this blog post is written by Danni, Abbigale’s mum.

I wasn’t panicked about covid-19, until I essentially had my job put on hold. in order to protect my parents, my kid as well as my clients one of the higher bosses and I agreed, until this is all over it would be best if I didn’t work. and now that sucked, but im hoping the sooner Australia as a nation goes into lock down, and scott morrison pulls his head out his ass it will happen. ive read that it takes up to three weeks for any rules and regulations regarding covid 19 to take place. in that time the rate of infection would triple, quadruple even. wouldn’t it be smarter now to go into lock down and avoid the currently inevitable crisis we will face?

how horrible will it be for doctors, to have to choose between generations, based on rate of survival? how it would honestly fuck with their morals. they got into medicine to save lives and yet they are put in a position in which they have to look at honestly choosing who to save. that will impact their mental health some thing critical.

that plays on my mind. how bad this situation is going to impact the mental health of so many. especially those on the front line. I know my few nurse friends are already suffering, with their only outlets essentially closed down. my concern for them is real because of this situation.

for me, im already struggling. I have no routine now. no work, no uni, no gym, no freedom essentially, and admittedly for good reason, but doesn’t exactly help the cabin fever of the situation. then you also have to consider the absolute idiots that don’t understand the impact and importance of social distancing. like, there are thousands of people defying these rules, implemented for our safety. the fact we are living through a future history lesson, a future lesson in regard to infectious disease, a future class talking about how we handled this, what mistakes we made (which in all honesty right now, is a fucking lot!) and what outcome we faced.

currently, our economic growth has been hindered, our small businesses severely impacted, industries have pretty much been crippled (such as hospitality, tourism, aviation work, some areas of disability, education), areas where people thought where lower class industries have been put under such extreme pressure (such as cleaners, maintenance, groceries etc) and yet the pressure will only build until we as a nation actually take control, close every thing for one month to 6 weeks. have instant on the spot fines or jail time for those flouting regulations, have army patrolling streets. it seems draconian but for a short time, it will work until we find our new normal post covid 19.

curving the rates of infection on this virus is what is needed. opposed to implementing rules and regulations there should be laws. an entire law and movement regarding this, and future viral critical diseases. so as soon as it spreads to Australia this policy and law is put in place. and once the curve of infection is ceased, the infection rate diminished entirely, what ever the new normal is returned. I feel like there is so much more we as a nation could be doing to change this situation we are in, so our doctors don’t have to make a decision of who to save based on their rate of survival, our kids don’t panic and aren’t frightened on what this situation means, our entire rates as a nation becomes a unifying number of people understanding what happens if we don’t do these extreme measures.

no matter what, there will be idiots who panic buy items, and act like the world is going to go apocalyptic within moments. there will be idiots who flout the rules and have the mentality of im fit and healthy ill be fine. but its like herd mentality when its discussed around the spread of any infection. the more people immunised against some thing, means the infection has less of a chance to spread. in the case of covid 19, the more people who self isolate and protect others by staying home, limits the rate of infection spread. but people still wont always understand that as a nation we have a responsibility to others to protect them. it makes me so mad that people lack the common decency to understand the impacts of this. the absolute darth of the situation is being ignored and completely disregarded.

its like the herd mentality isn’t that ill protect me, by protecting you. its I don’t need protection because youll protect me, so ill still go socialise, ignore social distancing, and if I think ive come into contact with this infection ill continue my usual life, until I show symptoms and signs of it.

this honestly scares me so much. because the absolute lack of compassion others have, the lack of understanding around this. how can you be so stupid about it? how can you think that its all a fallacy and some conspiracy? how can people be so racist toward China just because this virus originated from there? there as so many variables in this.

as Australians, we need to band together to protect each other. stay home, clean your house, disinfect every thing. spend time with your kids and help them understand this situation. take the time to cook with them, teach them to clean, to do washing, to do gardening, teach them how to recycle and look after this planet.

this is a scary situation, but we need to band together, we need to protect one another, and the only way to do that, is stay fucking home.