coronavirus, COVID-19, coronavirus, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, hotel quarantine, COVID Canberra
About a dozen repatriation flight passengers will have an extended stay in Canberra’s hotel quarantine, after four people tested positive to coronavirus. The announcement came on Wednesday, and coincided with the start of the ACT’s rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The territory is on track to start “phase 1b” of its vaccine rollout plan, which will see people over 70 among those eligible to get the jab, on March 20. Two men in hotel quarantine tested positive to COVID-19 last Thursday and were later identified as having the South African variant of the virus, which is believed to be more infectious than other strains. Another two people, a man and a woman, tested positive on Sunday. Authorities expected to find out on Wednesday what strain of COVID-19 they had. The ACT’s Chief Health Officer Kerryn Coleman said on Wednesday that two of the positive cases had initially stayed with their family members in hotel quarantine. Because of that, the family members were considered close contacts. The Chief Health Officer said it was “highly likely” authorities would see one of those close contacts test positive to coronavirus on day 15 or 16 of their stay. For that reason, the close contacts would have an extended quarantine period. “[The close contacts] will actually have an extended quarantine period beyond the 14 days because they need to quarantine 14 days after the last exposure to the [positive] case,” she said. Ms Coleman said there were several people in each of the two positive cases’ family groups, but there was probably under 10 family members in total. The family members were among 146 people who arrived in Canberra hotel quarantine on March 1 after a repatriation flight from Singapore. They were all originally due to be released from hotel quarantine next Tuesday. READ MORE: Authorities reiterated on Wednesday that, in the first week of the ACT’s AstraZeneca vaccine rollout, they expected to dole out 250 doses of the new vaccine. That would increase to 1000 doses next week. Canberra Health Services chief executive Bernadette McDonald said she hoped the ACT would eventually be able to administer 6000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine each week. It was not confirmed when the ACT would have that capacity. “We are really hopeful that we can get right up there [to 6000 doses a week] because the quicker we do that, the quicker people can get vaccinated,” Ms McDonald said. “Having said that, there’ll be plenty of time for everybody to get their vaccination.” Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
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About a dozen repatriation flight passengers will have an extended stay in Canberra’s hotel quarantine, after four people tested positive to coronavirus.
The announcement came on Wednesday, and coincided with the start of the ACT’s rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The territory is on track to start “phase 1b” of its vaccine rollout plan, which will see people over 70 among those eligible to get the jab, on March 20.
Two men in hotel quarantine tested positive to COVID-19 last Thursday and were later identified as having the South African variant of the virus, which is believed to be more infectious than other strains.
Another two people, a man and a woman, tested positive on Sunday. Authorities expected to find out on Wednesday what strain of COVID-19 they had.
The ACT’s Chief Health Officer Kerryn Coleman said on Wednesday that two of the positive cases had initially stayed with their family members in hotel quarantine.
Because of that, the family members were considered close contacts.
The Chief Health Officer said it was “highly likely” authorities would see one of those close contacts test positive to coronavirus on day 15 or 16 of their stay.
For that reason, the close contacts would have an extended quarantine period.
“[The close contacts] will actually have an extended quarantine period beyond the 14 days because they need to quarantine 14 days after the last exposure to the [positive] case,” she said.
Ms Coleman said there were several people in each of the two positive cases’ family groups, but there was probably under 10 family members in total.
The family members were among 146 people who arrived in Canberra hotel quarantine on March 1 after a repatriation flight from Singapore.
They were all originally due to be released from hotel quarantine next Tuesday.
Authorities reiterated on Wednesday that, in the first week of the ACT’s AstraZeneca vaccine rollout, they expected to dole out 250 doses of the new vaccine.
That would increase to 1000 doses next week.
Canberra Health Services chief executive Bernadette McDonald said she hoped the ACT would eventually be able to administer 6000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine each week.
It was not confirmed when the ACT would have that capacity.
“We are really hopeful that we can get right up there [to 6000 doses a week] because the quicker we do that, the quicker people can get vaccinated,” Ms McDonald said.
“Having said that, there’ll be plenty of time for everybody to get their vaccination.”
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
Canberra’s only quarantine hotel, Pacific Suites on Northbourne Avenue. Picture: Dion Georgopoulos
