Cigarettes banned on Kingston foreshore
Picture: Gary Sissons
Drop in cases linked to hospital THE number of active COVID-19 cases linked to an outbreak at Frankston Hospital has dropped. As of 13 September, there are six active coronavirus cases linked to Frankston Hospital. A total of 90 positive cases were linked to Peninsula Health when the virus spread at the hospital in mid-August (“COVID-19 outbreak in hospital”, The Times, 24/8/20). In a statement released earlier this month, Peninsula Health said “we
know that there is some community anxiety about coming to hospital and we want to share with you a few things to reassure you that our entire health service is safe for you to visit.” “Our staff continue to be asymptomatically tested for COVID-19, so we can be assured that they are not carrying the virus. Our infection prevention and control measures and procedures have been assessed by external experts to ensure that our hospitals are safe.
We took very strict measures following the outbreak to ensure that the virus was immediately contained. This process has now concluded. “If you are unwell, please seek medical attention. Our sites are safe, our staff are dedicated and amazing, and we are here for our community. Our services are fully operational, our people are returning to work and Frankston Hospital is here to support our local community.”
SMOKING is now banned in all foreshore, beach, and reserve areas across the Kingston municipality. Tobacco product and e-cigarette use was banned by council this month. Fines of $500 can be applied to people who defy the smoking ban. Council undertook a period of community consultation about the ban earlier this year. Kingston mayor Georgina Oxley said that local residents were “overwhelmingly in support of the introduction of smoke-free areas in Kingston.” “The feedback we received is the community wants to see smoking banned along our foreshore areas and in our reserves to reduce passive smoking and keep our beaches and bay free of butts,” she said. “If you’ve been down to the beach and picked up rubbish like our wonderful local beach patrol groups you’ll know that there’s a huge number of cigarette butts collected each week that can end up in our beautiful bay. “The smoke-free zones will also help ensure the community is protected from passive smoking, no one enjoying our beautiful foreshore areas and reserves should have to be exposed to other people’s second hand smoke or vape clouds.” Cr Oxley also said that council is considering extending the ban to local shopping strips. Earlier this year, council introduced a 24-hour drinking ban on the Mordialloc foreshore. Booze bans also apply in foreshore areas in Carrum and Chelsea (“Booze ban around the clock”, The Times, 12/2/20). Brodie Cowburn
Birds in danger IN what seems an unlikely scenario, birds, particularly seabirds, have become collateral victims of the coronavirus pandemic. Large numbers of disposable but not biodegradable face masks are entering the environment, adding to the already overwhelming pollution of beaches and waterways. Disposing of the masks, which can take years to break down, has become a massive problem world wide. Not only are discarded masks potential spreaders of the coronavirus (research shows that under certain conditions viruses can survive up to seven days on plastic masks), but they are also a danger to wildlife. Masks can smother the environment and are ingested by animals which sometimes cannot distinguish between plastic and their prey. If ingested, masks and other plastics swell and fill an animal’s stomach. Smaller animals can also become entangled in the masks. Disposable masks should be placed in rubbish bins and not with recyclables.
Picture: Celia Furt
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Frankston Times
15 September 2020
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