Month: March 2020
Coronavirus Crisis
This is the copy of an article that somehow does a lot of sense to me, Uta:
People’s Assembly Statement on The Coronavirus Crisis
1. Close all schools, universities and colleges. Government and Local Authorities to work with schools to develop plans to get food to children who would have been entitled to free school meals.
2. Mass testing and tracing, which World Health Organisation experts have suggested is more effective in the early stages.
3. Workers should be allowed to work from home where possible. Introduce a mortgage and rent freeze for the duration of the crisis for those workers denied their full pay.
4. Extend statutory sick pay to all workers. Following successful pressure on the government to give sick pay from day one for those affected by the virus. Statutory sick pay should be uplifted to a living wage.
5. Pensioners on low-incomes, low income workers and disabled people to be eligible for one-off grants to cover food, fuel and travel costs.
6. Scrap the assessment period for Universal Credit and make payments immediately. Sanctions for benefit claimants who don’t attend appointments should be scrapped. Universal Credit payments should be topped up to account for extra costs of preparing for virus and moving to shut down.
7. Price controls to be introduced on essential medical equipment and drugs. There must be no hiking of prices on masks, ventilators, isolation units, beds, basic supplies like soap and hand towels, as well as drugs to combat bacterial complications etc.
8. Private hospitals to be put under the management of the NHS. Essential equipment owned by private companies should be pooled as part of the overall effort; private hospital beds should be treated as public.
9. Cleaners are a vital frontline, as are NHS staff. They should both be given an immediate pay boost to attract more cleaners, nurses, hospital porters and administrators. All workers should have the protective clothing necessary in line with TUC guidelines.
10. No scapegoating of Chinese people, Italians, immigrants or anyone else. An emergency programme of aid and refugee resettlement should be initiated across Europe.
11. The outbreak must not be used as a pretext for clamping down on civil liberties. Frontline public sector workers, especially health workers, should be brought in at the highest level of decision making. The trade unions should be part of the conversation with civil servants and senior NHS staff.
The War on Death
So much to read, I want to give it a go!
27 March 2020 — Off Guardian
CJ Hopkins
OK, I’ve got some good news and I’ve got some bad news. The good news is mainly for authoritarians who missed all the fun during the War on Terror. The news is … welcome to the War on Death!
View original post 1,278 more words
Lockdown!
24 March 2020 — Michael Roberts Blog
According to AFP estimates, some 1.7 billion people across the world are now living under some form of lockdown as a result of the coronavirus. That’s almost a quarter of the world population. The world economy has seen nothing like this.
View original post 2,083 more words
Coronavirus: ‘Nature is sending us a message’, says UN environment chief
“There are too many pressures at the same time on our natural systems and something has to give,” she added. “We are intimately interconnected with nature, whether we like it or not. If we don’t take care of nature, we can’t take care of ourselves. And as we hurtle towards a population of 10 billion people on this planet, we need to go into this future armed with nature as our strongest ally.”
Day 2674: What we can teach each other
I like to think about this a bit more . . .
Yesterday, I decided that our shy cat Harley could probably teach people a thing or two about social distancing, so I started taping this tutorial:
However, Harley didn’t teach the way I expected him to. Based on my past teachings of Harley, I assumed that Harley’s behavior was different because his best friend Michael was in the room.
This morning, when Michael was not in the room, I tried again:
Somebody can teach me something about how to hold the camera and Harley can teach us all this about social distancing:
- Maintain a distance of six feet from people.
- If somebody gets too close, move away, if possible.
- If not, ask the person to back off.
Harley also teaches us that fear can make us very catty.
What can these other recent images teach us?
That teabag can teach us that our strength is our own knowledge.
I hope our…
View original post 30 more words
New South Wales reaches more than 500 cases of COVID-19 with 97 new infections By Sarah Thomas
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-22/nsw-coronavirus-cases-rise-beyond-500/12079208
Figures published by the health department showed that as of 8:00pm on Saturday there were 533 positive cases.
NSW Health said several new diagnoses of COVID-19 had occurred among backpackers in the Bondi area.
It is warning that some new cases in Bondi are linked to two parties last weekend.
People who attended the Boogie Wonderland party at the Bucket List bar in Bondi and another event at Club 77 in Darlinghurst on March 15 are urged to be alert for symptoms.
If symptoms develop they should seek testing and tell the medical service that they attended one of the parties.
A childcare worker is also among the latest confirmed cases.
The employee worked at Smeaton Grange Young Academics Child Care Centre.
All staff and children who attended the centre between March 2 and 16 are being contacted and told to self-isolate.
The centre will be closed until March 30.
Two more cases have also emerged from a Sydney Church of Christ service on March 8 at Ryde Civic Centre, bringing the total to nine out of a congregation of 300.
NSW has of 8:00pm yesterday had 52,663 cases tested with 52,130 excluded.
Out of the 533 cases, 251 were acquired overseas, 131 were acquired through contact with a confirmed case, 46 came from unidentified contact and 105 are under investigation.
There have also been five cruise ship voyages linked to COVID-19 cases that have docked in Sydney this month: two trips on the Voyage of the Seas, and the Ovation of the Seas, the Ruby Princess and Celebrity Solstice.
All passengers and crew have been asked to self-isolate.
The latest rise in cases comes as authorities struggle to maintain social distancing, particularly across Sydney’s beaches including Bondi Beach which was closed yesterday.
Due to high numbers of people gathering the following beaches have also been closed: Manly (south end), Tamarama, Maroubra, Bronte, Coogee, Clovelly, Dee Why, Freshwater, Long Reef and Palm Beach.
The Northern Beaches Council warned that more public areas would be closed “if people don’t follow the rules”.
Yesterday, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard insisted people heed advice on social distancing amid the rising number of infections.
He said cases had doubled in the past week and the problem was still “over the horizon”.
“Save yourself and save your family. Listen to the messages that are coming out, not just from Government officials but from doctors.”
A ban on travel to Lord Howe Island was also announced yesterday and came into effect at 5:00am today in a bid to keep the virus away from the small community of 347 people.
The borders are closed to all except residents, health workers and other essential service workers.
COVID-19 Assessment Clinic at Wollongong Hospital
COVID-19 Assessment Clinic at Wollongong Hospital.
Illawarra residents with coronavirus symptoms can be tested and treated faster with the establishment of the region’s first dedicated COVID-19 Assessment Clinic at Wollongong Hospital.
The district’s public health director Curtis Gregory said the clinics will enable many people to be assessed without having to present to an emergency department.
“The clinic has been set up to help us respond to COVID-19, and channel patients away from the ED and other parts of the hospital,” he said.
“We are now in the targeted action phase (of our pandemic plan) and it’s focused on how we handle people coming into the system in the most efficient way so they can be tested and treated as quickly as possible.”
Mr Gregory said people did not require a GP referral to undergo testing at the clinic, but advised them to call ahead to minimise wait times.
People who had returned from overseas in the last 14 days, and most importantly, were showing fever and/or respiratory symptoms including cough, shortness of breath or sore throat were encouraged to attend the clinic.
“Close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases are also within the criteria for such testing,” he said.
The clinic is located at the back of Lawson House on the Wollongong Hospital campus. Entry to the clinic is via the dedicated parking and drop-off zone off Loftus Street, which is clearly sign posted.
The clinics will be staffed by specialist nursing and infection control staff and will operate from 8.30am to 5pm, 7 days a week. To book a time, phone 4222 5078.
The Wollongong COVID-19 Assessment Clinic started operating on Monday morning, with similar clinics to be established at Shellharbour and Shoalhaven Hospitals as required.
While the clinics are in operation, Wollongong’s Heart Health Centre will be temporarily relocated to Level 1 of Lawson House.
As part of its plan to deal with the threat of COVID-19, the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District has also increased staffing district wide.
“We’re trying to flatten the curve – there’s a peak and we’re trying to reduce that peak, to reduce the effect on the health system,” Mr Gregory said.
He urged the public to remain alert to COVID-19 symptoms. The most up-to-date facts and advice on COVID-19 was available on the NSW Health website.
Criteria for COVID-19 Testing Clinics
- Returned from overseas in the last 14 days AND showing acute respiratory symptoms (e.g. cough, shortness of breath, sore throat) and/or fever
- Close contact of a person with a positive COVID-19 diagnosis
The best way to protect against COVID-19 is the same as any respiratory infection such as the flu:
- Always practise good hygiene
- Wash your hands often. Wash for at least 20 seconds with soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand rub
- Cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing with tissue or a flexed elbow
- Avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms
- Stay home from work or school if you are sick
We have removed our paywall from our stories about the coronavirus. This is a rapidly changing situation and we to make sure our readers are as informed as possible. If you would like to support our journalists you can subscribe here.
Natural Burial
https://cremweb.shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au/index.php/shoalhaven-cemeteries/natural-burial
Shoalhaven Council has approved Natural Burial Portion at the Cambewarra (Good Dog) Cemetery
Address: 7 W Cambewarra Rd, North Nowra NSW 2541
https://cremweb.shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au/index.php/shoalhaven-cemeteries/natural-burial/140-guidelines-for-natural-burial
https://cremweb.shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au/index.php/help-a-information
https://wollongongcityfunerals.com.au/arranging-a-funeral-2/burial/
Natural Burial
Although not currently a common practice in Australia, there is a growing interest in natural burials. Natural burial is a process by which the body of a deceased person is interred in the soil in a manner that does not inhibit decomposition and allows the body to recycle naturally. It is seen as an alternative to contemporary Western burial methods. Subject to State and Local Government rulings, natural burials may take place on both private land and in any cemetery that will accommodate this technique.
Prior research is required by the person electing a natural burial as not all local government authorities allow this style of burial. Currently there are no natural burial site facilities in the Illawarra. Natural burial facilities exist in the Shoalhaven and further information can be found at http://cremweb.shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au/index.php/shoalhaven-cemeteries/natural-burial
A brief overview
- Every Natural Burial must comply with the Public Health Regulation (Disposal of Bodies) 2002 (Regulation) under the Public Health Act of NSW.
- The body is be prepared without chemical preservatives or disinfectants such as embalming fluid that may destroy the microbial decomposers active in breaking the body down.
- The deceased may be buried in a biodegradable coffin, casket, or shroud.
- The grave does not use a burial vault or outer burial container that prohibits the body’s contact with soil.
- The grave should be dug to a depth shallow enough to allow microbial activity similar to that found in composting.
- Often burials take place with no obvious signs, i.e. headstone or plaques, and family members are given location details of the burial sites.
https://beyond.life/help-centre/arranging-a-funeral/what-is-natural-burial/
What is natural burial?
A natural burial attempts to return a body to the earth in as natural a way as possible. This generally involves a rejection of embalming processes, cremation and caskets or coffins that won’t biodegrade with time and often takes place in green spaces, such as wildflower meadows, protected woodland and park land.
Some natural burial sites will allow graves to be marked while others do not permit any identifying features whatsoever, in effect turning the whole site into a memorial.
What are the advantages of a natural burial?
Depending on your personal perspective on death, there can be a number of benefits and advantages to natural burials. First and foremost, they are a far more environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional burial.
As both embalming and the use of traditional coffins and caskets significantly slows natural decomposition, a traditional burial can have a lasting impact on the immediate environment. Natural burials, on the other hand, reject these processes in order to return the body to the earth in as natural a way as possible and to help it become part of the natural life cycle by returning the body to the very soil from which everything grows.
Natural burials can also be considerably less expensive than traditional burials and often play an important role in conservation efforts. When spaces are set up as natural burial grounds, they are protected from development and have a long-term future as a wild space in which nature is allowed to thrive.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/513564/7-eco-friendly-options-your-body-after-death
GREEN BURIAL
For those who would prefer not to be consumed by vulture nor spore, there’s a more traditional option. Green burial looks pretty much like a normal burial, accept for a few important differences. No embalming fluids or toxic chemicals of any kind can be used. The grave is often dug by hand (either by the green burial ground staff or, if they choose, the loved ones themselves). There is no cement plot. Only biodegradable caskets, such as wicker ones, can be used, or the body is simply placed in an unbleached cloth shroud. This allows the corpse to decompose naturally, returning its sustenance to the Earth. Many green burial grounds also act as wildlife refuges, creating safe spaces for animals and native plant life—families can choose from a variety of live, wild grasses and flowers to adorn the grave.
Aside from being environmentally friendly, this is a cheaper option than traditional burial considering the price tags on caskets, embalming, etc. While prices around the country vary, according to Undertaking LA—a mortuary that promotes green burial—the average funeral in Los Angeles is over $8000 not including the burial plot, whereas they offer green burial for under $7000 including the plot itself.
Coronavirus updates
https://www.theguardian.com/au
I think it is getting worse before it gets better . . . .
AuntyUta 