- The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has referred retailers to police after receiving more than 100 reports a day of consumers being overcharged for rapid antigen tests.
- The watchdog warned that despite the wholesale cost of RATs ranging between $5 and $10, they were reportedly being sold to consumers for $20 to $30 with some smaller outlets selling them for more than $70 per test.
- Prime Minister Scott Morrison will hand $209 million in cash payments to aged care workers in response to mounting pressure over the ongoing COVID-19 crisis in the virus-ravaged sector, but the unions have criticised the move as a political ploy to win votes ahead of the election.
- The Victorian government will open pop-up vaccination clinics at several child-friendly venues as part of a program to increase immunisation rates among disadvantaged children. Locations will include Melbourne’s Zoo and Aquarium.
- Australian Olympic Curler Tahli Gill will resume Winter Olympics training along with teammate Dean Hewitt after a COVID-19 scare. The pair have since returned multiple negative tests after testing positive on arrival in Beijing.
- During the past four days officials have detected 119 COVID-19 cases among athletes and personnel involved in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics which begins tomorrow.
- New Zealand's cabinet meets today to finalise dates for re-opening the nation’s borders. Currently returning citizens must spend 10 days isolating in quarantine hotels with limited places, causing major backlogs.
COVID-19 Stats:
In NSW there are currently 2,749 people in hospital with the virus and 183 patients in ICU, with 70 requiring ventilation. There were 30 new deaths and 12,818 new infections of the virus.
In Victoria, 851 people are in hospital and 106 patients in intensive care. There were 34 deaths reported and 11,311 new cases.
In Queensland, there are 868 people in hospital and 50 are in ICU. There were 10 deaths and 7,588 new cases.
South Australia reported 273 people in hospital and 22 people in intensive care. There were 3 deaths and 1266 new cases.
Tasmania has recorded 699 new cases, with 16 people in hospital, one person is in ICU, and there were zero deaths.
A number of states have set up RAT registration forms.
Quarantine and restrictions state by state
Travel
Financial help
There are changes to the COVID-19 Disaster Payment once states reach 70 and 80 per cent fully vaccinated:
- News and information over 60 languages at
- Relevant guidelines for your state or territory: , , , , , , .
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