What the future will look like: SA’s ‘COVID-ready’ plan to be released within days

The plan detailing how South Australia will manage when the inevitable wave of COVID-19 goes through the community will be finalised within days, according to the state’s police commissioner. 

After a long transition committee meeting today, Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said COVID-19 directions would likely remain unchanged until the state reaches its 80 per cent double vaccination target. 

Under the state’s current restrictions, home gatherings are capped at 20 people, there are capacity limits for hospitality and there is still a ban on dancing and singing at public venues, unless it is a private function. 

“There are no changes to any of our directions at this point in time,” he said. 

“We are holding with our current arrangements for borders and we are also holding the public activities direction where it is.

Mr Stevens said the state’s “COVID-ready” plan would soon be made available to the public. 

“It is days away, it’s not that far away,” he said. 

“I understand people want to see what the future is going to look like and we are keen for people to understand that so we can start talking about our preparedness.

“Hopefully seeing the content of the plan will encourage people to get vaccinated.” 

‘More freedoms’ for double vaccinated 

The plan details how the state will cope when it opens its borders to other states and territories, which will happen once the vaccination target is reached. 

“The task now is to make sure we are prepared for that, the healthcare system is capable of managing that and that we have a range of measures in place to make sure all South Australians get through that transition from being virtually COVID-free to having COVID as part of our community.” 

Mr Stevens said those who are double vaccinated will have “more freedoms” if they are identified as a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case. 

“If you’re not yet vaccinated, please go and get vaccinated — that will accelerate the date that we hit that 80 per cent target — and it will give us the latitude to start making changes in terms of how we manage our relationship with other states and territories and what South Australia looks like in terms of public activities,” he said. 

So far, only 58 per cent of South Australia’s eligible population has been doubled vaccinated. 

Earlier today the state government announced a sausage sizzle incentive to try and boost vaccine uptake at SA Health’s mass vaccination clinics.

Free sausage sizzles will be held at more than 20 health clinics this weekend. 

Mr Stevens said the state remains on track to reach the vaccination target by early December. 

“We are almost there … Please stay with us, as a community we have done a fantastic job,” he said. 

“We are in a better position than almost every other state or territory and we need to maintain that.” 

There has been one new case of COVID-19 reported in South Australia today — a woman in her 70s who acquired her infection overseas and has been in a medi-hotel since her arrival. 

Loading form…