SYDNEY, Sept 24 (NNN-XINHUA) – In the Australian state of Victoria, healthcare workers battling a rising number of COVID-19 cases, believe that a series of violent demonstrations in the capital city of Melbourne, could trigger an even worse spike in the disease.
This morning, police riot squads, armed with tear gas and rubber bullets were bracing for further clashes with protesters, who rioted through the streets for the past four days.
The demonstrations were sparked by vaccine mandates imposed on construction workers, but have quickly devolved into a broader show of pent-up fury, against the ongoing lockdowns imposed on the city, as well as, people opposed to vaccinations.
Since one of the demonstrators on Wednesday has been hospitalised with COVID-19, raising the prospect that the closely packed crowds will become “super-spreaders” for the highly virulent Delta strain of the virus.
The protests have been widely condemned throughout Victoria with healthcare workers, who are reeling from their caseloads, thus voicing their dismay.
An open letter from the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation’s Lisa Fitzpatrick, eloquently expressed a common sentiment.
“Nurses, midwives and carers are exhausted and frustrated, as they watch protesters fight for their right to overwhelm our health system,” Fitzpatrick wrote.
“Only respectful dialogue, not violence, can resolve the issues driving people apart.”
The state recorded 733 new local cases and one death today.
Meanwhile, the state of New South Wales (NSW), which is dealing with Australia’s largest COVID-19 outbreak, recorded 1,043 new local cases and 11 deaths in the 24 hours up to 8:00 p.m. local time last night.
Unlike Victoria, where the situation is intensifying, NSW leaders are keen to assure their electorate that conditions are improving as the vaccination rollout progresses.
Speaking at a press conference today, NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, praised people for getting their jabs and noted 56.6 percent of the community, aged 16 and over were now fully vaccinated.
NSW also unveiled a plan today, to get international students back into the state by the end of Dec. The first phase of the programme would see 500 fully vaccinated students return on chartered flights, and they would then spend 14 days in quarantine in Sydney.– NNN-XINHUA
