Australia’s PM defends lockdown strategy until majority vaccinated

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday defended the country’s lockdown strategy for tackling the Coronavirus, saying it would stay until at least 70 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated. The country on Sunday reported  914 cases of the highly infectious Delta variant surpassed the previous high of 894 a day earlier. Morrison said in a television interview on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that the lockdowns are a key element of the federal government’s strategy to rein in outbreaks until the 70 per cent level is reached, with borders being reopened gradually when the figure climbs to 80 per cent.

Victoria, in its sixth lockdown since the start of the pandemic, on Sunday, recorded 65 locally acquired cases. On Saturday Australia saw its worst number of COVID-19 infections ever, with NSW and Victoria battling a growing outbreak of the highly transmissible Delta variant. The pace has picked up recently, as supplies increase and the Delta outbreak continues to spread. A Newspoll conducted for The Australian newspaper earlier this month suggests that 11% of Australians said they will flatly refuse to get vaccinated.

Police arrested hundreds of people during anti-lockdown demonstrations in Sydney and Melbourne. The tally of active cases stands at nearly 12,000 nationwide. According to data from the Health Ministry, nearly 30 per cent of Australians older than 16 have been fully vaccinated. Despite a third wave of infections from the Delta variant, Australia’s Covid-19 numbers are relatively low, with just under 44,000 cases and 981 deaths.