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“Opinion”: Australia’s Security Is in National Quarantine and mRNA Vaccines

“Opinion”: Australia’s Security Is in National Quarantine and mRNA Vaccines

By Christian Brown

27 July 2021

You would think by now, some 18 months into the Covid-19 Global pandemic, the Federal LNP government of Australia, would have shrugged off the laid-back attitude of “she will be right”, it will sort itself out. The country is yet to have a clear covid-19 safe message, while the Federal government national covid – 19 vaccination program gets up to speed, paving the way for Prime Minister Morrison to establish quarantine free travel bubbles with other countries. However, the Federal government has not fulfilled its’ constitutional responsibility of national quarantine, instead has passed quarantine responsibilities to the states and territories and the end result is a shaky hotel quarantine system. Resulting in covid outbreaks and state and territory lockdowns.

Who knew the practice of social distancing, actually means staying home and away from others as much as possible to help prevent spread of COVID-19? Persuading people to use such things, as mobile phones to contact each other, zoom or skype software to communicate in conferences or one on one, instead of in person and increasing the risk of catching or spreading the covid virus. Honestly, I thought social distancing was the 1.5 metre or 2 outspread arms away from another was the rule. Maybe, this is where the messaging to the public has been problematic and why family members are continuing to infect each other with the virus. Mistakenly believing, its ok to be in the same room as long as you are 1.5 metres away from each other. Physical distancing would be a better term with the wearing of face masks. Here are some examples of social distancing for New South Wales:

Working from home.

School children are to stay home and learn from online classes.

Check up with friends and family by phone or other digital media devices, instead of in person.

Cancelling or postponing conferences and large meetings

The rules and social norms are rapidly changing, with self-quarantine quickly becoming a new norm for people who have been travelling interstate and will mean:  

personal hygiene and washing hands is important.

Not sharing things like towels and utensils.

Staying at home

Not having visitors

Staying at least 6 feet away from other people in your household

When a person’s quarantine period, they should see check with their doctor to be cleared to return to their normal routine.

For those who have contracted COVID-19, isolation is absolutely necessary. Infectious people are a risk to others and need to be kept from others. Isolation can take place at home or at a hospital or care facility. Special personal protective equipment will be used to care for these patients in health care settings.

(www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/rules/social-distancing)

For Qld, the covid safe message from Qld health is to practise physical distancing as much as possible and:

• wash your hands regularly with soap and water, and use alcohol-based sanitizer

• avoid hugs, kisses, and handshakes

• wherever possible keep at least 1.5 metres away (two big steps) from people you don’t live with.

This is a clear instruction, using one word alone physical distancing with a different meaning to social distancing (https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/current-status/public-health-directions/movements-gatherings).

Desperate to keep international tourism industry functioning, a travel bubble between New Zealand and Australia was launched last year, bearing in mind both countries had been relatively successful in preventing any major outbreak. Sadly, the travel bubble burst and will not be restarted for at least eight weeks due to an outbreak of the Delta strain of (Covid-19) in Sydney. the Delta strain is highly contagious, with multiple clusters in Australia. (www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/new-zealand-australia-travel-bubble-faced-minor-snags-then-came-the-delta-variant-101627046173462).

The stoppage of the travel bubble comes as welcome news, for Australian states not part of the travel bubble with New Zealand, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said it was problematic for Victoria. Because, travellers from New Zealand were able to get a connecting flight from Sydney to Melbourne, bypassing Victoria’s quarantine.

"Somehow, something has gone wrong at Sydney, I think, to allow people to travel on beyond the international flight," he said on Saturday (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-17/nz-travellers-in-melbourne-from-sydney-coronavirus/).

Quarantine breaches are not unique to Australia, the New Zealand Ministry of Health announced it had traced four close contacts of an Australian passenger who flew from Sydney to Wellington while infectious.

“This is the first time an Australian traveller has brought COVID-19 to NZ, and since gone home,” the ministry.

(https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/coronavirus/2021/06/23/sydney-nz-flight-exposure-sites/). 

Despite these Quarantine breaches Morrison remains keen to establish a travel bubble with Singapore, similar to the Australian – New Zealand travel. With Morrison stopping in Singapore on his way to G7 in the UK, meeting with Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to discuss the setting up of quarantine free Australia and Singapore.

“The world is moving into the next stage of the fight with vaccinations becoming more prevalent and countries beginning to open up their borders. We discussed how two-way travel between Singapore and Australia can eventually resume in a safe and calibrated manner when both sides are ready. We need to be prepared,” Prime Minister Lee said.

Before departing a tour of Asia, minister Tehan told The Sunday Age and The Sun-Herald that Singapore-Australia travel bubble, has been delayed until the end of 2021. Because the national rollout of Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine program is slow, worsened by the spread of the Delta Covid 19 www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/travel-bubble-with-singapore-delayed-until-end-of-2021-tehan. Labour leader Anthony Albanese wants Australia to meet its vaccination requirements, with a proper national quarantine system in place to return Australia to the global arena and also wants Australia to have the capacity to manufacture mRNA vaccines nationally for an effective rollout of covid vaccines.

The LNP government has ignored its obligation to national quarantine COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA CONSTITUTION ACT - SECT 51. By the way, Quarantine was the only health power given to the new Federation in 1901 and has been used to combat infectious diseases from smallpox to the ravages of the Spanish Flu in 1919 (www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-19/who-is-responsible-for-quarantine-in-australia).

Frustrated with a leaky hotel quarantine system, the Victorian Labour government has planned and proposed a Victorian quarantine facility with support of the federal LNP government Commonwealth-owned land in Mickleham, located 29km north of the city centre, with hopes construction will get underway as soon as possible. The purpose-built facility is set to duplicate the Northern Territory quarantine facility, a  open-air cabin facility established in Darwin's Howard Springs (www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-purpose-built-quaratine-facilities-approved-melbourne-queensland-scott-morrison). The Queensland Premier has followed the Victorian government lead and has proposed a similar quarantine facility, to be privately built and run by the Wagners construction group (www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-05/queensland-pinkenba-wellcamp-quarantine-facility).

In the face of a floundering State and Territory managed Hotel quarantine system, international travel between Australia and other countries are at risk of bursting. Causing further spread of corona virus and states and territories going into lockdown to defeat the spread. A national infectious disease quarantine facility needs to be devised.

In the face of a delayed Covid 19 vaccine rollout by the commonwealth, the covid safe message has not been clear, risking covid outbreaks. Leading to states and territories locking down their cities and regions to stop the spread of the covid 19. Australia’s prospect of opening its international border is not clear. Because, Australia’s only International travel bubble,  with New Zealand. has been breached on two occasions.