Our Covid challenge

 

Image: SA Health

We can do this , you know. If we set goals, have clear messaging, use what works and help each other, we are in a good position in South Australia to beat these numbers. Team effort and collaboration. We are not hugely built up. We don't have lots of high rise apartments. W have space, we have trees, forests and beaches. We can get away from it and we can shop when it is quiet. Still don't know why, but we do have to get to the supermarket. It is how we are coping. We are also helping each other if there is quarantine and isolation involved. We can safely do that too with contactless deliveries. RATS for familes all going down with Covid is proving to be expensive. Those on pension cards can get their last lot of free RATs this month. Given it started late because of the federal governments expecting chemists to acquire the RATs themselves and the misunderstandings around that,  then maybe that timeline should be extended for another month? Those having to pay for them if, say,  two adults and two children in the home are infected with Covid are having to pay a lot. Can we look at the RATs pricing yet? Can we offer some free? You can get two free with your PCR test. That tends to mean you need a car. We can do the logistics better for people without cars or who are sole parents quarantining with little children. 

The last two days we have got the number down under 5000. That is a great achievement. Today it was 4096 infections and yesterday it was 4483. We know what to do. Stay home if we are sick, mask up, increase fresh air, sanitise, wash our hands, social distance, get vaccinated. Dr Moy(Australian Medical Association Vice President) said yesterday, "We're going to transition from sort of what they are telling us to do — like rules — to what we should do, which is a different world then, and that is where we really get to see what we're like in terms of our care and consideration for each other." 

He is right. They cannot keep telling us. At some point we have to take the science and what works onboard and drive it ourselves. We don't keep being told about seat belts , suntan cream and safety goggles. We are told regularly about using mobile phones while we are driving. Covid is a bit like the latter. We have to keep being told. Who knows why? We must be listening , though, because the numbers are going down and we could get them down more. We need to look at who spreads the infections and where. So many seem to come home from school but many seem to go from home to school. We need to be clear how we are spreading the infections so people can do something about it. Wearing masks works. Pass that on, not Covid. 

Stop the spread

Image : publicdomainpictures
 Our case numbers continue to increase. Why wouldn't they ? We have taken away some helpful restrictions and seem to be following so many places in the world and allowing coronavirus to spread unchecked. What is the matter with us? There are things we know work - sanitising, handwashing, clean air, masks, social distancing, vaccines. Why are we not using common sense? It is becoming muddled now. Schools are down on teachers and students and some are closing and going online again. People are getting sicker and so workplaces everywhere are down on staff. The reinfection rate can be as little as two months. Why would we not try and create an environment where we can live and thrive? Today's awful news was a healthy two month old died in NSW. Children get deadly childhood diseases. I donated significantly to the Childhood Leukemia Research Foundation so they could build a new facility . No child should die of leukemia. No child should die of a preventable disease either. The little ones have no vaccine as yet. Researchers are doing their best to get us one but these things take time. Meanwhile we have things we can do. 

We can all get vaccinated . Some don't want to and some don't want mandates and NZ can no longer mandate vaccines because of a successful court case. Our SA police don't have mandated vaccines either. We are talking about coronavirus and a way of protecting ourselves and others. Vaccines do make a difference. Omicron can remain lethal in the older and unvaccinated people. Unvaccinated people are a greater risk to themselves and others. The risk factors are spelled out clearly and well on our government health site. As a country, we haven't done badly with vaccinations but we need to do better. We need to keep up the momentum so that there are fewer and fewer unvaccinated people and we are protecting ourselves and the vulnerable. You do not stay infectious as long if you are vaccinated. That is a bonus. Governments and medical people are giving us information. We need to listen and act. The bit which is currently missing is no one is pushing us along very much. We were guided and helped initially. We now need to lift our game and take action on behalf of ourselves and others. We won't get successful outcomes from negative behaviours, so paying attention and doing what works is the key.