The Reality of Living in Australia and Covid

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by fxykty

We just left Tasmania (Deal Island) two days ago. Tasmania still required check ins to stores and other venues (indoor and out), masks to be worn indoors and 1.5m distancing. We heard on the news that mandatory check ins would stop soon (or already?).

We arrived in NSW (Eden) yesterday. There were still check in signs visible in some stores and we saw two people (out of about 200) wearing masks going into a store. But as far as we could tell, there was no one asking for nor enforcing check ins or masks or 1.5m distancing in the variety of businesses that we entered. Is that now the case in NSW? If so, viva libertade!

Latest from NSW here
https://www.nsw.gov.au/media-release...id-19-settings
Much the same in Vic I think.

[El Pinguino]

Latest Vic stuff
https://www.racv.com.au/royalauto/ne...explained.html

I'm still wearing a mask in supermarkets - buggered if I want to get crook if I can help it.

You really are dealing with 'the great unwashed' in those places.

[Alan Mighty]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

Back in the water now
Enjoying the torrential rains and howling winds (not really) at an anchorage on the Broadwater
Small mercy is ***** weather is keeping jetskis and rivieras at home.

Glad to hear you and vessel are safely back in the water, Simi60.

The Brisbane River catchment area (and likely soon the Logan River catchment) is having a significant event.

Boats and pontoons (and boats still tied to pontoons) are being ripped away from the shore of the Brisbane River by flood waters in the Brisbane R.

Debris is littering the rivers and streams, starting with the Caboolture River in the north, flowing into Moreton Bay. So the Moreton B will very likely again be littered with everything from floating pontoons and logs to a big mob of single use plastics.

Here on the Redcliffe Peninsula, we've seen roads cut (and electric power too). At Scarborough Beach Park, between Scarborough Village and the beach of Moreton B, two of the giant Norfolk Island Pines have toppled (wind pressure being greater than the anchor force from the sodden soil). A sinkhole has formed in Scarborough Beach Park, swallowing a picnic table and benches.

I've heard of at least one apartment building on Landsborough Avenue preparing its residents for evacuation.

[Alan Mighty]

Originally Posted by Alan Mighty

The Brisbane River catchment area (and likely soon the Logan River catchment) is having a significant event.

Boats and pontoons (and boats still tied to pontoons) are being ripped away from the shore of the Brisbane River by flood waters in the Brisbane R.

See: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/nat...27-p5a00m.html

https://inqld.com.au/news/2022/02/25...peak-says-bom/

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by fxykty

We just left Tasmania (Deal Island) two days ago. Tasmania still required check ins to stores and other venues (indoor and out), masks to be worn indoors and 1.5m distancing. We heard on the news that mandatory check ins would stop soon (or already?).
...........

Yep, mandatory check ins now history in Tassie except for a some special high number venues - dunno what they are as I don't do the places with a 1000 others. Masks are supposed to go soon. Current case numbers are mostly in schools, don't do them either.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Yep, mandatory check ins now history in Tassie except for a some special high number venues - dunno what they are as I don't do the places with a 1000 others. Masks are supposed to go soon. Current case numbers are mostly in schools, don't do them either.

Mainly old pharts - and employees - wearing masks in Woolies now.

[Uncle Bob]

On a different tack, I see that Schomo has surprisingly backtracked on his pledge to only supply non lethal aid to Ukraine, now it is lethal aid through our partners the US and UK. What a surprise if only he was honest at the outset we would all know just where Australia stands.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

On a different tack, I see that Schomo has surprisingly backtracked on his pledge to only supply non lethal aid to Ukraine, now it is lethal aid through our partners the US and UK. What a surprise if only he was honest at the outset we would all know just where Australia stands.

I'm wondering when he will gives us a date for the election. Must be waiting for a 'look at me - how good am I ' moment that I don't think is coming anytime soon.

[HankOnthewater]

Originally Posted by fxykty

........ Is that now the case in NSW? If so, viva libertade!

Yes it is, hardly any mask wearing is mandated, but......between 5000 and 9000 new cases each day last week (in NSW) and that is only reported cases. It all depends you lucky you feel.
here are the official state rules: https://www.nsw.gov.au/media-release...id-19-settings

[Alan Mighty]

At 13 March, the populations of all port towns and cities in QLD were/remain infected with Covid-19, as shown by analysis of wastewater/sewage.

See: https://www.qld.gov.au/health/condit...tus/wastewater

In the aftermath of the recent floods, efforts to remove submerged debris from the lower reaches of the Brisbane River and to repair and replace damaged Aids to Navigation continue.

See: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/nat...13-p5a46w.html

[Alan Mighty]

Experts reckon the second peak of the Omicron infection, by which they mean the peak caused by the BA.2 sub-variant following the peak of the BA.1 sub-variant, will likely be experienced in the populations of ports in NSW and VIC in mid-April or late-April.

The QLD ports visited by cruisers will likely have a BA.2 peak some weeks later than in NSW (which as ever strives to be first).

Just in time for the BA.2 peak either to disrupt the Aus federal election or for attendance at polling booths to be a superspreader event. Bewdy!

See: https://www.afr.com/policy/health-an...0220313-p5a48l

[El Pinguino]

Covid would appear to still have novelty value in Queensland. Next thing you know they will be discovering urine or drugs or whatever in the wastewater .
Having banished covid from the front pages we now have a new bogeyman down here - Japanese encephelitis (sp).

Meanwhile the sooner they get rid of 'testing before flying' the better. A story in the 'Traveller' section of the Melbourne Age a few days ago. Some poor bloke had arrived from where ever and needed a rapid test before next leg of journey. Tested positive a 1000 miles from home, couldn't board aircraft, couldn't book into a hotel, tried phoning Dept of Health ( NSW) and they had no answer and could not care less.

So a week before you fly anywhere best you go the 'full hermit' and move into a tent - but not down by the river cos the mozzies will get you.

[Alan Mighty]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Having banished covid from the front pages we now have a new bogeyman down here - Japanese encephelitis (sp).

Do you live near a pig farm, Ping? Or wet lands with lots of wild birds? Any mossies?

Japanese encephalitis is one of those diseases named before the WHO came up with the principle of not naming a disease after an economy, nation, or ethnic group. It's a zoonotic disease found among pigs and wild birds, vectored to humans by mosquitoes such as the Culex genus mossies. Quite a high Case Fatality Rate (whereas the CFR of Covid-19 looks like about 4% in some economies and significantly lower in developed economies with excellent health systems that can deliver repeated vaccination, drugs, and good ICU support).

You'll have noted that I only posted the epidemiological model for Omicron including the BA.2 sub-variant for NSW. I'm sure you'll watch with interest to see if the BA.2 peak in NSW is as tall as the peak of BA.1 was.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Alan Mighty

Do you live near a pig farm, Ping? Or wet lands with lots of wild birds? Any mossies?

Japanese encephalitis is one of those diseases named before the WHO came up with the principle of not naming a disease after an economy, nation, or ethnic group. It's a zoonotic disease found among pigs and wild birds, vectored to humans by mosquitoes such as the Culex genus mossies. Quite a high Case Fatality Rate (whereas the CFR of Covid-19 looks like about 4% in some economies and significantly lower in developed economies with excellent health systems that can deliver repeated vaccination, drugs, and good ICU support).

You'll have noted that I only posted the epidemiological model for Omicron including the BA.2 sub-variant for NSW. I'm sure you'll watch with interest to see if the BA.2 peak in NSW is as tall as the peak of BA.1 was.

For the first three questions the answers are Yes, Yes, and Yes.
OK so the Southern Hemisphere's biggest piggery is just over the river just north of Corowa, maybe 40 minutes drive away.

Back in the dream time in the last 'big wet' about 73/74 was when the first encephalitis outbreak turned up in 'straya.
At that time I was living in a humpy on the banks of the Murray close north of Barny up by Brown's Plains - the high river would be audible - maybe 5 metres beyond and 10 metres below the outback dunny. We were on what was known as the 3rd levee.

Everybody in the area was tested - I was positive but asymptomatic.
As I recall they also had a chook blood testing regime to look for outbreaks.

Turned up later as 'Ross River Fever'.

So no , not losing sleep over it.

[GordMay]

Japanese encephalitis virus [JEV] is a flavivirus related to dengue, yellow fever and West Nile viruses, and is spread by mosquitoes.
JEV is the main cause of viral encephalitis in many countries of Asia with an estimated 68,000 clinical cases every year [mostly children], with approximately 13,600 to 20,400 deaths.

Although symptomatic Japanese encephalitis (JE) is rare, the case-fatality rate among those with encephalitis can be as high as 30%. Permanent neurologic or psychiatric sequelae can occur in 30%–50% of those with encephalitis.
24 countries in the WHO South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions have JEV transmission risk, which includes more than 3 billion people.

There are 4 main types of JE vaccines currently in use: inactivated mouse brain-derived vaccines, inactivated Vero cell-derived vaccines, live attenuated vaccines, and live recombinant (chimeric) vaccines.

Over the past years, the live attenuated SA14-14-2 vaccine manufactured in China has become the most widely used vaccine in endemic countries, and it was prequalified by WHO in October 2013. Cell-culture based inactivated vaccines and the live recombinant vaccine based on the yellow fever vaccine strain have also been licensed and WHO-prequalified. In November 2013, Gavi opened a funding window to support JE vaccination campaigns in eligible countries.
Japanese encephalitis [JE/JEV] vaccines are more than 90% effective. The duration of protection with the vaccine is not clear. but its effectiveness appears to decrease over time.

There are 2 JEV vaccines are registered for use in Australia:
Imojev [Sanofi] is a live attenuated vaccine. This means it contains a weakened version of the live JE virus. It is given as a single dose and recommended for use in people aged 9 months and over.
Jespect Espect [Seqirus] is an inactivated vaccine. Jespect is given as 2 doses, either 28 days apart, or 7 days apart in adults if they are at risk of immediate exposure to the virus. It is recommended for use in people aged 2 months and over. People who have a weakened immune system (immunocompromised) or pregnant people can receive this vaccine.
➥ https://www.health.gov.au/health-ale...s-jev/vaccines
Inactivated Vero cell culture-derived Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccine (manufactured as IXIARO*) is the only JE vaccine licensed and available in the United States.

This vaccine was approved in March 2009 for use in people aged 17 years and older and in May 2013 for use in children 2 months through 16 years of age.
Other JE vaccines are manufactured and used in other countries but are not licensed for use in the United States.
➥ https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis.../je-ixiaro.pdf