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Thursday, 9 April, 2020
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Kindness costs nothing By Cam Lucadou-Wells Let's hope that a Berwick resident's gesture will be the sign of the times. Like many others, Brett Curtis and his Pakenham-based business AAFS Shopfitting is belying the pressures of the Covid-19 pandemic shutdown. Catching the eye of walkers passing by in Moondarra Drive, Berwick is a simple signboard message: "KND: Be the I in Kind." It was a reminder for people to be kind to each other, Mr Curtis said. Tyler and Summer Curtis form the I in KIND.
Cases climbing By Cam Lucadou-Wells On the eve of an Easter danger period, Casey has defied Victoria's flattening Covid-19 curve with a spike of eight new infections in 48 hours. Premier Daniel Andrews flagged the holiday break as a danger period that couldn't be treated as a "normal Easter weekend". He said the "positive" gains in curbing the viral spread were "hard-earned" but "fragile". Travelling around, visiting relatives, getting together in large groups and "doing things we desperately want to do" would "give back the gains we have made". Mr Andrews said the social restrictions needed to be a "medium term" fixture. "If they're not, the virus will spread, our hospital system will be over-run and people will die. "I know it's deeply inconvenient ... but it's working."
As of 7 April, the Casey area climbed the state's local government 'league table', ranking equal-eighth with 45 reported infections. The spike coincides with a 55-year-old disability nurse dying from the virus at Dandenong Hospital on 5 April. Meanwhile the State Government announced that school students would be required to "learn at home" when Term 2 resumes on 15 April. Stricter public health measures have come into force for visitors to disability residential facilities, alcohol and drug services and secure welfare services. The Government also announced it had helped employ 1300 workers who had lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Meanwhile, health authorities and police are continuing to crack down on potential community transmissions.
On 8 April, Victoria Police announced it had issued 114 fines for non-compliance with social distancing in the past 24 hours. Some of the fines included nine adults socialising at a Rebels outlaw-bikie gang clubhouse, seven people at a house dinner party, three mates who don't live together and were playing video games in a loungeroom. Four people were fined walking the streets in a search for drugs, and a group of friends breached for hanging out in a park, Victoria Police reported. As part of Operation Sentinel, police had conducted more than 16,000 spot checks at homes, businesses and non-essential services since 21 March. Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton urged people not to "look for loopholes" in the physical distancing measures. Only four exceptions remain to staying at home - food and supplies, medical care and
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care giving, exercise, and work or education. "The rules are clear - and they don't change over Easter: if you can stay at home, you must stay at home," Professor Sutton said. "This is tough for many families, but no Easter holiday is worth a life. Stay at home, protect the health system, and save lives. "There is no doubt about it - physical distancing will save lives. I urge people not to look for loopholes but to follow the advice and do the right thing." As of 8 April, the state's death toll was 12, with 45 patients in hospital and 12 in intensive care. Victoria's total infections has slowed in recent days, totalling 1212. More than half of cases have recovered (736). Details: dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus.