Coronavirus response-Norway and Australia

[chevy1956]

I don't feel oppressed at all! I'm happy to live in a place where,  by and large, we can all work together for the common good, if you define common good as preventing people from dying from an extremely unpleasant, premature, respiratory death.
Do I like lockdowns? No. Do I like wearing a mask indoor or outdoors? No, not particularly, but its not exactly a hardship even though my glass fog up a lot. In fact I count myself lucky that I live somewhere where I can afford as many masks as I want without blinking an eye.
Meanwhile I am watching weekly death rates in US..which seem to have dropped from 12,000 a week a couple of months ago to a mere 8,000 a week. Feel free to not wear a mask, carry a gun and die from COVID if it makes you feel better.

I think I'm significantly more free than if I was living in a country that had so little respect for human life.

[By the River]

Sorry to add another country but New Zealand...Did the prime minister say that you can see family and friends again and use their bathroom inside?   Have you been using bushes outside? holding it til you get home? using outhouses or restaurants? 

[kei te pai]

One part of NZ (Auckland) has been slowly transitioning from fairly tough restrictions on social contacts, schooling, and business including cafes and restaurants, to a more open situation. As part of this process separate households have been allowed to mix outside. Outside means its ok to share a picnic with family or friends in their garden. It does not mean you can go inside the house to use facilities.
As Auckland vaccination rates are now over 90% over 12 year olds, and Covid case numbers running at 150 - 200/ day, with less than 100 people in hospital, further loosening of restrictions is allowing normal interaction between households, including gathering inside.
As of today, NZ has had about 11000 cases of covid 19. 44 deaths. Total population somewhere round 5 million.
There has been widespread support for this governments handling of the pandemic, although a small and noisy numbers of “freedumb” anti vax, anti lockdown, have been showing up to demonstrations round the country with a truly entertaining range of flags and placards.
Hope this is helpful.

[habanero]

We got what's potentially the largest Omicron outbreak outside southern Africa at least. Corporate party with 100-odd people, everyone fully vaxxed and apparently also rapid testing beforehand. Said company has it's biggest foreign office in Cape Town and some staff had been there shorlty beforehand.

About 50 of the ~100 has tested positive after the party and as some Omicron cases are confirmed they assume every case is.

I'm sure someone eventually will top the record, but at least we have it for some days

[habanero]

...and almost back to square one. Yesterady was the last day any establishment could serve alcohol in the entire country, mening most bars/retaurants will close down and furlough staff en mass.Schools will close in the most popolous areas day after tomorrow. Admittingly the school term is almost over and the last week before christmas isn't much real school anyway, but still a major decision as lots of parents have to stay home.

Confirmed cases are highest on record, hospitals are fuller than ever (admittingly very low compared to what most other places have seen) and there is serious worry about overstretching the ICU capacity in particular and hospital capacity in general. Ours of the sort (ICU) is embarrasingly low which now has become very clear despite everyone in the know has known that for years. The main problem is the 10% or so unenlighted adults who refuse to get vaccinated and they take up a disproportional share of hospital beds and almost all covid-related ICU beds.

Rollout of third dose has been pretty slow as everything was rather chill here for some months, but is rather well underway in the older cohorts. The plan is to pick up the pace on that front now. I was scheduled to get my third "before easter", now its probably by mid-January or so.

[alsoknownasDean]

Here states are largely still easing restrictions, although a mask mandate has been reimposed in Queensland and retained in Victoria.

Each state is in different circumstances. Western Australia still has tight border controls and a COVID-zero approach, most of the rest have or are about to ease border restrictions between other states and are tolerating a certain level of transmission.

Restrictions by state are as follows:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-15/vaccines-alone-wont-stop-omicron-covid-restrictions/100701146

Here in Victoria cases have been in the 1000-1500 range for a number of weeks, although this week there's been an uptick. New South Wales has had a significant increase in cases including Omicron, in the last two weeks they've gone from 300 per day to 2200 per day, and hospital numbers are increasing in both states.

Schools are ending/have ended for the year and 5-11 year olds will be eligible for the jab in January. As many clusters are centred around schools and summer holidays run until late January, hopefully that has a meaningful impact on transmission. Of course Omicron is a wildcard there.

Two-dose vaccination rates (of the entire population) range from high 60s % in WA, NT and Queensland to low 80s in the ACT. People have started turning out for boosters in the last week and daily vaccinations have increased, but boosters are only available to those with at least five months since their second dose, and many people had their second doses in August-November, so aren't eligible yet.

https://covidlive.com.au/

Personally, I've attended Christmas parties (everyone fully vaccinated) and the like as normal, however fortunately most have been outdoors (and the indoor ones had doors and windows open). For the next week I'll be extra careful because I don't want to have to quarantine over Christmas. My second dose was in early October so I can't get a booster until March.

[alsoknownasDean]

Yeah, uh, things have declined a bit:

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australias-covid-19-cases-surge-hospitalisations-hit-pandemic-high-nsw-2022-01-03/

Let's just say that nationally we had about as many new cases today as in the entirety of the pandemic from early 2020 until late August 2021. It's difficult to get rapid antigen tests in stores and there are long delays on PCR tests, which wasn't helped by some states requiring a negative PCR before entry and it being the summer holidays.

The high double-vaccination rate means a lockdown is unlikely, but I'm still going to be extra cautious and have a bit more food and supplies on hand until I get my booster (I'll be eligible in about a month).

[middo]

Yeah, uh, things have declined a bit:

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australias-covid-19-cases-surge-hospitalisations-hit-pandemic-high-nsw-2022-01-03/

Let's just say that nationally we had about as many new cases today as in the entirety of the pandemic from early 2020 until late August 2021. It's difficult to get rapid antigen tests in stores and there are long delays on PCR tests, which wasn't helped by some states requiring a negative PCR before entry and it being the summer holidays.

The high double-vaccination rate means a lockdown is unlikely, but I'm still going to be extra cautious and have a bit more food and supplies on hand until I get my booster (I'll be eligible in about a month).

Yep.  It's gone from being under control to a shit show in Australia, and everyone for themselves as our governments have suddenly decided to vacate to field and leave it to run.

The leading hastag on Twitter was #dickhead, referring to our Prime Minister.  Many unhappy Australians who have endured lockdowns for this to happen now.

[HPstache]

Well that escalated quickly...

[middo]

Well that escalated quickly...

Just like our cases...

[GodlessCommie]

I understand and sympathize with your frustration, but looking from afar, it seems like everything you've been through was not for nothing. You don't have a (virtual) pile of dead bodies accumulate over the last two years, like some other countries.

It does feel like terrible waste, though.

[middo]

I understand and sympathize with your frustration, but looking from afar, it seems like everything you've been through was not for nothing. You don't have a (virtual) pile of dead bodies accumulate over the last two years, like some other countries.

It does feel like terrible waste, though.

Thanks.  Sometimes a bit of perspective helps.  It just does feel like we have held this at bay to get the country prepared, and then, we are not prepared anyway.

Having spent 260 days in various lockdowns to give the government time to get us vaccinated and plan for the next phase, it appears the government didn't plan for this next phase at all.

[habanero]

Having spent 260 days in various lockdowns to give the government time to get us vaccinated and plan for the next phase, it appears the government didn't plan for this next phase at all.

Up here on almost the other side of the planet the number of times the pandemic has been decalared "over" is turning into bit of a joke. Deaths are rising (about same number last  8 weeks as during all of 2020) but still very low by international standards. Difference is noone, and I really mean noone, except family memebers etc care one iota. It's not news any more and you have dig a bit into the statistics to find the numbers so at least that part has turned into some variant of ordinary life. It's not really more than in a flu season so it's not really any drama, but the change in public perception of covid deaths has been a bit bizarre to watch. It's pretty much like when the newspapers started making big headlines about it people suddenly en masse stopped pretending having deep-hearted feelings for old and/or sick people they never knew and never had met or would have met. It's something generally noone outisde family and friends really cared about under normal circumstances so it just went back to being normal.

I get my third dose next week, that was brought forward by quite some time. Personally I don't really care any more. I wear a face mask in shops etc because you are sort of supposed to (no mandate) and most others do. But as long as I have kids in school. go to work occationally (mostly wfh these days) etc I don't really see the point in it. If I should get a positive test at some point and have to quarantine for a few days it doesn't really make much difference anyway. I did visit my old parents for christmas but they both recently recently had covid (dad was hospitalized but it went ok) and in mom's case it was more like a mild cold and she wouldn't even think of it ang get tested unless she knew dad had it so she most likely also had. So I assumed they with 3 doses + infection were pretty safe anyway. Wouldn't want to make them sick as they're quite old and dad is in a rather bad overall condition for other reasons. Luckly he got his 3rd short shortly before he was infected.

The powers that be are still waiting on enough data to see how the omicron variant behaves when it comes to hospitalization and how effective the 3rd shot is. There is data from abroad of course, but recent experiences have shown that it doesn't neccessarily translate terribly well to local condations. In the capital they estimate that every third child in school has had covid, but hardly any has been hospitalized (we only vax down to 12 years and only one Pfizer-dose) and even fewer have seen the inside of an ICU so afaik that's a pretty big difference compared to say the US.

[happy]

Well a couple of weeks on, and Australian cases have had a meteoric rise, but looks like we could be peaking out. Things are moderately chaotic and  there are still some measures in place: masks, isolation and so on. PCR testing rates have gotten as high as 37% positive, and have been hard to get. There are very few rapid antigen tests available...the government stubbornly refused to get on board with these, and has belatedly ordered some which are due to arrive later in January..which could be well after the peak /facepalm. There is a fair bit of disarray due to the numbers off sick, supply chains for food and most other goods are interrupted, and hospital are overrun. Not necessarily with huge numbers of folks on ventilators in ICU, but I think we got to over 50% of patients in NSW hospitals being Covid positive which means a huge extra burden for staff WRT infection control. The young politician who is probably most to blame for this debacle, opened up for the sake of the economy, which has now tanked, hopefully temporarily.

PS I forgot to mention that Western Australia still has its borders closed and has very few cases, but that is due to change in February unless gollum changes his mind. Unfortunately there is a huge area in NW of WA that has an extremely low vaxx rate and a very high indigenous population.

A wee graph for interest...unfortunately it hasn't got Norway on it.

[alsoknownasDean]

I wonder how much of the numbers levelling off/slowly declining is down to supply of tests rather than reduced transmission? Although PCR test positivity rate here in Victoria has gone from about one third a couple of weeks ago to about 20% now.

The big issues are obviously burnt-out healthcare workers and the impact on supply chains. An upcoming issue is schools, which return from summer holidays in the next couple of weeks. Some states have decided to delay the commencement of the new school year a couple of weeks, but others have committed to it starting on time. Obviously there's going to be added risks, especially with more vulnerable teachers and classrooms without adequate airflow.

But 85% of all diagnosed cases in Australia for the entire pandemic occurred after Christmas 2021. In South Australia that number is 96%, and in Queensland and Tasmania it's over 98% occurring since Christmas 2021.

Although there's some light on the horizon, vaccination rates have picked back up (about 2 million in the last week, and about 30% of 18+ have had three doses) with increased eligibility for boosters and the opening up of vaccines for 5-11 year olds. The approval of the Novavax vaccine might help get a few other hesitant folks over the line.

I had my third dose on Monday :)

[kei te pai]

And here in NZ we are just watching Aus, and waiting for our turn!
Delta peaked at about 200 cases/ day late last year, and now around 20- 30 / day. Hospital numbers are dropping and there is now only 1 covid  case in ICU in the country. 52 deaths from covid19 all up.
There are more Omicron cases arriving at the border quarantine each day than there are delta cases in the community.
We are just waiting for the first community transmission of omicron.
95% first dose Pfizer, 93% double vaxxed of over 12 year olds. 5 -12 yr old vaccinations started this week with good uptake, and boosters for over 12s are at about 30%. Can we keep the latest variant at bay until this latest round of vaccinations hits 90+%?
Its like a slightly tedious tv show whose scriptwriters are running out of ideas.
But meanwhile its summer, and we count our multitude of blessings.

[deborah]

The ACT has well over 99% over 12 double vaxxed. We also lead Australia in the number of booster shots per head of population (38%?), and the number of 5-11s with one shot (that cohort started on 6th January). Yet we're doing only slightly better than NSW.

[middo]

My Dad in a nursing home had a positive test today.  I'm not happy for many reasons.  It really sucks and I am trying to remain positive.  The next week will be the test I guess.  He is double vaxxed, but his booster never happened because our moron of a Prime Minister has stuffed it up again.

[Hula Hoop]

My Dad in a nursing home had a positive test today.  I'm not happy for many reasons.  It really sucks and I am trying to remain positive.  The next week will be the test I guess.  He is double vaxxed, but his booster never happened because our moron of a Prime Minister has stuffed it up again.

I'm so sorry.  I really hope that he's OK. 

[habanero]

At 10 AM today all remaining regulations (4 day isolation if confirmed covid and 1 meter distance / face mask indoors in public space if not poss and a few other things) were scrapped and for all practical purposes there is not a single covid regulation in place now. If you are an adult and get sympthoms you are recommended to self-test,and if positve you are recommended to stay home for 4 days or until well again, but it's up to you.

Kids who test positive are free to go to school if not sick.

So its basically down to your own judgement now.

The 1 meter thing sounds innocent but it has large implications for areas like culture/bars/restaurant as it has severely limited the numer of guests they can have etc.

Now it's all gone.

I finally tested +ve myself a few days ago. Surprised it took that long as I go to work, have kids in school etc. In my case like a very minor cold. Assumption now is that 80% or so of the population will get covid, but as testing will be pretty much scrapped noone will really be able to tell anyway.

[alsoknownasDean]

Daily cases nationwide are about a third of their peak in mid January and declining slowly. At least here in Victoria hospitalisations are at about a quarter of their peak. However Omicron has now arrived in Western Australia (which is finally opening it's border to the rest of the country in a week) and they're now seeing 1000 cases a day after sticking to the zero-COVID strategy longer than other states. Now the borders have also been opened to international tourists.

Restrictions are continuing to ease, including indoor mask requirements (except in primary schools), working from home recommendations, hospitality density limitations, etc. I've already started going back to the office a day or two a week.

Still required to isolate if positive.

So yeah, things are increasingly returning to normal. I'll continue wearing a mask in shops because at this point it's normalised and whilst I'll be fine if I do test positive, I'm not going out of my way to catch it.

[habanero]

I went to my first rock concert in 2 years yesterday. It was surreal to be on an indoor concert venue packed to capacity again. It was beautiful.

[deborah]

At the moment, we have floods. First central Australia flooded and trucks there did a 3000km detour, while Western Australia (larger than the whole of Western Europe and one third of our land mass) was cut off by both rail and road. So there have been a lot of supply issues, but they’re not covid19 related. Now there is flooding in eastern Australia - Brisbane and Sydney and everything in between is most severely affected and I would guess that the areas affected are larger than Norway. We are just one gigantic puddle!

However, most covid19 restrictions have been lifted, so we can go to concerts too.