Outrage as desperate families linked to a Covid-exposed kindergarten are forced to REPEAT their two-week isolation after a teacher refused a test
A Melbourne kindergarten teacher has refused to be tested for Covid-19, causing dozens of families to endure another two weeks of isolation.
An outbreak with several cases at Glenroy West Primary School also plunged 50 families and staff from York St kindergarten, which is on the same site, into isolation.
The kindergarten was listed as a close contact exposure site for seven days from August 6.
But now the potentially exposed families will be forced to repeat their 14 days in isolation after a teacher refused to be tested, according to The Herald Sun.
The teacher was at the school from August 6 to August 12.
An outbreak with several cases at Glenroy West Primary School also plunged 50 families and staff from York St kindergarten, which is on the same site, into isolation
The individual will face no consequences for refusing the test as there is now law surrounding mandatory testing, even though premier Dan Andrews suggested it was the sensible thing to do.
'If you're asked to test because there's a sense you may have the virus, and we want to rule you out … but also look after the safety of people you've been with, some of whom might be little kids, I don't think that's such a big ask,' Mr Andrews said.
On Thursday, Victoria recorded 57 new Covid-19 cases, doubling the previous days recording of 24.
The spike to 57 is the biggest jump in daily cases since 76 infections were recorded on September 9 last year.
Families will be forced to repeat their 14 days in isolation after an exposed teacher refused to be tested - and the individual will not face any consequences for the refusal
13 of the cases were infectious in the community, and authorities were unable to find the source of three infections.
44 of the cases were in isolation during their infectious period, with a total of 297 positive cases active in Victoria.
The spike in cases coincides with day 13 testing of those in isolation from Al-Taqwa college, which has experienced two outbreaks since the pandemic began.
Of the 44 cases who were in isolation during their infectious period, 38 are associated with students and households at Al-Taqwa College.
In a sliver of good news, all students and staff were in isolation while potentially infectious.
'Fifty-seven seems a very big number, but when the vast majority of those have been in isolation for their infectious period, that's exactly what we want,' Mr Andrews said.
On Thursday Victoria recorded 57 new Covid-19 cases, doubling the previous days recording of 24 and the spike to 57 is the biggest jump in daily cases since 76 infections were recorded on September 9 last year
The premier said the testing numbers across the state were high enough to be confident most of the cases were being detected.
'That's a significant uplift from some of the numbers that were a bit low, only a few days ago,' the premier said.
Mr Andrews also addressed the controversy surrounding his decision to close playgrounds and pointed to claimed new evidence of outdoor transmission.
'This thing moves rapidly and we're about trying to stop any more transmission. We're about trying to stop any more kids getting this,' the premier said.
'But the best thing we can do is stick together and get through the next few weeks and hopefully drive down the numbers so low so kids can be back at playgrounds and schools and we can all be doing things differently.'
On Wednesday, it was announced over 110 of Victoria's 246 active cases were detected in children under the age of 19, with 56 aged nine or younger and 55 aged between ten and 19.
With the state's active cases skyrocketing, Mr Andrews said he expected the number of infected children to rise accordingly.
MELBOURNE EXPOSURE SITES ANNOUNCED THURSDAY NIGHT
Ashburton: Bakers Delight Ashburton, 16/08/2021 9.25am - 9.45am
Metro Trains: Laverton Line (Newport Station to Southern Cross Station), 11/08/2021 10.12am - 10.31am
Bus: North Williamstown Railway Station to Newport Railway Station), 11/08/2021 10.07am - 10.12am
Tullamarine: BP Tullamarine, 05/08/2021 3.00pm - 3.30pm
Ashburton: Chicken Central, 16/08/2021 12.20pm - 1.00pm
Newport: BP Williamstown, 10/08/2021 9.25am - 9.45am
Altona North: Commonwealth Bank ATM Barrack Square, 10/08/2021 2.50pm - 3.10pm
Altona North: Sushi Sushi Altona Gate, 11/08/2021 1.47pm - 2.06pm
Port Melbourne: KFC Westgate, 15/08/2021 9.30am - 10.01am
St Kilda: 7-Eleven, 12/08/2021 7.00am - 11.00am
St Kilda: Woolworths, 13/08/2021 8.00am - 12.00pm
Hoppers Crossing: Food Court Ground Floor Pacific Werribee, 17/08/2021 12.00am - 11.30am
Hoppers Crossing: Sushi Jiro Pacific Werribee, 17/08/2021 11.00am - 11.30am
Hoppers Crossing: Soul Origin Pacific Werribee, 17/08/2021 8.40pm - 9.10pm
Hoppers Crossing: Carpark C Pacific Werribee Shopping Centre, 17/08/2021 10.00pm - 10.30pm
Hoppers Crossing: Carpark C Pacific Werribee Shopping Centre, 17/08/2021 8.35am - 9.05am
Hoppers Crossing: Carpark C Pacific Werribee Shopping Centre, 16/08/2021 10.00pm - 10.30pm
Hoppers Crossing: Carpark C Pacific Werribee Shopping Centre, 16/08/2021 2.50pm - 3.20pm
Lilydale: Shell Coles Express, 14/08/2021 9.10pm - 9.30pm
Lilydale: McDonald's, 14/08/2021 2.14pm - 2.34pm
Moonee Ponds: The Reject Shop, 17/08/2021 12.00pm - 12.45pm
Keilor Park: BP Keilor Park, 06/08/2021 3.20pm - 4.00pm
Altona North: Altona Gate Shopping Centre, 17/08/2021 11.30am - 1.30pm
Pascoe Vale: Pizza Boy, 13/08/2021 5.55pm - 6.35pm
Broadmeadows: Jack Roper Reserve, 13/08/2021 3.30pm - 4.25pm
Broadmeadows: Coles Broadmeadows, 17/08/2021 10.05am - 10.55am