Australia warns coronairus outbreak will take weeks to tame

[webfact]

Australia warns coronairus outbreak will take weeks to tame

By Colin Packham

 

FILE PHOTO: A sanitation worker cleans a bench outside the single remaining public housing tower under a lockdown in response to an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Melbourne, Australia July 10, 2020. REUTERS/Sandra Sanders

 

SYDNEY (Reuters) - A surge in COVID-19 cases in Australia's second-biggest city could take weeks to subside despite a lockdown and orders to wear masks, Australia's acting chief medical officer said on Monday as the country braces for a second wave of infection.

 

The respiratory disease caused by the novel coronairus flared up in Victoria state in July, mainly in Melbourne, with a daily record of 438 new cases detected on Friday.

 

Victoria's government has ordered about five million people into a partial lockdown for six weeks and told residents around Melbourne to cover their faces if they have to leave their homes.

 

Australia's Acting Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said it would take "weeks" to slow the outbreak to levels seen as recently as June, when Victoria and the rest of Australia reported single or double-digit daily infections.

 

"We have learned over time that the time between introducing a measure and seeing its effect is at least two weeks and sometimes longer than that," Kelly told Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio.

 

Australia has recorded about 11,800 coronavirus cases, a fraction of what has been seen in other countries, and the disease has been effectively eliminated from most states.

 

But the Victorian outbreak and rising daily cases in neighbouring New South Wales, the country's most-populous state, are stoking fears of a national second wave.

 

NSW reported 18 new infections on Sunday, its highest in three months. The transmission rate in the state is higher than in Victoria, despite social distancing restrictions being tightened.

 

NSW authorities have been unable to trace some of the clusters and state authorities have urged people to avoid unnecessary travel and public transport.

 

Should NSW be forced to implement new restrictions, it would be a hammer blow to Australia's hopes for a quick economic recovery. Already, Australia is facing its first recession in nearly three decades, with unemployment at a 22-year high.

 

(Reporting by Colin Packham; Editing by Stephen Coates)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-07-20

 

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[ezzra]

Stupid Aussies rise up against masks.... It has taken less than a day for resistance to rise up against Victoria’s new mandatory face mask laws.

Five million Victorians in the state’s locked-down zones will be made to wear a mask when they head outside from Thursday. Anybody caught outside without a mask would face a $200 fine.

Residents in NSW are also being asked to wear masks if they are out in public and cannot socially distance as the number of coronavirus cases in the state increases.

However, just 24 hours after the rules were announced, it already appears masks and face coverings have struck a nerve with some.

One Melburnian told the Today show he wouldn’t be wearing a mask and would refuse to pay the fine if he got one.

“Absolutely not. They would have to take me to court and I still wouldn’t pay it,” he added.

He is not alone in his sentiment. Social media has been bombarded with angry messages from Aussies who say they will defy the rule and some who even say they believe it is part of a global conspiracy.

 

“Where is our civil liberties? I guess they don’t exist no more,” wrote one Victorian on Twitter.

“This is one of those times that civil disobedience becomes mandatory,” wrote another.

Aside from a political stance against a perceived loss of freedom, it’s clear some Victorians think wearing masks won’t stop the spread of COVID-19.

“Like a good citizen, I’ve stayed home. I’m more than willing to wear a mask publicly indoors but I take my kids for a walk/bike to the park once a day for “FRESH AIR” to relieve some anxiety and stress at government shambles, now he takes the air we breathe?” wrote one Victorian on Twitter.

“Mandatory masks is ridiculous! If they don’t specify a standard of mask (a type that might actually work) & say any face covering (most of which even the scientists say are useless) then how is this anything other than political to create fear inspired compliance of other rules,” wrote another.

It has also not taken long for conspiracy theorists to attack the move as an alleged money-making scheme for Chinese mask manufacturers. Some even made a wild and unsubstantiated claim that Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is somehow making money from the rules.

“Most masks are from China = Dan Andrews enforces masks = Keeps his Chinese paymasters happy. Join the dots,” one conspiracy theorist wrote on Twitter...

 

from Australia News.com

[pegman]

How about civil responsible? Lock them up until they agree to comply. 

[innosiem]

remember at the start when gov's said 
it would only be for 30 days................????‍♂️

[cantata]

59 minutes ago, ezzra said:

“Mandatory masks is ridiculous! If they don’t specify a standard of mask (a type that might actually work) & say any face covering (most of which even the scientists say are useless) then how is this anything other than political to create fear inspired compliance of other rules,” wrote another.

 

from Australia News.com

This assertion from the party reported on is false. 

[geriatrickid]

This is what awaits North America, the EU and especially the UK November onwards, unless the current infections are eliminated and social distancing and mask wearing not enforced.  

[Krataiboy]

The virus will run its course, as have its predecessors. Neither lockdowns nor masks will make much difference in the end.

 

Most people who do not have either natural or acquired immunity will likely get the bug. The vast majority will have only mild or no symptoms and make a full recovery.

 

The main priority for Victorians should be to protect the physically vulnerable, and in particular the elderly in care homes, a high risk group who account for between half and three quarters of COVID deaths.

 

The young should get on with their lives and help ensure the economy is strong enough to bounce back when the pandemic has past.

 

One day, we will look back to 2020 in horror as the year the world went completely off its head.

Edited July 20, 2020 by Krataiboy

[Sujo]

5 minutes ago, Krataiboy said:

The virus will run its course, as have its predecessors. Neither lockdowns nor masks will make much difference in the end.

 

Most people who do not have either natural or acquired will likely get the bug. The vast majority will have only mild or no symptoms and make a full recovery.

 

The major priority should be to protect the physically vulnerable, and in particular the elderly in care homes who account for between half and three quarters of deaths worldwide.

 

One day, the the world will look back to 2020 in horror as the year the world went completely off its head.

Correct. Protect the vulnerable. Wear a mask.

[GreasyFingers]

The quoted people are from Victoria, the low life of Australia. Why would you live in the worst climate the country has to offer.

[utalkin2me]

It was predicted months ago... Australia being one of the biggest losers as they have firm lockdown restrictions yet all they are doing is delaying the inevitable and causing more damage. 

 

I don't know when the people who are making the decisions are going to start listening to the scientists who get everything right. It looks like never. 

[ncc1701d]

Victoria. Ground zero for the dumbing down of Australia.

[impulse]

1 hour ago, GreasyFingers said:

The quoted people are from Victoria, the low life of Australia. Why would you live in the worst climate the country has to offer.

 

Mostly, it's because that's where their paychecks get mailed...

 

[tifino]

if only he had been more like his (almost)namesake (Dana Andrews)

 - and then become more of a severely self doubting but 'quiet' achiever 

 

local Melbourne television has become more like

 - watching scheduled kim jong uan telecast

 - on NthK TV kim jong uan via wwitv kim jong uan

 

Channel 7 morning telly will never be the same...

Edited July 20, 2020 by tifino

[jaiyen]

People were complaining about WA border lockdown but the figures tell the truth. McGowan was brave enough to stand up to the PM and the other idiots over east and now they are all jealous of what we have here in Perth. Who is the clever state now ?

[rott]

I don't like repeating long posts but ezzra speaks of wearing masks "publicly indoors" and syduan refers to people as sheeple. Carry on troops. 

[theoldgit]

Nonsense post and quoted response removed.