By my very BOTE calculation it would take roughly 18 months to reach an overall herd immunity population if the infection rate was kept to the number of hospital beds available and the vulnerable (including over 65's) were isolated. Controlling the infection to any fine degree would be the monumental challenge. Anything that doesn't involve the isolation measure would take a lot longer.

I think we just have suck it up and get started instead of this dithering. The virus has more patience than we have, so the PM's exhortation is wasted and we can't proceed on the presumption of a vaccine, on any timeline.

Dear Luciferase,

Why don't you just come out and tell everyone what it is you are hoping for: A FINAL SOLUTION. We will even let you dress up in a sharp looking uniform and let you change your name to Himmler.

Hi Jay Bee

With your "Statistics are slippery things. Daily figures don't matter when we are looking at averages."

You seem to exhibit a rather sick detachment. Here's a poignant statistical comparison.

While Australia has averaged less than ONE COVID death PER DAY total

"Yesterday in America, 1,940 people died from coronavirus."

see the ABC's April 10, 2020 article http://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-10/coronavirus-triggers-struggle-between-donald-trump-and-china/12138772

[furthermore in that article]

"In New York, things are looking so dire that workers are being asked to don protective gear as they dig mass graves on Hart Island in the Bronx."

Mr O, the truth you support seems to be Godwin's Law. It would be nice to know, articulately,what the scientific basis is for the approach towards eliminating the virus that requires ongoing curtailment of our rights.

Why do so many people die? Because there's no herd immunity so everyone is susceptible and 0.37% of everyone is a big number. Influenza constantly evolves to overtake the immune system of only a portion of the population at a time. 0.37% mortality is the equivalent of a bad flu, but nowhere near the Spanish flu (between 1% and 6%, say ten times greater).

We must accept that CV19 will reap its same pound of flesh regardless, almost, of how we try to shape the population infection curve. This is not the fault of state or federal governments.

Any idea that we can eliminate it by anything other than inoculation of the population through infection is founded completely in fear and hope.

Dear Lucifrase,

This is the scene outside a hospital in Moscow today. Did you really want this for Australia?

http://www.liveleak.com/view?t=9laZo_1586643988

If your mum was still alive GY, and she was one of the elderly who succumbed to covid-19? You'd probably be a little less indifferent to the trauma of other folks who lose their loved ones?

I see that SR is trotting out figures to present the US as the new epicentre and source of infections? As some sort of indictment of Mr Trump?

Hardly fair, given the American medical system with all its failings and inequity was well entrenched years ago and inherited by his administration! Therefore, a pretty pointless, point-scoring debate!

What they and we do in response, is tantamount!

I see some graduated return to almost full production etc, when we have enough test kits and testing to ensure a covid-19 free workplace! With those who fail placed in mandatory isolation for the mandatory two weeks!

And until and if an effective vaccine is found and rolled out, our borders will need to be a closed-door you can only enter after two weeks to a month of quarantine on an offshore island!

Moreover, I stand by my earlier comments about our recovery and our best way forward!

This virus will stay around for centuries given cats can get it and the number of cats around the world, where some of their populations exceed those of the human host! And possibly mutate into something far more virulent?

And cats (carriers) are extremely gregarious animals, that rub themselves all over their human hosts, and have disgusting personal hygiene habits!

As for a vaccine? I'm picking the new genetics path as being the most productive?

Take care and stay safe.
Alan B.