By 2GB breakfast host Ben Fordham
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has backflipped on a Covid policy over the weekend.
He’s brought back the $750 payment for people who test positive and face a mandatory 7 days isolation.
It’s for people who don’t earn sick pay.
So casuals and sole traders.
The Prime Minister has extended it until the end of September.
And I support that.
But here’s the broader issue.
At what point do we start making a tough call here?
The current system is sending us broke.
We’re forcing people to sit at home for a week after testing positive.
99% of them have mild symptoms.
And we’re then having to compensate them for missing work.
It’s unsustainable.
This latest policy backflip is going to cost taxpayers $780 million.
2GB host Ben Fordham says Australia needs to simplify things and remove the seven-day isolation rule for those that test positive for Covid
At some point very soon – we need to simplify things.
When you’re sick- you stay home.
And when you’re better- you come to work.
That’s how it works with the flu.
That’s how it needs to work with coronavirus.
There are no strict isolation rules in America, the UK, Sweden, Denmark or Norway.
They are back to normal.
We’re hanging onto old restrictions.
The whole point of getting the jab was to reduce the severity of the virus.
95% of us are double dosed.
More than 60% have had a booster.
And a fourth dose is available for people over the age of 30.
Yes, case numbers are high.
But the flu can kill people too !
And we’re not mandating how long you must stay home when you catch the flu.
And we’re not handing anyone $750 a week for doing so.
The NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet told us this morning:
‘In many cases at the moment- the current strand of influenza is more severe than the current strands of COVID.’
We can’t force people to sit at home forever.
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