What a public health expert says Victoria must do to avoid continual lockdowns

Victoria must change its COVID-19 strategy from suppression to elimination, or face continual lockdowns, according to a top public health expert.

Adjunct Professor Bill Bowtell from the University of NSW says the current approach in Victoria is unsustainable.

“I don’t think suppression as it has been put into practice in Victoria and NSW has worked very well,” he told Ross and John.

“It seems, to me, logical that we go for elimination. We almost got there.”

Professor Bowtell says one strict Stage 4 lockdown for four to six weeks should eradicate the virus in Victoria.

“It has to be done,” he said.

“We know that we’ve got to have people locked down at home, physical distancing, very infrequent journeys outside, and … use masks.

“Can we do it just once now and be done with it?”

Professor Botwell said a suppression strategy would see Victorians in and out of lockdown for the rest of the year.

“We can’t keep putting people in lockdown,” he said.

“There’s another flare up then we go back into lockdown at Christmas. I think that’s pretty silly.”

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