Australia response to COVID-19 deserves a global encore

These early border closures halted the rapid spread of the virus and allowed Australia to build a very effective test and tracing system in controlling the spread of the virus.

Even after experiencing a second wave, cases never increased by over 1,000 for a population of 25.36 million. This was a success achieved without vaccinations whose program began on February 21, 2021, with cases remaining low for almost 6 months.

The closure of state borders also meant that states like New South Wales and Western Australia were able to reopen their local economies after just 2 months of lockdown.

While Australia has significant advantages in terms of geographic isolation and population density, there is still a lot we can learn from their response.

Australia’s success demonstrates that a strong public health response enforced by a democratic government focused on vigilant testing, traceability, and quarantine is key to fighting a pandemic.

Aside from a few short stops in some states, most Australians enjoy a relatively normal life with the production of the musical “Hamilton” (USA) which recently opened in theaters in Sydney at full capacity.

The Sydney Opera House, one of the largest theatres in the world, staged theatrical activities open to the public during the pivotal period of the pandemic. The Sydney Opera House is the only opera house in the world that has had live performances from January 2021.

This unique exception in the world was experienced by Laura Galmarini, collaborator of the Teatro Alla Scala in Milan. Here, eTurboNews interviews Ms. Galmarini.

eTN: Why did you find yourself in Sydney in January ’21, a period of closure for travel abroad?

Laura Galmarini: In September 2020, I received the proposal to collaborate in the re-installation of the opera “Ernani” by G. Verdi at the Sydney Opera House, directed by Sven-Eric Bechtolf. I accepted the role of Revival Director since it was the same staging for which I had worked at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan in 2018 as assistant director. My first approach to Australia was from the hotel window where I spent the mandatory quarantine for 14 days.