Australia to enter its third year with COVID-19

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2021-11-15 00:01

Australia; VIC

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Australia will soon enter its third year with COVID-19, and while we’ve weathered the storm relatively well, vigilance and a planned recovery are essential, according to an editorial by Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton and health economist Stephen Duckett. The pandemic in Australia exacerbated inequalities in Australia, the authors say, and the National Cabinet COVID-19 roadmap does not include a recovery phase to manage the economic and mental health after-effects. And while our death rate was among the lowest in the world, these successes have hampered the vaccine rollout. Ongoing vigilance will be crucial to keep a strong health system and make sure we’re well-placed for COVID-19 long-term and navigate future pandemics, the authors say.