A report from a leading public policy think tank says Australia can drive active COVID-19 cases down to zero through longer and 'smarter' restrictions, with the 'short-term pain' providing greater payoff on the other side.
It said its "aggressive suppression" strategy — which is a goal of no community transmission, or what the Grattan Institute calls "zero cases" — would remain and it would only reintroduce restrictions and close borders "to shut down community transmission where it occurs".
However, Dr Duckett said National Cabinet — which meets on Friday — should "reaffirm and make explicit" Australia's target of zero active cases in the community."The goal of zero cases should be public and publicised to rally the community around the shared goal," he said."We know now much more than we did three months ago. The science of treatment and the science of prevention is much better known now.
"NSW has clearly used aggressive suppression [and] ruled out elimination. So unless NSW achieves elimination by mistake, or inducement from other states, it would be difficult for Victoria to achieve and hold elimination given our borders with NSW."The Grattan Institute report outlined a number of scenarios for "smarter restrictions" depending upon the number of daily cases in the community.
The report says when there are less than five cases over a five-day period, cafes and restaurants should be allowed to re-open.
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