As WA’s border shuts to the entire east coast, high hopes for 2021 have been dashed already

The warning from the WA Premier was grim.

“I expected that 2021 would prove to be better than 2020,” Mark McGowan said, as thousands had their travel plans thrown into chaos for the third time in as many weeks.

“But it appears it is no different and, in many ways, it is worse.”

Mr McGowan, like other leaders around the country, has made no secret of his fears around the new COVID-19 variant from the United Kingdom that is wreaking havoc around the world and has sent Brisbane into lockdown.

And within days of the first case of that strain in the Australian community, it will already mean some significant changes to the lives of West Australians.