Five day lockdown community transmission COVID-19 WA Panic buying started

This morning, I convened an urgent meeting of the Emergency Management Team. We have a serious update to provide the WA community.
This morning we received news of a positive COVID-19 test result.
That positive result has come from a male hotel quarantine security guard, in his 20s.
The information we have is fast-evolving. As you can understand, immediately our teams moved into place to begin contact tracing and put in place emergency response systems.
This is all underway, and I ask everyone to be cooperative and understanding of what is going to take place.
Here is what we know about the male who tested positive:
He was working at one of the State’s hotel quarantine facilities – the Sheraton Four Points in the city.
He had tested negative for COVID-19 on January Friday 15, January Sunday 17 and Saturday, January 23 – as part of the weekly testing system in place.
When the man was working at this hotel, there were four active cases of COVID-19 UK strain.
Of those four cases, we have at least three confirmed variant strains, two UK and one South African.
We are told the guard was working on the same floor, as a positive UK variant case.
The guard completed two 12-hours shifts on both the 26th and 27th of January.
Exactly how the infection was acquired remains under investigation.
The Health Department contact tracing team has pulled together a list of potential exposure sites of where this positive case has been in recent days.
Anyone who attended the venues must get a COVID test and self-isolate until a negative result is received. These locations currently include:

Coles Maylands supermarket on 25 January from 8 pm to 10 pm

KFC Maylands on 27 January from 6 pm to midday

Mitsubishi Motors car dealership in Midland on 27 January from 7 pm to close

Spudshed, Coventry Village in Morley on 27 January from 8 pm to midnight

ECU Joondalup on 28 January from 11 am to 2 pm

Consulate General of India on St Georges Terrace in Perth on 28 January from 12 pm to 5 pm

Halal Grocery Store in Cloverdale on 28 January from 7 pm to 9 pm

Venus Ladies and Gentleman Hair Design Maylands hairdressers on 29 January from 1 pm to 3 pm

Perth Convention Centre on 29 January from 4 pm to 6 pm

Nedlands Family Practice GP surgery on 29 January from 5 pm to 6 pm

Chemist Warehouse North Perth Pharmacy on 29 January from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm

7-Eleven Ascot petrol station on 29 January from 8 pm to 9 pm

Coles Maylands supermarket on 29 January from 8 pm 9 pm

Puma Service Station in Burswood on 30 January from 11 am to 12 midday.

Coles Express/Shell Service Station in Cloverdale on 30 January from 12 midday to 3 pm

Pharmacy 777 at Maylands Park Shopping Centre 30 January from 2:30 pm to 4 pm.

People who have been to these venues on these dates and times must get tested.
In addition, people who live or work in the Falkirk Avenue, Maylands area including Coles, Liquorland and the Maylands shopping precinct should present for a test.
They must then go home and isolate until their negative test results are returned.

Five day lockdown community transmission COVID-19 WA Panic buying started across the Perth in Western Australia

The investigation is on-going by our public health team, and it is likely more locations will be added following further discussions with the man.
Close contacts will be contacted by public health officials and asked to quarantine for 14 days.

More information on testing clinics will be available on our website – the WA Health and WA Gov websites.
The man’s immediate household contacts have been contacted, tested and placed in isolation at State managed quarantine facilities to complete a 14-day quarantine period in a quarantine facility.
All three have tested negative this morning. However, we can expect that they will become positive in coming days.
Genome sequencing is underway on the positive case and results will be known by Tuesday morning.

However, based on the information we have, it appears possible that this new positive case has the highly transmissible UK variant.
The past year has been unlike any other – Western Australia has done an incredible job. It’s something I am so proud of.
But as we have always known with COVID – it can change very quickly.
Today – we need to go back to what we know best, to ensure we limit community transmission of COVID-19 in our State.
Even though it was nearly 10 months ago – WA has experienced community transmission of this virus before.
We all did the right thing and we crushed it and it worked.

So beginning at 6 pm tonight, the whole Perth metropolitan area, the Peel Region and the South West region will be going into a full lockdown.
This lockdown will run until 6 pm on Friday.
A five-day lockdown.
It’s crucial we act quickly, to keep the community safe.
We cannot forget how quickly this virus can spread, nor the devastation it can cause.
Following our discussions with the Chief Health Officer and Police Commissioner, the following measures will be put in place from 6 pm for people in Perth, Peel and the South West:
People in these regions are required to stay home, except for the following four reasons:

Shopping for essentials like groceries, medicine and necessary supplies.

Medical or health care needs including compassionate requirements and looking after the vulnerable.

Exercise, within their neighbourhood, but only with one other person and only for one hour per day.

Work, where you cannot work from home or remotely.

In addition to this Stay Home rule.
If you do leave home, for one of the four reasons you will be required to wear a mask at all times outside and if you need to work indoors, then wearing a mask in the workplace is also mandatory.
To be clear wearing face masks on public transport is also mandatory.
People in the Perth, Peel or South West region need to stay inside their region for the next five days, unless for an essential reason.
We are strongly encouraging that everyone in this area, who is from another WA region, stay here and do not travel further outside of this area until the lockdown is over.
If you do need to travel outside the region you are in now, that can only occur if you need to return to your place of residence or exceptional circumstances.
The transport of essential goods into this region is permitted, under our existing transport guidelines.

This lockdown means the following businesses, venues and locations in the relevant regions need to close for the next five days:

Pubs, bars and clubs

Gyms and indoor sporting venues

Playgrounds, skate parks and outdoor recreational facilities

Cinemas, entertainment venues, and casinos

Large religious gatherings and places of worship

Libraries and cultural institutions

Restaurants and cafes will close, and provide takeaway service only.

10 people can attend funerals, weddings are cancelled for the next five days.

No visitors are permitted to your home unless caring for someone vulnerable or an emergency.

No visitors will be allowed in aged care homes, unless exceptional circumstances.

No visitors to hospitals and/or disability facilities, unless exceptional circumstances.

Elective surgery and procedures for categories 2 and 3 will be suspended from Tuesday, 2 February. Category 1 and urgent category 2 surgery will continue for a majority of schools, the school was due to start tomorrow.

That has now been put on hold and schools will be closed until next week – following the lockdown measures.

It is, in effect, an extension of the school holidays.

I have been in contact with the Prime Minister and my fellow State and Territory colleagues to advise them of this situation.

I have recommended that they put a stop to any travel into WA – as an extra precautionary measure.

Border controls are important here – and I 100% support them to ensure we can get through this.

All these measures will be reviewed regularly and the Chief Health Officer will continue to monitor the serious situation and provide more ongoing advice.
This is an extremely fast-moving situation.

I know for many Western Australians this is going to come as a shock.
Western Australians have done so well for so long but this week it is absolutely crucial that we stay home, maintain physical distancing and personal hygiene and get tested if you have symptoms.
This is a very serious situation and each and every one of us has to do everything we personally can to help stop the spread in the community.
We have acted decisively and swiftly given these circumstances.
I want to thank everyone in advance for their patience. In effect, for a short period of time, we are going back to what we experienced in March and April.
This is a highly unpredictable virus. But it is important to act calmly and take sensible precautions.
Leaving your home to purchase food and essentials will be permitted during the lockdown.
I say this, so people understand that you do not need to rush to the supermarket today.
Take care of your loved ones and be respectful of others including those who are working, to keep essential services and supplies ticking over.
Our State is well equipped to handle this situation.
We have systems in place throughout the health system that are swinging into action as we speak.
We have the capacity to manage this situation.
Throughout the pandemic, the response of Western Australians has been second-to-none.
The community has done everything we have asked of them.
They have made great sacrifices, and it has kept our State safe.
I could not be more proud and thankful of the way Western Australians have carried themselves.
Now we’re asking for your help once again.
We will provide further updates as they come to hand.
All relevant information will be posted on websites as it comes to hand.

Panic buying at supermarkets Started across Western Australia – toilet paper, hand sanitisers hours before Mark McGowan COVID-19 announcement

Hours before Mr McGowan announced the lockdown for the Perth, the Peel region and South West, there were huge queues at supermarkets. Full trolleys loaded with toilet paper, which once again appears set to become a commodity number one.

There are even reports of a northern suburbs store closing its doors to try and control the hoards of shoppers!!

BIG HOARDING JUST STARTED!!!

It is not sensible, it is not helpful and it has been one of the most disappointing things I have seen in Australian behaviour in response to this crisis.

Five day lockdown community transmission COVID-19 WA Panic buying started in Perth Western Australia

Other Australian states have been urged to impose border restrictions against Western Australia after it was announced that Perth will go into a five-day hard lockdown after one new local COVID-19 case was detected in the state.

Masks have also been made mandatory across the Perth Metro region, the Peel Region and the south-west region.

If you do leave home for one of the four reasons you will be required to wear a mask at all times outside, and if you need to do work indoors, then wearing a mask is also mandatory, Premier Mark McGowan said.

Wearing a mask is also mandatory on public transport.

COVID-19 testing sites and Covid-19 Clinics Get Tested

A number of COVID testing clinics are now open, and some will operate until 10 pm on Sunday with extra staffing to cope with the increase in demand.

The health minister has requested that, if possible, people use clinics other than Royal Perth Hospital, which is expected to be the busiest site for testing.

The metropolitan Covid-19 testing sites are:

Armadale Health Service, Ground Floor, 3056 Albany Highway, Mount Nasura

Weekdays: 8.00 am to 6.00 pm | Weekend: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm

Fiona Stanley Hospital, Bedbrook Row, north-eastern end of the hospital, Murdoch

Weekdays: 8.00 am to 6.00 pm | Weekend: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm

Joondalup Hospital, Car Park P4, Regents Park Road, Joondalup

Weekdays: 10.00 am to 6.00 pm | Weekend: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Rockingham General Hospital, Elanora Drive, Cooloongup

Weekdays: 10.00 am to 6.00 pm | Weekend: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Royal Perth Hospital, Ground Floor, Ainslie House, 48 Murray Street, Perth

Weekdays: 8.00 am to 6.00 pm | Weekend: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm

Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, C Block, Hospital Avenue, Nedlands (Car park entry off Winthrop Ave only)

Weekdays: 8.00 am to 6.00 pm | Weekend: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm

St John of God Midland Hospital, Yelverton Drive, Midland

Weekdays: 8.00 am to 6.00 pm | Weekend: 8.00 am to 10.00 pm