Covid restrictions rolled out across the country
What a difference a day makes.
Restrictions have been reimposed in states and territories across the nation as Australia's Covid success is on the verge of evaporating.
Millions in NSW are in lockdown and were joined Sunday afternoon by those in Darwin and its surrounding areas after a miner tested positive.
Meanwhile Queensland is on edge with its own community spread as state leaders rush to strengthen border closures.
Late on Sunday afternoon, Queensland Health identified another case of Covid-19 in the community after already reporting two cases earlier in the day. The new case was a miner who had returned from working in the Northern Territory, transited through Brisbane Airport on Friday night and travelled to the Sunshine Coast.
Meanwhile health authorities across three states are also tracking down residents after a Virgin Australia flight attendant tested positive after working on five flights on Friday and Saturday which took passengers either to or from Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast.
Virtually no one is welcome in South Australia while even the ACT – which has not recorded any cases – has now imposed mask mandates for indoor settings.
SA closes borders, considers restrictions
South Australia Premier Steven Marshall said there had been a "significant deterioration" in Australia's fight against the virus and so the state would close its border to Queensland, WA, the NT and the ACT effective immediately.
"I think South Australia now needs to take decisive action to make sure we can continue to keep our state safe and our economy strong," he said Sunday afternoon.
The state will keep its existing hard border with NSW excluding anyone from within 100 kilometres of the NSW border. All Victorians will now need to be tested for the virus on the first day they arrive in SA. There remains no restrictions for travellers from Tasmania.
Mr Marshall said he would announce on Monday whether there would be further "internal restrictions".
The state's Chief health officer Nicola Spurrier stressed that vaccination was the best way to stop the spread of the virus in the community – but the federal rollout continues to lack the necessary supply.
WA introduces restrictions, won't rule out lockdown
WA Health Minister Roger Cook on Sunday said announced residents of the Perth and Peel regions would immediately be required to wear masks indoors and on public transport after a woman tested positive in the state after returning from Sydney.
Public events will be restricted to 150 people, while Sunday's AFL match between West Coast and Western Bulldogs will go ahead without crowds.
The Chicken and Beer Festival in Perth scheduled for Sunday has been cancelled while fans were turned away from an AFL match on Sunday.
A 30-person limit is in place for private gatherings and Perth and Peel venues must adhere to the "two square metre" rule.
Travel to WA's remote Indigenous communities will be restricted.
Mr Cook didn't rule out a future lockdown, with WA's current restrictions to remain for at least three days.
ACT introduces mask mandate
ACT police ordered more than 50 people to return to their homes in Sydney after finding residents in a hotel in Brandon on Saturday night who were deemed to be in breach of ACT public health directions.
Despite having no known cases, the territory will introduce a mask mandate from midnight on Sunday for all indoor public space and public transport. Resident will be asked to wear a mask when inside homes with people they don't live with.
"The best thing you can do to help reduce the risk of the virus spreading, if it did reach the ACT, is to be wearing a mask," said ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr.
"This is a precautionary measure, one of many lines of defence that we have against the aerosol transmission of the virus, and it's clear from New South Wales and from some other states, that the Delta variant is transmitting in the air, in indoor settings."
with AAP
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