Covid 19 - Updates from your zones

[Groupoid]

About two weeks ago, the case numbers in Switzerland reached a minimum of ~150 per day. Now they are rising again with ~250 per day just yesterday.

We currently got few restrictions, school summer break. At least 40% of the population are vaccinated.

I just fear the next wave of restrictions. Wondering when it might come or how high the numbers will rise this time around. Maybe the vaccines will prevent an explosion of cases, maybe the Delta-variant is too infectious. I so much wish for lectures in-person and an open cafeteria next semester, but that might still not make sense.

And people are discussing all kinds of restrictions for non-vaccinated people, in order to give incentives. Somewhat morally unclear for me sometimes, since its possible to argue both for and against discrimination against the non-vaccinated (depending on context).

For more precise numbers for Switzerland, use the website of the FOPH

[Yastreb]

North of the border, things are not looking good. Of the 150+ new cases in Australia, most have been in Sydney, which  has been locked down until the end of the month at least as the number of Delta Variant cases continues to rise, and Victoria may close the border with New South Wales.

[Yastreb]

With 77 new cases reported in Sydney overnight, and the first confirmed death in months, it is nearly certain that the NSW-Victoria border will be closed by the middle of the week. Victorians in NSW have been advised to return before then.
It's been reported that police in NSW are angry at reports of people holding parties in defiance of restrictions. Crackdowns may be expected soon.

[Grade E cat]

Thanks to a new delta-induced wave coming up in the end of July, it's been decided that one week for today, people will need to be fully vaccinated (my own pass is to activate one week after my vaccine) or have a negative test less than two days old to enter places with more than 50 people in them, including restaurants, movie theaters, long-distance transport (though they seem to be getting a little extra time to prepare) and malls (though they later backtracked on that one). People caring for the elderly and working in hospitals will have to be fully vaccinated by mid-september or risk being suspended from their jobs without pay.

Meanwhile, even among the health workers, we have the "it's unethical to force people to do something" crowd. There is also a "trust people to be responsible rather than forcing them" crowd, which in my opinion had the entire month of June (during which vaccination became open to anyone over 18, and people over 18 have been allowed to grab slots that are still free 1-2 days before they happen since the second half of May) to show how responsible they are and observe the same about their fellow citizens as a whole. The overall reaction to the announcement also revealed just how big the "yeah, I should probably get vaccinated at some point, but no hurry, it's not like I'm in an at risk demographic" crowd was all along. I'm bringing this up because the number of new people getting vaccinated plumetted after the early June surge, and we may have at least gotten this wave sometime later than the most popular time to go on vacation in the country if more more people had gotten vaccinated earlier according to the number crunchers. For those wondering, I'm getting my second dose two days before the restrictions kick in.

EDIT: more accurate information

[Yastreb]

In just over five hours, Victoria goes into a five-day lockdown. The Premier made this statement.

We now have new cases, new exposure sites and a strain of this virus that is wildly infectious.
We’ve seen this strain before – and you probably already know what we need to do next.
Victoria will not wait to act. We know that not much good comes from waiting.
Waiting could see more people infected and the number of exposure sites explode.
If we act now – while we’re right on the heels of this outbreak – we can give ourselves every chance of getting ahead of it.
If we wait – we lose that option.
Which is why, on the advice of Acting Chief Health Officer, Victoria will go into lockdown tonight, meaning there are only five reasons to leave home from 11:59pm on Thursday 15 of July 2021.
That means you can only leave home to get the food and the supplies you need, for exercise for up to two hours and no more than 5kms from your home, for care or caregiving, work or education if you can’t do it from home or to get vaccinated at the nearest possible location.
These restrictions will be in place for five days.
A list of authorised work and workers is available online here – but you all know the drill.
If you were an authorised worker during the last lockdown, you’ll be an authorised worker this time around. Everyone else must work from home.
Last night we announced that face masks must be worn indoors at all times (except at home) and outdoors when it’s not possible to physically distance.
Under today’s announcement, face masks must also be worn outdoors at all times.
We know this outbreak didn’t start here in Victoria. We know that wearing face masks can keep us safe and stop the spread.
So please, follow the rules and wear a face mask at all times.
For those that have returned from a red zone on a permit – you must follow the requirements of your permit.
That means going straight home to quarantine for 14 days and only leaving to get tested.
And we must be clear. Quarantining means staying at home.
If you need help getting the food and supplies you need to quarantine at home – call the coronavirus hotline...
We are counting on everyone to do the right thing.
For our families, our businesses and our state – stay at home and keep everyone safe.

[Róisín]

Yastreb, good luck, and may all of you keep safe.

[Keep Looking]

Yastreb, I hope that you and everybody else in Victoria stays safe, and that your lockdown won't have to be extended.

[Jitter]

Finland is back to 300+ daily cases, but public events are still allowed albeit with some tules and restrictions. The rationale is that the oldest and otherwise most vulnerable are vaccinated and therefore the strain on health care isn’t going to be as overwhelming as was feared in the beginning.

Overall Finland has done well despite not having strict lockdowns at all. Still there are lots of people who are very vocal about how the Finnish government has failed everything about the response to the pandemic (as well as everything else) and are completely useless and incompetent. Shees.

[moredhel]

Finland is back to 300+ daily cases, but public events are still allowed albeit with some tules and restrictions. The rationale is that the oldest and otherwise most vulnerable are vaccinated and therefore the strain on health care isn’t going to be as overwhelming as was feared in the beginning.

This sounds like a very risky idea.

[refract3d]

The US county I currently live in has a full vaccination rate of 62% for those 12 and older, which is great! Unfortunately, my in person part time job is located in a different county with less than 60% full vaccination. (Still way better than the national average.) We, the staff, are required to continue wearing masks (by store policy, not by law), but customers are no longer required to do so.

I'm concerned about the delta variant. I can't see the US as a whole agreeing to put restrictions back in place unless it gets really bad again, and I don't want it to get really bad again. I want people to be responsible and go get their shots and care about the people around them, but that's felt like something of a lost cause since the beginning.

[Yastreb]

Cases in Victoria now number 70, and the lockdown seems certain to be extended. That should be confirmed tomorrow.

[Yastreb]

The lockdown in Victoria has been extended for another seven days.

South Australia will also go into lockdown for seven days from 1800 today. Damn it, Róisín, I hoped South Aus would miss it this time.

[Yastreb]

The foolish we have always with us... anti-lockdown protestors risk extending what they're demonstrating about in Melbourne and Sydney and other cities.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-25/victoria-records-11-new-cases-of-locally-acquired-covid-19-cases/100321558

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-25/sydney-anti-lockdown-rally-could-be-covid-19-superspreader-event/100321006

Or to put it another way...

Fools are gathering
For anti-lockdown protests
Great way to get sick

[Róisín]

Yeah, it would not surprise me if the ‘protest’ turned into a superspreader event. Idiots, this will bring about more of the very thing they wish to avoid. At least our outbreak was not started on purpose.

[Yastreb]

The lockdown in Victoria ends in just under five hours, but some restrictions remain. The most relevant as far as I'm concerned are that masks are compulsory outdoors and outside the home, and while the travel bubble no longer applies, visits to other people's homes are not permitted.