A portable sign with instructions to social distance is seen in on July 29 in Sydney, Australia. | Jenny Evans/Getty Images

Epidemiologists have faith that mask mandates and lockdowns will help manage the country’s second wave.

In a once-in-a-century move (literally, the last time was 1919), Australia completely sealed off a popular state border to help curb a second wave of Covid-19 and instituted a six-week lockdown in the Melbourne area.

That was a few weeks ago. Since then, cases have continued to climb, and leading politicians have suggested that the lockdowns could be extended.

But despite the national anxiety, several public health experts told me they’re optimistic that the government’s policies will cause cases to fall in the coming days. They told me the situation is not quite as bad as it may seem, and would have been much worse without