CANBERRA, Australia: Australia announced on Thursday an inquiry into its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, including its use of fortress-like travel restrictions and a sluggish initial vaccine rollout.
The country imposed some of the world’s most rigorous restrictions during the pandemic, sealing international borders for two years and locking down most major cities for months on end.
Initially, this strategy proved effective; however, a relaxation of these measures resulted in a notable increase in detected cases. The implementation of high vaccination rates helped minimize the number of fatalities.
“It was a very challenging period in our lives. But we got through it,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters.
“We need to evaluate what went right, what could be done better with a focus on the future.”
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This comprehensive 12-month independent investigation will scrutinize the federal government’s response to the pandemic, encompassing the provision of vaccines, treatments, essential medical supplies, financial support for individuals and businesses, mental health assistance, and aid to Australians overseas.
Furthermore, the inquiry will delve into more than 20 previous COVID-19 inquiries, some of which were conducted at the state level, overseeing various health-related measures such as lockdowns, testing, contact tracing, quarantine protocols, and hospitals, as well as their own border controls.
One noteworthy lapse highlighted by a previous inquiry in New South Wales uncovered “serious” errors that led to an outbreak when thousands of passengers disembarked from the Ruby Princess cruise ship in Sydney on March 19, 2020, before receiving their COVID-19 test results.
Since January 2020, this nation of 26 million inhabitants has recorded over 11 million COVID-19 cases and 22,800 deaths, according to data from the World Health Organization.
