EDITORIAL: Eddie McGuire AFL grand final plan to beat COVID deserves support

The COVID-19 pandemic has dragged on for too long and the community wants to see solutions rather than road blocks on the road back to something resembling a normal existence.

After some well documented missteps in the vaccine rollout, the national mood is turning with more clarity and confidence around the safety of the AstraZeneca option and further stocks of the preferred Pfizer option rolling into the country.

A record 201,470 daily vaccinations were administered on Thursday with a total 11,795,236 doses in arms nationally.

Yes the overall tallies can be improved, of course they can, but momentum has definitely shifted in the last week or so.

The more vaccines administered the sooner schools and businesses won't be shut due to lockdowns.

And the quicker that happen the quicker we can start looking at the genuine likelihood of the things we really enjoy doing returning and importantly taking place in a safe manner.

One of those things is going to the MCG, Lavington, Wangaratta, Walbundrie and Sandy Creek in September.

In a nutshell the plan put forward by McGuire includes fans, staff, players, coaches and club officials getting a standard PCR test on the Wednesday before the grand final followed by a second, Rapid Antigen Test, on grand final day on arrival at one of 200 testing stations around the ground

Lastly, a ring of steel around the MCG precinct being created to give a "safety net" to those attending.

Australians watched on in envy at Wimbledon to see full houses cheering on Ash Barty and learning similar arrangements were in place for a nation which had embraced AstraZeneca..

Closer to home, administrators will be having sleepless nights wondering how many people can go to finals this year given they start in less than a month and no fans are allowed this weekend and next.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: