South Australian restaurant owner Ross Galantomos has raised concerns about testing delays and communication breakdowns. 

Mr. Galantomos’ restaurant The Greek on Halifax is now feared to be one of two possible super-spreader sites in South Australia’s latest COVID-19 outbreak after a patron and a staff member tested positive. 

“On Monday evening when we found out that we were an exposure site from the media, not directly from SA Health, a number of staff members went to get tested straight away,” Mr Galantomos tells ABC News. 

Galantomos’ staff, “including the young lady who has tested positive, [who] drove to Tailem Bend [100km of Adelaide] to get a test cause that was the best option,” are considered high-risk and have been caught up in the long queues to get tested. 

South Australian Premier Steven Marshall was forced to apologise on Thursday after some people reported wait times of over 14 hours at Adelaide testing stations, while others said they had to sleep in their cars.

Mr Galantomos says he and his staff were also left confused with SA Health said in a press conference they would all be going into hotel quarantine. 

“In the press conference, we were told that we were going with our families into a hotel and to get ready. We’re just not prepared for that,” he said.

“SA Health said ‘yes it’s happening, start preparing, pack your bags, you’ll get notification soon’ and then an hour later another person called and said ‘it’s not happening, we don’t have the capacity to put everyone in there, we’re prioritising people.'”

Only 53 of the 91 people who attended The Greek on Halifax had been tested for COVID-19 as of  the state’s press conference on Thursday morning, according to health authorities. 

Mr Galantomos also says he hasn’t been contacted by authorities to give the go-ahead for his day five COVID-19 test at their ‘invite only’ priority testing site for people deemed most at risk. 

“We just feel a little bit like we’ve been left in the dark,” he said.

”Everyone wants to do the right thing but we don’t know what to do. Should we wait to hear about this priority test site and whether we’re eligible or get in a queue and wait?”

“You can understand that when you first find out, but today is Thursday and we’re looking down the prospect of the same situation and near nothing has been done.”

South Australia recorded 1 new daily COVID-19 case, bringing the current cluster to 15. 

This is among a record number of tests – over 23,000 in 24 hours – administered during the first few days of the state’s lockdown. 

New South Wales recorded 136 new COVID-19 cases and another death in the 24 hours to 8pm on Thursday 22 July. 77 were linked to a known case or cluster and 59 were infectious while in the community. 

In response, the NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the state ‘will not be close’ to reopening as scheduled next week and introduced new restrictions for certain local government areas (LGAs) in western Sydney. 

Victoria recorded 14 new COVID-19 cases, with 10 in isolation throughout their infectious period. 

Source: ABC News

NSW Minister for Multiculturalism Natalie Ward and Dr. Jan Fizzell spoke to multicultural media on Wednesday about the vaccination rollout and targeting COVID-19 messaging for ethnic communities. 

On their agenda was getting everybody in the country vaccinated as soon as possible once supply becomes available. 

“We’re not placing any limits on anyone in this country getting vaccinated,” Minister Ward told the virtual congregation, noting that she would be “advocating strongly” for everybody to have access to the vaccine. 

Dr. Fizzell reiterated that “anyone who is currently in Australia is eligible for a vaccine”, noting that NSW Health’s concern is getting Australians inoculated safely. 

“The Australian government has made clear that … there are some particular centres, like the state vaccination hub and some Commonwealth vaccination hubs, where you don’t need a Medicare card.”

She says NSW Health “will have more special clinics available in places like refugee services and community services” once supply becomes available.  

Answering a question from the Greek Herald, Minister Ward said, “…[NSW] Health has been very keen on rolling out vaccination hubs wherever possible and we are working on trying to get that into communities as soon as we can.”

“But again, we’re restrained by simply the volume of vaccinations that we are given by the Federal government but we’re very keen to get more of those. They are coming, they are not far away I’m told. We have the hubs there and … as soon as we get those doses, we’ll be getting them into arms as soon as possible.”

“We’re trying to do that with people who are there who can translate as we’ve seen in some of the hubs in southwest Sydney and we’re trying to get our multicultural liaison officers out there as well …”

“That’s on the horizon, we’re absolutely working very hard towards that.”

The primary concern of reporters was to seek clarification from NSW Health over the procedures of inoculation for certain groups, including community workers in NSW’s Hunter region, people living with mobility impairments, and children. 

On vaccinating children, Dr. Fizzell says the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) will be examining trials in North America before prioritising kids who are most at risk to get vaccinated, and added that GPs will start to offer in-home vaccination once supply becomes available. 

Dr. Fizzell said the lockdown has deterred NSW from seeing an “exponential growth” in cases, despite the number of those infectious while out in the community higher than ever. 

Minister Ward says the NSW government relies on ethnic media outlets and communities to help convey vital health messages. 

READ MORE: Natalie Ward: “We will continue to listen to the needs of our diverse communities”

Australia’s regulatory agency for therapeutic goods has approved the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children between the ages of 12 and 15. 

Health Minister Greg Hunt announced to the Seven Network that the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has moved to lower the eligible cohort for the vaccine to include everybody 12-years-old and over. 

Though the vaccine has been approved for this age group, they won’t be included in the rollout for some time and will wait in line until the rest of the adult population has had the chance to be vaccinated. 

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) is “well” into conversations on prioritising children with underlying health conditions who are at more risk of serious illness to receive the vaccine. 

“Our plans are in place to roll out what is more likely, on the early advice I have, is that they will fast-track vaccines for 12- to 15-year-olds for the immunocompromised children or those with underlying health conditions,” Minister Greg Hunt said.

“If ATAGI gives a second green light for the immunocompromised and kids with underlying medical conditions they would be immediately added to what’s called phase 1b, they would immediately be able to access the Pfizer [vaccine].”

The ATAGI will also review data from the US, where the vaccine has been made available to all children, when it is received in August or September. 

The TGA is yet to publish the approvals Mr Hunt said were confirmed overnight. 

Source: ABC News