News Impact of COVID-19 on season 2020 and beyond

[Snuffaluphagus]

In listening to the PMs conference this morning, I don't think he was specifically hinting at stopping testing; at one point he passed over to the Chief Medical Officer who said that they would manufacture some kits to supplement the supply.

He was also questioned on why the entire cabinet had not been tested; he replied that they were seeking medical advice all the time (and that he was having regular checkups including yesterday evening), and that some had been tested because they had been advised to.

Thanks for clarifying, good news

 

[wayToGo_]

In listening to the PMs conference this morning, I don't think he was specifically hinting at stopping testing; at one point he passed over to the Chief Medical Officer who said that they would manufacture some kits to supplement the supply.

He was also questioned on why the entire cabinet had not been tested; he replied that they were seeking medical advice all the time (and that he was having regular checkups including yesterday evening), and that some had been tested because they had been advised to.

It was Roger Cook (WA Health Minister) who said it yesterday. Something like "...we will soon move to the 'treatment' phase and testing will stop...". Was a strange thing to say given what WHO were saying at exactly the same time. I'm sure they would have reassessed it already given the discrepancy.

 

[wayToGo_]

Something more footy related... Optus Stadium has put its hand up to host the 2020 AFL Grand Final

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Something more footy related... Optus Stadium has put its hand up to host the 2020 AFL Grand Final

Given our numbers compared to everyone else, you'd have to think that's a legit chance as well...

 

[Fred Ziffel]

lmao the hysteria is insane right now.

Yeah, ****ing hilarious.
What about the poor bastards in the air already? They arrive and have to go straight back .
We are ruining lives.
I am in Thailand and due to fly back to Perth via Kuala Lumpur; that is until the Malaysia government closed borders.
I could wait the ban out but the crazy campaigners in Canberra could do the same thing at any ****ing moment.
So they pre-prepare Australian citizens by saying get back to Australia now.....at any price.
So I just brought my return forward at triple the price.
Either this pissant influenza virus variant and that’s all this thing is will get us or the government will **** us instead.

 

[Monument Hills]

It's good to see the messaging and action from our governments becoming more clear and targeted today. Things that some of us knew (from the data) from a few days ago are now part of today's latest messaging from the PM and Premier so hopefully that will mean less panic in our community.

• Closing schools would have a massive negative impact by 30% of the health care workforce being unable to work - likely resulting in a lot of deaths (covid-19 isn't the only thing people are fighting in hospitals etc)
• Increased risk to grandparents if they have to look after kids that aren't attending school
• The virus affects children quite differently to influenza and other respiratory diseases
• It is not yet known if children can transmit the disease - it doesn't seem so as it hasn't been spreading like the flu does with kids
• The current massive absentee rates of children because parents are worried is as crazy as people thinking they know better than public health experts and choosing not to vaccinate
• People 60+ and with compromised immune systems are almost exclusively at high risk with covid-19
• Locking down or reduced access to aged care facilities will protect a large proportion of our most vulnerable - no overseas travellers allowed, two visitor limit at a time and no children except in specific circumstances (eg palliative care) makes a lot of sense
• We need more health workers - there has been a great response to the call in WA which is good news
• Closing the WA border would stop access to critical things WA needs - stopping non-essential interstate travel similarly reduces the risk but without blocking vital medicines etc coming in
• If the isolation of those coming in to Australia had happened earlier we'd have likely had almost no community transmission cases across Australia - our risk now is the cases that came in before that measure was put in place - crossing fingers we did it in time to slow it down
• Social distancing will slow the spread. Shutting things down doesn't necessarily stop it spreading, it often just shifts it. Isolation works and may seem extreme but it's effective and some industries are smart to consider it as an option (so long as it is a choice for people - eg AFL).

I still feel strongly we should have moved to produce our own test kits rather than relying on importing them. Unfortunately we didn't but we should be finding a way to expand the testing anyway (WHO's current motto is "test, test and test some more"). I am a bit concerned that yesterday Roger Cook hinted at stopping testing - I think that would be a very dumb move - hopefully he's changed his mind - you can't fight something if you can't see it.

There's a long journey ahead but for the most part I think Australia is being pretty sensible with how it is tackling it.

100%. And I would add:
- testing has been restricted because we have been short of a reagent (usually obtained from China) used in collecting viral particles from testing swabs (head of emergency medicine Charlies). Hopefully the new shipment just arrived means we have a whole lot more of it now.
- “Claims we can just lock everything down for a month, including schools, and we will then be fine – that is not how (the spread of a virus works),” Dr Andrew Robertson (WA Chief Health Officer) said.
- many kids (est. at 7500 in Aust.) receive their lunch at school and that is in many cases their only proper meal that day as they come from 'difficult situations' at home; for others school provides a safe zone from other home issues - drug affected parents, abuse, etc.; many teenagers won't just sit at home but will be out and about regardless of how people think their parent's should restrict their movement; and many people will have to take youngsters to the shops while they wait in long lines in busy shops like Coles and Woolies trying to get their groceries; and as WTG said, for many, it's the aging grandparents who will have to help out kids at home - all in all, you can see why they would rather 'isolate' the well kids together at school, regardless of continued learning.
- Also, I was in Italy last year and one thing that may be forgotten when people compare Italy to Australia aside from the older Italian population and their living in closer proximity, is the huge rate of smoking (nearly 23% of adults), almost 1 in 4. Finding people who didn't smoke was harder than those that did. SARS-COV2 + long term heavy smoking + age (23% of 60 million pop. is over 65) is a recipe for a poor outcome as we are likely seeing. To abuse statistics a bit, that's potentially over 3mill Italians over 65 and who smoke daily.

 

[wayToGo_]

100%. And I would add:
- testing has been restricted because we have been short of a reagent (usually obtained from China) used in collecting viral particles from testing swabs (head of emergency medicine Charlies). Hopefully the new shipment just arrived means we have a whole lot more of it now.
- “Claims we can just lock everything down for a month, including schools, and we will then be fine – that is not how (the spread of a virus works),” Dr Andrew Robertson (WA Chief Health Officer) said.
- many kids (est. at 7500 in Aust.) receive their lunch at school and that is in many cases their only proper meal that day as they come from 'difficult situations' at home; for others school provides a safe zone from other home issues - drug affected parents, abuse, etc.; many teenagers won't just sit at home but will be out and about regardless of how people think their parent's should restrict their movement; and many people will have to take youngsters to the shops while they wait in long lines in busy shops like Coles and Woolies trying to get their groceries; and as WTG said, for many, it's the aging grandparents who will have to help out kids at home - all in all, you can see why they would rather 'isolate' the well kids together at school, regardless of continued learning.
- Also, I was in Italy last year and one thing that may be forgotten when people compare Italy to Australia aside from the older Italian population and their living in closer proximity, is the huge rate of smoking (nearly 23% of adults), almost 1 in 4. Finding people who didn't smoke was harder than those that did. SARS-COV2 + long term heavy smoking + age is a recipe for a poor outcome as we are likely seeing.

And perhaps most important of all we've mostly ignored the irrational yelling from that nut job WA AMA President, Dr Andrew Miller. We've somewhat anaesthetised the anaesthetist

 

[raffrox]

100%. And I would add:
- testing has been restricted because we have been short of a reagent (usually obtained from China) used in collecting viral particles from testing swabs (head of emergency medicine Charlies). Hopefully the new shipment just arrived means we have a whole lot more of it now.
- “Claims we can just lock everything down for a month, including schools, and we will then be fine – that is not how (the spread of a virus works),” Dr Andrew Robertson (WA Chief Health Officer) said.
- many kids (est. at 7500 in Aust.) receive their lunch at school and that is in many cases their only proper meal that day as they come from 'difficult situations' at home; for others school provides a safe zone from other home issues - drug affected parents, abuse, etc.; many teenagers won't just sit at home but will be out and about regardless of how people think their parent's should restrict their movement; and many people will have to take youngsters to the shops while they wait in long lines in busy shops like Coles and Woolies trying to get their groceries; and as WTG said, for many, it's the aging grandparents who will have to help out kids at home - all in all, you can see why they would rather 'isolate' the well kids together at school, regardless of continued learning.
- Also, I was in Italy last year and one thing that may be forgotten when people compare Italy to Australia aside from the older Italian population and their living in closer proximity, is the huge rate of smoking (nearly 23% of adults), almost 1 in 4. Finding people who didn't smoke was harder than those that did. SARS-COV2 + long term heavy smoking + age (23% of 60 million pop. is over 65) is a recipe for a poor outcome as we are likely seeing. To abuse statistics a bit, that's potentially over 3mill Italians over 65 and who smoke daily.

Good point about the rate of smoking Italy. Hadn't thought of that.

 

[Monument Hills]

And perhaps most important of all we've mostly ignored the irrational yelling from that nut job WA AMA President, Dr Andrew Miller. We've somewhat anaesthetised the anaesthetist

don't get me started on him. That was my comment last week on WAToday having a crack after one of his rants was being reported on that rather than whine, point fingers and apportion blame (away from himself), he, as the head of our medical fraternity and experts in WA on all things medical and coronavirus related, should instead act like the leader he is meant to be and start directing 'traffic' to get us through this.

 

[Nothing]

rate of smoking (nearly 23% of adults), almost 1 in 4. Finding people who didn't smoke was harder than those that did.

Were you only looking in ashtrays?

 

[wayToGo_]

Were you only looking in ashtrays?

The other 77% were inside working and not taking smoking breaks

 

[Monument Hills]

Were you only looking in ashtrays?

it's like when I thought just about everyone in NYC was wearing earpods last June, but when I actually counted them on the subway, it worked out to be about 1 in 10.

 

[Fred Ziffel]

Were you only looking in ashtrays?

Obviously he was figuratively speaking.
I bet there’s a lot of ashtrays in Italy.

 

[BarbieITFC]

don't get me started on him. That was my comment last week on WAToday having a crack after one of his rants was being reported on that rather than whine, point fingers and apportion blame (away from himself), he, as the head of our medical fraternity and experts in WA on all things medical and coronavirus related, should instead act like the leader he is meant to be and start directing 'traffic' to get us through this.

The thing is people mistake the AMA for being an impartial voice on medical matters. They are not, they are the doctor's union and their first response to everything is to protect their members - especially their member's wallets.

Last year when the Health Minister launched the final report of the 'Sustainable Health Review' - a two year body of work with an independent Chair from outside WA that engaged experts and communities across WA - the only body that came out criticising it was the AMA. Every other body warmly welcomed it findings. The AMA's issue - the report had found that on average doctors in WA were paid more than in any other state and this was a major cause of our hospital services costing more.

 

[Bender571]

Sport FM were saying that the Dockers players have been told that if their partner/wives aren't about to work from home then they have to move out.

No way we can ask players to do this just so we can watch footy. Especially since the talk is a six month time frame being involved.

I think that ended being a guide rather than a rule, and Lobb wasn't clear enough.

A statement from a Fremantle spokesman has been released clarifying measures taken by the club:

"As part of a broad range of measures to reduce the risk of any one of our players being exposed to COVID-19, the playing group has been advised that every interaction they have is a risk," the spokesman said.


"The players are entitled to make their own decision about their living arrangements.


"There has categorically been no directive from the club that players ask their partners to either work from home or move out.


"In some instances, partners of some players have been given the option by their own employer of working from home and have chosen to do so."

The statement was released following Rory Lobb's radio interview on Mix 94.5 earlier on Wednesday.

Question:
All of the companies are trying to take precautions, we know at the Freo Dockers they are doing the same, we understand at that partners of players have been asked to move out or work from home so that you guys aren’t at risk?


Lobb's answer:
Yeah, my partner her company has told everyone to work from home anyway, so it worked out well. She’s been sitting around the house a lot..and we are just trying to preclude ourselves from sort of public (muffled)..


Question: Yeah right, so everyone else if they didn’t have the opportunity to work from home, they said you’ve got to move out and leave the boys to themselves.


Answer: I think the girlfriends that didn’t live with their partners, yeah obviously because they have jobs and are out and around other people..so really can’t control it as much. But I’m sure it depends on the relationship about whether they can have them stay with them and work from home or not.

WEDNESDAY RECAP: 'We'll get this weekend away': AFL boss

AFL reveals decision on R1, Tigers, Blues name teams

www.afl.com.au

 

[rgauci]

I think that ended being a guide rather than a rule, and Lobb wasn't clear enough.

A statement from a Fremantle spokesman has been released clarifying measures taken by the club:

"As part of a broad range of measures to reduce the risk of any one of our players being exposed to COVID-19, the playing group has been advised that every interaction they have is a risk," the spokesman said.


"The players are entitled to make their own decision about their living arrangements.


"There has categorically been no directive from the club that players ask their partners to either work from home or move out.


"In some instances, partners of some players have been given the option by their own employer of working from home and have chosen to do so."

The statement was released following Rory Lobb's radio interview on Mix 94.5 earlier on Wednesday.

Question:
All of the companies are trying to take precautions, we know at the Freo Dockers they are doing the same, we understand at that partners of players have been asked to move out or work from home so that you guys aren’t at risk?


Lobb's answer:
Yeah, my partner her company has told everyone to work from home anyway, so it worked out well. She’s been sitting around the house a lot..and we are just trying to preclude ourselves from sort of public (muffled)..


Question: Yeah right, so everyone else if they didn’t have the opportunity to work from home, they said you’ve got to move out and leave the boys to themselves.


Answer: I think the girlfriends that didn’t live with their partners, yeah obviously because they have jobs and are out and around other people..so really can’t control it as much. But I’m sure it depends on the relationship about whether they can have them stay with them and work from home or not.

WEDNESDAY RECAP: 'We'll get this weekend away': AFL boss

AFL reveals decision on R1, Tigers, Blues name teams

www.afl.com.au

what they tell players and what they release to the media can be different.

 

[wayToGo_]

The thing is people mistake the AMA for being an impartial voice on medical matters. They are not, they are the doctor's union and their first response to everything is to protect their members - especially their member's wallets.

Which is why his "suggestions" so far have been verging on nuts as they are neither good for doctors nor good for the community. Very strange approach given the circumstances - he's severely harmed the AMA brand imo.

 

[hoss]

Same could be said for senior public servants. Time and time again proven just to be the puppet mouthpiece for the government of the time.

The thing is people mistake the AMA for being an impartial voice on medical matters. They are not, they are the doctor's union and their first response to everything is to protect their members - especially their member's wallets.

Last year when the Health Minister launched the final report of the 'Sustainable Health Review' - a two year body of work with an independent Chair from outside WA that engaged experts and communities across WA - the only body that came out criticising it was the AMA. Every other body warmly welcomed it findings. The AMA's issue - the report had found that on average doctors in WA were paid more than in any other state and this was a major cause of our hospital services costing more.

On Pixel 2 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[BarbieITFC]

Same could be said for senior public servants. Time and time again proven just to be the puppet mouthpiece for the government of the time.

On Pixel 2 using BigFooty.com mobile app

I guess when the only person with the power to fire you is the minister you have to at least pretend to be aligned.

 

[hoss]

Just kill the season. Much more of a concern to clubs in an actual premiership window. You can't social distance in a game of footy. What, do we give Coxy votes for his social distancing in chasing and Andy B fines for getting too close when tackling.

On Pixel 2 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[88mph]

I'm getting in early....new signature

 

[Purple_Turtle]

Ladies and gentlemen, we are on.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

People wont understand the work required to make this happen.

A massive congratulations needs to go the clubs, players and AFL.

This is a massive effort

 

[88mph]

Ladies and gentlemen, we are on.

omg.

Just waiting for the graphics of Dusty giving COVID-19 a dont' argue

 

[Nothing]

Ladies and gentlemen, we are on.

Why is Dusty trying to kick Dangerfield in the balls?