Australia to face many more weeks of restrictions as country expands Covid-19 testing

Australians have been warned that they are likely to face many more weeks of restrictions to contain the coronavirus (Covid-19).

THE country is “not ready” to relax restrictions yet, according to Prime Minister Scott Morrison. It is also unlikely to lift its international border restrictions “any time soon,” stated the country’s Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.

Although the spread of the virus has slowed and health authorities say the pandemic is moving into a containment phase, the government is being cautious. Around 6,400 Australians have so far tested positive for Covid-19, and more than half of them are said to have recovered from the disease. However, a total of 62 people are reported to have died from the coronavirus.

For now, the Australian government wants to keep a close eye on transmissions before it makes any decisions on relaxing restrictions, so it has expanded testing in various states to allow people showing Covid-19 symptoms to be tested for the disease to get a clearer idea of just how far the coronavirus has spread.