3 October 2020 | New Scientist | 9strategy is to continue
suppressing the virus until a
vaccine is available, others
question how sustainable this
goal is. Woolhouse points out
that as soon as the next set of
restrictions is relaxed, a third
wave is a plausible scenario.
In recent weeks, there has been
discussion of whether it is time to
look at alternatives to suppressing
countries’ epidemics (see page 10).
What might those look like? One
is better protections for those we
know are more vulnerable to the
illness: the over-65s and those
with existing health conditions.
Countries such as the UK have
begun regular testing for care
home workers to protect residents.
But an equivalent testing scheme
for carers, spouses and others in
close contact with vulnerable
people in the community isn’t
yet in place. Having millions of
tests a day, as the UK has proposed,
could be another option. But that
doesn’t exist yet.
In the short term, says
Woolhouse: “All we’re left with is
increased social distancing, partial
lockdown.” But all the strategy
will do in the medium term is
defer the problem, he believes.
One step that governments
could take is messaging and
interventions that are more
tailored to individuals, says
Hunter. “It’s plausible we could
have something like personalised
public health interventions,” he
says. “If you’re female, white, fit,
64 years old with no pre-existing
disease, then probably you’re not
in the vulnerable group. If you’re
an overweight, white, male
professor you certainly are more
at risk. If you are from a [black,
Asian and minority ethnic]
background and have diabetes,
you are even more at risk. There
should be a way of being a bit
more focused.” ❚
Quarantine diaryDonna LuA WEEK ago, with an expired UK
visa and after eight unsuccessful
attempts to get home, I finally
boarded a plane bound for Perth
in Western Australia. I now find
myself in quarantine, at the sharp
end of the country’s tough
policies to curb a second wave
of covid-19 cases.
Australia has limited the
number of returning passengers
since July, after security breaches
in quarantine hotels in Melbourne,
Victoria, led to another wave of
infections. The city went into a
second lockdown, imposing some
of the strictest measures in the
world, including a curfew between
9 pm and 5 am and hefty
on-the-spot fines for people in
breach of stay-at-home orders.
The policies seem to have
worked. After more than
11 gruelling weeks, cases
dropped faster than expected,
and the curfew was lifted on
28 September. On that day,
there were just five new cases in
the state of Victoria, down from
a peak of 686 on 4 August.
Compared with the UK, where
travellers must quarantine at
home for two weeks with little
or no checks, Australia’s policies
are extreme. With some celebrity
exceptions – actor Tom Hanks
and businessman Alan Sugar
among them – only Australiancitizens and permanent residents
are currently allowed entry.
Incoming flights are capped
at around 50 passengers per
plane, which led to one of the
strangest flights I have ever
taken. We were required to wear
both a mask and face shield the
entire time, except when eating.On the leg to Australia, I counted
22 of us in economy.
As we descended into Perth,
an announcement from the
Australian government informed
passengers that we would need
to quarantine in a hotel for 14
days at our own expense. “Failure
to do so may result in a fine or a
prison sentence,” we were told.
At the airport, temperatures
were taken and we were asked
about covid-19 symptoms. We
were interviewed by state police
to be granted permission to enter
and were later bussed to a hotel
with soldiers outside. “Enjoy that
fresh air while you can,” a police
officer told me as I was waiting
to be assigned a room.
In some states, people can take
regular breaks outside throughout
the fortnight. But here in Perth,
perhaps wary of an outbreak like
Melbourne’s, the authorities don’t
let people leave their rooms for
the duration of quarantine.
Food is delivered three times
a day. Somewhat desperately,
I have figured out that if I stand
in a certain spot in my hotelroom, the gust from the door
slamming shut almost feels like
a breeze. From my windows,
which are large but don’t open,
I can see people lining up at a
coronavirus testing clinic – the
only social distancing I have
seen. There is now zero
community transmission
in Western Australia.
Testing has been widespread
in the country, with more than
7.4 million tests conducted to
date. Covidsafe, a contact-tracing
phone app, was launched in April
and downloaded by more than
7 million Australians – over a
quarter of the population. Overall,
the country has seen 875 deaths
from covid-19 and just over
27,000 total cases.
So while a fortnight alone in
confinement isn’t how I would
ideally spend my time, it seems
like a fair price to pay given the
efforts Australians have made to
keep coronavirus under control. ❚Strict policies in Australia
seem to have worked
DARR
IANTRAY
NOR/GET
TY
IMAGESA woman enjoys a
park in Melbourne, as
restrictions there ease5
The number of new covid-19 cases
recorded in Victoria on 28 September