Thread: Corona Virus

Originally Posted by 4bee

There you go, you weren't aware I'd done time at "His Majesty's Pleasure"

Just how old are you? Very bright for an OLD geezer.

Originally Posted by 101RRS

Hmmm I thought this thread was asking what happened to the old thread but it now seems to be the new Corona Virus thread.

Mods/Inc you made a decision on the old thread - that is great.

My simple suggestion is what has been suggested - is take out the crap in the old one, merge the relevant new posts from this thread and put the lot back in. While one or more people have been given a holiday, some of those mightier than thou that still remain also need to be asked to tone it down a bit.

I support whatever the Mod team decide to go with.

Garry

We should all be aware that there are people out there doing it tough, and may become overwhelmed by too much negative information, and may even self harm. Something to think about. to that end, a message from the VVAA.

A call to arms in the face of CIVID-19. Fighting like hell for the living,

FROM THE PRESIDENT VVAA VICTORIAN BRANCH - TO ALL SUB-BRANCH COMMITTEES



We have all been bombarded with advice from Governments and health authorities on how to protect ourselves from the virus. Frankly, if we haven’t got the message by now, we never will.



This email title may seem a bit melodramatic. However, we sit in State Council meetings and Sub-Branch meetings and tell ourselves how we do welfare better than anyone else, well COVID-19 will test that, and will test whether we just pay lip service to our motto or whether we are prepared to live it for our members.



By now, most of us, if not all of us have had our day to day life disrupted in so many different ways. What I want to focus on is what we as a Branch and you as Sub- Branch committees can do to make the lot of our fellow Vietnam veterans and their families just that little bit better. Make no mistake, Vietnam veterans are smack in the middle of one of the most vulnerable groups in society susceptible to the virus; our age, war service and our general health are major factors. I hate to say it, but there is a real possibility that a Vietnam veteran or partner will die as a result of contracting the virus, particularly those of us who already have pre-existing conditions which make us even more susceptible to a life threatening bout of the virus.



Many veterans are already self-isolating and have curtailed normal activities to protect themselves, but it is the very act of self-isolating that brings with it a raft of other issues that we all MUST be aware of and prepared to do something about collectively. Some Vietnam veterans will be self-reliant, some will cope well with support of family and partners, but some will not cope, some will be panicked, fearful, confused, feel isolated and alone. This is a time when our most vulnerable are at the most risk.



I want to challenge the committees of the Branch, and every Sub-Branch committee to ACT now. Every effort must be made to contact EVERY member, ON A REGULAR BASIS to make sure that they are coping. Not just for a couple of weeks, but for as long as it takes.



Do whatever you must do to make that happen: let your members know what you are going to do, make rosters of members to make calls, divvy up member names and contact details between committee members and members of your Sub-Branch who volunteer or are co-opted to help-this is a shared crisis and all members hopefully will be willing to help. Decide how often to call, keep a record of EVERY member contacted and when, follow up those who have not been contacted.



Use your welfare funds to pay for telephone calls if necessary.



This is not a time to be complacent, all of our members need support NOW and for as long as it takes. I was chatting to a fellow Vietnam veteran last night – at a very safe distance- about the current situation and almost simultaneously we said that we feared that a Vietnam veteran could become so overwhelmed by all of this that they might self-harm.



There is no excuse that I will accept for any Sub- Branch that does not get fair dinkum about this need. This is our top welfare priority right NOW and I expect every Sub-Branch to act right NOW, with everything closed down there is little else to do.



Each Sub-Branch is requested to provide details of their plans to the state secretary by NLT COB Friday next week. Each Sub-Branch Secretary will be phoned by either the State Secretary or State Assistant Secretary before then to ensure that this email has been received, and they will advise you of reporting responsibilities and report content. The State Membership Manager is on standby to assist with membership details.



And please, don’t come back with issues of privacy, your membership lists are known at all levels of the Branch.



Time for us all to FIGHT LIKE HELL FOR THE LIVING.

Originally Posted by Pickles2

Maybe one warning,....they'll soon learn.
Pickles.

Some never do, sadly.

Originally Posted by windsock

Here in NZ, no! Our authorities have indicated, any activity likely to need assistance from others if you get into trouble, is out. Fishing, surfing, kayaking.... all water activity is not allowed.

I know that a 'duty of care' may exist, but frankly none of that makes any sense. Driving a car is far, far more likely to result in someone needing assistance from others, and everyone is still doing that. Here in Melbourne's east there are storms and likely flash flooding, and I guarantee the Ambos and Fireys are busy at MVAs.

As others have said, catching a fish for the table is far more sensible than going to the shop and buying one, if in fact the shop has any.

Originally Posted by johntins

I know that a 'duty of care' may exist, but frankly none of that makes any sense. Driving a car is far, far more likely to result in someone needing assistance from others, and everyone is still doing that. Here in Melbourne's east there are storms and likely flash flooding, and I guarantee the Ambos and Fireys are busy at MVAs.

As others have said, catching a fish for the table is far more sensible than going to the shop and buying one, if in fact the shop has any.

It makes perfect sense. Horses for courses. If Aust. allows fishing so be it. People are spreading this virus and reduce the movement of people, reduce the movement of infection, break the chain as they say. "Stay at home, save lives" is the catchy little ditty here on tv at the moment.

So, all vehicle travel is limited also. Since last Wednesday at 11.59pm we've been under a National State of Emergency here in NZ and this has what is called an "Epidemic Notice" overlaid it that gives the Ministry of Health and the local level Regional Medical Officers of Health additional powers needed to stop the spread of this thing. This is to stay in place for four weeks and will be reviewed after that and depending on what the numbers are doing, relaxed to lessor level of alert or continued. There is no ambiguity here in NZ that leave it to common sense or individual interpretation. There is very little scope here (aside from the early confusion) for the self-entitled to go about business as normal. We are a relatively small country with an already underfunded under staffed and under pressure health system heading into the flu season and the government has made the right moves to slow the spread and to hopefully allow our medical pro's to work their way through this in a small series of waves of hospitalised cases and not a tsunami of cases. Nationally we have only something like 150 Intensive Care Unit beds. Outside of this we have another 330 odd beds equipped with ventilators.

What this state of emergency/epidemic notice means is that the police (and the armed services) have powers to stop things from happening that might increase the chance of community transmission taking place on a large scale. We can travel only for GPs visits, pharmacy visits, and visits to the supermarkets. All non-essential travel by non-essential personnel is to cease. My wife is considered essential personnel in terms of the community care service she manages but even then she has to carry a letter for verification in case she is pulled up. My sister also, is a front line community nurse working long days in community testing stations and she too has to carry a letter around in case she is pulled up traveling.

As indicated elsewhere, our case numbers are low but it is early days in the enforced lockdown and we are expecting thousands more cases. Today we had our first covid-related death. There'll be others. We are likely to see this expansion of numbers for the next ten to 12 days before it stabilises and hopefully starts to fall. So long as we all just hunker down and slow the spread.

Your mileage may vary in Australia and good for you guys. If your leaders have a plan then hope others follow it and the plan works. We had a poll here in NZ and 93% of the respondents supported our government's plan so this is pretty good support. There'll always be a few self-entilted yobbo's about. One has already appeared in court on Friday for driving his car around town without a good excuse. More will follow no doubt.

Incidentally, the last time NZ had a National State of Emergency was in the 1951 Watersiders Strike.

Originally Posted by windsock

It makes perfect sense. Horses for courses. If Aust. allows fishing so be it. People are spreading this virus and reduce the movement of people, reduce the movement of infection, break the chain as they say. "Stay at home, save lives" is the catchy little ditty here on tv at the moment.

So, all vehicle travel is limited also. Since last Wednesday at 11.59pm we've been under a National State of Emergency here in NZ and this has what is called an "Epidemic Notice" overlaid it that gives the Ministry of Health and the local level Regional Medical Officers of Health additional powers needed to stop the spread of this thing. This is to stay in place for four weeks and will be reviewed after that and depending on what the numbers are doing, relaxed to lessor level of alert or continued. There is no ambiguity here in NZ that leave it to common sense or individual interpretation. There is very little scope here (aside from the early confusion) for the self-entitled to go about business as normal. We are a relatively small country with an already underfunded under staffed and under pressure health system heading into the flu season and the government has made the right moves to slow the spread and to hopefully allow our medical pro's to work their way through this in a small series of waves of hospitalised cases and not a tsunami of cases. Nationally we have only something like 150 Intensive Care Unit beds. Outside of this we have another 330 odd beds equipped with ventilators.

What this state of emergency/epidemic notice means is that the police (and the armed services) have powers to stop things from happening that might increase the chance of community transmission taking place on a large scale. We can travel only for GPs visits, pharmacy visits, and visits to the supermarkets. All non-essential travel by non-essential personnel is to cease. My wife is considered essential personnel in terms of the community care service she manages but even then she has to carry a letter for verification in case she is pulled up. My sister also, is a front line community nurse working long days in community testing stations and she too has to carry a letter around in case she is pulled up traveling.

As indicated elsewhere, our case numbers are low but it is early days in the enforced lockdown and we are expecting thousands more cases. Today we had our first covid-related death. There'll be others. We are likely to see this expansion of numbers for the next ten to 12 days before it stabilises and hopefully starts to fall. So long as we all just hunker down and slow the spread.

Your mileage may vary in Australia and good for you guys. If your leaders have a plan then hope others follow it and the plan works. We had a poll here in NZ and 93% of the respondents supported our government's plan so this is pretty good support. There'll always be a few self-entilted yobbo's about. One has already appeared in court on Friday for driving his car around town without a good excuse. More will follow no doubt.

Incidentally, the last time NZ had a National State of Emergency was in the 1951 Watersiders Strike.

All of that's fine, but how do you shop? I'm assuming shopping is still allowed? I have no choice but to drive. Driving is far more dangerous than fishing.

I made, and make, no comment re NZ.

Originally Posted by johntins

All of that's fine, but how do you shop? I'm assuming shopping is still allowed? I have no choice but to drive. Driving is far more dangerous than fishing.

I made, and make, no comment re NZ.

Sorry, a long post but full of a lot of detail of what is happening here. As stated, The normal, non-essential bloke, can travel by vehicle for three things, GP consult (usually by video these days anyway), medication and food. Only the larger supermarkets and smaller corner stores are open here, and the occasional fuel stop.

Originally Posted by windsock

It just needs several posts removed (and the responses such that it removes his quotes) and business as it was.

We are in lockdown here in NZ and I understand that it could be imminent in Aust too at least at state level.

That thread was like the fence between neighbors, something to be leaned on while yakking. It was... a means to communicate about the topic of the day/lifetime. A lifeline to sanity. A bar stool to converse from. A reason not to mow the lawn. A key source of procrastination where sources are drying up by the hour. A source of mirth. An outlet for concern. A source of coping mechanisms. A force of gravity to those floating. An alternative to doing the dishes. An alternative to pacing the hallway and calculating the area. An IT workaround for the current force majeure in terms of keeping this in a human dimension...

Besides all that, it was fun! Until someone had a dump in the deep end and forced us to vacate the pool. Clean it up and let us back in the water.... please?

The thread will return. Working with the difficulties of social distancing, Mods having to work from home and having to pay Mods weekend penalties, this is taking longer than usual.