Covid-19 Update for Victoria (July 11 2020)

Today's update for Covid-19 in my state & local area. For those who weren't aware I live in Baw Baw Shire in Eastern Victoria. Sadly Greater Melbourne is currently in it's second wave.


🦠Gippsland Covid-19 July 11 update🦠

• Gippsland has four active cases of Covid-19, with another case diagnosed today in the Baw Baw shire. Authorities have recorded two active cases in Baw Baw, one in South Gippsland and one in East Gippsland.

• Victoria has recorded 3,560 cases of coronavirus with 216 new cases reported today. To date, 23 people have died from coronavirus in Victoria. 535 cases may indicate community transmission. There are currently 1,249 active cases in Victoria. There are 49 people in hospital, and 15 patients in intensive care.

• The cumulative number of cases in Gippsland is 41: Wellington (13), Latrobe (9), Baw Baw (7), South Gippsland (6), Bass Coast (4), East Gippsland (2). Wellington’s total cases increased to 13 today, with all cases listed as recovered.

• A staff member at West Gippsland Healthcare Group has tested positive to Coronavirus. The employee has not been at work since last Saturday, July 4. Chief executive officer Dan Weeks said all visitors and staff at the Warragul hospital site on Landsborough Street need to wear a mask.

• The Victorian Government has reimposed stage three restrictions for six weeks in metropolitan Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire.

• The advice for people in Gippsland is to “Stay safe.”
  Gippslanders can leave their house for all purposes, but should work from home if they can, and the same goes for higher education.

• Gippslanders cannot enter restricted areas except for necessary purposes including sourcing necessary goods or services; work and education if necessary; medical care or compassionate reasons. Exemptions include visiting a person with whom you are in an intimate personal relationship.

• Victoria has decided to delay plans that would allow regional Victorians to resume full-contact training and competition for people aged 19 and over. Full-contact training was scheduled to resume on Monday 13 July, with full-contact competition set to return on 20 July. However, with a significant increase in coronavirus cases in Melbourne, and active cases in a number of many regional communities, the Chief Health Officer has determined that community sport in regional Victoria must remain non-contact.

• Police are taking a common sense approach to issuing fines for breaching the lockdown, including entering a restricted area. You can drive through Melbourne, but travellers should aim to fill up with fuel before entering the restricted area. If you do fill up, try to use gloves or hand sanitiser and practice social distancing.

• V/Line trains on the Gippsland line are running as normal and Victoria Police will enforce the restrictions about people entering from locked down areas.

• Victoria's ski season has been put on hold after the closure of ski lifts at two of the state's major resorts. Vail Resorts, which operates lifts at Mount Hotham and Falls Creek, say it's suspending operations until at least August the 19th. The company says it made the decision after the reintroduction of stage three restrictions in Melbourne and the closure of the New South Wales border.

• There has been no change to the way businesses outside of metropolitan Melbourne can operate, except that businesses now need to check identification as part of record requirements and refuse service to those who reside in metropolitan Melbourne or Mitchell Shire LGA.

• Schools will start term three with face-to-face learning in Gippsland as planned, on Monday, July 13

• The border between NSW and Victoria has closed. To travel from Victorian into NSW you need a permit. The only people not required to have a border permit are emergency service and law enforcement workers and people "entering NSW to avoid injury or escape a risk of harm".

• There are 11 permit categories which include, but is not limited to a NSW resident returning home, a resident living within 50 kilometres of the NSW border, a carer or someone applying on compassionate grounds. Included in the list of eligible persons are seasonal workers (such as backpackers), students or their guardians accompanying them, consular officials and a member of Parliament or their staff. The permit will last 14 days after it is granted, although for people who live in border communities the permit will last for the duration of the border closure.

• Victorians travelling in NSW will be allowed to return home and don’t need to apply for a permit. People who are travelling from NSW into Victoria won’t be stopped.

• Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton says social distancing is crucial. " “This virus is not selective - it will impact anyone it encounters, and personal contact is the clear source of its transmission.”

• 🧪 COVID-19 testing is based on the clinical symptoms which include any fever, chills or breathing problems, specifically cough, sore throat or shortness of breath.

•  If you suspect you may have coronavirus call the dedicated hotline: 1800 675 398.

Covid-19 Stats for Australia as of April 22

It's good to see that there are a lot of people who have recovered. I was getting very tired of just hearing the bad news. A little bit of positive news goes a long way at the moment.

Just So I Don't Forget

Just so I never forget what it was like during the Covid-19 pandemic .....13th of April 2020

Scott Morrison is the Prime Minister of Australia.
Daniel Andrews is the Premier of Victoria.
Petrol price is at 90 cents / litre.
Schools cancelled.
Australia closed its borders to the world.
Western Australia closed its borders to the rest of Australia on Sunday 5/4/2020 at 11:59pm.
West Australians cannot travel between territories. Can’t travel down south and up north.
Easter holidays to be spent in your home.
Self-distancing measures on the rise.
Tape on the floors at shops to help distance shoppers (1.5m) from each other.
Limited number of people inside shops, therefore, lineups outside the doors.
Non-essential shops and businesses starting to close.
Pubs, theatres, restaurants are closed.
Entire sports seasons cancelled.
Concerts, tours, festivals, entertainment events - cancelled.
Weddings, family celebrations, holiday gatherings - cancelled.
Churches are closed.
Don't socialise with anyone outside of your home.
Children's outdoor play parks are closed.
We are to distance from each other.
Shortage of masks, gowns, gloves for our front-line workers.
Shortage of ventilators for the critically ill.
Panic buying sets in and we have no toilet paper, no disinfecting supplies, no paper towels, no laundry soap, no hand sanitiser.
Bread, pasta, flour, eggs, chicken and chopped tomatoes are in limited supply.
Shelves are bare.
Manufacturers, distilleries and other businesses switch their lines to help make visors, masks, hand sanitiser and PPE.
All non-essential travel banned.
Fines are established for breaking the rules. Police patrolling the streets.
Arenas open up for the overflow of Covid-19 patients.
Press conferences daily from the government.
The government throws money at businesses to try to keep the economy from imploding. Grants and loans. Some governments to pay 80% of employees wages where businesses cannot continue to do so.
Daily updates on new cases and deaths.
Only 10 people can attend wakes or funerals and barely anyone is allowed at the graveside.
Barely anyone on the roads.
People wearing masks and gloves outside.
Essential key workers are terrified to go to work.
Medical field workers are afraid to go home to their families.

This is the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic, declared March 11th, 2020.

We have so much!
Be thankful. Be grateful.
Be kind to each other - love one another - support everyone.

Australia's Pandemic Stats

I deliberately haven't mentioned all that much about Covi-19 but I thought I would share the stats for Australia. These statistics were accurate as of 15:00 yesterday, Thursday April 9.

It's heart breaking seeing what is happening around the world. It's gotten to the point where I no longer want to watch the news unless it is for the weather report.

When I do see the news and it mentions the coronavirus I just want to hear about how many have recovered rather than just hearing how many are infected.

You can find stat updates for Australia HERE and Global updates HERE

Stay safe. Stay home.

Covid-19: We've Gone Mad! Stupid Panic Buyers

I've not written a proper blog post in what seems like forever. Things have been so crazy around the world with this Covid-19. 

Australia has been going bonkers for the last 5 weeks. People have been panic buying EVERYTHING from toilet paper, paper towel, tissues, kitty litter, tinned foods, 2 minute noodles, pasta, fresh fruit and veg to toiletries, washing liquid/powder and chocolate.

It is believe that the panic buying began with the same people who stockpile the baby formula to send to China. They possible are the same ones buying all the toilet paper to begin with to send back to China. Which of course started all the panic here with the ordinary Australian buying stuff because they were afraid they will miss out.

^^ That is the margarine & butter section in my local supermarket^^

^^ The soft drink aisle ^^

^^ My chocolate aisle ^^ 

Although that may be a good thing. I might lose a kilo or two (o_0)  if I can't buy it

If the supermarket hasn't run out of it they have hiked the price up!! Four weeks ago this same variety of lettuce cost $3
It's not like they aren't making money from us. The supermarkets say it is because of demand. Except it seems no one is buying things like this lettuce due to it's outrageous cost.

I live in a country town of around 10,000 people. Not all that big really when you come to think of it. We have two supermarkets which caters for the surrounding farm area. We're a dairy region. A thing that I love about this part of West Gippsland.

What really, REALLY annoys me at this moment in time are the people who drive up from Melbourne (probably the outer suburbs) and completely WIPE out our supermarkets of necessities.  It is ridiculous, shameful and downright disgraceful. 

SO many people here are missing out on toilet paper and tissues. The aged pensioners and the disabled are being pushed out of the way so more able-bodied people can get to it first. Those that are on fixed, low incomes who can only shop once a fortnight can't get what they need for their families. By the time they make it to the store it's all gone.

I am however, grateful that the big chains of supermarkets here have brought in what is called a community hour. Between 7 am - 8 am those with seniors cars, pensioners or the disabled can go to the shops and get what they need. After 8 am everyone else is able to shop.

Beginning tomorrow on a Thursday and a Tuesday, Coles, is using that same community hour for those in health care professions to do their shopping. All they need to do is either be in uniform, have their work ID or their card that said they are a healthcare worker.
I think it is a fantastic idea but I know that a lot of workers begin their shifts at 6 am. Although it is nice for them to know that they are thought of. At least that is something.

We have restrictions on the amounts of things we can purchase depending on which supermarket you go to. Some have a limit of two items others have a limit of 1. It also depends on what you are trying to purchase. I am just hoping for that day when we can go to the supermarket and buy toilet rolls. I have not seen any in the shops for at least 4 weeks. Thank goodness hubby saw a pack and bought it for us. 

The world has gone mad!