As Project hosts clash as Steve Price DEMANDS the return of lockdowns and hated mask mandates as Australia faces another Covid spike
Project hosts clashed over mandatory Covid mask and work from home laws
Steve Price said overcrowded hospitals and rushing ambulances were vital
He blamed the state elections in NSW and Victoria for delays in returning mandates
Other hosts questioned the necessity and said it could trigger for many
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The project’s host, Hamish Macdonald, clashed with Steve Price when the veteran conservative pundit made a startling call for the return of hated Covid mandates.
Health leaders across the country have warned of a coming spike in Covid cases as two virulent new BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of Omicron grip the nation.
On Sunday, 4,327 people were hospitalized with Covid, an increase of 300 in 24 hours as the number of cases approaches the January peak of 5,205 around Australia Day.
Now Price has demanded mandatory masks and home lockdowns to combat worryingly rising infection rates.
The project’s host, Hamish Macdonald, clashed with Steve Price (pictured) when the veteran conservative pundit made a surprising call for the return of hated Covid mandates
Price blamed the upcoming state election on politicians delaying the inevitable, he said.
“Let’s be honest about what’s going on with her,” Price told The Project Monday night.
‘Politicians are no longer listening to health advice because of elections in Victoria and New South Wales.
“And they don’t want to tell people to be locked up or wear masks.”
Macdonald challenged the normally anti-mandatory commentator and asked if he thought the population was ready for mask-wearing again.
Health leaders across the country have warned of a coming spike in Covid cases as two virulent new BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of Omicron grip the nation
Hamish Macdonald and Carrie Bickmore challenged the normally anti-mandatory commentator, asking if he thought the population was ready for mask-wearing again
“In formulating public health policy during this pandemic, authorities have had to assess, what will the public accept?” said McDonald.
“And I think it’s different now than it was six months ago, twelve months ago, two years ago. I think there is fatigue.
“Do you think the public would accept yet another homework or an imposed mask mandate?”
But Price fired back. “If you’re in the back of an ambulance on a slope for eight hours because you can’t get to the hospital or bed because it’s full of COVID patients, then yes.
“I think we’re on the edge of the crowd and say okay, we need to introduce masks more often in certain places.”
On Sunday, 4,327 people were hospitalized with Covid, an increase of 300 in 24 hours as the number of cases approaches January’s peak of 5,205 around Australia Day
Host Carrie Bickmore said people would be triggered by a return to lockdowns and mandatory masks beyond their use in public transport, aged care, prisons and medical facilities.
“I think it would give rise to house-order hearing work for a lot of people,” Bickmore said.
“I think even people who want safe communities, safe workplaces that care about the people around them — I think when I hear that, there’s no appetite for it.”
Price insisted: “I accept that – but if you talk to someone who is in a hospital, they are now being overrun by people with COVID in every state of the country.
‘They have to prevent the numbers from continuing to grow. The numbers in intensive care are rising. We’re in the middle of winter, it’s getting worse.’
Fellow presenter Peter Helliar admitted he often wore a mask while in public
Fellow presenter Peter Helliar admitted that he often wore a mask in public.
“I wear a mask on public transport, in shops,” he said. “I’d rather do that than think about going into another lockdown or something like that.
“So I think masks are of course a personal choice. But masks don’t scare me as much as many people do.’