Timeline
Due to the complex nature of the pandemic, there were differences in key events and responses at the global, national and jurisdictional level.
A range of public health protection measures were used in Australia to manage the spread of COVID-19 and protect the healthcare system. These included:
- measures to reduce movement of the population, such as border closures
- measures to promote physical distancing and hygiene
- suspension of non-urgent elective surgery and some cancer screening
- public communication and education programmes
- quarantine and isolation rules
- mask mandates
- vaccination programs (AIHW 2020, 2021, 2022; COVID-19 NIRST 2021).
Figure 1 presents a timeline showing key global and national events from the emergence of the virus.
Figure 1: Timeline of key global and national events related to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2019 to 2021
Each state and territory had a different experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be explored in the figure below (Figure 2). The timelines presented are based on multiple sources including jurisdictional government websites and media releases and mainstream media reports and include information on initial COVID-19 cases and deaths, border closures and the implementation and easing of restrictions.
The timeline does not include all potential events related to the pandemic including, but not limited to, changes to businesses, schools, health service provision or economic support and stimulus measures. This is due to variability in availability of this information for each state and territory.
Timeline shows key events for state and territories during the COVID-19 pandemic.
