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Stephen Duckett

What flattening the curve really means

The "flatten the curve" approach is actually a "herd immunity" strategy. For Australia to achieve herd immunity, the virus would have to infect about 60 per cent of the population – about 15 million Australians.

Stephen DuckettHonorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne

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Until there is a coronavirus vaccine, there is no exit strategy, only hard choices.

The Australian government must be clear about which strategy it is following – either we accept that the virus will remain at large in the community, flaring up occasionally, or we aim to eliminate it in Australia altogether.

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Stephen Duckett is Honorary Enterprise Professor in the School of Population and Global Health at the University of Melbourne.

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