As of 8:00pm on Sunday, a Victorian who has lived in Melbourne and not left since the beginning of the pandemic will have spent 245 days in lockdown.
Key points:
- Melbourne is scheduled to be in lockdown three weeks longer than the next most restricted city, Buenos Aires.
- Premier Daniel Andrews has not ruled out lockdown extensions to ease the pressure on the state's health system.
- The opposition have criticised the government for its handling of the pandemic
It is the longest cumulative lockdown for any city in the world.
Buenos Aires previously held the record, enduring a 234-day lockdown from March 20 to November 11, 2020, and a short 10-day circuit-breaker lockdown from May 21 to May 31 this year.
While the Argentinian capital spent 244 days in lockdown, regional areas outside of the city enjoyed relaxed restrictions at various periods not unlike those in regional Victoria.
Melbourne is set to far exceed the record, with Victoria's roadmap indicating the state will only reach its next vaccination target of 70 per cent double dose vaccinations around October 26.
While the first period of stay-at-home restrictions enforced in March last year was not officially called a "lockdown", it is commonly accepted that Melbourne is now in its sixth lockdown. Here's the timeline of how they played out:
- Lockdown 1: March 30 to May 12, 2020 — 43 days
- Lockdown 2: July 8 to October 27, 2020 —111 days
- Lockdown 3: February 12 - 17, 2021 —5 days
- Lockdown 4: May 27 - June 10, 2021 — 14 days
- Lockdown 5: July 15 - 27, 2021 — 12 days
- Lockdown 6: August 5 - October 26, 2021 — 82 days
It means Victorians may spend a total of 267 days in lockdown before restrictions and reasons-for leaving-home rules are again lifted.
Premier Daniel Andrews said on Thursday he would not rule out amending the roadmap and extending restrictions should health advice make it necessary.
Lockdowns have become a regular feature of Victoria's public health response to the current Delta strain outbreak.
Shepparton and Moorabool Shire were this week plunged into snap seven-day lockdowns on public health advice to combat rising cases.
According to the federal government's four-step national plan, lockdowns will remain a go-to measure to combat the virus until the country reaches an 80 per cent double vaccination rate, at which Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australians "should not expect broad-based, metropolitan-wide lockdowns".
'A policy failure'
The opposition has sharply criticised the state government over the length and intensity of Victoria's lockdown.
"Lockdowns are not a sign of policy success. They're a sign of policy failure," Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said.
"It is disastrous for our city, for our state, that Melbourne has been in lockdown for so long."
ABC News
)Mr Andrews said the opposition's comments were "utterly irrelevant" to the work the government was doing.
"People are free to be critical, that is fine. But if you are unhappy, what is your alternative?" he said.
"It isn't over yet. It will be soon."
When asked to reflect on Victoria's claim to the title of longest lockdown, Mr Andrews would only comment on the resilience of Victorian residents.
"I simply say how proud I am of every single Victorian for giving so much, for working so hard to save lives to get through this," Mr Andrews said.
"We achieved an enormous amount last year.
"It has been bloody tough, we know that, but the Victorian community have been so, so impressive in the way they've been looking out for each other and in all that they have endured and overcome.
"It is impressive. It makes you very, very proud."
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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiS2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIxLTEwLTAzL21lbGJvdXJuZS1sb25nZXN0LWxvY2tkb3duLzEwMDUxMDcxMNIBKGh0dHBzOi8vYW1wLmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvYXJ0aWNsZS8xMDA1MTA3MTA?oc=5
2021-10-03 09:00:26Z
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