How failure on Covid-19 has exposed the dangerous delusion of "Fortress Australia"

[ansible]

The country’s complacency on vaccines reflected the false belief that it could cut itself off from the world.

Australia was the envy of the world for much of 2020, but it is not anymore. Having endured the first year of Covid-19 with aplomb, the country is firmly in the grip of the virus once again. As London and New York open up, Sydney is in lockdown. Even outside the nation’s most populous city, travel restrictions mean many Australians are unable to move within the country. More than 30,000 residents also remain stranded overseas, with borders closed and no obvious way to return home anytime soon.

Australia’s political class have blamed the Delta variant of coronavirus. Delta is a “beast”, a “game-changer” in its ability to transmit in the community, unlike anything else seen since the pandemic arrived.

But that is only a small part of the story. The real tale is one of political failure – a truly seismic failure in which Australia’s politicians, civil servants, business leaders and medical experts have all played a part. That is why Australia’s Covid-19 response has collapsed so spectacularly.

https://www.newstatesman.com/world/australasia/2021/07/how-failure-covid-19-has-exposed-dangerous-delusion-fortress-australia

[LisaL]

1. They have under a 100 of daily cases.

Whereas we (US) with tens thousands of daily cases, apparently think that pandemic is over.

[druidity33]

2. Sounds like someone wants to

be critical of a Liberal government. I wonder who owns the New Statesman. And whether the authors of the article have an "agenda". Every country has had trouble with vaccine rollout. Unfortunately, people are also being pretty stupid about vaccine safety. In Australia it's the AZ, in the US it's the J&J... both of which are WAAYYYYY better than no vaccine at all.

[LisaL]

3. Two women died from blood clots in Australia after AZ vaccination.

Given that at the time, their covid cases were at zero, risk to benefit analysis seemed to be in favor of not using AZ.
If infections were raging, then it would be a different story.
But yes, the article is very dramatic, and one would think they had thousands of cases each day.
They have under a 100 and trying like hell to prevent it from spreading (thus lockdowns).

[druidity33]

4. Out of how many vaccinated?

Wasn't it 8 total deaths with the UK and Australia? Wasn't it like .007%? Granted there seem to be less issues with Pfizer, but the numbers don't lie... it's better to be vaccinated. Still, it's surprising they only have 5% vaccinated...

[Jim G.]

5. I've Been Hearing That The Australian Open Is Liable To Be Postponed Or Cancelled

(Tennis)

It's supposed to start in January, but with the country still in lockdown now the announcers on the Tennis channel are saying it doesn't look good.