Lockdown Guide to Not Going Stir-crazy

[countessalmirena]

Just when I had already hit a bit of a doldrum... we've been hit with another 5-day lockdown in Melbourne.

Fellow Melbournians, I hope we can listen to each other, even if what we want to say is "Something is rotten in the state of Melbourne" or "Curses upon this COVID" or merely a wordless whimper.

I hope we can encourage each other if we're ready to be encouraged. (Sometimes a cheerful "Chin up" is salt in the wound, and all one wants to do is snarl "NO! My chin is not going up.")

I also hope we can give some ideas of what we can do during this snap lockdown AKA circuit-breaker, to not be overwhelmed when we've already had a rotten year.

• I have a new Toro edge trimmer. I'm going to trim the evil grass by the fence and in all of those places beyond the lawnmower's reach, and I'm going to do it while singing "Der Hölle Rache" at the top of my voice.
• I'm going to bake a sugar-free German cheesecake, cut it up into neighbour-sized portions, and leave the portions in front of neighbours' doors while I scoot off and text them to check their door.
• I'm going to write more. Nearly there.
• I'm going to perm my cat's fur. (Not really. He'd not stand for it.)
• I'm going to buy some Tojiro shears from a Japanese seller.
• I'm going to set up totem tennis in nearby garden/park and whack the begoodnessgraciousme out it.
• I'm going to re-read all of the Discworld novels.

It's not a very impressive list, I realise. It's just a start.

Please post with your own suggestions or comments or worries or complaints. I hope to see this thread go a little crazy, or else [in menacing voice] this fly which I've just abducted and am holding hostage is going to get it.

[davidc4430]

[rogespeed]

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@countessalmirena wrote:

It is more than time for aerosol transmission to be acknowledged as a significant factor. I hope that we will put defences against such transmission into practice.

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That was first discussed in this forum about a year ago .... and so the need for room air virus filters ie UVC lamps in fan forced ducting of the appropriate design

[rogespeed]

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@springyzone wrote:

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@rogespeed wrote:

crazy through frustration - if Victoria can not manage returnees safely, for the rest of us,  then is clearly time to end accepting arrivals in that State 

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Wake up and smell the roses, roge.

Just about every state over the last few months has had quarantine break outs that have caused quick lockdowns of one kind or another.

It ain't just Victoria.

Instead of just banning arrivals from here, how about we do what Dan has at long long last suggested and have a look at the whole quarantine arrival program because that's the root cause of the trouble everywhere.

Now Dan has his faults and the early quarantine days were not handled properly, we all know that. But Dan's actual ideas are good.

It was his idea to introduce hotel quarantine instead of relying on people to self isolate.

Mind you, he was a bit behind the general population in thinking of that but all politicians are a bit behind that way.

Now he has given voice to what a lot of us are thinking-cut the returned traveller program down.

I know there are sad tales about stranded people but basically it is time to put the 6 million people of this state first. The cost of hotel quarantine is too dear (everywhere) when a whole state or city has to lockdown for even a day.

People whose weddings were cancelled with less than 24 hours notice. Caterers for those weddings who would have bought all the food by that stage, students who are missing 3 days of schooling, businesses that cannot open and are being pushed closer to the wall.

If Australia as a whole won't restrict returned travellers to compassionate cases only, then Vic should go it alone, stop the program here altogether and let the other states handle it. The reason we have the breakouts is because NSW & Vic are copping the bulk of it.

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But with the State of Victoria is of sickening regularity - but there is signs of improving the system, with talk of remote fascilities whereby clients and staff can be more easlier controlled , less exposure areas ( as no corridors - windows can be opened ) and alfestco dining option in the healthy sunshine of the grassy courtyard with plane spotting as a past-time     

[countessalmirena]

We're supposed to be celebrating a family member's birthday soon.

The idea - foolish of us, I know - was to go to a restaurant.

Then came the boom-gates of lockdown.

[imastawka]

Countess, my birthday was during the last lockdown.

My daughter organised for the whole family to cook exactly the same meal (a family favourite handed down) and we celebrated on Zoom.

Only 3 households, but it worked beautifully.

[ambercat16]

My birthday last year was while I was in 14 day hotel quarantine in Brisbane.  I just delayed my birthday for a month and celebrated when I got home.  Bonus, I was younger for a month longer😁

[chameleon54]

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@springyzone wrote:

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@rogespeed wrote:

crazy through frustration - if Victoria can not manage returnees safely, for the rest of us,  then is clearly time to end accepting arrivals in that State 

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Wake up and smell the roses, roge.

Just about every state over the last few months has had quarantine break outs that have caused quick lockdowns of one kind or another.

It ain't just Victoria.

Instead of just banning arrivals from here, how about we do what Dan has at long long last suggested and have a look at the whole quarantine arrival program because that's the root cause of the trouble everywhere.

Now Dan has his faults and the early quarantine days were not handled properly, we all know that. But Dan's actual ideas are good.

It was his idea to introduce hotel quarantine instead of relying on people to self isolate.

Mind you, he was a bit behind the general population in thinking of that but all politicians are a bit behind that way.

Now he has given voice to what a lot of us are thinking-cut the returned traveller program down.

I know there are sad tales about stranded people but basically it is time to put the 6 million people of this state first. The cost of hotel quarantine is too dear (everywhere) when a whole state or city has to lockdown for even a day.

People whose weddings were cancelled with less than 24 hours notice. Caterers for those weddings who would have bought all the food by that stage, students who are missing 3 days of schooling, businesses that cannot open and are being pushed closer to the wall.

If Australia as a whole won't restrict returned travellers to compassionate cases only, then Vic should go it alone, stop the program here altogether and let the other states handle it. The reason we have the breakouts is because NSW & Vic are copping the bulk of it.

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ABS figures show that for December 2020 international arrival statistics are as follows

NSW - 16,410

Qld - 6200

Vic - 5330

WA - 4580

Other states much lower numbers.

November 2020 statistics are as follow

NSW - 16,440

Vic. - 550

Qld. - 5780

WA. - 4490

NT- 1240

SA - 1090

https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/industry/tourism-and-transport/overseas-travel-statistics-provisio... 

While NSW is undoubtedly carrying a much higher load than any other state and should be expected to face much greater challenges than other states, Victoria is not much different to Queensland and W.A. in December 2020 and in November 2020 both South Australia and the N.T. accepted around double the number of international arrivals as Victoria

With this in mind, it raises genuine questions as to why the Victorian government has had so much more trouble than other states in managing the virus. With Victoria now in its fourth lockdown, its time for some honest reflection about the competence of the Andrews government when compared to other states.

[not_for_sale2025]

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@chameleon54 wrote:

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With this in mind, it raises genuine questions as to why the Victorian government has had so much more trouble than other states in managing the virus. With Victoria now in its fourth lockdown, its time for some honest reflection about the competence of the Andrews government when compared to other states.

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Have you conveniently forgotten the Ruby Princess debacle. That was incompetence personified. The Berejiklian government still holds the record in that department.

[chameleon54]

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@not_for_sale2025 wrote:

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@chameleon54 wrote:

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With this in mind, it raises genuine questions as to why the Victorian government has had so much more trouble than other states in managing the virus. With Victoria now in its fourth lockdown, its time for some honest reflection about the competence of the Andrews government when compared to other states.

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Have you conveniently forgotten the Ruby Princess debacle. That was incompetence personified. The Berejiklian government still holds the record in that department.

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Not forgetting anything, simply injecting some facts ( from a reliable source ) into the discussion, rather than opinion and political propaganda.

My post acknowledged that NSW. was carrying the highest burden of returned travellers by a VERY LONG WAY and therefore should expect more problems. 

 For the last two months of 2020 ( latest figures available from the ABS. ) NSW. accepted 32,850 international arrivals, Qld. 11,980, WA. 9070 and Victoria 5880.

The facts don't lie. With NSW accepting by far the greatest number of arrivals, after a few initial misteps ( Ruby Princess included ) it has got its house in order and is doing a responsible, professional job of managing what is an incredibly difficult job on our behalf.

While Victoria is accepting much lower numbers of new arrivals compared to the other larger population states, it is still having much greater problems managing the situation with more lockdowns than any other state, much higher number of days in lockdown and a huge differential in death rates.

No opinion there, just simple basic facts based on publicly available, reliable statistics that are untainted by political spin.

Out of respect for the countess and the purpose of her thread, I,m not commenting further on this particular topic here. Please continue with " lockdown guide to not going stir crazy " without introducing inaccurate political spin to the discussion. 

[springyzone]

I agree that Vic has had more lockdowns, more deaths, more everything than any other state.

That goes back to a couple of things last year. Very poorly managed quarantine system, undertrained guards, a company given the job when they clearly weren't up to it. Quarantine workers who should have known the risks yet still deliberately broke very clear state regulations at the time (no more than 5 visitors in a home) to go to Eid parties with about 40 guests there.

Get such cavalier behaviour and incompetence on behalf of everyone at the top and in the quarantine system, then it is a recipe for disaster as Melbourne metro is a densely populated area.

Vic may well be taking fewer arrivals that other states. I am not conerned with why we have these breakouts or who is to blame, (although I think it is a mix of things-maybe staff & protocols not as good but also the type of accommodation isn't ideal, we'd be better off with the NT type buildings which are separated and look like a row of portable classrooms).

All i care about  now is the massive disruption to the 6 million people in this state when we have any sort of lockdown.

Stop the international arrivals to Vic, tell the people overseas there has been a halt for at least 6 months and they can come later after having the vaccine & after all quarantine staff have had it and when new quarantine quarters are built. No international arrivals to Vic, the other states can have them if they want them. They are not worth the trouble.

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On a different note, I am slowly working through my lockdown to-do list. Down to one large block of chocolate left so we're getting there.