There was an editorial in the SMH yesterday re Prof Chen being the one to insist to the deputy Vic Premier that hard border with all of NSW was urgently needed (despite the green zones not having any cases), stranding the many Victorians in NSW. A case of an epidemiologist not considering what a reasonable time is for people to safely drive from Northern NSW to Vic border, not considering the time it would take to ramp up testing and not considering the fact that Vic isnt able to adequately staff the permit review system which was hastily reintroduced. Over a week later and some 3K plus permits lodged but less than 200 reviewed = pitiful. Over-reaction further proved by zero cases in regional NSW including in those stranded Victorians from green zones coming down with Covid.
The Berala case that travelled to regional areas did so on 2nd Jan which was after Vic had already introduced the hard border so cant be used to justify the nonsensical decision to close to all of NSW. Those in the green zones could have been given a couple of days to get back to Vic without there being a heightened risk.
The only covid cases cases outside of Greater Sydney (including Wollongong, Central Coast and Blue Mountains) in a regional area since NB cluster began was the Bermagui one, which was actually a case of Victorians coming into NSW, not regional NSW bringing the virus into Vic.
Vic havent been able to identify a NSW resident that brought NB strain to Vic, everything points towards returing Victorians (who clearly didnt isolate after being in NB). It is Queensland in August all over again - where the Queensland border was shut to Sydney because of Queenslanders returning from Melbourne an actual hotspot (who only transited SYD).
At present only NT, Tas, ACT and Queeensland are implementing hotspot controls. Vic and WA know they dont have any legitimate evidence to close to whole of NSW, or for WA to close to all of Queensland. WA moves are predictable, as its an election winner amongst insular WA residents, rather than a genuine health consideration.
Epidemiolgiss love a disaster scenario, and have a talent for ignoring evidence that NSW have been able to manage local outbreaks, keep cases out of aged care etc. Mary-Louise McClaws is another one that loves to lead with we need stricter controls (irrespective of what is happening locally) and no consideration of impact to mental health and economic impacts which will have much more lasting impacts on the health of most Australians.
Epidemiologist have some premiers so scared, they cant even consult the premiers of the states they are locking out to check what is actually being done as opposed to a scare model the epidemiolgist has put in fron of them. Noting that to date none of these models have remotey panned out in Australia.
Ive said it before and wil say it again, I am forever grateful that I live in NSW, the state with the most pragmatic Premier and CHO. Dr Kerry Chant speaks plainly, is open about what her team do and dont know and have kicked some serious butt wrt to provision of timely information. NSW doesnt over react, makes information based not fear based decisions.
Just too funny.
(and asked for some lotto numbers at the same time!).
