Australia’s Victoria state government announced a 5-day lockdown beginning midnight July 15 until July 20 after a spike in positive COVID-19 test results. Three Australian resorts, Mount Buller, Hotham Alpine Resort, and Ski Falls will close for the duration of the lockdown, unless the Alpine Region is exempted early.
Though the spike is relatively small, 10 new cases today, up from two yesterday, they represent a significant increase. The Victoria government does not wish to risk an outbreak. The government is taking extra precautions due to the presence of a highly infectious strain—they did not disclose which variant—and will mandate masks outdoors.
The state’s coronavirus website stated, “Waiting could see more people infected and the number of exposure sites explode. If we act now–while we’re right on the heels of this outbreak–we can give ourselves every chance of getting ahead of it. If we wait–we lose that option.”
This short-term lockdown appears to be a sign of what’s to come for the Australian and New Zealand ski season—intermittent breaks, stops and starts. We will update this page with news of new lockdowns in the Southern Hemisphere this season.
