This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2021/dec/12/australia-news-updates-live-covid-booster-vaccines-atagi-coronavirus-omicron-nsw-victoria-qld-scott-morrison-weather
The article has changed 18 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 9 | Version 10 |
|---|---|
| Australia Covid news live updates: Victoria drops hotel quarantine for arrivals from southern Africa; Moderna confirmed as booster jab as wait time cut | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Follow all the day’s news | Follow all the day’s news |
| The Australian government is staring down calls to intervene to secure Julian Assange’s freedom, after a British court cleared the way for the WikiLeaks co-founder to be extradited to the US to face espionage charges. | |
| The government said it was monitoring the Australian citizen’s case closely, but would “continue to respect the UK legal process – including any further appeals under UK law” – and emphasised Australia was “not a party to the case”. | |
| Read the full story from Daniel Hurst here: | |
| Speaking of Victoria, let’s take a closer look at today’s Covid-19 cases. | Speaking of Victoria, let’s take a closer look at today’s Covid-19 cases. |
| Victoria reported 1,069 new locally-acquired Covid-19 cases today. This brings the total number of active cases in the state to 11,393. | Victoria reported 1,069 new locally-acquired Covid-19 cases today. This brings the total number of active cases in the state to 11,393. |
| There are 310 people admitted to hospital with Covid, with 74 active cases in ICU. Of those, 37 are on a ventilator. | There are 310 people admitted to hospital with Covid, with 74 active cases in ICU. Of those, 37 are on a ventilator. |
| Two people with Covid-19 in their 70s and 80s have tragically died. | Two people with Covid-19 in their 70s and 80s have tragically died. |
| In Victoria, from 11:59pm tonight, fully vaccinated travellers from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Malawi, or Mozambique will no longer be required to undertake 14 days in hotel quarantine. | In Victoria, from 11:59pm tonight, fully vaccinated travellers from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Malawi, or Mozambique will no longer be required to undertake 14 days in hotel quarantine. |
| In a statement, the state’s health department said that travellers arriving from these countries will follow the rules applying to travellers arriving from other countries. | In a statement, the state’s health department said that travellers arriving from these countries will follow the rules applying to travellers arriving from other countries. |
| If fully vaccinated, they must self-quarantine at home or at a private accommodation for 72 hours, get tested within 24 hours of arriving, and get tested again between days five and seven after arriving. | If fully vaccinated, they must self-quarantine at home or at a private accommodation for 72 hours, get tested within 24 hours of arriving, and get tested again between days five and seven after arriving. |
| As Jen King has pointed out, the updated Queensland entry pass (the one you need to be able to cross the border from 1am) will only become available one hour before). | As Jen King has pointed out, the updated Queensland entry pass (the one you need to be able to cross the border from 1am) will only become available one hour before). |
| King has been speaking to people on the border. She says “many are desperate and in a highly agitated, anxious state. Also, where to print a pass at 12:34am while living in a tent?” | King has been speaking to people on the border. She says “many are desperate and in a highly agitated, anxious state. Also, where to print a pass at 12:34am while living in a tent?” |
| It’s Justine Landis-Hanley here again to bring you the blog this afternoon. Thanks again to Ben Doherty. | It’s Justine Landis-Hanley here again to bring you the blog this afternoon. Thanks again to Ben Doherty. |
| Reporter Jen King is at the NSW-Queensland border today for the Guardian, ahead of the Queensland border reopening at 1am (Monday morning). | Reporter Jen King is at the NSW-Queensland border today for the Guardian, ahead of the Queensland border reopening at 1am (Monday morning). |
| As Queensland records one new Covid-19 case, and readies to reopen its borders, the state’s treasurer Cameron Dick has warned the days of low infection rates are set to end. | As Queensland records one new Covid-19 case, and readies to reopen its borders, the state’s treasurer Cameron Dick has warned the days of low infection rates are set to end. |
| Tens of thousands of people are expected to enter Queensland in the days following the border reopening to the rest of the country from 1am on Monday. | Tens of thousands of people are expected to enter Queensland in the days following the border reopening to the rest of the country from 1am on Monday. |
| The one overseas case of Covid-19 recorded in the 24 hours to 6.30am on Sunday is a man in his 30s who arrived from Nigeria. | The one overseas case of Covid-19 recorded in the 24 hours to 6.30am on Sunday is a man in his 30s who arrived from Nigeria. |
| Health authorities are closely monitoring the genomic sequencing to see if it is the Omicron variant. | Health authorities are closely monitoring the genomic sequencing to see if it is the Omicron variant. |
| Dick said it was “very good news” only one case had been detected, but warned the state border reopening meant “these days won’t last”. | Dick said it was “very good news” only one case had been detected, but warned the state border reopening meant “these days won’t last”. |
| It will be the first time in 229 days people will not need to quarantine on arrival, provided they are fully vaccinated. | It will be the first time in 229 days people will not need to quarantine on arrival, provided they are fully vaccinated. |
| “These days will finish as soon as the virus comes to Queensland,” Dick told reporters on Sunday. | “These days will finish as soon as the virus comes to Queensland,” Dick told reporters on Sunday. |
| He urged the 19% of eligible Queenslanders who have not yet been fully vaccinated to get the jab to minimise the spread of the virus. | He urged the 19% of eligible Queenslanders who have not yet been fully vaccinated to get the jab to minimise the spread of the virus. |
| Almost 81% of those eligible in the state have now received two doses. | Almost 81% of those eligible in the state have now received two doses. |
| Queensland’s police commissioner Katarina Carroll urged people wanting to visit the state from 13 December to be patient, travel outside peak hours, and expect extensive delays. | Queensland’s police commissioner Katarina Carroll urged people wanting to visit the state from 13 December to be patient, travel outside peak hours, and expect extensive delays. |
| She estimated “tens of thousands” of people would be hoping to cross into the Sunshine State in the next few days. | She estimated “tens of thousands” of people would be hoping to cross into the Sunshine State in the next few days. |
| The border pass system will become available online on Sunday evening and will provide different measures for separate areas. | The border pass system will become available online on Sunday evening and will provide different measures for separate areas. |
| Only those who are fully vaccinated, and provide a negative result to a Covid-19 test taken within the last 72 hours, will be admitted into the state. | Only those who are fully vaccinated, and provide a negative result to a Covid-19 test taken within the last 72 hours, will be admitted into the state. |
| There is only one international flight scheduled to land in Queensland on Monday, with 12 people on board, she said. | There is only one international flight scheduled to land in Queensland on Monday, with 12 people on board, she said. |
| Deputy chief health officer James Smith said he expected more strain to be put on the public health system. | Deputy chief health officer James Smith said he expected more strain to be put on the public health system. |
| He said the state was still at least six months away from living comfortably with Covid-19. | He said the state was still at least six months away from living comfortably with Covid-19. |
| At the beginning of her meeting with Blinken, Payne said it had been “a year of real highs”. | At the beginning of her meeting with Blinken, Payne said it had been “a year of real highs”. |
| Payne said: | Payne said: |
| Australia’s foreign minister Marise Payne and the US secretary of state Antony Blinken have agreed on “the importance of committing to ambitious climate action in the next decade”, according to the US. | Australia’s foreign minister Marise Payne and the US secretary of state Antony Blinken have agreed on “the importance of committing to ambitious climate action in the next decade”, according to the US. |
| They have also called for “peaceful resolution” of issues across the Taiwan Strait after a meeting in the UK. | They have also called for “peaceful resolution” of issues across the Taiwan Strait after a meeting in the UK. |
| Payne is in Liverpool in the UK this weekend to attend a G7 Foreign and Development Ministers’ Meeting. | Payne is in Liverpool in the UK this weekend to attend a G7 Foreign and Development Ministers’ Meeting. |
| She met with Blinken on the sidelines of the meeting. The US state department said the pair had met “to reinforce our ongoing efforts to promote peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific”. | She met with Blinken on the sidelines of the meeting. The US state department said the pair had met “to reinforce our ongoing efforts to promote peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific”. |
| The US readout said: | The US readout said: |
| (The Biden administration is yet to name an ambassador to Australia but there has been speculation that it may nominate Caroline Kennedy, the former ambassador to Japan who happens to be the daughter of John F Kennedy.) | (The Biden administration is yet to name an ambassador to Australia but there has been speculation that it may nominate Caroline Kennedy, the former ambassador to Japan who happens to be the daughter of John F Kennedy.) |
| I’m going to hand the blog over to my brilliant colleague, Ben Doherty to bring you the news over lunch! | I’m going to hand the blog over to my brilliant colleague, Ben Doherty to bring you the news over lunch! |