RTE - Irish in Australia facing further stay-at-home orders over outbreaks of Delta variant

Professor of Behavioural Science at the University of Sydney, Kirsten McCaffery told RTÉ News that people are frustrated because they know the lockdowns could have been avoided if authorities immunised populations during the country's Covid-free status.

"People are feeling really fed up this time because we've squandered the opportunity that we had to get people vaccinated quickly. We had an advantage and we haven't made the most of that advantage," she said.

"The vaccine rollout has been just terribly, terribly slow. It's been confusing. There hasn't been an effective vaccination communication campaign. There's been a real hesitancy about vaccination.

"The vaccination procurement process was not optimal and we've been playing catch-up ever since. And I think now people are feeling 'well when are we going to see the end of this?' I think that's what's really challenging about this is that it could have been avoided," said Prof McCaffery.