Live: All the COVID news you need from across Australia

Katherine residents prepare to exit lockout despite community COVID-19 concerns

Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner says lockout restrictions will likely lift in Greater Katherine today, despite a high likelihood more COVID-19 cases will be found in the region.

Lockout rules are also due to lift at midday in the nearby remote communities of Binjari and Rockhole, where wastewater tests have come back negative.

In Katherine, wastewater testing continues to detect traces of COVID-19, prompting concerns that it is still present in the community.

A final decision on whether the town can exit lockout will be made later today.

Katherine resident Luke Enright said it was “nerve-wracking” leaving lockout with COVID-19 still present in the community, but said it was “bound to happen sooner or later”.

“I was hoping to exit into a COVID-zero situation,” he said.

“Let’s just be happy we had the extra time with no cases to get everyone vaccinated, unlike the rest of the world.”

Anna Martin, regional manager at Somerville Community Services, said everyone was looking forward to exiting lockout, and that residents were “really grateful” for the support from welfare groups over the past four weeks.

“It was such a remarkable and collaborative community effort,” she said.

Jeff Parker, the principal of Clyde Fenton Primary School in Katherine, said he had been “really impressed” with the community’s response to the lockdowns.

“I thought, ‘Oh this is going to be crazy’, but it was actually really positive,” he said.

Emails reveal Pfizer was ‘enthusiastic’ to engage with Australia about COVID-19 vaccine

New emails reveal how “enthusiastic” Pfizer was to engage with Australia about its COVID-19 vaccine, months before the federal government agreed to buy any doses.

Doses were in limited supply during the deadly outbreaks in Victoria and New South Wales this year.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is now central to the nation’s effort to combat the virus, despite Australia being slower than other nations in purchasing the jab.

Documents obtained by 7.30 under freedom of information (FOI) laws shed new light on the drug company and the government’s dealings at a critical time for negotiations last year.

In early July 2020, Pfizer Australia emailed the office of Health Minister Greg Hunt with “some positive early data” from early-stage trials.

“Efforts to manufacture the leading candidates … are gearing up,” they wrote.

“My global colleagues are enthusiastic to discuss this further, and possible opportunities in Australia, at a senior level at the earliest opportunity.”

Someone in the minister’s office forwarded this email to the head of the Health Department’s vaccine taskforce, Lisa Schofield, adding only: “FYI.”

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SA reviewing move of international arrivals into hotel quarantine

SA Health says its reviewing its decision to send international arrivals into medi-hotels even when the person has been approved to quarantine at home.

Frustrated travellers stuck in hotels for days say they’re receiving no information about when they’ll be able to go home.

SA Health says the Omicron COVID variant forced the change but it will ensure people can be tested at the airport before being transported safely to their home.

Peter Rowland has been in a medi-hotel since returning from a conference in Chicago.

He tested negative but is still in a hotel and exasperated about the lack of communication.

“Everyday I’ve been told, ‘Oh you should be heading home tomorrow to complete home quarantine and we’ll call you and tell you’ but the phone never rings,” he said.

Yesterday, Premier Steven Marshall said the measures were temporary.

“We’ve had to put a couple of speed bumps in the way of those people coming from interstate and overseas because of the Omicron variant. That’s bought us some additional time just to get our vaccination rates up in South Australia.”

Genomic sequencing to determine if five cases linked to Sydney Harbour party boat cruise are Omicron variant

NSW Health authorities are urgently contacting around 140 people who went on a party boat cruise on Sydney harbour on Friday night after five people tested positive to COVID-19.

Genome sequencing is underway to determine if any of the five confirmed cases have the Omicron variant.

But preliminary results indicate two are likely to have it. All cases are isolating at home.

Health officials are urgently contacting those who signed in with a QR code before boarding the boat and directing them and members of their households to immediately get tested, isolate and await further public advice.

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