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.

[SnowsInWater]

We are not the UK @bluetongue so my understanding of the Australian situation at the moment is that you could meet up in their backyard and observe social distancing if you wanted to. I did this with my son and pregnant DIL the other evening. I dropped off some dinner to them as I had made some fresh pasta which they love and it saved them cooking, I came round their side entrance to the deck, son had put a glass of wine on the table for me, he stood at least 2 meters away DIL even further from him. They were both at work (police and RFS) that day so tbh I thought I was the least of their problems!

[IDoNotHaveABlackCat]

We can't stay shut down for 6 months. Not at this level.

[AutumnRose1]

I wouldn’t be asking for shut down at this point

I’m surprised India locked down so early and the scenes of crowds waiting for charity food - puts them more at risk?

I think lockdown will be a long time so I completely see the delay as a thing.

[StartupRepair]

I think it is better to shut down harder at the beginning like New Zealand. At least it buys more time for the health servi.

[IDoNotHaveABlackCat]

There is no "good" outcome here. Only lesser evils.

We will reacha point where the damage to the economy is more dangerous than the virus itself.

[bluetongue]

On a personal level I’m much more worried about the long term effects on the economy than catching Corona virus. I realise the restrictions are about the ‘system’ as a whole not the individual (unless you’re in a vulnerable group) but some people I know seem convinced they and their children are going to get this and die.

There will come a point where the hospitals are testing regime are better set up and more people have immunity where I see the government will have no choice but to open everything back up and let us all take our chances. I don’t see restrictions until we have a vaccine as an option.

I’m still working in the CBD in Adelaide and already this week I’ve started to notice a weird, desperate vibe while walking around the streets. Now most of the office workers aren’t there the homeless and generally marginalised are even more noticeable than usual.

[IDoNotHaveABlackCat]

Same. We are in an incredibly privileged position. Both in jobs that will thrive on this, both able to work from home in our big house with plenty of food available.

We COULD ride out 6 months.

We are the exception. So many people live on the edge as it is.

We are a rich country but the money can run out.

I know it isn't popular on MN but the economy matters. We are the economy. People need it to tick over to stay alive.

Unless a treatment is found quickly I think there will come a crunch point where the decision is made to let it burn and to ration the health resources rather than completely destroy the majority to save the minority.

Australians are a utilitarian bunch. More so than the Brits. I think that that approach will get a lot of support if this goes on for too long.

No one will like it/be happy. But children must be fed and educated. The fruit must be picked from the trees and everything else.

I have vulnerable people I love. I don't want them to die. But if faced with a choice between my kid's future and my elderly parent's lives I am not 100% sure which way I would go.

[StartupRepair]

I don't think the elderly are expendable to save the economy. As a civilised society we need to look after everyone, including the most vulnerable.

[IDoNotHaveABlackCat]

I am not sure there won't come a tipping point StartupRepair.

People die when economies fail.

There may come a time where more lives can be salvaged by rationing healthcare and restarting the country.

For now though we are not at that tipping point and we must try.

If those of us who can social distance/self isolate and support one another as much as possible then those who can't will have a better chance of doing what they need to do with less risk.

It is possible to acknowledge the harsh reality of the choices that we might have to make while doing everything possible to avoid it getting to that point.

[IDoNotHaveABlackCat]

Healthcare doesn't exist in a vacuum. If there is no economy there is no healthcare, for anyone.

[janeskettle]

Yeah, as a relatively young person (ie not elderly) in an at-risk group due to a non-lifestyle acquired disease, I'm extremely uncomfortable with how willing health people are to write off my life in service of the economy. It's nothing more than resurgent eugenics.

We're a society, and the economy serves us. The economy is not our God. Government can and should mitigate the great harms to the economy currently occuring, but we should all be clamping right down on rhetoric that sees some citizens - equal to you in rights and dignity - as expendable.

Without coronavirus, I could be expected to have another 20-25 years of life, most of which would be spent in the workforce, being a tax payer.

I am NOT ok with my life being seen as expendable, just because I was unlucky enough to contract an auto-immune disease affecting my lungs.

Really disappointed that eugenics-lite is taking hold in Aussie discourse. How about a fair go for at-risk populations?

[pollyglot]

jane - well said!

[janeskettle]

Thanks pollyglot

[aussieaussieaussieoioioi]

It is not just vulnerable people (as if that makes it ok). And if you think young healthy people only get a mild version you are wrong. There are many young people on ventilators, the recovery time is 4-6 weeks.

[IDoNotHaveABlackCat]

And if/when the government runs out of cash?

Who will pay the doctors and the nurses and the cleaners and the porters?

No one is expendable. But Coronavirus is not the only thing that can kill in large numbers.

Those deaths count as well.

But we are not there yet. The advice seems quite simple to me. Stay home if you at all can. Only go out if you must and avoid contact with other people as much as possible.

If we all pull together and do this ASAP then maybe we don't have to get to the point where doctors have to choose who lives and who dies.

[bluetongue]

On a lighter note, how is there still no toilet paper? I managed to get a 20 pack and already has an 8 pack at home so for now, even if I see it in store I won’t buy it while I have enough. We were told that it’s all made here and production has ramped up so why is it still non-existent when I go to the supermarket?

[IDoNotHaveABlackCat]

It is very odd. It has been appearing sporadically in my area again recently but I haven't bought any as we had enough.

However, now my PILs and SIL are self isolating (separate households) I have to shop for three houses so I will have to go on the hunt soon.

What are people DOING with it all?

[janeskettle]

Haven't seen any, haven't bought any - but we're going to run out this week.

[Percivalthebabyspider]

They've just closed the beaches here because of idiots congregating in groups and ignoring everything we're being asked to do.

[IDoNotHaveABlackCat]

People's behaviour in all of this just proves to me that I was right about humanity all along.

I used to worry I was overly cynical, nope, I was bang on.

[janeskettle]

St Kilda and Manly yesterday!!!

[HauntedHats]

In Aus there must be so many key workers who have to work...you must applaud and recognise what they do for you to keep functioning. No doubt many of these will be paid shit wages...if your like the UK...

[eaglejulesk]

@IDoNotHaveABlackCat - Unfortunately I have to agree with you.

[MaitlandGirl]

@therealcj I’m in the Hunter Valley too (the user name is a give away!!!) - there’s plenty of staples at Woolies in Greenhills (East Maitland).

The centre itself is dead so no worries about your husband coming into contact with anyone, and the butchers in store (and just outside the Woolies entry) have been fully stocked all week.

[StartupRepair]

Lots of TP in my local Woolworths when I did my weekly run on Friday.