DECODING SCOTT MORRISON’S 3-STEP PLAN TO EASE COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS
Here’s the low-down on how your social freedom will unfold
It’s the moment we all have been waiting for weeks. Scott Morrison has finally decided to ease the lockdown restrictions to help bring normalcy to our lives. Thankfully, our PM did not consider reducing the restrictions in one go and allow coronavirus to hurt us again. Instead, Scott Morrison has come up with a three-step plan to reopen Australia, and it’s being appreciated by most. Here we have attempted to decode it for you.
Step 1 – Boosting the Businesses
We all are aware that coronavirus pandemic has been a huge hit for the economy, not only ours but economies all over the globe. The Australian government and Scott Morrison have tried to tackle the situation by offering jobkeeper and jobseeker benefits as well as allowing people to access super. But we all know that relief packages can’t last forever.
So, Scott Morrison has decided to open businesses in the first stage. Also, public places like the playgrounds, libraries, outdoor boot camps and community centres will open. Groups of 10 people will be allowed in public while 13 people are allowed at a wedding, and 30 people are allowed for outdoor funerals (20 for indoor funerals). Travelling locally and at regional levels as well as sports with up to 10 people will also be allowed.
According to estimates, only these changes suggested by Scott Morrison will add approximately AUD 3.1 billion in economic activity and add about 250,000 jobs per month.
Step 2 – Focus on Health, Entertainment and Fitness
In this stage, Scott Morrison will allow gyms, beauty therapists, cinemas and galleries to reopen. Gatherings of up to 20 people will be allowed. Camping grounds and Caravan parks will also be opened. At this stage, interstate travel might be allowed if the leaders of state and territory agree to the same. If that happens, the borders that are currently sealed will open as well.
Step 3 – Reopening Our Lives
If the above two stages do not lead to the return of deadly coronavirus, Scott Morrison will allow people to get back to their normal lives by allowing international travel with New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. At this stage, gatherings of about a hundred people will be allowed, which means that saunas, food courts and night clubs could be opened. Inter-state travel, if it was not opened during step 2 will probably open. Scott Morrison says that he might also allow travel for international students.
Talking about the plan, Scott Morrison said “In this plan, we walk before we run. We know we need to be careful to preserve our gains, if we wish to reclaim the ground we lost, we cannot be too timid. There will be risks. There will be challenges. There will be outbreaks, there will be more cases, there will be setbacks. Not everything will go to plan.”
Some people have expressed concerns regarding Scott Morrison’s 3 step plan. They think that if we ease the restrictions now, we will pay the price when data for June is collected.
The Scott Morrison government is countering those arguments by reassuring people that a cooling-off period would be implemented before each change. At that time, health experts can observe whether there is an impact on infection risk or not. Also, the National cabinet will review the progress of restrictions every three weeks. Also, during all the 3 stages, we will have to practice hygiene and keep a distance of 1.5 meters. Staying at home if one is ill will still be a requirement.
The government, led by Scott Morrison, is assuring Aussies that the stages will occur in 3-4-week blocks. The easing of restrictions and adopting the next stage will depend heavily on the state and territory leaders. In case a leader thinks that opting for the third stage after 3 weeks of implementation of stage 2 is not right, they may choose not to implement stage 3 for a few more weeks.
In essence, we should all consider Scott Morrison’s 3 stages a plan that is yet to succeed. There is still a possibility that it might fail. But still, we are doing way better than most of the world, and it’s a reason to stay positive and hopeful.
