Stage Three lockdown restrictions began in 10 postcodes across the city last night, and a public health expert has warned an environment of complacency means more lockdowns could soon follow.

Professor Shane Thomas from the Research School of Population Health at ANU says Melburnians need to exercise greater caution to avoid more widespread restrictions.

“People have become relaxed, they think we’re okay now so they’ve relaxed the social distancing, they’ve relaxed the washing,” he told Kate Stevenson and Tony Leonard, filling in for Ross and John.

“When I go shopping now I think it’s much more dangerous than it was, say, a month ago.”

Professor Thomas said lockdowns work, but the whole city need not go back into lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19, if other precautionary measures are taken.

“If you’ve got the cooperation of the people in their distancing, in cleaning and in mask-wearing, you probably don’t need to go to that level.

“If people don’t cooperate, that’s where you end up.”

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