Look after local trade

THERE has been plenty of debate about the further easing of restrictions in Tasmania. Indeed businesses have been understanding of the state government’s decision to keep our state’s borders closed, but they have asked that other restrictions are scaled back to allow them to maximise local trade.

Understandably there are a couple of reasons the government is reluctant to remove all restrictions.

Firstly, should there be a positive case in the community, if we don’t maintain such measures the number of people potentially exposed increases.

Further, as world-leading infectious diseases expert Dale Fisher points out, we may have to live with coronavirus for a very long time and if a vaccine isn’t created that means at some point we will have to open our borders. There is a very good chance of another outbreak here and, if so, we’re likely to face further restrictions. The government wants people to remember we’re not out of the woods yet and to keep the good practices that we’ve learned the hard way.

That said, given there are no current active cases in the state and we’ve been virtually coronavirus-free for some months now, the authorities need to be careful not to come across too heavy-handed.

Policing businesses – and in one case even a library – and handing out warnings and cautions just isn’t the right approach given our current circumstances.

People need to take personal responsibility, as do businesses, and at this stage in the game, the government should be there to provide assistance and education.

Save the big stick for when we really need it.