WA Premier Mark McGowan acknowledges his decision to keep WA's borders shut "upsets some people", but says it's the right call.
Look back on the day's COVID updates as they unfolded in the blog.
Key events
- Australian Government relaxes COVID-19 testing rules for inbound travellers
- Western Australia has recorded seven new local COVID cases
- South Australia records six COVID deaths
- Two patients critical and 432 new cases in the Northern Territory
- Don't wait to get boosted after recovering from COVID: Vic CHO
- 13 deaths and 16,031 new cases in Queensland
- Watch Queensland's press conference live
- Tasmania records first death since April 2020
- Hospitalisations drop in Victoria as state records 20 COVID deaths
- 46 deaths and 25,168 new cases in NSW
- WA border reopening delayed
Live updates
By Jon Healy
Cases, hospitalisations and deaths
If you don't see your state or territory yet, don't worry - these numbers are updated throughout the day.
For a detailed breakdown of cases across the country, check out Charting the Spread.
NSW: 46 deaths and 25,168 cases; 2,743 people in hospital, including 209 in ICUs
ACT: Two deaths and 826 new cases; 62 people in hospital, including two people in ICUs
Victoria: 20 deaths and 18,167 cases; 1,096 people in hospital, including 121 in ICUs
Tasmania: One death and 866 cases; 31 people in hospital, including three in ICUs
Queensland: 13 deaths and 16,031 new cases, 855 people in hospital, including 54 in ICUs
South Australia: Six deaths and 3,023 new cases, 298 people in hospital, including 33 in ICUs
Northern Territory: Zero COVID deaths and 432 new cases, 62 people in hospital, including two patients in a critical condition
Western Australia: Zero COVID deaths and 10 new cases, seven locally acquired. No COVID patients in hospital.
This article contains content that is not available.
By Nicholas McElroy
That's all from the blog today
As always, thanks for following a long. We'll be back tomorrow.
By Nicholas McElroy
Queensland will have 'glut' of COVID-19 rapid antigen tests within weeks, Pharmacy Guild says
Australians trying to get their hands on hard-to-find COVID-19 rapid antigen tests (RATs) may not need to wait much longer, with retail chains flagging a large supply is due to arrive in Queensland in the coming weeks.
As the Omicron variant sweeps through the state and case numbers continue to climb, RATs have been in high demand, with the majority of pharmacies sold out of the tests.
The supply of RAT kits has been restricted because they are manufactured overseas.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate today called on the state and federal governments to support his proposal to fly directly to Asia to purchase RATs for Queensland, arguing it could help to take some pressure off the state's retail and hospitality sectors.
The head of the Queensland branch of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Chris Owen, said a large supply of RATs would be made available in the state within a fortnight.
"If I had to give you my best, most educated guess, I'd say that in 12 to 14 days there will be a steady supply of tests on shelves," Mr Owen said.
"It's hard to believe, but I'll compare it to hand sanitiser and masks where there will be a glut of supply and you won't be able to give them away for love nor money."
By Nicholas McElroy
Australian Government relaxes COVID-19 testing rules for inbound travellers
Australia's making it easier and cheaper for fully vaccinated travellers to enter the country.
From this weekend, travellers will have the option of taking a rapid antigen test, within 24 hours of departure, rather than having a PCR test.
Those who contract COVID-19 while overseas will also be allowed to return home seven days after testing positive, down from 14 days.
The changes come into effect from one o'clock on Sunday morning.
By Nicholas McElroy
WA's closed borders unlikely to halt spread of Omicron, epidemiologist says
When Premier Mark McGowan cancelled Western Australia's February 5 border reopening he cited the Omicron variant and low rates of booster coverage as the reasons for the decision.
Only 27 per cent of residents aged over 16 have had a third jab.
"So far, the science shows that people with only two doses of a COVID vaccine have only a four per cent protection against being infected by the Omicron variant," Mr McGowan said.
"With a third dose, it can provide a 64 per cent protection against infection.
"In addition, protection against severe disease is maintained at 80 per cent to 90 per cent for people with two doses, but increases to 98 per cent for people with three doses.
"It would be irresponsible and reckless for the state government to ignore the facts and ignore the reality of the situation playing out on the east coast."
By Nicholas McElroy
Hong Kong warns people to stop trying to thwart COVID hamster cull
Hong Kong police will deal with pet lovers who try to stop hamsters being put down authorities say, after they ordered a cull of the cuddly rodents to curb COVID-19.
On Tuesday, officials ordered the killing of about 2,000 hamsters from dozens of pet shops after tracing a coronavirus outbreak to a worker at a shop, where 11 hamsters later tested positive for COVID-19.
Thousands of people have offered to adopt unwanted hamsters amid a public outcry against the government and its pandemic advisers, which the office of Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam called irrational.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said any effort to try to save hamsters would be dealt with, even if that meant calling police.
"If the people concerned continue with such action, or fail to return the hamsters taken away, the AFCD will stringently follow up and hand it over to the police for handling," said the department, which has also advised people not to kiss pets.
The government has said the animals are being humanely dispatched and called on all sectors of society to unite to fight the spread of coronavirus.Around the world, there have been coronavirus cases in various animals including dogs and cats, though scientists have said there is no evidence animals play a major role in human contagion with the coronavirus.
The Hong Kong government has said it cannot take any chances.
By Nicholas McElroy
Rapid fire international COVID updates
- Nearly 30 generic drug makers in Asia, Africa and the Middle East will make cheap versions of Merck's COVID-19 pill, under a landmark UN-backed deal to give poorer nations wider access to a drug seen as a weapon in fighting the pandemic.
- France will ease work-from-home rules from early February and allow nightclubs to reopen two weeks later as the general COVID-19 situation in the country is starting to improve, Prime Minister Jean Castex said.
- Austria's lower house of parliament passed a bill making COVID-19 vaccinations compulsory for adults as of February 1, bringing the country closer to introducing the first such sweeping vaccine mandate in the European Union.
- India's wealthiest state Maharashtra will reopen schools next week, its education minister said, as new cases of the Omicron variant fell sharply.
- Japan's prefecture of Osaka and two neighbouring regions are expected to join in a widening declaration of COVID-19 prevention measures, Osaka's governor said.
- Canada's most populous province of Ontario has blunted transmission of the Omicron coronavirus variant and will gradually ease restrictions on businesses from end-January, Premier Doug Ford said.
- A small preliminary laboratory study has shown that levels of Omicron-neutralising antibodies of people vaccinated with Russia's Sputnik V vaccine did not decline as much as of those who had Pfizer shots.
By Nicholas McElroy
Molly was set to reunite with her fiance in WA after two years. Now she's stranded in Sydney with just a suitcase
By Nicholas McElroy
Mark McGowan says 'there are pathways back' for people who want to travel to WA
They just have to meet an exemption criteria.
"There are pathways back. There's pathways back if you have family here. Just have to be prepared to quarantine for two weeks and be tested," Mr McGowan said.
"So, if people are prepared to go through that, well then, they can come back. I think what they think, they can't come back. But they can, if you're family or you meet some of the exemption criteria, particularly the compassionate exemption, provided you're prepared to abide by the rules."
By Nicholas McElroy
Premier responds to 'one trick pony' comment from AMA boss
Reporter:
The president of the AMA, Dr Omar Khorshid, called you a one trick pony with the hard border. Do you have a response to that?
Mr McGowan:
"The local AMA endorsed our move and called for it. So, I think the AMA is a little bit confused on their position. All I say is we have a whole range of measures we put in place to protect West Australians.
"You cop lots of criticism and lots of argument and debate, but somehow the idea, which obviously he has, that we should just introduce thousands of cases, at a point in time when it's peaking over east, when we don't have large numbers of third doses in place, I don't think is sensible or reasonable."
By Nicholas McElroy
McGowan on what's going on 'over there' with COVID
The Premier, talking about states and territories outside of Western Australia:
"We (people in WA) don't see it. We don't live it every day (as people do) over there."
"But I can advise you all, what's occurring over there is huge numbers of people are not leaving their homes."
"...The images of the malls and the shopping centres and the cafes and restaurants are devastating. They're not seeing customers come in and staff are refusing to in."
By Nicholas McElroy
McGowan on the hospitality and tourism industry
Reporter:
What do you say to the tourism industry and the events industry, saying you decimated them?
Mr McGowan said credit card data suggests spending in WA has increase while it has decreased in other states.
"Hospitality has gone gang busters. In other states that's not occurred. I know there's certain parts of the industry that have suffered," Mr McGowan said.
By Nicholas McElroy
Mark McGowan says the border decision was made to avoid the COVID deaths reported in eastern states
WA Premier Mark McGowan:
"I have been contacted by many people who are very happy with the announcement we have made. Because it gives them the opportunity to get vaccinated and it gives them the opportunity to protect the health of themselves and their loved ones.
"When we made the announcement in December, I said and I was very clear about this, that it would open on February 5 unless there was an emergency or catastrophe.
"And deliberately seeding thousands of cases here in the first day or week, into Western Australia, would mean we just follow the exact same route of New South Wales. Now, today, they had 46 people die. They have had hundreds of people die over the last couple of weeks. I'm trying to avoid that. As best we can.
"Now, when we do open, when COVID is spreading here in Western Australia, it will be a bumpy ride. It won't be easy. The idea that somehow the whole thing will be smooth is not the experience anywhere in the entire world.
"But what we can do is get our vaccination rate up, our third dose vaccination rate, get our children's vaccination rate up, and that allows us to best prepare and certainly, whilst the other states are peaking, if you, and when you open, if it's less cases being seeded into the state, on the first day, it certainly allows your systems and everywhere to accustom."
By Nicholas McElroy
Mark McGowan on the day's COVID deaths reported across Australia
Mr McGowan:
"There are currently 5,147 Australians in hospital day with COVID."
"Fortunately none of those people are in Western Australia. There are 424 Australians in intensive care with COVID.
"Thankfully, none of those people are in Western Australia. And sadly, today, Australia has reported 88 deaths across the country, including 46 in New South Wales alone. This is absolutely devastating news for so many families across the country.
"Our thoughts are with them, it is a heartbreaking time. For some perspective, Omicron is dangerous and serious. We need to take every precaution we can, and we know the third dose vaccination is key to all of this."
By Nicholas McElroy
Premier Mark McGowan says the state is now potentially managing multiple COVID clusters
The state has also recorded three travel-related cases. The 10 new cases overnight bring the state's total case count since the beginning of the pandemic to 1,348.
No one is in hospital with COVID-19.
By Nicholas McElroy
Western Australia has recorded seven new local COVID cases
Four of the seven cases are mystery infections, not currently linked to other cases.
Three of the seven cases are known contacts of previously reported cases.
By Nicholas McElroy
Australia's COVID-19 vaccine coverage, from Casey Briggs
Australian vaccine coverage (0+ population):
- First dose: 82.6%
- Second dose: 78.2%
- Third dose: 23.6%
- Approximately 14.8% of the population is eligible for a third shot but yet to receive it
By Nicholas McElroy
By Nicholas McElroy
Here's who can enter WA after February 5 and what they need to do after arriving
By Sarah Motherwell
Western Australia has delayed its planned border reopening indefinitely as the rest of the country grapples with the greatest spread of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.
Premier Mark McGowan said the revised hard border would come with more exemptions for compassionate reasons.
However, he warned further restrictions would be considered over the next month as the state reviews the impact of the Omicron variant in the eastern states.
The changes, due to start from February 5, have dashed the hopes of families and friends hoping to reunite after being separated by some of the toughest border controls in Australia.
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