The Reality of Living in Australia and Covid

[Alan Mighty]

If the estimates are correct, the effective reproduction rate (R) of the virus in Aus has dropped below replacement.

[Alan Mighty]

But the lagging indicator of deaths continues, including in a way that voters will remember for a few months.

[Lucky Luke 1]

Bad day for a Skipper. Supply issues due to Covid may make two replacement tugs an issue. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-...VHwTT7CbB691ZI

[ozsailer]

Originally Posted by Alan Mighty

But the lagging indicator of deaths continues, including in a way that voters will remember for a few months.

I agree with Alan but the sad reality is that on only one day last week we had over 120 deaths from cancer in just in one state as compared to 29 deaths from Covid the majority of those either not vaccinated or with other serious health issues. When discussing such things we must take everything as a whole and not just part of an issue.



Ozsailer

[letsgetsailing3]

Originally Posted by Lucky Luke 1

Nope
https://worldpopulationreview.com/co...dex-by-country
America isnt even in the top 10.

Nope
https://www.prosperity.com/rankings
https://www.ceda.com.au/NewsAndResou...ealth-rankings
"Australia is also one of the countries with the most equitable distributions of wealth compared with other developed nations, such as the UK and the USA. Only six per cent of Australians have net worth under US$10,000, compared to 18 per cent in the UK and 28 per cent in the USA."

A very interesting one
https://worldpopulationreview.com/co...eful-countries

Australia's the place to be but you need to fly to get here. Refugees by boat dont have much luck with the border police.
America lives on its 1950's economy built from slavery. The avg person is not as well off nor has as decent a life as an Australian, nor do Americans live as long. I simply couldn't afford to live in America but here in OZ life is sensational. "Freedom" that Americans scream as they wave a million flags is an illusion as is the American dream- whatever that is.

What percentage of Australians are minorities?

I suppose that if a country is super strict on immigration, and mostly from Northern Europe, prosperity might be a result.

I'm just going to leave this here:

The United States is home to the highest number of immigrants in the world. An estimated 48.2 million people in the United States—roughly 15% of the total population—were born in a foreign country. The number of immigrants in the U.S. has increased by at least 400% since 1965. The population of immigrants in the United States is incredibly diverse, with nearly every country in the world represented among U.S. immigrants. Mexico is the largest origin country for U.S. immigrants, accounting for more than 11 million, or 25%, of all immigrants in the United States. Immigration is, of course, a fundamental part of U.S. history, as a significant majority of citizens of the "Great American Melting Pot" are descended from European immigrants.

Australia and the U.S. are similar, in that they are both countries of immigrants, and mostly from Northern Europe, though that's rapidly changing in the United States.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

What percentage of Australians are minorities?

I suppose that if a country is super strict on immigration, and mostly from Northern Europe, prosperity might be a result.

I'm just going to leave this here:

The United States is home to the highest number of immigrants in the world. An estimated 48.2 million people in the United States—roughly 15% of the total population—were born in a foreign country. The number of immigrants in the U.S. has increased by at least 400% since 1965. The population of immigrants in the United States is incredibly diverse, with nearly every country in the world represented among U.S. immigrants. Mexico is the largest origin country for U.S. immigrants, accounting for more than 11 million, or 25%, of all immigrants in the United States. Immigration is, of course, a fundamental part of U.S. history, as a significant majority of citizens of the "Great American Melting Pot" are descended from European immigrants.

Australia and the U.S. are similar, in that they are both countries of immigrants, and mostly from Northern Europe, though that's rapidly changing in the United States.

FWIW, in 2020, 29.8% of Australia's population were born overseas.

Top three countries were 3.8% from England, 2.8% from India, 2.5% from China.
More info here https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/pe...latest-release

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Lucky Luke 1

Bad day for a Skipper. Supply issues due to Covid may make two replacement tugs an issue. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-...VHwTT7CbB691ZI

If you look on Marinetraffic at the Goliath's track someone didn't get an astern movement when requested.
New ones? No big deal - just go to 'Tugs-R-Us'.

[letsgetsailing3]

Originally Posted by Wotname

FWIW, in 2020, 29.8% of Australia's population were born overseas.

Top three countries were 3.8% from England, 2.8% from India, 2.5% from China.
More info here https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/pe...latest-release

What percentage of Australians are of English or Irish descent?

I'd say they have a lot of catching up to do, but you're right, they are making the effort.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

What percentage of Australians are of English or Irish descent?

I'd say they have a lot of catching up to do, but you're right, they are making the effort.

Abut 57% identify as english, scottish, or irish plus I imagine a fair number who ticked the 'Australian' box are as well.

'Our 10 most common ancestries were:

• English (36.1%)
• Australian (33.5%)
• Irish (11.0%)
• Scottish (9.3%)
• Chinese (5.6%)
• Italian (4.6%)
• German (4.5%)
• Indian (2.8%)
• Greek (1.8%)
• Dutch (1.6%).'

https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@...0Features22016

Meanwhile while new covid cases are falling across all of eastern Australia they are doubling by the day in WA. ( great stuff -'stats')

And on the Pingo front. Flew back from Ecuador this week - 48 hours from entering Guayaquil airport to exiting at Tulla yesterday morning. Three covid tests ( 2 PCRs and a RAT) since Tuesday morning Australian time. First one not accepted at G'quil as time expired for the US - but OK for Australia so a RAT at 2300 at the airport - if flight had been departing at 2359 it would have been fine - 0200 not fine. I was in a queue - I was not alone.
At LA Qantas staff check my paperwork before issuing boarding pass - me and the rest of the passos.

At Melbourne only thing I was asked for was proof of yellow fever vax.
But I was given an A4 sheet of paper before I was allowed to mix and mingle.
Relevent part - get a PCR or a RAT within 24 hours and isolate until results obtained.
The best bit was 'RATs can be purchased at pharmacies' - yep - righto - whatever--

Went to the testing site at Wang - two hours drive from Tulla - very short queue maybe 6 cars.

'Do you have symptoms?' 'No' was the wrong answer, if I had said 'yes' would have been given a RAT. Given a PCR and released into the wild.

Such is Australia's current quarantine border - except in WA.

[Alan Mighty]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Such is Australia's current quarantine border - except in WA.

Sortta explains why Omicron sub-variant BA.2 has been recorded in VIC.

Amazing success by quarantine officials.

Great win for the virus!

See: https://www.theage.com.au/national/v...29-p59s5x.html

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Alan Mighty

Sortta explains why Omicron sub-variant BA.2 has been recorded in VIC.

Amazing success by quarantine officials.

Great win for the virus!

See: https://www.theage.com.au/national/v...29-p59s5x.html

Yep, and if I was going to contract Covid anywhere it was going to be on QF94.
On all four AA flights in the last three weeks or so I had an empty seat next to me.
QF94 the other day? Absolutely chocka and not an empty seat that I could see in my part of cattle class. They still made the anouncements to maintain social distance when out of your seat.

Meanwhile never mind possible long term effects of the vaccines. Having just spent a solid 48 hours of continuous mask wearing even on the rare occasions that I got to sleep - and my son then insisting I remain masked for the 3 hour drive home - I am convinced that the greatest long term risk is that of getting ' Prince Charles' Ears '.

[JPA Cate]

Will you post a pic of yourself with said mask?

Ann

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Will you post a pic of yourself with said mask?

Ann

Simple answer - No - not until my ears recover.

[Alan Mighty]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Having just spent a solid 48 hours of continuous mask wearing even on the rare occasions that I got to sleep - and my son then insisting I remain masked for the 3 hour drive home - I am convinced that the greatest long term risk is that of getting ' Prince Charles' Ears '.

Yair.

My solution is to make up a half-dozen strips of fabric tape about 13 mm wide and 170 mm long. A coarse woven fabric, with a good coefficient of friction and no stretch, is better than slippery stuff.

Sew on two buttons, with centres 167 mm apart. Do a good job of yer threadwork.

Ear loops then go around the buttons.

Each crew member gets one to use and a spare.

[HankOnthewater]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Yep, and if I was going to contract Covid anywhere it was going to be on QF94.
On all four AA flights in the last three weeks or so I had an empty seat next to me.
QF94 the other day? Absolutely chocka and not an empty seat that I could see in my part of cattle class. They still made the anouncements to maintain social distance when out of your seat.

'.

I think it quite funny, not funny really. All passengers packed in like sardines, all wearing a mask, and then the food trolley comes around, or with coffee and tea, and all masks are removed at nearly the same time. ??? This negates completely the need of mask wearing. I was on three flights this week, I did not take my mask off.
Airlines could save some money here by not offering food and drinks: "for covid safety reasons". Or if someone wanted a drink, offer a straw. Bummer that is also banned, so we might be better off with covid

As a side issue, a few years ago I could fly from west to east for $200 to $250 return flight. Now they charge $1200 one way !!! And the plane is still full. Have wages gone up? Price of fuel?
I suppose there are fewer planes in the sky that can contribute to the bottom line, so the few planes there are..... the airlines are milking them for every dollar.