Coronavirus Outbreak

[Tiger5150]

1400 plus more cases

Surely Sydney's hospital ICU's must be at breaking point ......

It is not just the ICUs, other wards are being converted to covid wards which then means those wards are being decanted to other locations. The hospitals are in trouble.

Your at Day 70 ...why hasn't Glady's created a space solely for Covid patients ......

We will have covid only hospitals shortly

Yes if the cases continue to rise. As you have already stated wards at certain hospitals, are already being transformed into purely Covid wards. Why would you send an otherwise healthy person to one of those hospitals. Westmead is at the epicentre of the outbreaks here in Sydney and is already in emergency management as a result. I’d be avoiding it at all costs for non Covid cases.

I think it all depends on the rate of increase. They (we) have done a pretty good job of restricting the rate of growth in new cases.

Based on current numbers and working on say a 5 day lag in hospitalisation, for every 1000 cases you get another 63 people in hospital, 10 in ICU but if we continue to restrict the rate of growth, there must also be people leaving hospital (guessing) within around 14 days if they dont end up in ICU and so the actual growth in the strain on the health care system is the extra in that period.

TLDR - The more we can restrict the rate of growth the better the health system will handle. Not a new concept I realise.

 

[cochise]

1400 plus more cases

Surely Sydney's hospital ICU's must be at breaking point ......

It is not just the ICUs, other wards are being converted to covid wards which then means those wards are being decanted to other locations. The hospitals are in trouble.

Your at Day 70 ...why hasn't Glady's created a space solely for Covid patients ......

We will have covid only hospitals shortly

Yes if the cases continue to rise. As you have already stated wards at certain hospitals, are already being transformed into purely Covid wards. Why would you send an otherwise healthy person to one of those hospitals. Westmead is at the epicentre of the outbreaks here in Sydney and is already in emergency management as a result. I’d be avoiding it at all costs for non Covid cases.

We have a hospital that is in the process of decanting all other wards, is only accepting emergency patients and will soon be covid only.

 

[Tiger5150]

1400 plus more cases

Surely Sydney's hospital ICU's must be at breaking point ......

It is not just the ICUs, other wards are being converted to covid wards which then means those wards are being decanted to other locations. The hospitals are in trouble.

Your at Day 70 ...why hasn't Glady's created a space solely for Covid patients ......

We will have covid only hospitals shortly

Yes if the cases continue to rise. As you have already stated wards at certain hospitals, are already being transformed into purely Covid wards. Why would you send an otherwise healthy person to one of those hospitals. Westmead is at the epicentre of the outbreaks here in Sydney and is already in emergency management as a result. I’d be avoiding it at all costs for non Covid cases.

We have a hospital that is in the process of decanting all other wards, is only accepting emergency patients and will soon be covid only.

Westmead?

 

[Magpie_Magic]

There's a new variant brewing in the America's called the Mu Variant. It it taking up 40% of the cases in South America and they have counted 4200 in the United States and Mexico. The virologist are worried it could be immune to any of the vaccine's we have in use atm.

The WHO have a good website identifying the identified variants. Mu has been designated a "Variant of Interest", not a "Variant of Concern" yet.

https://www.who.int/en/activities/tracking-SARS-CoV-2-variants/

Doesn't mean people are not worried about what it could do it if spreads to the other continents.

Of course, which is exactly why they are interested in it.

These variants are a concern because it seems the didn't follow after existing on6e where normally they become less severe but more contagious but concurrently so hopefully covered by vaccines.
However I wouldn't trust the WHO much.
The WHO is one organisation which has failed in this.

This was their moment and they failed.

Remember they believed it couldn't spread from people to people in January 2020 and earlier mentioned they are against hard border closures with China

Know things are hard but they are meant to be experts in their field and timely decisions there and the virus may have been stopped early.

 

[BZN]

Measures will need to be taken still to stop the hospitals from collapsing. We will have a lot more freedom again once vaccinations are in the targets we need them to be. Yeah we’ll probably still need to wear masks and keep sanitising more than we once did but small price to pay to be able to jump on a plane or have a beer.

Too true.
I don't want to be sick (from any cause, but particularly from one that might kill me) and I don't want to be passing sickness on to others. I feel like it's about taking every opportunity to lower the risk.
I'm really looking forward to lockdowns ending, but when they do I'll be happy to be fully vaccinated (I already am), to have booster shots if necessary, to wear a mask in public places and to sanitise my hands. I don't see these things as curtailing my freedom. Doing these things is just playing the percentages in my favour to stay well and to help keep those around me free from illness. I feel fortunate to have good health advice to steer me away from poor choices.
I really struggle to get my head around the thought processes of people who see those measures as an attack on their freedoms.


Agree with all these points and sincerely hope my posts were not misconstrued as being insensitive . First and foremost people's lives and health are paramount.

I don't think of it as an attack on my freedoms ,initially last year while taking massive financial hits for which I received nothing because I didn't qualify while others got paid to do nothing and other businesses ramped up sales while receiving government support and houses were allowed to appreciate 20% even while businesses where precluded from trading and others from working, and newly single again was looking forward to get out and have a good time and maybe meet someone and rebuild my life. Even so, I was happy to do my bit in the lockdown because ostensibly there was no treatment or vaccine, can't let people go like that.

But now with vaccines and 2 years on my frustration is brewing. My first post on the matter were twisted as being a conspiracy theorist (some conspiracies do exist everywhere) and anti vax while I was was just highlighting my disappointment that sadly things weren't working well enough to allow for a resumption of normal activity and in my case the commencement of my rebuild.
I guess at every level things should have been handled better.

G'day @Magpie_Magic You sound like a fairly young bloke, so keep hanging in there, and I reckon life will be MAGIC for you once again real soon.
A bloke that puts his words together as well as you do wont have any trouble having fun, meeting someone and rebuilding your life.
Stay safe eh!

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

1400 plus more cases

Surely Sydney's hospital ICU's must be at breaking point ......

It is not just the ICUs, other wards are being converted to covid wards which then means those wards are being decanted to other locations. The hospitals are in trouble.

Your at Day 70 ...why hasn't Glady's created a space solely for Covid patients ......

We will have covid only hospitals shortly

Yes if the cases continue to rise. As you have already stated wards at certain hospitals, are already being transformed into purely Covid wards. Why would you send an otherwise healthy person to one of those hospitals. Westmead is at the epicentre of the outbreaks here in Sydney and is already in emergency management as a result. I’d be avoiding it at all costs for non Covid cases.

We have a hospital that is in the process of decanting all other wards, is only accepting emergency patients and will soon be covid only.

Westmead?

My guess is St George. They have three COVID wards already I believe.

 

[cochise]

1400 plus more cases

Surely Sydney's hospital ICU's must be at breaking point ......

It is not just the ICUs, other wards are being converted to covid wards which then means those wards are being decanted to other locations. The hospitals are in trouble.

Your at Day 70 ...why hasn't Glady's created a space solely for Covid patients ......

We will have covid only hospitals shortly

Yes if the cases continue to rise. As you have already stated wards at certain hospitals, are already being transformed into purely Covid wards. Why would you send an otherwise healthy person to one of those hospitals. Westmead is at the epicentre of the outbreaks here in Sydney and is already in emergency management as a result. I’d be avoiding it at all costs for non Covid cases.

We have a hospital that is in the process of decanting all other wards, is only accepting emergency patients and will soon be covid only.

Westmead?

My guess is St George. They have three COVID wards already I believe.

I think the 4 under pressure hospitals would be in the same position honestly

 

[Papacito]

One of the places I work for are figuring out when we can open certain work sites. Projected daily cases for the following four Fridays:

10 September - 1821
17 September - 2318
24 September - 2950
1 October - 3755

Total projected September cases: 68,702

The numbers we have can change a lot (a small change in the rate in infection could push total cases to 80k plus), but there will be a growing strain on the hospital system this month.

 

[FinestTigers]

What does returning to normal life mean?

Does vaccinating 80% of the population really mean normal life can resume?

To begin to attempt to answer this question we should also ask,
Will some of our behavioural changes be known as temporary, but others will stick with us for many more years?

When it was the W.H.O announcing the beginning of this pandemic,
Can normal life resume without the W.H.O announcing the end of this pandemic, and will it be, 2023? 2024? 2025?

The Premier said today that the restrictions will ease, and we will do the the things we use to enjoy doing soon. And around the World, glimpses of a pre-pandemic world have begun to reappear. But, Will life ever return to normal?

My understading is, when looking at previous pandemics and how they have effected the changes of behaviour of the world, that until the world health experts find a way to quickly tackle the emerging variants of this virus, we will not be getting back to normal life anytime soon. and even when the pandemic is over, the lives of all people of the world will not be the same as pre-pandemic.

 

[Tim Sheens]

In relation to fear of using AZ, he advised ***results from UK confirm*** -

A***Z is the better vaccine of the two in reducing hospitalisations*** and the immunity from it lasts longer.

Im somewhat hesitant to say this guy is lying but results of studies commissioned by Public Health England and published by the UK Govt show that both are effective at preventing hospitalisations but Pfizer the better vaccine at both preventing infection and preventing hospitalisation.

I understand that people want to remove AZ hesitancy, but misinformation shouldnt be the way to do it (unless there are other credible studies the guy is referencing?).

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/vaccines-highly-effective-against-hospitalisation-from-delta-variant

This is a leading epidemiologist who is not from NSW. His advice was quite clear.

Sure and Im not an epidemiologist and dont claim any greater knowledge, just making the point that his clear advice seems to contradict the advice of the UK Govt and Public Health England and he referemced the UK. Would love to know what his advice was based on.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/vaccines-highly-effective-against-hospitalisation-from-delta-variant

Why don''t you just accept his advice as the expert in his field.

To answer your question directly, I have no idea who he is and it directly contradicts the advice of the UK Govt and Public Health England. Much has been made of the expert advice of Dr Robert Malone the "inventor of mRNA delivery technology" but I wont be taking his advice because I have looked at the actual data and made my own risk analysis and decided it is the right decision for me to get vaccinated. I could find you a youtube video of a doctor recommending against vaccinations in minutes. There has been so much wrong and conflicting information provided that because some Doctor on Channel 9 said something Im not going to take that as gospel, particularly when he claims its UK studies but it clearly goes against published advice of the UK Govt.

Ok Ive answered your question, here is a question for you to answer.

Why don''t you just accept the advice of the top UK health body and Govt as clearly spelled out in the link below..

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/vaccines-highly-effective-against-hospitalisation-from-delta-variant

I am not the one questioning the advice of an esteemed Australian specialist prepared to share his opinion on television.

Mate Im not disrespecting him, I have no idea who he is, dont know his name or how "esteemed" he is.

I find it interesting that you attempt to dismiss him as "some doctor".

Exactly who and what he is. I dont even know his name. Why is that interesting?

I'll treat him with the respect that his position deserves.

I have no reason to treat him with anything other than respect. I am however wondering why his "studies from the UK" directly contradict the studies published by the UK Govt and Public Health England.

Dont you wonder why? Isnt it natural to wonder why this would be the case?

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/vaccines-highly-effective-against-hospitalisation-from-delta-variant

Maybe it's because we are battling the Delta Variant too.

Im not understanding you.

The UK Govt published study is based on the Delta Variant. It shows both very effective against hospitalisation but Pfizer is more effective than AZ (not by much), but the Doctor on TV cited "UK Studies" saying the opposite?

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/vaccines-highly-effective-against-hospitalisation-from-delta-variant

Maybe he was stating that it is more effective at preventing hospitalisations than getting infected in the first place as a stand alone product, as I have never seen AZ being shown as effective as Pfizer in either statistic, let alone better?

Given the relative numbers of both the UK/our vaccines and the duration of their strains prevalence, there is probably no better data available anywhere, though I expect that we are at/approaching a point where we have a sizable set to analyse.

 

[Harvey]

1400 plus more cases

Surely Sydney's hospital ICU's must be at breaking point ......

It is not just the ICUs, other wards are being converted to covid wards which then means those wards are being decanted to other locations. The hospitals are in trouble.

Your at Day 70 ...why hasn't Glady's created a space solely for Covid patients ......

We will have covid only hospitals shortly

Yes if the cases continue to rise. As you have already stated wards at certain hospitals, are already being transformed into purely Covid wards. Why would you send an otherwise healthy person to one of those hospitals. Westmead is at the epicentre of the outbreaks here in Sydney and is already in emergency management as a result. I’d be avoiding it at all costs for non Covid cases.

We have a hospital that is in the process of decanting all other wards, is only accepting emergency patients and will soon be covid only.

Westmead?

Westmead currently not taking anymore COVID patients

 

[Papacito]

What does returning to normal life mean?

Does vaccinating 80% of the population really mean normal life can resume?

To begin to attempt to answer this question we should also ask,
Will some of our behavioural changes be known as temporary, but others will stick with us for many more years?

When it was the W.H.O announcing the beginning of this pandemic,
Can normal life resume without the W.H.O announcing the end of this pandemic, and will it be, 2023? 2024? 2025?

The Premier said today that the restrictions will ease, and we will do the the things we use to enjoy doing soon. And around the World, glimpses of a pre-pandemic world have begun to reappear. But, Will life ever return to normal?

My understading is, when looking at previous pandemics and how they have effected the changes of behaviour of the world, that until the world health experts find a way to quickly tackle the emerging variants of this virus, we will not be getting back to normal life anytime soon. and even when the pandemic is over, the lives of all people of the world will not be the same as pre-pandemic.

Really good question.

Perhaps life won't ever go back to exactly how it was.

My layman prediction is that we're in for two to three years of some kind of restrictions and mask wearing.

I reckon masks will be a new normal.

I also think we'll be better prepared for the next pandemic too.

 

[mike]

What does returning to normal life mean?

Does vaccinating 80% of the population really mean normal life can resume?

To begin to attempt to answer this question we should also ask,
Will some of our behavioural changes be known as temporary, but others will stick with us for many more years?

When it was the W.H.O announcing the beginning of this pandemic,
Can normal life resume without the W.H.O announcing the end of this pandemic, and will it be, 2023? 2024? 2025?

The Premier said today that the restrictions will ease, and we will do the the things we use to enjoy doing soon. And around the World, glimpses of a pre-pandemic world have begun to reappear. But, Will life ever return to normal?

My understading is, when looking at previous pandemics and how they have effected the changes of behaviour of the world, that until the world health experts find a way to quickly tackle the emerging variants of this virus, we will not be getting back to normal life anytime soon. and even when the pandemic is over, the lives of all people of the world will not be the same as pre-pandemic.

Really good question.

Perhaps life won't ever go back to exactly how it was.

My layman prediction is that we're in for two to three years of some kind of restrictions and mask wearing.

I reckon masks will be a new normal.

**I also think we'll be better prepared for the next pandemic too**

I don’t. We have done absolutely nothing to prepare, everything has been reactionary. What I mean is there is no infrastructure in place that is different to pre-pandemic. We’ll have the same appalling result with the next pandemic and there will be a next.

 

[Blacknwhite]

I work in construction, and my jobsite was notified of case at 2pm today, and site was immediately shut down and evacuated.... into isolation I go...

 

[mike]

I work in construction, and my jobsite was notified of case at 2pm today, and site was immediately shut down and evacuated.... into isolation I go...

Take care and hopefully it comes to nothing.

 

[Tim Sheens]

What does returning to normal life mean?

Does vaccinating 80% of the population really mean normal life can resume?

To begin to attempt to answer this question we should also ask,
Will some of our behavioural changes be known as temporary, but others will stick with us for many more years?

When it was the W.H.O announcing the beginning of this pandemic,
Can normal life resume without the W.H.O announcing the end of this pandemic, and will it be, 2023? 2024? 2025?

The Premier said today that the restrictions will ease, and we will do the the things we use to enjoy doing soon. And around the World, glimpses of a pre-pandemic world have begun to reappear. But, Will life ever return to normal?

My understading is, when looking at previous pandemics and how they have effected the changes of behaviour of the world, that until the world health experts find a way to quickly tackle the emerging variants of this virus, we will not be getting back to normal life anytime soon. and even when the pandemic is over, the lives of all people of the world will not be the same as pre-pandemic.

Really good question.

Perhaps life won't ever go back to exactly how it was.

My layman prediction is that we're in for two to three years of some kind of restrictions and mask wearing.

I reckon masks will be a new normal.

**I also think we'll be better prepared for the next pandemic too**

I don’t. We have done absolutely nothing to prepare, everything has been reactionary. What I mean is there is no infrastructure in place that is different to pre-pandemic. We’ll have the same appalling result with the next pandemic and there will be a next.

That we have aged long dormant quarantine facilities or demolished former sites around the nation highlights the inaction on this front. The pandemic is basically over here and some of the other places/state that it has spread to from here in becoming endemic.

We have done nothing to very little in the way of mitigation and ventilation in our schools and seemingly want to open them up without reasonable protections.

I hope that the other states and the NT can keep this at bay for another few months to get past the many areas of potential failure through vaccination. There are far too many holes that will be around for a long time yet, that for mine leave opening up soon with just above half our population vaccinated a dangerous pipe dream.

 

[Nelson]

What does returning to normal life mean?

Does vaccinating 80% of the population really mean normal life can resume?

To begin to attempt to answer this question we should also ask,
Will some of our behavioural changes be known as temporary, but others will stick with us for many more years?

When it was the W.H.O announcing the beginning of this pandemic,
Can normal life resume without the W.H.O announcing the end of this pandemic, and will it be, 2023? 2024? 2025?

The Premier said today that the restrictions will ease, and we will do the the things we use to enjoy doing soon. And around the World, glimpses of a pre-pandemic world have begun to reappear. But, Will life ever return to normal?

My understading is, when looking at previous pandemics and how they have effected the changes of behaviour of the world, that until the world health experts find a way to quickly tackle the emerging variants of this virus, we will not be getting back to normal life anytime soon. and even when the pandemic is over, the lives of all people of the world will not be the same as pre-pandemic.

Really good question.

Perhaps life won't ever go back to exactly how it was.

My layman prediction is that we're in for two to three years of some kind of restrictions and mask wearing.

I reckon masks will be a new normal.

**I also think we'll be better prepared for the next pandemic too**

I don’t. We have done absolutely nothing to prepare, everything has been reactionary. What I mean is there is no infrastructure in place that is different to pre-pandemic. We’ll have the same appalling result with the next pandemic and there will be a next.

Yeah but everything results in a Royal Commission these days so no doubt we'll see at least one of those in the aftermath and some sensible people can make some sensible recommendations that will hopefully be acted upon. Once there's a report issued by a Royal Commission it's hard to justify sitting around and not acting on it, unless it's something unpopular with the public like the result of the ice inquiry.

 

[FinestTigers]

What does returning to normal life mean?

@papacito said,
Really good question.
Perhaps life won't ever go back to exactly how it was.
My layman prediction is that we're in for two to three years of some kind of restrictions and mask wearing.
I reckon masks will be a new normal.
I also think we'll be better prepared for the next pandemic too.

Thanks @papacito, but some lunatic somehow got offended by the question and took away my 1 upvote😀😁

 

[Nelson]

What does returning to normal life mean?

@papacito said,
Really good question.
Perhaps life won't ever go back to exactly how it was.
My layman prediction is that we're in for two to three years of some kind of restrictions and mask wearing.
I reckon masks will be a new normal.
I also think we'll be better prepared for the next pandemic too.

Thanks @papacito, but some lunatic somehow got offended by the question and took away my 1 upvote??

For as long as you continue to put a giant target on yourself by talking about up votes and down votes you will no doubt continue to get down votes for the sheer comedic value of it.

 

[FinestTigers]

What does returning to normal life mean?

@papacito said,
Really good question.
Perhaps life won't ever go back to exactly how it was.
My layman prediction is that we're in for two to three years of some kind of restrictions and mask wearing.
I reckon masks will be a new normal.
I also think we'll be better prepared for the next pandemic too.

Thanks @papacito, but some lunatic somehow got offended by the question and took away my 1 upvote??

For as long as you continue to put a giant target on yourself by talking about up votes and down votes you will no doubt continue to get down votes for the sheer comedic value of it.

I think you may have **unintentionaly** just encouraged the lunatics to do more of the same.?