Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[Flying mermaid]

So this super duper UK strain that is so contagious has somehow only infected 1 person?

Mr FM and I were just discussing that. It was the same in Brisbane where it was the cleaner and a close contact were the only ones infected. We have always felt that the incredible infectiousness of this strain was being used as an excuse to explain the total mess the UK has made and the fact that people weren’t obeying the rules.

Dr FM sent us a photo in December. At that point pubs were closed except for takeaway (alcohol was included at that point). Well the photo showed the whole street outside the pub full, people shoulder to shoulder drinking their takeaway alcohol. Doesn’t have to be that contagious when people behave like that......

 

[Must...Fly!]

Mr FM and I were just discussing that. It was the same in Brisbane where it was the cleaner and a close contact were the only ones infected. We have always felt that the incredible infectiousness of this strain was being used as an excuse to explain the total mess the UK has made and the fact that people weren’t obeying the rules.

Dr FM sent us a photo in December. At that point pubs were closed except for takeaway (alcohol was included at that point). Well the photo showed the whole street outside the pub full, people shoulder to shoulder drinking their takeaway alcohol. Doesn’t have to be that contagious when people behave like that......

Look at videos on YouTube from the US inside restaurants.

These places have high rate of positives because of behaviours. I'm becoming more convinced that the "more infectious" strain is little to do with the strain itself.

Either that or maybe the mutation makes it's life outside of the body less, but while it is live is more infectious. Who knows?

 

[MooTime]

Well my Perth mates & I continue to be dumbfounded. Still ZERO.

28 days for Victoria, that's what I'm focusing on, can we go to WA now, 28 days covid free??

 

[N860CR]

These places have high rate of positives because of behaviours. I'm becoming more convinced that the "more infectious" strain is little to do with the strain itself.

Same applies for the scary South African strain.

I spoke with my business partner in Cape Town last night and they basically said the same. Total lack of social controls in the informal settlements, especially over the festive period. This lead to something like 20,000 cases a day in early January (realistically 5-10 times that). Restrictions changed, largely the closure of shebeens, and it’s dropped to 2000 per day. That reduction simply would not have happened so rapidly if there was a significantly more infectious variant present.

 

[jase05]

Mr FM and I were just discussing that. It was the same in Brisbane where it was the cleaner and a close contact were the only ones infected. We have always felt that the incredible infectiousness of this strain was being used as an excuse to explain the total mess the UK has made and the fact that people weren’t obeying the rules.

Dr FM sent us a photo in December. At that point pubs were closed except for takeaway (alcohol was included at that point). Well the photo showed the whole street outside the pub full, people shoulder to shoulder drinking their takeaway alcohol. Doesn’t have to be that contagious when people behave like that......

Was thinking the same. Likewise the South African strain. Are these new “Super strains” just an excuse for poorly run health systems and health protocols?

 

[oznflfan]

Was thinking the same. Likewise the South African strain. Are these new “Super strains” just an excuse for poorly run health systems and health protocols?

But they are lightning in a bottle for Premiers.

 

[Must...Fly!]

But they are lightning in a bottle for Premiers.

Also Prime Minister's and recently elected US officials with axes to grind

 

[jase05]

Vic presser at 4pm

https://twitter.com/x/status/1356824329632112643

 

[Pushka]

Gosh you are fast on the keyboard I was about to post as well but am obviously far too slow.

The 3 "housemates" who are probably the most likely to become infected have been tested again (3rd time I think) but those results have yet to be received. They have been in quarantine since at least Sunday so are probably unlikely to have been able to infect others as they returned negative results before going into quarantine.

Just happened to be looking at abc website when I saw the press conference starting.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Vic presser at 4pm

https://twitter.com/x/status/1356824329632112643

I want to know if they came in on the same flight. If so, non event.

 

[RooFlyer]

Looks like some people have not taken on board the need to wear a mask in airports.

News story from ABC web site about Hobart.

Guy from Melbourne and one from NSW.

I must admit the requirement to wear masks in the terminals had escaped me, but then I'm not planning to fly anywhere for some time.

 

[Seat0B]

The fact that this supposedly highly contagious variant was released into the Perth community and infected.... nobody, you’d not be the only one raising an eyebrow.

I agree - as I said in another thread, the same situation with the Brisbane cleaner that led to the Brisbane lock down as well - no cases at all. It is a disproportionate over-reaction to slam borders shut and mandate lockdown for one case. And before people go yes but one case could soon become "thousands", that takes generations of spread and there are ample opportunities to lock down when it is genuinely apparent that there is spread, well before it reaches "thousands" of cases. the much maligned epidemiologist Mary-Louise McLaws said ages ago that an appropriate lock down threshold was 100 cases over a 7 day period, and I have to say, that seems about right to me - gives balance to health issues, living your life and maintaining businesses.

 

[jakeseven7]

Well my Perth mates & I continue to be dumbfounded. Still ZERO.

28 days for Victoria, that's what I'm focusing on, can we go to WA now, 28 days covid free??

Yes WA fully opening to VIC on Friday, but you won't be able to get back is the problem and you'll land into a MASSIVE MUTANT LOCKDOWN.

From Friday WA is completely open except to NSW of course, for anyone that wants to run the risk of the mutant virus.

 

[Pushka]

Viral loads have been a factor in the medical personnel developing the virus. Victoria's current issue appears to be the case of a family of five, positive, staying in the one room, being the source of infection for another traveller. Currently SA also has a family of four positive people.

So, given the true lack of positives each state is dealing with, why on Earth are we not separating actual positives from other people in quarantine and reducing the number of positives in one room (children are problematic here). But I can't imagine that this family had anything like social distancing nor separation from each other for toilets, etc etc, that we who are currently negative, are required to live with. And if a family in the community develops Covid then at least in SA, they are separated and put into med hotels.

Why do we treat overseas arrivals so differently from what it is spouted that we must do in the general community then scratch our heads when it spreads amongst them?

 

[jakeseven7]

Boy Who Cried Wolf. Brisbane, Auckland now Perth, in a few weeks. Who’s lining up next?

I think its time for Tassie or NT to have a go? Perhaps the ACT.

 

[VPS]

Mr FM and I were just discussing that. It was the same in Brisbane where it was the cleaner and a close contact were the only ones infected. We have always felt that the incredible infectiousness of this strain was being used as an excuse to explain the total mess the UK has made and the fact that people weren’t obeying the rules.

Dr FM sent us a photo in December. At that point pubs were closed except for takeaway (alcohol was included at that point). Well the photo showed the whole street outside the pub full, people shoulder to shoulder drinking their takeaway alcohol. Doesn’t have to be that contagious when people behave like that......

How is Dr FM coping in Quarantine

 

[hydrabyss]

I think its time for Tassie or NT to have a go? Perhaps the ACT.

I wonder what would happen if NSW had the UK strain and would it spread like it did in the nth Beaches or fizzle out with just one or two cases like Qld and WA. Although some would have you believe it would if you did not go into a hard lock down once you had isolated your only positive case.

 

[Port Power]

Vic presser at 4pm

https://twitter.com/x/status/1356824329632112643

I’m watching the news now. Inside hotel transmission. So do we bash Melbourne HQ again now, rather than WA? “Has Victoria not learned from past experience and past mistakes?” Etcetera, etcetera. I think some AFFers should moderate their vitriol against various States lest it come back to bite them.

I don’t think it is necessarily the health departments at fault, or the measures put in place. It has been noted many times that some people will always ignore the rules, do what they want, not wear their masks and choose to ignore social distancing.

 

[Lynda2475]

I find it strange that the story being told by WA officials re the WA security guard keeps changing. First he felt unwell on 28th, next its no it was only on 30th. Yesterday they said he delivered medication to positive persons room, today its like oh no that was a different security guard. Now this whole WA outbreak is becoming a non event, but seems so suss that the story keeps changing.

Like others have stated Im not sure these new mutant strains are any more infectious, our largest clusteres have all been the supposedly less transmissable strains. I think the out of control spread of these strains overseas is more about the lack of compliant behaviour wrt physical distancing, staying home when unwell, mask wearing and hand hygeine.

 

[Pushka]

I’m watching the news now. Inside hotel transmission. So do we bash Melbourne HQ again now, rather than WA? “Has Victoria not learned from past experience and past mistakes?” Etcetera, etcetera. I think some AFFers should moderate their vitriol against various States lest it come back to bite them.

As I commented upthread, given our small numbers who are positive in the med hotels, then all such positives must be removed to a much more secure place and it is nonsensical to have five positive people in the one room. Viral load would be very significant.