Government officials and health experts say it will be months before the pub shutdown ends in Australia.
There were hopes pubs would reopen with social distancing measures in place as early as May.
But Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews noted yesterday: “The notion that pubs are opening any time soon, it’s not going to happen. Restaurants, bars, cafes, I just don’t think that’s going to be; the risk will be far greater than any reward."
Peter Collignon, a professor of microbiology at the Australian National University was among the health experts that told The Sydney Morning Herald they expect the pub shutdown to continue for many months.
“Unfortunately I don’t think until September this year at the earliest,” he said. “Winter is coming and that is our next big risk time – for all respiratory viruses, including this one.”
Australia's Department of Health said people were more likely to congregate in enclosed spaces in winter, making the transmission of the virus much more likely.
Parts of regional and rural Queensland want restrictions relaxed because there have not been any cases in their areas, but the state's Chief Health Officer, Jeannette Young, has ruled it out.
"At this stage, we really need to continue all of our measures across the state, but that's of course one of the things that we'll possibly be looking at down the track," Dr Young said.
Diamantina Shire Mayor Robbie Dare told ABC News: "I think they look at our remote areas at least and think about letting them back in, because the same people are walking into the shop and filling their vehicles up.
"Why can't they just walk into the hotel and have a beer? We haven't got any strangers in town."
First restrictions rolled back
Australia's state and federal leaders rolled back the first lockdown restriction at a National Cabinet meeting this morning.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed restrictions will be lifted on certain elective surgeries, including IVF, after the Anzac Day long weekend.
“This is an important decision because it marks another step on the way back,” Morrison said.
“There is a road back. There is a road ahead and the decisions that the National Cabinet has taken today are evidence of that.”
The Australian reports "any eventual loosening of bans next month is unlikely to include pubs, restaurants and mass gatherings".
"It is understood rules preventing the public gathering of more than two people are likely to be relaxed first, along with the reopening of national parks and playgrounds. But the strict rule prohibiting more than 10 mourners at funerals is likely to hold fast, because they are considered “high-risk” events, with people travelling long distances and then unable to maintain a safe distance from other mourners."
A report by the Grattan Institute concluded Australia needs to extend stage three restrictions a little longer to ensure COVID-19 remains under control.
"A successful elimination strategy would give most Australians a good chance of resuming a near-normal life well before the end of the year," authors Stephen Duckett and Jonathan Nolan wrote.
Small businesses on the brink
Coca-Cola Amatil has called on the government to ease lock down restrictions to save small businesses in Australia.
The company is concerned that many businesses won’t survive an extended shutdown, with MD Alison Watkins telling The Australian Financial Review she would like to see a staged easing of restrictions begin next month.
“We’ve done a great job here in Australia in suppressing the spread of the virus and we need to make sure we go about lifting or changing the measures so that businesses can get back to business but we don’t create conditions inadvertently that allow the virus to rear its head again,” she said.
“A staged easing and risk-based approach that protects vulnerable people and lets some of our retail outlets … get going again with the right social distancing, and manufacturing businesses [to restart] with strict and proven hygiene procedures and shift rotations,” she said.
The drinks company said there has been a 50% drop in demand for soft drinks, water and juices during the shutdown of cafes, restaurants, bars, cinemas, stadiums and gyms.
Non-alcoholic beverage volumes fell about 15% in April, with a 50% drop in on-the-go volumes.
Alcohol volume have declined by approximately 20% as a result of the pub shutdown, with on-premise outlets “being severely impacted by the government’s restrictions”.
Irish pub shutdown may continue until 2021
Pubs may not open in Ireland until next year according to Minister for Health Simon Harris.
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