Rapid changes on restrictions unlikely

National Cabinet is unlikely to make quick changes to restrictions when it meets tomorrow (today Friday May 5) to chart a roadmap out of the coronavirus crisis, the ABC understands.

When changes are made, they will come in four-week increments to gauge their impact on the number of infections in Australia.

The premiers, chief ministers and the Prime Minister are determined not to inadvertently allow a second wave of major infections by lifting restrictions haphazardly.

But, on the firm advice of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC), National Cabinet is expected to agree to a clear framework to allow Australians to understand how the next few months will look.

For every relaxation of social distancing rules or easing of shutdown measures, there will be a so-called “epidemiological timeframe” to analyse whether the change causes an uptick in infections.

That will allow health authorities the chance for a medical stocktake of the curve, which will take between three and five weeks per set of restrictions lifted.

Key points:

• National Cabinet will likely agree to ease restrictions in four-week increments, rather than all at once
• This will allow monitoring of the impact each change has on infection risk
• The Federal Government sees getting schools back to normal as the “keystone” of reopening the economy

Source
Andrew Probyn
ABC News