The Reality of Living in Australia and Covid

[fxykty]

Omicron has infiltrated into SE Queensland - as we do our final provisioning run today I really hope we don’t inadvertently wander into a hotspot. We really don’t want to have to do quarantine on entry to Tasmania!

[JPA Cate]

If you're in touch with public health here in Tassie BEFORE you leave QLD, you can probably avoid quarantine here. It will help if you've had the booster to your double vaccinations. Pharmacies are offering them now, at least down here in Tassie. Oh, and you'll have done part of your "home" quarantine, on the trip down, if it were non-stop. Whether or not they'll consider that, is more likely if there is an e-mail trail.

Ann

PS. Some friends of ours arranged this a.m. to get their boosters today through public health. The process requires an Australian medicare number. Boosters are available here too.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

If you're in touch with public health here in Tassie BEFORE you leave QLD, you can probably avoid quarantine here. It will help if you've had the booster to your double vaccinations. Pharmacies are offering them now, at least down here in Tassie. Oh, and you'll have done part of your "home" quarantine, on the trip down, if it were non-stop. Whether or not they'll consider that, is more likely if there is an e-mail trail.

Ann

PS. Some friends of ours arranged this a.m. to get their boosters today through public health; so boosters are available here too.

Tassie booster info here https://www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/v...-primary-doses

AFAIK, it is somewhat difficult to get a booster until after 5 months of second vac date.

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Tassie booster info here https://www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/v...-primary-doses

AFAIK, it is somewhat difficult to get a booster until after 5 months of second vac date.

Too right, Wottie. Five months for most everybody.

However, with hospitals being so affected in the US (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/17/u...s-omicron.html), one can only wonder what the Omicron variant will bring to Oz health care facilities.

When you're already stretched, there's a limit to how much more you can take.

Ann

[ChrisJHC]

QLD is currently listed as low risk for entry to TAS.
Consequently you only have to register and there is no requirement for a test before departing QLD.
(Assuming you’re double-vaxxed of course).

[GILow]

Originally Posted by fxykty

Omicron has infiltrated into SE Queensland - as we do our final provisioning run today I really hope we don’t inadvertently wander into a hotspot. We really don’t want to have to do quarantine on entry to Tasmania!

As Ann has suggested, get in contact with Bio Security Tasmania. They were incredibly helpful on my trip to Tassie during lockdown.

They completely understand what is involved in sailing to the island and had all sorts of sensible and varied options for me to manage my compliance.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Tassie booster info here https://www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/v...-primary-doses



AFAIK, it is somewhat difficult to get a booster until after 5 months of second vac date.

I managed five months and one day.

But it was much more fun getting my second jab in Hobart where I got to sail into Con Dock for my shot. In Adelaide I had to walk 200 meters to the Showgrounds. Boring.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

... However, with hospitals being so affected in the US (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/17/u...s-omicron.html), one can only wonder what the Omicron variant will bring to Oz health care facilities.
When you're already stretched, there's a limit to how much more you can take.
Ann

Indeed.
Scientists emphasize that a rapidly spreading variant could dangerously strain health-care systems, even if the risk of severe disease or death is relatively low, for any individual.
“A small fraction of a very large number is still a large number.”

[Alan Mighty]

Originally Posted by fxykty

Omicron has infiltrated into SE Queensland - as we do our final provisioning run today I really hope we don’t inadvertently wander into a hotspot. We really don’t want to have to do quarantine on entry to Tasmania!

Understood. I think one of the unspoken dangers for a cruiser on a voyage is that of becoming a 'close contact' through a provisioning foray or some other incidental on-shore activity.

QLD has fairly tough rules for 'close contacts', compared to many states:

https://www.mamamia.com.au/close-contact-rules/

[laird]

With regard to a booster jab ,here in the UK we have dropped the gap between jabs from 6 months to 3 months ,boosters are now being administered from local pharmacy s ,medical centers , and other specially set up places .
It's the population centers where Omicron is hitting like a tidal wave ,with all that open space you have in Oz you are a lot safer

[GILow]

Originally Posted by laird

….with all that open space you have in Oz you are a lot safer

Sort of. It seems to vary a lot from city to city. All kinds of interesting theories surrounding why.

Never been a more interesting time to be a demographer, you are practically guaranteed a dinner-date with an epidemiologist if you want one.

(I’ve gone out with both, the epidemiologist was more fun.)

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by laird

...
It's the population centers where Omicron is hitting like a tidal wave ,with all that open space you have in Oz you are a lot safer

We have a bit of this and a bit of that.
The majority of our cases have been in our two major cities, and in those two cities it has mainly been in suburbs with high density housing and multi generations in the same household.
Case in point - youngest child brings it home from childcare, both parents end up in ICU.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/v....html#comments

Something like 2/3rds or more of our current 'hotspots' involve schools.

On the other hand out bush - beyond the black stump - we have a lot of undervaccinated indigenous communities in NT, western NSW, and northern WA where people live in crowded housing and have a lot of poor health issues already. Despite the wide open spaces surrounding them those communities are very vulnerable.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by laird

.........
It's the population centers where Omicron is hitting like a tidal wave ,with all that open space you have in Oz you are a lot safer

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

We have a bit of this and a bit of that.
The majority of our cases have been in our two major cities, and in those two cities it has mainly been in suburbs with high density housing and multi generations in the same household.
Case in point - youngest child brings it home from childcare, both parents end up in ICU.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/v....html#comments

Something like 2/3rds or more of our current 'hotspots' involve schools.

On the other hand out bush - beyond the black stump - we have a lot of undervaccinated indigenous communities in NT, western NSW, and northern WA where people live in crowded housing and have a lot of poor health issues already. Despite the wide open spaces surrounding them those communities are very vulnerable.

Funny mob, those Aussies. All that wide open space yet we are one of the most urbanised society around. Most live within 50k of the water along the east coast.

Not that the virus cares 'cause it travels around by hitching a ride in the human respiratory system and like elsewhere, Aussies mix and mingle with other Aussies even if we have to travel vast distances to do so.

The pollies all (but one) decided to let us roam around visiting friends and family over the long Christmas summer holidays by removing border restraints. We took off like greased lightning. Of course they announced this pre-omicron and weren't willing to make any changes when omicron turned up. We now have all our eggs in one basket and have bet the farm on omicron being a 'mild variant'. If it turns out to be as nasty as delta, it isn't going to end well and regardless of fault, there is a fella from marketing who will be looking for a new job by next easter.

The hermit kingdom (perhaps wisely) are keeping their border fairly tight until after the school holidays end in late January.

[RaymondR]

Is it my decaying old memory or was the excuse for all the restrictions placed on our freedom of movement a need to "flatten the curve" so that the health system did not become overloaded?

Well the buggers have now had two years or so to get the health system in shape and they are still going overboard with the restrictions.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

Is it my decaying old memory or was the excuse for all the restrictions placed on our freedom of movement a need to "flatten the curve" so that the health system did not become overloaded?

Well the buggers have now had two years or so to get the health system in shape and they are still going overboard with the restrictions.

Do you really believe that?

Seems pretty much open go if you are vaxxed

You can see every rule and restriction in Australia on this one site
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/covi...face-masks/qld