How are things where YOU are? (in relation to the Corona Virus)

[dizzy1948]

8 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

The son of a friend on another forum is racing to get back to WA. They were in Tasmania and had hoped to stay there for a few months but that, of course, was impossible. Last I heard is they were taking a break in Minnipa (SA) after going pretty well non-stop from Melbourne. Hopefully they will make it over the border in time. 

Just a quick update on WA border closure tonight at 11.59am WST

Border closure will turn 'lives upside down', Premier says

Mr McGowan said it was a historic date and an unprecedented step in the battle to minimise the spread of coronavirus in WA.

He acknowledged the border closure would cause a "great deal frustration to many people" and "turn people's lives upside down", but said it was an emergency and "we need to take extraordinary steps to protect our citizens".

"It's something I never thought I'd be doing as the Premier of Western Australia," he said.

"But I'm 100 per cent confident that this is the right approach. It is exactly what we need to do to protect ourselves and our loved ones from this virus."

He said if people were not inside WA by midnight, they should not come unless they had an exemption.

There will be exemptions for people who work in health services, emergency services, transport freight and logistics, as well as those who have specialist skills not available in WA for industry and business continuity, who work in national and state security and government, and court and judicial services.

FIFO workers and their families will also be allowed in, but will be placed in 14-day quarantine, paid for by their employer, when they enter the state.

There will be further exemptions on compassionate grounds. Western Australians in quarantine in other states will be allowed to return if they do not show signs of the virus. However, they must return within 24 hours of their quarantine ending, and will be quarantined for a further 24 hours upon their return.

 

Edited April 5, 2020 by dizzy1948

[MMDown Under]

11 hours ago, Docker123 said:

Scenic Eclipse is in Brazil. Not somewhere I would want to be at the moment.

 

Appears to be sailing under the flag of Malta.

 

See Other Cruise Lines - Scenic Eclipse Buenos Aires to Lisbon 5th April "cancelled"

Eclipse has had a troubled past.  (In text, it mentioned Scenic case re river cruise is on going 8+ years.) Doesn't look promising !

[Russell21]

11 hours ago, VK3DQ said:

I am beginning to loose it it seems the whole world is against cruise ships , well perhaps its time for LINERS to come back . many airlines are going to fail and there nay not be so many cheap fares about and there may be a shortage of capacity also ... so the trans Atlantic , Trans Pacific and Kangaroo Routes may stand a chance with a liner service 

 

Nothing like the grand days of course but 3 or 4 sailings a year

 

 

Oh well .... I am so peeved with the outright stupidity of those who have no knowledge of ships or shipping , who are just lashing out at the first large white ship they see

 

Better stop now before I get upset

 

Regards

John

John I'm with you on this, there has been a noticeable trend for the media to pick on the cruise lines for some time now.

[MMDown Under]

21 hours ago, Kiwi Kruzer said:

So far our strict lockdown in NZ appears to be working . Projections indicated 4000 cases by now, so far only 1000 . No of deaths on NZ still only 1 .

We are into week 2 of stage 4 , 2 weeks to go . Borders are closed only citizens coming home are coming through the airport and then into self isolation .

David, Are you confident only 2 more weeks to go at Level 4.

Our period keeps being pushed out - 6 months longest possibility.  

If the Govt had given the people a choice I think most people would agee to level 4 for 4 weeks instead of our ever lengthening period. 

[MMDown Under]

Day ? I haven't got my calendar with me, the one I cross out the days.  I am sitting in the garden dodging the sun through a big Poinsianna tree.  Another shift and I'll be in the garden.  If I was a gardener I'd know the names of the plants, but they have yellow "things" and look very tropical.  I'm the only non gardener in my Garden Club.  But I love visiting gardens and reading big garden books on grand gardens. I have seedlings waiting to be transplanted.  Seems they are a big seller.  They might have a chance seeing I'm around 24/7.  

Anna has given the Easter Bunny the go ahead for delivering Easter Eggs, so I should be right.  When I travelled overseas on my first cruise from Sydney to London, I took Easter eggs from home and stuff to make nests.  Then I surprised my senior fellow cabin mates with Easter Eggs from the Easter bunny.  Little things like that make people so happy.  One (whose husband was staying in a twin cabin with his brother) made me a beautiful crocheted duchess set.  

I have a small yellow bear, in the front window, which I hope makes a child happy.

This Easter will be like no other, but I hope everyone has a very happy Easter.  I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't rain this Easter, because there will be no-one camping unless they are camping in their backyard!

[Aus Traveller]

1 hour ago, MMDown Under said:

David, Are you confident only 2 more weeks to go at Level 4.

Our period keeps being pushed out - 6 months longest possibility.  

If the Govt had given the people a choice I think most people would agee to level 4 for 4 weeks instead of our ever lengthening period. 

PM Morrison made the comment a couple of weeks ago that there was concern that if the government imposed strong restrictions for a short time, then lifted them, the spread of the virus would flare up again.

[The_Big_M]

2 hours ago, Russell21 said:

John I'm with you on this, there has been a noticeable trend for the media to pick on the cruise lines for some time now.

 

I think it's just the standard big business trope. e.g. banks, supermarkets, airlines, oil companies. That's not to say they are or can never be in the wrong, but it's easy to make them a target and it's often difficult for them to respond. So they make an easier and more relatable target than some corner store, or an individual person.

[Aus Traveller]

8 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

This Easter will be like no other, but I hope everyone has a very happy Easter.  I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't rain this Easter, because there will be no-one camping unless they are camping in their backyard!

My brother who is a very keen camper, said that it nearly always rains at Easter. His theory is that the weather is influenced by the phase of the moon (which of course determines the date of Easter).

[The_Big_M]

2 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

PM Morrison made the comment a couple of weeks ago that there was concern that if the government imposed strong restrictions for a short time, then lifted them, the spread of the virus would flare up again.

 

Yes, whichever approach you take, if you allow infected people to come in contact with uninfected people (via things they touch) it will flare up again. Hence, resolution is only possible when there's a vaccine (or it's completely eradicated worldwide, which is unlikely). 'Herd immunity' is questionable given the extended surface life and its transmission.

 

The time frame for any of these is >2 weeks so you have to have some form of restrictions in future until they exist e.g. if you eradicate it locally than you can't have international travel without quarantine.

[MMDown Under]

23 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

My brother who is a very keen camper, said that it nearly always rains at Easter. His theory is that the weather is influenced by the phase of the moon (which of course determines the date of Easter).

Your brother could be right.  When I had the luxury of a holiday home (as distinct to a beach shack), we used to overlook a popular beachfront caravan park.  Every Easter, without fail, it would rain, sometimes wash out weather. As campers became more affluent, they brought everything for a month's stay, inc the kitchen sink, full size fridges, freezers, fishing gear to fill said freezers, and all manner of water sporting equipment.    To see them pack up, in a hurry, was an unforgettable experience.  Another Aussie Easter ruined!

[MicCanberra]

I predict the weather will be fine for Easter as we are all housebound.

[MMDown Under]

2 hours ago, The_Big_M said:

 

Yes, whichever approach you take, if you allow infected people to come in contact with uninfected people (via things they touch) it will flare up again. Hence, resolution is only possible when there's a vaccine (or it's completely eradicated worldwide, which is unlikely). 'Herd immunity' is questionable given the extended surface life and its transmission.

 

The time frame for any of these is >2 weeks so you have to have some form of restrictions in future until they exist e.g. if you eradicate it locally than you can't have international travel without quarantine.

The more I learn about this and other viruses, the more I want my innocence back.

Like when I was queueing up in Scotland for a Yellow Fever injection, as one does, the lady asked "Are you allergic to eggs?"  The guy in front of me replied "No, but I'm allergic to needles".  I wish I thought of that!  I didn't follow up on what eggs had to do with yellow fever.  If I'd known, I'd have skipped the country! After all there are plenty to choose from!

Come to think of it, it is the same with cruise lines, people remember how they are treated in the bad times. 

Edited April 6, 2020 by MMDown Under

[ilikeanswers]

1 hour ago, MMDown Under said:

The more I learn about this and other viruses, the more I want my innocence back.

Like when I was queueing up in Scotland for a Yellow Fever injection, as one does, the lady asked "Are you allergic to eggs?"  The guy in front of me replied "No, but I'm allergic to needles".  I wish I thought of that!  I didn't follow up on what eggs had to do with yellow fever.  If I'd known, I'd have skipped the country! After all there are plenty to choose from!

Come to think of it, it is the same with cruise lines, people remember how they are treated in the bad times. 

 

Some vaccines like Yellow Fever contain egg proteins so if you'd allergic it can be a problem. 

Vaccines and Chicken Eggs

[NSWP]

38 minutes ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

Some vaccines like Yellow Fever contain egg proteins so if you'd allergic it can be a problem. 

Vaccines and Chicken Eggs

Having been to South and Central America a few times we had the yellow fever jab the first time we went over there to Lima, Peru in 2002 for my son's wedding.   I recollect the Dr asking us if we  had an egg allergy.  Our passports contained the international vaccine certificate re yellow fever jab.  They were often examined by officials at the borders in Latin America and Australia.  From memory the vaccine lasted 10 yrs.

Edited April 6, 2020 by NSWP

[MicCanberra]

I like the caramel filled eggs

 

[possum52]

3 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

I like the caramel filled eggs

 

So do I Mic, but hopefully they don't use them to make any vaccines!

 

 

[OzKiwiJJ]

Today our supermarkets were full of tissues, but no TP or paper towels.

 

Some people definitely aren't getting the message about social distancing. Today's sad example was two young mums, each with a baby in a chest pack, side by side casually and very slowly strolling through the shopping centre and main street, blocking other people from safely getting past them at a safe distance and putting their babies at risk.

 

The local council has blocked off all the seating in the plaza, which at first sight looks like a great idea. However there is a major construction site just behind the plaza where a new carpark and shopping complex is being built. The workers there get takeways from local outlets but no longer have anywhere to sit and eat them. So they are all milling around the plaza, or sitting on the steps of the band stand while shoppers have to walk around or among them. Maybe the council should have left some of those seats available or something.

[possum52]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Today our supermarkets were full of tissues, but no TP or paper towels.

 

Some people definitely aren't getting the message about social distancing. Today's sad example was two young mums, each with a baby in a chest pack, side by side casually and very slowly strolling through the shopping centre and main street, blocking other people from safely getting past them at a safe distance and putting their babies at risk.

I went to the butcher and chicken shop this morning, early to try and avoid crowds but after the Seniors' time. There were still people shopping in pairs, taking their time, getting in other customers' way. I was standing at the butcher counter waiting for my purchases, when a woman of a similar age to me with facemask came and stood right beside me. I moved a couple of further metres from her and she went to move towards me. I gave her a 'what are you doing?' look and she stopped. The counter is quite long and I was the only customer there when she arrived. Absolutely clueless! 

 

Leigh

[OzKiwiJJ]

7 minutes ago, possum52 said:

I went to the butcher and chicken shop this morning, early to try and avoid crowds but after the Seniors' time. There were still people shopping in pairs, taking their time, getting in other customers' way. I was standing at the butcher counter waiting for my purchases, when a woman of a similar age to me with facemask came and stood right beside me. I moved a couple of further metres from her and she went to move towards me. I gave her a 'what are you doing?' look and she stopped. The counter is quite long and I was the only customer there when she arrived. Absolutely clueless! 

 

Leigh

I had a similar problem at our butcher the other week. They now have a limit of four customers in the shop at once. Three of us were in there, maintaining the correct distance, then a fourth woman entered. Instead of standing in one spot she kept running up and down the whole length of the counter. It's not that long and if she had stood in the middle of the counter, which was a safe distance from the rest of us who were waiting for our orders to be filled, she could have seen everything on display. Grrrr! The  butchers didn't look too impressed with her behaviour either. 

 

Ah well! It's good to be able to let off steam about these idiots occasionally. 🤣

Edited April 6, 2020 by OzKiwiJJ

[Docker123]

I like the ones who seem to wear a mask as a fashion accessory, certainly not effective for anything else.

 

One that stood out was a man around 60. Pretty orange mask, but someone should have told him that he really does need to tie the bottom set of strings, not just the top ones.  Of course, he also kept pushing it around his face. 
 

[ilikeanswers]

2 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

I like the caramel filled eggs

 

Sugar does make the medicine go down😋.

[OzKiwiJJ]

2 minutes ago, Docker123 said:

I like the ones who seem to wear a mask as a fashion accessory, certainly not effective for anything else.

 

One that stood out was a man around 60. Pretty orange mask, but someone should have told him that he really does need to tie the bottom set of strings, not just the top ones.  Of course, he also kept pushing it around his face. 
 

A local alterations shop is making masks and offering them free to over 65's or selling then to others. We stopped in and bought some. They are very good, made of tightly woven cotton and lined (which apparently is effective against 70-80% of germs) and are washable. They are good enough to wear while doing the shopping. There has been quite a lot of discussion about places like Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, where mask-wearing is quite common, and how the number of cases in those places it lower than expected. I'm beginning to doubt the "masks aren't effective" edict, but wouldn't want to take hospital-grade masks away from those people who really need them. So if home-made masks are 70-80% effective then why not use them in places like supermarkets where many people seem to be either ignoring social distancing or having difficultly maintaining it.

[MicCanberra]

2 hours ago, possum52 said:

So do I Mic, but hopefully they don't use them to make any vaccines!

 

 

My wife likes the crunchie ones. I doubt they make vaccines out of either.

[MicCanberra]

22 minutes ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

Sugar does make the medicine go down😋.

Yep.

[banzaii]

7 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

My brother who is a very keen camper, said that it nearly always rains at Easter. His theory is that the weather is influenced by the phase of the moon (which of course determines the date of Easter).

Some people say that if you want it to rain, wash your car.  For me it is guaranteed to rain wherever I am if:

1. I plan to go camping, or

2. I make the pilgramage to the MCG for Boxing Day test.