Australia: Reimposition of COVID-19 lockdown in Melbourne prompts panic-buying

Melbourne’s reimposition of lockdown measures reportedly prompted panic buying and left several supermarket shelves empty. Amid surging coronavirus cases and soaring community transmission, the Australian government announced a six-week lockdown on July 7. As millions of citizens in Melbourne prepared for a return to COVID-19 lockdown, several supermarkets had to reimpose buying limits on items. 

While speaking to an international media outlet, Australia’s largest supermarket chain, Woolworths said that it reimposed buying limits on items including pasta, vegetables, and sugar as shoppers rushed to stores. With new restrictions, several health experts have also warned that the lockdown could prompt a mental health crisis as well. Professor Michael Kyrios, a clinical psychologist at Flinders University, reportedly said that Victoria also needed to brace for a ‘coming health crisis’. 

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Experts around the globe have urged people to get used to the ‘new normal’ and the on-and-off restrictions as the deadly coronavirus continue to spread rapidly. Australia had been successful in containing the virus, however, in recent weeks, the country has been reporting nearly 100 new cases daily. The Australian authority again closed gyms and beauty salons, while restaurants and cafes are allowed to serve only takeaway food. 

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Restrictions imposed in over 30 suburbs 

With the return of social isolation, residents are also now restricted to their homes except for work, exercise, medical care or to buy essentials. According to an international media outlet, the new cases in Melbourne are mostly linked to hotels where residents returning from overseas were being quarantined. Amid a surge in new infections, the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison also said that the country is considering to limit the number of citizens returning from abroad. 

The sudden surge prompted the health officials to impose strict lockdown in over 30 suburbs and as many as nine public housing towers were prohibited for non-essential movement, according to reports. Earlier this week, in the highest single-day spike, the state recorded 127 new Covid-19 cases and the first death in more than two weeks. As of July 8, Australia has confirmed 8,886 COVID-19 cases and nearly 106 deaths.  

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