COVID-19 in Australia

The latest update on the pandemic from Dr. Campbell. Great to see him acknowledge Victoria's success on suppressing the second wave (from 5:40 to 10:30).

 

Today's Victorian numbers: 5 new cases and sadly 3 lives lost.

Single digits at last!

 

Interesting proposal by NZ. Considering a bubble on a state by state basis. Will it be worth it if it means closing state borders again.

 

Yes, but it's actually starting to look achievable.

 

Only 5 new cases today in the whole of Australia!
Victoria has hit single digits, none elsewhere.
Cause for cautious optimism....
(But Monday figures often reflect lower testing on weekends).

 

I always thought it was achievable. The computer modelling said so (says an old IT fart).

Hang in there, guys. You can see the light at the end of the tunnel (and it is not a train coming the other way).

It is the freedom light.

I believe Victoria will be included in future training courses on the right way on how to handle a major pandemic outbreak (there is a library of the wrong way).

 

So good!

 

Glad to serve the good people of Victoria - no responsibility taken!

 

We have a foreign freight ship off WA that is causing cases. Those types - and returned travellers - will keep the numbers ticking.

 

I've heard the majority of those infected will soon be moved onshore and into hotel quarantine. I pray the security at your hotels is impenetrable. It only takes one outbreak, just one!

 

It only takes one is correct and the graph below illustrates the consequences for taking the foot of the pedal - and why its important to understand the cautious approach being taken by many of the State Premiers. It is a decent comparison of what can happen if things go awry.

This European country has a similar population as Victoria and the central part of the country has a similar population size and density as Melbourne. It had small numbers (single figures) of new infection from June through July then new cases began to soar - spiking around 725 at the weekend.



The one difference now than in April is a lower number of deaths - so far. However, even these are now on the increase.

Where Australia differs significantly is that Australia has control of its international borders. ScoMo never took the threat seriously at the outset and leaned more towards the 'Donald Trump thinking' camp hence if his politics rushes through early re-opening of international borders to appease his party there is the potential to give up the hard won gains.

 

But overseas arrivals can be tightly controlled - so long as quarantine is effective these won’t pose a risk of transmission.

Let’s all hope everyone earned the lesson from Victoria of what happens when quarantine is not controlled adequately.

 

Actually, Australia was one of the first countries to close its international borders (in March), and Morrison was strongly criticised by the WHO for doing so.

 

Today's Victorian numbers: 10 new cases and sadly 7 lives lost.

 

... and the 14 day average is 22.6, up slightly from 20.3 yesterday.

It will drop back down to 20.3 (or 20.4) if there are 10 new cases tomorrow.

Hopefully, it will be less than 10

 

Changed rules on masks too, mandatory face masks but not allowed face shields or bandannas or scarves any more.

The wording is ambiguous still though as it says "face covering that covers the nose and mouth", which a bandanna does, but then it specifically notes bandannas are not allowed.

Bummer for those of us with big beards, much harder to get a good face seal with a mask sitting on a big beard than with a bandanna/neck gator coming up from the neck and over your whole beard, jaw, mouth and nose..