Mr M had a Covid test today .
He has a hospital appointment later this week and everyone who has one has to take the test.
Contrary to the DM news today of long queues of people waiting for the test we arrived at the very large hospital where the tests were being held in the car park .
We were half an hour early and there was NO ONE there .
The test took all of one minute .
We drove away no one came after us .
So no ones queueing down here in wiltshire .
I came across this audio podcast which might explain why
BTW “Norman Swan” is a real medical doctor and the ABC’s specialist on Covid.
From today ACT residents will be able to fly to SA without needing to isolate themselves for 14 days when they arrive.
The decision — which the SA Government extended to Canberrans but not to New South Wales residents — coincides with a minor update to ACT restrictions, which will allow small hospitality businesses to serve more customers.
Along the same lines, one of Marge’s choirs will be meeting soon (hopefully) following guidelines, of course. As a member of the committee, Marge has volunteered to buy a scanning thermometer (one of those things you shoot someone with in the forehead to determine their temperature) in order to control initial admissions into the building.
Needless to say, Marge and I shot each other and we are both still alive and at normal temperature.
Incidentally, your better half isn’t really called ‘Mr Muddy’, is he?
It’s interesting to hear about the mortality reduction from nursing people on their tummy. Such a simple change!
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/14/health/coronavirus-prone-positioning/index.html
Covid data for Wednesday, 16 September 2020
Global Cases 29,724,918
Global Deaths 939,185
Australia
Cases 26,778
Deaths 824
Critical 16
Cases per Million 1,048
UK
Cases 374,228
Deaths 41,664
Critical 106
Cases per Million 5,507
USA
Cases 6,788,147
Deaths 200,197
Critical 14,165
Cases per Million 20,483
Today I was talking to my oldest daughter (now well into her 40s), she is an artist, actress and singer, her husband is an actor and theatre director.
They have basically lost all their income and are now both on Jobseeker with absolutely no future prospects.
They are not young but they will possibly be able to get jobs in service industries but what about the young people who were going into the entertainment and hospitality industry and who have absolutely no experience at anything?
Thousands of academics have lost their jobs because of the crisis in Universities. Will it ever go back to how it was?
I don’t know what will happen but things look bleak for the generation just leaving school and those in the hospitality and entertainment industry. I suspect that next year will be when the poo hits the wind making machine.
What else will be affected? House prices and rental rates as the unemployed find they cannot afford their mortgage or their rent? Already business rents are showing signs of collapsing as businesses find they don’t need so much office space. Lower rents mean less money to pay off loans so more property comes onto the market and so it goes on. I feel so sorry for young people who have just started paying off their new house.
While this pandemic is currently playing itself out as a medical emergency I suspect that next year it will become an increasing widespread social problem.
An interesting podcast Bruce, but if what he is saying is true and there are many more people infected than we first thought (which is what I have always thought) then it suggests that most people survive a covid19 infection with no serious complications or after effects. There have been many people who tested positive and didn’t even know they had been infected, and didn’t go on to react to the infection.
Therefore, it seems that you would have to be very unlucky to suffer serious illness or death from Covid? And the mortality rate, which does seem high on the face of it, is actually very low when you consider how many people have actually tested positive (not to mention the millions who have been infected but never been tested) and survived. Judging by the Doctors figures of just 0.5% mortality rate.
Absolutely right Bruce, I fear that the damage done by the Virus will pale into insignificance compared to the damage caused to the economy. All the best to your daughter and her hubby by the way Bruce and I hope it works out okay for them…
Yes it was interesting wasn’t it? I wasn’t sure if it was available overseas but they are part of an ongoing series, I am going to start listening to them on my walks.
As he says the over 70s (like me) are the ones who still have to be very careful.
Her younger brother is a musician, he too is badly affected but he is divorced so has less responsibilities whereas she has two teenage daughters at high school.
My other kids are all in secure employment either with the Dept of Defence or the military.
The news is just reporting that people are starting to repay their deferred mortgages but business loans are lagging behind with repayments. There are probably a large number of zombie companies kept alive by the government Jobkeeper payments because bankruptcies are lower than under normal circumstances.
And me Bruce…
I’m keeping my head down and only mixing with other people when it’s absolutely necessary, avoiding public transport and crowded places. It’s nice to get out for runs and walks though, I don’t think anything would keep me from doing that.
There are more things that are being affected than we could have possible thought of Bruce, and as you mentioned before, I feel sorry for the students who may find their careers obsolete when they are ready to take their place in the world of employment.
My daughter is also in her mid forties and was laid off from her job in catering, but was furloughed until recently when she was made redundant and the company wound up. Fortunately, her hubby who works in the construction industry seems to be pretty safe at the moment. There’s always the bank of Mum & Dad to smooth out any financial problems they might encounter…
According to the radio current affairs AM this morning 10000 jobs have gone from the University sector alone.
The Professor they were interviewing from Monash Uni didn’t know if he still employed. He said that young people expecting to start an academic career will not get one.
It is tragic.
These wholesale job losses have yet to hit the UK. The theatre and entertainment sector in the UK are trying very hard to restart…it amazes me that people are willing to sit on a packed aeroplane with hundreds of others for god knows how many hours…yet theatres can’t open!! What total manipulative crap is that? My son’s career is theatre production…he’s 34…worked hard and achieved a great job… Now he has no idea if he has a career or not!!
It is tragic!
Covid data for Thursday, 17 September 2020
Global Cases 30,034,508
Global Deaths 945,092
Australia
Cases 26,812
Deaths 832
Critical 16
Cases per Million 1,049
UK
Cases 378,219
Deaths 41,684
Critical 115
Cases per Million 5,565
USA
Cases 6,828,301
Deaths 201,348
Critical 14,157
Cases per Million 20,603
WOW! This is a surprise.
Australia’s unemployment rate has posted a surprise fall, with 111,000 jobs created last month despite a lockdown in the nation’s second most populous state.
Unemployment hit 7.5 per cent in July, but fell to 6.8 per cent in August, even though Melbourne was totally locked down and regional Victoria under stage 3 restrictions.
The percentage of underemployed people, who wanted to work more hours than they did, remained steady at 11.2 per cent
Total hours worked rose 1.6 per cent last month but is still down 5.1 per cent on August last year
In line with what OGF reported the news here is that Europe is experiencing a surge in Covid-19 cases.
Spain, France and the north of UK were mentioned. Also that the “UKs testing system is buckling under the strain”
There is also an interesting article headed:
Coronavirus is soaring again in the UK, but the number of deaths is low. Here are the main theories why
It discusses what we talked about earlier.
Meanwhile on the home front:
With over 27000 Australians overseas and trying to get back the inbound cap of 4000 per week has been raised to 6000 by the Feds BUT this has yet to be agreed by the states who have to quarantine the incoming passengers. WA Premier is claiming to have been “ambushed” by the Federal Government raising this cap.
Covid data for Friday, 18 September 2020
Global Cases 30,351,589
Global Deaths 950,555
Australia
Cases 26,861
Deaths 837
Critical 15
Cases per Million 1,051
UK
Cases 381,614
Deaths 41,705
Critical 124
Cases per Million 5,615
USA
Cases 6,874,596
Deaths 202,213
Critical 14,227
Cases per Million 20,743
An interesting read Bruce, thank you. 
