Queensland’s COVID-free streak has been abruptly shattered with confirmation of a mystery infection in a Brisbane aviation worker who has not recently been overseas or interstate.
Authorities issued a public health alert on Monday night for exposure sites which include a childcare centre, McDonald’s and two furniture stores in the north of the city.
The positive case came after zero cases were reported in Queensland on Monday and this new infection will be included in Tuesday’s COVID update.
Queensland Health said the infection was picked up in a man in his 30s who worked in the aviation industry but had “no recent history of overseas or interstate travel”.
The exposure sites so far are places the man visited on Thursday 23 September:
- McDonalds Albany Creek Drive Thru, 5.05am – 5.10am (Low risk contact)
- Mother Duck Childcare & Kindergarten Eatons Hill, 7.25am – 8am (Casual contact)
- Seats ‘R’ Us, Rocklea, 11.15am – 11.45am (Close contact)
- Freedom Furniture Aspley, 4.40pm – 5pm (Casual contact)
Meanwhile the state’s chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young earlier on Monday urged people to get vaccinated and “prepare and hope” for the state’s borders to reopen in time for Christmas.
Queensland’s borders have been closed to most of NSW since July 21, to Greater Sydney since June 22, regional Victoria since July 17 and Melbourne since May 28.
Dr Young raised hopes hard borders could come down before the festive period, saying businesses should start getting ready.
“Of course, yes, we should all prepare and hope and get everyone vaccinated,” she told reporters on Monday.
“That’s the most important thing business can do — to be out there saying, ‘Just get vaccinated’, because the more people who are vaccinated, the more likely we can remove those last remaining restrictions.”
Over the border in NSW, the state is set to re-open in two weeks after Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the beginning of the “COVID-normal” era, almost certainly ending statewide or region-wide lockdowns.
Overnight, the Yass Valley LGA emerged out of lockdown but restrictions were extended in Cowra for another seven days until October 5.
Both locations were forced into lockdowns on September 20.
NSW reported 787 new local cases of COVID-19 and 12 deaths in the 24 hours to 8pm on Sunday.
The premier urged residents to remain vigilant until the 70 per cent milestone had been reached to keep virus transmissions and hospitalisations low.
The idea that NSW and Victoria could present a “unity ticket” for reopening borders to international travellers as soon as possible was also floated.
Victoria recorded 705 new cases as the government announced grants of up to $10,000 for GPs and pharmacies in the hardest hit suburbs to speed up the vaccination rollout.
Premier Daniel Andrews on Monday announced more than 100 grants of up to $4000 and 10 of $10,000 for GPs and pharmacies in 11 local government areas with high COVID-19 infections and low vaccination rates.
Melbourne’s lockdown will remain in place until 70 per cent of Victorians aged over 16 are double-vaccinated, which is forecast for October 26.
A more significant easing of restrictions will occur when the 80 per cent double-dose target is met, forecast for November 5.
Pfizer tests drug
Pfizer says it is testing an oral antiviral drug to prevent COVID-19 infection among those who have been exposed to the virus, such as close contacts.
The medicine being developed aims to ward off the virus if someone you have had close interactions with, such as a household member, gets infected.
The drug maker said it would study the pill in combination with a low dose of the HIV drug ritonavir in people who are at least 18 years old and live in the same household with someone who is infected.
Researchers expect the use of ritonavir will help slow the breakdown of the potential treatment so it remains active longer to help fight the virus.
“If successful, we believe this therapy could help stop the virus early — before it has had a chance to replicate extensively,” Pfizer chief scientific officer Mikael Dolsten said in a statement.
Pfizer is also studying its potential treatment in people who are already infected with the virus.
It is designed to be prescribed at the first sign of infection without requiring patients to be hospitalised.
The drug maker expects to see results from those studies by the end of the year.
Booster shots
US President Joe Biden has rolled up his shirt sleeve for a COVID-19 vaccine booster inoculation, hoping to provide a powerful example on the need to get the extra shot even as millions go without their first.
In getting the booster, Mr Biden dismissed criticism that the United States should distribute more vaccines worldwide before allowing boosters at home.
“We are going to do our part,” he said.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week backed an additional dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for people in the US aged 65 and older, adults with underlying medical conditions and adults in high-risk working and institutional settings.
Mr Biden, 78, said his wife Jill would also get a booster shot soon.
While scientists are divided over the need for booster shots when so many people in the United States and other countries remain unvaccinated, Mr Biden announced the push in August as part of an effort to shore up protection against the highly transmissible Delta variant.
Only people who received their last dose of Pfizer’s shot at least six months ago are eligible for another shot now, US regulators said.
The FDA has not yet considered Moderna’s application for boosters and Johnson & Johnson has not yet applied for one.
-with AAP
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