COVID-19 - Where is the Data on Whether Australia Aims to Squash or Flatten the Curve?

Professor Tony Blakely, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health

“It has become clear to me that we have two major problems now with the COVID response: a lack of critical information (including modelling done for the Government) accessible by both experts and the public so we can understand and participate in decision-making; and a deep confusion now about what flattening the curve means (is it suppressing COVID infection to the lowest possible level we can achieve short of elimination, or is it a level of COVID infection in the population that allows the epidemic to pass to herd immunity within the constraints of health system capacity?).  In this Pursuit article (originally published in the Australian Financial Review) I explore these issues, and makes the case that we have a moment in time now – with rates of COIVD actually quite low and slow daily increases due to our physical distancing – for a more informed public discussion and participatory democracy leading to decision-making with societal consent.” -

Read this article in The Pursuit for the latest information on possible approaches to the management of COVID19 from Professor Tony Blakely.