Monday:
Things are changing fast here in Australia. The federal government has closed all non-essential places that people might get together and break the social distancing guidelines; like restaurants and gyms. Our Prime Minister was very cranky that people were still going to the beach on the weekend, and closed Bondi. And although he still says that he wants schools to stay open so that parents in essential jobs (like health) can work, the state Premiers both here and in a couple of other states have decided to partially defy that. Schools are still open for children who need supervision, but we have been asked to keep children home from tomorrow if possible. They will be doing their learning online - even the ones sitting in classrooms (as far apart as possible).
I have not yet heard whether my TAFE (adult education) will also close but I am guessing it will now or soon. Some subjects had already changed to online. I only had two weeks left anyway, and I doubt they'll need me in the library again until this is all over so I'll stay home with the kids. There are suggestions that it will be for 6 months but no one really knows. I'm home sick today with sore throat and headache although overall I feel better than on the weekend. No way I'd go to work with flu-like symptoms! My husband is a government lawyer and might be considered essential - he can't work from home due to the potentially sensitive information he handles. At least the trains are getting less crowded as other people stay home.
My concern in regard to my own health is not for Covid-19, but that I was supposed to have a colonoscopy soon to check for bowel cancer. I am still seeing blood. I don't know if the test will be postponed due to resources being needed elsewhere. And even if I do get tested, if I have cancer this would be a terrible time to have an impaired immune system.
The supermarkets all suspended their home delivery services because the shortages made it too difficult, but they are going to have to ramp it up a lot if we are all supposed to stay inside. Apparently freezers are sold out everywhere as people stock up. I have two fridge/freezers, one mainly used at Christmas, but neither are very large. We probably have food for two weeks if we get inventive. We'll run out of fresh fruit and vegetables in a few days though, so hopefully it won't come to complete isolation.
At least we are well provisioned in the computer/TV/games/books areas. And we have a backyard we can get fresh air in without being near anyone else.
Sunday, March 22, 2020
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Tim’s birthday
Sunday:
I’ve been having problems with this blog for months, where I can’t respond to people’s comments. So if it looks like I don’t read them or don’t care, not true! It a bit frustrating, i really do appreciate comments.
I guess we’re a bit isolated in Australia, and also “social distancing” is pretty much the norm here - we like a lot of personal space and don’t generally stand close. So Corvid19 hasn’t really taken hold (yet). But i do see that the news from the rest of the world is worrying.
Shopping here has gone in a few weeks from it being difficult to get toilet paper/tissues/paper towels, then add rice and pasta to that list, then I went shopping yesterday and most of the shelves were empty or nearly so. Still plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables - I suppose because they are perishable none hoards them - but meat and lots of other things were gone. I was able to get food for the week, but not necessarily things I would usually buy, and not the things Tim had requested for his birthday dinner. Supermarkets have now restricted purchases to one or two of each thing, which hopefully will stop people being so selfish when stocks do come in.
We didn’t have a family get-together this weekend despite two birthdays. Tim and I are both a bit unwell, most likely not Corvid19 but we don’t want to pass any type of illness on! But the person we want most to protect, Tim’s father who is over 70 and has prostate cancer, wanted to come over and is still going out to restaurants and stuff so he’s certainly not self-isolating. We wouldn’t let anyone come over, and I probably won’t go to work tomorrow.
I gave Tim a really elaborate board game called Gloomhaven, it weighs about 10 kg was over $200. We’ve started that and it seems pretty good. Each session is supposed to take about 2 hours (we’ve taken 5 and haven’t finished, but we’re still working out all the rules) but there is a big storyline and all future sessions will link together so it could take years! Good one for if we’re all in isolation.
Hope your all staying well.
I’ve been having problems with this blog for months, where I can’t respond to people’s comments. So if it looks like I don’t read them or don’t care, not true! It a bit frustrating, i really do appreciate comments.
I guess we’re a bit isolated in Australia, and also “social distancing” is pretty much the norm here - we like a lot of personal space and don’t generally stand close. So Corvid19 hasn’t really taken hold (yet). But i do see that the news from the rest of the world is worrying.
Shopping here has gone in a few weeks from it being difficult to get toilet paper/tissues/paper towels, then add rice and pasta to that list, then I went shopping yesterday and most of the shelves were empty or nearly so. Still plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables - I suppose because they are perishable none hoards them - but meat and lots of other things were gone. I was able to get food for the week, but not necessarily things I would usually buy, and not the things Tim had requested for his birthday dinner. Supermarkets have now restricted purchases to one or two of each thing, which hopefully will stop people being so selfish when stocks do come in.
We didn’t have a family get-together this weekend despite two birthdays. Tim and I are both a bit unwell, most likely not Corvid19 but we don’t want to pass any type of illness on! But the person we want most to protect, Tim’s father who is over 70 and has prostate cancer, wanted to come over and is still going out to restaurants and stuff so he’s certainly not self-isolating. We wouldn’t let anyone come over, and I probably won’t go to work tomorrow.
I gave Tim a really elaborate board game called Gloomhaven, it weighs about 10 kg was over $200. We’ve started that and it seems pretty good. Each session is supposed to take about 2 hours (we’ve taken 5 and haven’t finished, but we’re still working out all the rules) but there is a big storyline and all future sessions will link together so it could take years! Good one for if we’re all in isolation.
Hope your all staying well.
Thursday, March 19, 2020
Not scared
Thursday:
So, this is all crazy, right? I haven’t been taking it very seriously, so it’s weird to me how people are panicking and hoarding toilet paper and all that. I did recently get a week or so’s extra groceries; long-lasting frozen, tinned and packaged stuff, more to protect myself from other people’s hoarding than because I think I’ll be trapped at home. Tim and I are still at work (I work in a library so I see lots of people, and Tim catches a crowded train to work), the kids are still at school. All the kid’s sport is still going. The most it has affected me is wondering if my favourite TV dance show is going to be cancelled because one contestant’s father caught it from Tom Hanks wife. But I suppose this Covid-19 thing isn’t going away in a hurry. Today I discovered I’m 4 degrees of separation away from a confirmed case (workmate’s son’s workmate’s sister).
Despite my lack of panic, I will be careful not to pass on any germs to vulnerable people, like my father-in-law who is over 70 and has prostate cancer. I wash my hands and use sanitiser at work - although we’re rapidly running out with no restocks available. I’ve only got two more weeks of work, then no more lined up for the immediate future, and Tim is thinking of putting his hand up for a VR at work (nothing to do with corona) so we might both end up being at home for a while!
I do think people are over-reacting, and are extremely selfish if they are hoarding. To me, it seems the same as the flu. Unpleasant for most, deadly for the old and sick, so AS USUAL we should all follow good hygiene practices and avoid infecting others when we are sick.
What I am worried about is the economic fallout. Restaurants in Chinatown (Sydney) have been empty for two months now, how many of those owners are /will be bankrupt? Staff out of work for the foreseeable figure? And that is just the start. I think a lot more people will be affected by the coming recession than will be seriously ill.
So, this is all crazy, right? I haven’t been taking it very seriously, so it’s weird to me how people are panicking and hoarding toilet paper and all that. I did recently get a week or so’s extra groceries; long-lasting frozen, tinned and packaged stuff, more to protect myself from other people’s hoarding than because I think I’ll be trapped at home. Tim and I are still at work (I work in a library so I see lots of people, and Tim catches a crowded train to work), the kids are still at school. All the kid’s sport is still going. The most it has affected me is wondering if my favourite TV dance show is going to be cancelled because one contestant’s father caught it from Tom Hanks wife. But I suppose this Covid-19 thing isn’t going away in a hurry. Today I discovered I’m 4 degrees of separation away from a confirmed case (workmate’s son’s workmate’s sister).
Despite my lack of panic, I will be careful not to pass on any germs to vulnerable people, like my father-in-law who is over 70 and has prostate cancer. I wash my hands and use sanitiser at work - although we’re rapidly running out with no restocks available. I’ve only got two more weeks of work, then no more lined up for the immediate future, and Tim is thinking of putting his hand up for a VR at work (nothing to do with corona) so we might both end up being at home for a while!
I do think people are over-reacting, and are extremely selfish if they are hoarding. To me, it seems the same as the flu. Unpleasant for most, deadly for the old and sick, so AS USUAL we should all follow good hygiene practices and avoid infecting others when we are sick.
What I am worried about is the economic fallout. Restaurants in Chinatown (Sydney) have been empty for two months now, how many of those owners are /will be bankrupt? Staff out of work for the foreseeable figure? And that is just the start. I think a lot more people will be affected by the coming recession than will be seriously ill.
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