Lockdowns less likely but possible until WA reaches 90 per cent vaccination target
WA Premier Mark McGowan says itâs unlikely, but possible, his government will enforce lockdowns if COVID-19 enters the state before the 90 per cent vaccination target is reached.
WA and Tasmania are the only two Australian states which will remain shut off from the virus until the target is reached, with other states following the national plan which allows for reopening from 80 per cent with minimal restrictions.
WA Premier Mark McGowan.Credit:Hamish Hastie
Mr McGowan said the decision to lockdown the state would depend on the circumstances of an outbreak.
âLockdown is obviously increasingly a last resort as we get our vaccination rates up ... the key to avoiding lockdowns is high levels of vaccinations,â he said.
âWeâve had 12 days of lockdown since last April, one of the lowest rates of lockdown anywhere in the world and thatâs led to outstanding health and economic outcomes here.
âItâs a measure that would be a last resort but you keep it up your sleeve as you track to those very high levels of vaccination so we donât have a mass outbreak, and whatâs occurring now in Europe, but Iâm very hopeful and very confident that we wonât need to do it.â
The state government will set a date for WAâs reopening once vaccination levels reach 80 per cent, which will likely occur in early December.
Iâve never spoken to Greg Hunt, I wouldnât know him if I met him
Premier Mark McGowanThe borders are expected to be lifted around late January or early February.
Mr McGowan rubbished claims made by the Federal Health Minister on Sunday that he understood WA was planning to open its borders by mid-January to coincide with hosting the fifth Ashes test.
âIâve never met Greg Hunt, Iâve never spoken to Greg Hunt, I wouldnât know him if I met him. Heâs got a very vivid imagination ... I just urge the Commonwealth Government to stop making things up,â he said.
âI donât know why he would think that, he has no basis to say that, the Commonwealth has been difficult the whole way along the last two years.â
It follows Mr Hunt telling ABCâs Insider program he would like to see WA open sooner.
âBut we are hearing that they are considering bringing that forward to at least ... well, coincidently, to time with the cricket. Weâll let them determine it,â he said.
Mr McGowan said since the pandemic began, WA had only had one person die after acquiring the virus locally. The other eight deaths were in people who acquired COVID-19 interstate or overseas.
Around 10,000 school leavers are expected to travel to Dunsborough in the coming days, with every teen requiring to have had at least one jab to be able to attend the weekâs events.
Since the vaccine mandate was announced six weeks ago, only around a quarter have been vaccinated.
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