“The changes which have just occurred – which is exactly a fortnight since we made the most recent changes on the 29th of January – all have the potential to see an increase in the number of cases that are identified on a daily basis,” he told ABC Radio this morning.
“We’ve looked at the modelling that’s been provided to us by Adelaide University and that shows us that whilst we might see an increase in cases, it’s within the level of tolerance that we’ve got within our health system.
“It’s a measured relaxation of the restrictions, I don’t think it’s excessive.”
Premier Steven Marshall today reported another two COVID-positive deaths and 1445 cases, down from 1639 on Thursday.
There are currently 210 people hospitalised with COVID-19, up from 206 yesterday, with 16 in intensive care and five on ventilators.
South Australia’s seven-day case average before today was hovering around 1370 cases, although the past two days have seen daily infections spike above 1600.
The police commissioner, asked whether restrictions would still ease if case numbers increase, said: “There is a possibility of that.”
“The principal goal is to make sure that our health system can adequately cope with COVID-19 in our community,” he said.
“So if we do see some marginal increase in case numbers, then there is a possibility that we may still consider lifting some restrictions as long as it’s within that capacity limit for our hospitals.
“Having said that, we do want to manage this as safely as possible and we’ll just have to see how it plays out when we get to that fortnightly review.”
Pressed on when a dancing ban at private functions would be lifted, Stevens said it was discussed at the COVID ready committee this week but the health advice remained against it.
“The advice is at this point in time as we’re monitoring the daily case number is that it wasn’t something we could move on,” he said.
“But it certainly continues to be on the agenda and we’re hopeful that we can make changes depending on how we travel over the next fortnight.”
Stevens also flagged that authorities are working through the legal direction on QR codes to see whether any other sectors no longer need them in place.
Check-ins are still required for hospitality and fitness venues but have been scrapped for retail businesses.
“They’re having a look at that to see if there are any other places that we’re not getting a particular benefit from having QR codes in place,” Stevens said.
“We should have some further advice on that soon.”
It comes as the State Government enters the “final stages” of its work to establish voting provisions for COVID cases and close contacts at the March state election.
The Premier said an announcement on the issue could come early next week.
“Further work is going to happen on that over the weekend and early next week where we should be able to announce that,” Marshall told reporters today.
“I’ve had confirmation from the Police Commissioner … that they’re in the final stages, obviously they want to check it – it’s very important to get this right.
“But he’s made it very clear that everybody who is eligible divided will have that opportunity in the upcoming state election.”
Stevens earlier in the day said he was “reasonably confident” the Electoral Commision was “on the right track” to find a solution to the problem.
Marshall attributed the “slight bump up” in case numbers over the past three days to the government’s advice for close contacts to present for PCR testing rather than rapid antigen tests.
Of today’s 1445 cases, 1159 came from PCR tests while 286 camexjmtzyw from rapid tests.
“I think it’s much better to look at the seven-day average because I think [case numbers] are always going to bump around,” he told reporters today.
“We are seeing a slight bump up in those numbers but we want to know when someone is infected.”
The Adelaide University modelling, commissioned by the State Government and quietly released by SA Health on Sunday, forecasts that yesterday’s second tranche of eased restrictions will result in a 10 per cent increase in the “transmission potential” of COVID-19 in the state.
However, the modellers, Professor Joshua Ross and Dr Thomas Prowse, said the policy should not result in a second wave as “case numbers should mostly continue to decrease, although at a much slower rate than if (some) Activity Restrictions were to remain in place”.
The final set of eased restrictions is scheduled to be introduced in the week leading up to the state election, but Stevens insisted political factors had no influence over the state’s COVID decision-making.
