Successful vaccination programs around the world have led to some encouraging images, major cities re-opening, UK’s freedom day, sporting events having “full” or at least partial crowds, and super-rich people becoming astronauts! However, this dominant “delta” strain …
of the virus is still causing problems in parts of the world. For example, in Indonesia “now” is the most trying time of the pandemic with new cases averaging ~40,000 per day (for perspective at the peak of the second wave in late January, 14,518 cases were reported in that country).
In Australia, both major cities, Melbourne and Sydney are currently in lockdown; Melbourne is averaging ~10 cases per day and Sydney ~140 cases. It is easy to see how Melbourne managed to contain the number of cases to less than 30 over the past couple of weeks; quick and strict lockdown at the first indication that cases were creeping up. Sydney, opted for a “softer” partial lockdown which has led to a more protracted and less effective lockdown., which will most likely be extended for a further four weeks.
The moral of the story is that rapid, strict lockdowns definitely work; in a population that is largely unvaccinated it is, unfortunately, the best strategy from a public health perspective. Of course, lockdowns are very difficult for many reasons. From a financial perspective, those most affected are smaller non-essential businesses, and more generally staff in the retail and hospitality businesses. A quick walk around retail areas gives an indication of businesses that have been decimated.
Although frustrations are very understandable, counter-productive activities such mass, unmasked protests are dumb at this stage. We saw appalling behaviour in both Melbourne and Sydney over the weekend, including an attack on a police horse. Not helpful and it really won’t achieve anything! The more closely we follow the rules and the quicker most of us get vaccinated the better. Clowning around in the streets unmasked in large is not what we need right now. Thankfully, it is only a very minority that engaging in these types of anti-social behaviour; the vast majority of people are following the rules very diligently.
Of course, lockdowns are no fun, loss of income is very painful, but let’s get over this pandemic as quick as possible and then re-build properly. Hopefully, these latest protests won’t add too much extra time to COVID restrictions.
Until next time …