Blog Day 636 - Wednesday 05 January 2022 - Day 67 of Covid Nearly Normal

 I know that you would all be as excited as I am that today is the first day of the fourth cricket test between Australia and England taking place at the SCG.  Although Australia has already retained the Ashes with a three - zero scoreline they will be keen to win this test on the way to a five - zero whitewash of the series.

Australia has won the toss and have chosen to bat.  

At the start of play we were reminded that the weather could affect play as storms have been forecast in Sydney over the next five days.  And they were right with rain interrupting play within the first hour.  

I have just realised that I have a funeral to attend tomorrow I wonder if anybody would notice if I was wearing an earbud and listening to the cricket during the requiem mass.  Maybe I could pretend that I am a little hard of hearing and I am wearing a hearing aid.  Would that be disrespectful, I wonder?

I received a little surprise in the mail yesterday, a $227 speeding fine.  I was pinged by a speed camera on Peninsula Link at 108kmh in a 100kmh zone.  The speed was adjusted down to 105kmh however I still incurred the fine and the loss of one point.

I have thrown myself on the mercy of the Camera Traffic Office and requested the penalty be waived and replaced with an official warning.  I have emailed a grovelling apology for my heinous crime, admitted culpability and reminded them of my excellent driving record and lack of previous convictions, if necessary I will collect references as to my excellent character and outstanding driving skills.  Time will tell.

The play at the SCG continues to be interrupted by rain.

The table below illustrates the continued slow take up of the vaccines in the eligible population. However I can report that Australia wide 2,566,329 booster injections have been administered, which is good news.

Vaccinations

Doses by Age Band First / Second

STATE	0+	0+	12+	12+
NSW	80.3%	79.0%	94.3%	92.7%
Victoria	79.8%	78.5%	93.5%	92.0%
Queensland	75.8%	72.3%	89.5%	85.4%
SA	78.7%	74.9%	91.4%	87.0%
ACT	85.1%	83.8%	>99%	>99%
Tasmania	83.5%	79.3%	96.7%	91.9%
WA	76.3%	69.8%	90.4%	82.7%
NT	73.2%	68.9%	88.4%	83.3%
Australia	79.6%	77.0%	93.6%	90.5%

The daily infection rates are increasing dramatically in Victoria and NSW, although the epidemiologists are telling us that these figures are within the expected range under the suppression model. 

In the last 24 hours Victoria reported 17,636 new infections, 14,000 the day before and 8,500 the day before that.  In NSW they reported 35,000 new infections in the last 24 hours, 23,000 the day before and 21,000 the day before that.

In the last 24 hours Victoria received the results of 60,000 virus tests and NSW 109,000.  Testing is experiencing all sorts of problems in Victoria with long queues and wait times at testing stations and long delays in receiving test results.  Something like only 50% of test results are being received in 48 hours with the rest taking up to 5 days.

Some of the temporary testing sites didn't operate in the hot weather and I don't say that I blame them.  Imagine working in a big open ended tent in 38 degrees wearing full PPE gear.

Although Victoria is experiencing dramatic increases in daily infection numbers the hospitalisation rates are not increasing in the same proportions.  Since 02/01 the hospital numbers have gone from 472 covid related patients to 591.  ICU numbers have only increased by one, from 52 to 53 in the same period and ICU numbers have dropped from 22 to 20.

I get the impression that most of the new daily infections are suffering from the less dangerous but more infectious omricon variant whereas the hospital admissions are infected with the more dangerous delta variant.

Victoria recorded 11 deaths in the last 24 hours, 2 the day before and 3 the day before that.

    Corona Virus Daily Stats – 05 January 2021 – Day 67 of Covid Nearly Normal

Date	Aus Infected	Aus Increase	Aus 1st Dose Vacc	Vic Infected	Vic Increase	NSW Increase	*Aus Active Infection	NSW Active Infection	Vic Active Infection	Aus 2nd Dose Vacc
01/01					7,442		158,782		24,161
02/01	460,657	29,947	93.5%	191,148	7,172	18,278	187,258	124,624	31,461	90.4%
03/01					8,577	20,794
04/01					14,020	23,131
05/01	601,169	53,557	93.6%	231,126	17,636	35,054	283,792	184,413	51,317	90.5%
06/01

Corona Virus Daily Stats Hospitalisation Etc – 05 January 2022 – Day 67 of Covid Nearly Normal
Aus New Infection	Aus Hospital	Aus ICU	Aus Ventilate	Vic New Infection	Vic Hospital	Vic ICU	Vic Ventilate	AUS Daily Deaths	Vic Daily Deaths
								14	9
29,947	1,950	145	48	7,172	472	52	22	4	3
								7	3
								5	2
53,557	2,904	196	56	17,636	591	53	20	19	11