Australia’s COVID-19 Response – While the global pandemic brought most countries & governments to its knees, numerous institutions & global reports have applauded Australia for its effective response in keeping Covid-19 cases in the country low.

Among the first and essential steps taken by the government is to put together a team of medical experts, or the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC), to make key decisions and coordinate Covid-19 action plans across different states of the country to ensure consistency & integration.

With lower economic & mobility disruptions versus other comparable countries, Australia’s COVID-19 Response ranked third in the United Nations’ list of countries with Effective Covid-19 responses. These are the measures implemented by the government to cushion the impact of the pandemic for Aussies:

• Apply international travel restrictions

• Screen & quarantine travellers arriving in Australia

• Implement continuous border surveillance

• Provide protective gears for medical professionals

• Effectively monitor & trace coronavirus cases & suspects

• Deliver AUD 17.6 Billion Economic Support Package or Jobkeeper and Jobseeker payments

• Allocate AUD 2.4 Billion Health Packages for all Australians

• Provide Australians an access to quality healthcare while at home by giving AUD 669 Million for expansion of Medicare-subsidised telehealth services

• Provide AUD 122.1 Million to support the Mental Health & Wellbeing of Australians during the pandemic

It is clear: we have to change if we are to sustain life on the planet in the long term, and quality of life in the short to medium term – the span of our children and grandchildren. We have shown we will change when the message is clear, the stakes are high and the leadership leads.

While there is no assurance yet of when the Covid-19 crisis will end, Australians can be confident that the government, along with the public’s cooperation & support, will be able to lead the country out of the pandemic and eventually carry on with their lives only with more solidarity and wisdom as a nation.

SOURCES:

https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/government-response-to-the-covid-19-outbreak

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jul/29/australias-covid-19-response-shows-we-can-confront-major-crises-threats-to-our-planet-should-be-next