And that's enough of that, says Victoria as it slams the door on NSW. Yeah, we agree, says Western Australia, as it shuts down to NSW and Victorian visitors.
Premier Daniel Andrews might not be about but the woman in the Victorian hot seat wasted no time channelling her inner Dan this afternoon.
Acting Premier Jacinta Allan announced Victoria will close its border to the entire state of NSW from 11.59pm Friday. It is a non-nonsense response to the 10 new COVID-19 cases NSW recorded today and the handful confirmed in Victoria.
Victorians returning to the state between midnight tonight and tomorrow must be tested and self isolate. People who don't make it home before midnight tomorrow will need to undertake hotel quarantine.
Understandably NSW-Vic border communities were instantly concerned.
One medico said the announcement was "immediately triggering (a) potential health crisis". Dr Craig Underhill wrote that "AWH staff have 24 hours to return to bubble or need to isolate for 14 days". He pleaded for the sake of Albury-Wodonga health services for the "border" to be drawn south of Wodonga.
Th good news only just in from authorities suggests cross-border communities will just need their driver's license to to cross state lines and go about their business.
Also, late this afternoon, the domino effect came into play as Western Australia closed its border to Victorians from 12.01am on January 1. Victorians who arrived in WA from December 21 need to get tested and isolate.
And one more late update - from midnight tonight the Northern Territory will require arrivals from greater metropolitan Sydney to undergo mandatory quarantine, either in Howard Springs or Alice Springs.
And there was so much more to mention ... from the wonderfulness of one restaurant dropping off hot meals for front line health staff in Wollongong to the push for mandatory masks in NSW (including a change.org petition) and the latest from the UK.
But maybe enough we've had enough 2020, after all. If the year has taught us anything it's to love the ones you're with - do that tonight, eh?
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THE NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Former PM Abbott 'was out with a lawful excuse': police
- Victoria's border closes to NSW as more cases emerge
- NSW records 10 new COVID-19 cases
- Kerri-Anne Kennerley taken to hospital after trapeze fall
- Lambie silent as deadline for medevac promise approaches
- British Parliament passes Brexit deal
- Gilligan's Island actor Dawn Wells dies
- Nine tips to help you stick to new year's resolutions
Janine Graham
Onetime sports reporter, chief-of-staff, editor and national digital news editor. Email me: janine.graham@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Onetime sports reporter, chief-of-staff, editor and national digital news editor. Email me: janine.graham@austcommunitymedia.com.au
