https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/07/30/1022685816/australia-sydney-lockdown-covid-coronavirus-troops Accessibility links * Skip to main content * Keyboard shortcuts for audio player * Open Navigation Menu * NPR logo * * * NPR Shop * Close Navigation Menu * Home * News Expand/collapse submenu for News + National + World + Politics + Business + Health + Science + Technology + Race & Culture * Arts & Life Expand/collapse submenu for Arts & Life + Books + Movies + Television + Pop Culture + Food + Art & Design + Performing Arts + Life Kit * Music Expand/collapse submenu for Music + #NowPlaying + Tiny Desk + All Songs Considered + Music News + Music Features + Live Sessions * Shows & Podcasts Expand/collapse submenu for Shows & Podcasts Daily + [morning-ed] Morning Edition + [we_otheren] Weekend Edition Saturday + [we_otheren] Weekend Edition Sunday + [all-things] All Things Considered + [fresh-air] Fresh Air + [up-first] Up First Featured + [no-comprom] No Compromise + [updatedoow] On Our Watch + [nprthrough] Throughline + [rt_homefro] Rough Translation + More Shows & Podcasts * Search * * NPR Shop * NPR Music NPR Music * #NowPlaying * Tiny Desk * All Songs Considered * Music News * Music Features * Live Sessions * About NPR * Diversity * Organization * Support * Careers * Connect * Press * Ethics Australia Sends Troops To Enforce Sydney Coronavirus Lockdown : Coronavirus Updates About 300 unarmed soldiers are joining local police in the city of 6 million to enforce coronavirus restrictions as authorities try to quell a new outbreak linked to the delta variant. The novel coronavirus, first detected at the end of 2019, has caused a global pandemic. Coronavirus Updates Latest developments in the COVID-19 pandemic The Coronavirus Crisis Australian Troops Will Help Enforce A Coronavirus Lockdown In Sydney * Facebook * Twitter * Flipboard * Email July 30, 202110:59 AM ET Scott Neuman Twitter [gettyimage] Enlarge this image Mounted police officers patrol around the edge of Sydney Harbor on Friday as the Australian city has been locked down amid a new surge in coronavirus infections. James D. Morgan/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption James D. Morgan/Getty Images Mounted police officers patrol around the edge of Sydney Harbor on Friday as the Australian city has been locked down amid a new surge in coronavirus infections. James D. Morgan/Getty Images Australian soldiers are joining local police in New South Wales to enforce a coronavirus lockdown in and around Sydney as authorities try to tamp down the latest outbreak of cases linked to the more infectious delta variant. Starting Monday, some 300 unarmed soldiers will begin patrols in Sydney -- a city of 6 million people. They will be knocking on doors to ensure that residents are following strict stay-at-home measures, the Australian broadcaster ABC reported. Thousands Of People Protest Coronavirus Lockdowns In Australia The Coronavirus Crisis Thousands Of People Protest Coronavirus Lockdowns In Australia On Wednesday, Sydney extended a lockdown by a month -- until Aug. 28 -- as cases there continued to rise. Despite those measures, New South Wales, the state where Sydney is located, is reporting 170 additional cases traced to a man who caught the virus but failed to self-isolate, ABC said. New Zealand Suspends Travel Bubble With Australia As Sydney COVID-19 Cluster Grows The military's help is needed to enforce the restrictions because a small minority of people thought "the rules didn't apply to them," New South Wales Police Minister David Elliott told Australia's Channel Nine. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has come in for heavy criticism in recent weeks over the slow pace of vaccinations in Australia, where about 14% have been fully dosed -- one of the poorest records among any member country of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Defending his government's handling of the vaccination rollout, Morrison on Wednesday said, "No country has got their pandemic response 100%." Tokyo's Coronavirus Cases Are Soaring, But Japan's PM Says The Games Are Not To Blame Live Updates: The Tokyo Olympics Tokyo's Coronavirus Cases Are Soaring, But Japan's PM Says The Games Are Not To Blame Hoping to quell public anger over the lockdowns and discourage vaccine resistance, Morrison said Friday that vaccinated Australians would be able to avoid some lockdowns once the rate of inoculation in the country hit 70%. He said once that rate hits 80%, broad lockdowns in major cities would no longer be necessary. "If you get vaccinated, there will be special rules that apply to you. Why? Because if you're vaccinated, you present less of a public health risk. You are less likely to get the virus. You are less likely to transmit it," the prime minister told reporters, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. * Sydney * Australia * Facebook * Twitter * Flipboard * Email The novel coronavirus, first detected at the end of 2019, has caused a global pandemic. 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