Health Minister Greg Hunt has revealed the three key elements required to pull Australia out of lockdown.
Speaking to reporters on Monday afternoon, Hunt said while it was “too soon to make changes” to social distancing the government was “planning the road out”.
He said lifting the restrictions would involve “three elements”.
“One is a clear indication that we are suppressing the case numbers in Australia – it could be case numbers, the re-transmission rates, all of which are being developed into an assessment protocol,” he said.
“Secondly, it’s about making sure that we have rapid response capability – testing, tracing.
“Thirdly, once those things are achieved, is planning the steps out, which would also be gradual.”
Hunt said “sophisticated, successful” countries such as South Korea, Singapore and Japan had eased restrictions only to have to reintroduce them.
“We want to ensure the more we do now, the greater our ability to manage it in the future,” he said.
Hunt confirmed more than half of the 6,335 Australians who have contracted COVID-19 have fully recovered.
“We are now beginning to see a consolidated flattening of the curve,” he said.
“There is still growth and there could, at any time, be outbreaks and spikes. But this is a cause for real hope and real aspiration.”
This article originally appeared on Over60.