The road forward: Infectious diseases expert’s outlook on COVID-19 and restrictions

An infectious diseases expert says the risk COVID-19 now poses is “maybe twice as bad as a bad flu season”, but some restrictions are likely to remain for the next few years.

Infectious diseases physician and professor at the ANU Medical School, Peter Collignon, says Australians should expect case numbers to surge in winter.

“I think in winter we’re likely to get another wave. I hope I’m wrong,” he told Neil Mitchell.

Professor Collingnon says some COVID-19 restrictions should be reintroduced during virus peaks, but lockdowns should be off the table.

“I think we should expect that it might come in winter and we may well have some restrictions. I don’t think that should be lockdowns, let me be clear,” he said.

“I think over the next few years we may have to learn to live with some restrictions, but that’s not lockdowns, that’s just basically doing some things … like dine outside, instead of inside.”

Press PLAY below to hear how Professor Collignon thinks the coming years will play out