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

[SydneySwan]

Dreadful black day for Italy .. 250 deaths….
The front line medical personnel must be suffering terribly...

I agree. There is going to be an awful lot of PTSD amongst front-line staff when this is all over.

 

[Pushka]

Having this staffing discussion with family member who is in a large Public Hospital. She is older and well experienced. Is happy to work extra shifts but in recent weeks as a casual her shifts have been trimmed down due to budget. That will change. But her comment the other day was that if schools were closed then this would take out a huge number of staff who would need to stay home and mind the children. Double edge sword.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I agree. There is going to be an awful lot of PTSD amongst front-line staff when this is all over.

My daughter works in an ICU. Patient death is a common thing for her. She prides herself on that for those that are dying that she is assisting in providing what she terms "a good death".

The deaths that have hit her hardest are the unexpected ones, rather than the expected ones.

But in Italy while the staff will know which ones are likely to die, the hardest thing for them will be knowing that at other times that the mortality rate will have been lower. They will know that some who may normally have lived will not. There are simply not enough ventilators etc to go around in Italy at present.

Hopefully Italy's almost total shut down will cause a dramatic drop in new infections, but that will also take weeks more to kick in.

 

[moa999]

But her comment the other day was that if schools were closed then this would take out a huge number of staff who would need to stay home and mind the children. Double edge sword.

Definitely double edged sword. Also any already infected but asymptomatic kids may well be placed with elderly grandparents which is not good.

But I think avoiding the spread amongst kids who are more likely to be asymptomatic and also not practice good hand and face hygiene is going to be necessary.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Italian way to handle self isolation.

 

[VPS]

and notice from Margaret Court's church

 

[Denali]

How some Americans are handling it, swipe to the second page and watch to the end

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

And as someone whose parents were Italian migrants and members of Italian clubs growing up, the music brings back memories, swipe to second page

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

 

[Denali]

South Africa wash hands song includes don't spread rumours, don't panic

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

 

[Pushka]

Just listening to Jacinta Arden and one thing she does brilliantly is to convey a clear and concise message.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Just listening to Jacinta Arden and one thing she does brilliantly is to convey a clear and concise message.

Good to see one country at least has a good leader.

 

[Pushka]

Good to see one country at least has a good leader.

She is a great leader. I don't know enough of her internal politics to comment. Maybe the issue is "what makes a great leader". Rethinking. Maybe a great leader is defined by the ability to influence a population. Making her a great leader. Either that or I've taken @tgh 's advice and raided the Rockfords Alicante hoard tonight.

 

[tgh]

Great leaders come from the most unlikely crucibles.

The world needs some great leaders atm… who will stand up and grasp the nettle..

…and in Qld the "great leaders" have their priorities all sorted..
No way the footy was being cancelled in Townsville last night.
It was a government vote purchase and had to be celebrated whatever the ultimate cost in human lives…
Not a squeak or a meow from the qld premier about the coming conflagration.. so sad...

scuse me ….post ends..... I need to go and throw up….

 

[TheRealTMA]

Great leaders come from the most unlikely crucibles.

The world needs some great leaders atm… who will stand up and grasp the nettle..

…and in Qld the "great leaders" have their priorities all sorted..
No way the footy was being cancelled in Townsville last night.
It was a labour vote purchase and had to be celebrated whatever the ultimate cost in human lives…
Not a squeak or a meow from the qld premier about the coming conflagration.. so sad...

scuse me ….post ends..... I need to go and throw up….

Don’t get between a politician and the footy!

Apart from pronouncing our country “Austaya”, being seen at the footy is obligatory.

 

[lakeman]

Go read this article on the hospital at the center of the US coronavirus outbreak

A look inside EvergreenHealth in Kirkland, Washington, where 15 of the nation’s coronavirus patients have died.

www.theverge.com

Couldnt belive the statistics in this article I found today.
15 deaths out of 65 admissions to a community hospital in Washington State.
Very sobering and though they state most deaths were nursing home type patients , this may have focused the US administration to act.

 

[juddles]

RE Scott and Jacinda - this is complicated. A popular leader is not necessarily a good leader. But if I have to hear the Prime Minister say one more time that "we should listen to the medical experts" then I will vomit. It just reeks to me of someone who is attempting to read the prepared scripts that others put in place for them,which also try to put the onus on anyone but themselves.

What i would love to see is a the Prime Minister that says "things are shiite, they are going to get a lot worse, but let's pull together and make the best of this".

 

[juddles]

RE Scott and Jacinda - this is complicated. A popular leader is not necessarily a good leader. But if I have to hear the Prime Minister say one more time that "we should listen to the medical experts" then I will vomit. It just reeks to me of someone who is attempting to read the prepared scripts that others put in place for them,which also try to put the onus on anyone but themselves.

What i would love to see is a the Prime Minister that says "things are shiite, they are going to get a lot worse, but let's pull together and make the best of this".

Further to that, in a time of national crisis (and I doubt there are many left now who do not see this as such) it is fantastic to have a unifying, charismatic leader as a central national focal point. SCOMO just isn't the man for this - and I say this in no disrespect of him - he is clearly a very intelligent and competent person. But the attribute really needed in this role is charisma - which many mental-giants severely lack. Any ideas for an aussie "spokesperson" in this age of crisis?

 

[I love to travel]

RE Scott and Jacinda - this is complicated. A popular leader is not necessarily a good leader. But if I have to hear the Prime Minister say one more time that "we should listen to the medical experts" then I will vomit. It just reeks to me of someone who is attempting to read the prepared scripts that others put in place for them,which also try to put the onus on anyone but themselves.

What i would love to see is a the Prime Minister that says "things are shiite, they are going to get a lot worse, but let's pull together and make the best of this".

Cmon @juddles tell us what you really think. I agree 100% with the sentiment.

 

[I love to travel]

Further to that, in a time of national crisis (and I doubt there are many left now who do not see this as such) it is fantastic to have a unifying, charismatic leader as a central national focal point. SCOMO just isn't the man for this - and I say this in no disrespect of him - he is clearly a very intelligent and competent person. But the attribute really needed in this role is charisma - which many mental-giants severely lack. Any ideas for an aussie "spokesperson" in this age of crisis?

I have been really impressed by Greg Hunt. Calm but most importantly, authentic.

 

[juddles]

Cmon @juddles tell us what you really think. I agree 100% with the sentiment.

I really think that our dear PM needs to find a "persona" that is not the scripted "smiling" one. He needs to attempt to learn how to emit the non-panic message he does truly need to do, but without it being a "smiling" stupidity....

 

[tgh]

juddles is right on the money.. from the ashes may arise (somewhere) a savior...
Sadly it won't be Jesus.. but we really really really need someone to follow.
How about it Juddles.. I will write your speeches…. r u our Phoenix ??