The city of Melbourne, Australia, site of this year's Australian Open tennis tournament, has just imposed a new 5-day lockdown for all residents. The lockdown is the result of a new cluster of at least 13 cases of the new UK coronavirus variant. The outbreak was traced to a Melbourne Holiday Inn, one of several hotels in the city where international travelers must quarantine themselves for 14 days upon entering the city.
There has been much speculation about the impact of tennis players and their entourages (and fans) from around the world coming to Melbourne for the tournament and what impact that would have on a city (and country) that had seemingly fought off the worst of the virus months ago. Several well known tennis pros have complained about the quarantine restrictions, generating adverse publicity for them as rich, prima donnas who only care about themselves.
But this latest news only proves the seriousness of this pandemic and that, even in Australia, it hasn't truly gone away.
The lockdown was announced by Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews and began at midnight on Friday, forcing spectators at the tournament to leave the stands in the middle of a 5-set thriller between Serbia's world #1 Novak Djokovic and Taylor Fritz of the United States.
Djokovic has been notorious this past year for his comments and actions in regards to the COVID19 pandemic, including his comments prior to this year's Australian Open.
In announcing the new lockdown, Andrews said, "We must assume that there are further cases in the community than we have positive results for, and that it is moving at a velocity that has not been seen anywhere in our country over the course of these last 12 months."
He also said that the tennis tournament, which had already been restricted to 50% capacity, would be allowed to continue as it is considered to be a workplace. However, no spectators will be allowed and only players and the minimum amount of staff to run it safely will be permitted.
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