Corona Chat Showing 1,551-1,600 of 1,790

[Shirley]

The affected schools are not anywhere near us thank goodness, but you just never know where Delta will crop up. We just stay home, only going out to take the dogs for a run at the dog park, and little bits of food shopping. Canberra has been doing so well - let's hope that continues.

[Sandra, Moderator]

We've lost a laptop that way! I'm sorry about the lockdown. Kids do not need more of this, really. Nobody does, but I think it is being specially long for the youngest ones.

[Margo]

Our numbers of new cases is shooting up again but not our hospital numbers. It is the younger people who are getting i.e. those at the end of the list for vaccination. We haven't had a covid death in many weeks now. I can't see us going back into lockdown as economically we're screwed. So many small businesses will never reopen. I know it's a small thinh compared to lose of like but we do still need to be able to food on the table.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

One case in Canberra, and we are in lockdown. Joining you Shirley, as you guys are emerging.

Haven't been able to find a link to the other outbreaks, and the guy was very busy for the days he was out and about. Looks like that other 3 people were found before close of business today, we'll see what the numbers are tomorrow.

I'm very very very surprised it's taken this long due to the Sydney CF. We haven't had a locally transmitted case in Canberra since May 2020.

We are massively locked down with one case to make sure it doesn't go further. Like to your clump of (5-10) suburbs, and only leave your house with a mask for food, 1 hour of exercise per day, healthcare or vaccination, care giving duties, a list of 10 occupations that are essential. Sydney is up to 1000 cases every 3 days and they aren't this locked down.

I am just so happy to have time in my trackies and to catch up on my emails. I have been waiting for weeks for this. I get I am extremely privileged though, and am, once again, extremely grateful for all I have and have had.

[Margo]

That's a fairly drastic lockdown for one case Rus! I'd say it'll do the trick though.

Enjoy your time in your trackies and make the most of it - hopefully it won't last long ;-)

[Rusalka, Moderator]

It's been socialised for weeks, that if we had one case we would be shutdown. We have and we have.

I am hoping it will do what we need it to. Since I posted, 8 residence halls for students at work are now in isolation. Short, sharp lockdowns are the way. SMACK THIS ON THE HEAD I SAY!!

[Margo]

Agreed Rus. Unfortunately our government didn't see it that way, nor did any in Europe.

The 14 day incidence rate is around 380 cases, not the worst in the world by any means but not it is rising sharply. And still the restrictions are being lifted.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

No, I completely understand that there is a major disparity in opinions by governments on this. And that's the problem in Australia about this. We are in this situation as NSW didn't and haven't locked down this way. They've taken the Euro approach, which means it's spread to us, QLD, VIC, etc. People are very annoyed.

Sydney and NSW is at 350+ per day at the moment. Again not the worst in the world but bad when a lot of us still are not allowed to get vaccinated. Doesn't make it better, but at least in Europe and NAmerica you can get vaccinated. I need to find somewhere here who will vaccinate me before my gov first vaccination date of 4 Sept. And I am lucky mine is that early, this is unusual and I scored on the lottery.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

I should explain that a little more. Due to a government that Shirley and I have no say in and no vote in, New South Wales, both of us have now been subject to strict lockdown directives by our own state/territory governments due to the failure of another state's government which has allowed a stupid amount of movement of people inside the state to "protect the economy".

The problem is the rest of Australia has been infected by this policy through essential (and not) workers which is a risk but important. The economic brunt of this is borne by the other states through the economic support of people and the fact that health care is paid for by the states.

But importantly Victoria is on lockdown 6.5 because of NSW, where their first 4 lockdowns where in order to not infect the rest of Aus including NSW, and NSW gave VIC the finger when the roles were reversed. NSW government is very very unpopular with anyone outside of NSW at the moment.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

TL;DR
Australia is internally imploding. Random groups of us are in lockdown and we think some people are bad for putting us there. Send memes.

[Shirley]

It is definitely a conundrum that we face - keep the economy going, or stop the virus from spreading. Seems to me the short sharp lockdowns are a good strategy. Short-term pain for long-term gain. But there’s never a solution for stupidity. A guy from Sydney travelled with his daughters to Byron Bay. He “doesn’t believe in COVID” didn’t check in anywhere, didn’t wear a mask. He ended up in hospital with the virus, because he was infected before he left Sydney and the whole area is now in lockdown.
Thinking of you in lockdown Rusalka. Trackie dacks and ugg boots Yeah!

[Renee]

Our CDC is agreeing with AWON (association of women and neonatal nurses) research. We are recommending the vaccine for pregnant women. The delta variant has a high morbidity rate for pregnant women, The miscarriage rate is 17 percent. This is very close to the pre- pandemic rate.

Its been fun being involved with research again. I really missed it

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Shirley wrote: "He “doesn’t believe in COVID” didn’t check in anywhere, didn’t wear a mask."

Did you see he and his 19 year old son are now charged and going to court? As they should. And as should the two women who infected Newcastle. Selfish arseholes.

Counter to this, the guy who is the first diagnosed case here has had so much bad social media speculation, he came out today with name and photos and said he hasn't left Canberra in the past 3 months. He is a Commonwealth Games athlete (not a coke dealer or anything else that has been said publicly), who wants people to know he's super fit and having huge health impacts from Covid, so identified himself so people knew how bad Covid was.

[Sandra, Moderator]

I'm sorry about the lock down. It is a pain. I hope things do not get worse and you can come back to "normal" soon.

Cases in my area are going up again. As I have said before I live in a college town, so right now only have of the population is in town. Next week classes start and we will see what will happen.

[Margo]

Renee wrote: "Our CDC is agreeing with AWON (association of women and neonatal nurses) research. We are recommending the vaccine for pregnant women. The delta variant has a high morbidity rate for pregnant women..."

It's great that you're enjoying your work Renee. That's a scary statistic for pregnant women.

[Janice, Moderator]

The CMOH of Alberta announced today that they have put their plans on hold until mid September. There will be testing, tracing and isolating if you have Covid because of the rise in numbers. Did they take their earplugs out and actually listen to the people? Did they listen to the Federal Government? Who knows, but I'm glad to hear it.

[Sandra, Moderator]

That is good news, Janice.

[Janice, Moderator]

I agree. The numbers in my city are 256 active cases. We were down to zero the beginning of July.

I learned to day that an associate's son had refused to get vaccinated and he is in ICU on a ventilator. It's such a shame that this whole Covid/Vaccination situation became so political.

[Shirley]

Rusalka wrote: "Shirley wrote: "He “doesn’t believe in COVID” didn’t check in anywhere, didn’t wear a mask."

Did you see he and his 19 year old son are now charged and going to court? As they should. And as shoul..."Yes we were pleased to hear they had been charged. So dumb! Have they figured out how the Canberra guy got COVID if he hasn't been out of Canberra? Now I see that New South wales is in total lockdown. You're surrounded! We are pleased that we had the foresight to rent out our holiday unit at Pottsville until at least Christmas.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Oh that's good Shirley, at least you can make some money if you can't get there.

Must be a missing link or a few. They confirmed today through genomic testing it's the Sydney infection, and the guy works as a builder and a bouncer. There was a builder in Goulburn (the biggest town on the highway between Sydney and Canberra) who was positive. Could have easily been working on site with tradies from Canberra for example.

Not to mention the amount of young Sydneysiders who have been sneaking into Canberra who keep going out on the town or throwing parties. Or the daughter of the NSW Deputy Premier who lives on the border town Queanbeyan, which is more Canberra than NSW (everyone works here, healthcare is here, schools are here, etc), who decided to go to Sydney for the weekend a couple of weekends ago. Pretty sure Daddy paid her fine for her and had absolutely no political repercussions.

[Shirley]

Sydneysiders going to Canberra for some nightlife. Who would have thought?

[Ayacchi]

The gov prolong lock down here and it's said that the active cases are decreasing, but so do the pople who did swab test, lol. So many ignorant people, knowing they have the symptoms but do not take test, go see doctor, or quarantine at home. Worse, suspected covid sellers still doing bussiness, increasing cases and death in my area. We are living in an era where we can't trust anyone :(

And to add our concern, now the Eta variant has come

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Shirley wrote: "Sydneysiders going to Canberra for some nightlife. Who would have thought?"

It does make me laugh given how rudely Sydney speaks about us.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Ayacchi wrote: " And to add our concern, now the Eta variant has come"

Sorry to hear that Aya. I know we've had it here but hadn't seemed to be as bad as Delta. But really know nothing about it, so hope everything goes okay there.

I think a lot of people have complete pandemic fatigue. Can't be bothered doing any of the things you mention. It's dangerous, but happening everywhere. My point is people where you are just like everywhere else (which in itself is infuriating), but we all need to keep on keeping on. I completely and utterly understand your frustration with trusting people.

Keep well!!

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Lexx's sisters, their partners, and their kids are all now in isolation and had to get into their cars and drive across the city to get tested at 10pm tonight. Casual contacts at the city's basketball stadium.

I always say sport is going to get them.

[Esther]

It seems a vaccination passport will be required here to get to not essential but higher risk place or event (restaurant, gym etc..). This measure should be put in place in a few weeks. This is going to be interesting.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

I have a vaccination passport. It's very yellow.

I needed it to get back into the country from the Caribbean. This is why I get annoyed with people who bang on about it here. It exists! We had to show one for smallpox at venues years ago, and still need one to come home from certain parts of the world. So the whole "MY FREEDOM!!!" argument doesn't work here in Aus.

I understand the administrative pain though, that will be interesting. Be very interested how it works in your world Esther. As a uni admin person, this will be very important for us.

[Margo]

We've all been issued with digital passports but they're just printed on paper with dotted lines to indicate folds. We're supposed to get them scanned to allow us to enter restaurants/coffee shops but of course (being paper) noones is scanning right so places end up just letting everyone in! As 80% of population is now vacced I didn't think it really matters.

@Rus, fingers crossed for Lexx family.

[Shirley]

Thinking of you Rusalka with cases growing in Canberra. Hope you and your family are clear of any exposure sites. And that Lexx’s family are ok.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Thanks Shirley. We are just unfortunately seeing what happens when you are back to normal and a case or two comes in. The benefit is that most Canberrans are doing the right things and making memes. As we should.

Lexx's family has negative results but have to quarantine for another few days. Nibling escaped the family lockdown as he just moved out. Found out last night his housemate is a close contact. So into quarantine he goes.

Where we can only leave the house for 6 reasons, they can't at all. Which is upsetting as Nibling has had to cancel his first vaccination, as decided to get AZ.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Update is Lexx's family all are negative so far! Yay!

My younger brother was going to come around this morning on his 1 hour government sanctioned exercise, and we would wear masks, with me leaving a dozen eggs in the middle of the driveway, and backing away while we yell at each other from opposite ends of the driveway (I know my neighbourhood really appreciated the DnD convo we had like that in April last year).

This morning, that was thrown into disarray when his partner had gone to the supermarket on Friday for 10 mins. At *exactly* the same time a now known covid case checked in. So they were now casual contacts that needed to isolate further until their tests came back.

This afternoon, he called. Good news is that the supermarket interaction restrictions weren't as tight as they thought. Bad news, the sparky he was working with all day on site on Tuesday last week is a new case. Primary contact. Full on quarantine.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Sorry. I know. I KNOW how lucky we are.
My real point with all of this is:

I don't know how you all have done this continuously for so long. This is an exhausting rollercoaster. And you guys have all been constantly riding it for 18 months.

You guys are amazingly and utterly resilient, and I doff my hat to you all.

[Sandra, Moderator]

I'm glad to hear Lexx's family got negatives, Rusalka. Too bad for your brother, though.

Covid fatigue is a thing, for sure. Even we have had "good" moments here that worked as breaks, it is still hard. We are living under a constant stress, looking at the numbers, paying attention to the last guidelines... I would say we learned to live with it as they said it should happen, but it is not fun. Not at all.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Thanks Sandra. Makes me feel a lot better if you got the intention of that post.

I just realised how small child whiney this all sounds when talking to you all.

I guess I'm trying to explain that escalating feeling to people who have felt it before. Scale is smaller as it's, well, Aus. It's the thing we are smaller on, people.

I'm also just not doing great today in my head. And for the first time in this entire pandemic, I am mind blowingly terrified.

[Esther]

Rusalka wrote: "Thanks Sandra. Makes me feel a lot better if you got the intention of that post.

I just realised how small child whiney this all sounds when talking to you all.

I guess I'm trying to explain tha..."

We all understand. While it did not feel like it affected me that much, looking back it did. As Sandra said covid fatigue is a thing. So let it out. Yell, whine do whatever you need to do. We all understand.

[Sandra, Moderator]

Rusalka wrote: "I am mind blowingly terrified."

I was feeling better after half of us here got the vaccine (the ones old enough to get it), but my kids are coming back to school next week and I am again very worried.

[Dawn]

Rusalka wrote: "Sorry. I know. I KNOW how lucky we are.
My real point with all of this is:

I don't know how you all have done this continuously for so long. This is an exhausting rollercoaster. And you guys have..."

I think it makes it worse for you because so many of the rest of us are moving past this type of lock down. And Australia should be too. It just sucks that at this point in the pandemic you are still stuck at home. Instead of cautiously heading out to restaurants and family gatherings and vacations. Be safe.

And while it was never terrible here in BC, I did find that purposely hunting out good news to counteract the bad really helped with lots of cat videos!! And FailArmy is good for a laugh when you need to get out of your head. :)

[Shirley]

I hear you Rusalka. While we all try to live our normal lives, there’s always that niggling worry about the virus and where it’s taking us. I’m thankful that neither my mother, nor my daughter have to deal with COVID. Both would have been real worry-buckets. Nicole (daughter) was a Childcare Educator so she would have been in a stressful situation. I remember Mum being especially vigilant about germs and infections. Cuts and grazes were always bathed in Dettol and the hottest water possible.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Dawn wrote: "Instead of cautiously heading out to restaurants and family gatherings and vacations."

Thanks Dawn. We are very very lucky as that without the cautiousness has been our lives for the past year, except for some local hard lockdowns for a week or 3. I know you all are at the emerging stage, and I really hope you get back to that too.

We haven't had a local case in Canberra in over 400 days and were back to life as usual but with lots of hand sanitiser, and thinking about shaking hands with people you didn't know. Ah well. Feeling a lot better today.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Shirley wrote: "I hear you Rusalka. While we all try to live our normal lives, there’s always that niggling worry about the virus and where it’s taking us. I’m thankful that neither my mother, nor my daughter have..."

Yeah... my mum's like that. I got off the phone from my brother yesterday, had to go into a Zoom meeting, and as soon as I hung up called Mum. I knew she had had 45 mins to process it by then. She was okay.

Brother's partner's test came back today, she's negative. He spent 4 hours in line today for his test, should get the result tomorrow. They have to do another 2 tests over 14 days, but this is a good indication as it is day 7 & 8 since exposure. But as of this morning 3% of the population was in quarantine (not lockdown) from 67 cases at the moment. That's how much we have been back to normal...

The local Senator's 14 year old daughter is infected, as this is ripping through 6 schools here. That's the disturbing thing about delta.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Sandra wrote: "Rusalka wrote: "I am mind blowingly terrified."

I was feeling better after half of us here got the vaccine (the ones old enough to get it), but my kids are coming back to school next week and I am..."

Masks. Masks. Masks. I understand the worry *hug*

[Rusalka, Moderator]

First dose of Pfizer, finally, on Saturday at 1pm.

Woke up to some massive body aches on Sunday for 12 hours, couldn't lift much. But dose one done!! And in 3 weeks I'll be double dosed! Side effects be damned, compared to dying who cares!!

I cannot explain how much relief I feel as an Aussie who hasn't been allowed to be vaccinated until now due to admin cock ups, in the middle of lockdowns and outbreaks.

So it's 30-39 year olds who can get vaccinated as of this week, and it is amazing to see the up take. My facebook is just filled with vaccination selfies and anxious people about to get vaccinated. And anxious as they are scared they will miss the appointment not that they don't want the vax. I was remarking to Lexx I think this is the intersection of people who have had parents or aunts/uncles affected by no vaccinations and consequences of those, with parents who knew what it was like to get say measles and stressed the hell out of vaccinations, and are parents of children who cannot be vaccinated.

My friends are ready to riot and smash down parliament in an anxious rage of parental responsibility and scientific outrage. It is fascinating, inspiring, obvious, and completely exhausting.

[Sandra, Moderator]

Great, Rusalka! I understand the relief. I didn't think I was so anxious about it until I actually got it.

[Jenn]

I finally got in for my second dose on Friday. Was told when I got Covid that I would have to wait 6 weeks from the end of quarantine to get my next dose, but by the time I finished my 6 weeks they are now saying that when you are done your quarantine you can get it 🤦‍♀️ So, I waited for the long weekend here, so that I would have lots of time to recover before going back to work.
My province has such a low vaccination rate that they have actually brought in financial incentives to try and bribe the masses into getting stuck. I think between that and the looming -40 winter if you can’t travel without a full dose of the right vac combo, will probably push things along a bit?

[Jenn]

And, I am so glad that you are finally getting access to vaccinations Rusalka 🥰

[Janice, Moderator]

There's lots of discussion about the $100 per shot incentive. Some people think of it as rewarding bad behaviour and a slap in the face of those of us who were responsible and got it like reasonable people. If people really believe that the vaccine is deadlier than Covid, will they hold to their conviction and not get the shot, or will they be swayed by an incentive?

Personally, I think it's time to bring in vaccine passports. There should be consequences for bad behaviour. Want to travel to see your grandkids - get the shot. Want to go to a sporting event or a concert - get the shot. I don't know that I would include restaurants and shopping. But major events should require them.

[Esther]

Since September 1st, our vaccine passport is required on all things like events (inside or outside), restaurants, bars, movie theaters etc.
While almost 80% of Quebec have 2 doses, it feels great to be sitting in a restaurant and being sure that everyone around is adequately protected as well. I might even consider going back to see a movie.

[Shirley]

Sorry you had side effects Rusalka, but you're halfway there now.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Shirley wrote: "Sorry you had side effects Rusalka, but you're halfway there now."

Thank you and they weren't bad! Just uncomfortable.

Meant I could read all day on Sunday and Lexx brought me coffees ;)

[Dawn]

Esther wrote: "Since September 1st, our vaccine passport is required on all things like events (inside or outside), restaurants, bars, movie theaters etc.
While almost 80% of Quebec have 2 doses, it feels great ..."

BC is following suit. Ours is supposed to come into effect on the 13th of September. Same thing, seems to be any type of assembly use. Except churches, they are calling those essential.