We were initially told by the Prime Minister that the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out was not a race.
With the planned border opening on November 23, it appears that we now have a race on our hands.
Premier Steven Marshall said that the milestone of an 80 per cent vaccination rate across the State would be the trigger to relax border restrictions.
The problem is that a State average does not necessarily mean that all regional areas are at that level.
While there has been a push to increase vaccination rates in the Limestone Coast, in some locations, like the Wattle Range Council area, vaccination rates are lagging.
As a result of data gathering confusion, the Federal Government is no longer providing vaccination rate data for the District Council of Grant.
Unfortunately, the State Government still has some work to do.
Once Covid-19 makes its way into our communities, people who contract the disease will be required to self-isolate.
If it is not possible for people to self-isolate in their own home, they will be required to isolate in a government appointed facility, such as a medi-hotel.
With less than two weeks to go, SA Health is yet to announce if such a facility will be available in the Limestone Coast.
It would be extremely disappointing if the State Government required people from the Limestone Coast with Covid-19 to transfer to Adelaide to self-isolate – an outcome like this would not be well received.
There is also uncertainty on whether the borders will open if individual local government areas do not reach the 80 per cent vaccination rate target.
Many questions need to be answered in the next week.
We can’t be left lingering with a Covid-19 ‘road map’ that is lacking detail.
A ‘road map’ should give us all confidence that plans are in place to address all parts of the State, not just Adelaide.
