Since various shutdown restrictions began lifting last month, health authorities have warned about the potential for a ‘second wave’ – a resurgence of the virus resulting in an increase in new cases. A significant spike in positive diagnoses in Victoria in recent days, including at least 21 instances of untraceable community transmission in the past week, has now prompted the state government there to reinstate certain lockdown measures, potentially setting back Victoria’s emergence from social restrictions by a month. While it has not yet reached a level that could be classed as a second wave, the situation unfolding in Victoria is, according to premier Daniel Andrews, “a wake-up call” – one that other states, including NSW, would be wise to heed.
From Sunday, June 21 at 11.59pm, the number of guests Victorians will be allowed to have at their homes will be reduced from 20 to just five. Outside of the home in public, gatherings will be limited to a maximum of ten people, also reduced from 20. Restaurants and other businesses will be limited to a maximum of 20 patrons, including gyms and cinemas, which will be reopening in Victoria on June 22 for the first time since shutdown orders were issued in mid-March.
Andrews said that a lack of physical distancing within private and family gatherings and people going out within the community despite showing symptoms or even after testing positive were the likely cause of the new outbreak in Victoria, where new cases have risen by double digits on several consecutive days.
Since May 15, restrictions in NSW have been gradually lifting, and on July 1, many of the remaining restrictions currently in place will be further eased. Despite premier Gladys Berejiklian’s warnings back in April that loosening restrictions would likely result in an increase in infections, this has not yet been seen in the six weeks since the state began easing the lockdown. Life in NSW has now regained some sense of normality, with restaurants and pubs, gyms and spas, beauticians and tattoo studios, and many other businesses reopening to the public.
However, that is not to say that NSW is not still experiencing some level of community transmission. Two cases of locally acquired, untraced infection have been diagnosed this week, from 69,306 people tested. While the remaining cases identified in the last seven days have been found in either existing clusters or returning travellers in quarantine, this small number of untraced infections shows that the virus is still active within the general population.
Until a vaccine or treatment protocol can be found, practicing physical distancing, enhanced hand hygiene, getting tested if you have even minor symptoms, and self-isolating if you test positive, is the best way to combat the spread of the disease. Through an incredible public effort, Australia has successfully flattened the curve and, for the most part, contained the crisis in a way very few other countries can claim. But as we are now witnessing in Victoria, the risk to our communities has not yet completely passed.