Rita Panahi: Daniel Andrews has taken too long to concede Covid zero isn’t feasible

Playgrounds are dangerous, potential superspreader sites one week, and Covid-safe the next. That’s some wacky science.

What a coincidence! A landmark survey reveals Australians are more worried about the impact of Covid-19 restrictions on mental health and jobs than they are about the virus itself and suddenly “No Plan Dan” is bending over backwards to ease a highly unpopular restriction.

In one fell swoop Premier Dan Andrews went from angrily scolding the public about the dangers of playgrounds, sunsets and drinking beer with your mask off to talking about a road map to restore our freedoms and reversing the absurd and cruel playground ban.

He did this despite the state reporting 120 cases on Wednesday – the biggest spike in more than a year.

One can’t help wonder about the quality of the “health advice” Andrews acts on when playgrounds are dangerous, potential superspreader sites one week, and Covid-safe the next. That’s some wacky science.

It was nothing short of bizarre for the state leader who has long pushed an eradication strategy to ease one restriction – and announce a number of new freedoms to come once 70 per cent are vaccinated with at least one jab – on the day that Victoria recorded its largest daily tally since August 26, 2020.

And, in another wild coincidence, there was a fundamental shift in strategy from the Premier in line with polling by YouGov, commissioned by News Corp, that showed only 16 per cent wanted restrictions and lockdowns to continue until Covid-19 was eliminated. Voila!

Daniel Andrews, pictured on Wednesday with chief health officer Brett Sutton and Covid-19 Commander Jeroen Weimar, has long pushed an eradication strategy. Picture: Getty Images

Suddenly the Premier accepts the reality that coronavirus cannot be eliminated and the pursuit of Covid-zero is not only futile but devastating for the state.

“We have thrown everything at this, but it is now clear to us that we are not going to drive these numbers down, they’re instead going to increase,” Andrews said.

The question is why did it take so long for the Premier to understand that Covid-19 would be endemic?

With or without vaccines, Covid-19 was always going to be endemic just like the common cold and influenza. This is something most astute leaders understood by September 2020, if not earlier.

Did the Premier seriously believe Australia would remain a prison island shut off from the world just so we could record his coveted doughnut days?

Did he really think we should keep locking down society every time there was an outbreak to achieve Covid-zero?

What sort of advice has Andrews been acting on if it took until September 2021 for him to comprehend that the virus is here to stay?

There was another foundational shift as the Premier went from taking potshots at Gladys Berejiklian to essentially adopting her plan.

To be fair the NSW Premier has also become a little Dan-like in recent weeks with some absurd policies that achieve little other than appearing “tough”.

Victoria's chief health officer Brett Sutton should be as concerned about the welfare of young children. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

Instead of playing politics with vaccine availability, something he was doing just a few days ago, Andrews pushed the clear message that there were enough vaccines for every person who wanted them.

We have millions of doses of the locally made AstraZeneca available; anyone who is in a high-risk category should already be double vaxxed by now.

State Labor has given us a few crumbs of freedom to come in late September but nothing substantial.

What we need is a clear plan to reopen schools, businesses and allow loved ones to see each other.

The very least the Premier can do is to provide some clarity around schools.

Between now and the beginning of term 4 on October 5, there should be a goal to vaccinate every single teacher who wants to be vaccinated.

Our children should be back at school for the start of term 4; any parents who don’t feel comfortable with face-to-face learning can continue to home school.

We are seeing a disturbing surge in distressed children suffering from suicidal ideation, self-harm and other mental health issues.

The chief health officer, Brett Sutton, should be as concerned about the welfare of this demographic as he is about the spread of Covid-19.

Sutton stands condemned for the dastardly playground ban that distressed so many children and delivered not a single positive outcome.

On Wednesday he was unable to offer a coherent answer for the ban saying there were “suspicions about transmission maybe occurring in playgrounds” and “we don’t have to have definitive evidence”.

To save face, the ban reversal comes with a number of conditions including only one parent being able to accompany their child to a playground.

Spare a thought for police officers who joined the force to lock up bad guys and reduce violence in the community who’ve been reduced to policing mums and their children in playgrounds.

No wonder people overseas are laughing at us.

IN SHORT

Dan Andrews banned playgrounds when the state recorded 22 cases and lifted the ban on the day the state recorded 120 cases. It’s clear that polling, not secret health advice, is setting the agenda.