A group of worried doctors are calling for an urgent end to Victoria’s coronavirus lockdown.
500 medical experts argue in an open letter to Premier Daniel Andrews that the response of the state government to COVID-19 is causing serious harm, an increase in mental health problems, and a troubling decrease in tests for medical conditions such as cancer and chest pain.
“The current restrictions are unnecessary, disproportionate and must be lifted,” the letter says.
“The response to the virus will cause more deaths and result in far more negative health effects than the virus itself.”
The doctors want to remove the five-kilometer regulation, reopen sports clubs and be able to visit their families within their homes and in elderly care facilities for Victorians, while adhering to social distance and good hygiene.
They also want to see a group of medical experts set up to advise government decisions regarding the virus’ containment.
One of the health experts who signed the document, Dr Eamonn Mathieson, spoke to Sunrise about the issue.
“There are a growing number of doctors who are gravely concerned about the impact of these lockdowns and we are calling for them to cease,” he said.
Dr. Mathieson said the stance of the organisation is “in line with the World Health Organisation,” which has never recommended coronavirus “lockdowns.”
“There has been massive collateral damage in the mental health space due to the lockdowns,” Dr Mathieson said.
“The way you do public health is not to focus or have a fixation on one condition to the exclusion of all others.”