Cliff Reece, veteran pandemic planning expert and recently retired Principal of Crisis Risk Management, says that now is the time to relax at least some of the constraints imposed on the community as a result of the Covid-19 crisis.
“We have reached the stage where the need for the draconian constraints on freedom of movement and activity is no longer appropriate. More harm will be done to both the Australian people and Australia’s economy by maintaining these constraints than by at least partially lifting them”, he said.
“Certainly, we need to maintain social distancing and protection of the more vulnerable and older segments of the community but beyond that the constraints should be gradually lifted over the next 3 months starting with schools/universities/colleges, the retail and restaurant/cafe sector, the hospitality industry, and localized road travel.”
Mr Reece, who at the age of 74 is himself within the ‘vulnerable’ category, developed crisis management and business continuity plans for a large number of government and private sector organizations including the NSW Department of Health working alongside current Chief Health Officer Dr. Kerry Chant. Prior to starting his own business, he was also Executive Director/CEO of The National Safety Council of Australia (NSW/ACT Division).
His firm also developed Pandemic Management Plans for several NSW State government departments and local Councils as well as companies across a wide spectrum of industries.
“If we continue as we are with the current policy of containing the virus at its current very low level of fatalities, the cost in terms of human lives is likely to be far greater than it would be if we started right now to ease up on the restrictions that apply”, he said.
“Governments throughout Australia and at a national level have done a magnificent job so far but they now need to lift the shackles on people’s liberty and trust us to do the right thing in relation to social distancing and other sensible measures aimed at restricting the growth of the pandemic”, he said.
Mr Reece believes that some increase in deaths will most likely occur when restrictions are lifted but that these will be more than offset by a decrease in deaths from seasonal ‘flu, non-virus-related medical issues, road fatalities, domestic violence, and suicides.
CRISIS RISK MANAGEMENT
Principal: Cliff Reece (retd.)
