President of the Australian Medical Association (AMA) Dr Omar Khorshid has said Sydney’s lockdown could extend ‘indefinitely’ if COVID-19 cases don’t start to decline.
Dr Khorshid told Sunrise that locking down Sydney “certainly hasn’t worked yet” and that Sydneysiders could face living with restrictions until they are fully vaccinated.
With the introduction of tougher lockdown restrictions on Monday, Dr Khorshid said the next “week or so will be absolutely critical”.
These include the temporary shutdown of the construction industry and confining south-west Sydney residents to their homes.
“We’re going to have to see over the next probably five days whether this is enough,” Dr Khorshid said.
“If it isn’t, then Sydney has either got to do something really dramatic in order to stop the spread or work out what the permanent settings that need to be in place in order to protect people as best as possible whilst accepting that COVID will be in the community until we’re fully vaccinated.”
Dr Khorshid suggested harsher measures could include “shutting down most businesses and almost having the police roaming the streets”.
“I think if every Sydneysider does the right thing, there’s a good chance it will work,” he said of the current settings.
“But, we also need to be preparing ourselves for the possibility that it doesn’t.”
In a press release published by the AMA last week, Dr Khorshid called for the tightening of restrictions in a similar fashion to Victoria’s lockdown last year.
“Allowing non-essential retail stores to remain open not only sends the wrong message to the public, but it also increases the risk of transmission,” he said.
“A range of non-essential workplaces also remain open, which we know from the Victorian experience last year needed to be closed or operated under strict limits in order for its outbreak to be brought under control.”
NSW AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen also called for the reduction of the distance residents can travel from 10km to 5km.
New South Wales Premier Gladys Bereijiklian called for the number of COVID-19 cases who have been infectious in the community to be reduced before restrictions are eased.
As the number of infectious cases in the community continues to hover in the 30s, the figures are far too high for authorities to consider opening the state up fully.
Image: Sunrise
