The ACT’s four-week lockdown extension could test the goodwill of Canberrans – ABC News

Last week, ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr foreshadowed an announcementthat would outline a plan for the coming weeks.

Canberrans, more than a month into a lockdown due to the circulating Delta variant, anticipated some news of a light at the end of the tunnel.

With new daily casesstill being reported and, among them, people who were infectious in the community, there wasperhaps a hidden resignation that the territory's lockdown would not be lifted on Friday as flagged.

But there was hope that the sacrifices and efforts of Canberrans would be rewarded in some way.

Instead, yesterday's announcement turned the territory's original seven-day "short, sharp" responseinto a nine-week lockdown.

ABC News: Ian Cutmore

After confirming the territory had recorded 22 new cases of COVID-19, Mr Barr went on to announce that Canberra's lockdown would be extended by four weeks until October 15.

There was some minor easing of restrictions outdoor social and recreational sport with up to fivepeople can recommence from Saturday, while small businesses thatare currently permitted to operate a click-and-collect or delivery service will be able to have up to fivepeople in the business at any one time.

In-person house inspections will also start back up, limited to just household members and one real estate agent.

But it was bad news for parents who had hoped for a return to face-to-face learning for the start of term four. Instead, came the news that for most students remote learning would continue for at least the first four weeks of next term.

It's a deep blow for families who suffered through a disrupted 2020 and are now looking down the barrel of home learning for much of the remainder of this year. And a deeper blow for those students who struggle to cope without the social interaction with their peers.

It was also a blow for Canberrans more broadly,who had hoped their compliance would mean they could come out of lockdown where New South Wales and Victoria had not.

What Mr Barr had earmarked as a "plan" for the territory's lockdown waslimited in its scope, dubbed a "roadmap to nowhere" by the Canberra Liberals.

Unlike the leaders of NSW and Victoria, the Chief Ministerdid not give an indication of what might change when the ACT reachedthe milestone of70 per cent fully vaccinated.

But Mr Barr has always been reluctant to hang much on that 70 per cent figure he has reminded ACT residents time and time again thatthe Delta variant would still be destructive at that point.

Instead, he has said the number to aim for was "80 per cent and beyond".

With just over 50 per cent of Canberra's population vaccinated, there isstilla way to go.

Mr Barr has also repeatedly warned that Canberrans should expect to endure a "tough spring",but also that he expectedthe territory to enjoy an economic reprieve in the summer when freedoms would be much greater.

With the lockdown now extended until mid-October, the gap in knowledge for the ACT is November, and what that month will look like.

ABC News: Ian Cutmore

The ACT's plateauing case numbers had offered up hope that maybe, just maybe, the ACT would be able to achieve the elusive goal of zero active COVID-19 cases in the territory.

But the government's announcement on Tuesdayimplied that hope was fading.

"We'd all like zero,but I think increasingly, with the examples in New South Wales and Victoria, that aiming for zeroinfectious in the community is a really good first start," Chief Health Officer Kerryn Coleman said.

"I would provide caution that this may be the start of what we may be working towards, that we will be seeing a steady level of cases continuing to move forward."

Mr Barr confirmed that the latestcase numbers withat least 13 people spendingsome time in the community while infectious "hadnot been a good day on that performance objective".

Fronting up to daily press conferences for over a month, Mr Barr has been true to his word.

He told ACT residents it would be tough, and it will be.

Yesterday, in lieu of painting Canberrans a picture of what life after lockdown would look like, Mr Barr confirmed that the only light at the end of the tunnelcontinuedto be through increasing the vaccination rate.

"This next month is a period of uncertainty and the next few weeks will be challenging," Mr Barr said.

"What we are certain of though is that a highly vaccinated Canberra is a safer Canberra. This is the safest path forward that will lead to a safer Christmas, a safer summer holiday period, and a safer 2022.

Unlike last year, when Canberrans were delivereda detailed set of steps out of lockdown, this time they only have the prospect of a summer in which they can hopefully gather withloved ones.

It is this lack of clarity that will make the spring miserable for some, for Canberrans have shown they are happy to forgo a great deal if they know what the future holds.

The reaction on social media to yesterday's announcement was one charged with emotion manyare angry for that very reason.

So far, the ACT government has relied on the celebrated goodwill of its people.

The question is, will it stand the test of another lockdown extension?

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The ACT's four-week lockdown extension could test the goodwill of Canberrans - ABC News