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Australia has gone from being lauded around the world for our response to Covid to an 'international laughing stock' as millions are confined to their homes with businesses and schools closed and borders shut because of the latest Covid outbreak.

At least 14 million Australians can only leave their homes for essential reasons because of an outbreak of the Indian Delta variant that initially spread through Sydney from an unvaccinated and unmasked limo driver to Victoria, Queensland and South Australia. 

The rest of the world has reacted in shock that three of Australia's biggest cities have been shut down indefinitely - despite the number of infections being negligible when compared to what was experienced elsewhere.

Australia has recorded 32,269 cases and 915 deaths since the pandemic first hit our shores 18 months ago.

In comparison, the UK has had more than 5.5 million infections and almost 128,000 deaths, while in the US, more than 35 million have contracted the virus which has claimed 625,000 lives.

When NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced she was shutting down all construction and non-essential retail on Saturday in a bid to control the outbreak, 111 cases were recorded from 82,000 tests, a positive test rate of just 0.138 per cent.

The news sparked outrage on the other side of the world, where a woman from US tweeted a Nine News news segment with the tagline: 'Australia is not okay'.

Australia is the laughing stock of the world with news that half the country including Melbourne (pictured) are in lockdown

The tweet is still going viral five days later and was flooded with thousands of comments on Thursday morning.

'I am so sad for Australia. I live in Italy though. I want to return to Australia. But if this is Australia now, well, no thanks. I'll stay here until things become normal,' one Australian wrote. 

When one Melburnian commented he was stuck in his fifth lockdown and recalled the draconian restrictions placed on the city for 112 days last year, including a one hour limit of exercise enforced, someone from the US replied: 'You know who else gets one hour of exercise a day? Prison inmates.'

Others were stunned to learn that just one Covid death, a man aged in his 80s was recorded last Saturday, the third one in NSW since the latest outbreak began in mid June.

'Not to be insensitive but closing up the place for the death of one elderly man in his 80s is crazy. Authorities are looking for any reason to keep shutting it all down, it is obvious now,' one wrote.

Another added: 'So they're locking down again for a 0.013 per cent positive rate and three deaths? Lemme guess, they're 'going to get it right this time' by making them even more draconian, supposedly to ensure we 'defeat COVID once and for all?'

Others were shocked to learn that almost 900,000 residents in Sydney's south-west have been ordered to not leave their local government area as part of the new restrictions.

'So shut everything down 900,000 people because out of all them 111 positive Covid cases and 1 death by an 83 year old man. Wow! That’s really insane bonkery going overboard. Wow!

Out of 915 Australian deaths, 820 were recorded in Victoria during the state's horror wave in 2020.

The entire state of Victoria is currently in its fifth lockdown in 16 months, despite not recording a death from Covid so far in 2021.

This tweet and footage of a Sydney news segment shared by a woman in the US continues to go viral five days later

The global reaction to the viral tweet prompted Sydney breakfast radio broadcaster Ben Fordham to unleash another extraordinary attack on lockdowns as he read out some of the responses. 

'People in other parts of the world can't believe it,' Fordham told 2GB listeners on Thursday morning.

'Now, it must be said, many of them would be envious of the fact that we've had a small number of deaths compared to other parts of the world.

'But we've been led to believe that lockdowns are normal – they are not. 

'They shouldn't be seen as optional extras that can be taken away in a minute.' 

He called for a higher value on the freedoms Australians as he lashed out at state premiers using lockdowns as an easy option when outbreaks have emerged.

Sydneysiders are about to enter their fifth week of lockdown. Pictured are residents in Liverpool, where residents are unable to leave the LGA unless they're an essential worker

We have been led to believe lockdown is normal - it's not. Our parents and our grandparents died for our freedom,' Fordham continued.

'So if you're going to decide all the sudden to take that away, you better have a good reason.'

'Lockdowns have been necessary at times but they've become the easy option, making it bloody hard for everyone else.

'Sydney is a tough town, don't get me wrong. It's Australia's version of New York - if you can make it, you can make it anywhere.

'Bu we're not going to be treated like sheep forever and hypnotised by the mythical health advice – we want to know the facts, what justified each decision.

'If plan 'a' fails, what is plan 'b'? We have to learn to live with the virus.' 

Fordham said it's got to the stage where we need to live with the virus and bring some life back into the place by slowly increasing freedoms when it's safe to do.

He played advice from NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant following her recent advice earlier in week for Sydneysiders to not engage in conversation with neighbours and friends as the virus continues to spread.

'We know the disease is terrible but the response is taking a toll on millions and millions of people,' he said.

'The remedy is becoming just as bad as the disease.' 

Usually bustling with Sydneysider and tourists, photos of a deserted Circular Quay has attracted the attention of media on the other side of the world, including New York Times

As Sydney edges towards a fifth week of lockdown, the New York Times splashed a photo of the city's iconic Opera House looking deserted across the front page.

'Places like Australia, which shut down its border, are learning that they cannot keep the virus out,' the article states.

'Countries with zero-infection ambitions are coming to terms with the idea that those pandemic policies are no longer workable. 

'More officials are encouraging people to return to their daily rhythms and transition to a new normal. But scientists warn that it may be too soon to design exit strategies for the pandemic.

Fordham wasn't the only broadcaster to weigh into the debate with Sky News host Alan Jones adding his two cents worth in an opinion piece for the Daily Telegraph.

Out of 255,000 tests in Greater Sydney over three days last weekend, 99.87 per cent were negative.

Jones said Ms Berejiklian had forfeited her right to be believed after she recently claimed we can't lived freely and safely until the outbreak is quashed.

'There is no scientific proof offered for anything that these health officers and politicians demand of us,' he wrote.

'Of those tested positive, why aren't we told how old they are? Why aren't we told their comorbidities? Why aren't we told how many are obese?'

He added that no one batted an eyelid when 1255 deaths from influenza in Australia in 2017 and that 417 people die in Australia each day.

'I say this because we have been down this alarmist track before, being force-fed information from 'experts' and 'politicians' with virtually no evidence to justify their alarmist talk,' Jones continued.

2GB breakfast show Ben Fordham (pictured) called for an end to lockdowns on his radio program on Thursday

Another News Corp columnist Angela Mollard wrote an opinion piece for the Daily Mail's The Mail on Sunday on the weekend.

She recalled how Australia has gone from the envy of the world for its low number of deaths, quick and effective lockdowns, formidable contact tracing and routine 'doughnut days' to a 'hermit kingdom' in just a few .

'We could be isolated for years, according to public health experts and epidemiologists,' the journalist wrote.

'With our ambitions focused on elimination rather than suppression of the virus, firmly shut borders plus a paltry nine per cent vaccination rate – the lowest among the developed countries – the prospects for 'Zero Covid' look as dated and parochial as the Crocodile Dundee films.'

'As Brits pile into Wembley and Wimbledon and Americans take our spots in Sumatran surf resorts, Australians are trapped by an ideal that is rapidly proving unworkable.'

Another Australian journalist Sarah Williamson, who works in Tel Aviv also recently slammed her home country's Covid lockdown and closed-border policy. 

 'Catch me on @n12news tonight getting fired up about Australia's Covid-19 lockdowns and their ridiculous border policy, she recently posted on Instagram.

 'Australia's frequent lockdowns, slow vaccine rollout and strict border policy is making news all over the world.'

Melbournians (pictured)  are back in lockdown for the fifth time in 16 months, despite the state recording no Covid deaths so far in 2021