-
IMPORTANT // Please look after your loved ones, yourself and be kind to others. If you are feeling that the world is too hard to handle there is always help - I implore you not to hesitate in contacting one of these wonderful organisations Lifeline and Beyond Blue ... and I'm sure reaching out to our PRE community we will find a way to help. T.
Coronavirus
- Thread starter Tigers of Old
- Start date
They're fudging a little as an elderly case on Friday was excluded from the figures because they were deemed to have contracted the virus earlier. But current results suggest an elimination strategy was viable all along.
I wish they were, but sadly I don't think they are watching.
I'll guarantee you will hear from the UK over the coming weeks that because cases continue to rise now they are in lockdown it proves that lockdowns don't work.
Its sad because we now have categorical proof that lockdowns do work, but they need to be for a prolonged period.
They work in the right circumstances, with the right enforcement and the right social behaviour. Reading alt-right mumbo jumbo on the internetz they were always talking about Peru as evidence that hard lockdowns don't work, and it's true, they have a hard lockdown going for six months but its failed.
It failed there and not because of social disobedience. It is because people are poor and have to leave home to work every day - no choice. If not, they don't eat, they can't pay rent. They don't have savings and they don't get any help from the government. Many don't have refrigeration at home and have to go to crowded wet markets every day to get fresh food, and so on.
But for developed western nations, there really is no excuse.
Walking into a pub for a drink, no meal, no booking, no sitting down. Way old school but there are a few of us still hanging around.
Yes and no. We may be at zero for a week but is it sustainable? Do we lock ourselves away from the rest of the world? We all know that's not possible.
One of the things that has been missed by many in the interim report is the recommendation that every hotel have on site contact tracers. I have said it before on here that the issue wasn’t so much the security guards but that we were unable to trace their contacts fast enough. There were very few security guards actually infected, but they infected others and it was too late.
if we are going to live with this virus this is the key when we open up borders. There will be infected people but we have to be able to step on it quickly
if we are going to live with this virus this is the key when we open up borders. There will be infected people but we have to be able to step on it quickly
No we don't but we have bought ourselves more time to determine our future.
Theres 2 ways this can go:
1 - We get a vaccine and once rolled out we can start re-opening International borders (though I think we will have some travel bubbles fairly soon)
2 - No vaccines comes and we need to determine how to re-open society, again we have bought ourselves time with this.
Its worth remembering that the death rate is only 1 part of the story. There are more and more examples, where Covid is creating long term health implications for people.
This article is a good example of some of the implications. We are ensuring that we protect our society for long enough to make the most appropriate calls going forward, other countries will just have to figure it out on the run.
BBC correspondent: 'Long Covid has left me exhausted for seven months'
Lucy Adams still suffers fatigue, brain fog and tremors months after having the virus.
www.bbc.com
Our lockdown was much "easier" to implement and run given our location. The borders were closed (don't forget why) and we were locked down for 3 months. Not sure what everyone was expecting to be the result of this? If anything, it took longer than anticipated to bring cases down because we had poor contact tracing methods and resources.
The UK have half a chance but Europe and the US have little hope of managing the cases given their geography and number of controlling bodies.
What our plan is moving forward is critical. I hope there is going to be some bi-partisan strategies on this.
Our 10m doses are WAYYY down the list. They reckon they can produce 1.3bn doses by the end of 2021, but everyone needs 2 doses so that can vaccinate 650m people. I'm sure plenty are way ahead of us in the queue.
We have more chance with the Oxford vaccine as that can be produced by CSL here in Australia.
There is growing evidence supporting the use of masks in conjunction with other restrictions such as busimess/school closures, reduced gatherings and social distancing measures. One issue I have is the incorrect use and handling. People not covering nose and mouth and then touching removing them and not sanitising their hands. Using single use masks multiple times.
But masks are no doubt important in certain settings, and are a key tool in the suppression. The evidence supports this. I support them in supermarkets/shopping centres etc.
But I hope like you that we can ditch them when going for a walk in a park or down the beach.
Wow, is wearing a mask to help prevent any further outbreaks really that difficult? . . . Really?
Geez, we have managed to get the numbers down and are now in a better position than just about the whole rest of the world, let's not jeopardise this for something as insignificant as having to wear a mask.
It really is not that big an imposition.
After a few days of the 14 day average staying where it was, it has now dropped to 0.29. What can you say except f***ing brilliant.
DS
Geez, we have managed to get the numbers down and are now in a better position than just about the whole rest of the world, let's not jeopardise this for something as insignificant as having to wear a mask.
It really is not that big an imposition.
After a few days of the 14 day average staying where it was, it has now dropped to 0.29. What can you say except f***ing brilliant.
DS
So how many days of no community transmission does it take to pull the pin on wearing masks outside? 14? 28? 128? I'm not suggesting we stop wearing masks in indoor high risk locations yet; those environments are clearly the most dangerous for transmission. But walking your dog or sitting in a park is virtually zero risk; particularly if you are distanced from people.
Every other state has managed to control the virus without mandatory mask wearing. People in NSW are living virtually normal lives with 8 times the amount of active cases as Victoria. Time to ditch the masks for outside in VIC. Leave them for a while longer for indoor use until we get at least 28 days of no or limited community transmission.
And I disagree on the imposition. It's pretty uncomfortable and harder to breathe in 30 degree and humid weather like we've had the last few days. In the current circumstances I don't think it's necessary. A number of epidemiologists are on the record as advocating this stance.
FWIW a the rule of thumb being used is 2 cycles ie 28 days of zero community transmission. Not saying it’s right or wrong btw.
We should expect relaxing of masks outside especially by the end of November on that basis ..all being well of course
I'd be comfortable with that, its better to be cautious now than having to be reactive later.
