It’s the state’s lowest daily infection rate since September 26 when 695 cases were recorded.There are 394 Victorians in hospital — 75 of those in intensive care and 46 on a ventilator.A total of 64,218 tests were processed on Saturday.About 87 per cent of Victorians aged older than 12 are fully vaccinated.The state’s 90 per cent double-dose vaccination rate was predicted to be achieved about November 24.Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews previously flagged there would be ‘no caps anywhere’ beyond November 24. “There will be no density limits anywhere,” he said.“Masks will only be required in high-risk indoor settings, such as public transport, prisons, hospitals, aged care, to give you some examples.“I want to see 80,000 plus people at the Boxing (Day) Test on day one.“It won’t be easy, but we are very confident, very, very confident that we will be able to deliver that.”HINT THAT WA’S BORDER WILL OPEN EARLYWestern Australia’s borders could open to the rest of the country in the first few weeks of 2022, significantly earlier than planned.Federal health minister Greg Hunt flagged the change during a television appearance on Sunday morning.“We’d like to see Western Australia open as soon as possible,” he told ABC’s Insiders host David Speers.“We are hearing that they are considering bringing that forward to at least, well, coincidentally, to time with the cricket.”WA premier Mark McGowan has previously said the state would not open its borders until it had reached a 90 per cent vaccination target, which is expected sometime in 2022.However, the fifth and final Ashes test is slated to be held in Perth from mid-January. Mr Hunt’s speculation comes just 48 hours after Mr McGowan was slammed for his double standards when it came to the Australian and English cricket teams.The government plans to allow the players to spend just five days in quarantine, so the test can go ahead as planned.Anyone else wanting to enter the state currently has to apply for a pass and then spend 14 days in hotel quarantine, at their own expense.Mr Hunt said while ultimately the WA government would determine when it opened its borders, he wanted to see it occur as soon as possible.“I want to see not just cricketers, but children reuniting with parents,” he said.“I want the same rules for children and cancer and cardiac patients, as for cricketers.”INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS TO RETURN AMID PFIZER SIDE EFFECTS Fully vaccinated international students entering NSW from overseas will not have to quarantine when they return to the state next month.The first chartered plane of returning international students will touch down in Sydney International Airport on December 6.The flight will carry about 250 students from 15 countries including Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, China and Canada.A second flight transporting international students from South Asia and India is also scheduled.NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the decision to scrap quarantine for fully vaccinated international students was a “significant milestone” for the state.“They don’t just make a significant contribution to our economy but international students play a role in our culture and contribute to our community and lifestyle,” Mr Perrottet said.“I can’t wait to welcome back such an important part of our community.”It came as NSW recorded 250 new locally acquired cases of Covid-19 and no deaths on Saturday as the state’s vaccination figures continue to rise. There were also five new infection in overseas travellers and one in an interstate arrival.Currently, 228 people are in hospital with the virus as 32 of those are in intensive care. More than 58,000 tests were conducted in the past 24 hours. NSW is among the most highly-vaccinated regions in the world as there are now 90.8 per cent of its residents aged 16 and older that are fully vaccinated. There is also 94.1 per cent of the eligible population that’s had at least one dose.It came as Victoria recorded 1221 new locally acquired Covid-19 infections on Saturday, along with four new deaths.There are now 405 Victorians in hospital with the virus, including 77 of those in intensive care and 51 on a ventilator.About 86 per cent of Victorians aged older than 12 are now fully vaccinated, and around 93 per cent have received their first jab.A 90 per cent double-dose vaccination rate was predicted to be achieved about November 24.Yesterday Victoria recorded 1115 new cases. Once the state reaches 90 per cent double vaccination coverage, Premier Daniel Andrews has committed to no restrictions on the state’s population.That target is expected to be reached on about November 24 when the Premier expects to have “no density” measures anywhere.“Masks will only be required in high-risk indoor settings, such as public transport, prisons, hospitals, aged care, to give you some examples,” Mr Andrews said earlier in the week.“I want to see 80,000 plus people at the Boxing (Day) Test on day one.“It won’t be easy, but we are very confident, very, very confident that we will be able to deliver that.”PFIZER SIDE EFFECTSThe number of cases of heart inflammation in Australia linked to the Pfizer vaccine has risen to 288 from about 22.7 million doses.That’s up 35 on the previous week when the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) reported 253 cases from about 21.9 million doses.“Of the cases classified as likely to be myocarditis, most of the patients experienced symptoms within three days of vaccination. Around half of the patients were admitted to hospital with 11 being treated in intensive care. Most patients treated in hospital were discharged within four days,” the TGA says in it’s latest Covid-19 vaccine weekly safety report.The youngest case classified as ‘likely myocarditis’ to date was 12 years old.NED-3736-Vaccine-benefit-vs-harmThe TGA says “the estimated reporting rates in Australia appear similar to overseas rates.”“As we have received limited adverse event reports for Spikevax (Moderna), our analysis of likely myocarditis cases focuses on data for the Comirnaty (Pfizer) vaccine,” the medicines regulator said.Two new cases of blood clots linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine were also recorded, taking the total to 160 cases. The cases involved 72 and 73-year-old men from Victoria who had their second dose. Eight people have died as a result of blood clots – six of these were women.The TGA has also received 144 reports of suspected Guillain-Barre Syndrome occurring after vaccination with AstraZeneca – a rare but sometimes serious immune disorder affecting the nerves and can result in pain, numbness, muscle weakness and difficulty walking.Eighty-seven reports of suspected immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) were also linked to the AstraZeneca jab, a rare immune reaction when platelets, which help blood to clot, are mistakenly destroyed.NED-1371 coronavirus Myth BustersNEW VACCINE MILESTONEAustralia has hit a new vaccine milestone of more than 90 per cent of people aged 16 and over having their first Covid jab.Scott Morrison told Melbourne radio station 3AW all states were expected to hit 80 per cent double vaccination coverage for over 16s by the end of the year.New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT have already hit that target.“We are going to have one of the highest vaccination rates in the world that comes with having one of the best records in saving lives,” Mr Morrison said.COVID-19 Stats – Horizontal with Lazy LoadNEW TRAVEL BUBBLES COMINGAustralians will soon be able to travel to Japan and South Korea under new travel-bubble arrangements set to be formalised within coming weeks. As of this week, fully vaccinated Australians are able to travel to Singapore without quarantining, provided they test negative to Covid-19 within 48 hours of departing and again after arriving. From November 21, fully vaccinated Singaporeans will be able to fly to NSW, Victoria and the ACT without quarantining on the condition they test negative to Covid-19. Other states are not yet accepting international arrivals except for returning Australians, who must quarantine for two weeks at a state-managed facility.Prime Minister Scott Morrison said bubbles would soon open up to two other Asian destinations. “Singapore opens up on the 21st of November, and I think we’ll move fairly quickly beyond that into Korea and Japan, and before the end of the year I hope we’re opening up even more,” he told the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday. “Australians have been through a lot. They don’t want to see it get the wobbles now in terms of how we’re managing the safely reopening process.”The abolishment of quarantine in Victoria and NSW was praised during the Prime Minister’s address on Wednesday. “I commend both NSW and Victoria in abolishing quarantine for those coming from overseas, vaccination was a key part of the answer and that has been answered,” he said. While travellers from outside Singapore, Korea and Japan are unlikely to be allowed into Australia until next year, Mr Morrison indicated international students and skilled workers would be allowed back into Australia, without quarantining, “as soon as possible”. “Students will be back, I think, before the end of the year, particularly in Victoria,” he said. Until last month, Australians who wanted to travel overseas for professional or compassionate reasons needed to apply for an exemption to leave the country.
Powered by WPeMatico
