Manly: Roadblocks and ferry checks to keep outsiders out to contain COVID-19 crisis
Raise the Spit bridge, stop the ferry, close Warringah Rd! A World Health Organisation adviser says Sydney should keep the peninsula insular, in order to stop the spread of coronavirus.
Manly
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Using roadblocks to stop outsiders coming into Manly could allow the loosening up of social distancing restrictions in the suburb, according to a top infectious diseases expert.
Professor Mary Louise McLaws, an epidemiologist and adviser to the World Health Organisation, said ring fencing communities was a “very well known but tough approach”.
She said it would allow businesses to reopen in Manly where there have been no new cases since April 1, although social distancing would still need to be applied.
“It’s a classic approach that has been used since the plague,” she said.
“In China they used it, with roadblocks to check car license numbers to see who was coming in and out.”
While Manly’s COVID-19 cases has not increased for more than three weeks, other suburbs like Dee Why are still seeing new cases.
Even Manly’s neighbours in the 2096 postcode which includes Queenscliff, Freshwater and Harbord, have had three community transmissions with no source identified.
Prof McLaws urged Manly residents not to become complacent now that cases have stabilised.
She said more proactive testing was needed, social distancing should be obeyed and possibly the use of masks, although she wasn’t a fan.
But she said stopping outsiders from coming in was absolutely essential.
“Once you open it up to everybody you are potentially back to importing cases from hot spots such as Woollahra, Liverpool and Bankstown,” Prof McLaws.
“It makes sense to roll out the loosening up slowly and in confined spaces.”
She said roadblocks and ferry passenger checks were the way forward, with everyone seeking entry into the suburb needing a letter to prove they are going to work or living there.
Once other nearby suburbs have been cleared they can then be allowed in as well.
“If China can do it so can we, if we want to loosen up areas for better economic trade,” Prof McLaws said.
“It has a lot of social connotations but this is what epidemiologists have been doing from time immemorial.”
Manly MP James Griffin praised Manly residents for the way the community has observed social distancing rules and pulled together to get through this.
“It’s really heartening to see that we have not had any new cases for a number of days,” he said.
“Now thoughts then turn to making sure we continue on that trajectory and hopefully this will be behind us before too long.”
POSTCODE DATA:
The latest coronavirus figures show there are 154 cases of the disease in total on the northern beaches, with 17 from transmitted in the community from an unknown source.
The postcode with the highest number of cases from an unknown source is 2096 which includes Queenscliff, Curl Curl and Harbord.
The postcode 2105 which includes the suburbs Church Point, Elvina Bay, Lovett Bay, Scotland Island has still not recorded a case yet.
2084 – Akuna Bay, Cottage Point, Duffys Forest and Terrey Hills: 4 (2 overseas, 1 locally acquired from contact with a confirmed case or cluster, 1 locally acquired with contact not identified)
2085 – Belrose, Davidson: 4 (1 overseas, 1 locally acquired from contact with a confirmed case or cluster, 2 locally acquired with contact not identified)
2086 – Frenchs Forest, Frenchs Forest East: 6 (3 overseas, 2 locally acquired from contact with a confirmed case or cluster, 1 locally acquired with contact not identified)
2087 – Forestville, Killarney Heights: 6 (3 overseas, 2, locally acquired from contact with a confirmed case or cluster, and 1 interstate)
2092 – Seaforth: 8 (8 overseas)
2093 – Balgowlah, Balgowlah Heights, Clontarf, Manly Vale, North Balgowlah: 12 (9 overseas, 2 locally acquired from contact with a confirmed case or cluster, 1 interstate)
2094 – Fairlight: 5 (5 overseas)
2095 – Manly, Manly East: 20 (16 overseas, 2 locally acquired from contact with a confirmed case or cluster, 2 locally acquired with contact not identified)
2096 – Queenscliff, Curl Curl, Harbord: 14 (9 overseas, 2 locally acquired from contact with a confirmed case or cluster, 3 locally acquired with contact not identified)
2097 – Collaroy, Collaroy Beach, Collaroy Plateau West, Long Reef, Wheeler Heights: 13 (9 overseas, 3 locally acquired from contact with a confirmed case or cluster, 1 locally acquired with contact not identified)
2099 – Cromer, Cromer Heights, Dee Why, Dee Why Beach, Narraweena, North Curl Curl, Wingala: 19 (14 overseas, 3 locally acquired from contact with a confirmed case or cluster, 2 locally acquired with contact not identified)
2100 – Allambie, Allambie Heights, Beacon Hill, Brookvale, North Manly, Oxford Falls, Warringah Mall: 8 (7 overseas, 1 locally acquired with contact not identified)
2101 – Elanora Heights, Ingleside, Narrabeen, Narrabeen Peninsula, North Narrabeen: 9 (6 overseas, 2 locally acquired from contact with a confirmed case or cluster, 1 interstate)
2102 – Warriewood: 7 (5 overseas, 1 locally acquired from contact with a confirmed case or cluster, 1 locally acquired with contact not identified)
2103 – Mona Vale: 5 (4 overseas, 1 locally acquired with contact not identified)
2104 – Bayview: 2 (2 overseas)
2105 – Church Point, Elvina Bay, Lovett Bay, Scotland Island: 0
2106 – Newport, Newport Beach: 5 (3 overseas, 1 locally acquired from contact with a confirmed case or cluster, 1 locally acquired with contact not identified)
2107 – Avalon, Avalon Beach, Bilgola, Careel Bay, Clareville, Paradise Beach, Taylors Point, Whale Beach: 7 (4 overseas, 1 locally acquired from contact with a confirmed case or cluster, 1 locally acquired with contact not identified)
2108 – Palm Beach: 1 (1 overseas)