Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[Batterytraveller]

Yeah, I think EVER was not the right term to use but think it will be a long time still before we lose the masks and QR code’s. I hardly even notice anymore, some days I drive home and don’t even realise my mask has been on for the last hour

I’m not even sure that ‘EVER’ even referred to QR codes. However we should learn something from this and we absolutely shouldn’t go back to exactly how we were before. Better, ventilation, staying (working or otherwise) home when you are sick, Westin g masks if you do have to interact with people when you are sick; these are just some of the things we should incorporate into how we live are lives.

What a waste, if after 2 years of this, we learn absolutely nothing and change nothing.

 

[antycbr]

Much of what you are proposing is sensible.

We need to ban Codral's "soldier on" ads from TV, they have created an army of "mucus troopers" who go in no matter what. I have a friend who has had 10 years without a single day off work sick, and I suspect that he's just projected his sickness on to his team.

Asian cultures do have mask wearing in close quarters such as on the Yamanote line in Tokyo (doesn't get much closer than that).

The cultural change of allowing people to work from home has allowed a much more flexible approach to work.

 

[Pushka]

Much of what you are proposing is sensible.

We need to ban Codral's "soldier on" ads from TV, they have created an army of "mucus troopers" who go in no matter what. I have a friend who has had 10 years without a single day off work sick, and I suspect that he's just projected his sickness on to his team.

Asian cultures do have mask wearing in close quarters such as on the Yamanote line in Tokyo (doesn't get much closer than that).

The cultural change of allowing people to work from home has allowed a much more flexible approach to work.

It surprises me that they are even bothering to advertise this year. And I've not heard any chemist asking for Covid negative test before handing them over which surprises me when someone comes in suffering the same symptoms. Maybe it's an invasion but this is a pandemic after all.

 

[Bundy Bear]

I’m not even sure that ‘EVER’ even referred to QR codes. However we should learn something from this and we absolutely shouldn’t go back to exactly how we were before. Better, ventilation, staying (working or otherwise) home when you are sick, Westin g masks if you do have to interact with people when you are sick; these are just some of the things we should incorporate into how we live are lives.

What a waste, if after 2 years of this, we learn absolutely nothing and change nothing.

A few to start with:
if you are sick: and need to go out, wear a mask, maybe all patients at Doctors and hospitals should be wearing a mask.
If you are sick, don't go to work; stay home.
Tele-health might help on this as well, as work made it a requirement you had to get a DR certificate if you were sick.

Also airlines should make it easier to cancel if you are sick, if you can produce a Dr certificate you don't get a refund but you get a credit to use, without so many restrictions.

QR codes are really doubling up on things, not sure why sports stadiums or Ubers/taxis have QR codes, buying a ticket gives them a reference.

Victoria 705 hopefully NSW cases are under 1,000 again.

 

[Eastwick20]

Also airlines should make it easier to cancel if you are sick, if you can produce a Dr certificate you don't get a refund but you get a credit to use, without so many restrictions.

You raise a good point about being able to cancel and credit travel arrangements.

With negative Covid tests being required for almost all forms of international travel there must be a easy and fair path for travelers to follow if they get a positive result and maybe that should cover other forms of illness.

Most travelers, business or leisure cant afford to write off thousands of dollars just because of some bad luck.

 

[antycbr]

You raise a good point about being able to cancel and credit travel arrangements.

With negative Covid tests being required for almost all forms of international travel there must be a easy and fair path for travelers to follow if they get a positive result and maybe that should cover other forms of illness.

Most travelers, business or leisure cant afford to write off thousands of dollars just because of some bad luck.

This is going to be interesting for airlines business models as they used to make a lot of money off change fees and selling higher priced economy fares that allow changes or cancellation up to departure. Perhaps they will allow changes free of charge if you can provide evidence of a C19 infection or isolation order, but not otherwise. Lots more admin for the airline that way though.

The same thing goes with hotel providers - personally I won't book a property that has a non-changeable/refundable rate and I suspect I'm not the only one.

 

[drron]

the idea that 20 years from now you will need to be checking into everywhere with a covid app that ensures you have had your kennel cough that year? no thank you.

As long as I am around in 20 years I am not that concerned.
Though my life time QP says I am going to expire at 102.

 

[Pom-DownUnder]

As long as I am around in 20 years I am not that concerned.
Though my life time QP says I am going to expire at 102.

lol indeed, i guess i just have a strange penchant for listening to the words in these conferences and reading into them what the words mean.

 

[moa999]

787 for NSW and hits 60% DD.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1442293206717124615

11 Oct confirmed as date for 70% restrictions, 80% might only be 2 wks later.

80% (likely 25 Oct but to be confirmed)
Free travel thru NSW
Stand up in bars
International travel

1 Dec - third stage (likely 90%)
When unvaccinated people can partake
2m² rule comes into place.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Let's just deal with what we have to do for the next few months or people will unravel.

Yes the name in the short to medium term of the game is keeping the healthcare system from being overwhelmed. It is certainly going to be heavily stressed regardless.

When we open up there will still be a significant number of people not vaccinated whether that be by choice, access (ie as I have pointed out for months now the disability sector is still a huge problem = see article below) or that they cannot.

Remember too that even the vaccinated can still become infected (Covid is initially a Upper Respiratory Tract infection and the vaccination does not prevent this, and also still infect others.

If the virus is just allowed to spread naturally, this opening up could easily cause a sudden surge in cases that could overwhelm the health system.

So this is why opening up will start with a set of public health measures to try and achieve that the population gets progressively exposed to Covid, and not get all exposed all at once. This is why also those measures can progressively be wound back, or relaxed, as after a period of time new infections will even out, though probably still with seasonal flu actions such as the flu has.

But as with the flu, anyone who is infected should desirably not be out and about infecting others. But as with the flu some will be, and especially as many will be asymptomatic.

‘Unconscionable’ to lift lockdowns before all Australians with disability can be vaccinated, inquiry says

Scathing report finds federal health department ‘seriously deficient’ in rolling out vaccine to people with disability

www.theguardian.com

 

[Pom-DownUnder]

787 for NSW and hits 60% DD.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1442293206717124615

11 Oct confirmed as date for 70% restrictions, 80% might only be 2 wks later.

80% (likely 25 Oct but to be confirmed)
Free travel thru NSW
Stand up in bars
International travel

1 Dec - third stage (likely 90%)
When unvaccinated people can partake
2m² rule comes into place.

Lets hope 1 Dec gets signed up to by ACT and VIC aswell.

 

[dairyfloss]

787 for NSW and hits 60% DD.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1442293206717124615

11 Oct confirmed as date for 70% restrictions, 80% might only be 2 wks later.

80% (likely 25 Oct but to be confirmed)
Free travel thru NSW
Stand up in bars
International travel

1 Dec - third stage (likely 90%)
When unvaccinated people can partake
2m² rule comes into place.

On the 80% double, there's a few projections that have us hitting this on or about Friday the 15th Oct, which could mean there's only a week between 70% and 80%. I guess on that basis it's not a big issue to hold it back. We had planned on visiting or having a visit from regional family after 70%, but 7 days later is very manageable... particularly as I'll be at the pub for the first 7 nights we open up, anyway!

 

[justinbrett]

NSW no masks at 90% was a nice surprise!

In addition to the good news on cases - the hospitalisation and ICU rates have not really increased from the last 2.5 weeks (it went up slightly and then down slightly). Certainly not saying those have peaked but that's got to be good news.

On the 80% double, there's a few projections that have us hitting this on or about Friday the 15th Oct, which could mean there's only a week between 70% and 80%. I guess on that basis it's not a big issue to hold it back. We had planned on visiting or having a visit from regional family after 70%, but 7 days later is very manageable... particularly as I'll be at the pub for the first 7 nights we open up, anyway!

If you recall, it was a slow crawl between 70% to 80% first dose, as the second doses started taking the majority of jabs. It's quite possible this will be reflected again for second doses.

 

[dairyfloss]

If you recall, it was a slow crawl between 70% to 80% first dose, as the second doses started taking the majority of jabs. It's quite possible this will be reflected again for second doses.

If you are suggesting I may have to spend 14 straight nights at the pub instead of 7, before I may do more things, then I like what you are suggesting

 

[antycbr]

NSW no masks at 90% was a nice surprise!

In addition to the good news on cases - the hospitalisation and ICU rates have not really increased from the last 2.5 weeks (it went up slightly and then down slightly). Certainly not saying those have peaked but that's got to be good news.



If you recall, it was a slow crawl between 70% to 80% first dose, as the second doses started taking the majority of jabs. It's quite possible this will be reflected again for second doses.

Huh? Should be quicker as we are allocating 3/4 of the vaccination doses to second doses now. There’s no third dose that’s happening at any scale yet.

 

[justinbrett]

Huh? Should be quicker as we are allocating 3/4 of the vaccination doses to second doses now. There’s no third dose that’s happening at any scale yet.

Yes, but you can't go any quicker than the spacing period.

If people were late to get their first dose, even if there's spare doses they can't get their second jab any earlier.

 

[antycbr]

Yes, but you can't go any quicker than the spacing period.

If people were late to get their first dose, even if there's spare doses they can't get their second jab any earlier.

But we also pushed a lot of doses out to maximise first dose coverage. NSW Health is now on the social media campaign to bring them back in for both Pfizer and AZ

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

On the 80% double, there's a few projections that have us hitting this on or about Friday the 15th Oct, which could mean there's only a week between 70% and 80%. I guess on that basis it's not a big issue to hold it back. We had planned on visiting or having a visit from regional family after 70%, but 7 days later is very manageable... particularly as I'll be at the pub for the first 7 nights we open up, anyway!

Didn't the NSW Government announce regional travel at 70% double dose? So it has now recanted that policy in favour of 80%.......any explanation?

 

[SydneySwan]

Now that NSW has hit its first Boeing number I am looking forward to it gaping downwards to the Airbus range very quickly.

 

[justinbrett]

But we also pushed a lot of doses out to maximise first dose coverage. NSW Health is now on the social media campaign to bring them back in for both Pfizer and AZ

Yes, but we got single dose 80% on 14 September. Many of the Pfizer appointments were booked at either 6 or 8 week intervals.

It would require a100% success rate to bring all of them forward to 4 weeks to achieve October 15. That's just not realistic. It's also not realistic that 100% of first doses will return for a second. It will be very high, but unlikely to be 100%.

It's not doom and gloom, probably will just take another week or so.