Australia will start the deconfinement of Sydney on October 11

The authorities of Australia announced this Monday that they plan to start on October 11 the deconfinement of the city of Sydney, the epicenter of the third wave of covid-19 in the oceanic country, after reaching 70 percent of the target population completely vaccinated.

Australia, a country that opts for a strategy of confining its population by detecting a few cases of the virus, has maintained since June 26 about 5.4 million inhabitants of Sydney, the most populous city in the country, under strict orders to remain at home.

“(We envision that) we will administer the entire guideline to 70 percent of the (adult) population on October 11,” New South Wales Head of Government Gladys Berejiklian said at a press conference in Sydney, referring to to the brand contemplated in the national plan for the gradual return to normality.

By that date, only people who have received the complete schedule of the covid-19 vaccine will be able to enjoy certain freedoms such as going to restaurants, bars, theaters or the hairdresser, while at the end of October, when 80 percent of the population is immunized, those vaccinated will be able to make trips to the interior of the state of New South Wales, whose capital is Sydney.

“Obviously, a number of things get started with 80 percent (of vaccination), including community sports, regional trips, among others. Then on December 9 will be the final stage of the reopening, which will include unvaccinated people,” explained Berejiklian.

New South Wales, which reported 787 local infections and 12 deaths on Monday, has administered the first dose of the vaccine against covid-19 to more than 85.5 percent of its population and the full dose to 60.1 percent, which expects to inoculate 90 percent of its inhabitants by December 1.

Australia has also kept some 5 million residents of Melbourne, the second most populous city in the country, under lockdown since August.

The state of Victoria, whose capital is Melbourne, reported 705 community infections of covid-19 and one death on Monday, and hopes to progressively disconfine its population when it reaches the 70 percent milestone in the second half of October.

Australia has accumulated almost 99,000 cases of covid-19, including some 1,250 deaths, since the beginning of the pandemic, which forced the oceanic country its international borders in March 2020, which it intends to progressively open for Christmas this year.