Melbourne is back in Stage 4 lockdown.

[groovergirl]

Howdy all. I'm in Melbourne, and it's just been announced that we're back in Stage 4 lockdown from midnight. It's because of some coronavirus cases in a quarantine hotel at the airport.

We've done this before, and everyone was saying "You've got this, Melbourne!" and telling us how awesome we were. But we've been so awesome for so long, and we're all so tired of this. I think most Australians are prepared to do masks and practical precautions for the long term, but these sudden hits to work, school and social life are hard to bear. I couldn't see my family in Sydney this past Xmas because the border was closed.

Hand-hold, anyone? I'll be OK tomorrow. Just in despair now.

@MrsTerryPratchett

Unless you did the Melbourne lockdown, you know zip.

Educate yourself.

Presumably you did it. Which means you know zip about the UK lockdown. Unless you've been travelling between, which would make you an arsehole.

I wasn't addressing you.

The effort were by states and territories, nothing to do with the federal government. The feds are in charge of vaccinations, hence the difference.

Ah okay. Fingers crossed it's a quick rollout.

@Lampsoon

Unless you did the Melbourne lockdown, you know zip.

Oh bless.

😇

I wasn't addressing you.

Oooooooooooooooooo that's me told.

Complain away OP. This may be a UK site, but there are other people on it and it's nice to be able to discuss things with people closer to home. If UK people aren't interested then why bother reading the thread - it quite clearly says Melbourne in the title and I don't believe they have "stage" lockdowns in the UK.

@Sheepies

The effort were by states and territories, nothing to do with the federal government. The feds are in charge of vaccinations, hence the difference.

Ah okay. Fingers crossed it's a quick rollout.

Thanks. It's a pain. Rather like the USA, where separate states have separate jurisdictions, but are perceived as one country.

Having said that, the separate states things seems politically immature: big island, small country.

Having said that, if we'd been left in the hands of the feds we would not be in the reasonable place we are now. And look how quickly it can all go tits up.

I'm Sydney and just heard the news. So sorry I appreciate many people have had plans/celebrations cancelled as a result. Thinking of you and grateful it's being dealt with quickly.

Sorry you are dreading lockdown but I think its very tone deaf to complain about it on this site. We have been in national lockdown for 6 weeks now, with another month AT LEAST to come. Some parts of the UK have been in lockdown for nearly a year with only 3 weeks off in the middle, and ALL parts of the UK have been under some level of restrictions since March last year.
You've got 5 days lockdown, and then everything back to normal again. Boo hoo.

I thought it was just us poms that whinged

@ChocOrange1

Sorry you are dreading lockdown but I think its very tone deaf to complain about it on this site. We have been in national lockdown for 6 weeks now, with another month AT LEAST to come. Some parts of the UK have been in lockdown for nearly a year with only 3 weeks off in the middle, and ALL parts of the UK have been under some level of restrictions since March last year. You've got 5 days lockdown, and then everything back to normal again. Boo hoo.

Tone deaf?

Sorry...... Boo hoo.

Educate yourself about what the Victorian lockdown was before you judge the feelings of those involved.

@vera99

I thought it was just us poms that whinged

Educate yourself about what the Victorian lockdown entailed before your judge.

Australia only just received regulatory approval for the vaccine. Thankfully it wasn't necessary to fastrack approval. I also don't think we should be straining global supplies as we are not in as much need as other geographies. We definitely want it and will roll it out but we are certainly not a priority at the moment.

@3littlewords

Forgive me for asking but what's the point in a 3 or 5 day lockdown? Does everybody get tested during this time? People who are unknowingly Infected could still be harbouring the virus during the 3 or 5 days then go out and spread it on day 6

I think Australia actually have a functioning track and trace system. So they can use these 5 days to track down all contacts if the positive person/people and then tell them to isolate for 2 weeks. Then everyone who isn't a contact can be released. Unfortunately our government missed the opportunity to do this last summer when cases were low, because they implemented a crappy track and race which does nothing.

@ChocOrange1

Sorry you are dreading lockdown but I think its very tone deaf to complain about it on this site. We have been in national lockdown for 6 weeks now, with another month AT LEAST to come. Some parts of the UK have been in lockdown for nearly a year with only 3 weeks off in the middle, and ALL parts of the UK have been under some level of restrictions since March last year. You've got 5 days lockdown, and then everything back to normal again. Boo hoo.

Uk lockdown vs level 4 lockdown in Australia are very different. We've had various levels of restrictions right from the beginning and no life doesn't go back to normal.

It is better than here in the UK! I had a baby last May and my maternity leave has been a complete nightmare.
Speaking of other countries, I have a friend in Florida who I'm very envious of as over there they seem to be living their lives much more normally and have done since throughout?! Is this due a difference in government perspective re Covid?

Uk lockdown vs level 4 lockdown in Australia are very different.

Where are you, Aus? What’s the difference in reality. We stay home, go out for local exercise and go to supermarket. That level of restriction is tough. It’s the reality for weeks.

What’s your food shopping situation? Do you have a weekly slot like some countries or more like here.

I thought it was just us poms that whinged

Oh, other countries can whinge - but they are not in the same league as poms

Well the U.K. has at least vaccinated 13 million people which ultimately is what’s going to get us out of this mess.

So what is so different about the Australian level 4 lockdown then? AS opposed to the uk? Genuinely interested.

Uk lockdown vs level 4 lockdown in Australia are very different. We've had various levels of restrictions right from the beginning and no life doesn't go back to normal.

The differences I can see are

• not allowed to travel more than 5km from home except for work or to buy stuff
• allowed to exercise for 2 hours per day
• you are allowed intimate partners to visit (we are not)
• wear a mask if you leave the house
• no outdoor gatherings

doesn't sound very different to our lockdown. The main difference is it's only for 5 days.

Those saying educate yourself, maybe you should lock into to Leicester lockdown. They have literally gone on for 11 months with a few weeks in the middle where they were allowed to meet 6 people outdoors.

*look into the

The different states will have different requirements. I know when SA has their lockdown in November it was all shops shut except supermarkets and bottle shops. Only 1 adult was allowed to go shopping and a mask was recommended. You weren’t allowed to leave the house for any other reason, day 2 they decided they would only lockdown one more day and that you were now allowed outside.

I can’t really comment on other states restrictions as I’ve not been paying close enough attention and they tend to change when new information comes to light.

@ChocOrange1

Uk lockdown vs level 4 lockdown in Australia are very different. We've had various levels of restrictions right from the beginning and no life doesn't go back to normal.

The differences I can see are

• not allowed to travel more than 5km from home except for work or to buy stuff
• allowed to exercise for 2 hours per day
• you are allowed intimate partners to visit (we are not)
• wear a mask if you leave the house
• no outdoor gatherings

doesn't sound very different to our lockdown. The main difference is it's only for 5 days.

Those saying educate yourself, maybe you should lock into to Leicester lockdown. They have literally gone on for 11 months with a few weeks in the middle where they were allowed to meet 6 people outdoors.

Blimey that’s tough re Leceister

Wonder if masks have to be worn outside for exercise as the other stuff doesn’t feel different.

The aust lockdown is not shutting down childcare, only schools. People in the uk have had to juggle work and toddlers at home for so long now, I’m sure working parents are ready to break. There isn’t the stress and fear of bringing it home to vulnerable people because you bought food at the supermarket. I do appreciate it’s hard here, but I’m not waiting to hear if loved ones died without a chance to say goodbye. I won’t see my parents this weekend, but I should be able to next weekend. If I had a heart attack, there would be an ambulance and a safe hospital bed and plenty of staff. If you did have COVID, you’d be taken to a hospital well before being critical, none of this call us back if you’re really struggling to breathe. I can take my kids to the park this weekend. I just don’t think the situations in the two countries compare. Let’s hunker down and hope 5 days does the trick.
(I will say if your livelihood is at risk or you can’t pay the bills, all sympathy for those Aussies- that’s not easier for you just because it’s less Aussies overall in that boat than the UK.)

And to be fair to the feds, they closed the international borders pretty quickly, and that’s the only reason we can keep the situation in each state under control. I’m no scomo fan but that was a significant piece of the puzzle, much as my heart goes out to Aussies in difficult situations trying to return.

We HAVE done essentially the same as the Vic lockdown except we’ve done it ( to more or less severity I grant you and with a bit more regional fluctuation) for a year.

I don’t personally mind you moaning on this site - people speaking out against it is natural but please don’t pretend like you’ve been hard done to in comparison to the U.K. on a U.K. site. It just isn’t true!