A concerning new report from the highly-regarded independent thinktank that ties into the current situation in Victoria.

The 115-page report – titled ‘Coming out of Covid-19 Lockdown: the Next Steps for Australian Health Care’ and written by the Institute’s key health care, economic and agricultural researchers Stephen Duckett, Will Mackey, Anika Stobart, and Hal Swerissen – has highlighted the risk of new infections as shops, schools and workplaces reopen – particularly if people ignore physical distancing restrictions.

The report makes a range of recommendations for emerging from lockdown, including:

• Maintain social distancing efforts.
• Maintain high levels of testing, contact tracing, and isolation.
• Workplaces should be re-opened slowly.
• Workers who show symptoms linked to COVID-19 must not be allowed to go to work with Governments to provide support for workers who do not have sick leave entitlements.
• Schools must be closed whenever a COVID-19 case is detected.
• Policies limiting patrons in shops should be maintained.
• Where there are active cases, the government should encourage people to wear masks in public.

When outbreaks occur, States must be prepared to reimpose lockdowns, the report states.

Current mandatory quarantining of people arriving from overseas must also remain in place, it said.

Grattan Institute program director Dr Stephen Duckett said this will be the ‘new normal' until a vaccine or treatment is found.

You can download the report here.