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Katie Woolf spoke with Health Minister Natasha Fyles on the 48 hour Lockdown · 360 with Katie Woolf

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: For this morning. We are making sure that everybody knows
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: exactly what needs to be happening when it comes to COVID.
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: Now joining me on the line to talk further about
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: this snap lockdown is the Health Minister Natasha Files. Good
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: morning to.
• 0:13
  Speaker 2: You, Good morning Katie, Good morning listeners.
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: Minister. As I mentioned, we understand that that meeting is
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: happening at nine point thirty this morning, the SMC meeting.
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: What updated information are we expecting to come through at
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: nine point thirty without obviously pre emptying anything.
• 0:29
  Speaker 2: So the Northern Territory, as you said, Katie, is facing
• 0:31
  Speaker 2: its first serious COVID threat since the global pandemics began,
• 0:34
  Speaker 2: and governments through the Security and Emergency Management Committee has
• 0:38
  Speaker 2: worked all through the weekends, and I'd like to acknowledge
• 0:41
  Speaker 2: those health and other frontline professionals that have been providing
• 0:45
  Speaker 2: us with advice. And so the situation yesterday rapidly evolved
• 0:49
  Speaker 2: and the decision was made to lock down Greater Darwin
• 0:53
  Speaker 2: area to allow us to get in contact with those people.
• 0:56
  Speaker 2: As you mentioned, we've now been able to get in
• 0:58
  Speaker 2: contact with everyone that is considered a close contact of
• 1:02
  Speaker 2: the first index case and we are now shifting to
• 1:05
  Speaker 2: making sure all of those people are tested and then
• 1:08
  Speaker 2: the follow on tracing can begin from there.
• 1:10
  Speaker 1: So how many people need to be tested as a
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: matter of urgency.
• 1:15
  Speaker 2: Katie, There's a few hundred people that need to be tested,
• 1:18
  Speaker 2: and we've got certainly no problems with our testing capability.
• 1:21
  Speaker 2: The real issue on why Darwin or the greater top
• 1:24
  Speaker 2: end we've put into the lockdown yesterday was we had
• 1:26
  Speaker 2: a number of contacts that we simply couldn't get in
• 1:29
  Speaker 2: contact with them, and we were very concerned working to
• 1:32
  Speaker 2: the fact that we believe this is the delta strain
• 1:34
  Speaker 2: and the spread and the transmissibility of that strain, and
• 1:38
  Speaker 2: so we just needed to stop and we needed to
• 1:40
  Speaker 2: make sure that thinking worst case, that those people out
• 1:43
  Speaker 2: and about in our community, we needed to protect our
• 1:46
  Speaker 2: community with that lockdown. We've now been able to make
• 1:49
  Speaker 2: contact with all of those individuals and they are now
• 1:52
  Speaker 2: in home quarantine or being taken to the Howard Springs
• 1:55
  Speaker 2: facility and their tests can be undertaken and we can
• 1:58
  Speaker 2: then continue to work through this situation with the virus
• 2:01
  Speaker 2: in the territory now.
• 2:02
  Speaker 1: Minister. Obviously there was an issue with not being able
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: to contact everybody initially, we concerned that some of those
• 2:09
  Speaker 1: people have gone out done their shopping exposed others to
• 2:14
  Speaker 1: potentially to COVID. Were concerned about that, and what's the
• 2:18
  Speaker 1: process this morning.
• 2:20
  Speaker 2: Yes, we are concerned about those contacts becoming infectious and
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: potentially spreading it on in our community. So that's why
• 2:27
  Speaker 2: we've put in place these measures of a lockdown, only
• 2:29
  Speaker 2: leaving home for those essential reasons. And when you do
• 2:32
  Speaker 2: need to leave home, you need to wear a mask.
• 2:34
  Speaker 2: And so the process from now is as I said,
• 2:36
  Speaker 2: making sure that those close contacts are in isolation, testing
• 2:40
  Speaker 2: them and then working through the tracing if any of
• 2:43
  Speaker 2: those cases start to test positive. And so this forty
• 2:46
  Speaker 2: eight hour lockdown is designed to give our health professionals
• 2:49
  Speaker 2: the time just pausing our community and stopping the potential
• 2:53
  Speaker 2: interactions of this virus whilst they can get ahead of it.
• 2:57
  Speaker 1: Now. Obviously we've now got six cases, or we've got
• 3:01
  Speaker 1: six cases related to the mind but two of those
• 3:04
  Speaker 1: are into state, aren't they. Where are the other four?
• 3:07
  Speaker 2: Yes, So, Katie, there's the initial individual and then there
• 3:12
  Speaker 2: is in terms of five other cases. Those five cases,
• 3:16
  Speaker 2: one person has gone to New South Wales and New
• 3:18
  Speaker 2: South Wales are doing the tracing of that individual and
• 3:22
  Speaker 2: one person's gone to Queensland. Two other individuals tested positive
• 3:26
  Speaker 2: out at the Granite Mind and they've been taken to
• 3:30
  Speaker 2: the Center of the National Resilience to provide them with
• 3:32
  Speaker 2: their care. We also had an individual who tested positive
• 3:37
  Speaker 2: in the Darwin region and they are also at Howard
• 3:40
  Speaker 2: Springs and their close contacts have been very restricted. But
• 3:43
  Speaker 2: there's close contacts are also under the care of NTE Health,
• 3:46
  Speaker 2: so at the moment is very contained and with this lockdown,
• 3:49
  Speaker 2: we're giving ourselves more time to contain that so that
• 3:52
  Speaker 2: we don't see ourselves in a prolonged situation of having
• 3:55
  Speaker 2: cases pop up.
• 3:56
  Speaker 1: Minister, why didn't the Mind have a plan in place
• 3:59
  Speaker 1: for an incident.
• 4:00
  Speaker 2: Like this, Katie? The Mind did have a plan in
• 4:03
  Speaker 2: place and so we saw that enacted earlier or late
• 4:07
  Speaker 2: last week, I should say. So as soon as the
• 4:09
  Speaker 2: individual realized that there are potential contacts, they were isolated
• 4:12
  Speaker 2: at the mines. But unfortunately there was a period of
• 4:15
  Speaker 2: time before they became aware that they were a contact
• 4:18
  Speaker 2: and it was in that period of time that the
• 4:20
  Speaker 2: virus had spreads.
• 4:21
  Speaker 1: Okay, we've got quite a few messages or questions coming
• 4:24
  Speaker 1: through from listeners this morning, there's one here, Katie, can
• 4:27
  Speaker 1: you ask the Health Minister do we need to have
• 4:29
  Speaker 1: a mask on when driving?
• 4:31
  Speaker 2: And what about running?
• 4:32
  Speaker 1: I saw a few joggers on the Espanade this morning
• 4:34
  Speaker 1: without one, So Katie.
• 4:37
  Speaker 2: You do need to wear a mask whenever you leave
• 4:39
  Speaker 2: your home except for when you're driving. Obviously it's not
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: recommended to have a mask and it might obscured your
• 4:45
  Speaker 2: vision or it might fog your glasses up, but yes,
• 4:48
  Speaker 2: you do need one if you're exercising. And it's really
• 4:50
  Speaker 2: important that territories understand this mask directive. It's different to
• 4:54
  Speaker 2: other sets and territories. What's been put in place is
• 4:56
  Speaker 2: because we believe we're dealing with the highly infectious Delta
• 4:59
  Speaker 2: strain and even a momentary passing someone while you're out
• 5:03
  Speaker 2: exercising could spread it and that mask is a protection.
• 5:06
  Speaker 1: Minister, has there been further testing to determine if we
• 5:09
  Speaker 1: are indeed dealing with the delta strain?
• 5:14
  Speaker 2: So yes, that is underway, and when you're finished speaking
• 5:16
  Speaker 2: with yourself and to listeners, I'll be attending the next
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: a meeting and we'll be getting further advice. But we're
• 5:23
  Speaker 2: treating it as as if it is the delta strain,
• 5:25
  Speaker 2: that highly infectious strain.
• 5:27
  Speaker 1: Minister, are you annoyed that we are in this situation
• 5:30
  Speaker 1: right now because this poor miner had to go into
• 5:34
  Speaker 1: one of those hotel quarantine spots in Brisbane and has
• 5:37
  Speaker 1: picked up COVID in a hotel quarantine spot.
• 5:42
  Speaker 2: I think the Chief Minister shared the frustration. That's where
• 5:45
  Speaker 2: it's believes that this individual has got it from. But Katie,
• 5:49
  Speaker 2: we're in the situation we're in and right now we
• 5:51
  Speaker 2: need to deal with that and keep territory and as
• 5:53
  Speaker 2: safe as possible. And so that's what we've done throughout
• 5:55
  Speaker 2: the weekend and we'll continue to do so. In terms
• 5:58
  Speaker 2: of quarantine. We obviously have a different, different regime here
• 6:01
  Speaker 2: and I'm sure those conversations will continue at a national
• 6:04
  Speaker 2: cabinet and a National Health minister's level.
• 6:06
  Speaker 1: Okay, I've got another message here, hi, Katie. Are we
• 6:08
  Speaker 1: allowed to pick up family members from the airport?
• 6:12
  Speaker 2: Katie? That is a tricky one because we are allowing
• 6:16
  Speaker 2: people to come into Darwin if they have an address
• 6:20
  Speaker 2: to go to. So I think that that's important if
• 6:23
  Speaker 2: they have accommodation booked or if they've got a place
• 6:25
  Speaker 2: of residence. Common sense would say that you can with
• 6:28
  Speaker 2: measures pick them up, but I'd have to seek some advice,
• 6:31
  Speaker 2: so I might get that verified and get that back
• 6:33
  Speaker 2: through to you while you're on air this morning.
• 6:35
  Speaker 1: Okay, another one here. Please ask the Health Minister if
• 6:37
  Speaker 1: my wife and I we're vaccinated, do we still have
• 6:41
  Speaker 1: to wear a mask?
• 6:43
  Speaker 2: If so, why, Yes, Katie, you still do need to
• 6:47
  Speaker 2: follow that mass directs. We know that the vaccination is
• 6:50
  Speaker 2: the best tool for protecting you as an individual and
• 6:53
  Speaker 2: our broader community, but you can still catch COVID and
• 6:55
  Speaker 2: you can still pass it on. It will lessen the
• 6:57
  Speaker 2: severity of your illness, which is particularly important, but you
• 7:01
  Speaker 2: still need to wear a mask to stop that transition.
• 7:03
  Speaker 1: Minister, we are being inundated with messages here. There's one
• 7:06
  Speaker 1: that says, Katie, not all people are in isolation out
• 7:09
  Speaker 1: at the mine. My partner's been exposed to confirm cases
• 7:13
  Speaker 1: and she's still out there delivering meals to rooms, etc.
• 7:17
  Speaker 1: Is that appropriate?
• 7:19
  Speaker 2: It's a Katie. I curr't comment on the specifics of that.
• 7:21
  Speaker 2: Of course, I'll pass that on to our Health of officials.
• 7:23
  Speaker 2: The MIND has a COVID management plan and we need
• 7:25
  Speaker 2: to remember that minds are very structured, process orientated places
• 7:29
  Speaker 2: to begin with, and they have this plan in place.
• 7:31
  Speaker 2: We do have a large number of people out there
• 7:33
  Speaker 2: at the MIND still and they've gone into a COVID response,
• 7:37
  Speaker 2: but of course they still do need to need their food.
• 7:39
  Speaker 2: Now the close contacts have all been identified and they've
• 7:43
  Speaker 2: been in the process of being removed from the mine,
• 7:46
  Speaker 2: but there are hundreds of people still out on that site,
• 7:48
  Speaker 2: but that would all come under their COVID management plan
• 7:51
  Speaker 2: to reduce the risk of any virus being spreadd.
• 7:54
  Speaker 1: Minister, Why didn't the government locked down when you made
• 7:58
  Speaker 1: that first announcement of a positive case? Why did it
• 8:01
  Speaker 1: take twenty four hours?
• 8:04
  Speaker 2: So, Katie, we considered the health evidence as it became
• 8:07
  Speaker 2: available to us. We certainly did discuss that initially, do
• 8:11
  Speaker 2: we need to lock down the territory, do we need
• 8:13
  Speaker 2: to lock down certain areas, But the advice was that
• 8:16
  Speaker 2: we needed to stay calm, we needed to identify those
• 8:18
  Speaker 2: contacts and get into touch with them. It was when
• 8:22
  Speaker 2: yesterday we still had a significant number that we were
• 8:25
  Speaker 2: unable to get in touch with that we made the
• 8:28
  Speaker 2: decision that we needed to give ourselves the best possible
• 8:31
  Speaker 2: opportunity to step through this by having that forty eight
• 8:34
  Speaker 2: hour lockdown, so our contact tracing so that we could
• 8:37
  Speaker 2: get in touch with those individuals, and last night we
• 8:40
  Speaker 2: were able to confirm we had been in contact with
• 8:43
  Speaker 2: everyone that is a close contact. We now know that
• 8:46
  Speaker 2: they are in isolation or quarantine and that we can
• 8:50
  Speaker 2: test them and then see what their results come back,
• 8:52
  Speaker 2: as we've had a number that have come back negative, Katie,
• 8:55
  Speaker 2: and then we need to see anyone that comes back positive,
• 8:58
  Speaker 2: who have they been in contact with and make them
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: close contacts and start that process. And so that is
• 9:04
  Speaker 2: why yesterday morning the decision was made to go into
• 9:07
  Speaker 2: that forty eight hour lockdown for the top end region. Katie.
• 9:11
  Speaker 2: I know you've got listeners in Central Australia and it's
• 9:13
  Speaker 2: really important that we did thoroughly look at this for
• 9:15
  Speaker 2: Central Australia as well. But we've been able to get
• 9:18
  Speaker 2: in contact with the people that were close contacts in
• 9:21
  Speaker 2: Central Australia earlier on, so we had confidence day renin isolation.
• 9:25
  Speaker 1: Okay, we've got as I say, we've got a lot
• 9:26
  Speaker 1: of people getting in contact. There are a few things
• 9:29
  Speaker 1: that I'm very keen to try and get to the
• 9:30
  Speaker 1: bottom of are we anticipating that this lockdown's going to
• 9:34
  Speaker 1: be extended for further than forty eight hours, Katy, I.
• 9:38
  Speaker 2: Can't give you a definite answer on that, but I
• 9:40
  Speaker 2: can point to the comments I've just made around why
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: we're in a lockdown situation is to give ourselves that
• 9:45
  Speaker 2: time without you know, potentially the virus spreading further and
• 9:48
  Speaker 2: further in the community whilst we're still working out those steps.
• 9:52
  Speaker 2: We've put a line in the sand, we're working below that,
• 9:55
  Speaker 2: and we're hoping it hasn't spread beyond that, and because
• 9:57
  Speaker 2: of the lockdown and the features of the lockdown, it
• 10:00
  Speaker 2: shouldn't because everyone should be at home or wearing a mask.
• 10:03
  Speaker 1: Okay, some people have been well quite critical about the
• 10:07
  Speaker 1: fact that there was really only about ninety minutes to
• 10:10
  Speaker 1: allow businesses and locals time to get organized. Why didn't
• 10:14
  Speaker 1: you make it a bit longer?
• 10:16
  Speaker 2: So, Katie, that was the point we needed to make
• 10:18
  Speaker 2: it immediately in terms of getting organized. You can still
• 10:22
  Speaker 2: go out for medical treatment, you can still go out
• 10:23
  Speaker 2: to get tested and vaccinated, you can still go and
• 10:26
  Speaker 2: get essential goods and services. So in fact, everybody should
• 10:30
  Speaker 2: have just gone home, stopped at home. We didn't need
• 10:32
  Speaker 2: to rush to woolies or coals because the supermarkets will
• 10:35
  Speaker 2: remain open, and so that is why it needed to
• 10:39
  Speaker 2: be made quickly, so that we didn't allow in that
• 10:41
  Speaker 2: time period. Say we had allowed six or eight or
• 10:44
  Speaker 2: ten hours, it could have spread in that period. So
• 10:47
  Speaker 2: that was why the decision was made to implement it
• 10:50
  Speaker 2: so quickly.
• 10:51
  Speaker 1: Minister. I'm mindful of your time. I know that some
• 10:53
  Speaker 1: on social media have been critical of the fact that
• 10:56
  Speaker 1: you did the city to serve and then the lockdown
• 10:58
  Speaker 1: was called. Should you have done that run or should
• 11:01
  Speaker 1: this have been called sooner?
• 11:04
  Speaker 2: So, Katie, I follow the health advice at the time,
• 11:06
  Speaker 2: and it's certainly something that knowing that we had cases
• 11:09
  Speaker 2: in the territory, that I did consider. But it's so
• 11:12
  Speaker 2: important that we find that balance, and so people should
• 11:15
  Speaker 2: follow the health advice at the time. They shouldn't preempt
• 11:18
  Speaker 2: it and cause panic, and they also shouldn't ignore it
• 11:21
  Speaker 2: and go and do things. And so it is a
• 11:23
  Speaker 2: very difficult balance. But the health advice at the time
• 11:26
  Speaker 2: was followed, and then as soon as that lockdown was called,
• 11:30
  Speaker 2: I've certainly been following that and I encourage all territories to.
• 11:33
  Speaker 1: Do so, okay, Minister, there is obviously a lot of
• 11:35
  Speaker 1: innuendo and a lot of rumor going around at the moment.
• 11:39
  Speaker 1: I know that somebody has been in contact with us
• 11:43
  Speaker 1: and said that one of those miners was at the
• 11:45
  Speaker 1: beach front on Friday night. I mean, is this what
• 11:49
  Speaker 1: we're going to see now? Are we going to wind
• 11:51
  Speaker 1: up in a situation here where there are quite a
• 11:53
  Speaker 1: number of exposure sites or do we all just need
• 11:56
  Speaker 1: to calm down until we know exactly where anybody who
• 11:59
  Speaker 1: is positive has actually been.
• 12:02
  Speaker 2: So, Katie, it's that second part to stay calm, let's
• 12:06
  Speaker 2: work out who actually is positive and don't have unnecessary panic,
• 12:10
  Speaker 2: unnecessary testing, and unnecessary use of resources. The people that
• 12:14
  Speaker 2: are considered close contacts are all in isolation now. The
• 12:17
  Speaker 2: rest of us are all in lockdown and we've minimize
• 12:21
  Speaker 2: the potential contact and therefore the potential is spread in
• 12:23
  Speaker 2: our community. Once public Health identify a positive case, they
• 12:28
  Speaker 2: then have a very strict contact tracing process that they
• 12:32
  Speaker 2: will follow and you will be advised if you are
• 12:34
  Speaker 2: a contact. There's so many rumors and innuendo going around, Katie,
• 12:38
  Speaker 2: it's a small community. I get the text the same
• 12:40
  Speaker 2: as you there's rumors in Central Australia. The top end.
• 12:43
  Speaker 2: People just need to follow the advice and make sure
• 12:45
  Speaker 2: they're listening to sources of truths for their information, such
• 12:49
  Speaker 2: as as NIX and other news outlets as well as
• 12:52
  Speaker 2: government sources.
• 12:53
  Speaker 1: There is a lot of concern about our indigenous population.
• 12:56
  Speaker 1: Plenty of people still walking around no masks or social
• 12:59
  Speaker 1: distancing at this point.
• 13:01
  Speaker 2: So Katie were working with Larokie and Nation to make
• 13:04
  Speaker 2: sure that people that are in the Darwin area have
• 13:08
  Speaker 2: space masks, they have hand sanitizers. There's no travel in
• 13:12
  Speaker 2: or out of the Greater Darwin region allowed. Only essential
• 13:16
  Speaker 2: emergency service type workers are able to travel into remote communities.
• 13:20
  Speaker 2: I think that's a really important point. There's been some
• 13:23
  Speaker 2: discussion that no one is going. Of course if someone
• 13:25
  Speaker 2: needs medical treatment that will be provided, but we are
• 13:28
  Speaker 2: minimizing those potential contacts. So there is measures being put
• 13:33
  Speaker 2: in place, particularly to support those that are vulnerable.
• 13:35
  Speaker 1: Minister, what is the difference between community transfer and locally
• 13:40
  Speaker 1: acquired cases. That's something that's been asked quite a bit
• 13:42
  Speaker 1: in the last twelve hours.
• 13:45
  Speaker 2: So community transmission is where it's more broadly in the community,
• 13:48
  Speaker 2: and so you know somebody has gone to a location
• 13:51
  Speaker 2: and picked up the virus and you're seeing a spread
• 13:53
  Speaker 2: through a community. These locally acquired cases, we know exactly
• 13:57
  Speaker 2: where they've come from, and it's not generally in the community,
• 14:01
  Speaker 2: but it can quickly shift from locally acquired cases into
• 14:03
  Speaker 2: community transmissions. And that's why we've taken this step.
• 14:06
  Speaker 1: Now, why are some cafes etc. Still operating at this point?
• 14:10
  Speaker 1: Are they allowed to and offer those takeaway services?
• 14:14
  Speaker 2: So yes, Katie, we've shifted to the measures and we
• 14:18
  Speaker 2: saw these earlier on. Those takeaway measures are in place,
• 14:22
  Speaker 2: so people need to wear a mask when they're picking
• 14:24
  Speaker 2: that up or they can have a lot of places
• 14:26
  Speaker 2: are offering that contactless delivery. But yes, you can still
• 14:30
  Speaker 2: get your essential service of food delivery provided to you.
• 14:34
  Speaker 1: Minister. Last year around this time world the Chief Minister
• 14:38
  Speaker 1: called it pretty early and canceled Territory Day. You'd have
• 14:42
  Speaker 1: to say that we're in a much more serious situation
• 14:44
  Speaker 1: at this point. Are we staring down the barrel of
• 14:46
  Speaker 1: Territory Day being canceled.
• 14:49
  Speaker 2: The last year was a very different situation, Katie. The
• 14:52
  Speaker 2: Territory Day was canceled before the fireworks were ordered because
• 14:55
  Speaker 2: we couldn't send those help or the work safety authorities
• 14:58
  Speaker 2: into the locations where they're firecrackers are made clearly, Territory
• 15:02
  Speaker 2: Day is later this week. We've also got a number
• 15:04
  Speaker 2: of the regional shows. We will take the health advice
• 15:07
  Speaker 2: and it is a little too early, of course, I
• 15:09
  Speaker 2: want to see Territory Day happen, but we're doing what
• 15:12
  Speaker 2: it takes to keep our community safe and if we
• 15:14
  Speaker 2: need to revisit those planned announcements will be made later
• 15:17
  Speaker 2: in the week.
• 15:17
  Speaker 1: Minister. Just finally, are you amping up that wastewater testing,
• 15:23
  Speaker 1: So yes.
• 15:23
  Speaker 2: Katie, the wastewater testing. We're going to shift to a
• 15:26
  Speaker 2: daily wastewater testing regime so I can confirm. The last
• 15:31
  Speaker 2: results of wastewater testing that we saw in the territory,
• 15:35
  Speaker 2: which were towards the end of last week, did not identify,
• 15:37
  Speaker 2: apart from the Howard Spring site, any COVID in the wastewater.
• 15:41
  Speaker 2: But our health authorities are stepping that up to a
• 15:44
  Speaker 2: daily regime to give us a game more information now
• 15:48
  Speaker 2: that we've seen the situation of locally acquired cases in
• 15:51
  Speaker 2: the territory.
• 15:52
  Speaker 1: Right, okay, well, interesting times ahead, busy times ahead, Minister.
• 15:56
  Speaker 1: We really appreciate your time this morning, and we understand
• 15:59
  Speaker 1: that meet is set to take place in just a
• 16:01
  Speaker 1: couple of minutes. We'll make sure that we take our
• 16:03
  Speaker 1: listeners to any outcome from that meeting a little later
• 16:06
  Speaker 1: this morning.
• 16:07
  Speaker 2: Thank you for your time. Thank you