At last, a chance to pursue a sensible Covid direction

The Prime Minister has an opportune moment to rein in the almost imbecilic political posturing that has infected the national cabinet in recent weeks. Australia seems to be functioning in some sort of parallel universe in regard to our management of Covid and our admin­istration of the various vaccines, where territorial one-upmanship is the preferred proce­dure. The states’ non-elected middle-level health bureaucrats have become almost infatuated with their new-found rock-star status and their popularity and sense of purpose feeds on medical theatrics and being able to whip up a sense of civil frenzy.

The central job of our appointed governments is to manage risk. What is required for coping with minor coronavirus outbreaks is competent logistical leadership as opposed to welfare-destroying lockdowns. The daily numbers for coronavirus cases are only a one-dimensional set of social metrics; there is also the excruciatingly high mental health toll of forcing school students to stay at home, the eye-watering economic cost of crippling thousands of small business owners and the decimation of CBDs when otherwise healthy citizens are forced to stay secluded at home. God-given life is indeed precious, but it is not priceless.

We do not force regular motor vehicle drivers and passengers to wear helmets in cars, even though they might possibly prevent head traumas and spinal injuries in the event of a road accident. Why? Because we have learned to live with and accept both the blessings and risks that motoring entails. The same attitude must prevail with this latest communal challenge.

Peter Waterhouse, Craigieburn, Vic

Johannes Leak’s cartoon (2/7) says it all. The premiers of Australia – with one exception – have taken their constituents for fools, and the voters have rewarded them as if suffering from Stockholm syndrome. So far. How much longer will the Australian larrikin, anti-authoritarian char­ac­ter put up with being treated like sheep or chickens let out for a forage on a semi-regular rotation?

I grieve for the next generation of Australians who will be led quietly to the land foreseen by George Orwell. We are living in the beginnings of it right now with businesses struggling and bureauc­racies growing under the mighty steamroller of the premiers’ Hypocritic Oath.

Glenda Ellis, Bardon, Qld

Are there any other political journalists as astute as Simon Benson? The answer is yes and they are all regular contributors to The Australian. Their coverage of Covid-related issues is superb. Their uncovering of parochial state leaders is extremely insightful.

Hopefully state leaders are reading but I doubt it very much. They will continue to take their cues from the leftist mainstream and social media. Never have I seen a more hostile and partisan game of politics than is being played out at this time. Labor is just not interested in assisting the federal government in its fight against Covid.

Peter Surkitt, Sandringham, Vic

It’s interesting the human rights mob who were howling at the government to let Australians trapped in India back into the country are conspicuously absent as Australians are locked in their homes, stranded interstate and thrown into Howard Springs in detention-like conditions.

Sarah Aitken, Vaucluse, NSW

As an emeritus professor of virology, I have viewed the confused messaging on the vaccine rollout with distress. ATAGI, as a technical group, is providing medical assessment of the risks and benefits from the various vaccine schedules, as these apply to the individual at the current rate of community infection. This advice is distorted by our success in keeping the infection at a low level, but it is the future risks and damage that matter now. Like everyone, ATAGI is not immune from being blamed if a single person dies. The ultimate decision about the best policy also encompasses economic impact, emotional distress and lockdown fatigue. This final decision must be taken by government; ATAGI should not be expected to give definitive advice and government should not duck the issue by hiding behind the excuse of “following medical advice”. The risk-benefit issues about the AZ vaccine have been presented in a lukewarm, almost fearful manner. We should give positive reinforcement and carefully chosen rewards, eg vaccine passports, to vaccine recipients.

(Professor) Christopher Burrell, South Yarra, Vic