Covid Victoria: Concern over daily number of cases as children line up for Pfizer

All school staff and early childhood services workers should be fully immunized by November 29.

The mandate applies to both government and non-government schools, as well as all types of child care and child care settings.

Staff will need to have received their first dose by October 18 – or have a reservation within the week.

A full vaccination will be required by November 29, unless a medical exemption applies.

It comes as the state government has made “the biggest investment in education ventilation in Australian history” as part of a plan to keep schools safe.

As of the start of Quarter 4, 51,000 air purification devices will be deployed to all low-cost government and non-government schools to remove potentially infectious participles – such as coronavirus – from high-risk areas of schools, including including staff rooms, infirmaries, music rooms and other high-traffic areas.

The purifiers will be delivered by Samsung, and will gradually arrive in Victoria over the coming weeks and months.

2,149 Victorian schools will also be eligible for a grant of up to $ 25,000 to purchase shade sails.

Home antigen testing trials will also begin soon with schoolchildren and families to explore their feasibility in various educational settings.

Wearing a mask will also remain compulsory for middle school students and all adults, and will be strongly encouraged for children.

Education Minister James Merlino said: “I know Victorian families are eager to see their children back in class, but we have to stay safe once they are there.”

628 NEW CASES IN VICTORIA, THREE DEATHS

The number of cases in Victoria rose again as the state recorded 628 new Covid cases overnight, as well as three deaths.

More than 60,829 Victorians showed up for a dose of the Covid vaccine on Tuesday.

Currently, 73.5% of eligible Victorians have received a dose of the jab, while 44.7% are double-pricked.

WHERE TODAY’S CASES HAVE EMERGED

• 362 cases in north Melbourne, including 194 in Hume, 80 in Whittlesea, 47 in Moreland, 23 in Darebin, 10 in Banyule and eight in Yarra;

• 113 cases in the western suburbs including 27 in Melton, 52 in Wyndham and 34 in Brimbank;

• 62 cases in the South East including 26 in Casey, 14 in Kardinia, seven in Stonnington, eight in Port Phillip and seven in Kingston; and

• 11 cases in the Victoria area, including one in Wangaratta, one in East Gippsland, two in Geelong, four in Mitchell, two in Moorabool and one in the Macedon Ranges.

It comes as an outbreak at a Meadow Heights nursing home has worsened.

There are now 17 residents and four staff members infected with the virus.

Acting Chief Health Officer Deb Friedman said several residents had been transferred to hospital.

She said it was for a mix of reasons, including general public health measures and those that need to be monitored.

CONSTRUCTION SUPPORT PAYMENTS

Construction workers forced to quit their jobs for the next two weeks are eligible for up to $ 1,500 in child support.

Anyone who loses more than 20 hours per week per week can receive the Covid-19 disaster payout of $ 750, while payouts of $ 450 are available for those who lose between eight a.m. and 8 p.m.

The Herald Sun can reveal that the state government requested additional support from the Commonwealth after deciding to shut down the construction industry.

But this was rejected by the federal government as existing Covid-19 support measures would cover affected workers.

Scott Morrison confirmed Wednesday morning that the disaster payout was “there to support them right now.”

Speaking from the United States, the Prime Minister said that while the construction industry was facing a difficult situation, this was no excuse for the “very painful” protest actions in Melbourne.

“None of us are above the law,†Mr. Morrison said.

About $ 2 billion in disaster payments have already been made to 570,000 Victorians during extended shutdowns.

Daniel Andrews said on Wednesday that more sectors would join the construction industry and residential senior care facilities which should ensure workers are vaccinated.

The prime minister said Deputy Prime Minister James Merlino would outline the other mandatory requirements later today.

The new requirements come as a leading epidemiologist has warned that Victoria’s Covid-19 test numbers are far too low.

Victoria recorded 603 local cases of Covid-19 and one death on Monday.

Nearly 49,000 Covid-19 tests have been carried out, within the usual margins of 40 to 60,000 recorded each day.

But epidemiologist Peter Collignon said that number was far too low and is expected to come close to around 150,000 – the NSW figure was constantly accumulating at the same stage of their outbreak.

“I am concerned that the number of tests in Victoria is lower than it should be,” he said.

“If NSW can get close to 150,000, then Victoria should be in the same range.

“If you had 600 cases with 60,000 tests, that’s a 1% positivity rate… that means we’re missing a lot of positive cases in the community.”

The last time the state posted more than 600 daily infections was on August 4 last year, when 686 cases were recorded.

More than 72 percent of eligible Victorians have received a dose of the jab, while 44.1 percent are double-pricked.

There are 6,000 active cases across the state.

EXPOSED HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOMS

For the fourth time in two weeks, the waiting room of the emergency department of Dandenong Hospital has been listed as a Level 1 exhibition site.

A case arose in the waiting room from 1 p.m. to 3.10 p.m. on Monday, September 20, according to a list of health ministry exposure sites posted online after 10:30 p.m. Tuesday night.

The waiting room at Dandenong Hospital was also listed as a Level 1 site on Monday, in addition to its Level 1 list on September 11 and 12.

Read the full version of this story, here.

YOUNG CHILDREN ONLINE FOR PFIZER

Australia is urging Pfizer to seek approval from our medicines regulator as soon as possible to deliver its vaccine to children aged five to 11, after full trials yield positive results.

Health Minister Greg Hunt has said the federal government is ready to start immunizing children once authorities give the green light.

Pfizer has released test results showing that the vaccine is safe and effective for this age group at lower doses.

Mr Hunt wrote to Pfizer Australia to say he was “encouraged” by the advice.

“I encourage and invite Pfizer to submit a parallel application to the Therapeutic Goods Administration for Australian regulatory approval as soon as possible,” the letter said.

“The Australian government is well positioned to provide this vaccine to this enlarged age cohort. “

He also revealed that vaccinations would start “on a priority basis” if the Australian vaccination panel also gave Pfizer the tick. Pfizer says it will share its data with U.S., European and other regulators as soon as possible.

“We look forward to expanding the protection offered by the vaccine to this younger population, subject to regulatory clearance, especially as we follow the spread of the Delta variant and the substantial threat it poses to them. children, â€said Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla.

Up to 4,500 children aged six months to 11 years participated in the three-phase trial in the United States, Finland, Poland and Spain.

Those aged five to 11 received two 10 microgram doses of Pfizer – compared to 30 micrograms for the cohort over 12 – about three weeks apart.

“The Covid-19 vaccine was well tolerated, with side effects generally comparable to those seen in participants aged 16 to 25,†according to Pfizer.

Children under the age of five, including those aged six months to two years, received a dose of three micrograms for each injection. Their results are expected later this year.

Government chief nursing and midwifery Alison McMillan also praised the promising results.

“Australia is ready and prepared for childhood immunizations,†she said.

Under an agreement between the government and Pfizer, Australia will receive a total of 40 million doses this year, an additional 60 million doses in 2022 and 25 million doses in 2023.

Nationally, nearly 209,000 people aged 12 to 15 have received at least one dose of Covid-19.

However, that number is now expected to rise following the arrival of two planes with Moderna supplies to Australia over the weekend.

Moderna is Australia’s second mRNA vaccine. It will be available to people aged 12 to 59 at pharmacies in Victoria by the end of this week.

ROLL-UP SLEEVES FOR TOLL STAFF

TRANSPORT giant Toll Group on Tuesday opened the doors of its own vaccination centers with the aim of vaccinating its employees against Covid.

The program is available to all Toll employees, contractors and contractors on a voluntary basis, with 3,000 team members having free access to Pfizer first and second dose vaccines.

After receiving federal government approval, hubs popped up in West Melbourne at the Truganina and Altona North toll sites and at the main office at St Kilda Rd.

They will be led by members of the nursing, medical and support team.

Toll Global Logistics chairman Peter Stokes said the program has already generated great interest from staff.

“It is important that we do everything we can to support the immunization rollout, including giving our employees priority access to immunizations when and where they want to be,†said Stokes.

“We know that accelerating the immunization rate is essential to protect our populations and communities, as well as to support the relaxation of restrictions. “

Plans are already underway to expand the program to other locations in the coming weeks.

Toll Group also offered paid vaccination leave to its employees.