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Acknowledging that the month-long quarantine so far had failed to stop the delta strain outbreak, the state of New South Wales has asked Canberra to urgently send it more vaccines and resources.
If the outbreak is declared a national emergency, it could pave the way for more involvement from the federal government to stop the crisis.
“On behalf of the nation, we have a responsibility to prevent the virus,” said Gladys Berejiklian, Prime Minister of New South Wales. “There is no doubt that the numbers are not going in the same direction.”
His state reported 136 new cases on Friday, a record since the recent outbreak, bringing the total number of COVID-19 infections to 1,782.
With the virus “spreading everywhere” and half the country 25 million. Berejiklian said the government must “reorient” its stalled vaccination campaign.
Only 12 percent. Australians are fully vaccinated due to Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine supply problems and widespread skepticism about the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
“At least we need more first doses of Pfizer,” Berejiklian said, but he warned 5 million. Sydney residents say the restrictions could last until October.
He also announced that unnecessary workers will now be banned from certain areas of Sydney, thus tightening the quarantine, which will almost certainly be officially extended next week.
“It’s pretty obvious that we won’t be close to zero (cases) next Friday,” Berejiklian said. “Next week we will have a clearer picture of what August, September and October will be like.”
At the time, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison apologized Thursday for the country’s slow vaccination campaign and acknowledged that targets had not been met.
“I take responsibility for the vaccination program. I also take responsibility for the challenges we have faced. It is obvious that we can control something and not something,” said the Prime Minister.
© Sigitas Berlinskas
New Zealand is holding back the “travel bubble” with Australia
New Zealand is closing its border with Australia, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Friday as the latter tried to curb further outbreaks of COVID-19.
The so-called “travel bubble” between the two countries began on April 19. According to him, citizens could travel freely without the need for self-isolation.
However, according to Ardern, the delta strain has “completely changed the risk profile” and the coronavirus is now widespread in Australia. “We have always said that as the virus changes, so will our response. It was not an easy decision, but it is the right solution to protect the people of Zealand,” said the prime minister.
Ardern said the New Zealand border would close at midnight on Friday and remain closed for at least eight weeks. The temporary closure will give Australia time to deal with existing outbreaks, Ardern said.
“We really want the bubble to keep working. We remain committed to that, and that is exactly what I made clear this morning in an interview with (Australian Prime Minister) Scott Morrison. But it must be safe, “Ardern said.
New Zealand’s “travel bubble” with the Cook Islands remains.
5 million A total of 2,299 coronavirus cases and 26 deaths have been reported in the New Zealand population since the start of the pandemic.
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