Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[Lynda2475]

I thought NSW was dropping the “daily numbers” reporting?

They dropped the daily press conferences months ago, the numbers are still published but virtually no one bothers to still look at them, pretty much all moved on.

 

[drron]

And when you look every now and then at the Tasmanian hospitalisaions which do break it down to those admitted because of covid and those just with covid but admitted for something else the of covid numbers are now only 1 in 3 of the hospitalisations.
And even that can be because some are admitted because of covid because they have no home or children whose parents are working so will not have someone with them all the time.

I am sure that the numbers are likely to be the same in other States so those States blaming Covid for their ambulance ramping problems are muttering untruths. Two thirds of those would be in hospital even if they were covid negative. The truth is Australian hospitals have been short of beds for a long time.

In the 1970s we certainly had excess hospital beds as diagnosis and treatments changed dramatically. The NSW Government began the process with a Program called beds to the West citing Western Sydneys lack of beds and hence the building of Westmead. However it was smoke and mirrors as it was also a plan to drastically reduce hospital bed numbers. I got under the skin of the NSW Health Minister by renaming the program the Beds have Gone West program.

Interestingly as the number of beds dropped rapidly the numbers of bureaucrats soared.

 

[andye]

And just for some perspective, Aus 146th and 159th on death rates* for the whole pandemic despite the recent "surge"

*does include non-sovereign territories

 

[clifford]

And just for some perspective, Aus 146th and 159th on death rates* for the whole pandemic despite the recent "surge"

*does include non-sovereign territories

Ah, so we did well initially, so that justifies the let it rip, don't care approach?

Post automatically merged: May 13, 2022

And when you look every now and then at the Tasmanian hospitalisaions which do break it down to those admitted because of covid and those just with covid but admitted for something else the of covid numbers are now only 1 in 3 of the hospitalisations.
And even that can be because some are admitted because of covid because they have no home or children whose parents are working so will not have someone with them all the time.

I note that Tas' hospitalisations rate is lower than, say, the ACT.

I imagine it's because of the lack of hospital beds in the Apple Isle generally?

 

[jb747]

Ah, so we did well initially, so that justifies the let it rip, don't care approach?

But what is the alternative? We're already a couple of years down the road, and it obviously isn't going to go away.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

But what is the alternative? We're already a couple of years down the road, and it obviously isn't going to go away.

The alternative is simple covid protocols… masks in high density public places, social distancing, and good hygiene.

And a bit of understanding from those who don’t care for those who do.

 

[Lynda2475]

the alternative is simple covid protocols… masks in high density public places, social distancing, and good hygiene.

You are free to do all those things, but given for most people the symptoms are non-existent or mild, people should be allowed ot make their own risk asessment as to how physically close they chose to get to family, friends or strangers and whether they want to wear a mask if well.

Australia is one of the few places still reporting covid cases outside of medical settings, Im certain other parts of the world have much higher infections rates its just they are testing and reporting.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

You are free to do all those things, but given for most people the symptoms are non-existent or mild, people should be allowed ot make their own risk asessment as to how physically close they chose to get to family, friends or strangers and whether they want to wear a mask if well.

Australia is one of the few places still reporting covid cases outside of medical settings, Im certain other parts of the world have much higher infections rates its just they are testing and reporting.

A mask for the wearer offers some limited protection.

But someone who is infected, wearing a mask can help prevent spread.

Yes I am free to wear a mask, but others should be mindful that if they have it, wearing a mask can protect others.

 

[Lynda2475]

but others should be mindful that if they have it, wearing a mask can protect others.

Well IF they have it they should be at home not out socialising in public spaces.

I wear a N95 or KF94 mask if getting covid would be inconveinient for me i.e. ahead of travel to places that still require a predeparture or on arrival test and also on PT. Id also wear a mask if I was going to visit a vulnerable person in their home, a hopsital or aged care, but otherwize im happy to be maskless given Covid is endemic.

It is imo selfish to expect everyone in public to wear a mask because you are fearful, when the majority of people in public do not have covid, or a cold or the flu.

 

[drron]

A mask for the wearer offers some limited protection.

But someone who is infected, wearing a mask can help prevent spread.

Yes I am free to wear a mask, but others should be mindful that if they have it, wearing a mask can protect others.

So when I tested positive I wore a mask all the time. At some time in the next few days I am past being a risk to others I won't wear one as the benefits at best are insignificant.

And a bit of understanding from the vaccine fanatics for the unvaccinated wouldn't go astray now as they are still being denied access to their jobs such as the Victorian teachers recently losing their job as not triple vaccinated. You are as much at risk from the vaccinated as the unvaccinated now with Omicron.

 

[Lynda2475]

they are still being denied access to their jobs such as the Victorian teachers recently losing their job as not triple vaccinated

I dont have a problem with this, the vaccine is free no excuse not to get it, unless you are one fo the tiny % of people who genuinely cant i.e. you are under going chemo or similar. There are lots of criteria for all sorts of jobs be it getting a working with children certificate, having to undergo drug and alcholo tests, having to mainatin first aid or professional certifications etc. If you dont want to comply with the requirements for a job you are chosing to exclude yourself from eligiblity.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Well IF they have it they should be at home not out socialising in public spaces.

I wear a N95 or KF94 mask if getting covid would be inconveinient for me i.e. ahead of travel to places that still require a predeparture or on arrival test and also on PT. Id also wear a mask if I was going to visit a vulnerable person in their home, a hopsital or aged care, but otherwize im happy to be maskless given Covid is endemic.

It is imo selfish to expect everyone in public to wear a mask because you are fearful, when the majority of people in public do not have covid, or a cold or the flu.

Why would they be at home if they are asymptomatic? They won’t even know they have it?

It’s not everyone in every public setting, but in high density situations, or where people are forced together with little choice (for example public transport).

It’s confusing that earlier in the pandemic some were saying that lockdowns are totally unfair for causal workers… they need to make a living. Yet now all of a sudden we are going to expose those workers to transmission because we don’t want to wear a mask?

 

[drron]

I dont have a problem with this, the vaccine is free no excuse not to get it, unless you are one fo the tiny % of people who genuinely cant i.e. you are under going chemo or similar. There are lots of criteria for all sorts of jobs be it getting a working with children certificate, having to undergo drug and alcholo tests, having to mainatin first aid or professional certifications etc. If you dont wanrt to comply with the requirements for a job are chosing to exclude yourself from eligiblity.

Except there is no longer a good reason for a Covid vaccine mandate. It basically no longer prevents infection. So no scientific reason for those Victorian teachers to lose their jobs.
It is good to be vaccinated to prevent severe infection. However a person with 1 shot of vaccine plus previous infection has just as good protection as triple vaxxed.

 

[Lynda2475]

But it does protect most against serious illness and hopsitalisation, so the school gets the benefit of limiting time off work for positives to 7 days, not longer periods disrupting staffing levels and kids education.

I have to be tripple vaccinated to attend my workplace, and Im fine with that. Just like I have no issue having to prove my vax status to travel (that isnt unique to covid, you have needed to show Yellow fever vax to enter certain regions for decades) or to have travel insurance to enter another nation (again not unique Cuba has required visitors to have TI with evacuation cover for decades).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Except there is no longer a good reason for a Covid vaccine mandate. It basically no longer prevents infection. So no scientific reason for those Victorian teachers to lose their jobs.
It is good to be vaccinated to prevent severe infection. However a person with 1 shot of vaccine plus previous infection has just as good protection as triple vaxxed.

And so my friends who are nurses… one of whom has now had covid twice in 8 weeks… has to look after someone seriously ill because that person doesn’t want to get a vaccine?

If government is fully paying, or paying towards wages and they decide everyone should be vaccinated, i’d support that.

Nurses are getting tired of being sick and in full PPE. People on waiting lists are wanting treatment, not having beds taken by people that might not otherwise need them.

 

[tgh]

Entitled…..People on waiting lists

Fixed that for you…

We are entering a brave new world of entitlement post election.. what fun...

 

[drron]

But it does protect most against serious illness and hopsitalisation, so the school gets the benefit of limiting time off work for positives to 7 days, not longer periods disrupting staffing levels and kids education.

I have to be tripple vaccinated to attend my workplace, and Im fine with that. Just like I have no issue having to prove my vax status to travel (that isnt unique to covid, you have needed to show Yellow fever vax to enter certain regions for decades) or to have travel insurance to enter another nation (again not unique Cuba has required visitors to have TI with evacuation cover for decades).

But the protection against serious disease lasts longer than that originally against infection so very little reason to require triple vaxxed.
And if it was based on science why isn't past infection taken into account.
What you took as gospel in 20/21 no longer applies. If the science changes so should your reactions.

 

[Lynda2475]

I take nothing as gospel but I am pro vaccination and will get a variant tweaked 4th dose if/when available. Just as I get the flu shot every year and keep my other travel jabs up to date.

I have no problems with vacicne mandates, happy for them to be extended to other vaccines for diseases/viruses that circulate in Aus too.

People can choose to be unvaccinated, but they are then also choosing to be ineligible for certain types of employment.

If they really valued their job, they roll up their sleeve and get a free jab.

We are not going to agree. But most aussies dont have an issue with being trippel vaxed (you need only look at the take-up) so doubtful you are going to convince many to skip their booster.

 

[Lynda2475]

Why would they be at home if they are asymptomatic? They won’t even know they have it?

More proof your panic is unwarranted and that if you are fearful the onus is on you to wear a mask that will protect you i.e. a N95 not a useless surgincal one.

Mandating masks saw many wear cloth masks or ill fitting surgical masks multiple times, never washing/replacing or having them on their chins etc so in fact doing nothing to protect you.

 

[N860CR]

Ah, so we did well initially, so that justifies the let it rip, don't care

Correct. Get the population virtually fully vaccinated, get the mortality rate to zero and then we’re done. We’ve achieved that. Great work Australia!

Post automatically merged: May 13, 2022

And so my friends who are nurses… one of whom has now had covid twice in 8 weeks… has to look after someone seriously ill because that person doesn’t want to get a vaccine?

If government is fully paying, or paying towards wages and they decide everyone should be vaccinated, i’d support that.

Nurses are getting tired of being sick and in full PPE. People on waiting lists are wanting treatment, not having beds taken by people that might not otherwise need them.

Hang on. In one breath you’re advocating for permanent mask mandates, then in the next saying nurses are sick of PPE and suggesting we should do the opposite? I can’t keep up!