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AUSTRALIA’S BID TO quash a fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak will see the country’s second city of Melbourne return to a “hard and fast” lockdown tonight.
State premier Dan Andrews said the city – and surrounding Victoria – will join Sydney in locking down, bringing the total number of Australians under stay-at-home orders to around 12 million.
The largely Covid-free country is trying to halt an outbreak of the Delta variant, which has grown to almost 1,000 cases nationwide in a month.
Andrews said he took the decision to return Melbourne to its fifth lockdown “with a heavy heart” but it was an “absolute necessity”.
“Nothing about this virus is fair,” he said, describing how just 18 cases in Victoria had spurred thousands of contacts who must now be traced and tested.
“You only get one chance to go hard and go fast,” he said.
“If you wait, if you hesitate, if you doubt, then you will always be looking back wishing you had done more earlier.”
The lockdown will begin shortly before midnight local time today and last five days.
Australia’s largest city, Sydney, is now in its fourth week of lockdown, after the virus spread from overseas aircraft workers to their local driver in mid-June.
Sydney authorities said today that the situation there had “stabilised” – with 65 new cases reported in the last 24 hours.
But the lockdown is set to continue for two more weeks to try and eliminate any community transmission.
Australia had been widely lauded for its early handling of the pandemic and successful “Covid zero” strategy.
But a painfully slow vaccine rollout has left just 10% of the population protected as much of the rest of the world gingerly reopens.
The lockdown rules are less stringent than some other cities have seen.
Sydney residents are allowed to leave home for exercise, essential shopping, work or health reasons, but schools are closed and people are encouraged to remain at home.
Since March 2020, Australia’s borders have been largely closed to all non-essential travel in or out.
From this month, the number of people allowed to enter the country was cut to 3,000 a week.
Before restrictions were introduced, around 250,000 visitors arrived every week.
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I though Ireland was the only country iNfRiNgInG on civil liberties. That’s what social media told me anyway
@KSham: Was it Sharon1248735645 who told you? That’s where I was getting my info for a long time
@KSham: And you have that self-entitled mob outside the Convention Centre last night crying about not being able to go for a meal in a restaurant for a few more weeks, you couldn’t make it up.
@KSham: Can you explain your point with the mixture of upper and lower case letters? It has always struck me that those that try to take the high ground without respecting conflicting views aren’t really taking any high ground.
@KSham: Have you not been watching RTE or listening to the wireless ….? Every country is infringing on their citizens civil liberties……
Initiating such an extensive lockdown is a very tough call to have to make! You’re dąmned if you didgeridoo, dąmned if you didgeridon’t…
@William Tallon: comment of the day.. well said .
Strewth
This was always going to happen in Australia as they locked themselves into a cycle of lockdowns.
@whitewater: as opposed to one neverending lockdown?
@The Guru: what never ending lockdown is that?
@GrumpyAulFella: the one in Ireland
@The Guru: I’ve been on a holiday to the west; had dinner in the sunshine with a creaky pint; had a stroll on the beach… yeah— this endless lockdown is something out of the end of days alright!
@Ajax Penumbra: and that’s great for you but the reality is that Ireland is still far from functioning as normal. Australia in between its multiple short lockdowns has had normal life including open bars, restaurants, stadiums, flights etc. It’s far from the terrible situation being inferred in the comment I replied to.
@The Guru: It’s quite a bit from a never ending lockdown, in fairness.
@The Guru: you’re dead right. U employment is the lowest it’s been in 10 years. Life was basically normal until this evening and we will lock down for a 5 days or a week. Then it reopens back to normal with bars, gyms restaurants and the likes.
I wouldn’t trade it for anywhere else in the world at the moment.
@Ajax Penumbra: not sure anyone owning or working in hospitality would agree
@The Guru: And while they have been swanning about with their normal lives they haven’t been vaccinating, and now the delta variant has a whole country of unvaccinated to play with.
They wasted their lockdowns and border closures
I live here in Melbourne and it’s no big deal. It will be a short, sharp lockdown and then we’ll be back to normal….shopping, eating out, bars etc.
Well worth the effort in my opinion (and the opinion of most people here).
Let’s hope this does not adversely affect Neighbours and Home and Away
@Bryan Mc Mahon: Perish the thought..
@Bryan Mc Mahon: both essential services but neighbours least impacted
Wonder if they have a left people before profit political party who are keen to lock the country down especially international travel, oh wait Australia has been since March 2020.
have your say