Premier Daniel Andrews tries to suppress Jenny Mikakos’ claim eradication is our target
A tweet from former health minister Jenny Mikakos has cast doubt on the state government’s virus eradication strategy, despite Premier Daniel Andrews’ claims to the contrary.
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Former health minister Jenny Mikakos has claimed Victoria is “well on the way” to eradicating COVID-19 — despite the government repeatedly claiming it wanted only to suppress the virus.
Ms Mikakos caused a stir on Monday with the tweet that cast doubt over the state’s coronavirus strategy.
“I am saddened to see more lives lost, my sympathy to their families. But I’m so pleased to see how low the numbers are. I’m so proud of Victorians and so grateful for the sacrifices made to get us to this point. We are well on the way to eradication,” she tweeted.
Premier Daniel Andrews — who has not spoken to Ms Mikakos since she resigned on Saturday — has persistently denied pursuing a controversial eradication strategy.
Asked about the tweet, he again said authorities were trying to suppress the virus.
“I have answered this question many, many times. That (eradication) is not the strategy,” Mr Andrews said.
“The strategy is to suppress this virus and that’s the National Cabinet decision.”
It comes after Australia’s Chief Scientist Alan Finkel said Victoria’s problem-plagued contact-tracing system should be able to keep up with the falling coronavirus caseload as Melbourne reopens.
Dr Finkel, who this month led a delegation of Victorian officials to NSW to study its system, said Victoria’s system was “significantly more capable” now than when it was “overwhelmed” at the start of the deadly second wave.
He told the ABC last week that while it was “not where we want it to be” yet, he was “much more comfortable” with a process that was being digitised from test results to alerting close contacts.
“The improved system should be able to cope to keep us at low levels even if we come out of lockdown,” he said.
After Mr Andrews eased restrictions on Sunday, the federal government said it was “important that more be done in the weeks ahead” and called on Victoria to review its triggers to move to future stages.
It noted NSW was fundamentally open when it had similar case numbers.
Victoria recorded five new cases on Monday, three of which were linked to aged care and two to health services.
It left the state with 359 active cases and a rolling 14-day average in Melbourne of 20.3, which must fall below five a day for the state to move to the next stage of restrictions.
A Herald Sun analysis shows by comparison, NSW had 419 active cases on May 15 and a rolling two-week average of 2.7 when it allowed five visitors to homes and 10 in cafes and restaurants.
By June 1 — when regional travel was allowed, 50 people could dine at venues and beauty salons reopened — NSW had 363 active cases after a 14-day average of 1.3.
That was at the end of the state’s first wave, and it has since been able to remain open even as daily case numbers reached double digits, particularly during July and August.
Deakin University epidemiology chair Catherine Bennett said NSW had managed to control the spread of the virus and remain open by using its “follow, chase” system.
She encouraged Victoria to use its new model created by the Burnet Institute to chart how removing restrictions would affect case numbers.
“Our old modelling was very conservative,” she said.
Prof Bennett said Victoria was now “suppressing risk of transmission, not actual virus” and if mystery cases remained below 10 per cent, there was no reason for tight restrictions.
CLOSED – VICTORIA YESTERDAY
359 ACTIVE CASES
20.3 14-DAY AVERAGE*
OPENED – NSW JUNE 1
363 ACTIVE CASES
1.3 14-DAY AVERAGE
* Melbourne’s rolling average
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