Mask mandate ending

Image : Nick Fewings

Coronavirus is quite clearly there. It is placing a burden on us and our hospital and medical staff. If you look at our statistics people in their twenties and thirties are predominantly getting it  and older people are the ones dying. Under fives do not have a vaccine. So, what do we do? Lift the mask mandates. Yes, I know. It is a terrible burden wearing a mask when it protects you and others from a disgusting virus. People just want to be normal. So glad the virus has been told this because as we ease the barriers to infection, we ease the transmission of the virus. Those who were leading at the beginning of the pandemic are now saying, go for it. Just pretend it is normal and we are not in a pandemic. Some people are saying post pandemic , which is clearly not the case given we have a J curve of  infection rates. Masks work. 

Part of this is politicians and medical people will be fed up telling us what works and then people just bang on with their own needs and wants which fly in the face of reality and facts. This is a nasty virus. You do not want it. You do not want to be reinfected. You also need to understand that vaccinated people can get it as well and yes, they can be in hospital. All of this has been explained to us. Masks and vaccines along with fresh air and hygiene will work in our favour. But normal. Eyeroll.  Masks being removed will see an increase in infections. We have seen that elsewhere. Why don't we think that will happen in South Australia? People are their own worst enemy and they are the enemy of the older people and those who are vulnerable. This virus has killed over six million people worldwide, but, you know, normal. Repeat eyeroll.

We are ending our mask mandate in South Australia. Pretty cavalier attitude given the infection rate, the hospitals under pressure and the under fives having no vaccine. Cavalier, might not be the right word , though. Cavliers had the saying, All for one and one for all. You fight a pandemic together. It requires collaboration. Egocentric takes on it are unwise. Prudence, We need to be prudent. Don't know about you, but my mask is staying on. 
 

Coping with Covid

 Image: SA Health /Facebook

When the going gets tough, Adelaide goes to the supermarket. It has not let up since Christmas. There is normally the Christmas rush, a lull then it builds up for Easter again. My local supermarkets are always busy and staff tell me there is rarely a quiet time. What are we doing with all this supermarket haul? I am shopping as I have always shopped. I haven't changed. Are people stockpiling? Comfort eating? Staying at home more and so needing more at home more often? Are they cooking more for themselves? Shopping for others who have Covid?

I do not get the impression we are overweight. In fact, I'd say we are pretty fitness conscious at the moment. In the local area people walk their dogs, their children, walk with their friend or are walking in a group. Some are walking alone. This year there has been lots of walking. Not strolling. A good, solid walk at a good pace. So  why all this supermarket  shopping?

People are sharing ideas as to how to cope too. Some have just been going along quietly and following safe practices. Others are out and about and going off on local trips. Some are attending events. On a regular basis we hear of more getting Covid. Whole families. They approach it logically and sensibly but it is not fun . They get good help from SA Health and they get good help from friends, family and neighbours. Haven't yet heard of anyone just being left to get on with it. Maybe because they can't tell anyone? A lot of people mask up their children and we have kept our masks on because they work. 

It then seems weird to live in a country , and world, where a virus is just left to spread. I grew up in an age where there was polio, diphtheria, rheumatic heart fever, measles, scarlet fever. I was there when the vaccines and good medical practices were being developed. I missed the bit where children had to be hospitalised because of scarlet fever and I had it twice. Once with measles. I was three. My parents cared for me at home and a doctor home visited. They followed what he said. At school I was with children in leg irons and who were sickly from rheumatic heart fever. That experience taught me that not everyone is well all the time. At no point did we let disease spread. As soon as vaccines arrived we had them. We were given bottles of milk and medicine, not disease. 

It was good, then, to hear the press conference this morning which included information about schools. It was done in a very reassuring way for parents, especially, but was very clear about the guidelines for teachers and teaching staff so that everyone had a Covid safe plan. I grew up at a time when everyone did the right thing because it was the right thing to do. Military precision. People have become the options and choices people now. They want to make their own choices. The pandemic has taught us we have to operate as a cohesive group to get success. We cope with those who don't want vaccines by making good health choices for everyone. If they get Covid , and survive,  they will have antibodies. If they spread Covid more easily, as has been said, then we have to look at what they are doing so the social distancing and clean air  is there. The old are dying from covid, not so much the young, so we have to protect older people and we have to protect the under 5s. Clear press conferences help to explain decisions and the conference was firm but fair. 

We had just about five and a half thousand cases today. We have to change this and our behaviour. It is not logical or sane to let disease spread unchecked. It is a lunatic way to go about living. It does not make sense to let Covid spread and offer a legacy of long Covid, constant illness and reinfection, sick households. It will be debilitating and will create so many more problems besides Covid. Common sense and mitigation have to prevail . Talking people  clearly through this has to continue. 

South Australia has a new Premier

 

South Australia elected a new premier resoundingly yesterday and Peter Malinauskas gave a heartening speech. He is fit, enthusiastic, capable and his deputy, Susan Close, is very competent and a good communicator. There was a big swing to Labor so the message was clear. Many are offering opinions today as to why the Liberals were not reinstalled. There are no quick, easy answers. It has been a mood which crystallised on 23rd November when our borders were opened and has only grown for all sorts of different reasons. I can offer a few:

• Opening the borders before we had had boosters and our children were vaccinated meant many were quarantining during Christmas. Omicron was increasing. People were getting sick. Those without boosters went into voluntary isolation. It hit businesses and families hard . At the time we had done well and were safe. We had had four deaths the whole pandemic. We now have 231. These people and families have been so hurt. Trying to see how effective vaccines are is probably something which needs to be done, but not before everyone has had a chance to be properly vaccinated. It puts vulnerable and little children unduly at risk.
• Liberal decisions meant retail workers had public holidays and penalty rates removed. We are the only state which does not let them have public holidays. 
• Creating a nuclear waste site at Kimba has angered so many because we had formally made it clear as a state we didn't want one. 
• Liberal politicians were resigning because of state ICAC and the minority government had become weakened. Our parliament hasn't been running very well recently.
• Prior to 23rd November 2021 our covid management team of Professor Nicola Spurrier , Chief Commissioner Grant Stevens and Premier Steven Marshall were doing a great job of clear messaging, good decisions and creating safe practices to keep us secure. When the borders opened it has been difficult, garbled messaging, unpleasant and our safety has been threatened. Some of it was addressed but the ambulance ramping and deaths because no ambulances arrived on time have exacerbated the situation. There is a lack of consistency around pandemic management we really do not like. 
• Privatising public transport has been extremely unpopular.

There are other reasons. Mr. Marshall wasn't really himself. We had all respected him during the beginning of the pandemic but he seemed more to be broadcasting federal talking points in recent months. His concession speech last night was him, who he usually is. He gave a dignified, measured speech. We wish him well and know he will find a happier position to be in in South Australia. 

As it stands, we have what we need right now. Mr. Malinauskas is committed to and knowledgeable about health matters. Our crisis centres on that. He is committed to children and the future. Our worries are about that. He wants people to be who they are and find a good place in our state. We need that. We need strong, enthusiastic leadership which is about our health and wellbeing.