ACT Calls 7-Day Lockdown

While we at Tasmanian Times are very much focused on our own state, it’s interesting to see what is happening at the ACT due to the similarities in our COVID-19 situations. Before today, Tasmania and the ACT were the only states/territories that had not had a lockdown since March 2020. ACT, like Tasmania, had also been free of local transmission for well over a year. Today, all that changed.

Statement – Andrew Barr, ACT Chief Minister, 12 August 2021

The ACT will enter a seven day lockdown from 5pm tonight (Thursday). This decision is a result of a positive COVID-19 case in the territory who has been infectious whilst in the community, and positive wastewater detections. We currently do not know the source of the infection.

This is by far the most serious public health risk the ACT has faced in the past 12 months, and that’s why the ACT is introducing a strict lockdown in response to this positive case.

We have said throughout the outbreak in Greater Sydney that we would act quickly and decisively. We have seen that a short and immediate lockdown limits the potential spread of the virus, and is the best path to avoiding longer and more damaging lockdowns.

This will be the first time that the ACT has entered a lockdown of this nature since the early days of the pandemic.

During this time Canberrans, are being asked to only leave their homes for essential reasons – essential employment, healthcare (including a COVID-19 vaccination), essential groceries and supplies and up to one hour of outdoor exercise.

General retail will be closed, and hospitality venues will only be able to operate takeaway services. We will be asking any businesses that has to remain open to actively prevent any browsing in their stores.

Now more than ever, the use of the Check In CBR app is critical when leaving your home.

We know from what we are seeing around Australia that the delta variant of the COVID-19 virus is highly infectious, and life threatening. For the sake of your health, your families health and for the health of the community – it’s critical that Canberrans take every precaution they can over the coming days.

That includes mandatory mask wearing, which will be reintroduced in the ACT. It includes good hand hygiene and keeping your distance from other people. We are asking people to not have any family gatherings and do not have parties with friends. During this seven day period, Canberrans should only be interacting with other people in your household.

We are also urging Canberrans to get tested for any COVID-19 symptoms. A new testing clinic is being set up and will be available later today at the Brindabella Business Park, and capacity and operating hours will be significantly increased at the Weston Creek Walk-In Centre and EPIC drive through clinic. If you are contacted by ACT Health as a close contact, please get tested as soon as possible.

We expect demand for testing to increase, and there is likely to be longer waiting times at each of these clinics. We are asking Canberrans to be patient – it’s really important to get tested if you have any symptoms given the increased risk in the territory.

Further details will be available shortly on the COVID-19 website and on ACT Health social media accounts. There will be direct communication with stakeholder groups, including local businesses and schools.

Media release – Dr Mark Veitch, Director of Public Health, 12 August 2021

COVID-19 Update – ACT

Today the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) announced that a recently diagnosed case of COVID-19 may have been infectious in their community since 7 August 2021. The source of their infection is currently unknown. The ACT Government has declared a seven-day lockdown for the territory.

As a result, the Tasmanian Director of Public Health has declared the ACT as a level-2 high-risk area from 5pm today (Thursday, 12 August).

From 5pm today, any person who has been in the ACT on or since 5 August 2021 will not be permitted to enter Tasmania, unless approved as an essential traveller. If approved, such persons must quarantine in a suitable premises for 14 days.

The Director of Public Health has also implemented a stay-at-home direction for all persons who arrived in Tasmania before 5pm today and were in the ACT on or since 5 August 2021. These people must immediately follow the stay-at-home restrictions.

Public Health is sending an SMS this afternoon to all people in Tasmania who have reported being in the ACT in the last 14 days, advising them of the announcement and the need for those who were in the ACT on or after 5 August 2021 to stay at home.

A person to whom this direction applies must stay at home, but may leave home only to –

• shop for necessary goods and supplies; or
• undertake personal outdoor exercise; or
• attend medical, or health care, appointments or for medical treatment, including a COVID-19 test; or
• work and study if unable to be undertaken at the person’s primary residence; or
• leave Tasmania.

Shopping is limited to within 5km of home unless the necessary goods or services are not available within this area. Exercise beyond the home must only be done outdoors, with members of the household or one other person, and within 5km of home.

When leaving home, masks must be worn, unless exempted.

People bound by this stay at home direction order can live with their usual household members but must not have visitors to their home.

Information about the stay-at-home requirement is at www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/travelalert. If you have questions about your personal situation, please contact the Public Health Hotline for advice on 1800 671 738.

Anyone subject to the stay-at-home direction who gets symptoms (even only mild), should stay at home or go home immediately and arrange a COVID-19 test by calling the Public Health Hotline.

Everyone who has recently been in the ACT must check the list of high-risk premises at www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/travelalert every day for 14 days after arriving in Tasmania. If you have been at any of the high-risk premises at the dates and times listed, please isolate immediately and call the Public Health Hotline for advice.

Even if you have not left Tasmania for many months, if you have any cold or flu symptoms, please isolate immediately and arrange a COVID-19 test by calling the Public Health Hotline.

Please get into the habit of always using the Check in TAS app whenever you enter a place displaying the Check in TAS QR code.