Australian PM upbeat despite virus surge

According to NSW Health Minister, half the cases of "Covid" in hospital are not there because of Covid

Incidental cases picked up via standard screening as a matter of procedure now.

So rather than 1200 cases in hospital "due to" covid, its more like 600.

Keep in mind NSW Health did modelling way back in July/August of last year showing 600 ICU cases and 3000 hospital cases would have a moderate impact on hospital functionality

Also, if your not using ICU beds anywhere near to the extend predicted, that frees up that bed for standard hospitalization

States less severely hit can push staff into Sydney

As of a couple days ago, Central West NSW had just 4 cases in hospital and zero, 0, in ICU

But you know, according to the media the sky is falling

Clickbait sells, but it doesnt help the country at all.

aid his country's health system can cope with the new wave of coronavirus infections as Victoria state reported a record number of new cases and hospitalizations surged

If that's the case. that is good news and Australia is showing it has good healthcare programs. But, even though as some claim it's just a cold or flu, people with colds or the flu should stay home, rest up and not risk getting sicker and spreading their germs to others, including their co-workers.

But if Australia is like states in the US I'm familiar with, when many workers, especially essential workers are out sick, businesses suffer, making life much more difficult for everyone. I hope Australia has good sick leave policies and people who are sick do not get punished and lose pay for catching and coming down with one of the many diseases that are spreading so quickly.

Out of the ongoing pandemic government and business leaders should have learned how important quality healthcare is for all, not just for those in high level, high paying positions. And also learned how important essential workers, including those at the lower end of pay scales are to businesses and the economy.

But you know, according to the media the sky is falling

Headline: “upbeat”

First sentence of the article: “Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday said his country's health system can cope with the new wave of coronavirus infections.”

Seems pretty positive to me.

Recognition of the near impossibility of stopping the spread of Omicron coupled with the recognition that it’s not as deadly as past variants.

@Matt- they've been playing that game all along. "Hospitalizations" are a joke because many are not in for COVID.

That won't stop another lockdown in Australia over harmless Omicron.

Anything Morrison does is purely with the intention of securing re-election. The only analysis that matters to him is opinion polls which showed the population was getting sick of the draconian measures that had been in place until now.

Anything Morrison does is purely with the intention of securing re-election.

and which politician in any country is different. look at the US, youve got state governemors refusing to mandate mask vaccines in the name of freedumb, even making it illegal for schools to do it, and those same states have the highest surges in infections and infections per capita in the US. Look at FL governor looking to take a run at the WH in 2024, but he needs those Trump votes to do it.

That won't stop another lockdown in Australia over harmless Omicron.

If there are lockdowns, the police can look forward to dealing with 100k protestors in Sydney, Melbourne , Brisbane etc EVERY day into infinity.

It could well turn violent. Highly, highly likely.

I think the Prime Minister knows that. I think State Premiers are also aware. Why hasnt Dan Andrews pulled a lockdown with 8000 cases today? He use to love lockdowns for 100 cases a day. Because he knows Melbourne would be awash with protestors and there is nothing the police could do.

They would be absolutely overwhelmed. It would also represent a fantastic opportunity for mass recruitment into certain groups that have things on their mind not necessarily related to Covid.....

Election coming. His polls tell him to go with the freedom theme. He doesn’t care about anything else and governs only by what will give him the most chance to be re elected. . Give him a break He is also busy considering how to build more car parks in marginal seats and how to favor businesses that support him with more money on top of all the COVID bonuses they got even when they were making bigger profits ( and pointedly do not need to repay).

As of a couple days ago, Central West NSW had just 4 cases in hospital and zero, 0, in ICU

But you know, according to the media the sky is falling

Clickbait sells, but it doesnt help the country at all.

And your remedy for this ‘fear mongering’ is to claim:

100k protesters ‘EVERY’ day into infinity

It is ‘highly highly likely’ to become violent

And a bizarre conspiracy about recruiting ‘certain groups’.

I see.

Why hasnt Dan Andrews pulled a lockdown with 8000 cases today? He use to love lockdowns for 100 cases a day. 

Is it really that hard to understand?

Well over 90% of people now vaccinated, and as a result only a handful are dying. The vast majority of them, of course, unvaxxed. The unvaxxed delta risk of 3-4 months ago is largely gone.

And your remedy for this ‘fear mongering’ is to claim:

100k protesters ‘EVERY’ day into infinity

Exactly. Laughable comments like "100k protestors ready to march every day" are the only fear mongering I can see.

As with any desease management strategy it's beholdent on the individual to keep one self safe. If in public you behave like you have it and don't want to give it you're going a long way towards curtailing it's spread. If you inoculate your self as best you can you've done your part at protecting yourself. Other than this you can only manage who you choose to associate with, the safe or the unreliable. Lockdown is not the answer, draconian legislation and penalizing people out of existence is not the answer.

A clear simple message about personal responsibility is needed and identifying where the push back comes from and dealing with them in a more direct manor.

Not criminalisation of whole communities and throwing the book at youths for trying to enjoy themselves in hard times made even more harsh by endless restrictions and imposition imposed by government decrees.

The mental health of our youth is a very major concern, as well is ensuring that we don't allow our administrators to fall to comfortably into a mindset of ruling by decree, at the risk of becoming despotic. It's as important as the personal responsibility of every at risk individual to both isolate themselves and vaccinate themselves in an effort to take personal responsibility for themselves and their families.

Locking down and locking out entire communities and separation of family is not a mandate handed to any government when elected. Effectively bankrupting our children's futures with untenable debt and destroying enterprise by decree is beyond Stalinist in nature and should not be allowed. Successive administrations have been as guilty as their predecessors at not investing in capital infrastructure like having gold standard health systems. Now when we're in the thick of it they want to spend that money on a lockdown strategy and compensating a handful of workers and businesses.

Whatever rhetoric that they generate, I think that the polls should reflect these failings and hold our representatives to account.

On tonight’s Aussie news the PM is discussing a reclassification of covid hospitalizations to exclude those with underlying health issues from the active case numbers. Omicron is still dangerous and putting many in hospital. Those who are double vaxed and boosted are mostly staying out of hospital. Covid is here to stay. Herd immunity is a myth. Stay vigilant people!

On tonight’s Aussie news the PM is discussing a reclassification of covid hospitalizations to exclude those with underlying health issues from the active case numbers

It would be nice to have 2 sets of numbers. Those primarily in hospital due to covid and those in there due to other factors that happen to have covid. It would be a more accurate representation of Omicrons actual health impact.

I dont think people with underlying health issues should be excluded from the figures IF the primary reason they are in hospital is indeed a Covid infection.

Are you aware that the man who has been charged with the burning of the doors at the Old Parliament House was affiliated with such groups? 

Violence against a door? Although why you would target a federal building when its the states that have instituted mandates and lockdowns is a bit bewildering.

Begs the question as to why are the Libs so keen to introduce American-style voter ID, dontcha think?

I dont have a problem with Voter ID. Being able to turn up at a poll booth and just tell them your name and address and get your ballot papers is pretty weak tbh. We are lucky it hasnt been widely abused. At least we dont have the evidence to indicate it has. But imo, its an area that needs tightening.

Im not saying protests are going to happen right now. Im saying they are an absolute certainty if widespread lockdowns are reintroduced. And they will be massive and rolling protests for weeks on end.

I would not call a few thousand protesters massive and they will not go for weeks on end. And yes I live in the most locked down city on the planet.

Your opinion is not shared by the majority. If a new more dangerous variant is discovered and spreads as esily as Delta or Omicron then lockdowns may be needed to deal with it regardless of what we all want or the PM says now. We are tired of covid but have not yet turned stupid enough not to recognize the potential for danger or the need to slow down the spread of a more deadly variant if it happens. Never say never.

Your opinion is not shared by the majority

I havent seen any recent polling to indicate whether it is or isnt. And neither have you.

Will have to agree to disagree or not.

I havent seen any recent polling to indicate whether it is or isnt. And neither have you.

Australians are a nuetered population as a whole, readily accepting of the immigration/real estate ponzi that is eroding living standards and turning the nation into a third world country. The fact that the young aren't rioting in the streets about being robbed of a future indicates that most of the population will accept lockdowns without protest.

I havent seen any recent polling to indicate whether it is or isnt. And neither have you.

I live in a group of ten units and of the adult populations of 17 there is not one that would bother to protest. While a very small sample number and all from the same locality, not having even one who see's a need to protest, let alone daily for weeks tells me that there is not a majority in my city that would protest. Based on previous protests in my city where no more than three or four thousand protested on any given day out of five million people gives me a fair ability to say it will not happen here.

We are all sick of restrictions but recognize they work when everyone follows the instructions. It proved effective for the first year of the pandemic. Everyone wants this over with. Wishing it so does not make it so. Realistically we will do what is best and what is needed following the advise of the professionals. Those who find themselves unable to control their behavior and act out against public safety instructions will be in a small minority.

We are all sick of restrictions but recognize they work when everyone follows the instructions. It proved effective for the first year of the pandemic. Everyone wants this over with. Wishing it so does not make it so. Realistically we will do what is best and what is needed following the advise of the professionals. Those who find themselves unable to control their behavior and act out against public safety instructions will be in a small minority.

It worked....at a price. And its a price I'm willing to wager Australians arent willing to pay any longer.

The price was Australia racking up more debt than any developed country in the world

For a disease that kills less than 1% it infects.

Its done as far as Im concerned. Finished.

I dont have a problem with Voter ID. Being able to turn up at a poll booth and just tell them your name and address and get your ballot papers is pretty weak tbh. We are lucky it hasnt been widely abused. At least we dont have the evidence to indicate it has. But imo, its an area that needs tightening.

Are you sure you're an Australian. You realise that if there wasn't a fine for failure to vote that most Australians wouldn't turn up let alone vote using someone else's name.

It worked....at a price. And its a price I'm willing to wager Australians arent willing to pay any longer.

Dont bet the farm, you could lose it. Like I said if a "more deadly" variant comes along, all bets are off. Wanting to stay alive is a powerful incentive. Wanting to protect family members is a powerful force. If the death rate from a new variant doubles or triples deaths and it is not limited to the aged then lockdowns will be accepted again for a period until something changes. New targeted vaccines to the new deadly variant or infections decrease due to a less transmissible variant etc.

Just saying it is not over until its over. Be prepared for any eventuality. Deal with what comes, dont throw in the towel and give up doing the right things. There are ups and downs and more ups and more downs, it is just not over yet.

For a disease that kills less than 1% it infects.

For god's sake. Two years and there is people who still do not understand. The biggest problem is the overwhelming number of people who gets sick and cripple the medical systems in many countries. That is why we have vaccines for the seasonal flu which is even far less deadly than covid.