Call for NSW lockdown and mandatory masks

Sydneysiders should be forced to wear masks and there is also a “strong case” for a stage 3 lockdown, says one expert who believes NSW shouldn’t risk a Victorian-style situation.

Melbourne University epidemiologist Professor Tony Blakely said the number of “mystery cases”, where a source could not be found, was raising concerns.

While NSW’s daily case numbers appear to be dropping slightly to below 15 a day, there is generally at least one case a day where the source could not be found.

“NSW has done extremely well of trying to stamp out the outbreaks in the last 10 days,” Professor Blakely said. “However, through no fault of the contact tracing teams, cracks are appearing — with both outbreaks spread geographically and a handful [and growing] number of ‘mystery cases’ of local transmission where the source cannot be found.

“This means the virus is spreading without always being detected. This is a serious problem that could quickly turn into a Victoria-like situation.”

On Thursday, NSW released an urgent alert for Newcastle residents after a Covid-positive man visited five pubs and a stadium over the weekend. It comes after outbreaks at venues including almost 200 cases linked to the Crossroads Hotel, Thai Rock and Apollo restaurants.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the state was on a “knife’s edge” and was about halfway through a critical period.

The Premier said there are still about two or three weeks to go before NSW could exit this “critical period”.

“We are definitely on a knife’s edge, and we are about halfway through what is a really critical period,” she said.

NSW has recommended residents wear masks on public transport or when they are in a situation where they can’t socially distance, however it’s not mandatory.

On Wednesday, also authorities announced new hotel quarantine rules for NSW residents returning from Victoria. Last month it limited the size of group bookings allowed in hospitality venues to 10 people, which is lower than the 20 allowed previously. It also limited the numbers allowed for weddings, funerals and religious gatherings. The number of people allowed to gather in homes remains at 20.

Professor Blakely agrees the state should be going further to ensure NSW avoids walking the same path as Victoria, which recorded another record day on Wednesday of 725 daily cases and has had to introduce an even stricter stage 4 lockdown after authorities realised stage 3 wasn’t bringing down coronavirus case numbers.

He said NSW, and Sydney in particular, should have mandatory mask wearing.

“There is also a strong case for a stage 3 lockdown for a few weeks to get ahead of the virus, and stamp it out,” he said.

“Otherwise, NSW could look like Victoria in four weeks.”

He said NSW seemed to be adopting a “reasonably laissez-faire attitude”.

“Yet Prime Minister Scott Morrison explicitly stated in 24 July that Australia’s goal remains eliminating community transmission,” he said.

“This would allow all states and territories to join up as a unified country again if they are all able to eliminate community transmission.

“It is too early to rule out elimination as a goal. Moreover, the cost to NSW of ‘doing it like Victoria’ is too great if it can be avoided.”

Infectious diseases expert Professor Peter Collignon of Australian National University disagrees with the need for masks or a lockdown, saying he thought NSW Health was doing a good job and it may be better to “wait and see”.

“I think the view that if everyone wears a mask this will fix the issue is naive,” Professor Collignon said.

“It’s part of the solution but it’s number four or five down the line.

“If we don’t do the basics such as hand washing and keeping socially distant, including in our own homes, masks won’t make much of a difference.

“I’m not anti-mask but I think too many people think that if everyone wears a mask, the thing will go away.”

Professor Collignon said he thought NSW’s actions so far were sensible as there was more community transmission around than three weeks ago.

“So far they have done a good job and it’s not as though cases are going up every day by increasing numbers, they are not getting worse day-by-day, in fact they are probably a bit better.

“I think NSW has got good contact tracing and follow-up.”

However, Prof Collignon did acknowledge that the rates of community transmission were a concern.