NSW Health is carrying out precautionary public health follow-up in relation to the returned overseas traveller who tested positive to COVID-19 on day 16 after being released from hotel quarantine on day 14.The latest case is the first community case in NSW in three weeks.
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The person from the Wollongong area returned two negative tests during their quarantine period.The person did not have any symptoms but underwent testing as part of the recently enhanced day 16 follow-up.
As an additional precautionary measure, NSW Health has introduced symptom checking and day-16 COVID-19 tests for overseas travellers who have been released from hotel quarantine.Test results indicate that the person has a low level of infection and their household contacts have returned negative results to date.Investigations to date suggest the infection was likely acquired overseas and there is no indication at this stage that there was transmission in the hotel quarantine setting.Close contacts of the case not associated with venues have been identified and are already in self isolation.$25 FOOD AND FUN VOUCHERS ABOUT TO STARTVouchers giving patrons cash discounts for food and entertainment could be used to provide “laser-like” stimulus in regions hit by future disasters, according to Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello.A pilot of the state government’s $500 million Dine and Discover program — which will give NSW residents four $25 vouchers to spend on food or entertainment — will begin this week with a select group of customers and businesses in Broken Hill and The Rocks taking part.
The COVID stimulus measure is designed to get customers spending in food and entertainment venues.But Mr Dominello is already thinking how similar vouchers could be used to provide targeted government stimulus in the future.“We cannot go back to the global financial crisis days of the misdirected $900 cash handouts,” he said.The voucher program could be used in future to provide stimulus for bushfire ravaged towns, or drought impacted regions.“With the QR framework, you could wake up one morning and have a voucher in your ServiceNSW app that you can only spend in a targeted community”.
The Daily Telegraph can also reveal that 2235 businesses in the food and beverage industry had registered to be part of ‘Dine and Discover’ program as of last Wednesday.Despite multiple delays of the program, vouchers are still set to expire on June 30 this year.A small group of customers and businesses will get the vouchers in the pilot phase before they are expanded to Bega Valley and the Northern Beaches later this month, and statewide in March.It’s understood The Morrison Bar and Oyster Room will be part of the trial. Marketing manager Claudia Rosati said the vouchers will “encourage more people to come out more often to support local venues”.Restaurant and Catering Australia CEO Wes Lambert said the Dine and Discover program would be “lifesaving for the hospitality sector”.
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