The elective surgery was cancelled because they can't manage the Health Dept, nothing to do with Covid, we don't have any here.
Ambulance ramping because of no beds available, is the problem, as well as the billions of dollars the doctors are charging for 4 days work and Fridays off for golf.
People from all over Australia are allowed in to WA, except NSW, if they get a G2G pass and quarantine for 14 days, so footballers are already here in isolation from Geelong and Melbourne.
I think the majority would like a Grand Final with a crowd, so why not here. No lockdowns, no deaths, no Covid .......stuff it, keep the borders shut.
In terms of covid McGowan is so far in front of Gladys she isn't in the boat race.
The hospital thing is an issue that has been going on for decades that successive governments have failed to resolve including McGowan. It has nothing to do with covid.
Similar problem here in Adelaide with ramping being an issue for years, no change to surgery admissions, YET, but it would not surprise me if it leads to a similar situation as WA. And like wise nothing to do with covid.
Can't really knock their Premier, they absoluely love him over there, maybe NSW could learn from him!
Yes in Adelaide we built a new hospital with fewer beds than the old one. Wonder why Doctor, Nurses, Ambos, unions did not point this out prior to the build and we will be paying it off for the next 50 years.
Peter in SA, half hour behind, but nearly a century. We did this in Albury over twenty years ago. Now spending a quarter of original cost on a small upgrade to E D, but looking for a whole new hospital already.
Peter in SA, half hour behind, but nearly a century. We did this in Albury over twenty years ago. Now spending a quarter of original cost on a small upgrade to E D, but looking for a whole new hospital already.
What kind of fool thinks it is a good idea to allow COVID infected people to freely move into states that have Zero infected people in their communities?
__________________
Iza
Semi-permanent state of being Recreationally Outraged as a defence against boredom during lockdown.
I tend to agree with Premier McGowan to keep the WA borders closed even after the rest of Oz is 80% vaxed to me the northern towns with large aboriginal communities will not have anywhere near the same vax %, the towns most likely will have a hospital with 1 or 2 nurses on site with medial equipment that they know how to use and discuss the results of tests with doctors say in Kalgoorlie or Perth over the phone or setups like Zoom. Numerous Covid cases would overwhelm them.
With no IC facilities and 100's of Kms away from a Major hospital with only 1 maybe 2 ambulances in the town, I think open borders could be a disaster, further more my recent experience in WA and that of others, the use of QR codes outside of Perth is just about non existent, so contact tracers would have an impossible job.
I tend to agree with Premier McGowan to keep the WA borders closed even after the rest of Oz is 80% vaxed to me the northern towns with large aboriginal communities will not have anywhere near the same vax %, the towns most likely will have a hospital with 1 or 2 nurses on site with medial equipment that they know how to use and discuss the results of tests with doctors say in Kalgoorlie or Perth over the phone or setups like Zoom. Numerous Covid cases would overwhelm them.
With no IC facilities and 100's of Kms away from a Major hospital with only 1 maybe 2 ambulances in the town, I think open borders could be a disaster, further more my recent experience in WA and that of others, the use of QR codes outside of Perth is just about non existent, so contact tracers would have an impossible job.
I tend to agree with Premier McGowan to keep the WA borders closed even after the rest of Oz is 80% vaxed to me the northern towns with large aboriginal communities will not have anywhere near the same vax %, the towns most likely will have a hospital with 1 or 2 nurses on site with medial equipment that they know how to use and discuss the results of tests with doctors say in Kalgoorlie or Perth over the phone or setups like Zoom. Numerous Covid cases would overwhelm them.
With no IC facilities and 100's of Kms away from a Major hospital with only 1 maybe 2 ambulances in the town, I think open borders could be a disaster, further more my recent experience in WA and that of others, the use of QR codes outside of Perth is just about non existent, so contact tracers would have an impossible job.
No different to the many communities in S.A. , QLD, N.T and Western NSW.
In a twist its ok for the AFL to play Perliminary and Grand Finals in Perth, and I'll bet the Perth Test will be ok too.
That does point out how the smarter Premiers have done a lot for the economic health in their respective states.
What also stands out is how those smarter Premiers have worked so successfully towards keeping their constituents safe from COVID.
I figure the next country wide conversation will start with getting some numbers from Gladys and Scott on how many deaths will be a reasonable number to tolerate when their plan for coming out of COVID is implemented. I wonder what number of deaths in children under 12 will be put forward as acceptable?
__________________
Iza
Semi-permanent state of being Recreationally Outraged as a defence against boredom during lockdown.
The 70 and 80% will certainly mean a lot more deaths and community transmission. One thing it will definitely do is overload our already inadequate hospital systems in all states. The bull****e about extra ICU beds and extra ventilators being source doesn't wear at all. No extra staff to operate the machines or extra staff for more patients have been announced that will help. Delta variant seems to attack young people as well. Vic and NSW both stuffed up big time. It is of little relevance now as our focus should be on the future. Opening up too early will see a disastrous outcome. A vaccine passport will be necessary for some years to come...at least until the infection rate is low (like the flu) and vaccines can help control.
The issue of AFL and NRL players is contentious but to my way of thinking it provides millions of people the chance to watch their favourite team (many who have followed their teams for decades)for a but of joy. It also helps economically to a degree and I suppose it shows that strict isolation and people following health advice can see light at the end of the tunnel.
Biggest issue is relying on all humans to do the right thing....this will never happen.
Does that mean we keep the country locked down to the extent that we have no deaths but we also have no economy and people lose their houses because they can't pay their mortgage or lose their business because they can't pay their rent or staff? I notice that many of the posters here are of retirement age and probable do not have a mortgage hanging around their neck. I'm not taking sides because there are far more qualified people running this country than I could ever possibly be.
Does that mean we keep the country locked down to the extent that we have no deaths but we also have no economy and people lose their houses because they can't pay their mortgage or lose their business because they can't pay their rent or staff?
That is the dilemma faced by those in control of of the public health orders. A binary answer question is - what is more important, human life or the economy. The more complicated question is - how many deaths will the people tolerate? A closer to home question is - are you willing to accept the death of a family member so that the local coffee shop can open again? Right now, Gladys and Scott are going to have to work out how many deaths can be justified as the acceptable cost of their vision of what living with COVID looks like.
__________________
Iza
Semi-permanent state of being Recreationally Outraged as a defence against boredom during lockdown.
Yes, the "How many deaths..." question is important. For instance, if you voluntarily decide NOT to have the Vax, and you lose your life to COVID-19, should you be counted? Unfortunately, I don't know the answer to that one.
For instance, if you voluntarily decide NOT to have the Vax, and you lose your life to COVID-19, should you be counted?
Of course it should be counted And in a subtotal column. NSW authorities are suggesting 70% vaccinated of those over 16 is the target fir opening up. The 70% does not consider kids under 12 or those between 15 and 13. Possible those under 16 are not important because the demographic does not have a lot of disposable income to spend in support of business. But to the question of who should be counted, if someone from the 30% wanted to get vaccinated but could not, who will ultimately be responsible for any deaths in that group if the restrictions are lifted? OH&S laws allow responsibility for deaths to be pushed all the way up to bosses in a business, maybe the precedent will spill over to public health authorities.
__________________
Iza
Semi-permanent state of being Recreationally Outraged as a defence against boredom during lockdown.
For instance, if you voluntarily decide NOT to have the Vax, and you lose your life to COVID-19, should you be counted?
Of course it should be counted And in a subtotal column. NSW authorities are suggesting 70% vaccinated of those over 16 is the target fir opening up. The 70% does not consider kids under 12 or those between 15 and 13. Possible those under 16 are not important because the demographic does not have a lot of disposable income to spend in support of business. But to the question of who should be counted, if someone from the 30% wanted to get vaccinated but could not, who will ultimately be responsible for any deaths in that group if the restrictions are lifted? OH&S laws allow responsibility for deaths to be pushed all the way up to bosses in a business, maybe the precedent will spill over to public health authorities.
As far as I know it is not the NSW target it is the target that was agreed to by all the states at the national cabinet if individual states now decide that they want to do something different I guess thats their call.
I'm a realist it is not going to be if restrictions are lifted but when and each state is going to need a better plan than just hiding behind a closed border..How much longer do you reckon people in this country are going to accept their loss of freedom, closures of small businesses, loss of their personal wealth, increasing unemployment, depression, suicides , family violence and the damage being done to our kids mental health as being acceptable. Someone needs to start coming up with a way forward that is going to give people some sight of the end otherwise this lockdown thing could be in danger of blowing up big time....
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-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Saturday 4th of September 2021 12:10:02 AM