Stop the spread

 Image : Harvard Health 
It is not encouraging news to hear modelling suggests we shall have 8000 cases a day in South Australia by April. That is a lot for our state. We are not built up and big. We have space. We can distance. What is the matter with us? Do we think pretending there is no virus we can be "normal"? Do we think it is so mild it is no big deal? Have we got corona fatigue and have decided it is over? Life may not be as we wish but we have to deal with it in a common sense way. We have known forever how to mitigate coronavirus and stop the spread. Why wouldn't we? Not everyone can be vaccinated . Putting little children and the vulnerable at risk is a horrible thing to do so we can be "normal". Ignoring we can be reinfected and suffer long covid is not a good option for a healthy, functioning society. Sick and dead people can't keep us going and making all this profit some are keen on. We need happy, healthy people and we need to work together. Masking up, washing hands, keeping air fresh, sanitising and social distancing are all easy and help. Getting triple vaccinated really helps. We need people to be vaccinated. We are the country that virtually stamped out smoking by using social control. Why don' t we do it with coronavirus? 

Harvard Health Edu has some good, solid information as to how we can stop the spread. We now have a Premier who is prepared to sort the garbled messaging out and get us on a better footing with clarity surrounding our health measures.  We have a responsibility too to take this seriously , whether we want to or not, to ensure we can all stay healthy. I don't want coronavirus cases to escalate. I don't want it and I don't want others to get it. I am doing what works and have stocked up on RATs so I don't unknowingly pass it on. We are going to have to adult this because we don't know who will suffer badly from coronavirus. It is a rotten virus like that. 

I don't blame them for trying out how far vaccines could free us up , so to speak. I don't blame them for trying things and trying to get information as to what works and what can be improved. We have to be included in those conversations and decisions. We have to have clear and direct information. Baffling us, confusing us and leaving us to our own devices is increasing case numbers. We are not epidemiologists or public health personnel. We need direction. Those who ignore it will be fewer if the bulk of people are clear. 

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.