428 and Counting

Could it really be just four months since I was sitting in my hotel in Cuba, reading the directive from DFAT that all Australian citizens were being instructed to return home as soon as possible? So much has changed since that fateful day. The pandemic has now touched every country on earth and daily infection numbers are still increasing at an alarming rate.

Although most states of Australia are currently enjoying a lull in infections, the opposite is true in Victoria. Yesterday we had the terrible news that 428 new infections had been detected in the state. It was enough to send a spirit of alarm through the community. Each day we had been hoping for the numbers to start dropping, especially since it is now 10 days since the latest increase in restrictions took effect. The experts expected that we would see a positive result within a week or so, but it was not to be.

At noon today I am sure that there were many Victorians anxiously awaiting the release of the latest figures. When the announcement was finally made, we were told that the number was "only" 217. Two weeks ago this would have been regarded as a disaster, but after the shocking figure the previous day, it almost seemed like a cause for celebration. Maybe it was the glimmer of hope that we were all holding out for.

So have the numbers turned ? It is obviously far too soon for such a call, but at least we have a glimmer of hope at last. The next week will be critical.

I am currently watching the SBS International news. Unfortunately the news from around the world is nearly all about the coronavirus, and it is almost invariably bad. In most places the infections are still increasing at an accelerating rate. The worst country is undoubtedly the USA, followed by Brazil. Around 140,000 deaths have now been caused by the virus in the USA and around 70,000 new cases are being detected every day. In spite of this, their mad President insists that the country will keep opening up.

One final comment I will make is that we are now instructed to wear masks whenever we are in close proximity to other people. This is a change in recommendation, but already we can see a big increase in people wearing masks in public. This morning I sat in the car in the Aldi car park while Maggie was doing a quick shop inside. Of course she was wearing her new cloth mask, although she did not exactly enjoy the experience. I took the time to conduct my own poll of how many customers were wearing mask. I estimated that it would have been at least 40%. It is indeed a daunting sight, but one that I think we will have to get used to in the near future.Read more