Australia’s Govt-19 lawsuits reach new record as debate over ‘reopening’ heats up

MELBOURNE, Aug 29 (Reuters) – Australia recorded 1,323 local Govt-19 cases on Sunday, sparking a debate over whether the country could start living with the virus in the community, after initially succeeding in suppressing the corona virus.

New South Wales (NSW), Australia’s most populous state, the epicenter of the country’s delta fuel explosion has registered 1,218 cases because authorities are set to ease restrictions slightly after nine weeks. The lock-in will last until the end of September.

NSW State Premier Gladys Periglion has promised to reopen the state once 70% of 16-year-olds and older are vaccinated.

“No matter what the case numbers do …

On Sunday, he said the state was halfway to achieving its goal.

In Victoria, the country’s second most populous state in its sixth lockout since the outbreak began, there were 92 new infections on Sunday, more than a year ago.

Victorian Prime Minister Daniel Andrews has said his state’s lockout will be extended as it expires Thursday, but cannot say how long.

Andrews said, “We see several cases today that we are seriously considering opening later this week.”

There are 13 new cases in the Australian capital area, home to the national capital Canberra.

With more than 50,100 Govt-19 related cases and 999 deaths, Australia has outperformed most developed countries.

Since the national government closed international borders at the onset of the epidemic, its six states and two territories have used various combinations of state border closures, locks and severe social distance operations to combat Govt-19.

But the national government now insists that the Govt-Zero strategy, which was successful in suppressing previous eruptions, is unreliable as the national epidemic delta variation has reached its shores and is detrimental to the economy.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been urging states to reopen their borders as soon as 70% of those aged 16 and over reach the vaccine target, but the virus-free states of Queensland and Western Australia have indicated they cannot follow suit. read more

Nationally just 33.7% of eligible people have been fully vaccinated, although in recent weeks Australia has been engaged in vaccination competitions for its population. At the current rate, 80% can be vaccinated by mid-November.

“Our only hope is to learn to live with the virus,” The Age quoted Australian Treasurer Josh Friedenberg as saying on Sunday. “Delaying and denying that fact is not only wrong, it is incredibly unreliable.”

Victoria supports the federal reopening plan, but state officials say the current outbreak could now be suppressed with a severe lockout of 778 active cases, including a night curfew order for the Victorian capital, Melbourne.

The June quarter economic growth figures, released on Wednesday, could indicate whether Australia will enter its second recession in a number of years, as it is expected to be released later in the September quarter, which reflects the current bursts of locks.

Report by Lydia Kelly; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Michael Perry

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