Kakadu National Park rangers in war against feral animals as populations boom, Shoe polish stands begin to vanish, lose their shine, A Nazi-hunting nun, an accused murderer, a theatre legend: This Australian actor plays them all, Macron says no 'double standards' between Ukraine and Africa as Congo leader urges France to back sanctions against Rwanda, They can be cheeky, nippy, and playful but these camels are also helping put a business on the map, Neurodivergent children are three times more likely to drown than their peers this class is working to change that, Mooney's Aussies humbled in Gujarat loss in WPL opener, A sea of colour as WorldPride takes over Sydney Harbour Bridge. The jump in cases in NSW - which is nearly 2,000 more than the 3,763 infections reported on Wednesday - comes after a major backflip on restrictions in the state with millions once again required to check into venues via QR codes. Some wouldn't survive. The deputy premier said the changes were 'modest measures' that would protect the state's health system from the recent surge in infections. More than 10,000 Australians have now died of Covid-19. Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Premier Dominic Perrottet had last week scrapped the QR check-ins for 'low risk' venues such as retail and kept them in place for 'high risk' settings like gyms and pubs. Some people are going to get chronic illness from that, and we are in our 20s, she says. Despite the efforts of the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre, a new unit specifically formed to bring these outbreaks under control, hundreds of elderly people died unnecessarily. Earlier, one locally acquired case was announced before a press conference at 11.30am where a further seven cases were announced. There will be another pandemic and potentially this will occur sooner than we all would like. A scuffed copy of the Koran. The strengthened settings will see a curfew imposed from 9pm to 5am every night. Thomas Barbera says his friend groups have done the same, and it has caused some uncomfortable conversations. You are not even fielding inquiries its school holidays in January, thats not right.. The first Covid-19 case was detected in Australia on January 25, 2020. The ship is later linked to up to 900 infections of Covid-19. To be able to work out your working from home tax deduction you will need to keep a record of the days from which you work from home. Like everyone else, we just have to muddle through on our own.. We just need the governments to come together and we need assistance at this time, otherwise all the money thats been given to them in the past 22 months would have been wasted, Chapel St Precinct general manager Chrissie Maud said. The only thing different now and previous lockdowns is Daniel Andrews has left small businesses to fend for themselves by not provided the support needed at this crucial time, he said. The Australian government has since ordered $62m worth of rapid antigen tests. They are also furious that the virus was spread to Melbourne by removalists who failed to follow the rules of their workers' permit, did not wear masks and have not been cooperating with authorities. The health department had been depleted over many years by both sides of politics and it clearly entered the pandemic under-resourced. Among the potential exposure sites are a major Melbourne shopping centre and an AFL game. 5 https://t.co/RbnwQRfFF0, In Melbs we are on high alert again. He also feels the loss of the sense of collective action which, for some, underscored the long lockdowns of 2020 and 2021. Were very keen to make sure we get a very firm grip of this as soon as we possibly can, Mr Weimar said. Took a while for the anxiety to die down to get to this point but now I dont want to do anything else., Richard Chigwin is experiencing his third summer without customers. Here's how likely you are to get it more than once, Charting the COVID-19 spread: Australia passes 10,000 coronavirus deaths, Self-help author Marianne Williamson launches primary challenge against Joe Biden for 2024 Democratic nomination, Chinese migrants walked a gruelling 500km to Victoria's goldfields in the 19th century. Here we are in early January 2022 and its a wet day today (Sunday) in Melbourne, even though its summer. Not so shipshape! The Premier on Thursday said he was listening to struggling sectors and didnt rule out providing future support. Local lockdown orders are reinstated in the northern beaches. Retail shops like Bunnings are closed for the first time. "In regards to the balancing of economic, social, mental health, cultural and just family reasons, that was the appropriate decision," he said. Victorians should work from home if they can. Highpoint shopping centre has also emerged as an exposure site, with anyone who attended between on Friday night between 10am and 2pm urged to get tested. But as the initial challenges with the vaccine rollout highlighted, theres still more work to do. This is clearly a very rapidly moving situation," Victoria's Covid-19 Commander Jeroen Weimar said. And please, do not leave your home unless it is absolutely essential.". And on Friday, they emerged from it with cheers, and a . The Herald Sun reports the state government is holding high-level meetings this afternoon to weigh up whether to reimpose restrictions across Melbourne, with an announcement expected as early as Thursday. People in Melbourne start putting teddy bears in their windows for children to find on daily exercise walks. Around one third of businesses in Melbournes Chapel Street precinct have had to shut or reduce hours in recent weeks due to Covid-induced staff shortages. On the same day. Gyms and fitness studios can reopen with up to ten people per class and 100 people in an indoor venue; Childrens sport and community sports competition can resume; and. Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article, How a 21yo man with the code name 'Svyat' smuggled residents past Putin's private army, Anna called police to report an assault, but they took out a family violence order against her. The Victorian Premier has spoken out after Queensland moved to make major changes to its drug laws. Victorian premier Dan Andrews announces that only two people may gather outside unless they are members of a household, as well as the only four reasons people are permitted to leave home: NSW health minister Brad Hazzard announces that there are 16 reasons to leave home in NSW. South Australia has enforced a hard border with residents of Greater Melbourne, as authorities reveal the man at the centre of Melbourne's Covid-19 outbreak likely caught it through aerosol Covid-19: South Australia border closes to Greater Melbourne, report into hotel leak released Many health experts advocated for the development of purpose-built quarantine facilities and Victoria was a comparatively early adopter, yet we still dont have a facility in operation. The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry's acting chief executive Scott Veenker said customer numbers were dwindling across hospitality and events sectors, and the surge in infections was also putting pressure on staffing. Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. NSW announces more of its restrictions will ease, allowing people in the state to: Then-NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian announces that from July 1, the following will be allowed: Victoria announcespostcodes 3038, 3064, 3047, 3060, 3012, 3032, 3055, 3042, 3021 and 3046 will go back into lockdown from July 2. SBS reporter asked Ms Berejiklian if she was seeking advice from the Victorian government given they are the only other state that have dealt with an outbreak of this size, which they supressed with hard lockdown rules. Which in normal times would mean nothing as Covid is not really any different from the flu. But on Wednesday night, a further case emerged from a school in Bacchus Marsh as well as reports of two additional cases that would bring today's number to 10. Its all just exhausting., Karen McVean, a Melbourne-based remedial massage therapist, has chosen a different approach. Premier Daniel Andrews has himself said there is no need to lockdown the Victorian capital for a seventh time once more than 90 per cent of the state's population has received both Covid vaccine doses. On 26 September at 11:59pm, the 7 day Geelong and Surf Coast lockdowns ended as scheduled, but Mitchell Shire's lockdown was extended with no end date set. Melbourne COVID testing centres have been busy.Scott McNaughton Mr Morrison said on Tuesday that Australia would not go back into lockdowns, but a recommendation from the country's chief health officers for using masks in indoor settings was "very sensible". Far fewer know their real story. She was appointed as an independent advisor on the AstraZeneca covid vaccine advisory group, Australia. I know and understand that this is challenging and there is no family that has not been touched by that over the last few years and certainly many touched by that over the last few weeks and months, he said. Don't have an account? Victorian Liberal deputy leader David Southwick said the restrictions had placed increased pressure on businesses. As of this date, the city was expected to be locked down until "late October". The 'winter shot': Everything you need to know about getting your next COVID-19 booster, If you catch COVID again, will your symptoms be worse? The government has barely introduced major restrictions since then, apart from the closure of dancefloors and light indoor density limits. "It is very difficult to compare apples and oranges given the Delta strain and along the lockdown period in Victoria. Theres still high chances of new variants. All times AEDT (GMT +11). Despite enduring one of the longest aggregate periods of strict lockdown in the world, the Victorian community by and large hung in there. Of today's cases, 24 were in the community during their infectious period. By 9News Staff 9:31am Jan 3, 2022 Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said the days of lockdown are gone, even as daily COVID-19 case numbers continue to escalate across the country. The government has also announced a raft of "strong recommendations": that people take a RAT before visiting aged care facilities and hospitals, and work from home until late January. 'Masks have a very small individual cost for us,' he said. How can I best get on with living my best life?, NSW expects Covid hospitalisations to peak next week. Context is important and needs to be factored into any critique. Australia has been the most locked-down country since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, but residents are growing frustrated with cases still rising. Lotus lifestyle EV division to go public . "That is the number, the 24 number is what we need to get down to is close to zero as possible," she said. What does is Victorians got vaccinated at a rate that surpassed all expectations. Timelines of Melbourne's lockdown - Since the pandemic began The timeline This basic timeline provides start and end dates along with COVID-19 cases for each of the six lockdowns Melburnians have faced since the pandemic began Lockdown One: 43 days BEGAN: March 30, 11:59pm ENDED: May 12, 11:59pm Mr Weimar revealed on Wednesday that the removalists were in Melbourne on a workers' permit but that they did not wear masks inside the apartment building. "Going to be so mad if we get sent into our fifth lockdown because of a Sydney removalist who wasn't wearing a mask," Choice journalist Jarni Blakkarly tweeted. Now that has ended too. Authorities confirmed seven cases were linked to a returned family and a crew of removalists, who both came into the state from NSW. Any one of these things could have led to the increase in numbers, together they are leading to big numbers. Lockdown measures ease in regional Victoria but remain in metropolitan Melbourne. "Interaction in those environments is close, it's crowded, it's active and it's mobile. Couples who don't live together are permitted to visit in Victoria. The Ukraine war may be a battle for the global order but whose rules are we fighting for? We need to get that down to is close to zero as possible," she said. Kylie*, a midwife working in Melbourne hospitals, says despite difficulties with testing and high case numbers there is cause to be optimistic. The chamber is calling on federal and state governments to offer free RATs to small and medium-sized businesses, and suggestinga one-off payment equivalent to three weeks of support under the joint business packages released during previous lockdowns. Test yourself with this Cockney Rhyming Slang quiz. 'We are not considering going into lockdown and this is the commitment that we gave to the people of Victoria,' Deputy Premier James Merlino said, Beachgoers in St Kilda in Melbourne. Northcote woman Phoebe* is also feeling a sense of arrested development. The bigger question of course will be whether we ever need to rely on hotel quarantine again or whether we have learned the more important lesson about how unsuitable hotels are for containing infectious diseases. By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. decided it didn't want to go into . . Covid-19 case numbers are on the increase across the state with 2,005 new infections and ten deaths reported on Thursday. I cannot stress this enough that everyone needs to take it seriously as hard lockdown," she said. The Premier also hinted that parts of Regional Victoria may be able to exit lockdown "before next Tuesday if it is safe to do so." Barbera says he is still struggling to come to terms with a health policy that expects and accepts that hundreds of thousands of Australians will get Covid, after two years where a handful of cases would send the city into lockdown. The streets of Melbourneare eerily quiet as people stay at home. Vulnerabilities such as understaffing and inadequate training have been known for decades and were largely swept under the carpet. Here's how likely you are to get it more than once, Charting the COVID-19 spread: Australia passes 10,000 coronavirus deaths, Self-help author Marianne Williamson launches primary challenge against Joe Biden for 2024 Democratic nomination, Chinese migrants walked a gruelling 500km to Victoria's goldfields in the 19th century. Two months ago, Premier Daniel Andrews said Victorians could expect a summer filled with the "normality we've all craved" due to the state's strong vaccination coverage. The state's health systems are under growing pressure, as the wave of infections sends staff into isolation at the same time COVID-19 patients are growing. So it's going to be in some ways [it will be]more stressful for a lot of people.". A further two cases were family members of Ariele apartments residents and one case was believed to have been infected at Coles in Craigieburn where a family returning from a red zone were not isolating. "That really reinforces the message that whenever you leave the house, you've got to assume you can come into contact with someone who is infectious with covid.". And our society will be all the worse for it. Its a nightmare, she says. Authorities confirmed seven cases were linked, Covid rule that was an atrocious mistake. I know that I was safer.. Tattoo and massage parlours can reopen with up to ten clients. "The reason why we want to provide that 2-week period at least is so that parents who are teaching children or supervising children from home know that unfortunately for an additional two weeks at least their children will need to learn from home.". But maybe Im wrong. These include the reasons listed in Victoria, in addition to things like attending weddings or funerals. 24 people were infectious in the community. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) for the 6th January 2022, the most recent data available, Australia has the following statistics: So according to these figures, more than 10% of all cases in the past two years were found in one day! Chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said this advice is particularly aimed at those in Greater Sydney. Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick, and the City of Sydney, including the CBD. Mr Morrison told day that with the arrival of Omicron, and Australia's high vaccination numbers, the government's approach had "shifted gears". Melbourne extends sixth virus lockdown Almost seven million people in Melbourne and surrounding Victoria state were scheduled to exit a four-week lockdown on Thursday, but state premier Dan Andrews said it would no longer be possible with case numbers rising by 92 overnight. Business groups have been sounding growing alarm about the trend for weeks, warning the unofficial "shadow lockdown"is dealing significant damage to the bottom line, but this time without significant government support. When asked about that decision today, Mr Foley said "most of those recommendations" were turned into orders, such as the rules around face masks. Over 800 people died of COVID during Melbournes second wave in 2020, many of them aged-care residents. Asked if the removalists had been deliberately evasive, Victoria's Covid-19 Commander Jeroen Weimar said: "They're not being deliberately forthcoming, let me put it that way.". the song became the world's best-selling hit of 2022 . But as a wave of Omicron infections wreaks havoc across workplaces and the healthcare system, data suggests Victorians are voting with their feet and staying close to home. Australia recorded more cases in the first two weeks of 2022 than in the previous two years combined. Are you willing to justify risking the health of vulnerable people for that privilege?. National cabinet encourages wearing masks to combat COVID-19. They just want an indication from governments both state and federal that they will be supported and able to easily access tests and healthcare as the outbreak, and any new variants to come, rolls on. Australia's two largest states have kicked off 2022 with record COVID cases - while others have opted to change restrictions. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. Far fewer know their real story. [The] big difference is I have no energy for or interest in working, just want to read books and chill. A man who had flown from Guandong, China, to Melbourne on January 19, 2020, tests positive for Covid-19, becoming Australias first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus. Premier Gladys Berejiklain said its "very difficult" to compare the current situation in Sydney to the situation experienced by Melbourne last year. The NSW government announces that from May 15, the following will be allowed: The Victorian government announces an easing of restrictions, allowing: Time Out announces the winners of the Time In Awards, supporting businesses and organisations that pivoted tonew initiatives during lockdowns. Density limits of one person per 2 square metres will be introduced indoors at hospitality venues and entertainment venues. Despite the Government trumpeting no more lockdowns once vaccine targets were met, isolation requirements, coupled with density limits and further restrictions have left Victoria in a shadow lockdown, he said. We reflect on what we've learnt after 100 days of lockdown in Melbourne. The Victorian government cancels the F1 Grand Prix, hours before the event. Try another? The lockdown covers only Melbourne and an area to the north called the Mitchell Shire. Melbourne 12:10pm Jun 8, 2022 Shanghai neighbourhoods return to lockdown Multiple neighbourhoods in Shanghai were placed back under lockdown only a day after city-wide restrictions were lifted, as China's stringent zero COVID-19 strategy continues to haunt the financial hub. Read more: Interactive map reveals when you may see SNOW. Pictured are Melbourne Demons fans during the AFL Grand Final in Perth on September 25. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. A new test, the rapid Antigen test which can be done at home has become available. Key points: From Friday, Victorians must register their positive at-home RAT results on a government portal Health Minister Martin Foley said about one in 50 Victorians currently had COVID-19 Mr Foley said there was no plan to introduce a lockdown and that Victorians had to "coexist" with the virus Prince Harry shares struggles to be his 'authentic true self' growing up, saying he felt pressures to 'come As Prince Harry says he felt like the film 'the boy in the bubble' before having therapy, who was Hollywood's love affair with the new non-binary Brit Pack: After MeToo sex scandals, Tinseltown is desperate Five unexpected signs in your 20s and 30s you're at risk of developing heart disease later in life. That would be very challenging not just for Covid patients but for everybody else who needs a hospital bed.. A man who had flown from Guandong, China, to Melbourne on January 19, 2020, tests positive for Covid-19, becoming Australias first confirmed case. A controversial media star and politician says there is no point in maintaining his political ambitions.