George Clooney praises Australia’s ‘admirable’ pandemic response

George Clooney has lauded Australia’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Appearing on The Project, the American actor, who was in Australia filming his new comedy, Ticket to Paradise, during the height of the country’s lockdowns, said the response was ‘admirable’.  

‘I look at what particularly Australia did, and some of these things get politicised,’ the 61-year-old said. 

‘But you look at what you guys were able to accomplish, and I know it was incredibly difficult, but had the United States done that, we would have saved 900,000 lives.’ 

Clooney went on to say that he admired how Australians, who endured some of the world’s strictest lockdowns during the pandemic, accepted the measures as necessary. 

‘The idea that you believed in science is so admirable. The whole time I was there I thought, I am so impressed with the people of Australia who said let’s suck this up and get this done. I was so impressed,’ he said. 

Appearing on The Project, the American actor, who was in Australia filming his new comedy, Ticket to Paradise, during the height of the country’s lockdowns, said the response was ‘admirable’. Pictured alongside Julia Roberts on The Project 

‘I look at what particularly Australia did, and some of these things get politicised,’ the 61-year-old said. ‘But you look at what you guys were able to accomplish, and I know it was incredibly difficult, but had the United States done that, we would have saved 900,000 lives’

The majority of Australians feel the nation’s strict lockdown measures during the Covid pandemic were ‘just right,’ according to a recent survey.

The data from the University of Tasmania study found two thirds of the country were comfortable with the crippling lockdowns spanning multiple states which cost businesses tens of billions of dollars during 2020 and 2021.

Just eight per cent of the 1162 people surveyed in the peer-reviewed paper published on Tuesday, believe the stay-at-home orders were ‘definitely too restrictive’.

Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) initially called a nationwide six-week lockdown to limit the spread before sporadic rolling outbreaks across the country during the next two years prompted individual states and territories to make their own declarations

There have been 14,432 Covid-related deaths since the virus reached Australia in March 2020. Additionally, Australians were eager to roll up their sleeves for the Covid-19 vaccines, with vaccination rates peaking at over 90 per cent of eligible citizens

While only 11 per cent felt lockdowns, mask mandates, curfews and travel restrictions were ‘probably too restrictive’.

The study also concluded that Australians who prioritise the economy over health were less likely to follow mask mandates, check-in to venues, get tested and self-isolate. 

There have been 14,432 Covid-related deaths since the virus reached Australia in March 2020. In the United States however, that figure is now over one million dead. 

Clooney arrived in Australia last year for filming on his new movie and managed to bypass the government’s hotel quarantine system, instead staying in a private property for his 14 day mandatory quarantine period with his wife Amal (right) and their children 

Additionally, Australians were eager to roll up their sleeves for the Covid-19 vaccines, with vaccination rates peaking at over 90 percent of eligible citizens. 

Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison initially called a nationwide six-week lockdown to try and limit the spread before sporadic rolling outbreaks across the country during the next two years prompted individual states and territories to make their own declarations.

Victoria was by far the hardest hit with Melburnians enduring a cumulative 262 gruelling days in lockdown – beating out the Argentine capital Buenos Aires for the unenviable world record.

Premier Dan Andrews ordered all non-essential businesses to shut during that period, as millions were trapped inside their homes and restricted from going outside after 9pm or travelling more than 5km.

 The Batman & Robin star stayed at a palatial $9million property 90 minutes from Sydney

Clooney arrived in Australia last year for filming on his new movie alongside Julia Roberts, and managed to bypass the government’s hotel quarantine system, instead staying in a private property for his 14 day mandatory quarantine period.

The visiting Hollywood actor being granted an exemption to hunker down at a sprawling Southern Highlands estate rather than a pokey hotel room. 

The Batman & Robin star stayed at a palatial $9million property 90 minutes from Sydney. 

The A-lister spent the entirety of his NSW stay at Mount Robertson Farm and could be seen strolling the grounds with wife Amal Clooney and their children. 

The A-lister spent the entirety of his NSW stay at Mount Robertson Farm and could be seen strolling the grounds with wife Amal Clooney and their children