For most nations, this is going to be a marathon, not a sprint. | EDITORIAL coronavirusaus
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did some straight talking with Canadians this week, telling them life will not be returning to normal until there is a vaccine.
That is not to say some restrictions may be reined in. While the chances of going to watch an AFL game any time soon would at best be wishful thinking, schools opening their doors to more students would appear a better bet. While the unknowns of COVID-19 still outweigh the knowns, however, crystal ball predictions are a fraught business.
But there are more triggers required to increase the optimism that the virus is being contained. Flattening the curve for a few days certainly makes good headlines, but COVID-19 symptoms can take 14 days to surface, so it would take at least that long for infection numbers to stay low before there is some confidence that a spike was not just below the radar. Even then, widespread testing and contact tracing would need to continue to ensure any outbreak could be located quickly.
In sport parlance, this is a one game at a time scenario. Victory one week is often a poor predictor of future form. So far, Australia has fared much better than many nations in this pandemic, and there are many to thank for that, not least the vast majority of people playing by the rules. But each week, and month, will bring its own set of challenges. Let's make sure Australia stays focused on the main game of saving lives.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Andrews warns Victorians to prepare for social distancing 'long haul'Victorians should brace for “many months' of social distancing restrictions in the fight against COVID-19, Premier Daniel Andrews has again warned springst
Read more »
Customers at Sydney Fish Markets face long queues, temperature checksThe Sydney Fish Market will operate with extended trading hours from 5am until 5pm over the long weekend.
Read more »
Australia, here’s what you can and can’t do over the Easter long weekendThe long weekend is upon us, but coronavirus restrictions are still in place. Find out what that means for your Easter plans.
Read more »
'Coronavirus ceasefire' in Yemen's long conflict begins amid fears of health catastropheA Saudi-led coalition has begun a unilateral ceasefire in Yemen's long war, saying it hoped the initiative to prevent coronavirus in the impoverished country would lead to a wider political solution.
Read more »
Coronavirus cases climb to more than 6000 ahead of Easter long weekend | Sky News AustraliaThe number of coronavirus cases in Australia has climbed to 6,109 on Friday and the number of fatalities stands at 51. \n\nNew South Wales has the largest caseload with 2,773 confirmed cases of the virus, followed by Victoria with 1,228 and Queensland with 953. \n\nThe government says it is cautiously optimistic the curve is flattening but warned Australians not to undo all the good work this Easter long weekend. \n\nThe number of cases across the world is edging towards 1.6 million and the global death total now exceeds 95,000. \n\nFrance's death toll has surged, taking the country's total number of fatalities above 12,000 and New York has suffered its deadliest 24-hour period for the third consecutive day. \n\nAnother 6.6 million Americans have filed for unemployment over the last week - meaning the coronavirus has wiped out 16 million American jobs in just three weeks.\n\nAnd the World Health Organisation has warned of bed shortages across Africa as the virus spreads beyond urban centres.
Read more »
'Are we there yet?': WA's long road to post-pandemic normalityFor many in WA the Easter break means packing up the car and heading off to another part of this vast state, but this year we're on a whole different journey.
Read more »