The state considering lifting virus restrictions in weeks – here's what it may look like
Schools could reopen in weeks, some road closures might be lifted and small gatherings may soon be allowed under Western Australia’s loosening of coronavirus rules as confirmed cases continue to fall.
In coming weeks, Premier Mark McGowan said he would look at which of the state’s tough restrictions could be softened, with just five new cases recorded on Wednesday.
“We're going to work on this over coming weeks to see what can be eased and can be tweaked, but I don't want to start ruling things in or out now,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
He expressed opening interstate borders was not going to happen “in the near to medium term”, but other restrictions would be reviewed monthly.
Professor Archie Clements, an expert in health sciences at Western Australia’s Curtin University, predicted kids could be back at school within weeks if cases continue on their current trajectory.
“In my view it would be sensible for the schools to be reopened. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was encouragement for people to send their kids back to school,” he told Yahoo News Australia.
“Possibly even a couple of weeks after school goes back [on April 28].”
Certain businesses may soon also re-open their doors, Professor Clements said, but likely would need to operate under specific rules to keep staff and patrons safe.
WA restaurants could open under strict guidelines
“Potentially there could be the re-opening of restaurants, but I think they would be enforcing very strict social distancing and number of clients arrangement,” he said.
Small social gatherings and small community events might soon be given allowance to go ahead, and churches and libraries may also be allowed to open under certain rules, Professor Clements said.
He said by starting to loosen restrictions on things considered on the lower risk end of the spectrum, it would be easier to ramp those back up if there was a resurgence in confirmed cases.
Travel restrictions between regions may also be one of the first things to be relaxed, but in a staged process that would likely be rolled out over time, according to Professor Clements.
After regional borders are opened up, he said the state government may then look to allow interstate travel between South Australia and the Northern Territory where the virus has been well managed.
What will be the last to open?
International travel restrictions were likely to take much longer to be lifted, and it could be several years before overseas flights return to how they were previously, Professor Clements said.
“I would expect that initially particular groups of people will be able to travel, to particular destinations and with certain restrictions and I think that will be a gradual process,” he said.
“Not until either there’s evidence the pandemic is behind us or that there’s no evidence of transmission in parts of the world or high coverage with a vaccine.”
Professor Clements said bars and nightclubs may be among some of the last things to be allowed to operate as normal again.
“Just because it’s quite hard to get young people to comply with social distancing. Plus it’s not been a bad thing just generally for society.”
Big community events would be another one of the later things to return he said, as well as visiting people in aged care facilities and prisons.
“Because those things are particularly high risk. They will look at the risk profile of each different decision and start with the lower risk things,” he said.
Professor Clements said while the restrictions could begin being loosened in May, it could take many years until Australia sees the other side of the pandemic.
More than 6400 Australians have contracted the virus and about 56 per cent of them have recovered.
There have been 63 deaths in total, including 26 in NSW, 14 in Victoria, four in Queensland, six in Western Australia, six Tasmania, three in the ACT, and four in South Australia.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
