PREPARE NOW FOR THE BANS TO END

March 22, our exit strategy was clear (to me): "Ring-fence the sick and old, but let everyone else get back to work... That could include... certificates of immunity — which we should start issuing soon." Today: "German researchers plan to introduce coronavirus ‘immunity certificates’ to facilitate a proper transition into post-lockdown life."

By March 22, our exit strategy was clear (to me) but I still don't see our governments working to end these devastating lockdowns:

It will then become much cheaper to switch to a new strategy: ring-fence the sick and old, but let everyone else get back to work and travel.

Quarantine not the infected but just the old and the sick.

That could include a nationalised and supercharged meals-on-wheels, and a home-care army of people who have certificates of immunity — which we should start issuing soon. 

Germany, though, is moving already:

German researchers plan to introduce coronavirus ‘immunity certificates’ to facilitate a proper transition into post-lockdown life 

As I said on Monday, in two weeks we could be back to work, given how fast this virus is coming under control and given our very low death rate and toll.

To prepare, we need in that time to:

• ramp up compulsory quarantine and tracking of the infected and potentially infected.
• improve services and security to keep safe the  most vulnerable - the seriously ill and the old. 
• dramatically  increase testing with the new rapid-response kits being rolled out to help find and isolate the potentially infected.
• rapidly deploy promising treatments such as hydroxychloroquine even before trials are complete.
• maintain social-distancing health warnings
• supply temperature guns and santisers to all big shops and offices as soon as possible to screen and santise customers.
• prepare immunity certificates to help insure the vulnerable deal with people least likely to carry the virus.

All this can be done, and must be. The idea that businesses can "hibernate" for six months under present policies and then emerge as good as new is insane. Even the latest government salary support for 6 million Australians will not save many.

The strategy and the rhetoric must change immediately from "six months of restrictions" to a strategy for an urgent return to work, with extra safety for the vulnerable. The suffering otherwise will be unimaginable.