'It's an experiment': The rocky road predicted for Australia as restrictions are relaxed
A public health expert has described Australia’s move into relaxed restrictions as “an experiment” and warns the nation may be subjected to more stringent rules if the strategy backfires and coronavirus cases spike.
Stephen Leeder, a Professor in Public Health and Community Medicine at the University of Sydney, said while NSW’s first day of zero cases in over two months on Monday was good news, lifting restrictions is a matter of seeing what works and what doesn’t.
NSW Health said Tuesday was the first time since February 29 there had been no new coronavirus cases in the state.
It comes just days before cafes and restaurants will be allowed to re-open on Friday for up to 10 patrons and five people will be able to visit another person’s home.
But Professor Leeder told Yahoo News Australia if there is a spike in cases as a result of lockdown restrictions being lifted, then we could be on the road back.
“My understanding is we’ll gradually lift some of these limitations and watch carefully to see we don’t end up with a high rate of community transmission,” he said.
“It would be extremely difficult to control and might take us back to the position where we might need to be much more stringent.
“Imagine if we started getting hundreds [of cases], people would be taking that very seriously and looking at what we need to go back to, to make sure these don’t multiply”
By slowly lifting restrictions, Professor Leeder said it would be obvious what caused a spike in infections and we would likely take one step back, rather than go into the same lockdown Australia has been experiencing for months.
“It’s a bit like treating someone with an infection, saying, ‘I’ll give you three antibiotics, take them’. Next thing you know you have stomach upset. Which of those three things you started taking at the same time caused the stomach upset? You wouldn’t know,” he said.
“You would start with one, two and maybe add a third. If that person starts to vomit you’d know what caused it and go back to two not [zero].”
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Professor Leeder said Australia would have to treat lifting lockdown as an experiment, and “do something and watch what the effects are”.
“We don’t want to do too much at once because we may not be able to undo it,” he said.
“I think what we do know about how COVID is spread. Two things I would be reluctant to lose are social distancing and hygiene.
“That’s what has worried me a bit about public transport and people squashed on platforms and spectator sports. Keeping a distance and keeping hands sanitised are two very important components.”
Professor Leeder said however it was important for society for lockdown rules to be relaxed.
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“It’s like motor car construction – you know making it there are going to be 57 serious accidents a year and three deaths, what do you do? Are you not going to make it? Or do you try your best to curb it but can’t guarantee it?” he said.
“It’s a tricky one.
“In the longer term people are getting a bit fed up with being stuck at home.”
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