A$250million so state-owned buildings and public schools could employ more cleaners. Monday March 23, will be the final day of the term for kids in Victoria. [178][179], On 16 November South Australia reintroduced "a number of significant restrictions" after an outbreak of coronavirus in the northern suburbs of Adelaide. This brought the total number of cases within the Northern Beaches cluster to 66. Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia also strengthened their borders. Schools within the lockdown area (which were anticipated to open the following day) remained closed and reopened the following week. [52], An unvaccinated French backpacker tested positive to COVID-19 after flying to Perth from Queensland. The doctor believed he only had a mild cold and was fit to return to work,[19] hitting back at the minister for her comments. [162], On 11 October, Victoria's State of Emergency and State of Disaster were extended until 11.59pm on 8 November. Genome sequencing in Victoria earlier this month revealed more than 90 per cent of the states deadly second wave could be traced back to a breach in hotel quarantine at The Rydges on Swanston hotel, where a security guard became infected from a returning traveller. [73], On 5 April, New South Wales Police Force launched a criminal investigation into whether the operator of Ruby Princess, Carnival Australia, broke the Biosecurity Act 2015 (Cwth) and New South Wales state laws, by deliberately concealing COVID-19 cases. Parliament was rescheduled to return on 24 August. [54] On 28 March 284 passengers had tested positive. New arrivals from WA had to have a COVID-19 test within 48 hours, or undergo 14 days of quarantine. The immediate circuit breaker lockdown has been introduced on the best of public health advice due to a fast evolving situation in Western Australia following a third COVID-19 . [123] Furthermore, effective immediately the announcement was made, nine public housing towers housing about 3,000 residents were added, with the additional condition that residents could not leave the tower under any circumstances for five days, with the possibility of extension to 14 days. 31 March 2020 COVID-19 update - 31 March 2020 The Department of Health has reported nine new cases of COVID-19 overnight, bringing the State's total to 364. "[117] An interim report was published on 6 November,[120] and the inquiry's final report was published on 21 December. Passengers were given an information sheet and asked to present themselves if they had a fever or suspect they might have the disease. [2], On 24 March, the state borders were closed and all interstate arrivals were required to self-isolate for 14 days. Learn. Gatherings of up to 20 people permitted. A lockdown from 6 pm on 31 January to 6 pm on 5 February was declared for the Perth, Peel and South West regions. [111], On 20 June, the Victorian Government announced the re-tightening of restrictions on household gatherings following a spike in community transmitted cases over the previous week, reported to be mainly caused by family-to-family transmission in large household gatherings. Western Australia (WA) confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on 21 February 2020, and its first death on 1 March. Galleries, beauty services and gyms allowed to reopen. [2][3] On the same day, three other patients tested positive in Sydney after returning from Wuhan. The University of Queensland stopped all teaching for the week after three students tested positive for the virus. [17], On 4 March, a second death was reported, a 95-year-old woman dying at a Sydney aged-care facility. Effective as of 17 July, the new rules included per-table seating reduced from 20 to 10 and a maximum number of 300 persons in any venue. [7], By 6 February, three returning members from a tour group in Wuhan were identified in Queensland. Perth and Peel residents will be allowed to leave their homes on Saturday, after being locked down for four days. [200], Also on 21 December, the Victorian hotel quarantine inquiry published it final report. Chief executive of the Australian Hotels Association WA, Bradley Woods said: "We estimate over $100 million revenue and sales has been lost as a result of this shutdown ". "[106], By 26 May, Australia's first human trials of a candidate COVID-19 vaccine, Novavax's NVX-CoV2373, began in Melbourne. [63], From 31 January, proof of vaccination was required for entry to hospitals, aged care facilities, hospitality and indoor entertainment venues across the state. Western Australia also announced two old cases. [91][92] The number had increased to 75 by 9 May,[93][92] 88 by 13 May,[94] and 90 by 14 May. [2] On 15 March, Premier Mark McGowan declared a state of emergency in Western Australia, along with a formal public health emergency. Also on 16 March, the 2020 National Folk Festival in Canberra was cancelled.[37]. [179] After trials in Sydney and regional areas, full rollout was scheduled for March. [121], On 30 December, a new cluster was announced in New South Wales, comprising six members of an extended family living in Croydon and two other locations, found through testing of a symptomatic family member. "[67][68], COVID-19 cumulative cases in Western Australia[69], COVID-19 daily cases in Western Australia[69], Traffic sign in Perth advising of regional travel bans, May 2020, Last edited on 16 December 2022, at 18:50, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, "A timeline of WA's COVID-19 response: Was our success luck, good management, or a bit of both? [89], An outbreak in Victoria at a meatworks, later revealed to be Cedar Meats, was announced on 2 May with eight cases. [202][203] In response, on 31 December, Victoria lowered allowed household guests to 15, and mandated masks indoors anywhere other than in Victorians' own homes.[204]. [165], On 16 October a trans-Tasman travel bubble went into effect, whereby travellers from New Zealand were able to go to New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory without having to quarantine upon arrival. Attendance is limited only by the one person per 2 sq metre rule. This was the Territory's first new COVID-19 case in more than a month, with the last reported case being on 4 May. [166], On 19 October, restrictions were eased in Victoria; the two-hour time limit for exercise and socialising was lifted, groups of up to 10 people from two households were allowed to gather outdoors, outdoor sports settings like tennis courts, golf courses and skateparks could reopen, outdoor swimming pools can host up to 30 swimmers, hairdressers were able to open with strict safety protocols in place, outdoor real estate auctions were allowed to go ahead with up to 10 people plus staff, non-essential outdoor home maintenance can take place with up to five workers and many allied health services resumed to face-to-face services. "If we had had a number of cases coming across from the eastern states, Id be confident we would have picked them up and there would have been contact tracing and local containment, but we would have prolonged the economic consequences because it would have meant the internal easing of restrictions would have had to have been delayed," Professor Clements said. Perth and Peel Lockdown - all non essential City of Perth services will be closed during this time Further to an announcement by Premier Mark McGowan this afternoon (Friday 23 April 2021) Perth and Peel will go into lockdown for three days, from midnight tonight until midnight on Monday 26 April 2021. [149][150][151], On 3 September 2020, the human biosecurity emergency period in Australia under the Biosecurity Act 2015 (Cth) was extended by the Federal Health Minister until 17December. The image frame bears the inscriptions "AUSTRALIAN WEDGE TAILED EAGLE," "2023 1 . By the time WA emerged from its toughest period of restrictions, which lasted between March 29 and April 28, it had unknowingly eliminated community transmission of the virus after previously recording 16 cases of unknown transmission. Australia's coronavirus lockdown rules and restrictions explained Read more This is the first 50 days of the shutdown. [87] However, on 4 May there was a one new case, a young woman who acquired the virus overseas. South Africa will enter a nationwide lockdown for 21-days with effect from midnight on Thursday 26 March 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa said. Updated Mar 23, 2020, 1:21 PM SGT SYDNEY (REUTERS) - Australia began living under strict new lockdown rules on Monday (March 23) as coronavirus cases topped 1,600 and authorities denied entry. Residents in these postcodes had to comply with the four acceptable reasons to leave their houses: shopping for essentials; for medical or compassionate needs; exercise in compliance with the public gathering restriction of two people; and for work or education purposes. Instead of entering mandatory quarantine at their own expense, the women were active in the community and infected three other confirmed cases. Peter Dutton the Home Affairs Minister for Australia was diagnosed in Queensland. His announcements comes as WA's confirmed COVID-19 cases jumped by 20 overnight to 140, as at 3pm today. The 37-year-old male tested positive overnight on Wednesday while in quarantine. [57], As of 12.01am on 3 January, WA declared Tasmania and the ACT to be "high risk" locations. People queued for pubs and shops that opened at. Tasmania, Queensland, South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory) to enter the state without undertaking quarantine. The official list of reasons you can now leave home includes: Non-contact recreational activities such as private picnics in the park, fishing, boating, hiking and campingall in compliance with travel restrictions and the new 10-person rule. This chronology summarises key announcements from state and territory governments on COVID-19 up until 30 June 2020. This is encouraging news," said Premier Mark McGowan. [60] On 27 July, the Prime Minister renamed the NCCC, to the "National COVID-19 Commission Advisory Board" (NCC) to better reflect the advisory nature of the body. The Perth and Peel restrictions have ended as planned from 12.01am, Sunday, 14 February. WA has since moved to tighten its hotel quarantine infection control measures, and has enlisted the Australian Defence Force for additional support. Phase 2 will focus on encouraging Western Australians to return to work, unless they are unwell or vulnerable, so the WA economy can further rebuild in a safe and measured way. [8], From 16 March, a range of restrictions were put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19. [133], On 27 July, the Prime Minister renamed the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission, formed on 25 March 2020 as the "National COVID-19 Commission Advisory Board (NCC)". Retail shops like Bunnings are closed for the first time. And there is still the danger of another lockdown as 123 days remain before all adults are due a first dose. CQV is part of the government's response to the COVID-19 Hotel Quarantine Enquirys' interim report. [32] The Victorian government declared they are suspending all jury trials to limit the spread of the virus. This is more than a third from the official number reported so far, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly stating, "I think it is important. "(He) wasn't expected to have been infectious in the community. Enforcement began after 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday 22 July to allow time to acquire a face covering. Perth and Peel COVID19 4 Day lockdown Based on health advice, Premier McGowan announced that effective from 12.01am Tuesday 29 June 2021 until 12.01am Saturday 3 July 2021 the Perth metropolitan area and the Peel region will enter a 4-day lockdown. 26, 2021. [140] The increased restrictions included a curfew across Melbourne from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. starting immediately,[141] while other changes that took effect from 8 August were that abattoir production was reduced by a third and poultry production by one fifth to allow for reduced worker numbers. The COVID-19 pandemic in Western Australia is part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Phil Mercer. There are currently 14 confirmed COVID-19 patients in Perth metropolitan hospitals, with six in ICU. The design features a Wedge Tailed Eagle with its wings raised in flight, while clutching a branch in is talons. [29] Approximately 2 million people in Western Australia were affected by the lockdown. [56][57] The NCCC's role includes providing advice on public-private partnerships and coordination to mitigate the social and economic impacts of the pandemic. The messages, leaked by journalist Isabel Oakeshott, who was a ghost-writer on Mr Hancock's Pandemic Diaries, show he expressed the fear on November 1, 2020, a day after he announced a national . Schools opened for term 2 on the originally scheduled date, 28 April. [121] The Government response to the interim report was published in November. McGowan said that since 31January more than 102,000 COVID-19 tests had been done in WA. [74], On 5 April, the Queen of Australia addressed the Commonwealth in a televised broadcast, in which she asked people to "take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return". On 17 March, the New South Wales government announced a A$2.3billion stimulus package, including A$700million for health services. When the virus was first identified in China in late 2019, lockdown seemed extreme. First Day of Stay at Home Order Observances First Day of Stay at Home Order was only observed in the year 2020. Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia may refer to: Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia (2020) Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia (January-June 2021) Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia (July-December 2021) Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia (2022) [76], On 11 April, the charity Anglicare was advised of an outbreak at its Newmarch House aged care nursing home in Caddens, New South Wales. It will oversee all parts of the Victorian quarantine program. [152], On 6 September, the Victorian Government released their five-step roadmap to reopening, which detailed the conditions which needed to be met to facilitate the gradual easing of Victoria's restrictions. On the same day, regional Victoria moved from Stage Three restrictions to the Second Step of the roadmap, which enabled up to five people to gather together in outdoor public places from a maximum of two households, the reopening of outdoor pools and playgrounds, as well as allowing religious services to be conducted outside with a maximum of five people, plus a faith leader. [72] The free childcare ended on 12 July, and the previous Child Care Subsidy was reintroduced. On 23 January, biosecurity officials began screening arrivals on flights from Wuhan to Sydney. [70], On 2 April, the number of cases in Victoria exceeded 1,000, including over 100 healthcare workers. lockdown in the UK, ordering people to "stay at home" 26 March Lockdown measures legally come into force 25 March Coronavirus Act 2020 gets Royal Assent 16 March PM says "now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact and travel" 10 May PM announces a conditional plan for lifting lockdown, and says that people who cannot work Most of the 850 passengers flew home from Perth to Germany on 2829 March. [97][98], On 15 May, South Australia became the second jurisdiction, after the ACT, to be free of any active cases;[99] however, on 26May, a woman returning from overseas who was granted exemption into South Australia from her hotel quarantine in Victoria tested positive for COVID-19. [126], On 6 July, the Victorian and NSW governments announced that their interstate border would be closed from the start of 8 July.