New COVID committee to consider SA restrictions
Premier Peter Malinauskas is today expected to announce if there will be any changes to COVID-19 restrictions after the Emergency Management Council meets for the first time to discuss new modelling.
Malinauskas said this morning that the meeting would include a briefing from Education Minister Blair Boyer.
It comes as the number of school staff sidelined due to coronavirus passed 700 this week.
The premier said he was reluctant to agree to suggestions that term one should end a week early as a result.
“I know teachers are under the pump … but shutting down schools for a week will just cause too much inconvenience and we’ll avoid it any way we can,” Malinauskas told ABC Radio Adelaide.
It comes as South Australia yesterday recorded 4742 new COVID-19 cases – the second-highest daily total since the start of the pandemic – and two deaths.
Hospitalisations dropped slightly to 157, including 10 people in intensive care and one on a ventilator.
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Malinauskas told reporters that the numbers reflected modelling released publicly on Tuesday, which showed South Australia was on track to record over 8000 daily COVID-19 cases by April.
New modelling will be presented to the state’s Emergency Management Council when it meets at 9am, ahead of a press conference later today.
The council, which comprises cabinet ministers as well as department chiefs and public health officers, replaces the now-abolished COVID-Ready committee, which was used by the former Marshall government to advise state coordinator Grant Stevens on changes to restrictions.
Malinauskas told reporters yesterday that the council would consider modelling showing how many COVID-19 cases are predicted if South Australia reduces the quarantine time for close contacts from 14 days down to seven in line with the other states.
He said he had also requested new modelling showing how many COVID-19 cases are predicted if the state relaxes mask-wearing rules.
“We want to make informed judgements,” he said.
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“Ultimately, of course, they are the Police Commissioner’s decisions to make as the state coordinator, but the more information we can have at the EMC tomorrow, the better for my team.”’
Malinauskas previously said that he would like the council to ensure South Australia’s restrictions match what is in place across the rest of the country.
In South Australia, people are deemed close contacts of positive cases if they spend 15 minutes or longer in the same room, despite the national definition of four hours.
Close contacts in South Australia must also isolate for 14 days, despite positive cases only having to quarantine for half that time.
The premier has also asked government lawyers to consider how South Australia can end its major emergency declaration by June, potentially by amending the state’s Public Health Act.
The declaration, which has been in place for over two years, grants Stevens broad powers to impose restrictions without parliamentary oversight.
Malinauskas told reporters yesterday that the ongoing emergency declaration was one of the reasons why he had chosen not to take on any additional cabinet portfolios and would instead fully dedicate his time to carrying out the role as premier.
His cabinet, sworn in yesterday, features 15 ministers, including surprise additions Geoff Brock and former federal backbencher Nick Champion.
Four ministers – Kyam Maher, Nat Cook, Katrine Hildyard and Andrea Michaels – attended yesterday’s swearing in ceremony remotely after being identified as close contacts or testing positive for COVID-19.
