Sydney lockdown extended due to COVID upsurge

The Sydney lockdown is about to be imposed again for two weeks as there is a rise in the number of coronavirus cases. More than one million people in the central and eastern suburbs are having the restrictions as there is a jump in the cases on Friday.

The lockdown now covers the whole city along with some of the surrounding areas with the extension of two weeks. There are more than 80 cases with the highly infectious Delta variant. The New South Wales state Premier Gladys Berejiklian has asked the citizens to stay at home till 9th July. This restriction with the Sydney lockdown has been imposed upon the Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains, Wollongong, and Central Coast.

She said, “When you have a contagious variant, like the Delta virus, a three-day lockdown doesn’t work – if we’re going to do this we need to do it properly.”

She thinks the state needs to brace itself for a potentially large number of cases in the following days. Police have said that they will use the number plate recognition technology for monitoring the people. It will ensure that people are not staying out of their lockdown zone.

Australia has been quite consistent in maintaining a very low rate for COVID transmission. This is the first lockdown in Sydney. The outbreak of this new infection emerged a week ago in Bondi. It has spread into the center of the city and to its western fringes.

It is having a link with a driver who transported the international arrivals from the airport. State Health Minister Brad Hazzard has described this Delta variant as a “very formidable foe.” Regardless of the defensive steps they are taking; the virus seems to understand how to make a counterattack.

Prime Minister Morrison has thanked the residents for their patience and forbearance in a video message. He added, “Together, Sydney, we’ll get through this.”

This pandemic is still raging all around, and the world from time to time leaves its impact on Australia. This latest outbreak has made room for more criticism as there is a slow vaccination rollout.

So far, only 3% of the adult population took the vaccine with the second dose, and 25% of people have received their first dose. Critics think the cities will need another lockdown if the majority of the population does not get vaccinated.

Credits: BBC