Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[ketsuzei]

If not now, then later.

OK, I vote for (a little bit) later.

 

[jakeseven7]

About 6 weeks ago the Tasmanian hospital system was in crisis with the 4 major hospitals all ramped.There were about 70 medical patients in or outside EDs waiting for a bed.there were none.
And that was without a single covid patient.Tasmania can't do what you suggest.

WA also

I would be extremely underwhelmed if the permitted activity were to be haircuts. I think they have to be pretty careful not to cheese people off by offering an incentive that is not really valued by anyone much. In my circles, people are getting pretty jack of complying, complying, complying only to find the goal posts keep moving.

Well, maybe everyone in NSW will get a free lotto ticket

 

[Pom-DownUnder]

In regard to restrictions and potential loosening.

As soon as covid zero is not the goal (ie. now but more realistically at 70%) is there any good reason to not let tourists that are fully vacc in?

 

[SydneySwan]

WA also



Well, maybe everyone in NSW will get a free lotto ticket

First prize - unlimited travel around Australia. Oh wait...............

 

[Seat0B]

we arrived in Japan from US in Feb 2020 just as covid was rearing its ugly head. There was another Princess (Diamond?) cruise ship in the news, and we were quite embarrassed we could not for any money buy a mask to wear when everyone else was.

BUT the main reason I am replying to your post is that I picked up a new word ... embuggerance ... which is so descriptive.
I plan to use when I get the opportunity (but not here on AFF). I hope you don't mind.

Feel free @ayebee - it’s a pretty old fashioned word that I learnt from my grandfather in the 1960s. And it is very descriptive!

Urban Dictionary: embuggerance

a very minor problem - not the end of the world, but the world would be better without it.

www.urbandictionary.com

“a very minor problem - not the end of the world, but the world would be better without it.”


Sounds like we were in Japan at the same time - we were there from third week of January 2020 until 14 February and originally planned t9 come home via Shanghai . I always buy masks at the convenience store at the airport whilst we wait for the JR office t9 open to validate JR passes or wait for the bus to the ski field. So we were lucky to have a stock on hand before things got out of hand later as the COVID progressed. We watched news footage of the Diamond Princess alongside at Yokohama - we were all so naive about it all back then.
-

 

[justinbrett]

In regard to restrictions and potential loosening.

As soon as covid zero is not the goal (ie. now but more realistically at 70%) is there any good reason to not let tourists that are fully vacc in?

Right now, international flights arriving in Sydney should be restricted to NSW residents or those who have a suitable private residence here to quarantine in. NSW doesn’t need to burn resources running HQ, and the other states will mostly make them redo HQ anyway.

If we can trust 10-15K covid positive people to isolate at home I’m sure we can trust a few thousand travellers, only a small percentage likely have covid.

As soon as NSW hits 80% then open the international border. We shouldn’t have to wait for the slower states, and seeing us holiday in UK/USA etc might improve their vaccination rate.

 

[Milboo]

Its likely the NSW Government would be ridiculed if it was just hairdressers/barbers and nail salons.

I think whatever is suggested needs to consider the complexities to police enforcement. For example, household limits could be easily increased where everyone (except children) are fully vaccinated.

Outdoor exercise in groups of say up to 5 will create a lot of complexity - and potentially more will just mistakenly (or "intended confusion") choose to join in even though some might be half-vaccinated.

More than 1 shopping when fully vaccinated. Personal/health services like dentist, physio, chiro re-open,

The other examples are quite difficult to administer (do you need all customer-facing staff to be fully vaccinated to allow outdoor dining?)

Given the NSW CHO indicated the full effect of the 6m jabs might not be seen in case numbers until mid-September, I actually think the simple easings won't commence until 15 September at the earliest.

Further afield, I think vaccinated (may be one dose) HSC students will be allowed to attend required school classes (like practicals) in term 3 - then all HSC students (both vaccinated and unvaccinated) for the 4 weeks of exams in Term 4. Then after HSC finishes the rest of high school. Primary to recommence in Term 4.

Physios and chiros are open now. I’ve seen both in the last 2 weeks.

 

[OATEK]

Right now, international flights arriving in Sydney should be restricted to NSW residents or those who have a suitable private residence here to quarantine in. NSW doesn’t need to burn resources running HQ, and the other states will mostly make them redo HQ anyway.

If we can trust 10-15K covid positive people to isolate at home I’m sure we can trust a few thousand travellers, only a small percentage likely have covid.

As soon as NSW hits 80% then open the international border. We shouldn’t have to wait for the slower states, and seeing us holiday in UK/USA etc might improve their vaccination rate.

This is where risk assessments will change the approach. We are not in Ruby Princess territory anymore, as the virus is circulating in considerable numbers. The risk becomes more about numbers allowed in based on impacts on Health resources etc, and quarantine becomes less restrictive given (unlike some other states) we do not force the thousands of infected locals into HQ,

 

[Pom-DownUnder]

Right now, international flights arriving in Sydney should be restricted to NSW residents or those who have a suitable private residence here to quarantine in. NSW doesn’t need to burn resources running HQ, and the other states will mostly make them redo HQ anyway.

If we can trust 10-15K covid positive people to isolate at home I’m sure we can trust a few thousand travellers, only a small percentage likely have covid.

As soon as NSW hits 80% then open the international border. We shouldn’t have to wait for the slower states, and seeing us holiday in UK/USA etc might improve their vaccination rate.

*cough and ACT residents

 

[lovetravellingoz]

So 80 not good.

13 under investigation unlinked. 67 linked.

39 in isolation for all of their infectious period.

So 41 have been in the community for at least part of their infectious period. (The average for this yesterday was stated to be 3 days for cases up till yesterday)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1430664258992316420

 

[drron]

So rather than using covid all the time I can now say the embuggerance we now have.Love it.

 

[jakeseven7]

Will be interesting to see if this will happen or not - the restrictions being lifted in certain areas...

------

Premier Gladys Berejiklian tipped to lift regional NSW lockdown as cases explode​

Parts of NSW are likely to escape lockdown in the days ahead despite the state’s worsening Covid crisis.
Yesterday, the embattled state hit a grim new Covid record, recording a staggering 919 new cases and two deaths.

Statewide lockdown extended again

The statewide lockdown has been extended yet again, despite reports NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian was due to lift restrictions today.

www.news.com.au

 

[justinbrett]

Is today the day the 'reward' for NSW will be announced? Have they confirmed that? (not the actual reward, just the day they will announce)

Today or tomorrow. Same for the statewide lockdown decision, though I think that will be today as they usually like to give people 48 hours notice. I think we’ll get it all today.

Its not so much a reward as it is incentive to keep the vaccinations going. Good idea I think.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

First prize - unlimited travel around Australia. Oh wait...............

Well you could go around Australia....on a boat.......you just cannot get off it anywhere

 

[justinbrett]

There's talk of a big regional QLD announcement at 10am, QLD Health did say they had positive sewerage testing yesterday in Palm Island. Possible localised lockdown including Townsville perhaps.

 

[Seat0B]

Right now, international flights arriving in Sydney should be restricted to NSW residents or those who have a suitable private residence here to quarantine in. NSW doesn’t need to burn resources running HQ, and the other states will mostly make them redo HQ anyway.

If we can trust 10-15K covid positive people to isolate at home I’m sure we can trust a few thousand travellers, only a small percentage likely have covid.

As soon as NSW hits 80% then open the international border. We shouldn’t have to wait for the slower states, and seeing us holiday in UK/USA etc might improve their vaccination rate.

100% agree @justinbrett for PM!

Post automatically merged: Aug 26, 2021

So rather than using covid all the time I can now say the embuggerance we now have.Love it.

Glad to have added a bit of levity to this generally depressing thread.

 

[Seat0B]

Well you could go around Australia....on a boat.......you just cannot get off it anywhere

Hmm sorry, no arrivals by boat, because…well I’m not clear exactly why not, but the PM doesn’t like it, including if you arrive from a war zone like Afghanistan

 

[Tiki]

Hmm sorry, no arrivals by boat, because…well I’m not clear exactly why not, but the PM doesn’t like it, including if you arrive from a war zone like Afghanistan

I was wondering why we weren't chartering unused cruise ships to serve as both transportation for stranded Aussies and quarantine served enroute providing no port stops. It would be cheaper and more reliable than the airlines. People would have to show vaccination and negative test before boarding to reduce risks. It would not be fun being cooped up in a cabin for 14 days but I would choose that option over a $10,000 airline ticket that may be cancelled last minute and 14 day HQ on arrival. Simple meals could be served that don't require replenishing of supplies. Tinned/frozen/etc.

 

[antycbr]

I was wondering why we weren't chartering unused cruise ships to serve as both transportation for stranded Aussies and quarantine served enroute providing no port stops. It would be cheaper and more reliable than the airlines. People would have to show vaccination and negative test before boarding to reduce risks. It would not be fun being cooped up in a cabin for 14 days but I would choose that option over a $10,000 airline ticket that may be cancelled last minute and 14 day HQ on arrival. Simple meals could be served that don't require replenishing of supplies. Tinned/frozen/etc.

Cruise ships are not going to be popular in public perception for bringing people home.

There is no problem with airlines at all - theres significant capacity on SQ. The caps are entirely artificial.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

So 80 not good.

13 under investigation unlinked. 67 linked.

39 in isolation for all of their infectious period.

So 41 have been in the community for at least part of their infectious period. (The average for this yesterday was stated to be 3 days for cases up till yesterday)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1430664258992316420

View attachment 256467

Note that while no one likes to see 80 cases, that in terms of numbers for infectious in the community cases that 22 and 23 August had higher numbers. So both those days were worse in terms of virus spread risk.

And August 19 and 24 were just slightly less than today.

Looking at the breakdown, it fairly likely that there was a larger batch of Day 13 Quarantine tests in today's numbers.


Note that some cases have now been removed from Aug 23 and 24 and so presumably there were some false positives on those days.