Australia: The country is approaching living with Covid-19 as if it were the flu

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said that the country’s political leaders want to enter a new phase in which people will live with Covid-19 as if it were the flu, but will consult health experts.

A day after meeting with the country’s heads of state and federal leaders, Morrison told reporters this morning that they were discussing the transition to “Phase D” of the national plan to respond to the pandemic.

“Our airports are open again, international arrivals can be made, there are now exemptions from quarantine for people returning, so we are pretty much in Phase D,” he said.

The leaders wanted to lift the requirement to isolate Covid-19 close contact cases and would seek further advice on the matter from a panel of experts, he said.

The isolation rule “deprives companies of staff,” said Morrison, whose Conservative government faces elections in May.

“We think we are pretty much in Phase D now, there are a few exceptions to that. Phase D, remember, means we live with the virus like the flu,” he said.

Western Australia and Northern Territory will delay the lifting of restrictions in relation to the eastern states by one month.

Source: AMPE

Source: Capital

You may also like