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Its economic downturn during the pandemic has also been less pronounced than in many comparable economies, and it is now moving into a 鈥淐OVID normal鈥� phase of recovery. The country鈥檚 position as an island nation makes it relatively easy to close borders and contributes to Australia鈥檚 success in keeping a lid on COVID-19 outbreak. But the country鈥檚 response has also been characterized by very strict, no-tolerance, and aggressivemeasures from very early on. Many business owners and people within the society have criticised the Australian government鈥檚 measures as too strict and economically damaging. But the zero tolerance strategy worked: on average, new confirmed cases across Australia are lower than ten since the lockdown was lifted.The contrast is a stark difference with the situation in other developed countries, such as the UK and US, where the virus is spreading rapidly and threatening to overrun health services.[1] Australia鈥檚 response to the COVID-19 pandemic to date offers valuable, actionable insights for decision makers elsewhere in the world.[2]So, what鈥榮 the most contributing factors to Australia鈥檚 success in preventing the catastrophic outbreak of COVID-19? Restriction Unlike other countries, the country chose to quickly and tightly seal its borders from early on. Strict border measures and travel restrictions are put in place to protect the health of the Australian community.All of Australia's states either shut their domestic borders or severely limited movementfor interstate and, in some cases, intra颅state travelers. Lockdown When Australia was hit with a surge of COVID-19 cases in late July just weeks after declaring victory against the first wave, it prompted one of the world's longest lockdowns in several states, closing virtually everything that wasn't a grocery store or hospital for months.[3] In many cities, roadblocks were established to ensure people stayed home. Even when restrictions were eased there was a nightly curfew, and in the initial lockdown people weren't allowed to be more than 5 km away from home in certain regions. Break a rule, and you could face a fine of $1,300.[3] Education was moved entirely online in many places and many businesses were force to close for several weeks. The very strictlockdown policies hadcost a million of jobs nationwide and thousands of now-failed businesses, but it was worth it as stated by a new study from The University of Western Australia. They study reveals that South Australia鈥檚 harsh lockdown is likely to be the most effective strategy to contain and then reduce the spread of COVID-19. Quarantine All travellers arriving in Australia by air or sea may need to go into government approved mandatory quarantine for 14 days from arrival, except for people who are travelling from a green safe travel zone or in an exemption category.Once they have completed quarantine, they can travel within Australia in line with state and territory domestic travel restrictions. This may include further quarantine requirements. Contact Tracing Since the beginning of pandemic, health officials rapidly built up the manpower to track down and isolate outbreaks. But the country needs a proactive instead of reactive approach in fighting this invisible threat hence contact tracing becomes essential. According to World Health Organization (WHO), contact tracing is the process of identifying, assessing, and managing people who have been exposed to a disease to prevent onward transmission. When systematically applied, contact tracing will break the chains of transmission of COVID-19 and is an essential public health tool for controlling the virus. Therefore, the Australian government has quickly adapted and launched COVIDSafe, an app that helps identify people exposed to coronavirus (COVID-19), aiming to automate the contact tracing and allow the easing of restrictions. Public Compliance to Health Protocols Ultimately, slowing the spread of the virus relies on people adhering to good hygiene and physical-distancing practices.[2]The combination of zero-tolerance regulations and the government unified response to the pandemic at all levels have proved to be very effective in winning the trust ofall Australian citizens. In the end, the lengthy lockdowns, mandatory mask wearing, and strict physical distancing practice are no longer viewed as a burden. They become a way to ensure the safety of themselves and others while cooperating with the government to minimize the negative impacts of the pandemic in the country鈥檚 economy, tourism, businesses, and health services.