UPDATED: Vaccination key to Canberra re-opening for a COVID-normal Christmas

UPDATED 3 pm: The ACT Government is hopeful that the Territory can be COVID-normal by Christmas and is betting on its nation-leading vaccination rates to minimize the expected spike in cases during the gradual three-stage easing.

Lockdown itself will end on 15 October, when more significant changes kick in, including a return to offices where possible, followed by even greater freedoms and re-openings on 29 October.

School students other than Year 11 and 12 can start returning to school from 25 October.

Full details of the government’s path forward can be found on the COVID-19 website.

The ACT’s fully vaccinated population is now at 59 per cent and Chief Minister Andrew Barr said it was time for the 50,000 still to get a first dose and the 150,000 who need a second dose to roll up their sleeves.

He said it was critical that the ACT reduces these numbers as close as possible to zero by 29 October.

He said there were still some outstanding supply issues but it was hoped these would be resolved over the next day or so in order that the ACT can accelerate its vaccination program to hit 90 per cent by the end of October.

“The expectation is the more vaccinated the population, the level of hospitalisations may decrease slightly as a percentage of the overall case numbers based on the protection the vaccine provides,” Mr Barr said.

He said the ACT could cope with hundreds of cases a day but thousands of cases would be problematic.

There was still extra capacity in intensive care but if needed the Garran Surge Centre could be stood up very quickly.

Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said work was continuing on forecasting and modelling so the health system had advance warning of the Surge Centre being needed.

Mr Barr said businesses should look to their peak industry bodies for advice on the reopening stages, as well as looking at the roadmap detail on the COVID website.

He said the significant changes start from 15 and 29 October and there would be plenty of time for Q&As and webinars ahead of the gradual reopening.

Compliance teams would also be guiding businesses on the new density and capacity rules as they come in.

But the ACT would not be going down the “administrative and enforcement nightmare” of excluding the unvaccinated, which NSW is pursuing.

“We are confident vaccination levels will be high enough to not go down that discriminatory path,” he said.

Mr Barr said the reopening of nature reserves might need some management particularly at sites such as Tidbinbilla.

The wearing of masks would no longer be required outside from 15 October but will still be needed indoors.

From Monday 25 October (week 4, term 4), preschool, kindergarten, and years 1, 2, 6, 9 and 10 can return to on campus learning, and attend their usual out of school hours care programs.

Children can also return to early childhood education and care services from 25 October.

From Monday 1 November (week 5, term 4), years 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8 can return to on campus learning, and their usual out of school hours care programs.

Education Minister Yvette Berry said this phased return had the support of parents and staff.

“The health advice is that we can make the schools as safe as possible, making sure that we have good ventilation, keep up with the physical distancing, and making sure people are using good hand hygiene,” she said.

Masks would be compulsory for years 7 to 12 but optional for the earlier years.

The ACT Council of Parents and Citizens Associations welcomed today’s announcement for the return to on-site learning in Term 4.

“Parents will be relieved to have a date for the return to school,” said Council President Alison Elliott. “We appreciate how far in advance the dates have been given, so that families have time to plan.”

12:30 pm: The ACT has recorded its first death in the current COVID-19 outbreak, a man in his nineties who had been receiving end of life care at Calvary Hayden’s aged care facility where an outbreak began several days ago.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr told today’s press briefing that the man had been “extremely unwell” prior to contracting COVID-19. This is the first death in the ACT’s current outbreak.

“Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time,” Mr Barr said.

“It serves as a reminder to everyone, even in the circumstances of this individual, that COVID is real and it will take people from us at whatever stage of life. I’d like to use this opportunity to reinforce the importance of getting vaccinated between now and when the lockdown ends on 15 October.”

The ACT has recorded 19 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. Of the new cases, 17 are linked to current or identified close contacts, while two are under early investigation. Seven people were in quarantine for the entirety of their infectious period; at least eight spent part of their infectious period in the community.

Eight people are in hospital with COVID-19, three are in ICU and all require ventilation.

Yesterday, 3866 tests were conducted.

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerryn Coleman said the Calvary Hayden cluster now totals 14 cases including three staff, 10 residents and one household contact.

Two additional construction sites in Dickson have now been identified as exposure sites. They are 21-23 Challis St and 330 Northbourne Avenue. The cluster linked to the construction site at London Circuit now stands at 12 cases.

The Chief Minister announced a roadmap forward for easing restrictions, but warned that as this happens there could be hundreds of cases each week in Canberra although the protection offered by vaccines would reduce the virus’s effects.

“We can tolerate up to 20 patients in intensive care, factoring in that a quarter or more will be from NSW. We can surge beyond that, but not forever. We need the vaccines to play their part in reducing the number of people hospitalised,” Mr Barr said.

Some restrictions will ease very slightly from Friday including two people visiting another household at any one time and a doubling of time spent outside home to four hours, although gathering sizes remain at five people.

All non-essential retail will be able to operate click-and-collect services. Outdoor personal training, outdoor bootcamps and coaching can operate with two staff.

There will be more significant easing when lockdown ends on October 15, when the ACT is likely to reach the 80 per cent vaccination milestone ahead of the national average.

The transition to medium level public health measures will be triggered at 11:59 pm on Thursday 14 October. From October 15, five people can visit at home and 25 people can gather outdoors. Licensed venues, cafes and restaurants can open with 25 people across the venue or at a density one per square metre if less than 25 people. Alternatively venues can operate al fresco with a maximum of 50 patrons at a density of one per four square metres.

Hairdressers can recommence with five customers. Non-essential retail will continue to operate via click and collect or deliver, but the maximum number of staff on site will go to 10 people. Gyms can also re-open with strict COVID-safe measures and a maximum of 25 people.

The 25 person cap also applies to weddings, outdoor play, churches, outdoors auctions and community centres. Accommodation including caravan parks and campsites can re-open, as can swimming lessons with 25 people.

In late October, the ACT will gradually reduce the level of public health measures. Organised sport can recommence and swimming pools will re-open to the public on 29 October.

Ten people can visit any one time and 30 can meet outdoors. Ticketed and seated events will recommence with density and capacity limits. All retail in ACT will re-open with one person per four square metres including cinemas, galleries and museums, dance classes, choirs and bands, with a maximum of 20 people.

As the ACT’s vaccination rate continues above 90 per cent of the eligible population, further changes will be considered including easing density limits, household and outdoor gathering sizes.

Interstate and overseas travel requirements will also be considered, but Mr Barr said the ability to travel interstate and overseas would be entirely subject to border decisions made by other states and the Commonwealth Government.

Schools will make a safe return to face to face learning from Week Four of Term Four, when students in pre school, and Years K, 1, 2 and 6 will return Monday 25 October. Years 9 and 10 will also return at that time.

Early childhood care returns on 25 October. In the following Week Five from 1 November, all remaining students will return to face to face learning. Education Minister Yvette Berry said plans are unchanged for students in colleges. Year 12 students will start in Term Four as they prepare for their AST assessments and Year 11 students will be back in Week Three.

Mr Barr said the announcements would be “a welcome relief to all Canberrans”, made possible by the ACT’s high vaccination rates.

“However experience around the world shows that the virus will spread quickly once high public health measures are removed,” Mr Barr said.

“The ACT’s decisions had been informed by modelling on cases and hospitalisation and infection rates in surrounding NSW.

“The higher the level of vaccination, the lower the case numbers and serious illness, hospitalisation and intensive care and most importantly, the lower the number of deaths.

“That is why this has to be a gradual approach. It will be a challenge, but the pathway forward announced today ensures we will make a gradual steps towards a better Christmas and summer holidays for all.”

11:50 am: The ACT has recorded its first death in the current COVID-19 outbreak. A man in his nineties had been receiving end of life care at Calvary Hayden’s aged care facility.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the man had been “extremely unwell” prior to contracting COVID-19. This is the first death in the ACT’s current outbreak.

“Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time,” Mr Barr said.

The ACT has recorded 19 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. Yesterday the ACT recorded 25 cases after a record equalling high of 32 on Saturday.

Of the new cases, 17 are linked to current or identified close contacts and two are under early investigation.

Seven people were in quarantine for the entirety of their infectious period; at least eight spent part of their infectious period in the community.

Eight people are in hospital with COVID-19, three are in ICU and all require ventilation.

Yesterday, 3866 tests were conducted.

NSW recorded 787 cases and 12 deaths. More than 85 per cent of eligible people in NSW have now had one dose of vaccine and 60 per cent are double-dosed.

Yesterday NSW had 961 new cases and nine deaths.

In Victoria, 705 cases were recorded and one death.

Yesterday there were 779 new cases and two deaths.

8:52 am: The city construction site linked to nine COVID-19 cases has been added to the list of exposure locations for all of the last working week.

The city cluster comes as the ACT Government considers the ACT’s pathway out of the current lockdown with Chief Minister Andrew Barr due to announce any changes to public health measures and requirements tomorrow.

The ACT should also pass the 60 per cent mark for Canberrans aged 12 and over who have had two doses of vaccine.

Six workers from the fit-out site on Level 5 of 7 London Circuit have tested positive so far, as well as three household contacts.

The site has been listed as a close contact site from Monday to Friday of last week amid concerns the cluster may grow.

Joining it on the close contact list is the Calvary Haydon Retirement Community aged care centre in Bruce, including visitors to the Mary Potter and St Teresa Households from Sunday to Wednesday of last week.

That cluster remains at 12 cases, including three staff and nine residents.

Bus routes, supermarkets, a pharmacy and coffee shop have been listed as casual contact sites.

Route 28 in Casey between Plimsoll Drive and Whitrod Avenue, and Casey Market Town to Plimsoll Drive from last Friday morning is listed.

The supermarkets include Coles at Manuka from last Friday between 11 am and noon, and Woolworths in Dickson from last Thursday between 3:40 pm and 4:30 pm, and Woolworths in Kambah from Wednesday between 7:20 am and 8:15 am.

The Cooleman Court Pharmacy in Weston is listed from last Thursday between 5:35 pm and 6:45 pm.

The coffee shop is the Mocca Espresso Lounge in the city from last Wednesday between 8 am and 9 am.

Check the COVID-19 website for the full details.

The latest on the ACT’s COVID-19 situation will be announced at 11:45 am.

More to come.