Australia is still seeing outbreaks of the novel coronavirus. Photo / File
Australia is still seeing outbreaks of the novel coronavirus. Photo / File
As plans build for a transtasman bubble, some in Australia are worried by recent outbreaks of the virus.
Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews is concerned but not surprised after 12 McDonald's restaurants were forced to close for a deep clean in Victoria.
He knows outbreaks are going to occur as the state deals with reopening its economy in the midst of a pandemic.
But speaking on Monday morning, he acknowledged there's a "really big concern" about what's going on at McDonald's — the truck driver who was infected was asymptomatic.
"Look, any outbreak, particularly where it comes from someone who had no symptoms at all, is obviously a really big concern," he told Australia's Today show.
Australia is still seeing outbreaks of the novel coronavirus. Photo / File
"It just makes the points — or makes two points really. One, this spreads really fast. You can feel perfectly fine, have no symptoms and not be unwell in any way," Andrews said.
"If you were crook, you wouldn't go to work. This person didn't feel unwell. That's the first point. It is rapidly moving. It gets away from you quickly.
"The second point is that's why testing is so important. We are heading towards about 250,000 tests in the last three weeks. That is a massive effort. That gives us a real sense of how much virus is out there in the community. Not guesswork, but real data that allows us to take these slow, safe, cautious steps. Do it once and do it right."
McDonald's CEO Andrew Gregory told the Today show that there is a chance of further infections but "the actions we are taking are about making sure we minimise further infections".
"We have taken this significant step out of an abundance of caution in relation to that driver," Gregory said.
"He was asymptomatic when he made these deliveries, and he was obviously unaware that he was infected.
"Being asymptomatic, he had no idea, and it goes to the heart of the challenge."
Andrews said it was important Australia doesn't "have a situation like other countries have where you open too much too soon" and "you get outbreaks".
The driver had no idea he was infected. Photo / File
"This thing gets away from you, and then you go into an even harder lockdown. That's a very, very bad outcome."
A Domino's restaurant in Melbourne's north has also been forced to close — the latest fast food establishment to close its doors after coming into contact with a person infected with Covid-19.
The restaurant at Fairfield, 8km north of the CBD, has been closed for two weeks for "thorough cleaning", Victoria's Department of Health and Human Services said in a media release.
"The department is also working with Domino's in Fairfield ... where an infectious case has attended, or a case may have acquired coronavirus," the department said.
"While the risk of transmission is low, as a precaution the Domino's shop has been closed for two weeks for thorough cleaning. All 16 staff members will be tested and will be quarantined for 14 days."
Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said the outbreaks "illustrate once again that while we have been flattening the curve, our battle against Covid-19 is far from over".
"Restrictions around some activities have now been relaxed in Victoria in recognition of the current low rate of community transmission of this virus," he said on Sunday.
"While encouraging, we need to remain vigilant. We must maintain physical distancing, practice hygiene and self-isolation when ill. These are common sense actions to ensure we don't create a second wave of this serious disease, as we have seen in other countries once they have relaxed their stringent regulations."
Victoria continues to deal with an outbreak at the Cedar Meats abattoir in Melbourne's west where the cluster is nearing 100.
