We’re still not taking the coronavirus seriously enough, respected professor warns

A professor who was crucial in how Australia handled the HIV/AIDS epidemic last century says the COVID-19 crisis still isn’t being taken seriously enough in Australia.

Bill Bowtell, who studies the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases at the Kirby Institute, first spoke with Neil Mitchell about the coronavirus before the cancellation of Melbourne’s Formula 1 Grand Prix a fortnight ago.

At the time, he was concerned by the lack of urgency from government.

And he still is.

“All we’ve had, really, is two more weeks of confusion and contradiction and edicts and so on,” Adjunct Professor Bowtell said on 3AW Mornings.

“The virus doesn’t get the memo.

“It doesn’t understand these things.

“All the virus wants to do is transmit between one person and another – that’s its business.

“Our job is to make its business as difficult as possible, not easy.

“And I’m afraid where we’ve needed consistency and clarity and unity, we’ve had things that are a long way from that.”

Prof. Bowtell said Australia needed to move into a complete lockdown, as soon as possible.

“The virus itself doesn’t move,” he said.

“It can only move between people and on surfaces.”

Click PLAY below to hear more on 3AW Mornings