ACT COVID update 15 Sept

13 new cases
8 linked (all close household contacts)
5 in quarantine throughout
8 infectious in the community

7 in hospital
1 in ICU, ventilated

3311 tests conducted

4000+ vax doses delivered
61% 1st
39% 2nd

Today we pass 75% of 12+ pop with 1 dose Barr: "Soon we will have administered first doses to everyone who wants one"

+50% 12+ population have now received 2 doses
(~185k Canberrans)

From Monday, ACT vax hubs will start taking bookings for 12-15yos. Also available thru GPs (Pfizer), and eventually pharmacies (Moderna)

ACT COVID update 14 Sept

22 new cases
14 linked
8 under investigation
2 in quarantine throughout
13 infectious in the community

10 in hospital
2 in ICU
1 ventilated

3721 tests conducted BREAKING: ACT lockdown will CONTINUE for another 4 weeks, to Fri 15 October

ACT COVID update 13 Sept

13 new cases
7 linked
6 under investigation
2 in quarantine throughout
10 infectious in the community

9 in hospital
3 in ICU
1 ventilated

2402 tests conducted
This reflects lower trend on weekends, officials want that up to ~3500 today. Barr has escalated his 'get tested' message today.

Says, if you live with someone who has symptoms, the whole household should come forward for testing. If you work with someone who has symptoms, you should come forward for testing too.

ACT COVID update 12 Sept

15 new cases
8 linked
5 in quarantine throughout
9 infectious in the community

1 new case "is a detainee" who tested positive yesterday, Barr says

10 in hospital
3 in ICU
1 ventilated

2406 tests conducted
They'd like this number to be 3000+/day. VACCINATION update:

44k doses delivered in the past week

95% of 50+ population = 1 dose
75% of 50+ population = 2 doses

29% of 35-39yos = 2 doses
15% of 20-24yos = 2 doses

20-39 is Canberra's biggest age demo

Barr: "It will take some weeks" to get them all fully vaxxed.

ACT COVID update 11 Sept

15 new cases
14 linked
1 under investigation
9 in quarantine throughout
6 infectious in the community

16 in hospital
3 in ICU
1 ventilated

3202 tests conducted VACCINATION update:

19.5k first dose appointments were brought forward at AIS mass vax hub thanks to the 30k new doses available

(There are still early appointments available! Try your luck on MyDHR, it's worth a shot har har etc)

ACT COVID update 2 Sept

12 new cases
6 linked
6 under investigation
4 in quarantine throughout
8 infectious in community

13 in hospital
4 in ICU
2 ventilated (Previously reported woman in her 40s, and now also an unvaccinated man in his 20s w no prior conditions) 2500 tests conducted in #Canberra yesterday

Barr: "This is just not high enough. The virus is out in our community. It is critical, if you have symptoms, to get tested as soon as possible."

ACT COVID update 1 Sept

23 new cases
14 linked (mostly household)
9 under investigation
11 in quarantine throughout
11 at least partly infectious in community

13 in hospital
4 in ICU
None fully vaccinated

3763 tests conducted

Barr: "Please get tested if you have any symptoms" Barr address the "What is non-organised recreation?" question.

Says it is NOT organised boot camps, sport comps, team training, golf, tennis, "those sorts of organised sporting activities"

ACT COVID update 31 Aug

13 new cases
7 linked
6 under investigation

4 in quarantine throughout
8 infectious in community
1 under investigation

13 in hospital
3 remain in ICU

3061 tests conducted
Barr: "We need these testing numbers to continue above 3000" for surveillance We now have 242 active cases. Chief Minister says CHO briefing indicates lockdown is working.

RO is now less than 1

"This is essential to continue to contain the outbreak," Barr says.

We still have unlinked cases and mystery cases. So:

ACT COVID update 30 Aug

12 new cases
6 linked
4 under investigation
2 with no known links (still investigating)

2 in quarantine throughout
6 infectious in the community
4 under investigation

12 in hospital
3 in ICU

2262 tests conducted
Barr: "This number does need to lift." VACCINATION update

Will be opening Pfizer bookings to 16-29 "in the coming days"

+25k have already registered

If you haven't yet, please do so today if possible to make it as easy as possible for you to make a booking

ACT COVID update 28 Aug

26 new cases
20 linked
6 under investigation
15 in quarantine throughout
7 infectious in community
4 being assessed

10 in hospital (1 released since yest)
1 still remains in ICU

2937 tests conducted

Barr: "We'd like to see that get a little higher" /END (Weekend Edition) THREAD

ACT COVID update 25 Aug

9 new cases
8 linked
1 investigations cont

3 in quarantine throughout
4 infectious in community
2 status being assessed

176 active cases
7 in hospital
1 in ICU, "critical condition"

Barr: "Our thoughts are with that person's family" & thanks TCH staff Barr: "It remains our number one priority over the coming months, to get more people vaccinated more quickly"

Lockdown will NOT end before 2 Sept
"Now is not the time to significantly ease restrictions"
CHO is reviewing public health conditions; any changes announced before wknd

ACT COVID update 24 Aug

30 new cases, 167 active cases
25 linked
5 still under investigation
13 in quarantine throughout
11 infectious in the community
6 infectious status uncertain

4 in hospital inc
1 in ICU

Barr: This number will cause concern. It is a record day for the ACT 16-29yos: Pfizer supply means bookings open Sept for jabs in Oct

Barr: "Which is why I remind you that the AZ vaccine is available now. It is seriously worth considering, following a conversation with your trusted health professional, getting the AZ vaccine as soon as possible."

So. The pandemic sucks. The news is awful.

In that spirit, for Song Challenge Tuesday give me

The Worst Song Ever Written

And **why** that one gets your vote.

You can be as petty as you like.

(No offense to Minnie but I CANNOT with this one: ) And I mean it: show your working.

For me it's Loving You because it's so saccharine I can feel my teeth decaying while I listen. For me it's the opposite of a love song. It makes me want to run screaming in the opposite direction of whatever inspired it. Just... cannot even.

ACT COVID update 23 Aug:

16 new cases, 137 active cases
13 linked
3 infectious in the community

Watch/listen to the briefing live on @abccanberra radio, facebook, TV (Ch.21) @abccanberra Today ACT opening vaccination REGISTRATION for 16-29yos to get Pfizer at ACT Health hubs

~64,000 Canberrans in that age group

Register via My DHR, so you can book once appointments are available

~21,000 Canberrans in this age group already vaccinated as priority group, or w AZ

ACT COVID update 19 Aug

16 new cases, 83 active cases
11 linked, 5 under (9 total) investigation

1 linked to childcare centre (Turner's Good Start appeared on close exposure list today)

8796 tests conducted y'day (another daily record)

21,330 people in quarantine in #Canberra Barr announces a new testing site is being set up at ERINDALE. Hopefully further details to come in this briefing.

ACT COVID update 18 Aug

22 new cases, 67 active cases

8417 tests conducted

Since lockdown, ~25k tests conducted. That's approx 6 per cent of the #Canberra population

(Watch the briefing live on @abccanberra facebook, ABCTV Ch.21, or listen on ABC Radio Canberra) @abccanberra ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr says 57% of Canberrans have had their first dose of covid vaccine.

One third are fully vaccinated.

The ACT continues to "focus our efforts on running our vaccination program fully tilt," he says.

ACT COVID update 17 Aug

17 new cases, 45 active cases

Noone in hospital

All time record of tests conducted: 7380

Barr: That is giving us excellent surveillance on where the virus is. We are very early in this outbreak. The numbers will continue to grow. #canberra Barr: "Please stay at home. Avoid contact with other people wherever you can. If you have to leave, only for the essential reasons, get in and out of a retail outlet. Now is not the time to be loitering, browsing, or catching up with people at the shops."

ACT COVID update 31 March:

Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith says ~2600 people declared they'd been in Greater Brisbane

#Canberra testing centres almost back to normal wait times

And then... Well. She is VERY unhappy with some Cwealth ministers' vaccine commentary today. ACT Health Minister Stephen-Smith: "I think some of the comments today from some of the Commonwealth ministers, and I note not the Health Minister Greg Hunt, but some of those comments from his colleagues have been EXTREMELY disappointing and betray a real lack of understanding"

Yesterday was the 88th day of the year (Already?! But also, only 88?!) and that made it International Piano Day... because there are 88 keys on a piano. Geddit?

And that's really all the excuse I need for Song Challenge Tuesday. So. Give me

Songs with A Great Piano Part For example: Tori

ACT COVID update 29 March re: Brisbane lockdown

If you returned to #Canberra 11-14 March: get tested, isolate til you return negative test

If you returned from 15 March onwards: you must IMMEDIATELY ENTER QUARANTINE until at least 6pm on 1 April (in line w QLD lockdown period) If you arrived from 15 March: must complete online health declaration w/in 24hrs of public direction taking effect at 6pm.

Also, get tested. That doesn't have to be today. Sites are busy rn.

Be aware your quarantine period could extend to 14 days if QLD situation worsens.

A year ago today, a Defence chopper ignited the Orroral Valley fire. It would burn 80 per cent of Namadgi NP, put Canberra on high alert, and eventually burn over the border where it destroyed properties.

We still don't know how Defence protocols have changed, if they have. Defence says the chopper crew - who were in a dangerous situation with their aircraft damaged by fire - followed protocol and did what they were supposed to do.

The question is: if following protocol meant a 45min delay in reporting the fire... how is Defence responding to that?