Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[Lynda2475]

Unmasked exercise in the early days of the Vic 2nd wave was an issue for many people. Whilst we have never been prevented from going for a walk or run in NSW even during the orignal lockdown, a few days without exercise isnt too big an issue.

But I feel for anyone who lives in an apartment with a dog, as the SA Police Commissioner just said you are not allowed to walk your dog - if you dont have a yard, where is the dog going to poop? Sureley shoudl at least be able to take them down onto the verge (or nearest grassed area) to poop (and then bag it of course)!

 

[Pushka]

Fortunately I have a stockpile of masks I had accumulated over the time when they became freely available and on sale in recent weeks. The only time I had worn a mask was on a flight to Qld in August. I had packed those, and all the unused hand gels away just a couple of weeks ago. Luckily Marie Kondo didn't get her hands on them. I have always used hand gels when entering shops etc and kept barking at people who got too close, not because I was (back then) worried about Covid but because I simply don't like it when randoms crowd me.

 

[love_the_life]

I agree but have mentioned here before as recently as a couple of weeks ago that only once have I seen the QR code in use in SA and I did scan that this week when I shopped at Woolworths this week. So many businesses just haven't implemented this practice and if they have, it is not enforced. Of course there should be some kind of record of deliveries but likely not pick ups.

Our ACT Health QR code is great and more businesses seem to be using it. Any time I go to a business without the offical ACT code I make a little bit of a fuss - I refuse to use the company ones as there is a cloud over the security/sale of information. If they don't have the ACT one I insist on writing my contact details down. And point out the advantages of the ACT system.

 

[dajop]

Got to say, it's a bit of a sledgehammer approach. So someone in Mt Gambier, Renmark or Ceduna can't go outside for exercise?

 

[Lynda2475]

I havent left the house without hand sanitozer since this began in March - i even take it to go and check the letterbox lol! I just refill the handbag size bottles (which were impossible to get for a while) from a larger pumppack of detol hand sanitiser which is thankfully easy to come by again.

But i only wear a mask if shopping indoors or when onpublic transport or in a friends car.

 

[love_the_life]

Fortunately I have a stockpile of masks I had accumulated over the time when they became freely available and on sale in recent weeks. The only time I had worn a mask was on a flight to Qld in August. I had packed those, and all the unused hand gels away just a couple of weeks ago. Luckily Marie Kondo didn't get her hands on them.

We are not using masks here (at present) but there is a high turnover of gel sanitiser. We all have individual. ones provided at work. plus large bottles, sprays and wipes, Each office/meeting room has a Max occupancy on the door and although we are looking at 50% return to the office have been told that if people prefer WFH is OK.

 

[Pushka]

I havent left the house without hand sanitozer since this began in March - i even take it to go and check the letterbox lol! I just refillthe handbag size bottles from a larger pumppack of detol hand sanitiser which is tahnkfully easy to come by again.

But i only wear a mask shopping indoors or when on transport.

We bought a local brand of sanitiser that was quite watery but in larger containers. I decant mine into Qatar refreshment sprays and have always used them. Reminds me of better times when I see the Qatar symbol. You know, those days when we could escape the country.

 

[Lynda2475]

Any time I go to a business without the offical ACT code I make a little bit of a fuss - I refuse to use the company ones as there is a cloud over the security/sale of information.

I wont dine in anywhere that uses a manual system - no QR code (dont care whether its the service NSW one, as it was late to the party and most businesses already had other QR codes months before) then no business from me.

From Monday 23rd Nov in NSW all cafes/resturants, beauty therapists, gyms, clubs must have a QR code, manual sign-in will be forbidden. It will force the last few lazy businesses to get one. Just wish theyd force the Supermarkets to use them.

 

[Pushka]

I wont dine in anywhere that uses a manual system - no QR code (dont care whether its the service NSW one, as it was late to the party and most businesses already had other QR codes months before) then no business from me.

From Monday in NSW all cafes/resturants, beauty therapists, gyms, clubs must ahve a QR code, manual sign-in will be forbidden. It will force the last few lazy businesses to get one. Just wish theyd force the Supermarkets to use them.

Woolworths uses them.

 

[Lynda2475]

Woolworths uses them.

I dont have a Woolies within walking distance of my home (and no car), so I shop at Coles, IGA and independent butchers, fruit market etc. Ive not seen QR codes at any of those.

 

[nutwood]

I wont dine in anywhere that uses a manual system - no QR code (dont care whether its the service NSW one, as it was late to the party and most businesses already had other QR codes months before) then no business from me.

From Monday 23rd Nov in NSW all cafes/resturants, beauty therapists, gyms, clubs must have a QR code, manual sign-in will be forbidden. It will force the last few lazy businesses to get one. Just wish theyd force the Supermarkets to use them.

Why the problem with a manual system? Not taking a shot, just genuinely interested ( Tassie based) as I've had limited exposure to the venue recording systems.
Personally, I'd rather take out my pen and note my name and phone number on a piece of paper, rather than engage with dubious data entry on my phone which goes I know not where. In the normal execution of my business, with or without COVID, I enter basic details onto site logbooks multiple times, every day.

 

[Princess Fiona]

My understanding is that in NSW anyone admitted to hospital is routinely given a covid test, regardless of whether they have any symptoms or not. Very surprised to learn this is not the case in SA? Another improvement that is needed - shoudl e the case country wide.

No this is not true. Patients attending Public Hospitals in NSW are tested if they meet the criteria for suspected COVID-19 infection including travel, etc.
I do not know what happens in Private hospitals as I don’t currently work in one.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Then this needs to change nationally, no excuse not to test everyone, it only takes a minute to do a swab when you have already collected all their details for admission.

This is completely unworkable. The test takes 12-24 hours currently to be reported. Anyone who has a COVID test pending and is admitted goes to a COVID Orange (potential case) bed and/ or ward.
We would need to turn the whole hospital into a COVID orange full PPE environment.
Or we could do rapid turnaround tests on everyone, these cost approximately $3K per person. I don’t think the NSW tax payer can afford it ?

 

[N860CR]

Have you not seen what has happened overseas?

I don’t understand this argument that keeps coming up. So because some countries have higher case numbers than us, we’re expected to go full North Korea when one “breakout” occurs and infects largely one family?

I really don’t get how there are only two apparent approaches to this - all or nothing.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I have absolutely zero training in public health beyond medical school. I don’t pretend that I have but if SA is wanting to stop this turning into a Victoria MK II or worse and their expert opinion is that a “circuit breaker” lockdown will prevent that then bring it on.
The alternative is too awful to contemplate.
Thank you to everyone in SA who is doing this for our country.

 

[Must...Fly!]

I don’t understand this argument that keeps coming up. So because some countries have higher case numbers than us, we’re expected to go full North Korea when one “breakout” occurs and infects largely one family?

I really don’t get how there are only two apparent approaches to this - all or nothing.

Agree wholeheartedly. Of course I'm aware what's happening in Europe but why the sledgehammer to the extent that we are effectively welding people's doors closed?

This is arguably very close to the initial lockdowns in Wuhan. I think we were all shocked at the welding of people's doors...

I have absolutely zero training in public health beyond medical school. I don’t pretend that I have but if SA is wanting to stop this turning into a Victoria MK II or worse and their expert opinion is that a “circuit breaker” lockdown will prevent that then bring it on.
The alternative is too awful to contemplate.
Thank you to everyone in SA who is doing this for our country.

If the national goal is eradication then I agree. Would be nice if someone told us as citizens though.

In any case I really don't understand what the problem with going for a walk is.

 

[Pushka]

So here is a question none of you will want answered. On 7.30 report just now, Prof Spurrier's rationale for closing the whole state is that we don't know who has eaten at the Pizza Bar so we cannot tell if that person lives in the country or just visited. My question - SA is open to Australia. How do we know that person didnt go to the country but instead caught a plane to Sydney, Brisbane, Tasmania or Perth?

 

[Must...Fly!]

Have you not seen what has happened overseas?

To add - yes - of course I have. But even with those numbers you can still go for a walk which is a basic right in a free country.

What is to be achieved by stopping people from walking their dog?

It's bizarre, it's ill thought out in terms of practicality even if theoretically coming from a good place. In short, it's pretty much insane.

 

[Princess Fiona]

So here is a question none of you will want answered. On 7.30 report, Prof Spurriers rationale for closing the whole state is that we don't know who has eaten at the Pizza Bar so we cannot tell if that person lives in the country or visited. My question - SA is open to Australia. How do we know that person didnt go to the country but instead caught a plane to Sydney, Brisbane, Tasmania or Perth?

We don’t but if you are looking at likelihood of the former v the latter then you’d pick the former every time.
Victoria tried regional lockdowns and they were an abysmal failure, I see no reason that SA would repeat that.

 

[oz_mark]

So here is a question none of you will want answered. On 7.30 report just now, Prof Spurrier's rationale for closing the whole state is that we don't know who has eaten at the Pizza Bar so we cannot tell if that person lives in the country or just visited. My question - SA is open to Australia. How do we know that person didnt go to the country but instead caught a plane to Sydney, Brisbane, Tasmania or Perth?

We don't - but note that Queensland backdated its requirements to isolate.