With the rate of coronavirus infection tracking firmly downwards in Australia – and South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland all reporting no new cases in the past 24 hours – the situation is looking relatively bright.
Many ‘grounded’ grey nomads will no doubt be starting to wonder when it will be that state borders start opening and travel restrictions will be eased. However, while the recent trend is hugely encouraging the message is very much ‘steady as she goes’.
While there is no doubt that Australia’s levels of infection are relatively low and that the curve is being flattened, the seriousness of the health crisis cannot be underestimated and the risk of a ‘second wave’ is very real.
It remains to be seen whether the Government eventually attempts to completely eliminate the virus, and then keep international borders closed until a vaccine is developed.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk declared herself ‘overjoyed’ at the most recent virus data, and Health Minister Steven Miles urged people to carry on doing what they were doing.
“Of course we’ve seen in other countries, reductions to near zero levels of cases and then a second wave of infection so we need to be very cautious, we need to keep up our current approach,” Health Minister Steven Miles, said. “But if we can sustain this, then the end is in sight.”
In any event, while we are at least a month away from restrictions being lifted, the Prime Minister has said the National Cabinet is now actively ‘plotting a path out’.
Even more encouraging from a grey nomad perspective was the message from Tourism Minister, Simon Birmingham. “We’re not there yet but certainly this time is a good time for a bit of dreaming, a bit of planning,” he said. “Think about the Aussie break that you might take when we finally get to the other side of this.”
While the timing is still very much up in the air, what is clear is that it is domestic tourism that will pick up a long way before the international tourists start returning. Tourism Australia says that once the coronavirus spread is under control and state borders start to re-open, it expects travel demand to surge.
“We know the recovery can be as quick as the decline,” a spokesperson said. “We expect the recovery to start domestically, and self-drive will certainly be a big focus as we seek to encourage Aussies to explore their back yard.”
While states like Western Australia have said they expect border restrictions to stay in place for many months yet, there is hope in some quarters that these hard-line stances might soften if the number of coronavirus cases across the country shrinks quickly. Certainly, there is no shortage of grey nomads chomping at the bit to get on the open road again, and no shortage of country towns eagerly awaiting their return.
David Blackburn, from Echuca, summed up the general grey nomad mood best.
“The van is fully packed, and we’ll only need cooked meals to go in the freezer, water to go in one water tank, to retract the slide-out, hook the 4×4 on, and then lock the gates and off we go,” he said. “When? Will someone please advise?”
Anyone who thinks we will be back to normal within 6 months is dreaming, particularly if people refuse to use the virus tracking app. With the tracking app, much easing of restrictions is possible, but I’d suggest no large gatherings for at least another year.