Health Minister urges Andrews to ease restrictions

“We know the World Health Organisation has set out its concerns about prolonged lockdowns.”

It comes as Mr Andrews reviews the state’s road-map targets after admitting on Tuesday the initial goal – a 14-day average of fewer than five cases per day, then zero cases – may be unachievable, and after official data showed a spike in demand for mental health services.

Mr Hunt said Melbourne’s rolling 14-day average was 9.6 cases, meaning it had already met the Commonwealth threshold, which is based on an earlier metropolitan hotspot definition for moving into restrictions when a rolling three-day average of 10 cases is reached.

Melbourne had a rolling three-day average of 10.33 on Wednesday, while the state was sitting at 11.33 overall.

Mr Hunt said NSW, using the national hotspot definition, had been able to “carefully, cautiously progressively, lift restrictions” and that this model “would respectfully provide a way forward for Victoria.”

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He said Victoria’s coronavirus data on Wednesday showed the state’s numbers were below NSW with regards to community transmission, with 11 cases within the community in NSW, and seven in Victoria.

“NSW was able to operate at a greater than 10-case rolling average for 24 days, during the latter part of July and the early part of August,” Mr Hunt said.

The Health Minister said there has been “significant improvement” in Victoria’s contact tracing but more work was needed.

“Their official data is that they are keeping up with the contact tracing,” he said.

“But, around the country, if you ask me what is my number one public health focus at the moment, it is to make sure that the improvement in Victoria’s contact tracing continues. It has been significant improvement but honestly there is more to go.”

Mr Hunt said he, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Mr Frydenberg had written to the premier to express their concerns about the state’s road-map targets, which would prevent restrictions from being eased by October 19 as hoped.

“The unachievable goals that have previously been set by Victoria will mean they will be closed longer than necessary,” the minister said.

“Their simple way forward is the national standard of a rolling average of less than 10 cases [per day]. That will make a profound difference to people’s mental health.”

Federal health department figures show the number of Medicare-funded mental health services increased by 31 per cent in Victoria between September and October, with a 10 per cent spike seen in NSW and a 15 per cent national increase.

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Mr Frydenberg said the statistics around demand for mental health funding and a letter from concerned GPs were “heartbreaking”.

“My message again today and every day to the Premier of Victoria is please understand the impact that the lockdown and these harsh restrictions are having on people’s mental health,” he said.

“Please give the people of Victoria their freedom back this weekend.”

Asked whether there was any medical reason why pubs and restaurants in Melbourne could not open this weekend, Mr Hunt said the timing of easing restrictions to that point “will be a matter for Victoria.”

He said the “difficult, agonising” Victorian lockdown had been necessary to allow the state’s public health team to improve its contact tracing capacity.

Mr Andrews acknowledged on Wednesday that the harms of the strict lockdown could eventually outweigh the benefit in minimising the risk of a third wave, saying “this is not an indefinite arrangement” and promising to outline a new path out of restrictions on Sunday.

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