Countless consequences for cancelling events, both social and economic

As the country braces itself for the spread of COVID-19, Chief Health Officer Professor Brendan Murphy warned Australians they should no longer attend mass gatherings.

AS THE country braces itself for the spread of COVID-19, Chief Health Officer Professor Brendan Murphy warned Australians they should no longer attend mass gatherings.

The extraordinary action to combat the coronavirus crisis was communicated at the Council of Australian Governments meeting in Sydney yesterday.

Later, Prime Minister Scott Morrison addressed the nation to say all mass gatherings attended by more than 500 people — including football games, concerts and conferences — should not go ahead to limit the spread of coronavirus … from Monday.

The timing couldn’t have been better for rugby league fans who can live it up at the first round of the NRL this weekend, including a blockbuster derby match between the North Queensland Cowboys and Brisbane Broncos in Townsville’s new $250 million stadium last night.

However, it left the rest of the country including many medical experts scratching their heads and wondering why on earth Mr Morrison decided the advice need only apply from Monday.

At first, he conceded he would be heading to Shark Park to watch his beloved Cronulla in the first round of the competition today.

Contrary to the Prime Minister’s advice, Australian Medical Association president Dr Tony Bartone advised people not to wait until Monday to cease attending mass events. “Every day we delay in acting on the necessary need to reduce and cancel attendance we will see a significant increase,” he said.

And you have to wonder whether Mr Morrison felt his chest tighten with a pang of regret a few hours later when it was revealed Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton had tested positive for coronavirus.

The minister, who had recently travelled to the US, said he woke up with a temperature and a sore throat and contacted the health department before being tested. The news came as nearly as much of a shock as news that movie star Tom Hanks had been diagnosed with the virus and was being treated in a Gold Coast hospital.

Seeing celebrities or political leaders contract the virus hits home the message that we are all vulnerable. The virus spreads rapidly and doesn’t discriminate.

While for a great many of us COVID-19 might only mean a sore throat and a fever, for Australia’s most vulnerable it will be deadly. And for other vulnerable Australians whose care might be disrupted or who might need emergency care, the huge demand on health services should we not slow the spread of coronavirus could also prove fatal.

Cancellation of mass gatherings across Australia will have countless consequences. Economic impacts are currently immeasurable, the social impacts of isolation will also affect people’s mental health and wellbeing, yet that has to pale into insignificance when it comes to the potential for the situation to be so, so much worse should we not manage to flatten the coronavirus curve and delay the spread to allow our health professionals to better cope with demand.

All options need to be on the table.