COVID-19: Discussion of Impact 😷

[TVHead]

@turdall

Exactly which is why the government here in Victoria really needs to ramp up the QR code’s. They are not being used effectively enough here in Victoria. South Australia is miles ahead with this. It would make contact tracing so much easier.

Agree with this, some places have a sign but never mention it, or if they do they aren’t enforcing it. Some places have nothing. It’s piss poor.

[turdall]

It’s just so good and easy in SA. If anyone has been they would understand. Every single shop has it as well. Even petrol stations. But here it’s just not as good. And it takes time. Also all places have a different template with different questions. I was shocked at how terrible it was.

[Troiboi]

Who’s responsibility is it though? We all know we need to do it. Businesses all know they need to do it. Should the government be using resources to go to every business in the state to verify?

There’s a bit of we are adults, we need to act like it I think.

[MrJ]

@Squee

As cruel as it sounds, I suspect the feds have tested the issue with focus groups and found that the masses don’t care enough to put any effort into trying to bring back those that are stranded overseas.

I would be one of them, I have heard a lot of stories of people abusing the system and travelling to Australia to visit family over xmas or dodge a European lockdown, with every intention to travel back asap. They aren’t all in the dire straights that the anecdotes on the news would suggest. Take a look at the Aussies in London facebook group to see some of the attitudes towards covid among the potential incoming travelers.

It was mentioned in the NSW presser today that by Jan 25 there will have been more hotel quarantine placements than there were people stranded when the program started. so clearly there are a lot of people that have left since the borders closed, those people knew the risks that they were taking, so I don’t think they need any sympathy.

Its been a year, I always thought hotel quarantine was a means to an end. I think the best system now would be a small program that is better targeted. ie. only available towards people that fulfill a strict compassionate, medical or economic criteria. Hopefully that can be done with the new, reduced capacity.

[turdall]

@Troiboi

Who’s responsibility is it though? We all know we need to do it. Businesses all know they need to do it. Should the government be using resources to go to every business in the state to verify?

Well it’s the governments responsibility to contact trace. Yes every business should be doing it. But having one system that links back to the government website would make it a lot easier for businesses and the government. As I said in SA it is just so much easier. You don’t even need to fill in your details. All you need to do is put your camera up to the barcode and click submit. It is why everyone there is doing it. I don’t see anyone doing it in Victoria. Nor do I see it on every shop window. I went into about 5 shops yesterday without a QR option. It is really really bad here. But if the government stepped in and made a universal system, like they have done on SA, it would be so much better.

You can only learn from other states. Just like people in other states can learn from Victoria and their mask policy. It’s ok not to be doing everything perfect. And that’s ok they are responding to a pandemic they have never experienced before. We need to be questioning these so called ‘experts’. Look at what is happening in the UK with over 1000 deaths. Should they not be questioning their government because they are the experts?

[MelbTV]

@turdall

Well it’s the governments responsibility to contact trace. Yes every business should be doing it. But having one system that links back to the government website would make it a lot easier for businesses and the government. As I said in SA it is just so much easier. You don’t even need to fill in your details. All you need to do is put your camera up to the barcode and click submit. It is why everyone there is doing it. I don’t see anyone doing it in Victoria. Nor do I see it on every shop window. I went into about 5 shops yesterday without a QR option. It is really really bad here. But if the government stepped in and made a universal system, like they have done on SA, it would be so much better.

You can only learn from other states. Just like people in other states can learn from Victoria and their mask policy. It’s ok not to be doing everything perfect. And saying they are the experts they know what they are doing is just pure bullshit. Look at what is happening in the UK with over 1000 deaths. Should they not be questioning their government because they are the experts?

The Vic Government do have their own QR system though, that businesses are able to download via Service Victoria. The Government wants them to use that instead of businesses creating their own so it’s easier to contact trace.

I’ve been to several places now that have the Service Victoria QR code system in place. It tracks where you’ve been etc, which is great. It’s a shame that more businesses have not opted to use the Service Victoria QR code. It should actually be made mandatory for all businesses to use the Service Victoria QR code system.

I agree, some businesses don’t give a rats if you scanned or given details upon entry. While you can’t even set foot in some without scanning and hand sanitizer upon entry - those ones I feel safer attending.

[turdall]

That’s good they have it but they should make it mandatory like other states have done now

[MelbTV]

Victoria’s latest numbers -

So far so good. Now four days of no new local cases.

https://twitter.com/vicgovdhhs/status/1348019233372971014?s=21

@turdall

That’s good they have it but they should make it mandatory like other states have done now

Yes - I agree.

[Chris]

@Moe

This surely also means not running the AO? How could we allow a thousand tennis players to Quarantine in Victoria when we’ve just halved intakes of Australians?

A lot of the players are already here and started arriving this week. Melbourne’s passenger intake is not reducing either, its other states that are reducing numbers.

@foxyrover

It’s only the players involved in the ‘finals’. Qualifying is in Qatar. I know that there will be 32 women in the warmup tournaments, 8 wheelchair competitors, and presumably 32 men.

There are a lot more players than that. The qualifiers are there to determine the wild card spots, they are not early rounds of the Aus Open and don’t make the AO any shorter.

@turdall

I went today and had my mask on and got told to take it off. My hairdresser wasn’t even wearing one so found it a bit strange.

Same when I got my haircut on Friday. Nobody in the barber was wearing a mask, not even the guy at the desk, which I thought was odd.

[JohnsonTV]

The Queen and Prince Philip share news of their COVID vaccination

UK campaign urges people to obey lockdown rules as COVID deaths surpass 80,000

[JohnsonTV]

@MelbTV

There were 6 cases notified to the department in the past 24 hours. This includes 0 locally acquired and 6 in hotel quarantine.

Victorian health minister Martin Foley said that one of the six is an international flight crew member, the rest are returned travellers. The flight crew member who had tested positive is now quarantining at a flight crew hotel.

[OnAir]

@MrJ

Take a look at the Aussies in London facebook group to see some of the attitudes towards covid among the potential incoming travelers.

I’ve spoken to a few living in the UK and it seems because Covid is so widespread there’s a feeling of “no-one is following the rules so I won’t either”, with stories I’ve heard of people not self-isolating when they’ve returned to the UK (when rules said they had to), going to the offices when WFH should be the option etc.

Whereas in Australia/NZ, because the outbreaks have been relatively small/contained there’s a willingness to “play your part”. Yes, there’s been slip-ups (Victoria ) but by and large it’s been a collective effort.

[turdall]

@OnAir

with stories I’ve heard of people not self-isolating when they’ve returned to the UK

Yeah I had a friend that was in Spain and told to self isolate. She got to day 7 and was bored so starting going for walks. I was in shock and said why aren’t you taking it seriously. She just said no one else does it.

[OnAir]

@turdall

I was in shock and said why aren’t you taking it seriously. She just said no one else does it.

Yep, similar story to the one I was relayed.

[MelbTV]

So who is telling the truth?

Seems like It’s Gladys’ way or the highway.

Tensions over border closures rise as Victoria insists it warned NSW

[JasonF]

Chief Health Officer, Victoria (VictorianCHO)

Chief Health Officer, Victoria (VictorianCHO)

Chief Health Officer, Victoria (VictorianCHO)

Chief Health Officer, Victoria (VictorianCHO)

Chief Health Officer, Victoria (VictorianCHO)

Chief Health Officer, Victoria (VictorianCHO)

Chief Health Officer, Victoria (VictorianCHO)

Chief Health Officer, Victoria (VictorianCHO)

[mubd]

Victoria disputed Ms Berejiklian’s suggestions that it did not inform NSW before the decision was made, and said NSW health authorities and ministers had been kept up to date.

Victorian health officials told an Australian Health Protection Principal Committee at noon on December 31, attended by NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant, that the state was “strongly considering” a border closure, according to the meeting’s minutes. At 3.30pm that day, Acting Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan announced the closure.

They gave the NSW CHO via the AHPPC 3 hours and 30 minutes notice of ‘strongly considering’ a border closure before actually announcing the border closure? That doesn’t seem like much notice to me…

[eddel]

@mubd

They gave the NSW CHO via the AHPPC 3 hours and 30 minutes notice of ‘strongly considering’ a border closure before actually announcing the border closure? That doesn’t seem like much notice to me…

Especially in contrast to the several days of discussions and mutual consensus that was reached back in July.

[littlegezzybear]

A COVID-19 death at the Vatican. If the man’s death is included in the COVID cases at the Vatican, his will be the first death.

Pope Francis’ doctor dies from COVID-19 complications

… “oncological pathology,” died at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, according to Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano.

[MelbTV]

Victoria’s latest numbers -

https://twitter.com/vicgovdhhs/status/1348378547426103302?s=21

@mubd

They gave the NSW CHO via the AHPPC 3 hours and 30 minutes notice of ‘strongly considering’ a border closure before actually announcing the border closure? That doesn’t seem like much notice to me…

It’s called a pandemic. Things can change quickly. It doesn’t run on NSW time nor when NSW want it their way.

How much notice do you think that WA and QLD give when they close their borders at the top of a hat? Especially WA. It seems 1 local case and it’s closed.