The Victorian government looks set to respond to growing calls for localised lockdowns, as a clear second wave of coronavirus sweeps several hotspots in Melbourne.
With 75 new COVID-19 cases confirmed on Monday, and another 64 cases today, a lockdown of some description seems increasingly likely as the hot spot testing blitz comes to an end. The testing focussed on Keilor Downs, Broadmeadows, Maidstone and Albanvale.
UNSW epidemiology expert Professor Mary-Louise McLaws says that the government needs to act “very rapidly” or risk a state-wide spike. She and other experts have called for a “ring-fencing” style lockdown, which would see stay-at-home orders issue for 10 suburbs in Melbourne’s north, west and south-east.
It’s the same strategy that has helped China suppress spikes in recent months. “Instead of a full lockdown of, say, a state or a full city, it’s ring fencing or shutting down hot spot areas,” she told the ABC.
“They [China] put in place the ring-fencing of cities, but have then instigated ring-fencing in hotspots within cities, and the success of that emboldens my idea that this could be the way to go.”
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has said he’d rather not impose lockdowns, but said “we’ll do it if we need to.” Meanwhile the state’s Chief Health Office Brett Sutton says that implementing such measures could have unforeseen consequences like people just moving out of their hotspot suburb to another suburb.
South Australia has already responded to the outbreak, by opting not to open its border to Victoria on July 20th as planned.
As for NSW, the border remains open, but Premier Gladys Berejiklian has once again urged people from Melbourne hot spots not to travel, but the only official measures she has advised are that “Victorians are not welcome to purchase tickets” for any sports games in NSW.
“Please, if you are a loved one, a friend or a family member, please don’t come up at this time until the community transmission is under control,” she said on Tuesday, 30th June.
The outbreak has already thrown the 2020 AFL season into doubt, with Queensland now requiring teams who’ve been in contact with a Melbourne-based team to quarantine on their return to the sunshine state.
