Dan Andrews unleashes on 'Sydney incursion' as virus spreads across 100 exposure sites with thousands in isolation - after Victoria recorded six new cases on first day of lockdown
Daniel Andrews has taken a swipe at the NSW premier over the latest outbreak that spread from Sydney and forced his state into lockdown - as Victoria recorded six new Covid-19 cases and listed 100 new exposure sites.
The Victorian premier said he understood the frustration among Victorians as they began their first day of a five-day long lockdown to curb the spread of the 'Sydney incursion'.
'I know and understand that this is not easy,' he said. 'No-one wants to be locked down.
'But we had no choice and these additional cases overnight and particularly some of the context of these cases I think confirm for all Victorians that we had to make that tough call.'
Mr Andrews claimed it was better to suffer through a short lockdown than a prolonged one - in a subtle dig against NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian who has been forced to extend restrictions across Greater Sydney until at least the end of July.
'We have done it before and we have done before with the Delta variants. We can do it again and we will do it again,' he said.
'We are all working as hard as we possibly can to make this as short a lockdown as possible, five days.
'That is certainly better than five weeks or five months.'
Victoria has recorded six new Covid-19 cases and listed 100 exposure sites as the state premier took aim at the outbreak that originated in Sydney and forced the state into lockdown
Daniel Andrews said he understood the frustration among Victorians as they began their first day of a five-day long lockdown on Friday
On June 26, Ms Berejiklian initially introduced a two week lockdown in Greater Sydney after more than 80 cases were linked to an outbreak of the Delta variant.
The lockdown has since been extended with the virus running rampant in south-west Sydney
Ten cases were reported overall - but four of them were already announced on Thursday.
There are now 24 cases linked to the outbreak with 1,500 close contacts and 5,000 secondary contacts identified.
The figure comes after 33,129 Covid-19 tests were conducted and 17,188 vaccines administered in the last 24 hours.
Covid response commander Jeroen Weimar said 100 new exposure sites had been added, bringing the list up to 126.
Fears are growing that restrictions will be extended for several more weeks as a Covid outbreak, which began in Sydney, wreaks havoc across Melbourne.
Up to four footy fans have already been found to have caught the virus at the MCG on Saturday from a man who lives in an infected north-west Melbourne apartment block, with one of the stadium's busy bars now feared to be a super-spreader site.
News of the lockdown prompted demonstrators to take to the streets and demand the resignation from state premier Daniel Andrews, who has enforced the hardline restrictions five times since the pandemic began in 2020.
Ten cases were reported overall - but four of them were already announced on Thursday
There are now 24 cases linked to the outbreak with 1,500 close contacts and 5,000 secondary contacts identified
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VICTORIA'S NEW LOCKDOWN
- The lockdown is scheduled to run from Thursday July 15 at 11:59pm until Tuesday July 20 at 11:59pm.
- There will be only five lawful reasons to leave home
1. Essential shopping
2. Two hours of daily exercise within a 5km radius
3. To seek or provide medical care
4. Work or study that cannot be done from home.
5. To go and get vaccinated.
- Face masks will be mandatory indoors and outdoors
- Schools will return to online learning
- 5km travel limit for essential tasks, including shopping and exercise
- If your business was closed during the last lockdown, they must close this lockdown
- Hospitality open for takeaway only
- General retail is closed, as well as all non-essential businesses
- Visitors to the home are banned
- Funerals capped at ten people, while weddings are banned
- Professional sport can proceed but with no crowds
- Outdoor parks and play areas are open, but those indoors must close
Sources close to the Andrews government said that officials were initially aiming to tighten restrictions, not go back into lockdown, until they found out people had caught the virus from strangers at the stadium.
The stay-at-home order came into effect at 11.59pm on Thursday as public health officials try desperately to keep a lid on the latest Covid-19 outbreak, which has since jumped to 24 cases.
But even if the outbreak is contained and the lockdown ends as planned on Tuesday, millions of Victorians face strict restrictions that could last weeks.
The lockdown rules around hospitality, masks and the number of visitors in homes are likely to be slowly wound back over time rather than removed immediately.
In a welcome reprieve, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a newly-introduced $600 relief payment from the Federal Government for hard-hit Victorians.
More to come
MELBOURNE'S NEW EXPOSURE SITES
Tier 1 - Anyone who has visited the following locations during the listed times must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from the exposure:
Point Cook: Sanctuary Lakes Charcoal Chicken & Salad Bar - Wednesday, July 14, 12:46pm - 1:20pm
Richmond: Percy Beames Bar, Members' Reserve (Level 2) - Melbourne Cricket Ground - Saturday July 10, 4:00pm - 4:30pm and 5:20pm - 5:50pm
Sunshine: Helping Hands Mission Inc Sunshine Op Shop - Monday, July 12, 10:30am - 11:30am
Niddrie: Vinnies Niddrie - Monday July 12, 11:30am - 12:30pm
Moonee Ponds: Hero Sushi - Monday July 12, 2:30pm - 3:15pm
Maidstone: Chemist Warehouse - Monday July 12, 5:10pm - 5:50pm
Bundoora: Dr Suguna Vimalanathan Dental Surgery - Tuesday July 13, 12:30pm - 1:03pm and 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Bundoora: Salvos Stores Bundoora - Tuesday July 13, 11:45am - 1:00pm
Moonee Ponds: Australian Red Cross Moonee Ponds Op Shop - Monday, July 12, 12:30pm - 1:15pm
Carnegie: Spotlight - Tuesday July 13, 4:20pm - 5:00pm
Tier 2 - Anyone who has visited the following locations during the listed times should urgently get tested, then isolate until confirmation of a negative result. Continue to monitor for symptoms, get tested again if symptoms appear:
Williamstown: Coles - Tuesday July 13, 5:20pm - 5:55pm
Richmond: MCC Members' Reserve (all other staff and ticketholders, all levels), Carlton v Geelong game - Saturday July 10, 4:00pm - 8:00pm
Richmond: Coles - Monday July 12, 12:30pm - 1:05pm
Richmond: Soul Origin - Monday July 12, 12:35pm - 1:10pm
Richmond: Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre - Basement level car park (Purple Zone) - Monday July 12, 8:50am - 9:30am and 4:30pm - 5:10pm
Avondale Heights: Coles - Monday July 12, 8:00am - 9:15am
Chadstone: ZiNG Pop Culture - Monday July 12, 5:25pm - 6:00pm
Chadstone: Target - Monday July 12, 5:25pm - 6:00pm
Chadstone: Kmart - Monday July 12, 5:25pm - 6:00pm
Carnegie: Carnegie Central - Tuesday July 13, 4:20pm - 5:20pm