Melbourne apartment towers complete lockdown

[Imtootired]

In Melbourne, Aus there are five tower blocks that will be put under complete lockdown for five days. I am all for being proactive about stopping the spread of coronavirus but this is madness. They are public housing so people on very low incomes for various reasons including elderly and disabled people, refugees and single parents. There will be police guarding each floor. No one will be able to leave for any reason. There have been many reports of bad hygiene practices for people quarantined in hotels and it makes me so angry that the government and dodgy contacted companies didn’t do their jobs properly and now the most vulnerable are paying the price. How will they be able to attend to all the individual needs of 3000 people? If I was stuck in a tiny apartment with my children with no time to prepare I would be furious. There were no armed guards for rich travellers returning home. I’m so angry and feel so bad for the residents. This is the beginning of a police state and once it’s happened it could happen again. If I was a resident I would be getting legal advice ASAP. I hope someone takes them to court.

[quote Imtootired]@ItsSummer did you read what I said about armed guards? Many of the residents are survivors of war and violence so being held against their will could bring up a lot of memories for them. I can tell by your attitude that you’ve never had to worry about police violence and systematic oppression. If you think this is a matter of just “staying home” and your sure the government will get the essentials sorted you live a different existence than most of the planet. I’d tell you to try to put yourself in someone else’s shoes but I genuinely don’t think you’re capable of it.[/quote]
Again, I think that needs must. Armed guards or no. It’s the price to pay to do whatever is needed. And they’ve escaped war, not still in it. It’s not the same.

I really don’t see the issue here. It is for their safety as much as anyone else’s

I’m sure the food and essentials situation is easily rectified with a bit of imagination and a contract with a local supermarket and pharmacy. The police can take orders and I’m sure the supermarket / pharmacy can sort a daily delivery

@BrieAndChilli

I’m guessing it’s 5 days because they are testing everyone. Once you have the results the negative can get on with life and the households with positive results can continue to isolate.

Yes I read that they were planning to test them all, and that it would take 5 days to test everyone.

Having armed police guarding each floor must be rather alarming and stressful. However, surely the not being allowed out for 5 days with no time to prepare isn't that different from having to self isolate under test and trace or other self isolation guidelines? Any of us could at any point be told we must self isolate for 14 days. For example, someone in my support bubble developed COVID symptoms a month ago, they let me know on a Sunday afternoon, so I spent the next 14 days confined to my flat with zero notice.

It’s ridiculous

Just how much shit are people expected to put up with and for how long in the name of “public health” and “the greater good”.

@FizzFan

It’s ridiculous

Just how much shit are people expected to put up with and for how long in the name of “public health” and “the greater good”.

I know. And we are letting this happen. That's why the government whipped up fear as that allowed them to control

It looks like a test run, do it to people who are already socially marginalised with little power to effectively fight back in a activist capacity.
Once the masses (evidently there is plenty already by the posts on this thread alone) are conditioned to accept it they will roll it out wider for longer.

@Readyme

It looks like a test run, do it to people who are already socially marginalised with little power to effectively fight back in a activist capacity. Once the masses (evidently there is plenty already by the posts on this thread alone) are conditioned to accept it they will roll it out wider for longer.

Absolutely terrifying.

Food and medicine deliveries can easily be achieved. Lock down is better than more deaths

Is it?

they do the same in germany

They do indeed - Germany's response is the envy of Europe;

www.dw.com/en/germany-quarantined-housing-block-residents-attack-police/a-53885044
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-53131941

@EnlightenedOwl

Is it?

Are you questioning is death better than life? Is death better than 5 days trapped at home?

Give me strength.

What the OP didn't make clear that they have locked down other parts of Melbourne and they gave the residents 48 hours notice. In this case they gave no notice so some residents where out at supermarket or elsewhere, then they got text messages saying they were under immediate lockdown. Added to that some of the residents rely on carers to clean and feed them but the carers are not allowed to enter.

Finally the blocks have communal bins and laundries as well as lifts and stairs so how are they going to prevent residents using them especially if there are not regular cleaners?

All this for a virus that is mild for most people. If you can't see any problem with a Government being able to lock you down at any time they wish you are totally blind

And why I have no intention of "complying" with the track and trace covid police

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/3920993-Are-the-housing-estate-red-zones-from-Years-and-Years-going-to-become-a-reality

Good twitter account to follow to keep up with this.

twitter.com/MargaretSimons/status/1279418695492591619?s=20

@EnlightenedOwl has been massively anti-lockdown on a number of threads and I see is continuing in that vein. The virus hasn't been mild for over 40,000 people in the UK but whatever.

I am not,anti lockdown by any means but some of the comments here.....well I would love,to,see what would happen if it was ‘your’ tower block and ‘you’ were in that position.

I’m sure most Mumsnet users have never even been inside a tower block. And yes, I know that’s a potentially silly generalisation.

How else can they handle it/?
I don’t know.

But it does make us question poverty and all multi-occupancy accommodation. Many people are forced into living conditions due to low income, being a part of a minority group or disability.
And these are issues many governments have failed to connect with, appreciate or deal with effectively.

It’s a greater issue, as the op suggests, regarding cuts and privatisation.
I’m not quite a socialist, but corporate behaviour ought to be brought to task.
That includes the uk, too, of course.

Anyone remember the SARS tower block issue, how the virus spread through the plumbing?

If people have a problem with staying home for 5 days at short/no notice during a pandemic then god help us all. There should be no need for armed guards but just look at the beach scenes here during lockdown. People can't seem to just do the right thing.

If a resident needs someone to administer their medication or change a dressing etc then that obviously needs to be dealt with but someone mentioned needing a carer to come and tidy up/clean for them.....it's 5 days fgs, they won't die of an untidy house.

It will be interesting to see if they have the balls to do it in the wealthier postcodes.

It’s not really spreading in the wealthier postcodes.

I think people just don’t like being forced.
Some will be frightened no doubt.
Some will feel as if their rights are being eroded, whether its true or not.

I personally wouldnt mind doing this, having to lock down for a period of time, but then I don’t have mental health issues, live with domestic violence, or need to go to work outside the home.

It’s easy for me to comply.
I appreciate not everyone will feel comfortable, however necessary the lockdown is ☹️

I think it's a good move that will save lives.

Doesn't mean it's easy for the people in the towers.

There were no armed guards for rich travellers returning home.

No, maybe if there had been then this situation wouldn't have happened.

It's rough that it has happened so quickly but there are 3000 people in close proximity. You have to act rapidly.

This virus makes us all confront where we stand on the spectrum of individual v community rights.

The U.K.’s lax approach has been very individualist at heart. We have retained much freedom throughout compared to other nations, but paid a hefty price in lives lost.

As an Australian living in the U.K. I’m more comfortable with the approach here in the U.K. It is not in those people’s interests to be locked up like that — its being done to protect the community.

The virus is frightening but a Wuhan style infringement of individual liberty is even scarier to me.

@Imtootired

In Melbourne, Aus there are five tower blocks that will be put under complete lockdown for five days. I am all for being proactive about stopping the spread of coronavirus but this is madness. They are public housing so people on very low incomes for various reasons including elderly and disabled people, refugees and single parents. There will be police guarding each floor. No one will be able to leave for any reason. There have been many reports of bad hygiene practices for people quarantined in hotels and it makes me so angry that the government and dodgy contacted companies didn’t do their jobs properly and now the most vulnerable are paying the price. How will they be able to attend to all the individual needs of 3000 people? If I was stuck in a tiny apartment with my children with no time to prepare I would be furious. There were no armed guards for rich travellers returning home. I’m so angry and feel so bad for the residents. This is the beginning of a police state and once it’s happened it could happen again. If I was a resident I would be getting legal advice ASAP. I hope someone takes them to court.

Are you in Australia? I think the outside world has a very different view of COVID than a lot of us do here. This could be a disaster or in fact it could be done well with the government supplying all the residents needs. Why don't we wait and see? I would happily make this short term sacrifice if it meant that the rest of Australia AND ME could open up and live life normally more quickly. I would be interested to know from the people who are actually living there though rather than random people on the internet who are not actually in that position!

@EnlightenedOwl

And why I have no intention of "complying" with the track and trace covid police

You are deluded.