12.10pm
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A UNION headquarters targeted in anti-vaccination protest sites last week has been named a COVID-19 exposure site.
Melbourne's CFMEU offices were the site of sometimes bitter protests.
The union's state secretary John Setka blamed the site's tier one listing on those protests.
"This outbreak caused by the disgusting behaviour of selfish and reckless people with no regard to the wellbeing of the thousands of construction workers or their families will not deter our commitment to getting construction back open and all our members back to work," he said.
"The union has worked tirelessly over the past 18 months to keep construction open and members working safely while so many other industries were shut and thousands out of work, many for well over a year."
Mr Setka again voiced frustration with the state government over a perceived lack of consultation before shutdowns that have affected at least 300,000 construction workers.
"Construction workers not being able to work and earn an income to put food on the table and pay mortgages puts enormous stress on families," he said.
"We are working tirelessly on a road map for the government and CHO to get construction open and everyone back to work."
11.44am
VICTORIA is shaking up its response to COVID-19 as the current outbreak's breaks infection records.
Contact tracers have begun texting links to online forms to help triage cases before their first phone call to many of those who test positive for the virus.
The announcement was made on the same day that Victorian authorities confirmed a record 950 confirmed cases in one day.
More news: Bendigo Open House postponed for 2021
It also came less than 24 hours after regional areas in the state's east was sent into lockdown to slow COVID-19's spread.
COVID-19 response deputy secretary Kate Matson left the door open to more changes depending on how the outbreak evolves.
She said everyone would still get a call but the forms would allow contact tracers to quickly work out who will need support to isolate at home, including with groceries, medication and income.
"[They] will ask if there has been any exposure to high-risk settings such as hospital, aged care, childcare, or anywhere in regional Victoria, as we try to protect regional Victoria.
"We will continue to manage close contacts as we have been but, at the moment, the initial interview is more of a household interview then perhaps a few months ago where we were able to interview every single primary close contact."
Ms Matson said the changes did not reflect a breakdown in contact tracing methods.
"In our most recent daily operational report, 97% of cases were contacted within 24 hours, more than that contacted within 48 hours," she said.
"We continue to exceed the national benchmarks."
Ms Matson said the changes were about helping contact tracers focus on the greatest public health risk.
"We need to focus on the actions of highest value to ensure that people who are positive know that quickly, and connect them to the support they need," she said.
Earlier
Victoria has traced a new daily record of 950 new coronavirus cases to midnight on Tuesday and seven people have died.
None of the cases were acquired overseas.
Victoria recorded 61,322 test results and 34,028 vaccinations.
Read more:
Contact tracers have added a Daylesford supermarket and bottle shop to their list of tier two exposure sites.
Anyone who visited Coles and Cellarbrations Daylesford on Sunday between 6.30pm and 7pm should urgently get tested, then isolate until confirmation of a negative result, the Department of Health says.
The same goes for Cellarbrations Daylesford on Monday between 3.15pm and 4.15pm.
Woolworths supermarket in Kerang has also been named a tier two exposure site. after someone with the virus visited the store on Saturday between 3:22pm - 4:20pm.
The Macedon Ranges recorded a new coronavirus case, taking their active case tally to 19.
The case was found in a person who works in Melbourne.
In good news, Bendigo is expected to reach the 80 per cent double-vaccinated milestone by the last week of October.
"Next week, the Bendigo region is going to be at 90 per cent for first-dose vaccinations. That is fantastic news," Bendigo Health chair Bob Cameron said.
So far, 57.9 per cent of people had been double vaccinated in a region encompassing Greater Bendigo, the Mount Alexander and Loddon shires and parts of the Macedon Ranges, according to new federal government figures.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
- Bookmark bendigoadvertiser.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter @BgoAddy
- Follow us on Instagram @bendigoadvertiser
- Join us on Facebook
- Follow us on Google News