COVID-19: Queensland extends lockdown, Melbourne not

The Delta strain is causing state borders to open and close at a rapid rate.

New South Wales is in lockdown until 28 August.

Melbourne and Victoria are out of lockdown – for the moment, but don’t get too smug down there, your rates still aren’t under control.

Queensland has had an outbreak, and the southeast corner went into a 3-day lockdown as of 4 pm on Saturday 31 July.

That lockdown has now been extended until Saturday at 4 pm, making it a 7 day lockdown.

The Queensland lockdown covers 16 LGA’s (local government areas). Queensland has recorded an outbreak of 9 locally acquired cases, seeming to emanate from an active 17-year-old student. They have genetically analysed the strain, which matches one in hotel quarantine, but have not yet found the ‘missing link’ of transmission – hence the snap lockdown and its extension.

Looks like AMA’s Queensland President, Dr Chris Perry who does not think the lockdown will end as scheduled on Tuesday was correct.

2PAXfly Takeout

This is another timely reminder to wear your seatbelt when seated. Holding you close to your seat will protect you from the sort of injuries sustained on this flight, when unsecured passengers flew to the ceiling of the aircraft, and then came crashing down once the ‘drop’ ceased.

The hope will be that this is an anomaly – a ‘freak accident’ in casual parlance. If it is a systemic error either mechanical or electronic, then this is a larger concern for the airlines that fly Boeing Dreamliner 787 aircraft. Let’s hope it isn’t. If it is, it will pile on the woes to Boeing’s existing stack.

I have an inkling this outbreak is going to be a doozie, difficult to control. Those predicting it will take mass vaccination to lift the lockdown may, unfortunately, be right.