According to Johns Hopkins University data, South Australia has reported zero new cases of COVID-19 since August 23 and zero deaths since April 12. South Australia has the third-largest population of Australian states, at 1.8 million.
The government of South Australia has implemented a new policy requiring Australians to use an app with facial recognition software and geolocation to prove that they are abiding by a 14-day quarantine for travel within the country. While a conservative policy expert described the policy as “Orwellian,” he told Fox News that it represents an improvement over the current COVID-19 policy.
Australia has banned international travel unless residents have a permit to leave the country. The country has also severely restricted travel between the six states of Australia. Residents must spend 14 days in quarantine upon return.
Steven Marshall, premier of the State of South Australia (one of the country’s six states), launched the quarantine app policy in late August. Residents returning from New South Wales and Victoria, two other Australian states, may spend their 14 days in post-travel quarantine at home rather than in a hotel, so long as they download and use the “Orwellian” app, developed by the South Australian government, ABC News Australia reported.-