'It would be logical': Why 135 Australian regions could come out of lockdown early
More than 130 rural areas across Australia should have their social distancing restrictions eased earlier than metropolitan areas, a leading immunologist believes.
Professor Ian Frazer from the University of Queensland said while Australia was in the middle of a “balancing act’, it could make sense for areas without any confirmed cases to lift restrictions ahead of areas where confirmed coronavirus cases continue to arise.
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“It would be logical if there were no cases in the rural Queensland community (to lift restrictions) and get on with being a community,” he told News Corp.
Last week The Australian identified over 135 regions and local government areas across NSW, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia that had so far recorded no COVID-19 cases.
Three identified by Queensland Health, the state’s South West, Central West and North West, incorporate hundreds of communities such as Mount Isa, which have been subject to state-wide restrictions also implemented in Brisbane, for example, which has more than 540 cases.
More than 60 of the areas identified are in WA, with Premier Mark McGowan suggesting this week restrictions could be eased after implementing strict travel restrictions between areas within the state.
Professor Archie Clements, an expert in health sciences at Western Australia’s Curtin University, told Yahoo News Australia the opening of restaurants and community gatherings could soon return.
Prof Frazer said states such as WA and SA were in a “downward trajectory” which would allow government to start easing restrictions.
But he said it would be “more difficult” for cities due to the movement of large amounts of people.
While NSW has the most cases nationally, towns including Forbes, Bourke and Gilgandra all have zero cases.
In Victoria, Glenelg, South Gippsland and the Alpine area all have zero cases.
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On Thursday, the prime minister revealed current restrictions would be in place for at least four more weeks, but did note states and territories were able to move at different rates where it is deemed fit and safe to do so.
In the Northern Territory, there hasn’t been a new case for 11 days, while SA has only six cases within the last week.
The ACT has seen no new cases in a week, and Victoria reported only one new case on Friday morning.
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