Déjà vu in Melbourne? Please let it not escalate.

[countessalmirena]

We don't know yet exactly what sort of lockdown it will be.

We don't know yet exactly how severe it will be, what things will be further restricted.

We don't know yet exactly how long the lockdown will be imposed.

But we know that there will be a lockdown.

I'm so disheartened by the fact that this was preventable. What possessed case number 5 (the case who contracted COVID-19 from the Wollert cluster (via a missing link, probably?) to ignore his symptoms for more than 4 days? What possessed him to go out and about while symptomatic? Was he wearing a mask? (I'll take a wild stab at it and say no, he probably wasn't.) Was he socially distancing? (Clearly not.)

Taken in conjunction with the general complacency and vaccine reluctance, the discarding of masks in public transport, the lack of enforcement (with police chiefs being - in my view - a bit ridiculous in scoffing at the task of enforcing health directives), the surging together of people  much closer than 1.5 metres when we know - surely we call know! - that this pandemic is far from over, and the number of people who are shaking hands and kissing and hugging... it's making my heart sink like a concrete boot.

I skipped wearing a mask twice recently, I admit. I had it with me, but I popped into the bank and thought it would be a good idea not to obscure my face for security reasons. I also went to a supermarket for one item, late at night just before it closed. It was not wise. Oh! And one more time... at the Melbourne Recital Centre while enjoying a fabulous concert. Every other time, yes, I've masked up. But now I feel foolish, and I won't be making any exceptions.

Stupid-decision-making people could be walking around in any part of Melbourne or indeed Victoria, refusing to be tested, brushing off their symptoms, scoffing at the notion of wearing a mask or sanitising their hands.

And more political point-scoring is being launched as well. I've no patience for it; we need to be working together to resolve these problems, and stamp out this outbreak. Ironically it is because we as a country have been doing so well that the complacent behaviour has crept back.

Fellow Melbournians and Victorians, we just have to be strong, and let's do our best to reiterate that the hygiene behaviours (    and unfortunately now (probably) as well) MUST be followed until Australia has achieved herd immunity - and even after that, we should at the very least maintain hand hygiene and cough etiquette.

Let's try to lead the world into effective long-term behaviour change.

And God help us all as we enter into whatever lockdown hell lies before us. *virtual hug* - because that's the only sort I can give you.

[countessalmirena]

EOL, do you have a link to that source?

(I’ve no information along those lines.)

[eol-products]

I don't use twitter so hopefully this works

https://twitter.com/bridgerollo/status/1415508917057060872

I don't know how credible the information is so let me know if it is true.

[countessalmirena]

Thank you!

(I’m no Twitter aficionado either, but the link works.)

Hmm - no source in that tweet. It sounds like someone’s speculation or an assertion without basis. I’m happy to be corrected if it turns out otherwise.

[eol-products]

She is an abc reporter but the information to me sounds more plausible.

[springyzone]

You know what really, really, really annoys me?

I am NOT annoyed that there are no penalties for anyone diagnosed with covid who owns up to breaking restrictions or isolation etc. I can understand the reasoning on that. It is more important that covid patients are upfront and honest and can dob in their friends and other contacts without fear of penalty for themselves or friends.

But when someone with covid lies to authorities, even when they know there are no penalties for telling the truth, then I think they should have the book thrown at them.

These liars are causing delays in contact tracing, they are contributing to the spread of the virus, they are showing no consideration at all for the millions of dollars that we as a community cop each time there is a lockdown.

I personally don't think jail should be out of the question for deliberate liars. Or at least hit them in the pocket where it hurts because they are hurting everyone else.

We in Melbourne in particular have had our share, we've done the hard yards and we did it pretty well. We cleared it. NSW was slow to go into lockdown and the last thing we need is people from there coming back to spread it here.

Asking returned holiday makers to self isolate at home for 14 days is a joke unless those people are monitored randomly daily. They won't do it. They'll slip out to the supermarket etc, or 60 % will.

As for asking people who have been at tier 1 locations to get tested and self isolate-I'd say a number would get tested but I bet well under half self isolate.

NSW also needs to get its act together. It is asking some workers to get tested every 3 days, I think it is, but then lines to get tested are up to 6 hours long. Unacceptable.

[eol-products]

WA send one person returning from QLD who broke isolation rules to prison and another was overturned by a judge, so lucky for them.

[countessalmirena]

I have a lovely vision… Put the rule-breakers in sticks and pelt them with rotten tomatoes.

If they are vegans, I suppose the punishment could be rotten eggs and slightly “off” fish.

At any event, it’s patently obvious that people’s compliance to self-isolation must be enforced. There is a statistically significant number who simply flatulate in the general direction of any stay-at-home orders, even when the virulence of a disease is known.

[kopenhagen5]

Correction - put them in stocks.....................😊

[countessalmirena]

Agggh. I’m posting in bed (because of bad side-effects from my second jab) and my iPhone is autocorrecting me!

Yes, stocks. Stocks for malefactors. Thank you, kopenhagen.

[rogespeed]

Another vaccine " adverse affect "  ( an official condition and reportable stat )