Big River Pork staff quarantined after COVID-positive truckie's visit
But SA Health has reassured Murray Bridge residents that there is “no risk” to the community.
This post is no longer being updated. For the latest information on exposure sites, visit www.sahealth.sa.gov.au.
Big River Pork employees have been caught up in the latest efforts to keep COVID-19 out of South Australia.
A number of workers from the Brinkley meat processing company went into quarantine on Sunday night after interacting with a COVID-positive truck driver.
However, chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier said locals had no reason to worry.
“I am aware that there has been some anxiety in Murray Bridge because of this,” she said on Tuesday morning.
“Because we are very, very cautious here, we had any close contacts tested and we also had the rest of the staff tested.
“My understanding is that there’s still a small number of staff at that facility of about 300 that still are yet to be tested, but all of the close contacts have been tested and it’s come back negative.
“So I want to be very reassuring with the people in Murray Bridge that I’m not concerned about any community exposure there – we have been able to get a ring fence around (the exposure site).”
She said proactive health measures by the company, including contact-less delivery by visiting drivers and a ban on visits from members of the public, had done their job.
She did not name the company, but several locals identified it to Murray Bridge News on Monday night and Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile, Premier Steven Marshall said 37 per cent of South Australians aged 16 or older had been vaccinated as of Tuesday morning.
He urged everyone to make a COVID-19 vaccination appointment as soon as they could.
“This is a disease of the unvaccinated in Australia,” he said.
“Please book an appointment ... protect yourself, your family, your workplace, the entire state.”
- More information about exposure sites: www.sahealth.sa.gov.au.
- Get a COVID test: Visit the testing clinic next door to the Caltex roadhouse at 8786 Princes Highway, Tailem Bend at any time; or book an appointment at the Murray Bridge Respiratory Clinic via www.hotdoc.com.au.
- Make a vaccination appointment: Visit www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/covidvaccine.
Saturday 9.30am: Fourth possible exposure window identified at Tailem Bend
SA Health has issued an alert about a fourth timeslot for possible exposure to a COVID-19 case at Tailem Bend.
Anyone who was at the town’s Caltex service station between 4am and 4.45am on Monday, August 30 may have been exposed.
As with other recent exposures in the town, anyone who visited the servo during that time period will now need to get a COVID test and go into quarantine for 14 days with the other members of their household.
The Caltex had already been identified as a possible exposure site for a timeslot on Tuesday afternoon, as had the nearby Coles Express for times on Monday and Wednesday.
Anyone who has visited either business during the past week should get tested if they develop any COVID symptoms, just to be sure.
Friday 10pm: No local COVID cases reported in first 24 hours after alert
No local COVID-19 cases have been reported in the first 24 hours since two exposure sites were identified at Tailem Bend, SA Health says.
Only four cases were recorded in South Australia in the 24 hours to 3pm on Thursday.
Two were the truck drivers who sparked Wednesday’s alert at Tailem’s Coles Express and Tasco Caltex; the other two were women who had recently returned from overseas.
Almost 6300 South Australians have been tested for COVID in the past day.
Anyone who was present at the Coles Express between 6.15am and 7am on Monday or 12.15am and 1am on Tuesday, or the Caltex between 1.30 and 2.45pm on Tuesday, should get tested and quarantine at home if they have not already.
Almost 1.3 million COVID-19 vaccinations have now been administered in South Australia, including 418,000 during August.
Health Minister Stephen Wade congratulated all fully or partially vaccinated South Australians for doing their part to end the pandemic.
“It is fantastic to see the numbers of people rolling up their sleeves increasing significantly in recent weeks,” he said.
“Getting the vaccine into the arms of South Australians is the best way that we can keep our state’s population safe and our economy strong.
“I want to thank every single South Australian who has rolled up their sleeve to protect the community and protect themselves.
“They are playing their part in keeping our community safe.”
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