Everything About the Melbourne Re-Lockdown, Something that S’pore is Trying to Avoid

As Singapore eases into post-CB life, one question has been raised:

“What if, touch wood, we get an influx of cases and have to go into quarantine again?”

A very ominous question, certainly, but it’s far from being implausible;

After all, if cities such as Melbourne have fallen prey to the notion…

Would Singapore, with all due respect, not be vulnerable to the dreaded scenario as well?

Everything About the Melbourne Re-Lockdown, Something that S’pore is Trying to Avoid

According to Yahoo News, Australia’s second-largest city has commenced a second lockdown, in light of a fresh wave of coronavirus infections.

Five million Melbourne residents will be restricted from leaving home for at least six weeks, except for ‘essential reasons’.

The police have also set up a “ring of steel” around the city, in a bid to enforce the measures.

Apparently, more than 3,000 public housing residents (in nine Melbourne tower blocks) were given just one hour’s notice over the weekend to prepare accordingly, before they were forced to stay indoors for at least five days.

On Tuesday (7 July), borders between Victoria and nearby states were shut down.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has since addressed the issue:

“The rest of the country knows that the sacrifice that you’re going through right now is not just for you and your own family, but it’s for the broader Australian community,” he said during a news conference.

Measures that will slow the return of Australian nationals from abroad are reportedly also being considered.

The second lockdown was announced after the state saw 191 new infections, its highest daily tally since the start of the pandemic.

Melbourne’s Infection Numbers Remain High

Although Wednesday’s statistic was cut down to 134, it remains a far higher figure than anywhere else in the country.

To date, Australia has reported nearly 9,000 cases, as well as 106 deaths from the epidemic.

Allegations of blame have been directed at private security firms hired to operate the state’s quarantine. Systemic failures such as guards not being proficient enough or not given PPE are some of the accusations Victoria has faced.

Meanwhile, sheer bad luck has also been thought to be one of the reasons behind Melbourne’s ‘re-lockdown’.

The lockdown was first lifted in early June: people were allowed to socialise again, and enjoy other privileges such as dining out at restaurants.

Even then, experts believe that secondary cases might have already been gathering undetected in the community.

Singapore

Singapore might have performed considerably well ever since the Circuit Breaker phase was lifted, what with minimal daily community cases and all, but one should not be complacent. 

After all, hidden, secondary cases are very much a thing, and you never know;

Everything might just balloon out of control one day, and we’ll be sent right back to square one.

So stay safe, people, and observe the necessary safety precautions. As long as everyone co-operates…

There should be no reason for our own police force to start ‘circling’ the island.