‘Best way to protect your child is to be vaccinated yourself’, says Health Minister as he outlines plans for kids’ jabs — as it happened

By Nicholas McElroy

Alrighty, we’re closing the blog here

Thanks for joining us today! You can stay up to date with any breaking news here on the ABC News website. 

We’ll see you tomorrow. Until then, take care and stay safe. 

No lockdown restrictions announced in WA

So no restrictions right?

My Friday night plans can go ahead?…

-WA resident

Yes! Go live your life. 

No big news from National Cabinet

Reporting by Georgia Hitch

National Cabinet’s meeting this afternoon hasn’t seen any new announcements or big decisions made.

The group of state and territory leaders got the usual updates from the Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly and head of the vaccine rollout Lieutenant General John Frewen, who specifically spoke about how vaccines will be rolled out for 12 to 15-year-olds.

The only new thing to come out of the meeting is that the group agreed to ask the top health bureaucrats in each state and territory to provide a snapshot of health resources and hospital capacity by next week.

Also, Professor Jodie McVernon from the Doherty Institute confirmed the 70 and 80 per cent vaccine targets the Institute laid out as the thresholds Australia needs to get to to be able to reopen, are still the right goals to be aiming for.

On a non-COVID note, the group discussed the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan. Prime Minister Scott Morrison thanked leaders for agreeing to increase the number of quarantine places available to allow Afghans and Australians evacuated from Kabul back into the country.

As per usual, they’ll all meet again next Friday.

Millionaires feud over plan to build quarantine facility at private airport

Philanthropist and former Toowoomba mayor Clive Berghofer says John Wagner’s Wellcamp facility plan is a “shocking betrayal” of the city and proof that “common sense has gone out the door”.

“We can’t just say, ‘Bugger it, we’ll put it here,'” the 86-year-old said.

But Mr Wagner, who developed a private airport at the site, insists that the facility will benefit the region, won’t pose a health risk, and will be delivered quickly.

“We built an airport in 19 months and 11 days,” he said.

The non-millionaires of Toowoomba that the ABC spoke to were evenly split on the issue.

A paramedic backed the plan, but another local said she thought it was “absolutely ridiculous”.

Read more here.

WA Premier flags vaccinating children at school, but nothing set in stone just yet

Mark McGowan has run through a couple points from National Cabinet, but flagged more details are expected to come out in the coming days.

“Following from National Cabinet there are a few things I need to discuss,” he said.

“First with regard to the 12 to 15 cohort, which represents 134,000 children in WA.

“I can confirm the Prime Minister agreed to publish the data for 12 to 15 -year-olds and their vaccination levels. This is helpful as we will be able to factor this into our overall vaccination levels.

“Starting from September 13, following the expert health advice, the 12 to 15-year-olds will be eligible for vaccination from GPs and state clinics. More details will come soon.”

“This is a cohort that is of high school age. Unlike other age groups to date, there is an opportunity to have them vaccinated at school. We’ll have more to say on this in coming days.”

‘What this shows is how insidious COVID is’, McGowan says

“The situation is evolving and we know things can change quickly. We are monitoring it very closely. As more information comes to light we will keep everyone updated,” Mr McGowan said. 

“What this shows is how insidious the COVID-19 virus is. Whilst every precaution is taken it continues to run rampant around us and we need to do everything we can to contain it and kill it.

“We have always known COVID could seep into Western Australia any time which is why we are modifying our border arrangements. And why I have never supported a plan to drop our border controls without responsible and effective measures to keep us safe.

“So please if you are eligible get vaccinated. If you feel unwell stay at home. If you experience symptoms, get tested and isolate until you return a negative test. By doing all of this you are protecting yourself, your family and friends.”

Two truck drivers from NSW return positive COVID tests in WA

Two trucks drivers who travelled to Western Australian from New South Wales have tested positive to COVID-19 after going to several sites across WA.

WA Premeir Mark McGowan said the two men are NSW residents, aged 29 and 23.

The men have had very little contact with the general public, sleeping in their truck cabin after arriving at a warehouse in the Perth suburb of Kewdale.

“At this stage, only four contacts have been identified by the investigation is ongoing,” Mr McGowan said. 

The men have been taken into quarantine at the Westin Hotel, exhibiting mild symptoms.

They were tested in NSW on Wednesday, as part of the routine freight driver’s screening test.

They had both received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine and wore masks while outside their truck.

No lockdown restrictions are being triggered as a result of the two positive cases.

WA Premier Mark McGowan is speaking following National Cabinet

So that means National Cabinet has wrapped up! 

Here’s WA Premier Mark McGowan with an update.

Queensland Police arrest serial border breacher

Queensland Police have arrested a serial border breacher yet again. 

The 49-year-old woman was found at an address at Warwick on the Southern Downs this morning. 

She’d previously tried three times to illegally enter the state through Goondiwindi.

Last week she was fined – and taken back to New South Wales – after being found hiding in the boot of a car on the back of a tow truck.

Heads up for those of you in Shepparton

There will be an information session happening this evening, covering the COVID situation in Shepparton and the emergency relief available. 

You can join the forum on the Goulburn Valley Health Facebook page from 6:00pm. Auslan interpreters will be present.

Don’t expect a ‘freedom day’ in Australia. Here’s why

Tracking Australia’s vaccine rollout

Hi there, absolutely love the Tracking Australia’s COVID vaccine rollout numbers webpage. One thing that’s not clear is what is meant by ‘at least partially vaccinated’? Does this number include people who are fully vaccinated too, or is it only those who have one dose? Thank you

-At least?

Partially vaccinated means one dose. Fully vaccinated means both doses. So it includes people who have had only one dose and people who have had two doses.

For anyone after the link, here’s where you can check out our Tracking the Vaccine Rollout page, and below is how we’re looking.

Look back at our COVID Q+A

Hello! looking for some lockdown reading this weekend, can you please re post the blog link to the Q&A from Covid experts a few days ago? thanks!!

-happy Friday!

Hey! Sure thing. You can catch up on our COVID live blog Q+A here. Happy scrolling!

SA records no new COVID cases

Back home now, and some more good news. 

South Australia recorded no new COVID cases overnight. 

US overturns ban on evictions put in place during COVID

Time for some international COVID news.

The US Supreme Court has overturned a ban on evictions, put in place during the COVID-19 economic downturn.

The ban on people being kicked out of their homes was reinstated by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at the start of August, as the Delta variant began another Covid surge in the US.

But the justices have ruled that the CDC doesn’t have the authority to impose a moratorium without authorisation.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the eviction moratoriums issued by the CDC had saved lives.

“The Biden Administration is disappointed that the Supreme Court has blocked the most recent CDC eviction moratorium while confirmed cases of the Delta variant are significant across the country,” she said, warning the decision would harm families and put communities at greater risk of exposure to COVID. 

ABC/wires

Doctors push for more vaccines in Melbourne’s west

Doctors are urging governments to increase the distribution of vaccines to GP clinics, particularly in hotspot areas of Melbourne’s west.

Nader Abou-Seif, who runs a practice in Hoppers Crossing, said ease of access within the community was important, especially after a large number of cases last year.

“A lot of our patients are more comfortable coming to a clinic because they are used to seeing us, they have a an ongoing relationship which we can explain and clarify any issues that they’ve got,” Dr Abu-Seif said.

“I think with some people, there is concern about gathering in groups and they will include hubs even though there is a proper system in place to allow a degree of separation and to ensure that the likelihood of transmission of a virus is minimized.”

Dr Abou-Seif said with thousands of GPs across the country it was the obvious place for the vaccine to be administered and urged governments to roll out more vaccine to clinics.

His clinic started administering AstraZeneca in June, but won’t receive Pfizer until next month.

“Travel is an issue, waiting at a place is an issue, and I think it’s also that comfort of knowing something knowing the person that’s giving it to you, and having your questions answered,” he said.

General practices are the responsibility of the federal government, and Mr Foley said doctors should contact the Prime Minister if they wanted changes made to supply.

Reporting by state political reporter Richard Willingham