WA lockdown over but masks and other restrictions remain. [152], On 6 September, the Victorian Government released their five-step roadmap to reopening, which detailed the conditions which needed to be met to facilitate the gradual easing of Victoria's restrictions. Chief executive of the Australian Hotels Association WA, Bradley Woods said: "We estimate over $100 million revenue and sales has been lost as a result of this shutdown ". [54], In response to the outbreak, masks were mandatory at all public indoor settings and public transport, some music festivals were cancelled, and nightclubs were closed. [200], Also on 21 December, the Victorian hotel quarantine inquiry published it final report. While likely to have been infectious the guard visited several locations in the community, raising the possibility of another lockdown in Western Australia. GDP is likely to have experienced a contraction from 2019 figures. [30], The lockdown was lifted on 5 February, but some rules such as mandatory mask wearing, and travel restrictions, were maintained in the Peel and Perth regions. Perth and Peel residents will be allowed to leave their homes on Saturday, after being locked down for four days. All the new cases are from the Perth metropolitan area and all are self-isolating at home. Anzac Day 2020 in Isolation 2020 Credit: Jennifer Polixenni Brankin / Getty Images. [28], On 31 January 2021, a quarantine hotel security guard at the Four Points by Sheraton in Perth tested positive. Ireland has been in lockdown for nearly six weeks now but as of May 5, . NSW residents over 18 years-of-age will be eligible to receive four A$25 vouchers through Service NSW. His announcements comes as WA's confirmed COVID-19 cases jumped by 20 overnight to 140, as at 3pm today. "[117] An interim report was published on 6 November,[120] and the inquiry's final report was published on 21 December. [45] On the same day, the cruise ship Ruby Princess discharged 2,700 passengers in Sydney. The CQV Commissioner will be supported by three Deputy State Controllers, two have been appointed,[188] while as of 15January2021[update] the third Controller position was being advertised. On Sunday 2May, McGowan also announced a number of new restrictions, including that nightclubs were to be closed immediately. 10 Christmas party raged on December 18, 2020, less than 24 hours before Boris Johnson raised Covid lockdown measures to Tier 4 and ordered everyone to remain local [29] Approximately 2 million people in Western Australia were affected by the lockdown. Western Australia also announced two old cases. South Australia When did lockdown begin in th. Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. "Every jurisdiction has been learning as it goes, weve never been exposed to this before and so youve got to give the government the credit for doing as good a job as they could with the evidence thats available to them," he said. Western Australia (WA) confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on 21 February 2020, and its first death on 1 March. [44][45] She was the third person in Australia to die from an adverse reaction to an Astra-Zeneca vaccination; the first two deaths were in NSW from thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome. [61] The state's first dose COVID vaccination rate was 95.3%, second dose of 87.9% for those aged 12+, and booster doses 21.9% for ages 16+. The Perth and Peel regions' three-day lockdown will end as planned at 12.01am midnight (April 27) based on the latest public health advice. The Northern Territory. No patient zero was found for this outbreak. [4][5][6], Nine cases were recorded in January. [citation needed], In late September a report from Ernst & Young stated that pandemic related border restrictions could result in a shortfall of 26,000 farm workers to pick fruit and vegetables over Australia's summer harvest season. Perth was deserted as social distancing measures took hold. WA has since moved to tighten its hotel quarantine infection control measures, and has enlisted the Australian Defence Force for additional support. [46], On 18 March in Tasmania the Agfest agricultural field day, set for 79 May, was cancelled[47] and replaced by an online event that ran from 728 May,[48], On 19 March, Celebrity Solstice docked and contributed a further 11 cases to NSW figures by 2 April. [62], On 27 January, the mask mandate was extended to the Wheatbelt and Great Southern regions. 2020 (Image: Steve . Phase 1 is already in place following the cautious relaxing of some restrictions from April 27, 2020, to allow families and friends to stay connected. People coming from overseas were required to self-isolate for 14 days. [14], On 2 March, four new cases were reported, two of which were the first cases of community transmission of the virus. Major supermarkets reintroduced limits on meat purchases. This is encouraging news," said Premier Mark McGowan. Western Australians must continue to wear masks in public at indoor . More than 400 people were arrested and nearly 400 penalties issued. The 78-year-old man, from Perth, was a passenger on board the Diamond Princess, a cruise ship that was forced to quarantine in the Japanese port of Yokohama. [182], On 24 November, Victoria recorded no active cases in the state for the first time since 29 February. Victoria announces tough new lockdown measures, including the 5km rule and an overnight curfew. The COVID-19 pandemic in Western Australia is part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. [169][170] On the same day, Daniel Andrews announced a significant easing of restrictions to take effect over the coming weeks. [14] On 2 March, four new cases were reported, two of which were the first cases of community transmission of the virus. Residents will need to have a Service NSW account to receive their vouchers. In addition, the state government during a critically timed month-long soft lockdown in WA in April also closed the regional and state borders, shut schools a week early and ordered interstate travellers to self-isolate on arrival. [42], Due to the growing Bondi cluster in Sydney, from 11am on 23 June, Western Australia reinstated a hard border with NSW. . Those and the casino gaming floor were to remain shut until at least 12:01am on 8 May (Saturday). [1], On 25 January, the first case of a SARS-CoV-2 infection was reported, that of a Chinese citizen who arrived from Guangzhou on 19 January. Start date End date Length (days) Start date End date Length (days) Start date End date Length (days) . Dine in at cafs, restaurants and pubs allowed to reopen. [121] The Government response to the interim report was published in November. This included those who had been in Perth or Peel since 17 April. The Inquiry was to " examine the operation of Victoria's hotel quarantine program for returning travellers." Perth and Peel COVID19 4 Day lockdown Based on health advice, Premier McGowan announced that effective from 12.01am Tuesday 29 June 2021 until 12.01am Saturday 3 July 2021 the Perth metropolitan area and the Peel region will enter a 4-day lockdown. [97][98], On 15 May, South Australia became the second jurisdiction, after the ACT, to be free of any active cases;[99] however, on 26May, a woman returning from overseas who was granted exemption into South Australia from her hotel quarantine in Victoria tested positive for COVID-19. [194], By 19 December 23 new cases were reported in the Northern Beaches area. A fine of A$200 applied to those not complying, though there were some exemptions. Instead of entering mandatory quarantine at their own expense, the women were active in the community and infected three other confirmed cases. [59], From 16 January masks were again required for indoor public areas in the Perth and Peel regions, after five new cases of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. Anyone who has been in the Region since 12 January must also follow the mask rule. [138], On 1 August, the 2020 Tasmanian Legislative Council periodic election, deferred from 30 May, took place. [172], On 31 October 2020, Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan announced that from 14 November, Western Australia's hard border policy would be eased, enabling residents from states and territories deemed very low risk (i.e. [103][104], On 25 May, a night duty manager at one of Melbourne's quarantine hotels reported a fever and tested positive on 26 May. The Department of Health has reported 23 new cases of COVID-19 overnight, bringing the State's total to 278. . There will be exemptions for health, emergency, defence and policing personnel. The day before, at 3pm, it was announced that 2,315 of the 5,687 confirmed coronavirus cases had recovered. Getty Social gatherings House parties, barbecues and birthday parties are banned Weddings are restricted to 5 people: the couple, celebrant and witnesses, social distancing must be observed e UK? [166], On 19 October, restrictions were eased in Victoria; the two-hour time limit for exercise and socialising was lifted, groups of up to 10 people from two households were allowed to gather outdoors, outdoor sports settings like tennis courts, golf courses and skateparks could reopen, outdoor swimming pools can host up to 30 swimmers, hairdressers were able to open with strict safety protocols in place, outdoor real estate auctions were allowed to go ahead with up to 10 people plus staff, non-essential outdoor home maintenance can take place with up to five workers and many allied health services resumed to face-to-face services. [147], On 22 August, national COVID-19 deaths exceeded 500, after 17 deaths in Victoria, whose state toll was 415. [55], On 25 March, the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission (NCCC) was established by the Prime Minister, as a strategic advisory body for the national response to the pandemic. [124] The Victorian ombudsman later found the lockdown of the public housing towers breached human rights laws, tabling her report in Victoria's Parliament on 17 December 2020. [119] Andrews noted that "it is abundantly clear that what has gone on here is completely unacceptable and we need to know exactly what has happened. [57], As of 12.01am on 3 January, WA declared Tasmania and the ACT to be "high risk" locations. [149][150][151], On 3 September 2020, the human biosecurity emergency period in Australia under the Biosecurity Act 2015 (Cth) was extended by the Federal Health Minister until 17December. The four-day lockdown of Perth and the Peel region in Western Australia lifted on Saturday, 3 July, with the last of coronavirus restrictions lifted on Monday 12 July. Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia also strengthened their borders. As of 3 May another lockdown was still a possibility. The two cases were in New South Wales: one was acquired from a close relative and the other was a health care worker in Western Sydney. [9] Gatherings of more than 500 people were banned. [64], As of 30 March, at least 440 passengers (211 in New South Wales, 71 in South Australia, 70 in Queensland, 43 in Western Australia, 22 in the Australian Capital Territory, 18 in Victoria, three in Tasmania and two in the Northern Territory) from Ruby Princess had tested positive for the virus. In a statement, David Walsh stated "I know that [the cancellation] will murder an already massacred tourism environment, but I feel like I have no choice. Western Australia's State of Emergency and the Public Health State of Emergency came to an end at 12:01am Friday, 4 November 2022. WA Premier Mark McGowan flanked by Health Minister Roger Cook and Chief Health Officer Andy Robertson. Richard Wainwright/EPA, via Shutterstock By Damien Cave Published Feb. 1, 2021 Updated Sept. 23, 2021 SYDNEY, Australia One. Credit:Sharon Smith. [16] Another confirmed case on this day was a 40-year-old man from Launceston who came back on 29 February from a flight which left Melbourne and landed in Launceston on the same day. [81], On 13 April, the Tasmanian government closed the North West Regional Hospital and North West Private Hospital for cleaning, and put the entire staff of over 1,000 people and their families into quarantine. When he tested positive, he was flown by the Royal Flying Doctor Service to Perth, and was isolated at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. "If we had had a number of cases coming across from the eastern states, Id be confident we would have picked them up and there would have been contact tracing and local containment, but we would have prolonged the economic consequences because it would have meant the internal easing of restrictions would have had to have been delayed," Professor Clements said. Curtin University infectious disease expert Archie Clements believed the achievement was both good luck and good management. [87] However, on 4 May there was a one new case, a young woman who acquired the virus overseas. When the virus was first identified in China in late 2019, lockdown seemed extreme. Lockdown extended across the nation until 3 May, with a conditional relaxation after 20 April for the regions where the spread has been contained. [60], On 17 January mask wearing rules were extended to WA's South West Region. On the same day, regional Victoria moved from Stage Three restrictions to the Second Step of the roadmap, which enabled up to five people to gather together in outdoor public places from a maximum of two households, the reopening of outdoor pools and playgrounds, as well as allowing religious services to be conducted outside with a maximum of five people, plus a faith leader. Metropolitan Perth and the Peel region will go into a three-day lockdown from midnight on Friday after a hotel quarantine outbreak led to community transmission. [198] Canberra will require quarantine of those from the Central Coast, Greater Sydney, Illawarra-Shoalhaven, and Nepean Blue Mountains. People were given a 48-hour warning to return to their home region. However, the arrangement was not reciprocal Australian travellers still had to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in New Zealand. In addition, the State of Emergency in Victoria was extended until 11:59 p.m. on 16 August 2020. [68], On the evening of 31 March, six baggage handlers from Adelaide Airport had tested positive. From 2 to 6 March, the doctor had consulted approximately 70 patients at The Toorak Clinic in Melbourne and two patients at an aged-care facility. "[25], On 12 March, the ACT announced its first case, the 142nd case in Australia. [102], On 19 May, in New South Wales, another resident of Newmarch House nursing home died from coronavirus. [109] By 17 June, this case had recovered and there were no longer any more active cases in the Territory once again. [70], On 2 April, the number of cases in Victoria exceeded 1,000, including over 100 healthcare workers. [161], The 2020 Federal Budget, due to be delivered in May but delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic, is delivered on 6 October. A timeline of COVID-19 in Western Australia - ABC News VIDEO: A timeline of COVID-19 in Western Australia Posted Thu 31 Dec 2020 at 3:38am Watch 4m 23s Share A year-in-review look at Western Australia's experience with coronavirus in 2020. And there is still the danger of another lockdown as 123 days remain before all adults are due a first dose. A maximum of 50 passengers per flight, and 450 international arrivals per day was set. [167], On 24 October, Victoria recorded 98 active cases statewide; this was the first time since 19 June in which Victoria had under 100 cases. But just eight hours after the Monday morning press conference, Perth and Peel was placed in a four-day lockdown because of a third case, a man in his 30s who was a casual contact of Case 1022. [175][176], On 3 November in Melbourne there was an anti-lockdown protest. The clinic was closed over the weekend and patients were contacted to self-isolate. Masks are now required. [15] These two cases were acquired in Australia whereas all other previous cases were imported from another country. By Sarah Swain. [163][164], On 12 October, Australian scientists at the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) were credited with discovering that the coronavirus could survive for up to 28 days on glass, stainless steel and paper banknotes. [66] The legislation was designed to allow WA to exit the state of emergency, which the state has been under since 15 March 2020a total of 922 days as of 23 September. During May 2022, Western Australia experienced sharply rising cases amongst the highest per capita cases seen anywhere in the world throughout the pandemic. All events excluding large festivals permitted. [120], On 17 November 2020 the NSW Government announced the "Out and About" economic stimulus voucher scheme. [36] ANZAC Day commemorations inside the lockdown area (which were anticipated to go ahead with caps on attendance) were cancelled and people were encouraged to participate in driveway dawn services, as was the case in 2020. [126], On 6 July, the Victorian and NSW governments announced that their interstate border would be closed from the start of 8 July. Updated Mar 23, 2020, 1:21 PM SGT SYDNEY (REUTERS) - Australia began living under strict new lockdown rules on Monday (March 23) as coronavirus cases topped 1,600 and authorities denied entry. Up to 10 people were allowed at indoor religious gatherings. From 5December, venues in WA were required to keep a register of patrons and staff for the purpose of contact tracing. "[106], By 26 May, Australia's first human trials of a candidate COVID-19 vaccine, Novavax's NVX-CoV2373, began in Melbourne. This included several new measures; most notably a Coronavirus Supplement of an extra A$550 per fortnight of income support, relaxed eligibility criteria for individuals on Jobseeker Payment (formerly Newstart), and grants of up to A$100,000 for small and medium-sized businesses. Visitors to Perth or Peel from 6 January were required to wear a mask indoors if they had gone to another area. For border entry, special exemptions and 14 days quarantine were required. [178] Two vouchers are for dining, the other two are to be spent on entertainment. This article documents the chronology and epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia during 2020. [33], Also on 5 February, McGowan announced a A$43million package to assist small businesses and charities in WA who suffered financially during the lockdown, in the form of a A$500 offset on their electricity bill. [7], By 6 February, three returning members from a tour group in Wuhan were identified in Queensland. [29] Approximately 2 million people in Western Australia were affected by the lockdown. There were no new COVID-19 cases detected in WA overnight before the change, and only five active cases in WA, all in hotel quarantine. [26] Actor Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson advised that they had tested positive and were in isolation. I don't have any criticism for what they've done.". The venue, Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC) was being used as a COVID-19 testing station. Police officers were placed in the area for a "show of presence" due to the COVID-19 lockdown. Residents in these postcodes had to comply with the four acceptable reasons to leave their houses: shopping for essentials; for medical or compassionate needs; exercise in compliance with the public gathering restriction of two people; and for work or education purposes. [40] New South Wales Liberal senator, Andrew Bragg, was the third Australian politician to test positive. ", "First WA coronavirus case flown to Perth for treatment after evacuating Diamond Princess ship", "Agency Advisory #3 COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease)", "WA confirms first novel Coronavirus death", "Coronavirus quarantine rule prompts WA threat of $50,000 penalty as panic buying intensifies", "Western Australia, South Australia to close borders in response to coronavirus pandemic", "New COVID-19 restrictions on travel within WA as big queues form on WA/SA border ahead of closure - ABC News", "Kimberley coronavirus case spike sees shire borders closed to protect the vulnerable from COVID-19", "Coronavirus sees WA close its borders from midnight on Sunday to stop COVID-19 spread from eastern states", "No new coronavirus COVID-19 cases in WA for the first time in more than five weeks", "Artania cruise ship leaves Fremantle after fatal coronavirus outbreak on board", "WA eases coronavirus restrictions to allow 10-person gatherings", "Premier reveals restaurants, regional borders to reopen", "WA unlocked to travellers as almost all regional restrictions set to end for long weekend", "One in four metre square rule set to be scrapped in WA next weekend", "WA eases restrictions as NSW residents urged to avoid travel to Melbourne as it happened", "WA bars, cafes, restaurants and festivals to return to 100 per cent capacity", "Complacency blamed as WA's phase five restrictions pushed back to August", "Phase 5 restrictions in WA delayed by weeks", "Easing of coronavirus restrictions delayed as WA remains on 'high alert' due to Victorian outbreak", "Perth Royal Show axed as WA's coronavirus phase 5 restrictions pushed back by two months", "Coronavirus crisis: Mark McGowan reveals delay to phase five restrictions due to outbreak threat", "WA venues to adopt mandatory contact register from December 5 amid coronavirus risk", "COVID lockdown announced for Perth and South West after quarantine hotel worker tests positive", "NSW orders West Australian arrivals into five-day lockdown to stop spread of virulent UK strain", "States begin responding to WA coronavirus case, Queensland, NT, Vic, ACT declare affected region a hotspot", "WA Premier says masks will remain compulsory in Perth despite lack of new COVID-19 cases", "Masks off as COVID-19 restrictions lift in Perth, Peel regions amid no new cases", "WA coronavirus lockdown ends, Premier Mark McGowan unveils $43m package to help small businesses", "Perth lockdown for three days will see Anzac Day services cancelled, residents urged to stay indoors", "Lockdown ends in Perth and Peel as no new community cases recorded", "Trans-Tasman bubble: Travel paused between New Zealand and Western Australia due to Covid-19 outbreak", "Hotel security guard, household members test positive to COVID-19 in WA", "Western Australia regions of Perth and Peel face nervous wait as Premier Mark McGowan flags possible lockdown", "WA Premier Mark McGowan announced new restrictions as COVID cases climb", "Police access SafeWA app data for murder investigation, prompting urgent law change", "WA to move to phase five of COVID-19 plan as hospitality restrictions removed", "State-by-state travel restrictions as NSW outbreak grows", "WA Health authorities report woman's death in hospital, vaccine history sent to TGA", "COVID-19 vaccine weekly safety report - 08-07-2021 @ Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP)", "NSW woman's blood clot death linked to AstraZeneca vaccine", "Restrictions imposed on Perth, Peel region after woman tests positive for COVID-19 after NSW trip", "Perth and Peel plunged into lockdown after another local coronavirus case detected", "How life will change on WA border open date, when a raft of COVID restrictions will take effect", "Western Australia to reopen border on 5 February after almost two years sealed off from the world", "Mark McGowan delays WA border reopening indefinitely over Omicron fears", "WA records one new local case of COVID-19 following Perth Mess Hall rave", "Eased public health measures from 6am, Tuesday 4 January", "WA mask mandate extended in wake of growing backpacker COVID-19 cluster", "Tasmania and ACT elevated to high risk under WA's controlled border", "COVID-19 coronavirus: Controlled border", "Masks reintroduced as WA records five new local COVID-19 cases amid Omicron spread in Perth", "Mask mandate extended to South-West as doctors call for stricter restrictions to tackle Omicron", "Premier Mark McGowan announces delay to WA border opening amid fears Omicron will 'cripple' state", "WA records 10 new COVID-19 cases, but testing numbers plunge on Australia Day public holiday", "WA border opening date is March 3, as Mark McGowan announces new COVID restrictions", "WA COVID state of emergency laws pass first hurdle after bitter debate", "WA's COVID-induced state of emergency is ending. [67] The JobKeeper program would pay employers up to $1500 a fortnight per full-time, part-time or casual employee that has worked for that business for over a year, if the business fits criteria involving a loss of turnover as a result of the pandemic. [15], On 25 November the WA government introduced its Safe WA QR code based contact tracing smartphone application. A lockdown from 6 pm on 31 January to 6 pm on 5 February was declared for the Perth, Peel and South West regions. [34], On 23 April 2021, due to an asymptomatic returned traveller who tested positive after completing 14 days of hotel quarantine and subsequently went into the community, a lockdown from 12:01 am on 24 April to 12:01 am on 27 April was declared for the Perth and Peel regions. (ABC News: Andrew O'Connor) Following a pandemic being declared by the World Health Organisation on March 11, the Commonwealth enacted a raft of unprecedented measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 including closing the international border, mandating hotel quarantine for returning Australians and whittling non-essential gathering limits down to just two people. [30], In response to the lockdown, health authorities in the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, the Northern Territory, and Victoria declared the affected areas to be COVID-19 hotspots. A post-lockdown transition will be in place for the Perth and Peel regions until 12.01am Saturday, May 1 to keep Western Australia safe. He said this decision was taken from the . Credit:Lauren Pilat. [29] West Australian health minister Roger Cook has informed the public that the Western Australian Department of health is postponing upgrades at Peel Health Campus to accommodate patients with the virus. [134], Also on 20 July, it was announced that the Federal Coronavirus Supplement and JobKeeper subsidy would be extended, but in altered form at a lower rate, beyond 24 September. Health officials sought to notify passengers on the doctor's flights. [4], Western Australia confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on 21 February 2020, a man who was evacuated off the Diamond Princess cruise ship and flown to Darwin.