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South Australia’s top doctor warns ‘tourists are the biggest risk’ for second wave of coronavirus
South Australia’s top doctor has raised concerns about the reopening of interstate tourism following the coronavirus lockdown.
South Australia’s chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier says interstate tourism poses ‘biggest risk’ for second outbreak
Professor Nicola Spurrier, the state’s chief public health officer, said now that the COVID-19 curve is flattening, essential workers and travellers from interstate pose the biggest risk for a second wave of outbreaks.
The warning comes as the national cabinet spoke with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to draw up plans for a Trans-Tasman ‘travel bubble’ which would allow residents of both countries to move back and forth without having to go into quarantine.
Although tough travel restrictions in Australia’s western states have seen a substantial reduction in COVID-19 cases, many regional communities that rely on tourism have been decimated.
Premier Steven Marshall now plans to lift warnings and restrictions on travel within South Australia after three weeks of no new coronavirus cases.
There are also growing calls for Western Australia which has had no new infection in the past week to follow suit, along with the Northern Territory where there has been only two confirmed cases over the past three weeks.
‘Our biggest risk now in South Australia is travellers coming into the state,’ Prof Spurrier told The Advertiser on Wednesday.
‘We don’t want to have even one new case or see a new cluster in South Australia, so it is really important we don’t become complacent. Let’s not undo all the good.’
But for some areas, the pandemic has compounded issues brought on by years of drought and the summer’s devastating bushfires.
Mr Marshall says the regions have been ‘doing it really tough’.
‘We’ve had dry conditions for much of South Australia for the last three, four or five years, we’ve had bushfires and now COVID-19, which is really drying up jobs,’ he said.
‘So we’re really keen to see the restrictions regarding regional tourism released.’
South Australian Police are pictured stopping vehicles at the border on March 24, to slow the spread of coronavirus
While the rate of infection has decreased dramatically since the height of the outbreak in mid-March, Eastern States are still seeing some coronavirus clusters.
There have been 63 confirmed cases including 14 deaths at Anglicare’s Newmarch House aged care facility in New South Wales over recent weeks.
In Victoria, health authorities have scrambled to contain an outbreak at Cedar Meats which has been linked to 45 cases, and a cluster in Tasmania has claimed the lives of 11 people and infected 127 others.
‘Although we have very strong border controls, thousands of essential travellers are still coming into our state and I am concerned there’s a risk someone may bring COVID-19 infection with them,’ Prof Spurrier said.
‘We absolutely understand the border controls and quarantine requirements can make it difficult to stay in touch with loved ones, but as long as there is COVID-19, there is always a local threat.’
Despite the concerns, Morrison and Ardern have agreed to open up travel between the two countries.
But in a joint statement from Tuesday’s virtual meeting, the pair said they will only do so when it is ‘safe’.
‘A trans-Tasman COVID-safe travel zone would be mutually beneficial, assisting our trade and economic recovery, helping kick-start the tourism and transport sectors, enhancing sporting contacts, and reuniting families and friends,’ the statement said.
‘We need to be cautious as we progress this initiative.
‘Neither country wants to see the virus rebound so it’s essential any such travel zone is safe.’
A lone traveller walks past a sign for Virgin Australia in the departures area at Adelaide Airport on April 21
Source: Daily Mail australia
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