Melbourne clamps down in frantic bid to curb virus

A necessary move. Better to go hard at it now than be slack and let people keep dying and to never be able to fully reopen.

All things considered, I think I would rather be in Tokyo right now rather than Melbourne, It's going to be a tough six weeks for the Aussies.

Nothing to do with Dan. Maybe talk to all the entitled folk who think restrictions do not apply to them. People in Melbourne went about their business like nothing was out of the ordinary. Tried the carrot, now time for the stick.

@kryonstavic

It was no different in Sydney when I flew back in April. Security was on the floors while ADF and cops brought up any goods that I ordered. Maybe the cops and ADF didn't want to sit outside people's doors all day.You can blame the premier all you want but in the end it comes down to people.BTW I took photos of half a dozen cops down on the road unmasked having a nice close up chat so yeah you know.

People who tested Positive were instructed to home isolate. When the police and ADF did house call checks, 30% of them were not at home. With actions like this they were never going to stop the spread. No amount of Govt action, or inaction, will compensate for human stupidity.

@kryonstavic

I was only temperature tested at the airport and then bussed to the hotel. There they give you the rules and the only contact you have is a phone call once a day for a health check verbally. The only other times I saw anyone was a 1 cop and an ADF person who delivered any food that I ordered. What they considered food was appalling. Then on leaving another temp check and on your way.

A double blow to the Irish community in Melbourne, also grieving for the political giant, John Hume.

Wishing them, and everyone in Melbourne, safety and an eventual return to "normality".

@ kryonstavic

I'll give you that one I have no idea because I just opened and closed the door but don't you think cops and ADF would have been better placed outside the doors.

The Small business owners are the ones that are going to suffer most

but at least the Australian government is giving out decent financial support - Japan’s one-off handout was basically a token gesture

'.....South Australia, with two fresh cases, reduced gatherings inside the home to a maximum of 10 people from 50 previously.'

Maybe that's why Japan has done ok.....we can't even fit 10 people in most houses!

Australia has reported 18,361 coronavirus cases and 221 deaths from a population of 25 million.

The US has 12x the population of Australia. 221 X 12 = 2652.

The virus got to Australia and the US just about the same time. And we have 150,000 dead.

That's a factor of 56. Meaning, Americans are doing 56 times worse than Australia.

Seems to this yank that you guys know how to deal with a public health crises. And we have an incompetant ahole running things here.

StarbucksToday  06:20 pm JST

@ kryonstavic

I'll give you that one I have no idea because I just opened and closed the door but don't you think cops and ADF would have been better placed outside the doors.

No worries.

Yeah, it would've been better if they had. Maybe they just knew what they were doing, too. The Melbourne situation involved security guards with negligible training, so it's hard to pin all the blame on them. In a situation like this, the buck has to stop at the top.

Actually, since you've been in quarantine yourself, you'd be a good person to ask. Did they give you any stern warnings to avoid contact with anyone and everyone except testers, and what consequences would be if you didn't follow the rules? And did you get any opportunities for exercise, etc, or were you in the room the whole time?c

StarbucksToday  06:08 pm JST

@kryonstavic

It was no different in Sydney when I flew back in April. Security was on the floors while ADF and cops brought up any goods that I ordered. Maybe the cops and ADF didn't want to sit outside people's doors all day.You can blame the premier all you want but in the end it comes down to people.BTW I took photos of half a dozen cops down on the road unmasked having a nice close up chat so yeah you know.

But were the cops fraternising with the people in quarantine? I'd doubt it very much. That's likely the key difference. Andrews could have done it properly from the outset, but has shown his poor judgment yet again.

@Kryonstavic

I will say though I was one of the lucky one who got the balcony suite otherwise I think I would have gone stir crazy in a closed in room.A bit claustrophobic like Danni Minogue without the money. The first part is not a joke.

@ kryonstavic

My pleasure.Toast and a coffee sounds simple but good enough.

"Frantic"?

Starbucks - glad you're OK and got through it with your health and sanity intact. You're the first person I've "spoken" to who's actually gone through quarantine, so thanks for filling in the details. That first meal on the outside must've tasted extra good.

StewieToday  05:29 pm JST

Nothing to do with Dan. Maybe talk to all the entitled folk who think restrictions do not apply to them. People in Melbourne went about their business like nothing was out of the ordinary. Tried the carrot, now time for the stick.

Nonsense. He and his cabinet oversaw the shambolic hotel quarantine affair and rejected offers of ADF help that would've prevented people in quarantine from leaving their rooms and interacting with the guards. He and his government also failed to set up a system to prevent the virus getting into nursing homes, learning nothing from what has happened overseas.

To be sure, there's no shortage of idiots out there in the public, but his negligence of factors he could have controlled is a major cause of this lockdown fiasco. Unfortunately Victorians still have to wait another 2 years before they can vote this fool out of office. Doubt he has the honour to resign first.

Congratulations, Chairman Dan. You must be so proud.