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.
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