CAREFUL
what you wish for/do,my AUSTRALIA
you are getting worse
even your federal PM SCOMO
said yesterday
'we are doing better than some countries,after mentioning Spain
WELL DO EVEN BETTER YOU .....
Don't freak out
Academic rigour, journalistic flair
Victoria achieved another grim record yesterday — 723 new COVID-19 cases and 13 deaths. If that number caused you to gasp, you’re not alone. It’s the biggest number we have seen in this pandemic from a single Australian jurisdiction — in fact, we haven’t seen a day in the pandemic with this many cases, even if you were to add up all the states in Australia.
With these figures, Premier Daniel Andrews announced masks will be mandatory across the whole state from Sunday night. But what’s behind this sudden spike in cases?
According to Philip Russo and Brett Mitchell, there are probably a few factors at play. Among them, we saw an unusually large number of tests performed over the weekend, and the results from those may now be filtering through. And importantly, people still don’t seem to be following advice to stay at home if they’re unwell. If we don’t want to see cases continue to rise – and indeed, if we want them to fall – we really need this message to cut through.
But should restrictions be getting even tougher following this massive number? As virologist Ian M. Mackay
argues, it’s too early to freak out about one bad number. Instead, keep an eye on the five-day rolling average.
Also yesterday, the Morrison government released the long-awaited detail of its revamped Closing the Gap agreement. This includes 16 new targets and a promise to share power between governments and Indigenous peoples. As the Australian National University’s Francis Markham and Bhiamie Williamson
write, this is an important achievement for Indigenous peak bodies, who drove the process. But they also warn the targets themselves are a mixed bag and, so far, there is a lack of detail about funding and implementation.
Phoebe Roth
Deputy Editor, Health+Medicine
Today's newsletter supported by
The Conversation
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Daniel Pockett/AAP
723 new COVID-19 cases in Victoria could reflect more testing – but behaviour probably has something to do with it too
Philip Russo, Monash University; Brett Mitchell, University of Newcastle
We've seen a big jump in COVID-19 cases in Victoria today to 723. How can we explain it?
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ERIK ANDERSON/AAP
723 cases is a bad number for Victoria. But we can’t freak out over a single day’s figure
Ian M. Mackay, The University of Queensland
You're right to be concerned but we can't draw too many conclusions from just one or two data points. Instead, we need to look at averages over multiple days.
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Lukas Coch/AAP
We have 16 new Closing the Gap targets. Will governments now do what’s needed to meet them?
Francis Markham, Australian National University; Bhiamie Williamson, Australian National University
The revamped Closing the Gap agreement is a significant achievement for Indigenous organisations. But we need more detail about who will be responsible for what.
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Daniel Pockett/AAP
Grattan on Friday: Australia holds its breath as Victoria struggles with the virus
Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
Scott Morrison says of the war against COVID-19: “On some days the virus wins. On other days we beat it”. This week, the virus was counting its victories most days...
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from
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AUSMAT teams start work in aged care homes today. But what does this ‘SAS of the medical world’ actually do?
Jamie Ranse, Griffith University
Medical assistance teams are a group of experienced health workers sent to handle a medical or humanitarian crisis, including from today, the growing number of COVID-19 cases in Victoria's aged care.
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Jeremy Hogan / SOPA Images/Sipa USA
What to do with anti-maskers? Punishment has its place, but can also entrench resistance
Meg Elkins, RMIT University; Robert Hoffmann, RMIT University
Our desire to condemn and punish non-cooperative behaviour is strong. But we must also try to understand the complex emotional motivations of those refusing to wear masks.
Health + Medicine
Environment + Energy
- Unwelcome sea change: new research finds coastal flooding may cost up to 20% of global economy by 2100
Ebru Kirezci, University of Melbourne; Ian Young, University of Melbourne
In Australia, coastal flooding is expected to be worse along the northern coast in Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
- Sharks are thriving at the Kermadec Islands, but not the rest of New Zealand, amid global decline
Adam Smith, Massey University
Historically, basking sharks were caught as bycatch in New Zealand fisheries and seen in their hundreds in some inshore areas. They have disappeared and we don't know why.
- New Zealand wants to build a 100% renewable electricity grid, but massive infrastructure is not the best option
Janet Stephenson, University of Otago
New Zealand's electricity generation is already more than 80% renewable, but experts warn a 100% target would require significant over-building of renewable generation that would rarely be used.
- America has corn and Asia has rice. It’s time Australia had a native staple food
Angela Pattison, University of Sydney; Rebecca Cross, University of Sydney; Tina Bell, University of Sydney
Aboriginal people once used native grasses to produce bread. So let's resurrect Australia's ancient breadmaking tradition.
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