Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Refusal of random breath tests carries fines in all states & territories in Australia, some with possibility of jail. Does the same apply for refusal of virus testing? Have the Victorians at least contemplated it? (I know its a police / non police situation, but a law could be framed accordingly.)

More a quip, but those 10,000 refusing Victorians seeing their AFL teams leave for month(s) could be the kick in the guts they need to realise to take it more seriously.

edit: to make it specific to those 10,000 refusing tests and those who think similarly.

 

[dajop]

I've said it before (not sure if I've posted it) ... western style liberal democracy is not compatible with pandemic control. There are way to high a proportion of the population that cares only about ME ME ME and their precious freedom and couldn't give a damn about anyone else.

Either we move away from a free society, perhaps for a couple of years, or we just let the pandemic run its course, like it is in the Divided States of America,.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

More a quip, but Victorians seeing their AFL teams leave for month(s) could be the kick in the guts they need to realise to take it more seriously.

99% of Vics are taking it most seriously. The troublesome 1 % (well it is actually must less than that) will not give a stuff about the AFL or anything else. And indeed many of them will not have a link to an strong AFL team.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

W

99% of Vics are taking it most seriously. The troublesome 1 % (well it is actually must less than that) will not give a stuff about the AFL or anything else. And indeed many of them will not have a link to an strong AFL team.

We can agree to disagree. I’m not sure what 10,000 is based on......is it the last 24 hours or since they started door knocking or somewhere in between? But the number of tests was about 24000 yesterday and there are reportedly 300,000 in those hotspot suburbs/postcodes.

Edit: but I take your point and will edit the previous post.

 

[tgh]

"Guided" by their political idealism, they have clearly failed and may continue to fail.
All it takes (took as it's all too late ) is a firm fair and fair dinkum approach with a carrot in one hand and a very big stick in t'other.

No problem if you don't want to be tested, we have leased Sunday Island , quarantine will be 30 days.
You have 12 hours to think about it….. the bus leaves at 10 every morning

 

[jakeseven7]

99% of Vics are taking it most seriously. The troublesome 1 % (well it is actually must less than that) will not give a stuff about the AFL or anything else. And indeed many of them will not have a link to an strong AFL team.

99% of Australians are taking it seriously, its not just about Victoria. Although having just been to a mall in QLD, you wouldn't know there was a pandemic lurking around - same deal in Sydney, Adelaide malls as well from all reports.

 

[Pushka]

99% of Australians are taking it seriously, its not just about Victoria. Although having just been to a mall in QLD, you wouldn't know there was a pandemic lurking around - same deal in Sydney, Adelaide malls as well from all reports.

See, I am seeing lots of distancing happening where I go. Although I was passed very close by a cleaner today in a mall who coughed into her hand as she passed me. If I come down with this thing I will know exactly the moment I got it.

Refusal of random breath tests carries fines in all states & territories in Australia, some with possibility of jail. Does the same apply for refusal of virus testing? Have the Victorians at least contemplated it? (I know its a police / non police situation, but a law could be framed accordingly.)

This is Victoria Govt we are talking about here.

 

[Hvr]

Given the idiots doing the door knocking the figures could be made up of anything.

My neighbour was sent home from work on Tuesday last week. Had a test and actually did the correct thing by self isolating until she got the negative result. Within a couple of hours of getting the negative result she was door knocked and asked if she wanted a test.

She refused saying she had just got her result and even showed them the SMS on her phone.

I consider that a legitimate reason for refusing a test. Do you?

They didn't knock on my door, I heard they were in the area and asked for a test. They refused to let me have one. No reason given. I wonder if they counted that as a refusal? Theirs, not mine.

Do not believe any numbers being cited at the moment.

 

[jakeseven7]

See, I am seeing lots of distancing happening where I go. Although I was passed very close by a cleaner today in a mall who coughed into her hand as she passed me. If I come down with this thing I will know exactly the moment I got it.

You seem to be living in a very orderly and safe bubble!! Lucky you!!

 

[Pushka]

You seem to be living in a very orderly and safe bubble!! Lucky you!!

I'm not into safe bubbles though. I am careful and dont let people too near me but I am happy to start flying as soon as I can. Husband went to the office every day. The only place I didnt go during the peak was Adelaide's Central Market although it was deserted anyway. I just detest it when people cough almost without thinking, as they pass by.

 

[flyingfan]

My neighbour was sent home from work on Tuesday last week. Had a test and actually did the correct thing by self isolating until she got the negative result. Within a couple of hours of getting the negative result she was door knocked and asked if she wanted a test.

She refused saying she had just got her result and even showed them the SMS on her phone.

I consider that a legitimate reason for refusing a test. Do you?

Agreed, I also read that some refusals were due to having gotten a test elsewhere. I think it's totally reasonable to refuse if the test was meaningfully recent and there's no sound reason to retest (eg risk of exposure since the test).

 

[Flying mermaid]

Agreed, I also read that some refusals were due to having gotten a test elsewhere. I think it's totally reasonable to refuse if the test was meaningfully recent and there's no sound reason to retest (eg risk of exposure since the test).

They did say there was a range of reasons including being tested elsewhere.

 

[Robert K]

I've had the test done. It's a minute out of your lives.

Just get tested again. False negatives are always possible.
Why make other people's work harder.

 

[p--and--t]

I've had the test done. It's a minute out of your lives.

Just get tested again. False negatives are always possible.
Why make other people's work harder.

Yes and the test from 3+ days ago is no longer relevant to today, could have contracted/been infected since last test.

 

[moa999]

and there are reportedly 300,000 in those hotspot suburbs/postcodes

And infant imagine theyve knocked on all those doors - so it's 10,000 out of a smaller number which is becoming a meaningful percentage

 

[p--and--t]

And infant imagine theyve knocked on all those doors - so it's 10,000 out of a smaller number which is becoming a meaningful percentage

But I thought the authorities haven't clarified where the 10,000 figure came from? It may include the significant number of people in hotel quarantine who refused testing over the last 3.5 months

 

[33kft]

I've said it before (not sure if I've posted it) ... western style liberal democracy is not compatible with pandemic control. There are way to high a proportion of the population that cares only about ME ME ME and their precious freedom and couldn't give a damn about anyone else.

Yeah like Singapore have been right? Successful autocratic management of COVID-19 = 5.5x the size of Australia's outbreak but mostly contained to foreign workers living in horrible conditions earning $26 per day who aren't dying by virtue of the fact Singapore only hires the young fit workers, works them half to death and sends them back home.

Be more like Singapore, Australia.....

 

[dajop]

Yeah like Singapore have been right? Successful autocratic management of COVID-19 = 5.5x the size of Australia's outbreak but mostly contained to foreign workers living in horrible conditions earning $26 per day who aren't dying by virtue of the fact Singapore only hires the young fit workers, works them half to death and sends them back home.

Be more like Singapore, Australia.....

Was thinking more like Taiwan, Korea etc. (Democracies, yes, western style, probably not).

But Singapore has managed, despite the massive outbreak amongst foreign workers that's gone into the tens of thousands, contain spread amongst the community to 5-10/day not 60-70, unlike certain states. Perhaps there's more spread,but not detected due to lack of testing. Perhaps because of locking up anyone who tests positive and not letting them out into the community until they have two negative tests within 48 hrs

But what we can learn from both the Singaporean and Victorian governments is that if you have a blindspot (in Singapore's case - foreign workers, in Victoria's case - security personnel) with this virus, it will ruthlessly exploit it.

 

[33kft]

Was thinking more like Taiwan, Korea etc. (Democracies, yes, western style, probably not).

I'd be very surprised if there was some great distance between the liberties that citizens of these countries enjoy and those that fared badly.

 

[Flying mermaid]

But I thought the authorities haven't clarified where the 10,000 figure came from? It may include the significant number of people in hotel quarantine who refused testing over the last 3.5 months

I don’t believe so - when I was watching it was in the context of the current testing that was happening in hotspots and she was clearly frustrated that they had had so many refusals when they were trying to get things under control.