Covid 19 - Updates from your zones

[Róisín]

It does that, but it is unfortunately also very contagious. Looks as if the strain is highly transmissible - apparently the initial infection, of a cleaner at one of the quarantine hotels, was by contact with a surface rather than through the air.

We are being very careful, believe me!

[Yastreb]

Well, here's some good news at last for Róisín!

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-20/sa-coronavirus-hard-lockdown-to-end-early/12903834

"South Australia will come out of hard lockdown on Saturday night — three days early — and outdoor exercise with family or housemates will be allowed "effective immediately", authorities have announced."

[Róisín]

That is a relief! Too late to have our market this weekend, dammit, but I still think the government made the right call in going into lockdown, despite the personal expense and inconvenience, because better to take too many precautions than too few. Annoyed at the fool who concealed the source of his infection, though.

How are things on your side of the border?

[Yastreb]

Everything seems to be going well, considering. Public transport is still uncluttered for the most part, and with masks still being compulsory and the hand-sanitisers in every shop and supermarket, and the social distancing signs everywhere, we still have the Counterpart vibe in play.

And I hope the people who went panic-buying in SA have no joy in trying to return their stockpiles.

[midwestmutt]

Restrictions went into effect today but I expect a mixed response from the public. People hears the news about 95% effective vaccines coming but don't seem to realize they are still months away. The Governor, a strong advocate for taking measures, has had to tone down his efforts for political reasons. I'm betting on a lockdown after a Thanksgivings Day surge in a couple of weeks. Over 11,000 dead since this whole thing began in my state, 168 dead on Wednesday alone this week, 6,000 infected, hospitals nearing capacity, but people are just numb to it. Two friends of mine from reenacting are sick with the virus, he has mild symptoms, she was hospitalized for three days, they are now home in quarantine while it runs its course. I was shopping during senior hour early yesterday morning as usual, no panic buying that I saw. I wear a mask when out and stay home except for necessities. Things are progressing exactly as the experts warned months ago.

[Vulpes]

Things are progressing exactly as the experts warned months ago.

Isn't that sad, though. And here in Newfoundland, we're watching the second wave wash over everyone else and nobody thinks it's going to happen here. We humans are so good at deluding ourselves. But it's lapping at our toes already, with signs of community spread.

We had no cases in the province for months, except for the odd returning traveller who was self-isolating as required, but now we've had several consecutive days of new cases. I was letting my guard slip a little - not being so careful to get to the store early, making some slightly frivolous purchases, having a coffee with a friend in a cafe - but the next town along has shut its town offices and recreation centre for two weeks due to several cases popping up there, so that's the end of that.

Fortunately the people I most enjoy being around all are hardy souls who enjoy the outdoors even in our sometimes filthy weather, so I can get the small amount of socializing I need with the odd hike.

[Róisín]

Good luck to you both. Let us hope you don’t get another wave. I’m dreading when tourism starts up again seriously in my area (where we live is around where three major tourism areas meet up, the Adelaide Hills just to our south, the Murraylands to the east and the Barossa west and north). People going and coming from all three areas pass through our small town. The last two major outbreaks here started with careless tourists, including one group (mostly American and Swiss) who came overland from the east coast, knowing they were infected, and decided they were going to ‘isolate’ in one of the luxury resorts in the Barossa, without at first telling their hosts they were infected. Hence a new outbreak mid-year, since they were still going about doing touristy things. Took months to clear up that one.

[Róisín]

And the latest news from our recent Covid cluster: viral genetic material from all the cases in the cluster has been tested, and they are all related. Turns out all the initial cases who started what became the Parafield cluster actually caught it in the quarantine hotel, or directly from someone who worked there, rather than anyone bringing it in from overseas. Thus are explained several worrying anomalies such as one patient who tested clear for her first few tests and only showed as infected in her last test before being released from quarantine. That raised concerns about whether the strain had an unusually long incubation period, but turns out that she wasn’t infected when she went in, but caught it in quarantine, possibly from a contaminated surface.

And a worrying thing here: while we were at the medical centre attached to the local hospital today, having Star’s twice-or-thrice-weekly dressing changes, we were asked to stay in the treatment cubicle and not open the curtains into the main treatment room while somebody else was brought in there in a wheelchair (from what I glimpsed of the old-fashioned wheelchair, likely somebody from the old folks’ home attached to the hospital). I overheard ‘Covid swab test’ and ‘Here, granny, if you can’t get it over your ears just hold it over your face for a minute’. We were left waiting for half an hour or so after the lady was wheeled out, which we were rather glad of. Worrying.

[Yastreb]

Mask restrictions have been eased in Melbourne to the point that they can be left off when moving outdoors, and only need to be donned in  public areas and inside shops and the like.

[Róisín]

Excellent news, Yastreb! I hope things keep improving for your city, and indeed for life in general.

[Grade E cat]

We're starting to loosen up the lockdown this week-end. We are past our peak, which was past 60 000 cases in one day. 1-km and 1-hour limit will become 20 km and 3 hours, while non-essential stores and places of worship will re-open with restrictions. We'll be having a curfew, though.

[Yastreb]

Courtesy of the ABC: Victoria has recorded 28 days in a row of zero new cases of coronavirus and no deaths.
There are no active cases in the state.
It means Victoria has achieved what is widely considered to be the official benchmark for eliminating COVID-19 from the community.

We did it.

[wavewright62]

Courtesy of the ABC: Victoria has recorded 28 days in a row of zero new cases of coronavirus and no deaths.
There are no active cases in the state.
It means Victoria has achieved what is widely considered to be the official benchmark for eliminating COVID-19 from the community.

We did it.

[midwestmutt]

My sister in Missouri just lost her best friend (and neighbor) to covid-19. She lost her Mother in law to it this summer.

[Róisín]

A terrible pity that so many folk are dying. I hope the epidemic can soon be got under control! Sympathy to your sister.