Australians told restrictions must stay even as new virus infections slow

By Colin Packham

 

FILE PHOTO: A handful of tourists stand atop the mostly deserted steps of the Sydney Opera House, where scheduled public performances have been cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Sydney, Australia, March 18, 2020. REUTERS/Loren Elliott/File Photo

 

SYDNEY (Reuters) - More than 150 Australian economists on Monday warned the government against easing social distancing rules aimed at halting the spread of the new coronavirus even as the rate of infections slowed to a multi-week low.

 

Australia has so far avoided the high numbers of coronavirus casualties reported around the world after closing its borders and imposing restrictions on public movement.

 

While the measures have slowed the growth in new infections to fewer than 40 new cases a day, the restrictions are expected to push unemployment to a 16-year high of about 10%.

 

With growing calls to ease the restrictions, leading Australian economists issued an open letter to call on the government to prioritise containing the spread of coronavirus.

 

"We cannot have a functioning economy unless we first comprehensively address the public health crisis," the group of 157 economists from Australian universities wrote.

 

Australia's government and central bank have said they will inject A$320 billion ($203 billion) into the country's economy to try and cushion the economic blow.

 

Prime Minister Scott Morrison last week said there would no easing of Australia's restrictions for at least four weeks, and several state premiers on Monday urged the public to keep to the social distancing rules.

 

"We've all made massive sacrifices, given a lot. We can't give back all the gains made because of sense of frustration gets the better of us," Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters in Melbourne.

 

Any significant easing of the current limitations would not occur until Australia had increased testing capacity, strengthened contact tracing and readied local responses for further outbreaks, Andrews said.

 

Central to the government's strategy is a controversial new mobile phone app that will track users' movements to allow contact tracing in the event of an outbreak of coronavirus.

 

The government said it will need at least 40% of the country's population to be signed up to make it effective.

 

But with new infections in hardest-hit New South Wales state falling to a five-week low, the government may ease some minor restrictions when the national Cabinet meets on Tuesday.

 

Morrison last week the Cabinet would be considering ending a ban on elective surgeries, and the Australia's main medical association on Monday said recent deliveries of protection equipment would mean some procedures could restart.

 

"We’ve been so successful so far that that’s given us the opportunity now to plan a sensible, safe, graduated return into the low-risk procedures which provide clinical benefit to patients," Tony Bartone, the head of Australian Medical Association told Channel 7.

 

($1 = 1.5755 Australian dollars)

 

(Reporting by Colin Packham; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-04-20

 

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  I do not have an app phone.  I have an old LG flip top phone, voice and text only.  Are they going to mandate people buy smart phones?  Or will they just say, well, everybody must install the app.  You are not forced to get a phone, but if you do not use the app that is your choice but you will be subject to prosecution.  Or if one installs the app but never turns their phone on .. then what?

Edited April 20, 20206 yr by gk10002000

4 hours ago, webfact said:

the group of 157 economists from Australian universities wrote.

I sincerely doubt there are 157 economists in AU universities, unless they roped in the economics students to sign the letter.

The rest of the real-world economists disagree with their assertion. 

ZERO new cases in Qld over past 24 hours.

Gold Coast beaches opening for exercise.

Fingers crossed.

1 hour ago, DoctorG said:

I sincerely doubt there are 157 economists in AU universities, unless they roped in the economics students to sign the letter.

The rest of the real-world economists disagree with their assertion. 

So the 'real-world' economists are proposing to ignore the health crisis and just carry on as the economy will be fully functioning?

Bit like the 'real-world' medical experts who say its 'just like the flu' or that it is a hoax created for political advantage.

Economy needs to be opened by the less vulnerable and cured, while the vulnerable stay protected. 

 

That does require extensive testing and isolation of infected.

Australia has done extremely well in the way it has handled the CV - just look at any site that compares the curves (eg with US, UK, France).

 

So: careful, steady as she goes, no sacrificing it all in a moment of impatience. Highly unlikely under present management.

 

Morrison's establishment of a new 'national cabinet' as a committee of the federal Cabinet was a stroke of genius. Ties in the States, of whatever colour, for genuine national decisionmaking & action on behalf of all Australians. Not seen since 1945.

Being smart and using caution, is much better then being only educated, and intelligent,

but without common sense, and using greed.  Being intelliget does not mean that you

are smart,  just saying.

Geezer

6 hours ago, mrfill said:

So the 'real-world' economists are proposing to ignore the health crisis and just carry on as the economy will be fully functioning?

Bit like the 'real-world' medical experts who say its 'just like the flu' or that it is a hoax created for political advantage.

Don’t forget Doctor Google! Lots of weird sh!te there...