It didn’t take long. Now it’s happening. The Omicron variant is accelerating a new Australian wave of Covid-19.
On Friday, daily infection rates in New South Wales hit a new record for any state, at any time during this pandemic at 2,213. The NSW health minister Brad Hazzard is predicting 25,000 new cases a day by the end of January.
Hospitals have been put on “red alert”.
Omicron is an unstoppable force.
But when it comes to lockdowns, the prime minister and NSW premier are immoveable objects.
“My simple message to Australians is to go about your lives,” said Scott Morrison on Thursday, from the coastal town of Terrigal. “Enjoy the summer.”
He recommends we “exercise the common sense precautions.”
But what are those precautions?
NSW Health’s Dr Jeremy McAnulty is urging people in Newcastle to abandon pre-Christmas socialising to “protect their loved ones, the vulnerable and essential workers”. The city is ground zero for the new surge. Newcastle’s Lunar Electric music festival planned for this weekend has been cancelled.
Yet at the same time NSW has honoured a…
