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COVID 19 GLOBAL


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Evil

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WORLD NEWS JULY 7, 2020 3:08 AM 

Public housing residents decry 'lockup' 
as Australia contains COVID-19 threat

by Paulina Duran, Melanie Burton

xxxxxxx

SYDNEY/MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Emel Evcin first heard on a phone call with a friend that nearby COVID-19 cases had rendered her Melbourne apartment block quarantined, yet on checking through the curtains, she saw not medical staff but law enforcement.

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A public housing tower, locked down in response to an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), is seen in Melbourne, Australia, July 8, 2020. REUTERS/Sandra Sanders

“I looked outside from my window and no nurses, no cleaners, no food - just lots of cops,” the 42-year-old mother of two told Reuters by phone from her two-bedroom flat. “This is not a lockdown, this is a lockup.”

More than 3,000 public housing residents in nine high-rise blocks entered a fourth full day of lockdown on Tuesday following a surge in COVID-19 cases, as authorities in Australia’s most stricken city try to halt the infection for fear of it spreading rapidly in the densely populated buildings.

Melbourne is the capital of Victoria state, which on Tuesday reported its highest number of new infections at 191.

Victoria closed its border with New South Wales state from late Tuesday, contrasting with easing restrictions in the rest of the country, where new infections are largely confined to returned travellers quarantined in hotels.

Relatively loose social distancing protocols among security staff at such hotels in Melbourne is widely believed to have contributed to the latest spike.

At the Melbourne towers, access roads were taped up and playgrounds and sporting ovals closed, while dozens of police stood guard and helped distribute hampers and food packages delivered by charities, according to a Reuters witness.

Police said they have stationed two officers on every floor of each tower.

Amina Yussuf, an Australian citizen of Somali background living with her seven children in one of the towers said she was shocked and felt traumatised when police prevented her from leaving the building to shop for food for the week on Saturday.

“I told them I wasn’t going far but they wouldn’t let me,” Yussuf said. “It was really shocking, I was scared and very confused. I don’t now how to put it into words.”

Yussuf, Evcin and another resident all told Reuters they thought the situation could have been handled better, with more community consultation.

“This building is not suitable. There is not enough space, not enough ventilation, no fresh air, no sun,” said Evcin, an Australian citizen of Kurdish descent.

Such a sudden and concentrated lockdown, seen first in Chinese epicentre Wuhan, is unprecedented in Australia which prides itself on its civil liberties. It has sparked public outcry that the harshest measures have been applied to some of the city’s poorest residents.

Victoria state’s media spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment ahead of a public briefing.

The government previously said it could not give ample notice of the lockdown because of the urgency of the matter, comparing the tower blocks to “vertical cruise ships”.

Sue Cunningham, Red Cross director for the state of Victoria, said while the situation is very difficult for the police, such a heavy police presence is intimidating for anyone, let alone the towers’ demographic, which includes refugees.

Cunningham also said there had been a spike in calls for support from residents, some of whom said food items did not match their dietary needs.

Matt Tilley, from Food Bank Victoria, said the charity was well practiced in delivering hampers after a busy summer providing food to families affected by recent bush fires.

“We’ve got our packing lines working around the clock,” said Tilley. “It’s like a well oiled machine. I guess this year has given us a lot of practice.”

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JULY 9, 2020 / 7:35 AM / UPDATED AN HOUR AGO

WHO sets up panel to review 
handling of COVID-19 pandemic

by Stephanie Nebehay, John Miller

GENEVA/ZURICH (Reuters) - The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday it was setting up an independent panel to review its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the response by governments worldwide.

The announcement follows strong criticism by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, which accused the WHO of being “China-centric”, and U.S. formal notification on Tuesday that it was withdrawing from the U.N. agency in a year’s time.

Former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark and former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf have agreed to head the panel, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

(READ MORE)

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no masks...fforest is "in"...

People participate in an outdoor yoga class by LMNTS Outdoor Studio in domes, to facilitate social distancing and proper protocols to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Toronto, Canada, on June 21, 2020. # Carlos Osorio / Reuters

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Big Mac & a side of COVID please...

Mcdonalds Linked To 25 Covid Cases Is Ordered To Do More To Protect Workers, Public

https://www.sfgate.com/news/bayarea/article/Oakland-Mcdonalds-Linked-To-25-Covid-Cases-Is-15398555.php

...A 10-month-old baby who experienced severe symptoms of COVID-19 was among the employees of this McDonald's and an affiliated restaurant in Berkeley and their family members who have contracted the virus, according to a complaint filed in the case last month.

So far, those diagnosed with COVID-19 include a manager for both stores, 11 workers at the Oakland restaurant, six of their family members and seven workers at the Berkeley store, for a total of 25 linked cases, according to the complaint...

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26 minutes ago, Ivan the terrible said:

1/3rd of  deaths in miami are under the age of 60

1/3rd of tests in california and arizona   are positive

scary stuff.

Whilst I would like to agree with you, it's just not accurate. Arizona is clocking in at 34% (scary scary stuff}. California is about 8%. Not good but we have 38 million here. Arizona has less than 8 million. Florida is on their own and Texas too. Idiots.

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6 minutes ago, Kathmandu said:

Whilst I would like to agree with you, it's just not accurate. Arizona is clocking in at 34% (scary scary stuff}. California is about 8%. Not good but we have 38 million here. Arizona has less than 8 million. Florida is on their own and Texas too. Idiots.

@10.06

Edited by Ivan the terrible
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48 minutes ago, Ivan the terrible said:

The issue that is not being talked about at all is that the BLM protests have  triggered this massive second wave in the US ,its a murderous ideology and its supporters and participants are now murdering thousands of people in the US

Not the trump rally's or the Memorial Day beach gatherings... you seem to be selective ....

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4 minutes ago, Stillearly said:

Not the trump rally's or the Memorial Day beach gatherings... you seem to be selective ....

how many millions at the BLM rallys/riots across the country over several weeks...apparently 9000 at the Trump rally...can you stick your head in the sand anymore "selectively"

Edited by Ivan the terrible
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With vaccines progressing, I hope that the priority for first inoculation will be those over 60 those with underlying health conditions, cancer patients and all NHS and Care home front line staff and the equivalent around the world

I have read quite a bit on social media that some will refuse to be vaccinated. Up to them, for whatever their reasons.as long as those who want it can get it quickly. That in itself is a mammoth task if say 50 million are to be innoculated and it will take weeks and a lot of GP time. 

Maybe governments will set up inoculation centres in cities, towns and villages to speed up the process. 

I can't see it happening for quite a few months, so in the meantime we should all do our bit by being sensible and following guidelines even though it's a pain in the arse. Better that than risk facing a second wave and going back to some of the lockdown restrictions that have recently been eased.

2020 will be the year we would all like to forget and next year hopefully, life will return to as near normal as it was at the begining of 2020. 

That said,it will likely take a couple of generations to fully recover from the financial impact in most C19 affected countries, and we will be paying the cost one way or another.

And, we will be a lot better prepared for any future pandemics with lessons learned from Corona Virus. 

Sadly, that will no conselation to the mllions of those who lost their loved ones worldwide. 

 

 

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Bali open to local tourist since yesterday (means to Bali residents)

Opening to domestic tourism 31/07

Opening to foreign tourism 11/09  (probably an auspicious day ?)

Nothing really changing on the ground. 

And sure nothing changes for me.....  Most westerners slowly abandoning the mask thing, except when really obliged.

Dropped by at the main hospital here for a Rapid test for the Miss, hospital reception empty, no ambulances qeuing, no dead bodies piling up....

Live is good on the island of the gods !

 

 

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10 minutes ago, Thai Spice said:

Bali open to local tourist since yesterday (means to Bali residents)

Opening to domestic tourism 31/07

Opening to foreign tourism 11/09  (probably an auspicious day ?)

Nothing really changing on the ground. 

And sure nothing changes for me.....  Most westerners slowly abandoning the mask thing, except when really obliged.

Dropped by at the main hospital here for a Rapid test for the Miss, hospital reception empty, no ambulances qeuing, no dead bodies piling up....

Live is good on the island of the gods !

 

 

Opening Bali to international tourist on September 11th  ? ?.......Out of 365 days in a year they choose that day??................Come on give me a break......This is a joke.....I predict that will be the day wave #2 hits bali.......

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13 minutes ago, fforest said:

Opening Bali to international tourist on September 11th  ? ?.......Out of 365 days in a year they choose that day??................Come on give me a break......This is a joke.....I predict that will be the day wave #2 hits bali.......

https://thebalisun.com/bali-begins-reopening-after-3-month-lockdown/

"Koster told a news conference that the island will gradually reopen shuttered places to locals and stranded foreigners. Bali will open to Indonesians from other parts of the country on July 31 and new foreign arrivals on Sept. 11."

 

PS : not that it will change much as Aussies, which are the majority of tourists here, will still be locked up on their island by their government.

 

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