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| Australia Covid live news update: WA to close to NT and Tasmania; PM says masks ‘highly recommended’; NSW records 3,763 new cases | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Follow all the day’s news | Follow all the day’s news |
| And that’s it from the NT | |
| Manison says a PCR test will be required with 72 hours when entering the NT, but then interstate visitors can test with RAT. | |
| “I will now move on to testing requirements for interstate arrivals into the Northern Territory. During today’s discussions at national cabinet, all states are experiencing demand pressures on PCR testing. | |
| “So moving forward you will still be required to take a PCR tests within 72 hours prior to landing in the Northern Territory. | |
| “You will still have to undertake a day three and a day six test however, these will be RAT not PCR tests. The RAT test is much easier to use and it can be self administered. | |
| “If you do get a positive read test, you will be required to isolate immediately and get a PCR test and contact the Covid hotline.” | |
| The NT acting chief minister, Nicole Manison: | |
| “The lockdown in Tennant Creek and Ali Curung will be extended for a further 24 hours until 5pm, Thursday, the 23rd of December. | |
| “We are very mindful that it is Christmas and a lot of people have a lot of work to do to prepare for Christmas Day. | |
| “The mask mandate in the Barkly LGA is also going to be extended for a further 24 hours.” | |
| We are going to Darwin now. | |
| A 48-hour mask mandate has also been introduced for Alice Springs and Amoonguna. | |
| Sydney’s Northern Beaches Council has asked the New South Wales government to declare the area a disaster zone. | |
| The declaration would release funds to help them clean up after Sunday’s storm which killed one woman. | |
| More than 700 insurance claims have been filed. | |
| And that’s it from WA. To re-cap: | |
| They’re closing the border to Tasmania and the Northern Territory on Boxing Day. | |
| They will also become the first state to mandate vaccine booster shots. | |
| McGowan says much of the opinion from commentators in the east is that WA is a “disaster”. | |
| “They have no idea. They haven’t been here over the course of last two years. | |
| “They have no idea what we’ve been through, so they don’t understand. We’ve had an incredibly free and open society with wonderful health outcomes and terrific economic outcomes, so I don’t get it. | |
| “So that’s why I don’t know what prime minister’s motivation is. I don’t know if it’s about elections, or it’s about other things.” | |
| McGowan says you “can’t keep the government out of people’s lives.” | |
| “The governments have to lead up to difficult things to save people’s lives and keep the community safe.” | |
| “I think there’s a lot of different attitudes in New South Wales and Victoria, based upon their experience, and our experience has been totally different, worlds apart. | |
| “You know, we haven’t had long lockdown. | |
| “We haven’t had people kicked out of the workplace in the hundreds of thousands. We haven’t had the economy crash. We’ve had none of those things. So obviously over there attitudes are very difficult. | |
| “And for us, it’s hard to place ourselves in a position, or if you’d like, it’s hard for them to place themselves in opposition over there.” | |
| McGowan says he hopes ATAGI will make a decision on booster times soon. | McGowan says he hopes ATAGI will make a decision on booster times soon. |
| “You need to start thinking about booking a third dose as soon as possible. Before Omicron comes into our community. | “You need to start thinking about booking a third dose as soon as possible. Before Omicron comes into our community. |
| “Our state clinics will continue to operate over the festive season so people can go out and get vaccinated.” | “Our state clinics will continue to operate over the festive season so people can go out and get vaccinated.” |
| McGowan: | McGowan: |
| “Specifically in relation to third doses. A third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine will now be mandatory for all eligible workers in industries covered by a vaccine mandate. | |
| “Under the mandate workers will now be called to have a third dose within one month of becoming eligible. | “Under the mandate workers will now be called to have a third dose within one month of becoming eligible. |
| “Currently more than 266,000 people are eligible for a third dose. And so far 89,900 people have received their dose. | |
| “Everyone is strongly urged to receive a third dose when eligible, even if they’re not covered by this policy.” | “Everyone is strongly urged to receive a third dose when eligible, even if they’re not covered by this policy.” |
| McGowan says more than one million workers will now have to get booster shots under an expanded mandate. | McGowan says more than one million workers will now have to get booster shots under an expanded mandate. |
| This is the first time boosters have been mandated. | This is the first time boosters have been mandated. |
| “As I’ve already mentioned, this morning, I attended national cabinet where leaders were given an updated briefing on the threat posed to all by the Omicron variant. | “As I’ve already mentioned, this morning, I attended national cabinet where leaders were given an updated briefing on the threat posed to all by the Omicron variant. |
| “What we are told is concerning. The picture that is starting to emerge, it is troubling. But there is hope and there is help. It comes in the form of vaccination. | “What we are told is concerning. The picture that is starting to emerge, it is troubling. But there is hope and there is help. It comes in the form of vaccination. |
| “Specifically the third dose, which ... is far more effective against the Omicron strain than two doses. Therefore we are now announcing changes to our vaccination program.” | “Specifically the third dose, which ... is far more effective against the Omicron strain than two doses. Therefore we are now announcing changes to our vaccination program.” |