Mr Guy said.

“We don’t need to wait days and days for a media announcement from the government to maximise their political coverage, playing politics with COVID. This is people’s health. This is Victorians’ mental health. This is Victorians’ future who are stranded in the state.”

The opposition leader threw his support behind Ombudsman Deborah Glass’ announcement she would investigate Victoria’s border permit application process, saying all families interstate should be allowed to quarantine at home.

“Victorians shouldn’t be allowed to be languishing in the state, that’s completely unfair,” Mr Guy said.

He also backed mandatory vaccination orders for healthcare workers. Premier Daniel Andrews is expected to hold a press conference at about midday before facing off with Mr Guy in Parliament question time about 2.30pm.

As of Monday, fully vaccinated people are allowed to gather for outdoor recreation such as picnics in groups of up to five in NSW (children aged 12 and under are not included in the total), unless they are in one of 12 local government areas of concern.

In those areas of concern in Greater Sydney, fully vaccinated members of a household can gather for up to two hours of outdoor recreation. Two fully vaccinated people from different households can also engage in outdoor recreation together.

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