Australia Lockdown 2021
This gives a summary of the announcements made during the Australia lockdown in 2021, although it is not intended to be exhaustive.
The first case of Covid in Australia was reported in Victoria on 25 January 2020, with three additional cases confirmed in New South Wales later that day. The World Health Organization (WHO) named the disease caused by nCoV-19 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on 11 February 2020.
In This Article
January 2021
Due to growing worry over a COVID-19 strain, the Variant of Concern 202012/01, which was initially found in Kent, United Kingdom, some health professionals have asked for Australia’s international borders to be reinforced or perhaps closed again. Victorian Deputy Chief Health Officer Allan Cheng brought the matter to the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee‘s attention. Dr Tony Blakely, an epidemiologist at the University of Melbourne, stated that Australia should “shut or fortify the border as much as we reasonably can.” Professor Damian Purcell of the Peter Doherty Institute’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology said Australians “don’t need to be terrified” of expected coronavirus mutations. After the strain was discovered in quarantined travellers in Melbourne, the Victorian Government said it was considering banning travellers.
February 2021
Cathay Pacific said on February 11 that, with the exception of Sydney, it will suspend all flights to Australia beginning February 20 until the end of the month. This was in response to the Hong Kong government’s new COVID requirements, which required quarantine for Hong Kong-based aircrew.
The Australian Open tennis tournament went on, although there were no spectators. This will be the case for all professional sporting events. All other states and territories imposed travel restrictions on Victoria in retaliation.
March 2021
The general shutdown of Australia’s foreign borders to travel was extended on March 2 until June 17, 2021. Australia’s borders have been blocked for a year. Despite the border shutdown, nearly 105,000 exemptions to depart Australia were granted between March 25 and December 31, 2020.
April 2021
Due to a “record-breaking” outbreak of COVID-19 in India on April 27, the Federal Government “paused” all inbound flights from there until at least May 15. The hold includes repatriation flights into the Howard Springs quarantine facility in Darwin, with over 9,000 Australians in India wanting to travel to Australia as of this date.
A new omicron variant was also found this month.
May 2021
For three days, masks were made required in public areas, including:
- Public transportation
- Supermarkets
- Other indoor activities
- Hospitality were also required to wear masks.
- Indoor settings, such as, are not permitted to allow singing or dancing such as Worship locations and Locations for entertainment.
- Weddings and dancers or singers performing in performances were among the exceptions.
- Private residences are only permitted 20 visitors.
- Visitors to nursing homes are limited to a maximum of two.
June 2021
There were 81 current COVID cases in the Victorian outbreaks as of June 7. By then, the state had three independent clusters with unknown sources: 32 cases in Whittlesea, 9 at the Arcare elderly care institution in Maidstone, and 14 in West Melbourne. The West Melbourne cluster was discovered to be of the rapidly spreading delta COVID variety, raising the prospect of the fourth Victorian lockdown being extended once again. On the same day, the Victorian government promised A$30 million in financial assistance for citizens “shut out of work” due to COVID lockdowns. In addition, they extended their emergency “hardship assistance payment” until October. This benefits persons on temporary or provisional visas who are unable to earn a living in the Commonwealth.
July 2021
On 5 July, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that the travel pause with Australia will be removed for Western Australia and the Northern Territory on 9 July at 11:59 p.m., but will stay in effect for Queensland and New South Wales. New Zealanders who are normally residing in New Zealand but are trapped in Australia lockdown will be eligible to return from 11:59 p.m. on July 9 if they fulfill a number of travel restrictions.
August 2021
On August 30, truck drivers and supporters staged a COVID protest on the Gold Coast’s M1 motorway during the morning rush hour near Reedy Creek, where they blocked the freeway’s exit to the suburb. The demonstration was against COVID-19 lockdowns and driver vaccination mandates. Senator Pauline Hanson was among their backers. The truckers eventually relocated to Chinderah in New South Wales to continue their protest.
September 2021
On September 21, a major demonstration was held in Melbourne over a variety of pandemic response-related concerns, including the previous day’s construction industry shutdown. The “Victorian Workers Rally For Freedom” finally shut down the major West Gate Freeway, causing delays during rush hour. A news reporter was attacked, and items were hurled at police officers. Riot cops were on duty, and at least 60 people were arrested. According to union leaders, the protests had been hijacked by “far right organisations and anti-vax groups…”.
October 2021
Within the preceding 24 hours in NSW, 8 fatalities and 496 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 were documented. The overall number of COVID-related deaths was 495, and there have been 69,016 COVID cases in NSW since the start of the pandemic. On the same day, which some news outlets named “Freedom Day,” the 107-day lockdown in NSW was lifted, particularly for the fully vaccinated. Stay-at-home orders were lifted; non-essential stores, hairdressers, and hospitality venues were among those allowed to reopen; masks were no longer necessary in public locations, but were still required indoors.
November 2021
Two cases of the Omicron variant were discovered in Sydney on November 28. Both people arrived in Sydney the day before, having traveled from southern Africa to Sydney through Doha, Qatar. The two persons were properly vaccinated and were placed in isolation; twelve additional travelers from southern Africa were also placed in quarantine for fourteen days, while around 260 other passengers and personnel on the trip were ordered to isolate. Another positive case of the Omicron type was documented at the Howard Springs Quarantine Facility on November 29th, in a returning traveller who landed in Darwin from Johannesburg, South Africa on November 25th.
December 2021
On December 30, new cases in NSW increased by more than 70% to 21,151 from 12,226 on December 29, establishing another national record.
There were roughly 110,424 active cases nationwide.
There is presently no indication that COVID-19 can be contracted through food. COVID-19 virus can be destroyed at temperatures comparable to other known viruses and bacteria present in food.
There is no proven timelie for how long a COVID-19 virus persists on surfaces, according to WHO. However, it most likely operates similarly to other coronaviruses. Coronaviruses can persist on surfaces for a few hours to many days, depending on the circumstances (e.g. type of surface, temperature or humidity of the environment).
If you believe a surface is infected, disinfect it; wash your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; and, if possible, avoid touching your eyes, mouth, or nose.
Remember “Three C’s”:
• Congested areas;
• Close-contact situations, particularly when individuals are conversing quite close to one other;
• Confined places with inadequate ventilation
