The ACT has recorded 18 new COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm yesterday, with 15 of those infectious in the community.
Of the new cases, 13 have been linked to current exposure sites or close contacts with the remaining five still under investigation.
Only three of the 18 were in quarantine for the full duration of their infectious period.
The numbers in hospital with or due to COVID-19 has dropped from 13 to 10, while numbers in intensive care have dropped to three.
One patient in their 20s is requiring ventilation.
The youngest patient in hospital linked to COVID-19 is 18, the oldest 50.
The ACT now has 14 sites of public transmission, an additional two on yesterday.
One is Bidfood Canberra in Fyshwick, which has four linked cases, two ACT residents and two NSW residents; the other is KFC Dickson, which has three cases associated with it.
There were 2,754 tests conducted yesterday, up 10 per cent on the previous day’s numbers.
The total number of cases now associated with this outbreak has risen to 327. Of these, 72 cases have now recovered, another 21 on yesterday, leaving 255 active cases.
According to Chief Minister Andrew Barr, ACT Policing and Access Canberra COVID-19 compliance checks have uncovered a pattern of some staff either not wearing masks or wearing them incorrectly.
“Having them under your chin is not wearing your mask, it’s useless having it there,” he said.
“If you’re at work you’ve got to have your mask on, and have it on properly.”
Mr Barr also advised it is mandatory for staff to check in to their own workplace, and when picking up a click-and-collect order.
“This is one of the reasons why we still have cases under investigation,” he said.
Priority jabs open for Year 12 students
Additional doses of Pfizer will be used over the next two weeks to vaccinate all Year 12 students across all ACT schools as they prepare to sit their final exams.
ACT Year 12 students and staff required to assist with the ACT Scaling Test (and HSC and IB if occurring at an ACT school) can now book one of 5,500 priority Pfizer vaccination appointments reserved at the AIS mass vaccination clinic during the fortnight from Monday 6 September.
This will allow students to sit their supervised exams in mid-October.
Minister for Education Yvette Berry said the priority vaccination scheme will help alleviate some of the stress associated with finishing Year 12.
“Providing vaccine protection and a level of certainty around assessments will support our young people who are planning for their future in unsettling and uncertain times,” she said.
Teachers, educators and other school staff who have direct contact with students in their daily work at ACT schools, early childhood education and care centres, and out-of-school-hour care services can also now make a booking for priority Pfizer appointments in the following weeks.
More information can be found here.
68.6 per cent of the ACT population aged 16 up have had at least a first dose of a COVID-19 jab.
Mr Barr anticipates the 70 per cent threshold will be crossed this weekend.
45.2 percent of the population aged 16 up are now fully vaccinated, with Tasmania now hot on the ACT’s heels.
More to come.
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