COVID-19 Virus.

[willedoo]

There was a bit of an overlap a few days ago. The tv ads were still running to encourage overseas visitors to come to Australia after the bushfires. At the same time, people coming in were being asked to isolate for 14 days.

[pmccarthy]

I have heard two political speeches which said it is time for the community to come together. What?

[willedoo]

I have heard two political speeches which said it is time for the community to come together. What?

 

No problems, as long as you allow for 96 million square meters (24 million x 4 sq.metres).

[red750]

It amuses me that there are ads on the radio suggesting that you should convert your Woolies points to Qantas points to fly sooner???

[nomadpete]

I thought we had an international embargo (is that the right term?) On foreign arrivals. So how is it that there are presently two UAE A380 aircraft about to land -one in Perth and the other in Sydney?? How many people is that? And how many of them will be asked to undergo quarantine? In the old days of sailing ships, people were expecting to undergo quarantine on a island if there was any suspicion of them bringing a disease with them.

Watching flight radar seems to belie what out trusted government is telling us.

[onetrack]

I believe all the incoming aircraft are bringing home all the expats that want to return home, and they must go into self-isolation for 14 days upon arrival. There are no overseas arrivals today that are not Australian residents.

[nomadpete]

Call me a cynic, but after seeing the arrival of cruise boats in Sydney, I don't believe that.

[onetrack]

All boat passengers who are allowed off are placed in strict isolation for 14 days. The authorities are very aware that the spread of the COVID-19 virus was hastened by cruise ship passengers arriving with the virus.

[nomadpete]

Was it 'false news' when a passenger was shown on TV, saying he was amazed that the passengers were all allowed to disembark in Sydney before the results of the tests were received (of suspected sick passengers), and without any checks? That was aired after there were positive test results for some passengers. When I saw that I nearly three something at the TV in anger.

[nomadpete]

I can't agree that Australia is acting in a timely manner. Some think our pollies have.

I am disappointed by our tardy response. Not such a smart country at all. We collectively should have reacted immediately when we saw China quarantine 60 million citizens. If that wasn't a big red flag (pun intended), I can't imagine a better advance notice. So now, MONTHS later, we start taking precautions after the cat is well and truly out of the bag.And we still have things like staff in airports not wearing masks as hundreds of passengers file past.

I'm just so disappointed.

And now we have all this BS about 'stopping' the virus. We went past the last chance of stopping it, months ago.

As a result we now will have to accept a higher number of deaths than necessary.

 

Anyway, take care everyone, use lots of soap, and now I hope you did buy six months supply of toilet tissue before the shops ran out!

[kgwilson]

If you don't have the virus a mask is virtually useless. Wearing a mask means you are less likely to splutter it on to someone else. Masks were not designed to stop airborne contaminants they were designed to prevent the spread of infection.

 

The disagreements between Federal and State Pollies is ridiculous. We can't stop it. Cases are doubling every 4 days. That is exponential growth. Containment only has a slim chance. It is slowing the spread that all the lockdown measures are designed to achieve.

[Yenn]

The best use of a mask is to stop you touching your face with your hand. I don't think the government knows what to do. There main aim is to be seen to be doing something.

Just look at the fuss about schools. Some states are closing them, that means the kids will be at home and with the parents at work who will look after them? Grandparents? What part of the population is most at risk grandparents. It also seems that kids can have the virus without showing any symptoms. Lovely!

What would happen if it was just allowed to run its course? Sure some would die, but that is going to happen anyway.

Our medical care profession is nowhere near capable of dealing with this epidemic, There are just too few facilities and also too few medical care people.

[octave]

What would happen if it was just allowed to run its course? Sure some would die, but that is going to happen anyway.

 

If, without any reduction in the infection rate and under the worst case scenario there will be no intensive care beds left. This means that even younger people who fair much better (although some still die) will be in trouble if they have an accident or non covid illness requiring intensive care. It would mean turning away from ICU patients who could be saved if there was an ICU place or a ventilator for them. Slowing the infection rate can allow for a more spread out load on the medical system.

 

Without serious action, Australia may run out of intensive care beds by early April

 

Coronavirus Australia: When the country will run out of ICU beds

 

"forecasts showed five per cent of residents affected by coronavirus – or up to 80,000 people – would require intensive care.

 

However, NSW has just 874 beds.:

[octave]

[Yenn]

The ABC is reporting today that we will have a massive mental health problem because of the virus. Not surprising considering that there is nothing else mentioned for hours.

I phoned up our local station and suggested that they were part of the cause of the problem and suggested that they started giving information about success stories, such as how many have recovered. I was told they intend to give out little bits of good news, but their main job was to ensure that everyone got the governments message. Anyone who hasn't got the message now is not going to get it.

One good thing, I can turn the ABC off, I could even turn the commercial radio on and be driven absolutely mad.

[octave]

The ABC is reporting today that we will have a massive mental health problem because of the virus. Not surprising considering that there is nothing else mentioned for hours.

I phoned up our local station and suggested that they were part of the cause of the problem and suggested that they started giving information about success stories, such as how many have recovered. I was told they intend to give out little bits of good news, but their main job was to ensure that everyone got the governments message. Anyone who hasn't got the message now is not going to get it.

One good thing, I can turn the ABC off, I could even turn the commercial radio on and be driven absolutely mad.

 

I agree that there is a deluge of scary news stories. It is quite tricky because there are still far too many people downplaying the situation. Campaigns such as drink driving have been quite successful but over many years, we don't have the luxury of that timescale. Many are suggesting that for most people it will be a mild illness but a small percentage will die and of the ones that don't some will still end up in ICU on a respirator. I did read a description by an ICU doctor of what it is like being on a respirator. Patients often have to be physically restrained so they don't pull the tube out which can give them the sensation of choking constantly. This is disturbing to contemplate but it is the harsh truth.

 

I do agree that a constant barrage of bad news can be harmful. I think it is good to keep up to date but once or twice a day should be sufficient.

 

Here is my contribution to positivity.

 

Another Roundup of Positive Updates on the COVID Outbreaks From Around the World

[onetrack]

It's fascinating to see the reduction in pollution may end up saving more lives, than are lost to COVID-19.

[willedoo]

I would guess most people are getting close to bad news overload. We will soon be looking forward to anything that can remind us of normality in our lives. Staying positive is always a challenge, but it's worth it.

[willedoo]

It's fascinating to see the reduction in pollution may end up saving more lives, than are lost to COVID-19.

 

The smog in the big cities might clear a bit.

[Jerry_Atrick]

The ABC is reporting today that we will have a massive mental health problem because of the virus. Not surprising considering that there is nothing else mentioned for hours.

I phoned up our local station and suggested that they were part of the cause of the problem and suggested that they started giving information about success stories, such as how many have recovered. I was told they intend to give out little bits of good news, but their main job was to ensure that everyone got the governments message. Anyone who hasn't got the message now is not going to get it.

One good thing, I can turn the ABC off, I could even turn the commercial radio on and be driven absolutely mad.

The stations can still send the govenments messages without being overly sensationalistic - something like reporting the new infection and mortaility rates, but following up with the poisotivie effects of following the advice, etc. It isn't hard.

[kgwilson]

Two campervans with 8 people stopped at our local cafe this morning. I was chatting at the time to the owner who was setting up for takeaways. We were about 10 metres apart. They all just went and sat at a large outdoor table laughing etc in very close proximity to one another. They were all young European backpacker style people & said they were off to Byron Bay then Queensland. Jeff the cafe owner scolded them about their cavalier attitude & said he could only provide takeaways & they could only come in 1 at a time. He also said Byron Bay would have no facilities open & they would not get in to Qld & advised them to go to Yamba or Angourie where it was quieter & they could wait out the impending lockdown.

 

One said we've got 6 month visas so we are allowed to go where we like. Jeff & I told them in no uncertain terms that they had better begin to act responsibly and listen to the radio, check the news on their phones etc. They just got up sneered at us & left. They had no idea.

 

How many others are there out there with such attitudes. It is a very scary thought.

[octave]

Nobel Prize winner says virus curve will flatten in 'couple of weeks'

[kgwilson]

He's got more faith in our assorted governments than I have. I do hope he is right though.

[octave]

[red750]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying there is anything good about Covid-19, but there is a lot of hysteria. Headlines today at 2.30 Virus toll in Vic now 3 dead. That's bad, but less than for domestic violence, less than common flu, less than gun violence in the street, far less than the road toll. Let us take precautions, but get a bit of perspective.