Another COVID outbreak , another holiday time

[rogespeed]

While I do not have a specific list , i have noticed the strange timing of COVID outbreaks , so often leading up to various holiday times - even the original Chinese outbreak , during a time of their traditional national mass travel 

This one no different - start of school holidays - maximum commercial and social stress , again....

Is a good thing that Australia is a land of patient and stoic people - adaptable to privations if for a worthy ideal, and we have not caved in to those influences of fatalistic appeasement 

[rogespeed]

My observation is that a certain % of any given population will not care enough to do that which is responsible or wise , and leading up to vacation times even less  - so for any given anti-covid rules consideration must be given to those who do care enough and those for whatever reason do not .

This may mean more inconvenience if eradication is the national objective  

The current outbreak is case in point

As for us now and the delta variant - we have the Indian experience to also draw upon 

As for the original Chinese outbreak  - so early in the pandemic , who could suspect the danger, and so their vacation time just made a bad situation far worse 

ps - in the UK the delta variant is seriously infecting those under 50 years of age 902/1320 admissions 

Covid infection rates rise steeply in Scotland, ONS data reveals (msn.com)

for those middle aged - may not be  hang over...  get tested ! 

[not_for_sale2024]

We will have to wait and see if the Delta variant spreads across the country. If it does then Berejiklian will be heavily attacked for acting too late with the lockdowns. The Delta variant is very dangerous and Australians will react if she is viewed to be responsible because she chose to be different to the Labor States in her response to the NSW outbreak.

[eol-products]

If NSW locked down too late then shouldn't the other states lock down now as well instead of waiting to see what happens if they already have returned travellers with the Delta variant who may have been infectious for a few days.

[not_for_sale2024]

Why? In Queensland the recent cases have been the Alpha variant, and some restrictions have already been imposed. But if one Delta case is identified in the State, then I think immediate action should be taken. The slow response in NSW has not only endangered that State , but all other States in the country.

[eol-products]

I am only talking about the Delta variant as the other varieties appeared to be manageable with only some risk. But this Delta variant may be beyond what contact tracers can do. Plus you have the human element which as we all notice a large number of people don't want to social distance or follow basic hygiene standards to stop the spread. 

[countessalmirena]

I don't want to blame Premier Berejiklian or Dr Chant; they have never encountered the Delta variant before, and the vicious speed AND ease of transmission, plus the short incubation period, have taken many many health professionals by surprise. In fairness to them, the NSW way of suppressing COVID-19 outbreaks and bringing down the numbers to zero without lockdowns has been well managed in the main, and there's no doubt that the NSW contact tracing has been superb.

But... we're dealing with a more aggressive beast here. I do think that the lockdown should have been imposed more quickly. (It's easy to say in hindsight; I was actually saying this a few days ago, though, and I admit I was surprised by the health advice that - to me - didn't seem to take into account the fast generations of transmission with this variant.) The risk isn't only to NSW, as you've noted, not_for_sale! NSW will probably get this outbreak under control, but I hope that the tentacles of the outbreak don't cause huge problems with other states.

I am of the opinion that Melbourne, and Victoria in general, have shown both the worst and the best when it comes to responding to COVID-19 cases/outbreaks. We went through our second wave with almost 800 deaths resulting, and a ferociously long lockdown, because of the abysmal response and measures by the Health department and our premier's choices. The contact tracing was nowhere near being up to par, and the arrogant refusal to accept responsibility by the state government is something I won't forget. Deflection and failure... and needless suffering... But in contrast, contact tracing in Victoria is now outstandingly good, and the slap-it-down-quickly measures by the state government, particularly with the recent Delta cluster and Kappa clusters, were the right things to impose, much as it affected Melbournians in so many ways.

We are in this COVID-world now. We can't turn back the clock. I'm worried about pandemic fatigue behaviour. We must - absolutely must - do everything we can to avoid transmission in the community. Was it imastawka who mentioned something about how many venues show up in a single person's movements...? Until Australia is roughly 80% vaccinated, I'll continue to curtail my movement; I'll continue to wear a P2 mask; I'll continue to keep my distance from people when unavoidably out and about; I'll continue to sanitise my hands when I have to touch my mask or the mask of someone else, etc. I'm QR-checking-in everywhere. I'm using the COVIDSafe app (but I believe it needs to be updated; more fleeting contact needs to be recorded than 15 minutes).

[eol-products]

Every so often I imagine a new variant will present itself and a new outbreak will occur. How it is handled will change and I am happy with how NSW has reacted to the changing situation with this outbreak. There will always be people who will criticise how each state handles their outbreak but as long as they learn as they go and not repeat past mistakes that is all we can ask of them.

[cezm]

We have our Delta variant - imported from the NT  ☹️

[countessalmirena]

These are times when we really must stick it to them.

As in... vaccination.