Blog Day 295 - Saturday 16 January 2021

Things are getting somewhat back to normal in the golden state of Victoria.  Most businesses have reopened although there are some empty shops in the strip shopping streets and in the shopping centres but not as many as was expected.  Some shops are still experiencing shortages of certain stock items, whether this is due to the intransience of the Chinese or logistic problems I am not sure.

We still have limits on the number of returning overseas travellers coming into the state and those that are allowed in still have to go into 14 day hotel quarantine, except if you are a tennis player of course, but that is another story.

People are also still restricted from entering Victoria from interstate and there is a complicated process of exception and exemption applications involved, further complicated by whether you are returning from a red, amber or green zone in another state, even if you are a resident of Victoria.  So if you are trying to enter Victoria from overseas or interstate you will still come up against medical and bureaucratic obstacles to your visit or return home.

Various entertainment and hospitality venues, restaurants, hotels, cinemas and places like the MCG are open but still have limits on numbers of attendees and distancing requirements.  We still have to wear masks when indoors in public places.

After reading that you are probably thinking hang on a minute that doesn't sound like normal to me.  But, I can go for a walk, attend a hotel or restaurant, go shopping, go to a cinema, catch up with friends (with some limitations), drive as far as I like within Victoria, go to the beach (unlikely given the current weather), go out at evening and stay our as late as I like and go fishing.

After what we have been through this is close to normal.

Now the news that you have been waiting for, day two of the 4th cricket test between Australia and India at the Gabba in Brisbane.  Australia are still batting in their first innings at 9 for 355.  Every time Australia seems to gain some momentum the Indians bounce back and put them under pressure again.  Very exciting as I sure that you would all agree.

Victoria has recorded a further day of zero community transmissions although we did record 3 new ROT cases including an airline crew member and a tennis player or official who flew in from the states.  NSW reported 12 new cases including 11 ROTs and Qld 1 new case who was a ROT.

Victoria received the results of nearly 15,000 tests in the last 24 hours, NSW 14,600 tests and Qld 9,500.  Testing numbers are down from recent peaks of 30,000 plus per 24 hours.

Currently Victoria has 26 active virus cases including 16 ROTs, NSW has 130 active cases down from 155 in the last 24 hours and Qld has 29 active cases, all ROTs.  Australia wide there are 231 active cases not including 76 ROTs in NSW.

Worldwide there were 775,000 new infections reported in the last 24 hours and 15,400 deaths.

In the last 24 hours the USA reported 233,000 new infections and 4,000 deaths; the UK reported 49,000 new infections and 1,250 deaths.  I previously haven't paid much attention to the German figures but the reported figures for Germany in the last 24 hours caught my eye. In the last 24 hours Germany reported over 21,000 new infections for a total of over 2 million for the pandemic and 1,111 deaths in the last 24 hours and 45,000 total deaths.

Once again we should be counting our blessings at the accident of geography that made us into an island (although that hasn't helped the UK much) and despite the criticism the good fortune that we have a reasonably robust health system and again despite the criticism the good fortune to have stable and responsible state and federal governments and their advisers.

Corona Virus Daily Stats – Day 16 – New Year 2021 – Covid Normal (as much as possible)

Date	Aus Infected	Aus Increase	Vic Infected	Vic Increase	Aus Death	Vic Death	Aus Hospl	Vic Hospital	Aus ICU	Vic ICU
01/01	28,421	13	20,376	8	909	820	21	0	0	0
02/01	28,441	13	20,388	12	909	820	19	0	0	0
03/01	28,483	14	20,391	3	909	820	26	0	0	0
04/01	28,499	16	20,395	4	909	820	30	0	0	0
05/01	28,518	14	20,399	4	909	820	26	0	0	0
06/01	28,533	10	20,402	3	909	820	36	0	0	0
07/01	28,544	8	20,402	0	909	820	35	0	0	0
08/01	28,658	21	20,403	1	909	820	40	0	0	0
09/01	28,582	12	20,404	1	909	820	40	0	0	0
10/01	28,595	13	20,410	6	909	820	41	0	0	0
11/01	28,611	16	20,411	1	909	820	47	0	1	0
12/01	28,633	19	20,411	0	909	820	43	0	1	0
13/01	28,647	13	20,414	3	909	820	45	0	1	0
14/01	28,658	8	20,414	0	909	820	47	0	1	0
15/01	28,665	7	20,414	2	909	820	47	0	1	0
16/01	28,689	20	20,417	3	909	820	48	0	1	0

 

Date	World Infection	Daily Increase	World Deaths	Daily Increase
01/01	83,771,040	1,448,870	1,824,387	28,095
02/01	84,342,947	571,907	1,834,255	9,868
03/01	84,984,546	641,599	1,843,112	8,857
04/01	85,489,462	504,916	1,850,209	7,097
05/01	86,041,606	552,144	1,859,179	8,970
06/01	86,834,551	792,945	1,875,519	16,340
07/01	87,619,457	784,906	1,889,556	14,037
08/01	88,495,963	876,506	1,906,630	17,074
09/01	89,331,906	835,943	1,921,160	14,530
10/01	90,077,029	745,123	1,934,801	13,641
11/01	90,662,902	585,873	1,942,390	7,589
12/01	91,298,922	636,020	1,952,020	9,729
13/01	91,983,757	684,835	1,968,523	16,503
14/01	92,747,904	764,147	1,985,405	16,882
15/01	93,507,781	759,877	2,001,209	15,804
16/01	94,282,394	774,613	2,016,604	15,395

Covid Safe Summer Reminders;

Remember; stay safe and sober for the new year, I know I will be; no hugging and kissing strangers on new years eve!; don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things; as the captain of the Graf Spee said "you have to be bigger than anything faster and faster than anything bigger"; to wear your mask indoors (again); if you have a tickle in your throat, get tested (again); to add Brissie to your list of places to avoid; at a 1st birthday party be first in line for the fairy bread; try not to spend too much at Bunnings.