Delta‘s force: Australia’s covid plans crumble
The Intelligence from The Economist
The Economist
4.5 • 3.7K Ratings
🗓️ 25 August 2021
⏱️ ? minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
For a while, closed borders and strict contact-tracing held the coronavirus at bay. What lessons to take now the Delta variant has broken through in the region? The European Union once had few prosecutorial powers to tackle rampant fraud by member states’ citizens; we examine a new office that can start cleaning house. And a look at Japan’s seasonal-sweet obsession.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello and welcome to the Intelligence from the Economist. |
| 0:06.8 | I'm your host, Jason Palmer. |
| 0:09.0 | Every weekday we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world. |
| 0:17.6 | For all its many institutions, the European Union never had a high-level public prosecutor |
| 0:23.6 | who could bring charges on behalf of the block. |
| 0:26.5 | That is, until now. |
| 0:28.4 | We look at a new office and its powers and just how much stolen money it may track down. |
| 0:34.6 | And in Japan, store shelves are constantly in flux as snack and sweet makers push seasonal |
| 0:40.8 | flavors that can change by the week. |
| 0:43.9 | Right now, it's chocolate mint and the Japanese are obsessed. |
| 0:48.4 | They should stock up. |
| 0:49.6 | That flavored too will soon be gone. |
| 0:56.0 | But first, Australia has just chocked up its worst daily count of COVID-19 infections. |
| 1:05.9 | Meanwhile, the country is dramatically shifting its approach to the pandemic as Prime Minister |
| 1:10.4 | Scott Morrison outlined on Monday. |
| 1:13.0 | The national plan we've developed and agreed is our pathway to living with this virus. |
| 1:20.7 | That is our goal, to live with this virus, not to live in fear of it. |
| 1:26.8 | Most restrictions will be eased when the country is about three quarters vaccinated. |
| 1:31.0 | Because this cannot go on forever. |
| 1:33.3 | This is not a sustainable way to live in this country. |
| 1:37.3 | Australia has been one of a handful of countries to take a zero-colded approach with strict |
| 1:42.0 | border restrictions and rigorous contact tracing. |
... |
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