Expert welcomes Victoria’s hardline border stance

An epidemiologist has welcomed the Victorian Government’s hard border stance with NSW.

Acting Premier Jacinta Allan this afternoon announced the border would close as of 11.59pm on January 1, as NSW recorded a further 10 cases.

Burnet Institute epidemiologist Professor Michael Toole said the virus could spread quickly.

“I think this time around after so many sacrifices during the winter, we have to err on the side of caution,” he told Shane McInnes on 3AW Drive.

“We just do what we know we can do to stop this.

“What worries me is the rather long time period between the time that person came down here from Sydney which was probably before we closed the border, December 19 and the day we found the cases, which was yesterday, that’s more than 10 days.

“We also know probably those people were infected by someone who had no symptoms and didn’t get tested so that’s how they slipped through the cracks.”

He said it was imperative young people were aware of the latest restrictions.

“We need really good communication techniques, particularly for young people,” he said.

“We need to have good social media communications from the Department of Health and Human Services out to as many people as possible.”

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BREAKING | Victoria shuts border to NSW, two new COVID-19 cases detected this afternoon