We are so lucky to have got our community transmission down to zero. We all slowly breathe a sigh of relief. Masks disappear though we still madly sanitise and check in everywhere....I am relieved my tickets to STC still require spacing (though that has now changed for any new tickets - bit mistake in my opinion) and I've fingers crossed my Pippin tickets will be isolated by chance. I'm not ready to sit crammed in with strangers. Crammed in with anyone really.
As we have seen, however, it's only a matter of time if we don't take care. How we still haven't sorted out International Quarantine is beyond me. And as for when we stop hotel quarantine, that will be a HUGE mistake.
I look at countries in Europe who got it under control and are now facing lockdown again. I hope we learn from them, but I don't think our powers are even paying attention, which worries me.
So for now, I am making the most of it - theatre, concerts, possibly even DANCING this week! A xmas party with up to 50 friends outside (need the weather to hold for me!!) and all the other end of year festivities. I am 'on the clock' as I like to say, regarding making the most of eased restrictions. I still wear a mask and have sanitiser with me at all times.
I'm trying not to hug people (though I'm finding I have to recoil as they approach me, which is causing all sorts of embarrassment).
I am happy, and feeling very lucky. I did give a number of family their Xmas presents on the weekend 'to put under the tree', partly to avoid getting stuck with it in case we go into lockdown. So while I am revelling and congratulating Australia at our good fortune, I know the minute we open the internal borders, we risk our contact tracers becoming too slow to contain spread (due to too many people moving around, not their competence. They get 'over run' too).
We still need to do our part. Don't assume it's over. Over the next few weeks we need to keep vigilant and as Clint Eastwood said "You've got to ask yourself one question. Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?" And for now, the answer is thankfully YES!
Linking with #Lifethisweek
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| Crazy pink sky the other night. |
How wonderful our freedoms are now that we are Corona-free. Especially here in Victoria.
ReplyDeleteOh, I hope you get to go dancing. I can't remember the last time I did - though I don't go 'out' much.
ReplyDeleteAnd I know re the hotel quarantine thing.... my niece flew in from Japan back in August and the process seemed really rigid and smoothly-run so I'm intrigued how these latest two slipped through on arrival in the country.
Lucky indeed. I hate to think what will happen when we do stop the quarantine thing - especially when mistakes are still being made. I hope you get to go dancing...shake it out.
ReplyDeleteHi Lydia - welcome to freedom! We've been so lucky in WA with the closed borders giving us free reign a lot sooner than you guys. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the next wave doesn't happen now they're letting eveyone else in Australia into our State - it would be such a sad and sorry day if we have to go back into lockdown. Enjoy your partying - it will be all the more sweet for having had to wait for so long.
ReplyDeleteI know the media is giving McGowan a hard time (No doubt at the behest of that PM of ours) but I lay the good management of COVID at those WA drs that basically stormed your parliament back in Feb/March. McGowen has done it right, in my book (having studies a lot of the ebola and sars countries (who also have avoided being over run). His outspoken stance back then got the rest of the Premiers to stand up to the greedy idea of 'herd immunity' that someone wanted us to follow with reckless abandon.
DeleteI'm pretty confident we have a handle on things here. Let's hope we're as sensible as we are lucky and everyone continues to do the right thing over the coming weeks/months. Although I see the benefits of hotel quarantine, I think there are other more humane ways of isolating returning Australians. My sense of pride at how well our country has dealt with the virus is also shadowed by a shame at how poorly we have treated fellow Australians stranded overseas and trying to get home (which has been made so difficult by flight caps and hotel quarantine.)
ReplyDeleteRight at the start I tried helping two different women stranded in South America trying to get home. It was amazing how quickly all the flights disappeared. One of them was stuck on a boat no allowed to dock anywhere. So I saw first hand how impossible it became almost immediately. I hope I'm wrong and we don't make the mistakes other countries have made when they open up. But for now I'm making the most of being able to go out!
DeleteYes I'm feeling lucky too although it's been tough on a lot of people, it could have been worse. We just need to stay on top of the quarantine situation now. #lifethisweek
ReplyDeleteGosh Lydia, I know you have found this covid thing awful but I seem to think 'lockdown for us' is nowhere near on the cards...but as a person who wants to have all options open, I understand you need to do the presents early. 50 people for Xmas...you are one very connected lady and I know even more now how isolation must have affected you and I am so glad you are out and about safely doing your thing now. Thank you for linking up for Life This Week. Next week is the last Share Your Snaps for 2020 and then only one week to go after that before a short break with Life This Week returning on Mon 4 January 2021. Hope to see you next week too. Denyse.
ReplyDeleteAlas I know too many people in the medical field. They are very quick to burst any delusions. Just last night one was irritably telling me that Sydney seemed to have forgotten all about COVID and that was alarming....However, I am making hay while the COVID free sun shines!
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