About 500 South Australian hospital staff will be asked to participate in a medical research trial to boost their immune systems and better protect them against COVID-19.
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Under the randomised control trial, 250 people will receive a BCG vaccine usually given to protect against tuberculosis to stimulate their immune systems while the other half will receive a placebo.
The state government will invest $200,000 in the trial, which will be rolled out by the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute.
SAHMRI's executive director Steve Wesselingh says the trial will run for six months and has been offered to staff from Royal Adelaide Hospital, Flinders Medical Centre and the Women's and Children's Hospital.
"The results will have impacts right across Australia and the world in terms of how healthcare workers fight this infection," Professor Wesselingh said.
South Australian's were also encouraged to nominate one family member to go shopping to limit the number of people at supermarkets and stores.
Health Minister Stephen Wade said it would significantly reduce overcrowding and make it easier to observe social distancing.
There was only one confirmed case on Saturday, bringing the state's total number to 429, with 225 patients having recovered.
Fifteen people remain hospitalised with six in intensive care, four of them in critical condition.
An additional case of local transmission was also reported, for a total of five cases.
SA Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier confirmed three people who were hospitalised worked at the airport and one of them is in intensive care.
The number of confirmed cases linked to the airport rose by one to 34. Of these cases, 18 worked in baggage handling areas, three others are Qantas staff and 13 are close contacts.
"We're taking this very seriously and we're looking at a range of interventions because it's important we get to the bottom of this," Dr Spurrier said.
One additional case was also linked to the Barossa cluster, associated with a Swiss tour group, totalling 11 cases while 29 have been linked to a US group.
Meanwhile, three additional cases were linked to the Ruby Princess cruise ship, raising that number to 89.
Of that total, only nine were secondary contacts.
Australian Associated Press
