Australian state announces six-day ‘circuit-breaker’ lockdown after cluster erupts

People are seen queuing at a coronavirus testing site as the state of South Australia experiences an outbreak in Adelaide

Credit: Reuters

South Australia has imposed a strict six-day ‘circuit-breaker’ lockdown for its nearly two million people in response to a second wave of Covid-19 infections.

While the rest of the country appears to have the coronavirus under control, with Melbourne having gone more than two weeks with no new cases after enduring a severe second wave and long lockdown, at least 20 confirmed and 14 suspected cases have been linked to a cluster in Adelaide.

South Australia’s chief health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier revealed on Wednesday that “a security guard at the [quarantine] hotel …worked part-time making pizza” at Woodville Pizza Bar, believed to be the epicentre of the second wave.

This revelation caused some to question why casual quarantine guards were used after they were identified as a major factor behind Melbourne’s second wave.

“Insecure work is driving the pandemic. If we’re serious about controlling this virus, this means we must fix in the insecure work crisis,” the Australian Council of Trade Unions said in a statement.

Shortly after Western Australia had opened its border to interstate travellers — except those from New South Wales and Victoria — the state moved quickly to impose restrictions on South Australians as the new cases emerged. Some 150 such visitors who arrived in Perth, Western Australia, expecting to avoid quarantine were told they must isolate for two weeks.

By Tuesday afternoon this week, about 4,000 close contacts of the Adelaide cases had been ordered to self-quarantine and get tested for coronavirus, with dozens of locations across South Australia’s capital city identified as high-risk for infections.

On Wednesday, South Australian Premier Steven Marshall announced that sweeping new restrictions will be in effect as of 11.59pm Wednesday night for six days, with lower level restrictions to continue for the subsequent eight days.

The government will shut down all schools except for children of essential workers; takeaway food; universities; pubs, cafes, food courts and coffee shops; elective surgery; outdoor sport and physical activity; fly in/fly out workers; regional travel; factories, other than for food or medical products; building sites; holiday home lease or rental; weddings and funerals.

Aged care and disability care facilities are in in lockdown and masks will be mandatory in all areas outside the home.

People will be restricted from leaving their homes for the six-day period and exercise will not be permitted. One person will be allowed to leave the home to access groceries.

As at close of business on Tuesday, South Australia had recorded a total of 549 confirmed Covid-19 cases, detected by almost 600,000 tests.