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Original poster

Melbourne is back in Stage 4 lockdown.

461 replies

groovergirl · 12/02/2021 03:24

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.

OP posts:
Lelophants · 12/02/2021 07:37

You guys can do it. I have hope for you all!

OverTheRubicon · 12/02/2021 07:39

@ClaryFairchild

Yes, its only 5 days. But here in Melbourne we had an initial lockdown in March for about 6 weeks, then strict lockdown from June to the end of October, then a gradual easing but never a complete lifting. State borders are closed quickly whenever cases happen, and we can't leave the country without permission- which is rarely granted.

We were at zero cases for nearly a month before they would lift restrictions. So yes, we do know what a strict lockdown is like. And yes, it's a bit depressing going back into lockdown for a short period of time, but I really rolled my eyes at the number of MNetters who were travelling around last summer. You had LESS cases than we had in Victoria and you frittered it away. Every single case here now is a bloody quarantine escapee -the new UK strain - so clearly this new strain is VERY contagious.

Nice of you to roll your eyes. Yes, the government here bollocksed it up. But even though the cases here over summer were lower than the Melbourne peak, the issue was that this was after 5 months of restrictions already. And it's a whole country, not one state while the rest can continue. Things like the 'Eat Out To Help Out' scheme to encourage people back to restaurants were stupid, as was allowing unlimited overseas travel (I didn't do either of those things, fwiw), but you know yourself how much a long hard lockdown takes its toll, and I can't blame individuals for doing what they were told was ok, or even encouraged to do

No matter how mismanaged, there is a limit how long you can place people under hugely onerous restrictions. And please also note that in our earlier lockdown, childcare was included, and even now when nurseries are officially open, many are in reality shut. Especially on a parenting site, you're talking to many people at the absolute end of their tether. I'm a single mum of three kids, previously trying to home school two primary age kids and a toddler while working from home full time, which was obviously unsustainable and not surprisingly when 2/3 of my team was made redundant, all the mothers of young children were in the cull, including me. I am trying to apply for new jobs, but who is going to take someone with 3 small DCs at home? I'm now living on what was meant to be my house deposit, because I am eligible for the princely sum of £74.35 a week in unemployment, after being a higher rate tax payer for 15 years. It's pretty crap, and this is why we have limited sympathy.

Lelophants · 12/02/2021 07:39

@SpiderinaWingMirror

Nicely. Pull yourself together love. We are doing the same but with snow and 115000 dead. Yours sincerely a whinging pom
Yeah people are bitter right.

But then imagine if someone from China came on this board and saw how the British complained about restrictions. It's just comparison.

Also the Australian lockdowns are brutal. Ours are constant but not as enforced.

MarshaBradyo · 12/02/2021 07:40

Also the Australian lockdowns are brutal.

Really? It’s the same. What’s so different

MarshaBradyo · 12/02/2021 07:41

Lelo are you in U.K.? All I do is go to park and supermarket once a week maybe. What are you doing that is more?

Lelophants · 12/02/2021 07:42

@applesandoranges221

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!

No there's was much stricter and much longer. Yes, a lot of us personally have been living under lockdown for a year, but our country has consistently kept opening up, had boarders open and a whole hodgepodge of activity. They always let it go too far before subsequent lockdowns. Uk always one step behind. Yes we have disadvantages but we still could've done better.
TryingNotToPanicOverCovid · 12/02/2021 07:42

I don't get the "Australian lockdowns are brutal" comment. Our current one feels pretty brutal ( we can leave for exercise or shopping/care - we don't even do the shopping).
We had this last year too from March.

I'm not sure there's anything else to restrict tbh...

RosesforMama · 12/02/2021 07:43

"But then imagine if someone from China came on this board and saw how the British complained about restrictions. It's just comparison."

It's more like a British person going to a site based in Wuhan and asking for a handhold and sympathy for how awful it is here in lockdown.

Thedramasummer · 12/02/2021 07:44

@Covidcorvid

I hope the firebreak works but I doubt it will.

The worrying thing is that it’s a hotel worker who has it.....so they have been home,, round the shops, etc. The list of possible contact places is very long. It’s the U.K. variant so more infectious.

The firebreak needs to be for longer than 5 days. 10 minimum. This is the one opportunity to halt this before it takes hold.

This is how the community transmission has happened in all the other states recently and a few days has been all it’s taken to get things under control.
Lelophants · 12/02/2021 07:45

@MarshaBradyo

Lelo are you in U.K.? All I do is go to park and supermarket once a week maybe. What are you doing that is more?
I am in the UK and have been living pretty restricted since March. I am doing nothing.

I'm talking about how the UK has been in and out of lockdown since March and things were never dealt with like boarders, hospitality open, waiting until numbers were too high before the next lockdoens. I know people in Australia and they had travel limits and basically locked inside buildings when there were hardly any cases.

Pollypocket1235 · 12/02/2021 07:45

I know it’s hard but seriously if it’s only for a few weeks and then near normality you are still quite lucky (in comparison).

One of my children has spent half their life in lockdown (no play dates/toddler groups/open libraries or people into our house)

My other child has had one full term at school in a year!

We haven’t had anyone into our house yet for a year. A brief month or so we could have people in the garden.

No theatres open for a year.

You’ve got this Australia!

Lelophants · 12/02/2021 07:47

@RosesforMama

"But then imagine if someone from China came on this board and saw how the British complained about restrictions. It's just comparison."

It's more like a British person going to a site based in Wuhan and asking for a handhold and sympathy for how awful it is here in lockdown.

Oh leave off. We were all miserable when it happened to us again. Op is allowed to be miserable too. We can support them and say don't worry, we're still going.
MarshaBradyo · 12/02/2021 07:47

Lelo they can exercise too?

I know the general approach is different but right now reading their list it feels the same as here. This current lockdown that is.

timeisnotaline · 12/02/2021 07:48

@Covidcorvid

I hope the firebreak works but I doubt it will.

The worrying thing is that it’s a hotel worker who has it.....so they have been home,, round the shops, etc. The list of possible contact places is very long. It’s the U.K. variant so more infectious.

The firebreak needs to be for longer than 5 days. 10 minimum. This is the one opportunity to halt this before it takes hold.

The list isn’t that long. It’s all online. The concern is that people aren’t diagnosed yet and are spreading it. But most cases have been in quarantine for some time if not the whole time. Nearly 1000 close contacts isolating. There’s a good chance it works.
thewooster · 12/02/2021 07:49

I hear you OP. Oz is as vulnerable as Britain. Keep those borders closed and I hope you get the vaccinations soon. We've jabbed 13.5 million as of this morning, so really hoping for a light at the end of the tunnel for this summer.

Doesn't matter where you are in the world, a lockdown is crap.

Neonlightning · 12/02/2021 07:49

@TryingNotToPanicOverCovid, did you hear about the "ring of steel" in the major Melbourne lockdown? Police set roadblocks around the city, and you literally could not leave unless you had a specific exemption (hard to get).

Police also patrol, and check people who are out, their reason and their ID address. People are reporting breaches, for instance parties or gatherings outside of limits. This is actually seen as a positive action here, keeping everyone accountable.

Don't forget as a nation we cannot leave; I personally couldn't understand people in the UK going to Europe on holidays in the middle of a pandemic...

Our vaccine roll out is much slower than the UK and Europe because it is under control here. Our annual death toll has actually decreased. No impact to hospital and doctor capacity for non-COVID illnesses. Fingers crossed it will kick off from March and finish up in October.

workworkworkugh · 12/02/2021 07:49

@SilverSoftlySwaying

Couldn’t give a toss, we’ve had a year of it.
Yes, but we also had a year of it last year.

It's not so much the 5 days that's upsetting, it's that we went through nearly a whole entire year of strict lockdown and they kept changing the goal posts, so when they call a 5 day lockdown, there is dread that it could possibly go on indefinitely yet again.

namechangefail2020 · 12/02/2021 07:52

Bloody hell im jealous of five days. Not minimising your feelings at all but it's really nothing, you can do it

PurpleWh1teGreen · 12/02/2021 07:53

I'm not sure what freedoms people think we are enjoying in the UK right now?

I have a feeling there may have been some misreporting and misunderstanding. Understatement.

CountessFrog · 12/02/2021 07:53

Another who can’t believe somebody in Australia would come on a UK parenting thread to complain about a five day interruption in life.

And even manage to drop in information about the weather being good.

Hilarious, and hugely lacking in self awareness, OP.

Not that we don’t think it’s a bit rubbish for you, it is, but getting it in perspective, you probably needed to have this conversation on an Australian website.

MaxNormal · 12/02/2021 07:54

So Australia not exactly enjoying the "normality" that the zero covid fanatics keep touting then.

clto2021 · 12/02/2021 07:54

Oh no! My mum and siblings are in Melbourne 😕 been so long since we have able to see each other due to travel restrictions 😢 they are going to be so disappointed to be locked back down

AmaryllisNightAndDay · 12/02/2021 07:56

Sending you support. We've been in full lockdown in the UK for more than a month now plus people are dying - the numbers are dropping but we're at 700 a day. So we've got all the shit and deaths too, go us!

I'm lucky to be able to WFH and have a steady job. And getting the day off today! I'd like your weather for a change - going for a long walk in the snow today. We're allowed to go outdoors as much as we like otherwise the restrictions are pretty similar here.

And boy do I miss the things I haven't done for a year - theatre, cinema, concerts, gigs, restaurant dinners, family and friends, coffee-room chats at work, holidays abroad... eh well, onwards and upwards and let's hope the vaccines make a big difference soon.

Hope you get through it OK Flowers

RosesforMama · 12/02/2021 07:58

Lelo "Oh leave off. We were all miserable when it happened to us again. Op is allowed to be miserable too. We can support them and say don't worry, we're still going."
I am not entirely unsympathetic, as I said in my earlier post, I appreciate lockdowns are hard. It's just that your comparison was wrong. We aren't popping into an Australian site here and feeling miffed at seeing people upset. And I am sorry but I do think OP was a bit insensitive, though I appreciate that she has been back on and gets that.

And as I live in GMcr lockdown hasn't just "happened to me again"; I have had 3 weeks of lesser restrictions in the last year.

AfternoonToffee · 12/02/2021 07:58

OP that sucks. It seems that it is always so close, but yet so far.

I have this amazing ability to empathize with others in other countries who are struggling for whatever reason. It takes its toll irrespective of how it balances against other places. Death rate is low but that has been at a huge personal cost and that shouldn't be underestimated.