For all of you who questioned my comparing Australia's approach to fighting COVID-19 with Florida, abc.net.au in Australia has done what we did. They even interview an Australian living in Florida.
While Australia's biggest states are currently in lockdown, the US state of Florida is living up to its nickname of "America's playground".
Australian entrepreneur Nick Sharp — originally from Victoria — runs several cafes and restaurants, and now owns an Aussie brew pub called Bay13, in Miami. His staff are free to wear masks or get vaccinated — or not, it's their choice.
"There's no restrictions, so everybody's free to go to work, to go to school, and to go out to restaurants or retail," he told 7.30.
Like we keep saying, everybody has the choice. If you want to get vaccinated, you can. It's widely available, it's free. Testing is still readily available.
"And of course people, if they want to, can wear masks — and that's kind of been the stance here for quite a while now."
Australia's population of 26 million is comparable to Florida's 22 million, but when you consider the figures around COVID-19, the numbers are starkly different.
Currently, Australia's daily COVID-19 cases are being measured in the hundreds, but last week Florida recorded more than 150,000 cases.
The total number of deaths in Australia is still less than 1,000. Florida has now passed 41,000, by some reports.
How can we let this go on in this country? The article continues by talking about how Americans can freely get COVID shots but only 51% of Floridians have and how the virus is totally politicized here. Then, hospital workers are interviewed.
"We're back to square one. That's why I'm frustrated," one ICU doctor said.
There has also been shock at the devastation being wrought by the Delta variant on younger patients.
"It's between the ages of 25 and 40, so it's really young patients that are dying right now," said David De La Zerda, the manager of ICU at Florida's largest hospital, Jackson Memorial Hospital.
"I never saw in my life so many deaths that I saw in the past year. It's just unbelievable.
"In about 36 hours, we had 80 new patients in the ICU, which is pretty dramatic.
"All of them are COVID [patients]. We don't have anybody with non-COVID anymore in our ICU, so that tells you how bad it is.
"And [they are] very young, really young patients [who] are also dying … so it's been pretty tough, the last 24 hours."
Dr De La Zerda said almost all his patients had one thing in common.
"Five per cent of our patients are vaccinated, and 95 per cent are unvaccinated," he said.
Former acting head of America's Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Richard Besser, said there was a lot the US could learn from Australia, but he stressed Australians should not let their guard down while vaccination rates were low.
"The variants that are circulating — the Delta variant in particular — is so incredibly transmissible that without very high vaccination rates, it will rip through communities and do incredible damage," he told 7.30.
I really hoped we were better than this in America. Could we finally learn from Australia? I doubt it but one never knows.
23 comments:
No mandates! No masks!
Stop the lies!
Teachers go back to work and stop this insanity!
Stop the death cult and get COVID under control.
Pressley Stutts, a Republican leader in South Carolina who fought COVID-19 vaccination efforts, died on Thursday of the coronavirus after a weekslong battle, including six days spent on a ventilator, The Greenville News reported.
"Stutts, a 64-year-old veteran, frequently shared conspiracy theories about the virus, the vaccines and the 2020 election on Facebook, including in posts made from his ICU bed."
"Stutts also praised a state effort to strip funding from schools that imposed mask mandates or testing requirements, and was angry about $10 gift card incentives for vaccination, writing to his 5,000 followers: “Do not sell your body nor your soul no matter the asking price.”
"In July, Stutts shared a Facebook post dismissing the delta variant, which was likely the one that ended his life."
Stutts made his choice. If you’re vaccinated, stop panicking.
Children under 12 cannot get vaccinated.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/child-covid-19-hospitalizations-new-high-august-2021-n1277119
That counts admissions before you answer that it is only ER visits.
@7:10 nobody's panicking you fool. Just thought I'd share some good news. ROFLMAO.
@7:13 exactly.
Australians protesting in the streets!
The only fools are the white liberals afraid to leave their house.
For the love of God, DeBlasio and the DOE do not give two shits about Australia. Schools are going to be open so lets get used to it.
Chancellor goes maskless at Queens school despite mandate https://trib.al/nZziBlU
“The world's dumbest fucking people (Media Matters liberals) are expressing bewilderment at my statement that CIA influences corporate media outlets like CNN (even though CNN employs former top CIA officials). If you don't understand this basic fact about the US, you know nothing.” Glenn Greenwood
Consider the lies you’re pushed to believe, by Corporate Media, Big Business, and the Administrative State:
Afghanistan was worth it
Inflation is transitory
The border isn’t open
Is the latest, “the vax is great”?
I let you sneak in some off topic things but please get back to Australia v Florida on COVID.
Welcome to America Mr. Sharp. I'm happy for you that you can enjoy freedom and pursue your dreams. Your customers and employees appreciate it.
And you can die needlessly from COVID.
@1:16 right. Did you just wake from a coma that started in March 2020?
No, it's been a nightmare since March, 2020, not a coma. It is continuing with Delta.
@220 maybe if you are a 50+, obese, diabetic who watches CNN 24/7. Then it’s a nightmare. For the rest of us, we don’t wallow in fear and beg for totalitarianism.
That thinking has led to 620,000 dead in this country. Please, have a little compassion.
No. Old age and multiple Co-morbidities in 94% of COVID fatalities led to 620,000 dead. We knew that last year already. Follow the science, comrade !
@5:46 you don't beg for totalitarianism? I'll bet you support Trump, who requires TOTAL obedience and loyalty. He allows "total freedom" alright, as long as you do not oppose him in any way. Get lost.
5:46, what an ignorant comment. Do you know how many times we have read stories of people who were seemingly young and healthy who were afflicted. Why do you people lie so damn much.
There are healthy people who suffered long-term effects from COVID. I myself am in my 20s. I am a healthy weight and height. All by blood tests have always very health and in-range. I got COVID March 2020. I couldn't breathe properly for 2 weeks. I didn't go to the hospital because I was scared to be separated from my family. I figured if I die, I'll at least die with my family by my side.
I had (and still have) long-term side effects.
1) Loss of smell. I started getting that sense back this past year.
2) Shortness of breath. Things like taking the stairs leaves me panting. Even teaching would leave me out of breath, especially double periods.
3) Brain fog (aka difficulty thinking or concentrating). For the remainder of 2020, I was in a bit of a mental fog, forgetting things easily, zoning out. Sometimes I would be in a conversation and forget what the conversation was even about.
4) Dizziness and fatigue. I definitely feel a greater need to lean on something, even if standing for a short period of time.
I consider myself fortunate though because the above are all manageable. There are people who have died from this and they'll never be here on this earth with us.
A family friend died a few weeks ago. Not from COVID, from a sudden heart attack. Super healthy guy. Left everyone shocked and it's still hard to believe he's gone. I bring this up because life is so short. A lot of us on here spend way too much time arguing and it's pointless. Why? Well, first we're all anonymous so not like this is going to make any impact or change. Second, all it does is get everyone riled up, angry, and nasty. It's so dumb. We should be kind to each other, to ourselves. I sense a lot of anger from some posters and I mean, why. Why are we all arguing? For what? For all we know, we might not even wake up tomorrow. Tomorrow isn't guaranteed to anyone. Heck, even the next minute isn't. Why waste the little time we have getting angry and fighting with strangers? Spread kindness to yourself, to those around you. Spend time with your loved ones. Treat every minute like it is your last and don't say things you'll regret. It could be the last thing you say.
God Bless Everyone and if you haven't, give your loved ones a big hug and kiss. Let them know you love them. Because tomorrow isn't yours to claim.
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