Offering Victorians small, meaningful steps out of lockdown more regularly could help prevent people from choosing to breach coronavirus health directives, a behavioural expert says.
Health behaviour psychologist Ron Borland says offering frequent "rewards" could help boost compliance with restrictions
Deputy director of the University of Melbourne's Centre for Behaviour Change, Ron Borland, said maintaining compliance with rules would become "a real challenge" as Victoria began to move out of lockdown. He said while something like golf would not benefit a majority of the population, a slight increase in the number of people allowed to meet outdoors would.
"The fact of the matter is we haven't decided yet — there's still meetings, there's still all matter of fine tuning, all matter of work," he said.Download the ABC News app and subscribe to our range of news alerts for the latest on how the pandemic is impacting the worldPublic Health Association of Australia chief executive Terry Slevin said community compliance and an agreement to adhere to the rules was "absolutely fundamental" to tackling the pandemic.
"But that trust relationship is delicate, but vital, and I think everybody needs to work constructively on that.Read more about coronavirus: "One cream cake by itself probably isn't going to make much difference, but in that case it runs the risk that it will lead to a second and a third and a fourth," he said.
"If you have that thought for yourself when you're thinking about taking a risk, it makes it much easier to say, 'No, I won't take that risk.'
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