We are now on the eleventh day of Lockdown N˚ 6 in Melbourne, as Australia grapples with the spread of the Delta strain of COVID-19. We are dealing with an aggressive virus which is easily transmitted and affects a wider range of the population (which remains markedly under-vaccinated when compared to other developed nations).
It is unfortunate that we are in this situation yet again, and we can blame a whole host of factors:
- Politicians too busy playing games and jousting for votes so they are not dealing effectively with public health policy, good planning and prompt COVID legislation;
- Incompetent handling of quarantine, contact tracing and stopping of spread of virus;
- Arrant disregard for basic epidemiological theory when allowing super spreader events to occur (e.g. sport spectator attendance in packed stadiums);
- Inadequate vaccine doses and lukewarm vaccination adoption;
- Conflicting messaging from multiple layers of government and public health officials;
- Anti-vaxxers running riot with conspiracy theories and claims contrary to logic and science;
- A population obsessed with quaint, simplistic and selfish ideas of "freedom" and "personal liberties";
- etc,etc,etc...
Further restrictions were announced today in Victoria as exposure sites increase and our COVID cases keep on pullulating... How many more wake-up calls do we need as individuals, as members of groups, as people in powerful and responsible positions, as politicians, as medical professionals, so that we all do what is right and ethical?
This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Blue Monday meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.
and also part of the Seasons meme.
I am so sorry that Australia is in this condition! May better days be ahead for the entire world!
ReplyDeleteI can't even begin to comment on this. I loved the announcement we were getting some of Polands but failing to note that both the Ukraine and Georgia were getting 3 times more of Poland's than we were - like he couldn't even organise that properly either....I know we might still be in this situation regadless of what happened last year but I can't help but wonder if we'd actually ordered enough of the Pfizer in the first place, if we'd be in a different position now...ps watch Denmark - they've just removed their COVID restrictions at 60% vaxxed. That might give us some hope for seeing an end in sight...#Allseasons
ReplyDeleteSorry to get all political - I'm just cranky and jack of it. And haven't had my second coffee.
DeleteNick - everything you wrote is true of the US as well, sad to say. We got vaccinated as soon as we could, and it is so discouraging to be affected by the decisions of others in the name of "freedom". We would have been past this by now if people had made different choices. I am glad you shared your views - unless we speak out, things cannot change. I appreciate you linking to Mosaic Monday!
ReplyDeleteAs Angie said, we have similar problems in the USA. Not on lockdown again yet but many places are requiring masks.
ReplyDelete