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.

Oh and I’m well aware that living in Australia, having a permanent government job and not having to worry about home schooling makes me pretty fucking privileged at the moment.

@Veuvestar

5 days?! Do me a favour

You actually have no concept of what it’s like over here given your last update about people having their holidays cut short.
When it drags on for months at a time, it’s soul destroying. There are large swathes of the population surviving on beans or soup kitchens, regular families, who used to have 2 regular jobs. And have fallen through the govt financial schemes. There are people who have been shielding for a year, not been over their doorstep, never mind on holiday.

Fuck off. Melbourne was in lock down most of last year.

I can understand the fear of it all spiralling out of control again, you think you have a grip on it then it all starts again!! Hopefully it's been caught early enough to curb it

@OverTheRubicon - you're right. I apologise. I should have reserved my eye rolling for your government which has let you down very badly. I honestly believe the only reason Victoria/Melbourne got through this as quickly as we did is because our Premier, Dan Andrews, took it so seriously. He showed up to the media briefing every day. And I mean EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. during the lockdown. Seven days a week. He said that as long as we were going through this he wouldn't take a single day off and he didn't.

I get that it is hard for you. The UK doesn't have a great benefits system - the most vulnerable are really not supported.

This is exactly what the Zero Covid zealots in U.K. don’t realise life would be like (v regularly) in U.K. attempting to achieve ZC 🙄. It’s impossible in U.K. btw.

Of course the 5 days is not comparable to what others are going through. I think what we have probably clumsily expressed is the shock of going into a hard lockdown from a lot of normalcy. Last weekend I went to the beach, the cinema and out to breakfast with friends. It's a shock. Last year we did hard lockdown for 120 days across winter. I couldn't travel to another state to see my mother for 10 months.

After what happened in Victoria last year I think you’re more than in your rights to feel nervous. The good situation that Australia find themselves in came at a price - that lockdown was very strict and I imagine exceptionally tough. Obviously Australia is in a much better position than us. But they’re affected too - nobody really allowed in or out (really tough if you’ve family overseas) and the ongoing risk of another very, very strict lockdown if there’s an outbreak near you. OP - I hope that it’s a short and sharp one and you can get back to enjoying your summer .

@Veuvestar

The drama summer- and then posted again about people getting stuck on holiday, or having to pay loads for flights! Hardly listening.

This is thread about the lockdown in Melbourne and possible implications. Why can’t she comment on people getting stranded on wrong side of borders and how people are panicking about getting home.

She did listen to people telling her quite harshly they don’t care about her thoughts and feelings that their lives are worse, and she apologised. It doesn’t mean that she can’t still discuss what lockdown could mean for her and family and friends.

There seems to be an odd attitude on this thread from some poeple in Australia that their lockdown was worse than anyone else's Having looked at the rules it's just wearing a mask outside and a 5km rule (which most people have done here anyway because the guidance is to stay local there's nowhere to go).

The "educate yourself" posters sound ridiculous

@Thedramasummer, @Neonlightning

Thanks!

I mean those are the only additional rules on top of what everyone here has had to do

Lockdown is hard, and I do think the constant threat of immediate lockdown must be very hard indeed. If there’s one thing I would have hoped we all learnt from this, it’s a bit of empathy!

OP, I hope you have a chilled few days and that restrictions are lifted when it is safe to do so.

@TryingNotToPanicOverCovid

In the space of a year my children will have been to school for just one term.

We're in the second month of another full lockdown in hideous weather. Its freezing outside and kids haven't been allowed to mix for ages
Theatre and the arts have missed out so much here.

We had a full lockdown last March for several months. And restrictions or local lockdowns since.

I think 5 days is manageable. I expect this will be the way of it too until vaccines are done. Far rather the odd 5 days of lockdown than endless restrictions.

I dont think this is the place to complain about 5 days.

I think if the OP wants to complain here she can. It’s not misery top trumps

My brother and sister are in Melbourne, their lockdown restrictions were much stricter and longer than ours have ever been. We've never had a 5km rule

I hope the five days goes quickly for you OP. It’s hard for everyone at the minute and I can understand why you’re upset about this news.

@Neonlightning

I think it's ok to not be ok, even when other people have it harder than you. Life is hard enough right now without some kindness.

Absolutely this!

I’m confused about what it is that happened in Melbourne which was so different to our first lockdown in the U.K. (which was ~105 days).

I can’t see what was materially different to people?

Sorry, this is an honest question, it’s hard enough to keep track of what’s going on in your own country, never mind a state of another country which is the size of Europe!

We subsequently had a further lockdown of 28 days (although schools were open).

At the very earliest some of our children may return to school on March 8th. That will be 63 days. It will be a very much longer time before adults can mix again.

@Thislittlefinger123

There seems to be an odd attitude on this thread from some poeple in Australia that their lockdown was worse than anyone else's Having looked at the rules it's just wearing a mask outside and a 5km rule (which most people have done here anyway because the guidance is to stay local there's nowhere to go).

The "educate yourself" posters sound ridiculous

Agree on above and also laughed at ‘educate yourself’

Op is fine to post as upset. But agree that the idea we are doing much more here isn’t correct. Most stick to local area anyway. It’s park and food shop for many.

One of our journalists posted this on the day our strict lockdown was eased:

Virginia Trioli
@LaTrioli
Have decided I just don’t want to hear from anyone today who has not lived through every damn minute of this in Victoria for the last 8 months. Tomorrow - I’m all yours. Today - it’s just me and my state. #zerocases
GIF
2:11 pm · 26 Oct 2020·Twitter for iPhone

I agreed with her, and really just had to ignore the rest of the country and the world for the day.

I honestly think you will need to do the same in the UK. When it's over - and it WILL be over one day - celebrate with those who lived every damn minute of it.

[waves to everyone with family in Melbourne] :)

I think what is draining for everyone is the constant uncertainty. I doubt it will be 5 days in the end.

My parents are furious though. My dad is having cancer treatment and he is not if it will be affected. My mother was meant to have a broken (and painful tooth repaired ) and now cannot. I do not know when I can see my family again.

here in the UK, DH has a cousin. She was experiencing pain for months and months and resisted going to the GP because it was so hard and we have all been told not to bother the NHS unless you are at death's door. She was finally diagnosed just after christmas with cancer and she died last week. Its just heart breaking.

This bloody covid. It is awful for everyone, no matter where you are.

I’m confused about what it is that happened in Melbourne which was so different to our first lockdown in the U.K. (which was ~105 days

Lockdown started on the 16th March but they started to ease restrictions from May 11th - e.g. Outdoor sports allowed, garden centres open etc. so nowhere near 105 days

@Oldat40 I had my DS the weekend after our first lockdown began in NSW. I had no visitors, I was lucky DH was able to attend the birth but then he had to leave. We struggled to find care for our dd because of the rules in place. I was in my room by myself for 3days in hospital. None of our family or friends have met him and he's now heading towards 1 year. I took him home to a small apartment where we also had our dd removed from daycare. Everything was shut. DH was working from home in our tiny apartment too. Absolute nightmare.
Our numbers are low and we have been lucky but this mat leave has been an absolute shit show.
Big love to you OP- I had a friend who cracked in the last big Melbourne lockdown and she had to return to NZ for the sake of her mental health after living and working from home and seeing no one for 6months. She couldn't do it anymore with no real idea of how long it would go on. Fingers crossed they get on top of the situation and lift the restrictions soon.

@Snog

The alternative is thousands of deaths and months in lockdown like the uk.

It's crap OP. Some of us have it a lot worse but it's still crap. We will get through this. The UK would love to be in Australia's position right now.

Indeed. We've been in our 3rd lockdown in less than a year since January 5th and still far too many deaths and infections.

Johnson has consistently moved far too slowly with measures not strong enough and this has been the result - we've suffered much more than we might have done if he hadn't been so woefully inept.

We've never had a 5km rule

We've had a 5 mile rule.

I do empathise honestly but if it's only five days... you can do it! I've not been in a cafe or seen people inside since October time.
Hope your freelance work doesn't dry up.
Australia are doing the right thing. Things are so terrible in the uk.