A seven-day lockdown with Level 5 restrictions was announced on the morning of 20th July, sparked by a Modbury case cluster and justified to “protect South Australians from further spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19 in our community.” Four new diagnosed cases, a total of 18 active cases and 1 hospitalisation. [1, 2, 3, 4]
During lockdown “South Australians will only be allowed out for five reasons – to provide essential care, to seek medical assistance, to buy essential food and other goods, for essential work, or to exercise for up to 2.5 hours” [5]
Compare South Australia to National COVID-19 statistics as of July 21, 2021 [6, 7]
Note the end point is “preventing spread” not “preventing hospitalisations”, which was the original reason to “flatten the curve” in early 2020. This change of focus is to push vaccination as the solution, and not allow natural immunity.
This marks the first day masks have been mandated for South Australia.
At this point it is unknown what number of South Australians are fully vaccinated, and if the vaccinated could still be a source of infection? The Delta variant is alleged to be 60% more transmissible than original Alpha variant.
Booster shots are starting to emerge in the conversations and appears to have been the plan by the manufacturers from the beginning.