A leading infectious disease expert has defended the government’s decision not to impose COVID-19 restrictions on travellers from China.
Infectious Diseases Paediatrician Professor Robert Booy, from the University of Sydney, said there’s no need to be alarmed about the surge in cases in China just yet.
“We have the best immunity almost in the world,” he told Today.
“We’re on the fourth wave in Australia right now, and it’s actually the lowest, and least causative of death, in Australia.
“The reasons countries like Italy and US have introduced it (restrictions) and stopped people coming, is because they have ten times the death rate in the first year of the pandemic.
“They are much more twitchy.”
The disease has been spreading rapidly through China since pandemic restrictions were loosened earlier this month.
Every infection gives the virus another chance to mutate.
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“Because millions of people are currently being infected in China, and the coronavirus crisis mutates as a rule, there will be a mutation eventually that will evade immunity, maybe as a sub-variant,” Booy explained.
“We haven’t had a new variant for over a year. It tells us that Omicron and COVID especially maybe on the way out. That is the good news.
“The bad news with so many people getting infected in China we could get that mutation that we haven’t seen before.”
Booy said there are sensible measures Australia can take now to help safeguard the country from the virus.
“We can require people to have a RAT (rapid antigen test) before they get on a plane in China. A rapid antigen test within 24 hours of coming to the airport,” he said.
“We can ask them all to wear masks, we can exclude people with symptoms.
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“We can do simple, practical things right now, which can protect the Australian public.”
