Western Australia The rest of Australia has recorded seven new local COVID-19 cases despite closing its border, with Mark McGowan indicating residents could be locked down for months as the government targets double-dose vaccinations. scrapes it. does.
The premier said on Friday that three cases are linked to known contacts of previous infections, while four infections remain a mystery, prompting fears that an out-of-control omicron wave is set to hit the hardline Covid state.
Mr McGowan sensationally backed down on his promise to reopen WA to the rest of the country on 5 February, with no date set for when WA’s free travel would resume.
Mr McGowan sensationally backed down on his promise to reopen the state to the rest of the country on 5 February
He had initially said that the state would reopen its borders once the vaccination rate reached 90 percent. WA is now at 89 per cent.
But the state’s Labor government now says they will not rely on double-dose vaccination targets.
Instead, the take-up of booster shots will determine when the state finally opens its doors, with 70 percent triple-vax now the new target.
But it can take several months for only 27 percent of the state’s residents to receive a booster vaccination.
While the backflip has been met with fury from many residents, after months of promises the state would eventually reopen, Mr McGowan has received support from political allies.
Federal opposition leader Anthony Albanese lent his support behind the premier’s decision to impose tough border measures indefinitely.
In a late night press conference on Thursday, Mr McGowan said reopening WA as planned on 5 February would be ‘reckless and irresponsible’, given the large amount of COVID-19 cases in eastern states
Mr Albanese said while some may be disappointed by the boundary decision, the WA premier made the right call.
“I said (Mark McGowan on Thursday night) I respected and supported this decision,” Mr Albanese said in Sydney.
‘People were eager to visit their loved ones, but Mark McGowan’s first priority has been to keep WA safe. People in WA certainly enjoy an almost normal life compared to NSW.’
Mr McGowan said the limit would allow more people to receive booster doses and allow children to be fully vaccinated against COVID.
Mr Albanese said the booster rollout will be key to providing COVID protection.
“Mark McGowan has done the right thing by WA which is keeping his health in good shape, which is a precondition for keeping his economy in good shape,” he said.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese poses for a photo with his partner Jody Hein. He has backed Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan’s move to keep his state’s border indefinitely closed
Border’s decision means that neither opposition leader nor Prime Minister Scott Morrison will be able to join WA to campaign ahead of the federal election, which will take place until May 21 at the latest.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said that while he could understand the decision made by the West, residents needed more certainty to proceed.
‘ (West Australians) would be asking, ‘If not now, then when?'” Mr Frydenberg told Seven Network on Friday.
‘It is a decision that the Western Australian Government has taken themselves, and there is an explanation for them, but obviously people in WA will be disappointed by this decision.’
Defense Minister Peter Dutton said the federal government would provide aid to WA in the wake of the state’s decision to reopen its border.
Mr Dutton told the Nine Network: “We will provide whatever assistance WA needs, we want to see Australia through this.”
‘At the moment, the most important thing is to look at WA differently as people are separated from their families.’
Dr Omar Khurshid, president of the Australian Medical Association, has criticized the decision to halt the reopening.
The state will instead open in phases with an expanded list of relaxation criteria (pictured)
He said on Twitter, ‘Gone… Looks like Mark McGowan has an idea when it comes to COVID-19.
‘This decision must be acknowledged as a failure by the WA government to prepare and a broken promise.’
Khurshid said WA cannot bury its head in the sand, an outbreak in the state is inevitable.
It comes after another day of nationwide death tolls, with NSW recording its highest daily death toll since the pandemic began.
There were 46 deaths in NSW, including seven deaths that were historical cases.
Victoria reported 20 deaths on Friday, while Tasmania also recorded a new death, the state’s first death since April 2020.
Across the country, there were 25,168 cases in NSW, 18167 in Victoria and 866 in Tasmania.