COVID-19 Stuff Here

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I don't disagree with any of that BH. The game plan seems to be changing every day.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

You buggers down there dont know how lucky you are. I literally have not been outside in a year and a half without wearing a giant sweaty nappy covering half of my face.






Just read we are also supposed to wear protective surgical facemasks outside to prevent the spread of Corona virus. News to me.

 

[Dctarget]

Managed to snag a golden ticket home from France and currently sitting in Singapore airport. There were 10 people (was 12 until two were turned away for no PCR test - there goes a few grand) on my flight. Bizarre scenes. Singapore must be losing so much money flying to Aus, not quite across the logic there. They keep us in a holding pen like lepers and throw us bottles of water which is fun.

Now fly to Sydney where they'll bus me to a mystery location for 2 weeks. Surprisingly not stressful yet, quite buoyed by not having to wear a mask or pants for two weeks.

 

[formerflanker]

Managed to snag a golden ticket home from France and currently sitting in Singapore airport. There were 10 people (was 12 until two were turned away for no PCR test - there goes a few grand) on my flight. Bizarre scenes. Singapore must be losing so much money flying to Aus, not quite across the logic there. They keep us in a holding pen like lepers and throw us bottles of water which is fun.

Now fly to Sydney where they'll bus me to a mystery location for 2 weeks. Surprisingly not stressful yet, quite buoyed by not having to wear a mask or pants for two weeks.

With approx 30,000 other Aussies still stranded o/s, you've done well.
Hope the "mystery location" has Stan.

 

[Tex]

What's the situation been like in France?

 

[Dctarget]

With approx 30,000 other Aussies still stranded o/s, you've done well.
Hope the "mystery location" has Stan.

I think being a single young traveller helped me. I had no firm dates, no kids to look after. Can take any old flight, whereas travelling in a group of five or something when you have to give up your lease, quit your job etc makes it so hard to leave. I know many people who were offered flights a few days in advanced but had to turn them down just because it wasn’t feasible.

And yes I’ve got Stan on the laptop, my girlfriend shouldn’t be feeling as bad for me as she does!

 

[Dctarget]

What's the situation been like in France?

Ahhh a bit different from Aus.

They’ve been pretty buggered by the English variant, 40,000 cases a day for a month now despite a lockdown. They’ve had a curfew for months and heaps of restrictions but in the French way no one pays attention. You can still go sit by the Seine with beers with your mates during this lockdown, so might be a hint why it’s so bad.

Their ICUs are at 150%, despite 13m people vaccinated. I want to know who is filling it up if 20% of France, and the most vulnerable at that, have at least one vaccination?

 

[Teh Other Dave]

Because it's only 20%, so is unlikely to confer herd immunity. 40,000 daily cases. That is catastrophic. And I can't even begin to imagine the scale of what's going on in India. We should thank the Vics for taking one for the team and locking down like they did; that could have been us.

 

[Dctarget]

Because it's only 20%, so is unlikely to confer herd immunity. 40,000 daily cases. That is catastrophic. And I can't even begin to imagine the scale of what's going on in India. We should thank the Vics for taking one for the team and locking down like they did; that could have been us.

I understand that 20% would not slow down the spread. But if they started vaccinating going from most vulnerable to least vulnerable, then in theory they now have 13 million of the oldest people (their 65+) vaccinated. Meaning their ICUs are filled with people under 65 no?

 

[Dctarget]

Well I have my two week hotel quarantine sorted. Hopefully come outta here with mitts like Quade.

 

[Teh Other Dave]

I understand that 20% would not slow down the spread. But if they started vaccinating going from most vulnerable to least vulnerable, then in theory they now have 13 million of the oldest people (their 65+) vaccinated. Meaning their ICUs are filled with people under 65 no?

That's assuming all of the vulnerable have been vaccinated. But by sheer weight of numbers, more young people will be finding their way to ICU and on to ventilators.

 

[boyo]

Well, the vaccination rollout plan focuses on the vulnerable getting the vaccine first. I dunno, I'm just getting a little tired of people finding reasons to bitch about the government's response at every step: "I don't just want zero community transmission and economic support, I MUST be the first vaccinated in the world or you're all INCOMPETENT!!". Tiring. It even makes me sound like I'm defending ScoMo, and that makes me grumpy.

This sounds like you're an apologist for "Scotty from marketing".

 

[boyo]

Hang on, they missed THEIR target by a farkin mile.
THEIR target.
whenever anyone misses their target by 80%, by definition they have fucked up deluxe.

in the scheme of things, has their incompetence caused a disaster?
no.
but they have failed, and it’s not wrong to point it out.

This

 

[Tex]

South Asia and African nations with none of the economic, political or health system clout are facing the same problem with a scintilla of the resources needed to combat it. I worry that us patting ourselves on the back for having averted the crisis masks that globally, it's only just heating up. The true horror of 'exponential growth' will become apparent when it really rips through India/Bangladesh/Pakistan etc.

12 months later...

 

[Sully]

My wife was born in Calcutta, she can't bear to read or watch anything from there. Some are saying the 3000 deaths a day figure is under reported tenfold. If that's true it's truly horrifying.

 

[Tex]

My wife was born in Calcutta, she can't bear to read or watch anything from there. Some are saying the 3000 deaths a day figure is under reported tenfold. If that's true it's truly horrifying.

I'm sorry to hear that mate. It's a wonderful country but not without its challenges. I have no direct connection but have visited a few times and have spent many months there, and with that small experience under my belt, I'd say they're probably right.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

The footage has certainly been pretty confronting and puts into perspective the images we saw last year from places like Italy and New York when the death toll was at its highest. I see that other nations have pledged to assist and I think that's a good thing. Not only is it the right thing to do but India is also a friend of Australia and agree with assisting them.

 

[Dctarget]

Interesting decision to ban flights from India. What a strange, awful time we're in - I don't envy the decision makers. Imagine if this was any other disaster like a flood or an earthquake and Australia actually banned flights from the area, condemning Aus citizens. We need to get proper open air quarantine camps up ASAP, only way to go forward.

 

[Tex]

Victoria wants to build one on Melbourne's northern fringe, but timelines aren't amazing.

$15m for design work, reliant on Commonwealth Govt. dipping into their pockets. 500 bed facility will cost $200m, 3,000 bed scaled up facility will cost $700m.

Thrown in the normal cost overruns and it's a very pricey investment. But given this bin fire will be with us for the foreseeable future, it's a no-brainer that these facilities get built properly and quickly.

 

[fatprop]

Victoria wants to build one on Melbourne's northern fringe, but timelines aren't amazing.

$15m for design work, reliant on Commonwealth Govt. dipping into their pockets. 500 bed facility will cost $200m, 3,000 bed scaled up facility will cost $700m.

Thrown in the normal cost overruns and it's a very pricey investment. But given this bin fire will be with us for the foreseeable future, it's a no-brainer that these facilities get built properly and quickly.

and by the time it is finished it will be over, but they will have wonderful contract, who benefits?