Australia Covid live update: Victoria reports 246 new cases; NSW hospitals brace for surge; Morrison faces questions over Father’s Day travel

Gladys Berejiklian under pressure over modelling showing state’s health system to be ‘overwhelmed’ by Covid cases; rapid antigen tests approved for use at home. Follow the latest updates live

  • Patient stuck in NSW faces bureaucratic nightmare to cross Queensland border
  • Full Story podcast: the reality of ‘living with Covid’
  • NSW records 1,281 new infections and five deaths
  • How will hospitals cope when NSW cases hit 2,000 a day?
  • Restrictions: NSW; Vic; Qld; borders
  • Vaccine rollout tracker; get our free news app; get our morning email briefing

1.07am BST

The federal government wants nationally consistent rules for 23,000 boarding school students navigating coronavirus-induced border closures, reports Georgie Moore from AAP.

A draft plan to simplify arrangements for students, particularly those from remote Indigenous communities, will be referred to the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee.

Stories have included a teenager left to suffer agonising mental health issues while their families were denied permission to travel across state borders to them…

I have heard of students who have, or are considering leaving school, even in years 10 or 12, because they feel they can no longer cope with the isolation and anxiety caused by being separated from their loved ones.

1.06am BST

The Queensland premier is speaking today from the Brisbane Entertainment Centre which is set to be transformed into a vaccination hub with the capacity to administer 1500 doses a day.

Continue reading…

source: theguardian.com