COVID-19 had been largely kept out of the Northern Territory, but in the past few days that changed.

Now, residents in a string of communities are living under some of the harshest lockdowns yet imposed in Australia, as the virus spreads in Katherine and across the outback.

So what went wrong?

Today on The Signal, we're examining how the virus spread in the NT, and asking whether the lockdowns and a reinvigorated vaccination campaign will halt its spread.

Featured:

Jane Bardon, ABC Northern Territory reporter

Deb Aloisi, Binjari Community Aboriginal Corporation

Kevin Rogers, Rockhole resident

Lisa Mumbin, Chairwoman, Wurli Wurlinjang Aboriginal Health Service, Katherine

Jack Green, Garawa elder

Malarndirri McCarthy, NT Labor Senator

Dr Robert Parker, Australian Medical Association NT President

John Paterson, Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance chief executive