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July 30, 2021

Anna Murray 

Despite a five-week tightening and four-week extension of restrictions in Australia, COVID infection cases are expected to rise due to the slow vaccine rollout. As Gladys Berejiklian, Premier of New South Wales and Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party, announced that the lockdown would be extended until the end of August, many Sydney residents expressed confusion and exhaustion.

Currently, the rules prohibit leaving the house except to buy food or essential goods, to exercise, to perform essential work or to receive medical care, and to wear masks indoors. People are not permitted to travel more than 10 kilometers from their homes. As of recently, there is a 5km travel limit for 2 million Sydneysiders in eight local government areas of concern in western Sydney, and masks are required outside as additional restrictions. Local residents who were frustrated, angry, and depressed challenged Sydney's tightened lockdown restrictions for specific local government areas.

A Delta outbreak that started in June has resulted in nearly 3,000 infections and nine deaths. Hundreds of Australian soldiers have been dispatched to Sydney to assist in enforcing a COVID lockdown. On August 2, Australian Defence Force soldiers will begin unarmed patrols. Soldiers will work alongside police in virus hotspots to ensure that people follow the rules, and the lockdown will last until at least August 28. Meanwhile, Australia's adult vaccination rate of 17% is among the lowest among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries.