A fleet of mobile testing vans is now deployed in a massive suburban blitz to contain a rising infection rate that, according to Premier Daniel Andrews, has placed Victoria on a “knife’s edge”.
Victoria will ramp up COVID-19 testing to 25,000 a day, with the aim of reaching around half of residents in Melbourne’s 10 virus hotspots.
Premier Daniel Andrews ahs said about 800 staff would hit suburban streets to zero-in on community transmissions and get a sense of how the virus was spreading.
Premier Daniel Andrews has urged people to come forward for free testing, whether or not they have the symptoms.
“See it as your civic duty. See it as your contribution to keeping your local area and our whole community safe,” he said.
Mr Andrews said the state was on a “knife’s edge” and “what we do now will determine what comes next”.
Mobile testing will especially focus on Keilor Downs, Broadmeadows, Maidstone, Albanvale, Sunshine West, Hallam, Brunswick West, Fawkner, Reservoir and Pakenham.
Also read: COVID-19 Emergency Testing Blitz in hotspots
While the government is completely focused on zeroing-in on the virus, earlier the state Opposition said it is all Daniel Andrews’s fault.
“When Chairman Dan gave the go ahead to the protest, he sent a message to the community that restrictions were over – well they aren’t over and Andrews is to blame for the rise in cases”, Shadow Minister for Local Government, Tim Smith has said.
“Victoria had the toughest lockdown restrictions in the country and yet we continue to see the number of cases spike which is a real sign that Andrews has dropped the ball”, Shadow Minister for Health Georgie Crozier joined her colleague Mr Smith saying.
“Now is not the time to be blaming families. Now is the time to be supporting businesses to get back on their feet”, Mr Smith continued.
Yesterday Victoria reported 33 new COVID-19 cases.
While politicians and their spin doctors play politics, Victorians are urged not to be complacent with their personal hygiene and social distancing rules as the virus is not likely to be eliminated any time soon.
“We’re going to have to keep up the things that we know work, which is predominantly keeping a physical distance, washing your hands and people who are sick staying away from others,” Australian National University’s Professor Peter Collignon has said on.
“Probably winter will be more risky, so I worry about the next three months in Australia in particular.”
Experts warn that Victoria’s spike in cases could easily happen elsewhere. It is going to be crucial for the governments, federal and state to find the right balance between health and economic outcomes out of this COVID-19 situation Australians have been thrown in, due to no fault of theirs.
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