Saturday, January 08, 2022

COVID-19 / Australia/ 8th January Update

Officially 250,000 covid cases were reported in Australia since the beginning of the pandemic up until 19th December.
Restrictions were dropped in most states on or around 15th December.
16 days later we hit half a million cases!
More than 38% of those tested in the latest reporting period have returned positive results for the virus.
However official case numbers increasingly become less representative of state and territory’s infection rates after the national cabinet agreed to remove the requirement for PCR testing to reduce the pressure on testing stations and analysis laboratories.


Instead people were encouraged to use self antigen testing ie. if you could find a kit or afford the price gouged cost. Extreme shortages apply.
Yet another government failure!
There has been no way to register a positive rapid antigen test with health authorities, meaning those infections weren’t included in daily case numbers.
Now, well after the horse has bolted, positive antigen test results may be mandated via a government app like the state of Victoria has just introduced.
How this will be enforced is anyone’s guess.
But really, with the whole situation virtually out of control, the only figures that matter, to keep things in perspective, are hospitalisation, ICU and ventilator numbers.


Nothing positive can be said about the governments who have completely abandoned the health of the community in favour of the economy, especially after two years of sacrifice by the population in an effort to keep things under control.
At home, have finally had the first positive contact report in our valley in the 2 years.
Of course we are triple vaxed (not that that seems to be a 100% panacea against omicron) and are self isolating.
Experts are saying this ‘wave’ has two months to run.
We’ll see about that.

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