COVID-19 Virus.

[Admin]

3 minutes ago, octave said:

How has Victoria's response differed from other states and what advice has the Victorian Government ignored?

Don't know...didn't ask Corrine that but I would only be guessing based on my opinion and what the Premier said early on in the Pandemic in that he will do what he thinks is right for Victoria AND NOT WHAT THE FEDERAL GOV SAYS plus Vic has a very different socio eco system and culture...just look at the Gang violence we have seen in recent years, many many different nationalities etc and it IS the Unions that run the State compared to other States. I spoke to many teachers during the first lockdown and they wanted to go back to work but their Union was telling them NO because, and I quote them, a small faction of a hard lined teachers group, hence why Vic Students were the last to go back. I have heard, 2nd hand, from other sources saying the medical professionals and Police wanted a much harder lock down the first time because of the different cultures etc...heck even the NSW Gov tried to stop the protests but not here in Vic. The Vic Gov spent, and is still spending millions of dollars on testing but as seen people are getting tested like here at Northland, and due to the communication management, then going into the shopping centre rubbing shoulders with everyone else including the positive outbreak at the H&M store, and partying that night then the next day getting a negative result from their test. They then go out again with their new found confidence of being negative only to find out they are positive from the partying, H&M store etc after their test. The communication to these people was not done, the recent ADF calls is a shambles, the Police are getting different stories on what they can and can't do from the top. The top people have become YES men to an arrogant premier...the media can't get any real answers from him and he is always saying that he is in charge and the buck stops with him...what a narcissist.

 

I have also heard from a colleague that the Vic Chief Health Officer feels he is the meat in the sandwich between what he is being advised by the Federal Chief Health Officer and the Victorian Premier.

 

AAAAAARRRGGH I have had enough of this idiot...so I better shut up from now or else you guys will be saying the same about me

[pmccarthy]

All credibility was lost with the black lives protest. Victorians gave up trying, because the government obviously didn’t care.

[Admin]

Did you know that the Premier of Victoria increased payroll tax for small and medium businesses last week...what an a-hole

[octave]

30 minutes ago, Admin said:

Did you know that the Premier of Victoria increased payroll tax for small and medium businesses last week...what an a-hole

 

As far as I know it is still 4.85%, perhaps I have missed it. I know that payroll tax is being waived and refunded for businesses with a turnover of up $3 million.

[Admin]

https://vic.liberal.org.au/News/2020-07-01/staley-andrews-dumping-tax-concessions-for-struggling-businesses-in-their-time

[octave]

7 minutes ago, Admin said:

https://vic.liberal.org.au/News/2020-07-01/staley-andrews-dumping-tax-concessions-for-struggling-businesses-in-their-time

It says it is going up to 4.85 but I am pretty sure it has been at this rate since 2016 when it dropped from 4.90 

 

Getting back to covid I don't believe that one person is to blame, it seems a bit unlikely.  It amazes me how incredulous people are that there is a second wave here and there will be elsewhere.  Every state has made mistakes. In SA it was failing to prevent the tourists who were meant to be in quarantine but instead took a trip through the Barossa valley. I think it is a bit rich to paint Victoria as some kind of basket case due to one person.    NSW had the Ruby Princess which I seem to remember was one of the main vectors.  Remember Newmarch house?  I certainly would not lay the blame with the NSW Premier.   A plane load of passengers on Jetstar arrived in Sydney and they failed initially to perform checks on them. These are run of the mill cock ups and I don't particularly blame the respective state premiers. 

 

I think people are getting a little hysterical because they convinced themselves that it was over. This was not the message I was hearing from experts of politicians.   As a country we have done very well. Whenever I say this I always invite people to submit a list of countries that have done better, there are only a few, 

 

Early on people were criticizing the government for harsh measures (have a look at the thread on Rec flying)  I believe that moving school online was the right thing to do and far from maintaining it too long compared to others states we perhaps should have continued longer.  Education is my area so I do not what teachers think. I personally will not go back to any kind of face to face teaching until it is safe to do so.

 

I have never been one to barrack:for a particular party as if it were my favourite sports team. as much as it pains me to say, I believe that generally the federal government and the state governments have done a reasonable job.  Countries that were praised for their early performance such as Singapore and South Korea are having outbreaks.  The virus is still around even in those states that have not had cases in recent times.   I see like aviation the potential for an accident is always there just waiting for a misstep. Just like aviation the misstep is most like to be a series of occurrences that add up to tragedy.  

 

Regardless of what the government does or doesn't do the fact is that I can only catch it if I come into contact with someone who has it and likewise if I have it I can only give it to someone I come into contact with (or perhaps surfaces) but the bottom line is we have to be grown up and realize that the most effective measures are the measures we take ourselves.  Whilst the phrase "we are all in this together" is very accurate it has perhaps started to become a bit corny.  I did hear and American expert when asked who was to blame say something that resonated with me. He said "the only way to win is people verses virus not people verses people." 

 

I am certainly not an apologist sate or federal governments but lets not kid ourselves that we are in a disastrous situation. We could be the US or the UK.    It would be nice to perhaps be New Zealand.

[red750]

Why were the police arresting those poor Somali boys. Oh, that's right. They were breaking lockdown.

 

And that poor Muslim girl who had plenty of money to go shopping, but the donated food they brought her was not Halal. My heart bleeds.....not.

[Bruce Tuncks]

My complaint is that they ( governments ) have decided to protect stupid people from themselves, with police and army and laws and regulations etc.

I would prefer to see the governments assist with information and logistical and legal support for those who tried to avoid catching the virus. I would stop short of encouraging the anti-vaxxer types to die, but this would happen and I would publicise this and why they were stupid. I would also enable their dependents to sue them.

Last week, I asked a knowlegeable person if you could be the only clean household in town and avoid catching it. The answer was YES but you can't have a liar in your household.

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

I would consider some regulations, like having sanitiser stuff and masks and signs everywhere, although I would prefer if this were done with carrots instead of sticks.

[old man emu]

5 hours ago, Bruce Tuncks said:

My complaint is that they ( governments ) have decided to protect stupid people from themselves,

But that is exactly what we have expected from governments in Australia since the invasion landing in Port Jackson. How often do you hear the words "They ought to do something about ...."?  On the other side of the coin, how often have you heard "They helped me to achieve my goals."

 

We do live in a Mother Hen society where government bustles about trying to look after the wandering chick and making the rest of the brood run around with it. 

[nomadpete]

Aorta!

 

"Aorta do sumfing abart et!!!!!"

 

The eternal modern Aussie cry!

 

Good old Strine.

 

From the reference book

 

"Let Stork Strine"

 

Anyone remember that?

Edited July 10, 2020 by nomadpete
autocorrect has no sense of humour

[red750]

6 minutes ago, nomadpete said:

"Let Stork Strine"

 

Anyone remember that?

Actually, I was thinking about that  only a couple of days ago. By Professor Afferbeck Lauder. (Alphabetical Order in Strine) Can't remember in what context, but was going to quote it somewhere.

 

Also thinking about the version of the National Anthem that Malcolm T Elliott and Mike Tancred used to play on 2UW back in the 70's -

 

Australians all let us ring Joyce, and ask her round for tea,

with cold corned beef (and something else), with pumpkin ,spuds and peas.

 

Or something to that effect. Can't remember the middle bit  - it was a long time ago.

[nomadpete]

Aaaah.

The good ole daze when humour wasn't wrapped in cotton wool.....

Edited July 10, 2020 by nomadpete

[Bruce Tuncks]

Yep, I want the government to do LESS not more. What I mainly want is for them to be a lot less secretive. Alas, that is a forlorn hope huh...

On this virus, I want more information, especially about what those new case people  had done to catch the virus. And I would like more details of how the exempt people, like diplomats, are treated and why.

 

 

[nomadpete]

I'd like to know why, when Tasmania claims to have closed borders, I keep seeing mainland number plates appearing on our roads. Clean, shiny caravan tugs (no van, but still got the extended towing mirrors), must be fresh off the ferry. Over the past couple of months, we've seen some sheepish looking couples taking pictures of each other -obviously tourists, then getting into 4x4's with NSW  and QLD number plates. I question whether anyone has really been checking the vehicles coming off the ferry. And as for this new rule that says tourists can transit Victoria to get on the ferry to Tassie as long as they tell everyone that they didn't stop in Victoria on the way- what do you think they'd say? hah!

 

The coronavirus website then contradicts itself by saying the Tassie residents can only come from mainland as long as they do 14 days Quarantine. (Not self isolation).

 

I don't think any state has been comprehensive in application of their own rules. There are clearly too many exemptions. Even some officials have labelled the latest Melbourne efforts at isolation as being "not real ring isolation". Because anyone can leave their isolation area just by saying they are going to work, going to drop the kids off, going to buy a food item not available at my local shop....etc

[red750]

From a story on the Yahoo home page:

 

"A man died from coronavirus after attending a “COVID-19 party” before admitting his mistake on his deathbed.

Students in the US state of Alabama have made the news in recent weeks after having parties and inviting people sick with coronavirus.

Dr Jane Appleby, Chief Medical Officer at Methodist Hospital, in San Antonio, Texas, said a nurse at her hospital treated a man who went to one of these “COVID-19 parties”

Dr Appleby told KSAT the man, aged in his 30s, thought the virus was a hoax.

“He thought he was young and he was invincible and wouldn’t get affected by the disease,” Dr Appleby said.

In a video circulating on Twitter, Dr Appleby says the man regretted the decision to attend the party as he died, and told his nurse: “I think I made a mistake. I thought this was a hoax.”

 

The aim of the party is to see if anyone catches it. People bet on the outcome. The first person to get sick wins the pot.

 

You cannot believe the stupidity of people. On a post on FAcebook by my second cousin urging people to obey the restrictions or we would be in lockdown for much longer, some twit posted  "There is no virus."  I looked at his FB page and it appears he is one of many who believe the whole thing is a hoax by Bill Gates and others to reduce the world's population so they can control the survivors.He also posted a meme claiming Oprah Winfrey, Ellen Degenerous ,Hillary Clinton and other women "eat children."

 

No wonder the world is going to hell in a hand basket.

 

[onetrack]

American COVID-19 parties are Darwin at work, cleaning out the gene pool. Americans are the slowest learners on this Planet. But God protects them, even though God must be sitting there with his head in his hands, marvelling at their stupidity.

[old man emu]

33 minutes ago, onetrack said:

even though God must be sitting there with his head in his hands, marvelling at their stupidity.

And St Peter is getting complaints about the queue at the Pearly Gates.

[Bruce Tuncks]

I marvel too at the stupidity of people like those covid party ones. I think we are getting quite a few here in Australia and the challenge should be to find ways to make them financially responsible for their actions.

Consider the army: they provide hats, and they put sunburn soldiers on a charge for disobeying the regulation about not getting sunburn.

Surely we could do something similar... just like plane crashes, there should be a lesson for us all in the story of everyone who catches the virus.

[kgwilson]

It is hard the believe that there are so many who still think Covid is a hoax. Just after the start of the 2nd wave in Victoria it was reported that 10,000 people refused to take the test. The most common reason given that the virus is a hoax. But then these are people who only watch sky news, read nothing but sensational BS on facebook and think Trump is a genius because he said so.

[Yenn]

Nature has ways of redressing the imbalance caused by the explosion of humans in the world.

Just watch it in action.

[Bruce Tuncks]

Covid won't do much Yenn but global warming might. Just as we run a temperature to rid ourselves of unwanted organisms, so our planet is going to warm up and maybe kill off enough of us to cool down again in a few thousand years.

[Jerry_Atrick]

[Bruce Tuncks]

There is a difference with respect to the law. The drunk driver may be held accountable while the covid guy can't. The law needs changing to make those who harm others by giving them the disease financially responsible.

I am puzzled about why we don't hear more stories of how people contracted the disease. 

[spacesailor]

SMART QUEENSLANDERS,s, Left NSW three days ago to travel there by road ,only to be told NO ENTERY.

spacesailor