Australia's COVID-19 Pandemic Panel Supports Lockdown Targets, Despite Outbreak In Sydney

Illustration of the lockdown in Australia. (Wikimedia Commons/Advanstra)

JAKARTA - Australia could go ahead with reopening plans when the country reaches a vaccination rate of 70 percent - 80 percent, the government's pandemic modeling adviser said, while several states signaled not to relax border restrictions if Sydney failed to contain the Delta variant outbreak.

The Melbourne-based Doherty Institute said the country's focus should shift to limiting the number of COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations, away from its current zero-case strategy, when at least 70 percent of the country's population over the age of 16 is fully vaccinated.

"This level of vaccination will make it easier to live with the virus, as we do with other viruses such as the flu," he said in a statement late Monday.

"Once we reach 70 percent vaccine coverage, opening tens or hundreds of cases nationwide per day is possible," he continued.

Currently, 30 per cent of Australia's adult population has been fully vaccinated, while 53 per cent have had at least one dose.

Australia in July unveiled a four-stage return to greater freedom plan with higher vaccination rates. However, states such as Queensland and Western Australia have indicated they may not comply with the treaty, as it is framed when the number of cases in Sydney is much lower than it is today.

Kangaroo Country has suffered less from the COVID-19 pandemic than many other developed countries, with around 44,600 cases and 984 deaths. However, a third wave of infections from the Delta variant has plunged Sydney and Melbourne, its largest city, and the capital Canberra into weeks of lockdown.

Sydney, worst-affected, has reported rapid growth in the number of new cases, as state officials shift to a faster vaccine rollout strategy.

"Let's focus on the level of the vaccine because that is what will determine how we can live moving forward," said New South Wales (NSW) Prime Minister Gladys Berejiklian.

Berejiklian, who has promised more freedom for full vaccination after the total dose reached 6 million, said the state had crossed the milestone and changes would be announced later this week.

To note, about 59 percent of the population in New South Wales has had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Meanwhile, another 31 percent of the population has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, slightly above the national figure.

Today, New South Wales reported 753 cases, down from 818 on Monday, although daily infections continue to hold near record levels. Seventy-four deaths have been reported from the most recent outbreak, although the death rate has slowed from last year.

Meanwhile, the State of Victoria reported 50 new cases of locally acquired COVID-19 infection on Tuesday, down from 71 infections the day before.

Separately, Prime Minister Scott Morrison acknowledged some states' concerns over the Sydney outbreak, but said a 'permanent lockdown' would do more harm than good to the country.

"It doesn't matter if it's 30 cases or 800 cases, the conclusion is the same, and that's what the Doherty Institute said. We can do this safely and we need to do it," PM Morrison told Nine News on Tuesday.