I wish they'd hurry up and allow employers to mandate vaccinations to be honest but unfortunately I work in a low risk industry which probably won't.

Mainly I'm just sick of sitting near a homeopath loving anti-vaxer who spouts idiocy in private phone calls that I have to listen to and I want her to be able to be sacked aha

It's a private business I don't see why we shouldn't be able to. Discriminating against things you can't choose is one thing but they can't smoke behind me why should they be able to put me and my family at risk once we open up and Delta washes over these fucknuts.

Is it wrong of me to want us to open up and watch these people be absolutely ravaged by disease to teach them a lesson? It's a little biblical of me I guess

Good to see health officials already trying to paper clip mask wearing to the new modelling for opening up. Like seriously. Are we really going to become a species that wears masks indoors for years just because of one strain of one virus that most people would be vaccinated against and the mortality rate for those under 60s is small?

So its OK to have large events and functions but its not OK to be in Woolworths without a mask because then you really risk spreading and getting it

This has become a joke. The whole point of opening up is not fearing it and not hiding from it

I agree. People should be able to decide not to get vaccinated, but event organisers or employers should also be able to say - if you don't follow our rules for keeping people safe then you're not welcome within our community. However it is a very difficult decision and predicament to be in. 

He changes his outlook weekly

There's all that money to be made from the companies who manufacture and sell PPE gear, remember...

I dislike any leader who doesn't change when you need to due to this moving target for eg....
Yes I agree not on a whim or due to external pressures having not reacted as he hasn't in the past but in this case, all for it change again next week if need be if its for the better.

If I had to guess I'd say its this: Normally 2000 people die of the flu each year but last year it was about 1300. There is no doubt social distancing has stopped a % of the spread of lots of diseases

Health officials are looking at the pandemic measures and eyeing them to change the health system long term. Masks in GPs, hospitals etc... And also masks on public transport as a permanent fixture to stop the spread of all stranger to stranger flus etc... Australia hasnt even cemented a plan for opening up and health officials are already stapling on face masks to whatever that is, in the same way they have pushed face masks at every opportunity. Its the same thing we saw last year when the only thing Victoria were sure of was face masks for at least 6 months

I respect what health officials have had to go through over the last year but I cant think of anything more selfish than using a national disaster to push for a need for your own benefit. How much of today's lockdowns and restrictions come back to what health officials want instead of what is required in the situation. And they're looking at them long term?

I think once we open up the onus should be on health officials to lodge a case for every restriction and they have to prove beyond doubt that without the restriction in place hospital systems will be overrun with people sick or dying of COVID. I cant see how any sane society can justify sporting events in front of thousands, private household gatherings in the hundreds, weddings, functions - but you have to wear a face mask on the bus or you risk getting COVID

As I said. This face mask nonsense has to stop now. It should be nothing more than a recommendation. Those who want to wear them can. There is nothing stopping people. Create laws that nobody who wants to wear a mask will be discriminated against. But the view of years worth of mask laws is nothing short of a joke

I’m all for updating state they based on evolving knowledge. His appears to be based on political whims or 24 hour polls. 

*updating strategy. 

Not having a go here BB because you're an adult and free to spend your time however you like but gee you expend some energy on this mask and covid stuff. It's not the end of the world. 

Do you need a hug mate?

To be fair in NSW they're jabbing people at an incredible rate. There's still shortages for Pfizer as my kids found out (which is why they're booked in for AZ). They couldn't nail down a second jab though yet. I'm sure that will change.

Still hoping for a runaway infection of Delta to smack Mark McGowan right in that smug face of his. 

Is it weird I'm sort of against mandatory vaccines? (Am I alone here?) Like I understand the reasoning and I hate anti-science, anti vaxxer clowns etc with a passion but I'm a bit uncomfortable saying you have to get XYZ to move about and exist in society. (Greater good  etc.  Yes, yes, yes.) 

Don't know. The logical side of me says 'yep, makes perfect sense' but still.....

Agree with this. Best thing ScoMo can do now is just introduce the experts and step back. Any claims he makes now risks pissing off partisan hacks.

I'm anti mandatory vaccines. Something fundamentally wrong about the State dictating what you can and can't do to your own body (even if it is for the greater good). There could be incentives/disincentives, but mandating something feels a step too far. 

Having said that, I can see mandates existing in certain industry groups (e.g. healthcare/aged care). This feels more like a safety standard than a mandate. 

This forum isnt my life. I pop on here between doing other things. And just because I write long posts because I'm a natural writer it doesnt take anywhere near as long

As I said. I'm not everyday with family and friends rattling off about face masks or vaccinations. Its not my job to do that. They can ask their GPs or listen to the daily updates.  This forum is an avenue for me to vent. The reason I have been crapping on about masks for 13 months is because health officials have (almost literally) been shoving them down my throat for 13 months. How do you think I feel every single day I go for a walk that I have to put on a mask in case the big bad COVID is lurking behind a bush and gets me?

And if you're wondering, no I dont have a job. Like many I have lost mine and its going to be tough getting one yoyoing in and out of lockdown. This pandemic has real costs and real consequences and hits different people in ways you cant imagine. Even the "little things"

Forums are for addressing what has been posted instead of who has posted it or why. There is no reason for a line up of people trying to defend a life time of face mask laws just because they arent impacted by them. If you cant put forward a valid well thought out argument in favour of mask laws then you're just trolling

State sure, but business?

If I ran a holiday business and a potential case could shut me down for two weeks in height of season....you can see why people would want to say you need a jab.

I hear you BB. I FN hate masks and to tell you the truth, I dont wear them, when I exercise I have it in my pocket and if I have to go to shops, its under my chin as I normally carry a drink. Also living in Melbournes west helps as no one here gives a F about masks or restrictions in general!

The really sad thing is your experience is not uncommon and the relentless lockdowns have really ground down a lot of people. I have work colleagues I barely know now confiding in me how hard they are doing it at the moment, its heart breaking as seriously these people are strangers to me and are looking for support wherever they can find it and it helps when they see they arent alone. These people have jobs and are suffering so I can only imagine what people like you feel when you have lost what you have.

My only consolation is that there is a significant shift in sentiment occurring in Aus at the moment and we are shiftng from elimination to living with covid (also funnily enough same is happening in NZ) so wont be long before we can return to normal.

why would you have to shut down? New rules in UK are if you are fully vaxed you dont need to isolate if you have been exposed to covid, only if you are actually sick so same should apply here. Sick people stay home, heallthy people free to move in community. People need to get out of this elimation/lock down mentality

Yeah I know what you mean - this woman just SERIOUSLY shits me to tears and felt like ranting.

I'm not saying she should be chained up but in a private business we should be able to consider the safety of our staff and clients I think.

Anyway, even if I get my wish and her whole family is ravaged with covid (up to but not including death) they would just be wasting space that could be better used on people without jelly for a brain.

for the record I'm not saying the government should mandate it for all citizens.

If a private employer gives ample notice of their intent to introduce a policy though and fields all queries and concerns, that person has the right to choose not to put it in their body and the right to find employment elsewhere.

I'm not 100% on this myself but in my mood today this is my gut feeling

I work in the transport industry.  My employer is making it Mandatory soon. Our big truck mechanics already have their Pfizer jabs as they work on the wharfs.  

Not trying to troll you at all. Obviously you've given this a lot of thought and good luck to you.

Hopefully you can stick it out a little while longer and come out the other side.

All the best. 

Pfizer announced as available for all 16-39 year olds from tomorrow in Victoria this morning and it looks like we're still crashing the booking site. The demand is definitely there.

agreed - political games is a shit and more so when its nearing elections flipping their tunes, worse when a leader but we've had similar in the past.
Some present it better than others, he sure isn't good at it.

As for talking up the vaccine and trouble getting it, he should say that but at the same it needs to be pushed regardless for as we know countless people are sitting back which brings me to Muz's post on having this pushed down our ears.

I'm sure all of us are good citizens here and having to have this put to us, do it or your going to be having ongoing restrictions in the future does suck.
Besides who wants to get a jab even back in normal times unless you had to.

In saying that as a family man/business owner/employer looking at the big picture as any of us average people would the only way out to freedom is getting vaxxed, not just freedom but thinking my family will be ok in the future incl myself close ones etcetc....
I'm no scientist nor one who wants to read so much into it, all I see is infections/deaths isn't that enough so I don't get these people against going for a jab, yet they want their freedom as well.
So us who feel doing the right thing are taking it for them as well yet these fuckers are causing us grief not complying - more so younger gens having been influenced by SM/other idiots they know........
Hate to think when you need people to be with you in the trenchs like the ol days, talk about being MIA, they'd leave you for dead.
Wonder what their parents are like.

I know some here have posted having concerns being you have young kids, I feel the same my youngest is 16.
I actually can't wait to get an appointment once its open, she's freaking out like any normal kid But my wife and I feel its for the better in the big picture fingers crossed.
I don't know what repercussions are going to exist in the future from all this, hopefully she'll be fine but I do fear what might be years down the track.
Wife/myself and the other 2 sons are done as well.
Elsewhere and here is going to dictate if we can go in out of the country - events etc I/we want that pass without jumping over more hoops when the time comes.

Davide, I'm a private biz of 15 odd people, when the dust settles and the Feds/State put a rubber stamp to it so as we're covered we will be introducing their right to choose with ample time but it will be vaxxed only employees.

I think lockdowns are over very shortly at the rate they're vaccinating people. (6 weeks to 2 months.) And when that happens good luck to any Premier in a vaccinated state (NSW and VIC will be first to 70%) saying we're going into lockdown.

There'll be riots for sure if they try and bung that shit on when everyone is jabbed up.

Because this is Aus not UK. Have you not seen our politicians? Everyone bar Gladys shuts down when they hear someone cough.
Boris wanted herd immunity...the had a national response (as shambolic as it was). We have a fractured state-based one that changes every five minutes 

Yeah a lot of employers checking FWA pretty frequently in these times.

https://twitter.com/TheDohertyInst/status/1429753048050536449

No one wants lockdowns and the modelling suggests there won't need to be. People need to be aware though that things like wearing a mask, capacity limits in venues, restrictions on certain activities even are going to still happen once the vaccination rates hit those numbers. They think with that level of vaccination they can control spread and keep hospitalisations low with measures in place. Not that its a free for all.

As a parent, I'd like to see what their plan is for primary and secondary schools. They can't let the virus rip through the school so what are they planning to do to mitigate the risk e.g. mask wearing, air filtration, reducing class capacities, school closures when there are cases etc. I think most will be happy enough once they know that.

Anyway, I don't see any issues with that but there will be a portion of the population that won't be happy.

My friend she just tried to book pfizer as she now eligible at 35 years old.....first booking is Nov lol. What a joke 

Cheers scotty