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Daniel Andrews locks down Victoria: ‘You only get one chance to go hard’

    Sky News Australia – Jul 15, 2021

    Premier Daniel Andrews has announced with a “heavy heart” that Victoria will enter a hard lockdown from 11.59pm Thursday as the state’s outbreak expands to 18.

    Mr Andrews said despite contact tracers and public health experts moving “faster than they ever have” they are “just keeping pace” with the Delta strain spread.

    “Unless they get in front of it, we won’t drive these numbers down; in fact, they will ultimately get away from us,” he said.

    “We have 75 exposure sites, 1,500 primary close contacts and 5,000 secondary close contacts.

    “That is why, it’s with a heavy heart but an absolute necessity and a determination to beat this, this Delta strain, just as we did a few weeks ago, that the chief health officer and public health team have recommended me and my cabinet colleagues that we lock Victoria down from 11:59pm tonight until 11:59pm next Tuesday night.

    “This will be a hard lockdown similar to – in fact identical to what we did a couple of weeks ago.

    “You only get one chance to go hard and go fast. If you wait, if you hesitate, if you doubt, then you will always be looking back wishing you had done more earlier.

    “I am not prepared to avoid a five-day lockdown now only to find ourselves in a five-week or a five-month lockdown.

    “That is why we are making this very difficult decision and it’s why I know Victorians will, despite the pain and difficulty of this, know and understand there is no option.”

    Mr Andrews also spoke about regional Victoria.

    “We will release those parts of regional Victoria that it is safe to release before next Tuesday if it is safe to do so,” he said.

    Sky News Australia

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