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Australian Military Joins COVID-19 Lockdown Enforcement in Sydney

Phil Mercer

   SYDNEY - The Australian militarybeganhelping toenforceAustralia's
   strictest COVID-19 lockdownMonday,as a surge in delta variant cases in
   Sydneycontinued to cause problems.

   About 300 troops have been sent to Australia'slargest city to help
   overstretched policemonitorhome quarantine for coronavirus patients,and
   potentially set up roadblocks.The troops will help the policeon
   adoor-to-doorsearch to check if people who have contracted COVID
   areisolating,police commissioner Mick Fuller told reporters during a
   press conference.

   Senior officials have said the soldiers will not be armed, anddo not
   have specialenforcement authority, but will be assisting the
   police.However, counsellors have said that the sight of the military in
   multicultural areas of Sydney could be distressing for some refugees
   and migrants.

   Carmen Lazar is a manager at the Assyrian Resource Centre in the
   Fairfield district of the city.
   Police look to stop an anti-lockdown protest as a COVID-19 outbreak
   affects Sydney, July 31, 2021.

   "It is not acceptable because (there) are people who have come from
   torture and trauma countries (where), you know, the government
   officials have always been intimidating and especially the police.You
   know, having the military patrolling a large multicultural community
   insouth-western Sydney I do not think is ideal for these people because
   they have not committed any crime," Lazar said.

   Sydney's lockdown is scheduled to end on August 28, but delta variant
   infections continue to increase.The stay-at-home orders are the
   strictestimposed in Australia since the pandemic began.The orders also
   applyto regions to the north, south and west of Australia's most
   populous city.

   Monday, authoritiesannounced 207 new infectionsin the past 24-hours.A
   record number of 117,000 COVID-19 tests were also carried out in the
   same period.

   A lockdowninsoutheastQueensland, including the state capital Brisbane,
   has been extended until Sunday as authorities try tocontaina delta
   outbreak.

   Queensland's Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young is pleading for
   residents to stay at home.

   "This outbreak, unfortunately, is escalating, but I amvery
   confidentthat with the strategies we have in place in Queensland, and
   with the cooperation of every single Queenslander, we will get through
   it.Do not leave home.We know that the delta variant of the virus
   istotally unforgiving.Itreally andtrulyspreadsso rapidly," Young said.

   Australia has recorded about 34,000 coronavirus infections and 924
   deaths since the pandemic began.

   Just19%of the population have been fully vaccinated.

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