COVID-19 / Australia / 27th September Update

In NSW there have been 53,865 locally acquired cases and 309 deaths reported since 16th June 16, 2021, when the first case in this outbreak was reported.
Cases are now dropping.
Across the state 85.5 per cent of the over-16 population has received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and 60.1 per cent are fully vaccinated as of 11.59pm on 25th September 2021.
A three stage re-opening for the state is planned.
70 per cent of the population over 16 years of age is expected to be fully vaccinated in the next few weeks with the first easing of restrictions on October 11 for those who are fully vaccinated.
The 80 per cent rate is expected to be hit just two weeks after the 70 per cent vaccination rate is reached.
That is when fully vaccinated citizens will be allowed to travel throughout the state, stand and drink, have 10 vaccinated guests to their homes and community sport will also recommence.
It will be interesting to see how the government will administer the fully vaccinated requirement. I assume we will have to carry documentation, either digital or hard copy.
There will be no caps on funerals or weddings or at hairdressers at 80 per cent for vaccinated people, while places of worship will be open for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

The state is set to hit 90 per cent of the population being fully vaccinated by 1st December.
From that date masks won't be required indoors and nightclubs will reopen.
That’s also when unvaccinated people will be subject to the same rules as the vaccinated.
There is indeed light at the end of the tunnel.
Our nearest big city, Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), is also moving to open up.

Meanwhile in Victoria, the situation is much more fluid. Still under lockdown, patience had worn thin and violent clashes between police and citizens occurred.
It is disconcerting to see police in full riot gear and even the terrorist squad deployed attacking members of the population. 

However there has been some easing of regulations in that state as of tomorrow.
When it finally emerges from stage four restrictions, the capital, Melbourne will have experienced one of the world’s longest and strictest lockdowns.

COVID-19 / Australia / 19th, 21st, 25th September Update

Daily cases are still at a high level in both states of concern ie. New South Wales and Victoria.

Deaths have also increased as have hospitalisations, ICU and ventilator patients.

In other news, very violent anti lockdown protests erupted in Melbourne yesterday.

A considerable number of police and protesters were injured, many needing hospital treatment. There were around 235 arrests.

Police managed to thwart similar protest gatherings in Sydney.

For us, it is of concern that cases are now starting to appear in major towns north and south of us.

None however have been reported in our community.

 

Update: 21st September

Well, it’s here!
A local medical practice has closed for face to face consultations after a patient who visited the centre last week tested positive to COVID 19. 
The patient was wearing a mask and had followed all required precautions.
So now we need to be extra vigilant.

Update: 25th September

Five new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in the Shoalhaven on Friday, with the source of infection for two of these cases under investigation.
This brings our LGA’s total number of cases since the Delta-variant outbreak to 66. Of these, 34 are under investigation.
One of our local supermarkets has now been declared a covid hotspot.

Pikes Wines 2021 New Vintage Virtual Tastings

Due to the covid situation in Australia, Pikes Winery in the Clare Valley, South Australia had to abandon, for the second year in a row, their new vintage wine tasting road show in the various state capitals.
Instead they sent a selection of wines, whites, reds and premiums to potential consumers on request.
Then, via Zoom, they offered a virtual tasting with the winemaker and other company staff.
I did all three. They lasted over an hour each and were informative and good fun with some enthusiastic and humorous participants.
We didn’t open all the bottles. 16 over 3 nights would have been too much for just two of us given wine in open bottles only last 3-5 days. But we had the tasting notes and relied on others’ opinions. Plus, we have never had a bad Pikes.

The wines sent plus those available for order on the night were offered at very attractive prices.
We ordered a mixed dozen, a rose and whites (marked in pink), as we already have a big collection of Pikes reds. Their Rieslings, as normal, were special.
I was a bit puzzled however at the Zoom numbers. The most participants on my sessions were 15.
But it was revealed that Pikes had sent out the maximum 500 tasting packs and most had taken advantage of the good prices but not the tasting.
They company was apparently happy with that.
Hopefully next year we can return to in person tastings.

COVID-19 / Australia / 9th September Update

COVID-19 / Australia / 3rd September Update

Locally transmitted Covid cases continue to climb on a daily basis in New South Wales and Victoria.

The ACT has 255 active cases.

All other states and Territories are free of local transmissions.

Lockdowns have been extended in the states affected. State borders are closed.

Thanksgiving in August

We, apart from American expats, obviously don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in Australia.
I’d only experienced the holiday once in the USA and really enjoyed the day and especially the meal.
A week or so ago the co-driver had a covid lockdown induced brain surge and decided to cook a Thanksgiving dinner for us.
Better to do that now than in the heat of late November.
We had to special order a turkey from our butcher as they are not a regular item on Australians’ shopping lists apart for maybe Christmas. Getting one that fitted in our oven was another consideration as generally our ovens are not as big as the ones over there. So we ended up with one around 4kg (9lbs) which is about as small as they get. 

The bird was dry brined before it defrosted over 3 days in the fridge. Brining poultry, both dry and wet, is the latest cheffy trick to keep the flesh moist.
Corn bread muffins were also prepared. You can’t get corn meal easily here so that was substituted with polenta. But it seems they are virtually the same thing. Polenta is a dish made from corn meal, so apparently, we here mislabel the raw material.
The dressing (stuffing) was made from scratch. We generally can’t get that ready to go ‘in a box’ here apart from the USA Foods in Melbourne and they were out of stock. Australians usually make their own with bread and herbs and ‘stuff’ poultry in the cavity, so it’s unusual to have it on the side. But I like it much better the USA way…..more texture and flavour and it’s safer!
Then to finish off we had golden syrup puddings for dessert, the only Australian contribution.
We ate it all with a nice bottle of Tasmanian Pinot Noir given by friends for whom the co-driver had organised some sort of group mystery quilt exercise.

All the recipes used, including cooking method for the turkey, were from a Japanese born chef who lives in the northern beaches region of Sydney.
https://www.recipetineats.com/genius-easy-juicy-roast-turkey-dry-brined/

https://www.recipetineats.com/best-stuffing-recipe/

https://www.recipetineats.com/cornbread-muffins/

And I learnt how to carve a turkey from a Jamie Oliver video on YouTube so didn’t make too much of a mess of that……well not that much.

And it all turned out great!