Are you in Australia? Have you changed your behaviour as we have so few cases?

[Ozgirl75]

I’m in Sydney and I think we had a total of 4 new cases countrywide yesterday.

We are still at home etc but I must say I’m feeling a lot more relaxed now and I’m seeing loads more people out and about. I had my hair cut yesterday and the shopping centre was fairly normal. Roads were pleasingly quiet at 5pm though - almost the best of both worlds!

[FruChoc]

Of course the app is not a silver bullet. But it is a useful tool and one which looks to be quite useful due to the low rates of community transmission (and cases in general).
The Netherlands has 38000+ cases and over 6000+ deaths. In a much small land mass too. It's hardly comparable to Aus current situation

[itslatehere]

NSW premier has said they are easing restrictions but they expect numbers to increase with that. However they have set up the health system to deal with it better. I hope not every state is thinking along these lines. I don't want to sacrifice lives for the economy.

[Ozgirl75]

I think the idea was always to buy some time to make sure hospitals were prepared for more cases. Hopefully it won’t hugely increase the fatality numbers although I’m sure there will be more among the people who are already sick but get carried away by this illness (much like flu, pneumonia etc does every year)

[SnowsInWater]

I was very excited at the prospect of being able to see my DS and DIL on Friday when restrictions ease here in NSW and two adults can visit. Unfortunately I have a nuclear medicine scan on Friday morning so can't be around pregnant women for 24 hours and DIL is pregnant so I'll have to wait another couple of days 😐

[Londonlassy]

I’m in NSW and I really feel for year 12 students in public school requested to attended one day a week in Week three of this term. I think they will be terribly disadvantaged compared to private school students when HSC exams are undertaken. I do think they should have been prioritised when schools reopen. (I’m not a parent of a year 12 student)

[LiesHumansTellThemselves]

I think they should prioritise getting the Year 12s back. They are going to be the main group that suffers.

[Ozgirl75]

I agree @Londonlassy and my kids are at a private school (in junior). When I compare the resources that they’ve been provided with compared even to my friends’ kids who are at good local schools in an affluent area, I do worry for children in more deprived areas. I know that sounds hypocritical but I’ve always thought before that ok, private schools have the edge on the extra curricular and helping kids because of class sizes etc but I’ve never thought it was a HUGE advantage in terms of academic outcome.
But when I see the work we’ve been given, a tablet for every child, online learning, boxes of resources given to us at home, back at school probably full time in a week etc, like, I’m pleased for us, but still worry for children who aren’t getting this.
I hope I don’t come across like an asshole with what I’m (badly) trying to say.

[timeisnotaline]

Private schools have a huge advantage.
I think the year 12 subjects (remembering lots of yr 11s do one as well) and vulnerable children should be the top priorities. Your average under 14 missing a term or two of school completely doesn’t really bother me at all. I did spend the last years of primary school on a tropical island with poor schooling from 9-1 daily then we did correspondence at home but for every research assignment etc we said oh can’t do that as we don’t have any research materials (before Internet was widespread). Zero impact for us but I’m very worried about already disadvantaged children falling irretrievably further behind. We know there won’t be more money for support services after this.

[Ginandplatonic]

Private schools definitely have a massive advantage currently. Ours went fully online before the govt schools essentially closed which was much easier because they give every high school child a laptop (I say give - it’s covered in the fees obvs) so everyone has the same computer, same programs etc. and are used to using them. My yr12 essentially has full time face to face lessons via Zoom or google classroom on the same timetable as before. Friends with kids at govt schools (and friends who are teachers at govt schools) say their experience is far inferior. The inequity at this level where it will potentially have a big impact on their future is definitely concerning.

[Guineapigbridge]

I'm in a region in NZ that has had cases but they've all been resolved now. Definitely noticing a change in behaviour here; people seem to be quite relaxed about the 2 metre rule now and I haven't seen a mask about for a couple of days.

[Guineapigbridge]

Based on our numbers over the last two days the Prime Minister should be placed under more pressure to reduce levels to level 2 next week on 8 May rather than delaying the decision till 11 May. Particularly in regions where there have been no new community-spread cases for over two weeks.

[janeskettle]

I just wish it was a region based approach.

Sydney should not be having restrictions reduced when SA does, or wherever.

I had to go out today (to get a flu shot, haven't been out of the house for weeks), and people couldn't even be bothered to move to their side of the footpath in what must be the smallest, easiest ever nod to social distancing. One guy actually moved towards me, making me walk in the road.

Clearly Aussies aren't great at gradual reduction of restrictions. Here, we are definitely meant to continue social distancing for two weeks!

My GP told me to wear a mask and hope for the best when I return to work (bus there and back, packed full of high school kids). Not reassuring.

[janeskettle]

NSW teachers wanted to bring Yr 12 back as a cohort from this term; NSW government said no, because everyone deserved their 'one day of face to face'.

Disadvantaged NSW Yr 12 students (in public schools) need to hold Gladys accountable, not their teachers.

[janeskettle]

And...once more....our schools (NSW) were open for vulnerable kids the whole time, except for normal school holidays. They've never closed for vulnerable kids and kids of people who have to go to work outside the home.

The vulnerable (OOHC) kids at our school have been at school the entire time.

[Alondra]

I agree Australia should have a State down approach, no point in maintaining stage 3 lockdown in ACT and NT when the virus has been eliminated in their territories, and states like QLD, SA and WA are very close to community acquired elimination.

I prefer a phase out by regions/states with ramping up asymptomatic testing in Tasmania, NSW and Victoria ....which is what Andrews is going to do in Victoria.

[timeisnotaline]

Everybody in Vic with symptoms can be tested so hopefully any escaped cases are detected before they go far.

[janeskettle]

I feel like NSW is just being reckless atm.

There's no way we should be relaxing things here before VIC does. We are NOT seeing zero cases over days/a week.

[Ginandplatonic]

Everyone in Tas with even minor symptoms can be tested too. And despite that we are just not seeing new cases, outside the hospital-related outbreak in the NW. My region (Hobart) hasn’t had a case in weeks. Touch wood.

Timing of relaxing restrictions is difficult. The Government is still saying that while elimination might be a by-product it is not the primary aim. That is controlling spread so that the health care system can cope. This has now been achieved very effectively, so on that basis maybe it is time to start easing off?

[FruChoc]

NSW easing of restrictions are as clear as mud... why not just bring restrictions inline with other states to the 10 person and under gathering rule that is applied in other states? This two households with kids blah blah...
I know elimination is not the aim as such but why not just hold tight for another week. Other states have very very few cases. NT and SA should be the first to move on any restrictions.
I think the Feds will lift some socialising restrictions prior to May 11 knowing most people will want to see family on Mother's Day. NSW should just hold it together for one more bloody week, it's infuriating coming from a state that has 0 for the last week.
Rant over.

[Londonlassy]

I agree I think NSW has gone too far too fast. I think Gladys has done a good job so far but this decision....no

[Londonlassy]

But I wanted to add, with absolute honesty and thankfulness I am so grateful to live in Australia right now. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else (ok, maybe NZ)

[mirandawastoogoodforsteve]

Yeah I don't get why she's done that. Get the numbers down lower.

SA haven't been given clear enough instructions on anything though. Send your kids to school but don't let them go on a playground.

[SnowsInWater]

I actually agree with the easing of restrictions here in NSW although of course it makes me nervous. When people see our numbers which are so low compared to the rest of the world (although of course that doesn't minimise the sadness of each death) I think they are becoming less and less likely to follow the rules. I would imagine that the reasoning is to give people a little leeway so they can visit their parents, grown up kids living out of home etc., in the hope that might induce people to be satisfied with that for a while. Being able to sit in the garden with your family for the afternoon might stop people hanging out at the beach with half the suburb. The kicker with all of this of course is that only time will tell if it was a sensible decision, or a disaster.

[Ginandplatonic]

@SnowsInWater I agree with you. People are starting to get restless and go out more anyway. There is noticeably more traffic on the road here in the last few days, people are less careful about keeping their distance in the supermarket, that sort of thing. By making a few concessions in a controlled way, particularly in the context of the increased testing they are presumably hoping to keep a lid on people’s frustration with the restrictions.

[LiesHumansTellThemselves]

I quite liked that Gladys acknowledged that lifting the restrictions slightly will most likely result in an increase in cases.

Just give us the info, we are not stupid on the whole so upfront, reality delivered in an easy to understand way.

Just two new cases today in NSW. With only 1 to really worry about because they don't know the source. Same with yesterday.