Infectious disease expert says Victoria is facing 300 plus cases until at least the end of the year (paywalled)
Lucy Callander
Herald Sun
July 25, 2020
A hard lockdown should have been introduced weeks ago and face masks will not be enough to stop coronavirus, a leading infectious disease expert says.
Professor Nigel McMillan of Menzies Health Institute Queensland said Victoria now faced the real possibility of 300 plus cases every day until the end of the year.
“I think Melbourne came out of the first lockdown too soon,” he said.
“The daily numbers weren’t low enough to justify the relaxing of restrictions.”
He said instead of returning to State 3 on July 8 the state should have introduced Stage 4.
“There is evidence that a hard lockdown works.
“Had there been a move to Stage 4 straight away there would have been a chance to prevent what came next.”
Professor MacMillan, who is one of the top ten academic commentators on coronavirus, said the state’s obsession with finding lockdown loopholes and exemptions was puzzling.
“The rest of the country really can’t understand why there is debate around runners and cyclists wearing masks,” Prof McMillan said.
“It’s gone well beyond that. People should not be out.”
On Friday Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said there was no immediate plan for any further lockdown restrictions.
“I’ve got no advice to move to a so-called stage four or to change those rules,” he said.
Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said it was “expected” a number of people would die in coming weeks.
“That’s an absolute tragedy and of course we’re working in any way we can to drive those numbers down,” he said.
“I understand the temptation to go to stage four … (but) a broad sweep of a shutdown of industry carries its own harms.
“And it may not turn around the transmission because of where we’re seeing transmission occurring.”
Prof Sutton said masks “may well be a game changer” in slowing the spread.
Face masks became mandatory on Thursday and debate has raged over exemptions, which include while doing strenuous exercise and eating and drinking.
On the first day of the mask policy Leader witnessed small groups of people at Mount Martha Village removing their masks to drink their take away coffee.
Shop assistants in Mornington also went mask free when customers were not in store.
There were concerns over the behaviour of cyclists with one man complaining that some were using a “bushman’s hanky” – blocking one nostril and expelling snot from the other – while riding.
A Bayside cyclist who did not wish to be named said the practice was common along Beach Rd.
“I am a keen, regular cyclist myself so understand the issue, but it just seems in these current unusual times, cyclists need to have the habit of collecting a handkerchief along with their mobile before heading out for a ride,” he said.
The Leader also spotted golfers at Brighton Public Golf Course without masks.
A Department of Health and Human Services spokesman said residents of metropolitan Melbourne or Mitchell Shire had to wear a face covering when they left home for one of four reasons – shopping for food and supplies, care and caregiving, exercise, and study and work.
“You can take your face covering off when eating or drinking, but should maintain physical distancing of 1.5 metres and practice good hygiene,’ the spokesman said.
“Eating and drinking should not be used as an excuse not to wear a mask. You must use common sense and wear a mask at all times where possible.
“You must wear your mask while at work, however you are permitted to remove it for short breaks if needed, but never around other people.”
