DELTA is on everyone’s mind.

It is separating us from our family and friends and this week we go into yet more restrictions with the lockdown in the regions extended until at least August 28.

The new restrictions in the regions include masking up with mask wearing now mandatory when outside your home, except when exercising.

People leaving Greater Sydney and travelling more than 50km now require a permit.

Tradies are also facing restrictions including travel bans and vaccination requirements and testing regimes with these varying depending on which area of Sydney they are based in.

Policing of the Sydney lockdown is increasing, with road stops on major roads leading into the region including the M1.

Cases are still increasing in NSW and Victoria.

At 8pm on 21 August, NSW set a new grim record of 830 cases in one day and now has a total of 10,255 active cases recorded; these numbers are growing exponentially.

Locally however, Port Stephens has recorded eight cases in the last four weeks with 13,549 tests completed.

Pleasingly, the Port Stephens LGA went several days with zero cases recorded.

The Midcoast Council LGA has recorded just one case in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, there are even more places and ways to get your Covid-19 vaccination, with a range of local pharmacies now administering vaccines.

Sadly Port Stephens Council, at the request of the Police, have closed the public playgrounds and outdoor exercise equipment.

There is no doubt that ongoing lockdowns are crushing small businesses in the regions and the cost to the nation is high.

The Federal Government is backing NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s plan to vaccinate our way out of lockdowns.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said, “You can’t live with lockdowns forever and at some point you need to make that gear change, and that is done at 70 per cent (vaccination rate) because that’s where we are advised from the medical science that you can make that gear change.

“It is always darkest before the dawn, but dawn is not far away.

“We need to adjust our mindset.

“We will live with this virus as we live with other infectious diseases.

“The National Plan is a deal we have with all Australians.

“Once we get to 70% of eligible we have to move forward, we can’t move back,” he said.

The gear change includes counting cases that go to hospital and deaths rather than actual infections.

However not all the states are keen to reopen their borders to NSW and Victoria with the Queensland and WA Premiers potentially being the scrooges of the festive season if case numbers are not driven down.

When it comes to the carrot or the stick both approaches are being implemented to encourage us to get the jab.

For those of us missing travelling, QANTAS is one business that is taking the carrot approach to vaccination seriously, offering flight discounts to those with double jabs.

The government is telling us in no uncertain terms with the stick that until we reach 70-80% vaccination rates restrictions will continue and while case numbers are high there is no end in sight to wearing masks, and we can all simply dream of the time when we can meet our mates at the pub for a cold one or two.

 

By Marian SAMPSON