Just a few months ago, Australia’s virtually COVID-19-free status made it the envy of the world. Then the delta variant flipped the script.
After about half a year of relatively normal daily life, Australia’s biggest city is now in the third week of a strict lockdown that on Wednesday was extended until at least July 30. Sydney’s normally bustling central business district is all but deserted, schools are closed and households are forbidden from mixing for fear of further spread in the city of 6 million.
Even as the U.S. and U.K. reopen, Australia seems to be stuck in place. And it’s all for a daily caseload a third the size of New York’s and less than 3% of what London is currently encountering. About 900 cases have been recorded in Sydney since an unvaccinated chauffeur was infected while transporting airline crew last month.