100%. 

Yeah on one hand they're saying we haven't hit the peak yet and on the other hand they're back slapping themselves for what were probably statistical outliers.

As annoying as some of them are (and i see you've been quite vocal about it here), I do think that some of the measures like the reintroduction of the 10 person home visit one have slowed the spread a bit. Anecdotally, there were a number of events I had before and after new years that got cancelled because of that. I think it's also just generally made people more aware of the situation and are making choices about being in crowds and other riskier activities.

I admit (and will not surprise anyone here aha) that I can let my emotions guide my posting.
I think it's as much a symptom of just being over it all, as I know we all are, as anything else.

I'm sure it has had SOME effect but I'm still not sure I agree with doing it. I do oscillate but that's where I generally land. I understand situations evolve but it still feels like we were sold a lie and are at the behest of whims

Same ie. NYE, father in laws 70th, god daughters 18th and my 40th all cancelled by bureaucrats

People who were scared could have chosen to stay home or if we had an effective government we could have all done a RAT the day of.

Having an exasperating time arguing with dickheads on facebook at the moment. (Don't often get involved because you may as well be shouting into the void but couldn't help myself this time). Like you said despite whatever evidence you put in front of them they refuse to be swayed.  

First I linked a wiki article that showed unexpected deaths occur from coronary causes at about 150 a year and was told that's a wiki article so it doesn't count. Then I linked the British Journal of Sports Medicine and the actual peer reviewed paper and was told FIFA commissioned it so it can't be taken seriously. WTF?! The report was on the years 2014 to 2018 (published 2020) prior to covid and although commissioned by FIFA was fully independent of them.

What's that saying 'there's none so blind as those that will not see'.

Man, I reinstated my Facebook account after months away coz my wife wanted me to share a song/video I wrote for my daughter.
I've had it again for almost 2 weeks and have found myself reading comments sections again which is why I had to get away from it.
It's just too damn tempting

I try to avoid getting dragged into facebook arguments simply because people you now can see you having the argument.  

I've have had people ask me why am I arguing with strangers on social media and I generally don't have a good answer. 

At least here we're anonymous 😁😁😁

Aha I do know what you mean and I've been sucked in  precisely because I have seen people I know down in the muck and mire 

I benefit from hearing the viewpoints of people who hold opposite opinions, hence, one reason why I benefit from this thread discussion. No one wants to live in an echo-chamber, but unconsciously when we shut out contrary opinions, the unavoidable result is an echo chamber. Sure, it's natural to yearn for pleasant banter where no one disagrees with you. But sometimes, in fact, often, truths are unpalatable.

For example, I don't see any of you guys/girls discussing the recent news of the European drug regulator warning of boosters leading to damage of the immune system? Months ago, you were able to dismiss that as conspiracy from loonies. But now that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is saying that -- akin to TGA and FDA - isn't it worth some discomfort to have a debate on whether the vaccines do actually destroy your immune system? There's a lot of doctors who predicted that, even when it was unpopular to say that, even at the risk of those doctors losing their licences.

https://fortune.com/2022/01/12/ema-who-covid-fourth-boosters-pfizer-flu-endemic/

https://www.afr.com/life-and-luxury/health-and-wellness/top-doctors-academics-living-in-an-alternative-reality-20220110-p59n73

The two important things to remember about this virus is the period of infection even for the vaccinated is about 3-4 days (estimate, not citing a scientific fact), and the majority of spread is still typical households / work places / close contact

Its a bit like not getting hit by a car because you avoided walking down street A only to be hit by walking down street B instead. You only have to get infected once and the window is too wide for it to be avoided by the cancellation of one event, or because you were wearing a mask in front of odd number houses

The virus numbers for each state (pre RAT manipulation) are proportionate to the respective population. No state or territory is in control of their numbers aside from WA who have conclusively proved it is an all or none approach. Either you have big ticket items like shut borders / quarantine where you can block 99% of transmission or it runs rampant

The problem with partial restrictions is they have never been enough to make a difference but you get the usual suspects repeatedly shut down or inhibited

Its something that will never be proven conclusively unless NSW follow through on their bluff to open up on 27 January unconditionally and we can see how they fair (proportionately) to those who keep one or two measures in place. Chances are they'll have some stupid restrictions in place and people will specious reasoning those as significant and other states will follow suit to keep them

I dont see a need for a single restriction or mandate outside of a health or aged care setting. That includes testing, tracing, or isolation (remember I said it shouldnt be mandated, not voluntarily)

Out of interest, those who favour restrictions, what would be your threshold for dropping them and in what timeframe do you envisage this happening?

This is my big question too.
We had a goal set months advance for this and within a week they panicked.
It will happen again.
There is a good chunk of people who never want to open up just waiting for the mythical day where everyone dances in the street and agrees it's all over.

It's also utterly bizarre that tomorrow night at Hindmarsh I can be crammed in with about 50 strangers in spitting distance maskless for 2 hours all shouting but I can't have my family over in my pretty large back yard for my 40th because we number 11 (8 adults).

I can go to the park down the street and do it but if I walk 32 metres with them to my yard it's illegal.

We were sold a lie that "it'll all be over once we get to 80% vaccination", it was never going to be that and Omicron has made it worse. Unless a variant completely evades our vaccines for hospitalisation/deaths I don't think we should ever lockdown again but Omicron is not that. It's just so contagious that with the number of cases we have its causing issues.

Yeah I'm not going to have my 40th this year either, was considering doing something in a public place but it's just a hassle. I would no doubt get many cancellations too which causes issues with catering etc.

Mate I posted a while back there was 30 of us in a bar before we went to dinner all yelling and shouting at the table with no masks. The second you stood up and traversed the wide open spaces to the bar (approximately 3m) you had to wear a mask.

Fuck right off!

Had to postpone my wife's 50th twice. (Didn't matter had a ball tearing good time when it did roll around.)

Some people walk down street A only, some A and B, some B only. The less exposure you have the less chance you'll catch it. None of the restrictions in place are meant to stop everyone from contracting the illness, in fact they're all pretty light, they're just meant to slow the spread a bit.

When hospitalisations are low, then drop the restrictions when we inevitably get a wave again for another variant and hospitalisations rise then reintroduce them. The dance that Europe have been on for the past years. Eventually we'll get a wave that doesn't cause a huge hospitalisation spike and we can call it over. Don't ask for a timeframe because no one has been able to predict anything in this pandemic. We're in a far better position now than we were last year.

This lie will be hard to top.

Something feels off about this.

I dont have a problem with restrictions as long as they are relevant, proportionate, and in the spirit of the current strategy. And today that means looking after the sectors of health and aged care

"Restrictions" dont inherently stop the spread which is the problem. Its not enough to just label something a restriction and hope that it would have some impact. It needs to actually, you know, do something. And do something big. The proof of that is in the case numbers

If somebody says "nobody is allowed in an aged care home without taking a RAT in the reception area" thats a restriction that makes sense. It is specific, targeted, and meaningful
If somebody says "public transport is a high risk area so everybody has to wear a mask" - we already know public transport doesnt fit the 4 hour definition of a contact and we already know face masks are ineffective against the Omicron variant (and arguably the others but no point digging up an outdated discussion)

Whether people are dancing tonight isnt going to make a difference in any state in terms of daily numbers either for that matter

Same as schools. Last year QLD were screaming about not wanting to vaccinate kids because they were at minimal risk, this year they have delayed school for 2 weeks so kids can get vaccinated. It comes back to what Davide was saying about people find reasons to not open up

I agree there will be wave after wave of restrictions but that doesnt mean they cant be minimal, relevant, and for most people unnoticeable. This is a 5 or 10 year problem, if it goes away at all. And its not something we'll have to manage in isolation either. If we get another pandemic in 5 years we'll have to manage the Covid hangover culture of pointless restriction waves that is going to take away valuable resources from the next big fight (which we already saw to some extent with fires)

Australia has not been smart or resource efficient by any stretch of the imagination with its response. The strain on the hospital system is not too many people with Covid, its too many restrictions. Thats the real pandemic

Not going to argue with you again about what restrictions are ok and what ones aren't. We have very different views on that and that's not going to change.

What you're saying about QLD and schools is a completely wrong. The CHO was making a comment about giving AZ  to an 18 year old when Pfizer was the ATAGI recommended vaccine. There's never been a suggestion from that state or any other about not vaccinating kids and there is no real moving of the goalposts happening there.

everyone there will be fully vaccinated whereas there's no way to ensure that will be the case for everyone's back yard

Joker deported.  Banned for 3 years.
That's more like it Australia.

What do you mean?

Was supposed to be in October, then November and eventually we had it just before Christmas due to lockdowns and restrictions at houses.

I just hope your balls are ok

Ah. How about ripsnorter?

This. Missus 50th and you lose your balls :)

5.6k

What I find amazing is the LNP are claiming Djokovic is a threat to public health and safety as a figure head of the anti vaccine movement. 

correct

about time they did something about the rogue senators that are inciting anti-vax terrorism

should we tax anti-vaxxers for filling up our hospitals or should we fine them every month like some progressive EU nations are doing?

I think both plans have merit, I mean we already tax smokers and alcohol, and we fine people for speeding and drink driving, both of which put others lives in danger and a burden on our healthcare system

this pandemic is never going to end whilst being an anti-vaxxer is even remotely socially acceptable