Coronavirus controls: The reaction to Victoria’s latest pandemic measures

There’s been a massive reaction to the state government’s latest controls to help curb the spread of COVID-19, and it’s been divided.

After consulting with business leaders, Victoria’s Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas yesterday chose not to implement the mandates and instead “strongly recommended” Victorians wear masks indoors and in crowded places and advised employers to consider allowing staff to work from home.

Associate Principal Research Fellow at the Burnet Institute, Michael Toole, says the Health Minister’s decision to ignore the acting chief health officer’s advice is “unsettling”.

He says masks could play a key role in taking the strain off the health system, but not enough of us are wearing them.

“If we could get 60 per cent of people wearing masks indoors that would probably lead to the kind of reduction in transmission that we need to reduce hospitalisations and, of course, deaths,” he told Neil Mitchell.

Press PLAY below to hear Professor Toole’s thoughts

3AW Breakfast co-host Ross Stevenson questioned the Health Minister’s call to reject expert health advice.

Russel Howcroft was on the other side of the fence.

Press PLAY below to hear what Ross and Russel had to say

Meanwhile, the business community is divided over the latest restrictions.

Victorian head of the Australian Industry Group, Tim Piper, told The Age it will put businesses “back a few months” and it’s “quite an imposing position for the government to take”.

But CEO of the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), Paul Guerra, welcomed the recommendations.

He told Ross and Russel Victorians should “Use a bit of what I would call virus common sense at the moment”.

Press PLAY below to hear what the VCCI CEO thinks of the new COVID-19 controls