Corona Ordeal & how to stay safe !

Pretty much everyone except those who live in Geelong or rural locations are locked down at this point - I am in suburban Melbourne so very much within the lockdown zone. We too had quite tough restrictions early on, to the criticism of some, but I was always in full support. On the flip side, I was very concerned when restrictions started easing - I thought this might happen. It just seems too dangerous to start reducing lockdown when there are still active cases. As you say, it only takes 1 person.

Not sure how I feel about potential stage 4 restrictions - we only got to stage 3 in the first lockdown. On the one hand, I really don't want things to get stricter - on the other hand, I just want to get on top of this! We are still at the point of on average around 250 new cases a day. Certainly not as bad as some countries have had it, but scary and upsetting nonetheless! Thanks for your concern, it is much appreciated. I am certainly looking forward to seeing my friends again - one day!

I'm fortunate that, whilst most people were losing work, I started a new job at the end of March, and have been kept extremely busy (think 84 hour work weeks) for the past two months, so I've had it luckier than most. That said, I was looking forward to a safe, socially distanced celebration with some friends once the workload died down, but on my last day of work before a month off, we were sent back into lockdown!

It's fantastic to see the success that Perth and other cities/states have had. Hopefully you can keep it that way.

Seeing the numbers in the US is just heartbreaking. We are getting just a tiny taste of it here in Australia (especially in Melbourne, where I live) and it is already scary enough for us, so I can't imagine how it must be for you. Your perspective is spot on - a few months of boredom is nothing in comparison to being on a ventilator!

 

Gee rivak, some people just don't have a clue. We were supposed to be in Floriday late April/early May for the Cheerleading comps, but that obviously got canned very quickly. Too many people have that "I'm young, I'll be fine" attitude, meanwhile their parents, cousins, grandparents, friends are becoming very ill or worse. I hate it. And that stupid no mask mentality. But the governments and health officials made a rod for their own backs there by saying at the beginning masks were not needed. One of the medical Chiefs in Australia said hidden in the middle of a general update video that masks would have been the first line of defence, if the world had any and they were not spirited away overseas without it being noticed. So they turned it around by saying they wouldn't make a difference. Now that there are some, they are having trouble getting people to wear them.

Just stay safe

 

Highest daily increase in cases for the whole pandemic here in Victoria (317). I'm hoping that in about a week - which will be 2 weeks since lockdown was reinstated - the cases will start going down again. Don't even want to think about what life will look like if they continue increasing despite stage 3 restrictions...

 

Yeh, I just heard that. The NSW cases are increasing too.

 

Yep. All our athletes may end up over your way in Perth before long!

 

@blessedlady2 How is your daughter doing? I hope she is improving.

totally off topic, I saw your signature has the Photobucket waterstamp on them (they no longer allow free image hosting). I downloaded the original and moved it over to imgur for you if you want a clean one. You just need to right click on the image, choose Copy image link and pop that into the signature section of your profile. x

 

Just heard this optimistic news via News Breakfast ABC (Australia):
*Covid-19 Vaccine developed by Oxford Uni is in the first phase trial, may be available to the frontline health workers by September, then widely available to the masses by the end of the year. Things can rapidly change depends on how fast second phase of testing take.

Other news heard:
*For those in Victoria, it's reported that mask wearing is a must now, otherwise fines will be imposed. 2 million masks will be available in various shops - chemists, Woolies, Aldi, and Bunnings. Scarfs or bandanas can be wore instead of a mask when in public.
*A group of people were fined for border jumping from NSW to Qld. SA has put in place of such fines as well.

My thought - It's best to comply with all the social distance policies to the best of your ability. Stay put and keep indoors, and stick to the essential travel rules, I believe this way hopefully less opportunity for the virus to find the next host!
Stay safe everyone, worldwide.

 

I was just reading the Oxford trials. I nearly cried, I hope it proves to work.

There are people trying to sneak out of Victoria all over the place. Seriously, if you want to avoid it, stay home, and become a hermit (like me). Even with our restrictions gone and our cases under control (for now) I still only go to work and grocery shopping if I have to. And I keep my distance. But there are those selfish few that sneak over and then suddenly they have spread it to another state. I read the SA police are trying to find 3 people who were allowed across the border because they claimed to have a medical emergency and the SA hospital was closer. They were permitted access but never showed up at the hospital.

The trouble with masks is that they continued to drum into us that they were not necessary. However they admitted a few months ago, that was mainly because we didn't have any, and if we did, they would be recommending them. Now that we have them, people don't want to wear them.

Praying the world improves quickly. I am thankful for my sister living in a regional city. She has MS, so that makes her high risk.

 

The other trouble with masks is that there is a lot of confusion out there about which ones work and which ones don't. I have a mask which is potentially only protective to me (but wouldn't stop me spreading the illness to others if I were asymptomatic). I'm not 100% sure if it's a perfect mask or not.

That said, I only leave the house for exercise - which we have been told is an exemption to the mask wearing rule (although, again, there is confusion around that). My theory is, even if my mask only protects myself - as long as I can avoid getting the virus, I won't have anything to pass on in the first place, so it shouldn't matter if my mask wouldn't hypothetically stop me spreading anything.

We are just short of two weeks in stage 3 lockdown, so hopefully in the next few days we will start seeing a consistent decrease in cases.

 

From what I understand, the N95& N99 masks will stop you breathing in the virus if it is fitted properly. I have 2 that I have always used for work when deshedding hairy dogs. The surgical masks are to stop you spreading germs and viruses, however will work to stop you getting it if you seal it properly. My of my clients is a nurse and she said the new face shields are easier ( still wears a mask). But when its mask only, they usually fit one, tape it to their face creating a full seal, then add a second one. This is for highly contagious diseases like covid. People still treat it like the flu and it is 4 times more contagious.

I would imagine that you wouldn't have to wear the mask when actively exercising outside because it restricts your breathing. However, I would be surprised if this included just taking a walk.

 

@squigglegiggle A couple of hours ago, I heard the spill about the criteria of mask-wearing, you don't have to wear one if you are running or jogging, but have to wear one when at walking pace. Just try cover up the lower half of your face when in public, at the same time don't forget to keep to the 1.5 to 2m distance rule to the best of your ability. Good on you for doing your bit to be a responsible citizen, this will help with the public health and safety system.

@ctindaldavies Yes, it was breaking news late last night, those irresponsible selfish travellers gone underground, I do hope they come to their senses and do the right thing while in SA and isolate themselves!

Forget about what was said yesterday about mask-wearing, today is here and we can only move forward, so smart up and consciously take care of yourself if you must be among a public place.

 

It might be a little late to mention this, who in Australia has had the opportunity to watch Rage Stays Connected aired two Saturdays ago? Boy, I can't believe the collection of songs about telephone and phone calls over the decades. Some clips made us cringe, but most brought us endless laughter of the fashion and creativity of the 70s, 80s and 90s! Not sure if it's available via ABC iView, haven't checked. I sure would like to catch more of this kind of TV shows.
Has anyone watched Life Drawing Live hosted by Rove? Now this is a brilliant interactive tv program for the lockdown period.
I am looking forward to see the premier documentary of Shaun Micallef's On The Sauce tonight on ABC.

 

So don't read it then. Personally, I'm going to take the advice of chief medical officers, experts, doctors and researchers over a conspiracy theorist who has done a bit of googling and thinks they know more than the trained professionals. If your information is so superior, get on the news and spread it to the masses. Until then, kindly keep your ignorance to yourself.

Yeah, we need to wear it for walks. Personally I do a combined walk and run each day, so I will likely wear it until I start my run and put it back on afterwards. As long as we each do our bit!

Yes, that's correct. New information is coming out all the time - it's exhausting trying to keep up!

 

Howdy Farmers,

Please keep this thread civilized or it will need to be closed For current and accurate measures regarding the Corona Virus, you are best visiting your National or Local public health Authority.

You can find accurate information from The World Health Organization. Any other information found on the internet could be perceived as false.


Regards,
shooger.sweet

 

In England we are now having to wear face masks in shops from Friday. We are encouraged not to wear surgical type ones as they are needed for the front line staff in hospitals etc. A lot of people are making them to sale for charity. We are also told it is not to stop us getting the virus but to stop help us spreading it if we have it, as it appears we may not know we are infected until we have already passed it on. We get people on TV saying they will not wear a mask because they do not have it! How do they know? Please protect the old folk as they, together with people with underlying health problems, are most vunerable.
I can only hope that once people wear them they do not think they are invincible and stop social distancing. Stay safe everyone.

 

Watched that documentary Shaun Micallef's On The Sauce last night, well, I've learnt so much, especially the historical societal influence of alcohol on Aussie culture throughout the times. I hope Micallef can get to the bottom of why alcohol consumption has risen, especially during this lockdown period.

Over the last decade or so, before I make any travel plans, I am used to checking out WHO and Smartraveller websites first, then weighing up the pros and cons of getting a vaccine jab if I decided to venture into spots where SARDS, Swine Flu or whatever other viruses were swiping through the lands at that time.

I watch ABC News channels, to me it's the most informative trusted source, to keep myself informed of other natural disasters globally so I can avoid to be an 'unnecessary' rescued subject, or calling on the government to bring me home.
Not sure what others are doing out there, I have resorted to be a tourist in my own backyard in the last several years!

Comply with my local government policies to the best of my ability as they change rapidly, and keep away from crowded places for the time being.
These are just a few things I stick to on how to stay safe for any crisis situation!
Keep safe and stay well everyone!

PPS - I watch Catalyst, Landline, so similar tv programs, to keep myself informed on how the world is evolving.

 

Well said, CT.

The premier's daily press conference has been pushed back an hour and a half. We are wondering whether this means they are considering the possibility of either extending the lockdown zone, or moving on to stage 4 restrictions. Rumour has it we are expecting an announcement of around 500 new cases (apologies to those outside of Australia who are disinterested in these updates!)

 

Although I live in England, my youngest son lives in Melbourne so I keep abreast of the Australian news, albeit only from the Daily Mail online! He also keeps us up to date.

 

Thanks squiggle, I had to edit it several times and reign it in. I couldn't believe what I was reading. I don't abide by people judging others. None of us know what any of us are really going through. It's very easy for some to put on a brave or happy front when behind a faceless keyboard, but that may not be what is really going on for them. I always try to remember that everyone experiences pain or stress or fear differently. What may be intolerable to one person, may be a cake walk to another. But it doesn't make that pain any less important. To the person that it is happening to, it is how they feel that is important. And that is exactly what Covid is doing to the whole world. It is terrifying. I was shocked today to read the State Premier (equiv to governer for those elsewhere) advise that 9/10 sick Victorians are taking days to get tested and continuing their normal daily routine. And then 53% of those that do get tested are not isolating until they get their results, just potentially spreading it. I don't understand why they would do this.
But you are right, we are just focusing on our little neck of the woods as that's all we know for definite from our national leaders. What has been happening around the world is shocking and makes my heart hurt. I used to look at the world stats daily and remember when I was worried that the number in China had reached 30,000! That seems like years ago now.

I don't get to watch much tv. I have become a Netflix junkie at the moment. I listed to the broadcast news in the car during the day, and hunt out the premier reports, but at home, I prefer a little bit of ficton.

@farmerumf, I hope you are doing well in the UK. It must be very difficult for you with one of your kids across the other side of the world where it is freshly blowing up. How many children do you have?

 

ctindaldavies - Thanks - Hubby was in Australia for a month and came home a few days before lockdown! I don't fly - coward that I am. 3 boys, 6 granddaughters. Australian son lives with wife and mother-in-law, no children.
Of course I do not see other sons as they are a 3 to 6 hour, depending on traffic, drive away too, just one granddaughter who lives not far from us but even she is staying away as she, and her man, work in a supermarket and does not want to bring Covid to us.
I think we all do what we think is right for us and hope everyone we come into contact with does the same Holiday season in full swing here in Cornwall so the world and his wife descend on us for the summer - we just keep away from beaches etc!
Stay safe everyone.