China travel ban ‘likely prevented 400 coronavirus deaths’
But modelling of coronavirus cases also suggests that allowing students in later would have been low risk
Australia likely averted 400 COVID-19 deaths by stopping flights from China at the start of February, modelling shows.
The study results show the swift ban on travel had been “very effective” in protecting Australians from COVID-19, say the authors from the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney.
Coronavirus cases and deaths linked to arrivals from China were reduced by about 87% because of the travel ban from 1 February, they say.
“We showed that the ban implemented for travellers from China, when the epidemic was almost at its peak, substantially delayed the spread into Australia,” write the authors, who include biosecurity expert Professor Raina MacIntyre.
