General Discussion/Q&A on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[Flashback]

Indeed. The next Q - what will they do with exams / assessments particularly for year 12.

Will they follow the UK example and just make it up! If so, lets hope they're a lot better at predicting than your average power or water company when it comes to guessing usage.

Schools could shut until SEPTEMBER - Pupils and parents in limbo

The Education Secretary has warned parents they should 'assume' their children will be at home 'for a considerable amount of time' when asked if the academic year is over until the Autumn.

www.dailymail.co.uk

At least they're close to the end of the year, so using in year assessments, mock exam results etc.

Our local libraries have closed. The gym is trimming it's group class schedule to reduce the numbers in the venue at once. Swimming lessons are gone.

Gyms shut here as of a few hours ago including restaurants, pubs, etc. Crazy times.

 

[Must...Fly!]

My gym in Melb voluntarily closed as of yesterday. Others won't be far down the track, I suspect. They have put on extra outdoor classes for members but that is probably not worth much. I haven't been back since returning from overseas and don't plan to until this thing is all over to be honest...

 

[LadyC]

Total bedlam assured. If the professionals can't control them in a classroom.... Might be best to write off 2020, and just line up again for the starters pistol in the new year.

Totally agree regarding writing off the 2020 school year. Puts everyone on an even playing level.

 

[amaroo]

At least they're close to the end of the year, so using in year assessments, mock exam results etc.

Unlike here.

 

[Hvr]

I haven't been back since returning from overseas and don't plan to until this thing is all over to be honest...

So are membership fees suspended? If not have you cancelled your payments?

 

[Pushka]

So are membership fees suspended? If not have you cancelled your payments?

I was thinking this too. We both have memberships. Knowing my gym, no way in hell will they voluntarily stop The extraction.

 

[Must...Fly!]

So are membership fees suspended? If not have you cancelled your payments?

It's not a commercial gym but part of a large apartment complex. It's a surcharge paid via strata. So the answer is who knows but I fully expect it'll have to be paid regardless.

 

[Cossie]

The boss got a medical certificate for her gym, but she is/was itching to get started again when her ankle allowed, won't be happening for a while now.

 

[Flashback]

They say mental health is the biggest issue here, outside the virus. I'd tend to agree with that. I thought i was doing OK,, but tonight, maybe not so much.

Post automatically merged: Mar 21, 2020

The boss got a medical certificate for her gym, but she is/was itching to get started again when her ankle allowed, won't be happening for a while now.

Sounds like she might have been on one of the meds I'm on, feel free to PM me and will share.

 

[PineappleSkip]

Pubs, bars, restaurants, gyms etc. now been asked to close in the UK.

When will Australia follow suit?

Too late, as with other things. Australia is rapidly catching up with the UK, now about a day behind.

cheers skip

 

[Harthagan]

Seeing how cases/deaths are doubling every few days in many parts of the EU like Italy, Spain, France I'm surprised we are allowing Australians returning home from Europe to be responsible enough to "self isolate"

I know it's way OT but if we want to be serious about protecting Australia from facing what is going on in those countries right now I think we need an even harder stance.

 

[justinbrett]

Seeing how cases/deaths are doubling every few days in many parts of the EU like Italy, Spain, France I'm surprised we are allowing Australians returning home from Europe to be responsible enough to "self isolate"

I know it's way OT but if we want to be serious about protecting Australia from facing what is going on in those countries right now I think we need an even harder stance.

Cases are doubling here every 3.5 days as well. The damage is done.

 

[Xizor]

Seeing how cases/deaths are doubling every few days in many parts of the EU like Italy, Spain, France I'm surprised we are allowing Australians returning home from Europe to be responsible enough to "self isolate"

I know it's way OT but if we want to be serious about protecting Australia from facing what is going on in those countries right now I think we need an even harder stance.

Yeah. Two relos of mine came back a few days ago, both said only thing different at the airport was a little bit of paper giving some instructions etc.

 

[hada88]

Expat living in Sydney for the last 3 years here, here is my two cents as the husband of an infectious disease doctor working in Sydney (and two close friends who are treating the Covid patients here!).

Australia gets so much right, but I am frankly shocked how badly this is being managed by the Government. The mixed messages being sent out, how each state and territory are applying different standards etc. The mere fact that measures such as closing Bondi beach have to be taken, demonstrates that there is a large portion of society who simply are not taking this seriously. I walked around last night and restaurants and bars were still relatively busy.

As a fact, we are doubling cases every day, so on a purely mathematical basis, we are currently on the same trajectory as Italy. This maths is based on what we did two weeks ago. Can you imagine the state of play in the next two weeks?

Our hospitals and health care are world class but if the coronavirus gets a hold of the population (young and old), then further damage to the Australian economy is a certainty.

My view, and this is terrible to say, is that each everyone needs to hurt for social distancing to work. That's you, me, the cafe, the employer, etc - right now, it's hospitality that seems to be bearing the brunt. From friends back home (and abroad): EVERYONE is feeling it due to social distancing and taking it incredibly seriously. We're just not there yet.

 

[Harthagan]

Yeah. Two relos of mine came back a few days ago, both said only thing different at the airport was a little bit of paper giving some instructions etc.

Wow what a joke! We really will have no one to blame but ourselves. All this nonsense about social distancing and isolating when all we had to do was close our borders effectively and immediately.

 

[Xizor]

Wow what a joke! We really will have no one to blame but ourselves. All this nonsense about social distancing and isolating when all we had to do was close our borders effectively and immediately.

Well, i dunno about that. I think you gotta give your own citizens a chance to come back. I'm not sure at short notice what else could be done for 10s of thousands of aussies coming home. But its a shame so many people are not being prudent with both excessive stockpiling and unneccessary recreational activity (ahem, groups to the beach, really..)

 

[Denali]

They say mental health is the biggest issue here, outside the virus. I'd tend to agree with that. I thought i was doing OK,, but tonight, maybe not so much.

Post automatically merged: Mar 21, 2020

Sounds like she might have been on one of the meds I'm on, feel free to PM me and will share.

Are you going to be OK? Do you think you can shut down and get some sleep as I think its about 3am where you are

 

[Harthagan]

Well, i dunno about that. I think you gotta give your own citizens a chance to come back. I'm not sure at short notice what else could be done for 10s of thousands of aussies coming home. But its a shame so many people are not being prudent with both excessive stockpiling and unneccessary recreational activity (ahem, groups to the beach, really..)

I agree but they should have to come back on the very next flight there is a spare seat. Not at their own leisure or after the holiday is complete. And should be properly tested and quarantined when they return home. Giving them a pamphlet and telling them to "self isolate" doesn't cut it. Most will just see that as not going to work for 2 more weeks and live life normally otherwise.

 

[moa999]

Agree there are a lot of people not distancing and I suspect the government will do more next week.
UK has shut schools for everyone but essential service personnel kids which I think would be a smart model.

On the growth charts I've seen we are doing better than most countries - and hopefully isolation is stopping spread from those coming back from overseas (and less tourists since last Sunday)

 

[daft009]

Yeah. Two relos of mine came back a few days ago, both said only thing different at the airport was a little bit of paper giving some instructions etc.

We came back on the 14th.. nothing different except 1 person asking where we'd been the last 14 days, while asking us, 5-10 people walked past without being asked and on it went