‘Pingdemic’ threatens to CRIPPLE Australia as millions of Covid alerts are issued including to EVERY person in several popular pubs – and it could completely ruin Christmas
- NSW Health has issued more than 1.9 million Covid alerts over the past fortnight
- Despite high vaccination rates, authorities have reimposed strict Covid policies
- Hundreds of patrons at several popular pubs have been plunged into isolation
- It comes as the state’s case numbers have surge amid end-of-year celebrations
- Experts say NSW Health is over-reacting by deeming hundreds close contacts
Soaring Covid cases across New South Wales are threatening to cripple the economy and ruin Christmas for millions thanks to a ‘pingdemic’ of health alerts forcing thousands into isolation.
Almost two million Covid alerts have been issued by Service NSW over the past fortnight as health authorities scramble to contain the state’s rising case numbers.
Despite record vaccination rates, NSW Health has reimposed strict policies in response to the Omicron variant, with the entire guest list of several popular pubs being plunged into isolation after they were deemed transmission sites.
Between November 29 and December 13 alone, NSW Health sent more than 1.9 million messages advising people to either monitor for symptoms, get tested, or quarantine after coming into contact with a positive case.
The spike in close contacts has led to fears hundreds of residents will spend the festive season in isolation regardless of test results – although there may only be a small risk they even have the virus.
It comes as yet another venue was linked to the growing Covid cluster in Newcastle, with anyone who went to Finnegan’s Hotel over an eight hour period on Saturday night forced into isolation.
More than 1.9 million Covid alerts have been issued by NSW Health authorities over the past two weeks as virus case numbers continue to surge (pictured, shoppers in Sydney’s QVB)
NSW Health issued an alert for The Argyle House nightclub in Newcastle (pictured) late Sunday night identifying all attendees as close contacts after transmission of Covid at the venue on the night of December 8
According to NSW Health, close contacts are people who have been near a positive case for ’15 minutes or more in an indoor environment without a mask’.
But experts have accused the department of over-reacting by forcing hundreds of patrons to quarantine due to Omicron exposures, despite there being no indication the new strain leads to higher hospitalisation rates or deaths.
‘It (Omicron) spreads more than Delta, but the consequences aren’t more than Delta,’ Infectious Diseases expert Professor Peter Collignon told the Daily Telegraph.
‘Some people are even putting 14 days of quarantine on people in other jurisdictions. We should treat it the same as Delta. We have to be careful not to overreact.’
Similar concerns arose in the UK earlier this year – where the term ‘pingdemic’ first emerged – when more than 600,000 alerts were ‘pinged’ to people with orders to self-isolate in July, wreaking havoc on businesses.
The situation brought the UK’s food supply network to a halt, resulting in the government ushering in new testing rules to address worker shortages.
NSW recorded 536 new Covid cases on Monday as hundreds of close contacts continue to be forced into isolation. Healthcare workers are pictured administering tests at a drive through clinic in Sydney on December 2
HIGH RISK VENUES LINKED TO OMICRON
Sydney Habour Boat cruise
More than 140 revellers were ordered isolate after attending the cruise, which was jointly marketed as ‘Flow Fridays – 90s Themed Boat Party’ and ‘Freaky Sunday Afrovibe’ on December 3.
Five Covid cases have been linked to the event, with NSW Health confirming a number of the cases were likely Omicron
The Argyle House, Newcastle
All 680 attendees who attended the nightclub on December 8 have been identified as close contacts
So far, 84 guests have tested positive to Covid and tests are underway to determine whether they have the Omicron strain
Health authorities say it is ‘likely’ to be the Omicron variant after the cluster was linked to an outbreak on a Sydney boat party
Finnegan’s Hotel, Newcastle
Anyone who visited the venue from 6.30pm Friday December 10 to 2.30am on Saturday December 11 has been deemed a close contact
Oxford Tavern, Petersham
There have been 46 cases linked to a trivia night at the pub in Sydney’s innerwest on November 30. All attendees were considered close contacts and ordered to isolate for seven days.
Albion Hotel, Parramatta
An alert has been issued for Albion Hotel, which has been linked to seven cases.
Anyone who attended the venue between 11pm on December 3 and 3am December 4, or from 4.30pm to closing time on December 5 is considered a close contact.
Cult Nightclub, Potts Point
The same alert has been issued for Cult Nightclub after a potential Omicron exposure. Anyone who visited the venue between 9.45pm on December 4 and 3am on December 5 is considered a close contact
As local concerns grow about the possibility of being thrusted into home isolation, families and schools are taking preventative measures to avoid the risk of becoming close contacts.
Around half of Sydney’s Catholic schools allowed students to learn from home this week as individual principals attempt to prevent pupils from being exposed to Covid ahead of the holidays.
However, hundreds of other families are bracing to be locked inside heading into Christmas after their children were potentially exposed at school.
Christine Rooke’s daughter will spend the first 20 days of her holidays in isolation after catching Covid at her eastern suburbs private school.
The family are now hoping they will not contract the virus, otherwise their isolation period will reset.
‘If none of us test positive we could be out on the 19th. If any of us test positive now, we will miss it,’ she told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Tests are underway to determine whether those infected at the venue (pictured) have the super-mutant Omicron variant
‘It’s frustrating because we’ve been sold this story … that we are going to live with Covid and life is going to get back to normal, but that isn’t really the case.’
The return to strict rules comes as further eased restrictions will see unvaccinated NSW residents permitted to enter venues like pubs and restaurants from Wednesday.
On top of post-lockdown freedoms, end-of-year celebrations have fuelled a surge in infections, with NSW recording 536 new Covid cases on Monday.
A number of venues which have hosted events as the state has reopened have been forced to close over the past week after becoming the centre of mass outbreaks.
Eight-four guests who went to a ‘prom night’ at The Argyle House nightclub in Newcastle on Wednesday have tested positive to the virus.
All 680 attendees who visited the venue have been forced into home isolation for a week, with testing currently underway to determine whether those infected have the Omicron strain.
The cluster is linked to a boat party five nights earlier on Sydney Harbour where at least five people caught the virus.
NSW Health also issued an alert on Monday night that anyone who visited Finnegan’s Hotel in Newcastle, from 6.30pm Friday December 10 to 2.30am Saturday December 11 is a close contact and must immediately get tested and isolate for seven days.
All household members of close contacts must also be tested and self-isolate until a negative result is received by everyone in the home.
NSW Health is urgently contacting anyone who attended Finnegan’s Hotel at these times and checked in via the QR code and is directing them and members of their households to immediately get tested and follow public health advice.
In Sydney’s inner-west, the Oxford Taven in Petersham has also been deemed a transmission site after 46 cases were linked to a trivia night on November 30.
Anyone who was at the pub between 4.30pm and 10.30pm that evening was declared a close contact and had to isolate for seven days.
Monday’s figure is just slightly lower than the 560 recorded on Saturday, which marked the highest daily tally recorded in NSW since October 9, two days before lockdown lifted.
All patrons who visited the Oxford Tavern in Petersham (pictured) on November 30 were forced into isolation
Some 74,997 tests were recorded in the 24 hours to 8pm on Sunday.
The double-dose vaccination rate of those 16 and older remains at 93.1 per cent, while 94.8 per cent of people have had their first jab.
There are 171 people are in hospital with the virus, 24 of them in intensive care.
Newcastle recorded its first case of Omicron, a female traveller who recently returned from Britain on Sunday.
The latest alert was issued hours after NSW recorded Australia’s first hospital admission of Omicron
The state recorded 485 new cases of Covid-19 on Sunday, as the tally of Omicron infections rose to 55. There are at least 62 around Australia.
The nightclub cluster stems from a outbreak on a Sydney party cruise on December 3 (pictured)
Health officials confirmed one patient with Omicron is in hospital, becoming the first admission in Australia with the new variant.
They are among 156 Covid patients being treated in hospital in NSW.
NSW Health warned the number of Omicron cases will rise as results of genomic testing are confirmed.
NSW Covid cases slightly dropped following two consecutive days of more than 500 infections.
Two deaths were recorded, a man aged in his 70s while the other man was in his 80s. Both were unvaccinated.
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