At the pandemic’s beginning experts were hailed as heroes and saviours, notwithstanding some differences among them. The politicians embraced them - but now that is all changing.
The expert medical advice changes, not infrequently, during this pandemic. And that applies even when that “advice” comes in the form of a one-liner, writes Michelle Grattan
The vaccine rollout was thrown into fresh uncertainty on Thursday night after the government received medical advice against using the AstraZeneca vaccine for people under 50 because of the very small risk of blood clots.
Is Australia behind on its rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine? Yes. Will it catch up? Most likely, yes. But there are perils in trying to go too fast, and in overpromising on deadlines.
University of Canberra Professorial Fellow Michelle Grattan and University of Canberra Assistant Professor Caroline Fisher discuss the week in politics.
Federal Health Department Secretary Brendan Murphy has admitted some COVID deaths in aged care might have been prevented if there had been a quicker public health response.
The question of whether the public should know the details of victorian aged-care facilities with COVID-19 outbreaks was today raised before a senate committee
Excess buying of toilet paper has become a leading indicator of public alarm about COVID-19. This week in Victoria, people were heading for the shelves again…
Health Minister Greg Hunt has said the goal of the government’s suppression policy is the “effective eradication” of the coronavirus in Australia - while at the same time casting doubt on the possibility of eliminating it.
With the announcement of mandatory self-isolation, the escalation of the coronavirus has forced Morrison to take a less optimistic, more pragmatic stance.
Having been on the front foot early with the coronavirus, the government’s approach is now starting to look like too little, too late, with no clear messaging.