ACT outbreak: Garran surge centre will be readied for summer Covid case influx

Seven people, who have tested positive for COVID-19, have been hospitalised in the ACT, and the number is expected to grow as the outbreak continues.

An unvaccinated woman in her 40s remains in a critical condition in intensive care at Canberra Hospital, where she is being ventilated.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr said ACT Health was working to stand up a vaccination hub at the shuttered AIS Arena quickly, because it would speed up the rollout.

"It does allow us to prepare the [Garran] surge centre for what we anticipate will be an increased caseload in terms of unvaccinated people in particular contracting the virus over summer and needing hospital-level treatment," Mr Barr said.

A mental health ward is also being cleared at Calvary Public Hospital to prepare for Covid patients.

Mr Barr on Wednesday also confirmed Canberra's lockdown would not finish early, and a decision would be made closer to September 2 about ongoing restrictions.

"What we've seen in our own outbreak, and what's playing out around Australia and around the world is just how quickly one positive case turns into hundreds than thousands in a community," Mr Barr said.

"Today's case update together with the data that we have from the last 13 days, regrettably means that we are not in a position to end lockdown."

However, Mr Barr said some easing of restrictions was being considered and the changes would balance the risk to the community.

He said any changes would be announced before the weekend.

The Chief Minister again stressed the importance of vaccinations as a key to easing public health restrictions, but rules would be relaxed gently.

"It's not going to be that all public health restrictions will be removed. It will be that there will be a level of increased activity," he said.

Mr Barr said the race to vaccinate was on, and again urged Canberrans to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Of the over-16 population in the ACT, 37.91 per cent have now received two doses of a vaccine.

More than 61 per cent of Canberrans aged 16 and over have received at least one dose.

Mr Barr said the ACT would use the weeks between the ACT reaching the 70 and 80 per cent national reopening plan targets and the rest of the country reaching the targets to vaccinate young people.

"Thanks to Canberrans coming forward to get vaccinated, we're in a better position than any other jurisdiction to go beyond 80 per cent and to vaccinate our 12- to 15-year-olds," he said.

"But I am going to continue to advocate at a national level we all try our very best to vaccinate as many 12- to 15-year-olds as we can before big, big decisions are made, particularly at the 80 per cent national threshold."

Mr Barr said he had called for national vaccination targets to include children aged 12 and over, rather than the current targets including only those aged 16 and over.

"I know our capacity to vaccinate more teenagers is linked to the supply of Pfizer and Moderna coming online soon," he said.

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There were about 2700 vaccine doses administered in ACT government clinics on Tuesday and roughly 2000 jabs administered from general practice clinics and pharmacies.

Mr Barr said 17,000 Canberrans aged between 16 and 29 had registered their interest for a Pfizer appointment in a government-run clinic.

The number of cases reported on Wednesday was drastically down from the 30 reported on Tuesday.

Health authorities attributed Tuesday's higher number to household contacts of earlier cases now beginning to return positive tests for COVID-19.

Deputy chief health officer Dr Vanessa Johnston said Wednesday's number of cases did not mean there was a downward trend.

"I wouldn't be surprised if we have a double-digit [case number] again tomorrow," she said.

Thousands of close contacts are now preparing to exit quarantine. This is expected to push extra pressure on the ACT's testing sites in the coming days.

There were 6695 tests conducted in the ACT on Tuesday.

with Lucy Bladen

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