The reason we have such low deaths is because of the measures in place. They are slowly changing as vaccination targets are met and life should be back to normalish by December.
We have substantially lower death rates than Florida, which has a comparable population.
Florida: 3,600,000 covid cases 56,667 deaths
Melbourne: 54,470 covid cases 913 deaths
This remains true for the rest of Australia. Unfortunately, we are in a remarkable position compared to many parts of the world.
The median covid death is 85 years old. We spent 4 million dollars to save one 85 year old person for a few more years.
You keep quoting 300 billion, where are you getting that from?
It's like that classic Pirates vs Global Average Temperature chart[1]
[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikaandersen/2012/03/23/true-f...
One is not the cause of the other, in either direction.
The US Federal Government has spent trillions on COVID related bills. Over $5.3 trillion if this[1] is to be believed.
USD$5.3 trillion / US Population = $16k/person (approx)
AUD$291 billion / AU Population = AUD$11400/person (~USD$8,300 approx)
On the face of it, we spent a whole lot less, and have had at least as good, if not a better economic outcome.
[1] https://www.pgpf.org/blog/2021/03/heres-everything-congress-...
Using the US dataset as an example of mortality when covid-19 is allowed to spread unrestricted in a population, 700,952 died. Only 193k were 85 and older, so the median covid death must be younger than that - in the lower end of the 74-85 age cohort where another 185k have died.
So you found one number in my argument that you dont like and that invalidates my entire point? Is that what you're saying? What number would you prefer instead of the 85? Does that change everything?
Australia’s numbers won’t match what happens when covid-19 spreads widely, because they successfully stopped it.
Yea, it does invalidate your point, the average years of life lost from a Covid-19 death is fourteen not a few as you suggested. Many, many people lost more than a decade of productive, happy life to this virus in countries where it was allowed to spread. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/06/16/americans-l...
The biggest problems are a huge focus on the risks of AstraZeneca, and the overall lack of availability of Vaccines.
The vaccine rollout is progressing well, despite the rocky start and general fuckups by the federal government.
We're on track for 70% double-dosed by 24th of October, and 80% by 7th of November[1].
Those are the two major figures for rolling-back restrictions that were put in place. Individual states are varying on their own internal restrictions.
So, you can see that coercion isn't required.
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/datablog/ng-inter...
> An extremely long list of “authorised workers” are now required to be vaccinated, including marriage celebrants, personal trainers, emergency service workers, public sector employees, religious workers, and many others. All authorised workers who do not comply with the vaccination requirement will not be permitted to attend their place of employment but will have to work from home or lose their jobs.
https://www.abc.net.au/religion/human-rights-and-mandatory-c...
Things aren't going back to normal, when Australia opens up regardless of vaccination status thousands of people will die if they are lucky and tens of thousands if they are not.
The vaccines have been a huge disappointment with constant goal post moving the only way to keep people from noticing.