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the District since Thursday 5 August. CONTINUED
Tara CAMPBELL 0457 425 414 tara@newsofthearea.com.au
Sam BARTLETT 0455 611 044 bartlett@newsofthearea.com.au
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Marian SAMPSON 0414 521 180 marian@newsofthearea.com.au
Victoria HENDERSON 0437 170 447 vic@newsofthearea.com.au
Alice HENNEN 0486 031 579 alice@newsofthearea.com.au
Doug CONNOR 0431 487 679 doug@newsofthearea.com.au
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FROM Page 1
There are now six cases in the Hunter, including a male in his 30s from Raymond Terrace and a male in his 40s from Medowie.
Investigations into the source of the Raymond Terrace’s man infection are still ongoing.
As a result of the recent outbreak, Port Stephens now faces some of the strictest restrictions that have been placed on people in NSW.
Port Stephens lockdown is initially due to run from 5pm Thursday 5 August to midnight Thursday 12 August 2021.
As it stands at the time of publication, there are multiple concerns in our region and uncertainty around the lockdown being lifted at the end of the 7 day period.
Multiple locations within the local government area are listed by NSW Health as exposure sites including Aldi Raymond Terrace, Coles Medowie and the Metro Petrol Station Williamtown.
Initially Big W Raymond Terrace was listed however it is no longer a venue of concern with the positive case, a delivery driver, not being deemed a close contact of those that have visited the store.
Testing facilities have increased after Member for Port Stephens, Kate Washington lobbied for greater access and Sunday testing facilities in the region with the operation hours of the Nelson Bay testing clinic extended and a new testing clinic being established at Lakeside Sporting Complex, Raymond Terrace.
Major concerns for the regions include the lack of beds and ambulances paired with an older more vulnerable demographic.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian is imploring those exhibiting symptoms to get tested and isolate until you have a negative result.
If you have visited an exposure site you must follow the NSW Health guidelines which may include getting tested and even in the event that you return a negative result you may be required to isolate for 14 days. Meanwhile, prominent health care workers are urging the community to get vaccinated. Dr Richard Totaro, Co-Director of the Intensive Care Service at Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital said, “This disease is one where a small number of those that get sick end up in ICU and they stay there a long time – end up on life support around 3 – 5 weeks (based on UK data). “NSW is pretty lucky we have controlled numbers at the moment.
“We haven’t seen anyone that has had 2 vaccines in ICU and getting ventilated.
“Stop your family and loved ones from getting sick, the higher the vaccination rates, getting everybody vaccinated, that’s a really important thing from us,” he said.
Dr Totaro also spoke of the effects of ’Long Covid’ which include muscle wasting, depression, sleep problems, fatigue and PTSD.
He praised the nursing staff that are delivering care to all those being cared for with COVID-19.
Gladys Berejiklian said, “Vaccination is keeping people out of ICU – it is keeping people out of hospital.”
If you are able to support a local or regional small business that is able to operate you are supporting locals and their families.
If you haven’t been vaccinated, now is the hour, talk to your GP and make an informed decision about being vaccinated against COVID-19.
Stay safe, vaccinate, social distance, sanitise and mask up.
Bridge To Reconnect Access By Marian SAMPSON
PORT Stephens Council is using a prefabricated solution to the washed out road on Foreshore Drive at Salamander Bay. q The washed out foreshore drive
The culvert was washed out culvert. Photo: Marian Sampson. in March and Foreshore Drive has been shut for an extended period of time.
The washed out culvert is being replaced by a bridge.
However this is a bridge with a difference.
The bridge will arrive prefabricated and will be made in stainless steel to deal with the harsh conditions that the structure will be exposed to.
Port Stephens Mayor Cr Ryan Palmer told News Of The Area, “Piles are being designed for the muddy ground conditions and built prior to the bridge’s arrival to provide a stable platform on which the steel InQuik bridge ‘shell’ will be placed on.
“The placement is very quick and once in place, the bridge ‘shell’ will be filled with concrete q An example of an InQuik Bridge which differs from the one to be installed on Foreshore and the only steel that will be Drive which will have horizontal rails and will be manufactured in stainless steel. visible will be on the sides and underneath.
“We will then place the railing on top and join the road up at either end,” he said. The bridge will have dedicated pedestrian and bike access making the safety pinch point which the culvert represented a thing of the past for those on bikes and foot. The bridge will also make it possible to walk from Little Beach to the jetty at Salamander Bay safely. Locals are hoping that the health of the wetland will be improved with the installation of the bridge versus the replacement of the culvert.
