Objective:

We compared various mitigation and suppression strategies aimed to control the initial pandemic wave of COVID-19 in Australia, including restrictions on international air travel, case isolation, home quarantine, social distancing with varying levels of compliance, and school closures.

Findings:

We reported several trade-offs, and an important transition across the levels of social distancing compliance, in the range between 70% and 80% levels, with compliance at the 90% level found to control the disease within 13–14 weeks, when coupled with effective case isolation and international travel restrictions. School closures were not found to bring decisive benefits unless complemented with high level of social distancing compliance.