Five years on from COVID-19 the impact, for some, is everlasting

It's hard to believe that it was five years ago that COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The world was under siege from an invisible enemy, triggering empty streets, lockdowns, mass vaccinations and quarantines.

Melbourne experienced the longest cumulative lockdown of any city in the world, with residents forced to stay home for almost nine months.

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Queensland border barricades were in place for 471 days, with 3.7 million vehicles checked in the process.

Western Australia also experienced one if the world's longest border closures - 679 days.

The Delta outbreak led to more than 50,000 infections and 439 deaths in NSW.

It wasn't until May 2023 that the WHO declared the end of the pandemic phase of COVID-19.

But as a society, the impact is everlasting.

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