A word from the NSW Northern Local Health District.......

TheDaily Examiner, 18 March 2020:

THE Northern NSW Local Health District boss says the group is working with North Coast Primary Health Network to ensure the region has an appropriate and effective response to Covid-19 (coronavirus).

Chief executive Wayne Jones said this included regular daily briefings at a state and local level, sharing information with primary health providers, providing advice on testing and monitoring, and working with Queensland Health.

Covid-19/flu clinics are established at Lismore Base Hospital and The Tweed Hospital, for those with respiratory symptoms or fever and who were at risk of Covid-19, such as those in contact with a Covid-19 case, or those who had returned from overseas in the 14 days before the onset of symptoms.

The clinics are open from 10am to 6pm seven days a week.

People do not need to call ahead to attend these clinics, but if attending an Emergency Department outside these hours, or attending a GP, are asked to phone ahead, or discuss symptoms with healthdirect on 1800 022 222.

A spokeswoman said anyone with acute symptoms could present to an ED and alert staff on arrival.

“As with other public hospitals in NSW, we are arranging to double the ICU capacity in hospitals in Northern NSW and to prepare for a significant increase in respiratory presentations to Emergency Departments,” Mr Jones said.

“All our facilities are planning for a potential increase in presentations of people with respiratory illness over the coming weeks and months, and we’re working with NSW Health to maximise available critical care resources.

“We have not cancelled elective surgery, but are reviewing the need to bring some cases forward, particularly those which may require Intensive Care support, in light of the expected increase in demand for ICU services in the coming weeks…...

This is not the Australia I grew up in.......

The Age, 17 March 2020:

Regional towns are being swamped by bus loads of panicked "Coles tourists" who are driving from the city to strip supermarket shelves of basic supplies.

The Age has heard reports of city-dwellers rushing supermarkets in Gisborne, Kyneton, Romsey, Seymour, Woodend, Daylesford and even in towns as far away as Kerang and Deniliquin.

Woodend, about 70 kilometres north-west of Melbourne, is now pleading for outsiders to give them a few days' break so its own elderly residents and families can buy necessities.

"We have one supermarket in town, a Coles, and we love our tourists, but we've got bus loads of people coming through and doing multiple runs through the store," Reverend Mel Clarke said.

"Coles have put limits on, but they're still able to clear us out."

Reverend Clarke, from St Mary's Anglican Church, said people had been coming to her door asking if she had supplies, but she too had now run out of many essentials.

She was in Kyneton when she spoke to The Age on Tuesday and said two buses had just arrived at the town's Woolworths.

"I don't know what they think they're going to get," she said.

"(In Woodend) we're trying our hardest amongst the community to make sure everyone has enough. We've got a neighbourhood house where if you've got a spare roll of toilet paper you can drop it off. We've got community groups popping up.

"But we just need a few days without the Coles tourists to get us back on our feet."

At the Romsey IGA, about 20 kilometres east of Woodend, it's been "like Christmas Eve" every day since mass cancellations began on Friday.

Kristi Gilbert, who co-runs a community Facebook page with more than 2000 members, said she had never seen anything like it in 10 years of Romsey life.

She said reports from shop staff was that many people were arriving from Melbourne, but some were also coming from larger regional centres like Bendigo.

Kate Bossence, from Kerang in northern Victoria, said supermarket shelves there started emptying during a rush of Melbourne tourists on the long weekend last week.

The 47-year-old said she had noticed mini-buses full of people stopping off at the local supermarkets that had "cleaned out absolutely everything".

"Since the long weekend, I just noticed that people behind the cash registers are struggling with the amount of produce that people are buying," Ms Bossence, an ex-nurse, said.

"It's kind of really reached a critical stage now.

"That leaves us locals, and aged pensioners, disability pensioners, with no food to really survive on for the next couple of weeks if we do go into lockdown which is looking more and more likely."

Woolworths opened at 7am on Tuesday and admitted only those with pension or disability cards for the next hour. Results were mixed across the city.

In Prahran, more than 100 elderly people lined up before dawn and almost all went straight for the empty toilet paper aisle.

They get us out of bed so early in the morning and the shelves are bare," Leah, 71, said.

"The three most important things - tissues, toilet paper and meat - and they are not there. I had to buy gyoza. We're not used to eating gyoza, but now we have to eat anything.

"I woke up at 3am and I didn't want to go back to sleep in case I slept and missed the toilet paper. But I missed it anyway. It's hard for us because we're old. I can't even walk. I had to take tablets just to be able to get here."

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Northern NSW Local Health District now number five

Northern NSW Local Health District, Media Release, 19 March 2020:

UPDATE: Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in NNSWLHD  

Northern NSW Local Health District has confirmed another two cases of COVID-19 within the LHD since our last update on 18 March. This takes the total number of cases of COVID-19 in NNSWLHD to five. 

All five cases are currently in self-isolation and are being monitored daily,

To date, four of the five cases had returned from overseas and the source of acquisition for the fifth case is under investigation at the time of this release. 

North Coast Public Health Unit is contacting people who had been in close contact with the two new cases. Close contacts are asked to self-isolate for 14 days from their last contact with the case, or to be tested if they develop symptoms. As with other cases, these individuals will be followed-up daily and supported with ongoing advice. 

One confirmed case travelled on Virgin Australia flight VA1141 from Sydney to Ballina, arriving 10 March 2020. Contacts were in rows 7 – 11. 

The risk to those passengers is considered low because of the flight time, however as a matter of caution, we do ask that people who were seated in those rows 7 – 11 be alert to signs and symptoms of COVID-19. 

Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose and sometimes shortness of breath. 

If you develop these symptoms, call your doctor and let them know that you were in those seats on that particular flight. 

There are no other locations that pose an ongoing risk to members of the public at this time. 

There are two COVID-19 / flu clinics in NNSWLHD at present, located at The Tweed Hospital and Lismore Base Hospital. These clinics are open from 10am to 6pm daily. 

These clinics are for those most at risk with respiratory symptoms or fever, those returning from overseas or in contact with a COVID-19 case, or people like our health workers. 

People without symptoms do not need and will not be tested at this stage....  

healthdirect AUSTRALIA – providing expert health advice 24 hours a day to NSW residents – Tel. 1800 022 222 

NNSWLHD is closely monitoring the volume of respiratory presentations at our facilities, and will use this information to determine when and if additional COVID-19/ flu clinics need to opened at other hospitals in the District. 

We encourage everyone to play their part in containing the spread of COVID-19 by washing your hands often, covering coughs and sneezes, maintaining social distance and staying home if you’re unwell. Visit the NSW Health website for more advice.

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/diseases/Pages/coronavirus.aspx

Quote of the Week

"If the battle cry of our government’s response to the global financial crisis was “go early, go hard, go households”, this government’s approach to the current crisis seems to be “go late, go half-measures, and go ... well ... go to Hillsong”." [Former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd, writing in The Guardian, 16 March 2020]

Joke of the Week

Found on Twitter

Anzac Day marches and many rememberance services cancelled for 25 April 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic

ABC News, 16 March 2020:

A number of states have moved to cancel some Anzac Day services and ban the public from attending others in an attempt to thwart the spread of coronavirus. 

A selection of dawn services will be held across the country but the public will be asked not to attend. Any marches or midday services will be cancelled. 

RSL Victoria state president Dr Robert Webster said it was not a decision taken lightly. 

"Traditionally, many of us have marked Anzac Day by attending a dawn service at our local cenotaph or the Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance," he said 

"But in 2020, on April 25, when you can't go to a local dawn service, the RSL is asking that instead you tune in via radio, social media or television and take a moment to reflect on the service and sacrifice of our veterans and those who are still serving today.".....

RSL Queensland president Tony Ferris said the move was designed to protect "our older veterans" who are particularly at risk, and said he was looking into alternative ways for people to commemorate the day. 

"Regardless of the form this year's Anzac Day commemorations take, we will always remember the dedication, commitment and sacrifice of our Defence forces, past and present," Mr Ferris said. 

Robert Dick, state president of RSL Tasmania, said he was hoping the public could empathise with the decision. 

"Yes, we cop a lot of public flak over the issue, but we ask them to consider everybody else, not just themselves," he said. 

Several states and territories are yet to make a firm decision about their respective services....

Iconic Bluesfest and a number of other events cancelled or postponed on NSW Far North Coast from March to December 2020

Several events in the NSW Northern Rivers have been cancelled due to the national large gathering bans in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

These include: the iconic Byron Bay Bluesfest on 9-13 April 2020 ; Lismore’s Songkran Festival on 5 April; Anniversary Day at New Italy on 5 April; and the 116th Maclean Highland Gathering on April 10-11.

Casino's Beef Week due to be held in May has been postponed, possibly until early September 2020. However timing depends on how the pandemic progresses.

Splendour in the Grass 2020 is being rescheduled to Friday 23, Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October 2020 at North Byron Parklands.

Byron Harmony Festival 2020 scheduled for 21 March at Mullumbimby has been cancelled. Tickets will be refunded.

Local industry group Northern Rivers Food (NRF) has confirmed that the 2020 Northern Rivers Food Harvest Festival has been cancelled.

Ballina Coastcare Committee (in consultation with long-time Dune Care members) has postponed DuneCare and Coastcare 30th Anniversary. No new date announced.

Grafton Relay For Life due to be held on 4-5 April has been suspended. New date will be announced.

Grafton Eisteddford was to be held on Saturday 11 – Sunday 19 April but is postponed until a date later in the year.

Criterion Theatre, Grafton, live theatre performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat has been postponed from 26 March-5 April to 26 November-6 December.

The Maclean Show Society has decided to cancel the 122 year old Maclean Agricultural & Industrial Show for this year in a unanimous decision of their committee.

Events that are still not confirmed under the latest large gathering ban (no more than 100 people limit): Carna Byron Bay on 21 March; Casino Race Day on 21 March; and Crankfest at Evans Head on 18 April.

Grafton Christ Church Cathedral has suspended the Wednesday 10am Eucharist for at least the next two weeks and Sunday services are expected to also be suspended following a meeting of the Parish Council tonight. Sunday services and other major holy days will be live-streamed via the cathedral’s Facebook page.

Lawrence Museum will be closed from Saturday 21 March due to the pandemic.

NOTE FOR SATURDAY SHOPPERS; Bunnings Warehouse has suspended Sauage Sizzles at all its stores.

Clarence Valley Conservatorium will still be going ahead with its scheduled concert featuring Swedish guitarist Johannes Moller at 7pm on Saturday 21 March 2020, but adhering to the strict guidelines being issued by health authorities only 30 tickets will be issued to ensure seating is suitably spaced.