If Australia was on the graph it would destroy the y-axis. That’s what happens when procedures that previously were sufficient become inadequate.
No, this is actually completely incorrect. Most of the procedures that previously were sufficient were deliberately abolished when the 16+ vaccination rate went over 80%. For most states that happened just before the first reports of Omicron from South Africa.
This is what happens when a government changes from “COVID zero” to “let it rip” just as a strain comes along that infects vaccinated people almost as easily as unvaccinated. Except in the state of Western Australia, which peaked at 16 new cases a few days ago and returned to zero yesterday.
We currently have no restrictions almost everywhere else. People who have been in contact outside their home with known cases have no requirement to isolate or get tested, and there are essentially no restrictions on large gatherings in most areas. There are some ridiculous and ineffective restrictions in some areas (such as no dancing or singing in hospitality venues). Some states are considering asking health workers to come to work while known to be infected if they’re not displaying symptoms.
Update: Household close contacts of known cases who would normally be required to quarantine (used to be 14 days, now 7) are now allowed back to work if they are in “critical” positions such as hospital workers and not showing symptoms.
To avoid looking up the relevant government websites or news, you could look at the “stringency index” graph for Australia on OurWorldInData: from being one of the highest in Western nations in November, it’s now lower than most of them.
No, this is actually completely incorrect. Most of the procedures that previously were sufficient were deliberately abolished when the 16+ vaccination rate went over 80%. For most states that happened just before the first reports of Omicron from South Africa.
This is what happens when a government changes from “COVID zero” to “let it rip” just as a strain comes along that infects vaccinated people almost as easily as unvaccinated. Except in the state of Western Australia, which peaked at 16 new cases a few days ago and returned to zero yesterday.
We currently have no restrictions almost everywhere else. People who have been in contact outside their home with known cases have no requirement to isolate or get tested, and there are essentially no restrictions on large gatherings in most areas. There are some ridiculous and ineffective restrictions in some areas (such as no dancing or singing in hospitality venues). Some states are considering asking health workers to come to work while known to be infected if they’re not displaying symptoms.
Update: Household close contacts of known cases who would normally be required to quarantine (used to be 14 days, now 7) are now allowed back to work if they are in “critical” positions such as hospital workers and not showing symptoms.
To avoid looking up the relevant government websites or news, you could look at the “stringency index” graph for Australia on OurWorldInData: from being one of the highest in Western nations in November, it’s now lower than most of them.