Covid-19 has been declared a national emergency in four of Australia’s eight biggest cities as officials battle new breakouts of the very deadly Delta strain. At midnight on June 29, 2021, Perth, Western Australia’s capital, commenced a four-day lockdown, while Brisbane, Queensland’s capital, began a three-day lockdown on the evening of June 29, 2021. They have been placed under lockdown in Sydney, New South Wales’ capital, and Darwin, the Northern Territory’s capital. According to government figures, the four cities have a combined population of more than 10.2 million people. Australia was praised for its swift response to the pandemic and ability to restore its economy quickly. However, the federal government failed to secure enough vaccine doses to prevent “circuit breaker” lockdowns that occur every time a small number of cases are recorded. After officials discovered a third case linked to the Sydney outbreak, residents of Perth and the surrounding Peel region have been advised to stay at home unless absolutely necessary.