Sydney cases dip, New Zealand keeps curbs until next week

Sydney’s COVID-19 cases slightly eased on Friday but still hovered near record levels as the Australian federal government looks to press states to stick to a national reopening plan once the country reaches a 70%-80% vaccination rate.

The national cabinet, a group of federal and state leaders, will meet later in the day against a backdrop of concerns by some states given the persistently high daily infections in Sydney even after two months under lockdown.

New South Wales recorded 882 new cases, most of them in state capital Sydney, down from the record 1,029 on Thursday as officials struggle to quell the Delta outbreak.

Two new deaths were reported, while 117 people are in intensive care, 103 of them unvaccinated.

Even as infections surge, state authorities revealed a staggered back-to-school plan from late October, when they expect its vaccination rate to hit 70% from 32% now.

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she would be focussing more on vaccination rates and the number of hospitalisations rather than daily case numbers as the rollout picks up speed.

“They are the two things that will matter even when we start to live life more freely at 70% and then obviously at 80% … we are starting to make that mind change in New South Wales,” Berejiklian said during a televised media conference.

VICTORIA MYSTERY CASES

A national reopening plan was agreed between leaders of Australia‘s eight states and territories and the federal government last month, when Sydney cases were much lower, but virus-free Queensland and Western Australia have hinted they may not follow it.

More than half of all Australians are under strict stay-at-home orders as Sydney and Melbourne, its largest cities, and capital Canberra, battle outbreaks of the highly contagious Delta variant.

The lockdowns are hitting economic activity with some economists predicting Australia‘s A$2 trillion ($1.45 trillion) economy on the brink of a second recession in as many years as data on Friday showed a plunge in July retail sales.

In Victoria state, officials detected 79 new local cases, down from 80 cases on Thursday. Of the new cases, 26 are mystery cases – those whose source is unknown – raising prospects of an extension to the lockdown beyond Sept. 2.

With some 48,600 cases and 991 deaths, Australia has kept its coronavirus numbers relatively low. Officials expect fewer deaths from the latest flare-up versus last year as vaccination rates rise.

So far, 32% of people above 16 has been fully vaccinated and based on current rates, Australia should hit 80% by mid-November. Australia‘s expert vaccination panel on Friday approved the use of vaccines for children aged 12-15.

New Zealand keeps curbs until next week to beat Delta; Auckland shut for longer

New Zealand on Friday extended pandemic restrictions by four days after which they will be eased slightly, although businesses and schools will remain shut and the biggest city Auckland will be locked down for longer.

New Zealand had been largely virus-free, barring a small number of cases in February, but that changed last week after an outbreak of the Delta coronavirus variant erupted, prompting Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to order a nationwide lockdown.

The outbreak, which has so far infected nearly 350 people, may be reaching its peak, Ardern said at a news conference.

“We may be seeing the beginning of a plateau of cases,” Ardern said. “But caution is still required.”

She ordered all of New Zealand, except Auckland and Northland, the country’s northernmost region, to move one step lower to alert level 3 restrictions from Wednesday, Sept. 1.

This means businesses can only operate for online orders and contactless services, and bars and restaurants remain shut except for takeaways. Public venues remain closed, while the number of people at weddings and funerals are limited to 10 people.

“Yes, you might be able to order some food, but there is not a lot more in terms of freedoms,” Ardern acknowledged.

Meanwhile, nearly 2 million people residing in Auckland and neighbouring Northland will remain in full level 4 lockdown, possibly for another 2 weeks, Ardern said.

BUSINESSES DISAPPOINTED

The country reported 70 new cases of COVID-19 in the community on Friday, all in the epicentre Auckland, taking the total number of cases to 347.

Ardern’s tough lockdowns and international border closure in March 2020 helped rein in COVID-19, but the government now faces questions over a delayed vaccine rollout, as well as rising costs in a country heavily reliant on an immigrant workforce.

Just about 21% of the country’s 5.1 million people has been fully vaccinated, the slowest pace among the wealthy nations of the OECD grouping.

Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Leeann Watson said the lockdown extension was “disappointing”.

“While the government absolutely has to weigh any decision-making with the impact on public health, the reality is that ongoing lockdowns cannot be part of our long-term future,” Watson said.

Mike Toweel, the founder of LED Display and Sign Specialist firm VitrineMedia NZ, told Reuters the lockdowns have been “heartbreaking” for small businesses.

“We are all stakeholders in the New Zealand economy,” Toweel said in a phone interview from Sydney. The Australian has been unable to return to New Zealand due to the border restrictions.

“What the New Zealand government does not address is that every time they have this knee-jerk reaction they put another chink in the armour of business confidence.”

Ardern has defended the government’s position, saying elimination was the right strategy until everyone is vaccinated.

“Our goal at the moment is to vaccinate more people than any other country in the world and at this rate New Zealand is doing very well,” she said.