Whyalla MP calls for better health information as local flight COVID-19 exposure site released - ABC News

The latest COVID-19 close contact exposure sites listed by SA Health includes an Adelaide to Whyalla flight on Christmas Eve. 

Key points:

• A flight from Adelaide to Whyalla on Christmas Eve has been listed as an exposure site
• There's been no additional information for Whyalla residents
• Member for Giles Eddie Hughes is calling for better speed and transparency of exposure information

The Regional Express Airlines flight ZL4512 between 6:30am and 7:15am has rows 2 to 6 of concern.

The site was listed by SA Health late last night with many Whyalla residents sharing the exposure site on social media today. 

Eddie Hughes said small regional communities need timely information about exposure sites.(Supplied: ALP)

Member for Giles, Eddie Hughes, said there was increased community concern about delayed exposure sites listed in regional areas with only a select few released thus far. 

"We don't have any additional information apart from Whyalla being listed now by the health department," he said. 

"We don't know whether they stayed in Whyalla and it's one of those things. Being in a small regional community, you need this timely information." 

He called for better transparency about exposure sites so regional residents could be prepared. 

UPDATES: Read our round-up of the latest news on the COVID-19 pandemic

Rex flight ZL4512 between 6:30am and 7:15am on Christmas Eve has rows 2 to 6 of exposure concern.(Supplied: Rex)

"If you don't get timely information then social media speculation takes over," Mr Hughes said. 

"We do need more information to follow up and trace and it seems the system has broken down."

"The borders were opened prematurely and we were clearly not ready."

"We need to have place a system that provides accurate and timely information."

"The horse has definitely bolted," Mr Hughes said. 

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The positive case on the Regional Express flight comes after the airline re-commenced domestic operations on November 15. 

Rex deputy chairman John Sharp announced that all Rex frontline staff on duty have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the first airline in Australia to reach the milestone.

The several hundred vaccinated staff include pilots, flight attendants, customer service officers at airports, and other workers across the Rex domestic and regional networks. 

Chief Public Health Officer Nicole Spurrier said in a statement that it is not viable for SA Health to list every exposure site, as health authorities work to prioritise COVID hotspots of concern and those vulnerable residents at risk.

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Whyalla MP calls for better health information as local flight COVID-19 exposure site released - ABC News
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