01 January 2022

COVID-19 update 1 January 2022

Exposure sites will continue to be updated on the HealthyWA website. People are encouraged to check this site regularly.

WA Health has reported two new local cases related to the backpacker cluster to the end of the last reporting period (8pm last night), and one case related to a returned traveller.

The new local cases are close contacts of a recent case and are in hotel quarantine. Contact tracers commenced interviewing these cases overnight. Additional exposure sites will be released as they come to hand.

This takes the number of cases related to this outbreak to 16, which includes the index case.

The one case related to returned travellers are also all in quarantine.

WA Health has now identified 775 close contacts with 18 yet to be tested and 1781 casual contacts with 234 yet to be tested*.

WA Health’s contact tracing team is working to identify and follow up contacts and confirm exposure sites. See below information for exposure sites.

The State’s total number of COVID-19 cases stands at 1161, with 1117 people recovered.

There are now 35 active confirmed cases in WA.

Exposure sites

Exposure sites are listed on the HealthyWA website. It’s likely more sites will be added and people are encouraged to keep checking the site regularly.

If you have been to an exposure site on the dates and times listed, or you are contacted directly by WA Health, you are urged to:

  • immediately isolate from others in your home
  • get tested at a COVID-19 clinic, wear a mask and travel directly there
  • continue to isolate until a negative result is returned, unless instructed otherwise by WA Health
  • clinic locations are on the Healthy WA website.

Testing clinics

5,536 Western Australians were swabbed at clinics yesterday.

WA Health is expanding testing capacity, including operating hours of clinics over the holiday period. There are many clinics available – people are encouraged to check the HealthyWA website to find clinic locations and opening hours.

Private clinics are also available. Testing is available free of charge at private testing clinics for people who have been advised by WA Health to get tested.

With the hot weather, people are encouraged to plan ahead and bring a hat or umbrella, sunscreen and water, and to arrive 15 minutes before closing if possible.

Safe WA

On 31 December, 1,909,289 scans were recorded on the Safe WA App. This is a 3 per cent decrease from the previous day.

Border controls

Information about Western Australia’s controlled border arrangements, conditions of entry and quarantine is available online.

COVID-19 vaccinations

COVID-19 state-run vaccination clinics administered 8,427 vaccines yesterday.

People are reminded that it is important for everyone who has received their second dose of the COVID-19 five*** or more months ago to get their booster vaccination now without delay to ensure they have maximum protection again COVID-19. Do not wait until it is too late - act now and get vaccinated. Note: from

For the latest WA vaccination figures, visit the COVID-19 Coronavirus: Vaccination dashboard (external site)****.

Mandatory vaccination information

mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy for a majority of occupations and workforces in WA is being introduced in a phased approach. For more information on getting your COVID-19 vaccine, visit: https://rollup.wa.gov.au/

Variants

To date, 203 cases of variant strains have been detected in Western Australia – including 11 Omicron strain, 53 Alpha strain, 15 Beta strain, one Gamma strain and 123 Delta strain.

Visit WA Health’s HealthyWA website for the latest information on COVID-19.

Follow us on Twitter: WAHealth

*The number of close and casual contacts is not static and may change as further information becomes available. Close contacts are added when identified and intensive investigations to locate them are undertaken.

** WA vaccination data for the WA COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard is sourced from the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). AIR is a national register maintained by the Australian Government that records all vaccines given to all people in Australia. WA data includes all COVID-19 vaccinations in WA, whether administered by WA Health, Australian Government providers or other providers (including GPs). WA previously reported only WA Health data. Note that the dashboard does not update until after 2pm Monday to Friday. A vaccine dashboard data interpretation guide (external site) is also available to help you.

*** From 4 January 2022, booster vaccinations will be available four months after a person has received their second dose.

**** A vaccine dashboard data interpretation guide (external site) is also available to help you.