COVID-19
17 September 2020
After the lockdown, we should rethink the elective surgery system
A return to business as usual would be a missed opportunity. The system needs to be more efficient. For some people, non-surgery alternatives should be considered.
9 September 2020
What NSW could learn from Victoria about fighting COVID-19
NSW has been lucky. It shouldn’t be smug because it is only one ‘super spreader’ event away from a big outbreak that may necessitate harsh, Victorian-style restrictions.
8 September 2020
The PM is wrong: aged care should not be ‘pre-palliative care’
If we are serious about older Australians’ rights, we need to stop describing residential care as a place we ‘put’ people while we wait for them to die.
8 September 2020
Victoria’s COVID roadmap and the 5 stages of grief
Premier Dan Andrews’ plan is mostly right but partly wrong. It’s way too complex, but it has the right goal: zero active cases in the community.
7 September 2020
Victoria is going for zero. NSW should emulate it.
Victoria now has a good COVID-19 roadmap. It identifies the right goal, provides explicit criteria for when restrictions might be lifted, and involves mostly appropriate measures.
4 September 2020
Opening up too early would mean more deaths and a yo-yo economy
On COVID-19, there is no conflict between policy choices made to protect public health and those which give priority to the economy. In both cases the right thing to do is to go for zero cases before restrictions are completely eased.
30 August 2020
Victoria should stay the course on COVID-19
Dan Andrews should go for zero. Opening up too early would risk a third wave, more economic disruption, and more deaths.
27 August 2020
COVID-19 hits the poor and vulnerable hardest
Australian governments have failed aged care residents during this pandemic – leading to unnecessary deaths. But they are also failing prisoners and people who live in overcrowded housing.
24 August 2020
Waves of inequity in the coronavirus pandemic
COVID-19 has exposed the myths that Australia is an egalitarian society and the land of the ‘fair go’. The mantra that ‘we’re all in this together’ disguised the fact that some were more likely to get COVID-19 and some were less likely.
12 August 2020
Australia’s COVID-19 journey takes a turn for the worse
In this running blog series for an international audience, Grattan’s Health team track Australia’s evolving response to the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier posts are published below.