Australia. Please Mr Prime Minister

[GADDay]

The infection rate is soaring.
The shops are chaotic.

We had a golden opportunity to shut this thing down but people just can't or won't implement social distancing.

I just went to the supermarket. Huge signs explaining social distancing - the floors marked with massive crosses. Not a single soul followed the instructions. An elderly lady was coughing up a storm and nobody batted an eyelid.

The cafes, hairdressers, nail bar were all busy.

What will it take for our PM to implement a lock down? Before it's too late.

The curve is doomed with cases doubling every 3 days.

I despair - people just don't think it can happen to them. Even now.

[ChillinInMyBacta]

@StartupRepair Looks like every State for themselves. The Cruise-ship fiasco is something that the Government will be held accountable for down the line in sure. I'm Melbourne too, and the Cruiseships are still coming in at night the dockers say.

[OttoTheOnly]

I’m in Sydney and it’s bloody terrifying seeing everyone out and about. Friends are posting on FB that they’re out in cafes, having drinks etc. even a wedding!
I’ve been inside for two weeks with one trip out to Woolies, and am dreading having to venture out again.
There are ships coming in everyday to Sydney too, that I can see from my house as they enter the harbour.

[DroppedBoxxedRuth]

The PM didn't say his DC were at school, he said they were enrolled.

As are mine. But have been home since Friday when I realised no one in power actually gives a fuck where this is all going.

How can we ignore China, Italy and spain?!? Our Poly's should be ashamed

I spoke to my parents yesterday who are having visitors in the next week who have been travelling around Aus. FFS . Both very high risk but because under 70 think it's not them.

[BoreOfWhabylon]

If people aren't taking it seriously, please ask them to listen to this - it's an A&E consultant who called in to a BBC Radio 2 show a couple of nights ago.
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0877mb2

[Percivalthebabyspider]

That's terrifying.

[MaitlandGirl]

Reading the comments on the local Deputy Mayors FB post about the NSW shut down and people are raging. Probably the same people I had to poke with my cane when they crowded behind me on the travelator and who leant over me at the self serve checkout in Coles to get chocolate.

[Imstillskanking]

A Qld Health doctor arrived back in Brisbane this week. He totally ignored the self quarantine rules and went into the CBD for a meeting.

Are you sure he hadn't been tested before he went to that meeting? Where we live (North QLD) doctors are allowed to self present at testing clinics even if they don't meet guideline testing criteria, in a bid to get then back to work as quickly as possible.

[k1233]

They're still not getting it, even after Bondi. Driving through a trendy village today (SE Qld) and cafes packed on the sidewalks. No social distancing at all. Stop at supermarket on way home, coffee club packed, kids playing in the attached playground - again packed.

[pollyglot]

FFS - DD's "Mums' group" are planning a "last supper" tonight for them and families, en masse, in a restaurant.

[pollyglot]

Interesting reading:
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/21/nhs-junior-doctor-stay-at-home-coronavirus

[TheClaws]

Premiers and the PM are meeting tonight (Sunday) to decide on what is likely to be a more draconian approach to a lockdown. It may not be the same across States - we’ll find out tomorrow.

My DD is in Victoria at uni and I’m in NSW, so the thought of either one (or both) of our states locking down frightens me. At this stage she is thinking she’ll stay where she is in college - she’ll be looked after. I don’t like the thought of it though.

I’m not a Liberal voter, but I believe that ScoMo is doing the best job he can, given the circumstances. He’s relying heavily on the advice he’s being given by his experts. I do feel, as you all do, that the the advice changes every day and this uncertainty is fuelling people’s anxiety - so, instead of step changes every day, why not simply make the end change and lock everything down?

Could happen tomorrow, anyway.

[DroppedBoxxedRuth]

My parents have cancelled their visitors, thankfully.

I think they are slowly taking it more serious. Closing borders in Australia is unheard of.

[GADDay]

@iamstillskanking as sure as I can be. He arrived from India and was told to self isolate. He needed to sort a registration matter and did so in person

[sunbunnydownunder]

We are in WA we have decided as of tomorrow to pull our 2 kids from school. My parents are stuck here for the foreseeable future, they arrived long before the pandemic. All the kids sports have been cancelled. We are going to isolate between us and my parents and just go to the shops as needed. I am amazed at how people don't really see how bad its going to get.

[ArcWorc]

Well, then there’s the case of the 70+ Qld Health Doctors and Dentists stuck on a cruise ship off Chile......

[WindyRose]

GADDay..thanks, that's sweet and I really appreciate your offer but I'm Ok for now, just depends how long this goes on and none of us knows the answer. I'm in NSW and like others just can't understand the apathy of some people, it's mind boggling really.

Don't know what's happening in my neighbourhood as I don't think there's a friendly soul out there, but I've heard more kids playing in the street than ever before, so they are not isolating.

The cruise ship fiasco tops the list and I can't understand how those passengers could have been released without testing and isolation. If they had flown in, they would have to self-isolate, so why is their mode of travel any different?

I feel for those of you with work uncertainty, this will take a long time to get back to what used to be 'normal' and must be difficult with kids. The times they are a changin'.....

[Imstillskanking]

@iamstillskanking as sure as I can be. He arrived from India and was told to self isolate. He needed to sort a registration matter and did so in person

Wow, that's awful. I guess we're just going to be like every other country that got infected before us, where we won't start taking this seriously until we run out of ICU beds and lots of people are dying.

Fantastic.

[janeskettle]

Well guys, it's official.

Children can't spread the virus between the hours of 9-3 so long as they are on school grounds, but they can spread it to grandparents, relatives, friends etc as soon as they leave the school gate.

This is why schools are to remain open, apparently.

[Lifeisabeach09]

UK also.
I was stunned to hear that crowds of 500 (!!!!) or less were allowed on Bondi. I'm sure it's a sizeable beach but come on---how can one enforce that?

[ladybug92]

@Aebj my husband is in a similar position. Special visa non protected NZ citizen living here for 10yrs, has paid taxes the whole time, lost his job last week and he will get no assistance at all. Can't go back to NZ, gets nothing here, will probably get no job here too. So unfair. I will ask him to go to Centrelink as confirm that he is eligible for nothing.

[Percivalthebabyspider]

Victoria and NSW have closed the schools as of Tuesday, despite our esteemed PM saying they will stay open.

[MaitlandGirl]

@Aebj and @ladybug92 the latest stimulus package announcement said that normal waiting periods for residency won’t apply.

It might need to be special benefit rather than job seekers but there should be some financial assistance available.

[eaglejulesk]

New Zealand is going into lockdown in 48 hours!

[squeekums]

Well aus is as good as closed
Borders between states closed, you can cross but it's mandatory self isolation for 2 weeks, with police checks at home and they greet you at border
Pubs, clubs, cafes, the footy, cinemas closed. Thankfully bottle shops still open, they made the essential list for now lol
Schools is still state depending, SA is open till end of term.
Its eerie.