Hundreds of people died in Victoria’s second wave last year when the virus broke out of quarantine hotels. “We will expect incursions at least once a month and more often. And while we mix more socially, the chance of one of those taking hold goes up very quickly,” said McCaw, whose team has provided advice to government and briefings given to national cabinet since the start of the pandemic.
Robert F. Bukaty/AP
Vaccination remains the best solution for the Covid-19 pandemic. “The virus will win. But it won’t have a devastating impact if we are vaccinated.” McCaw said the risk of a major outbreak was now at the highest level since the pandemic began, about equal to the risk posed around February last year. He said that was partly due to the Britain’s B117 strain.
Scott Morrison has warned international borders will remain closed indefinitely if it means protecting Australians from deadly outbreaks of mutant Covid-19 strains from overseas.
The Prime Minister said Australians had come to accept local lockdowns as part of living with Covid-19 and that residents did not have an appetite for change.
He warned that reopening the borders too soon would expose the country to another and more ruthless outbreak of Covid-19, like the ones experienced in the UK, India and Europe. We sit here as an island that s living like few countries in the world are at the moment, he told The Sunday Telegraph.
A top epidemiologist has ominously declared it is only a matter of time until Australia has a widespread Covid outbreak.
University of Melbourne professor James McCaw predicted cases will increase as people socialise frequently and the virus spread undetected.
He said eventually an outbreak will be cunning enough to successfully avoid the diligent work of contract tracers, and only mass vaccination would stop it.
University of Melbourne professor James McCaw predicted cases will increase as people socialise frequently and the virus spread undetected We will expect incursions at least once a month and more often. And while we mix more socially, the chance of one of those taking hold goes up very quickly, he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
High risk of disastrous outbreak in Australia08/05/2021|1min
A leading epidemiologist has warned Australia’s risk of a disastrous COVID-19 outbreak is at its highest level yet.
Professor James McCaw, whose team provides pandemic modelling to the government, says it is inevitable the virus will spread.
He is warning authorities to expect continued escapes from quarantines every month especially as people start to mix more socially.
The professor says Australia has been lucky so far but it is only a matter of time until a breach overcomes the efforts of contact tracers.
The increased threat is partly due to the more transmissible British B11 strain and he says the virus will win but widespread vaccination can stop it from having a devastating impact.