Victorian lockdown blues

Week one - stage three

I was going quite well. I had a shower and dressed as though I had somewhere to go. I watched Premier Dan Andrews and chief medical officer Brett Sutton deliver the numbers. They were still rising but that was to be expected. We had only been on Lockdown three, for a week. The day progressed. I walked to the supermarket and did a thorough shop. Of course I wore a mask. I noted with some sense of relief and hope that many shoppers and those walking the streets also wore masks.

I delivered a pro Bono face time counselling session.

I accepted that the lock down was necessary. I have kept well abreast of the out of control numbers in the United States with 140,000 dead and rising. The lunacy and false claims of the commander in chief and the let it all rip lack of policy in the ever less great America. I watched a few too many videos of President Trump seemingly so unconcerned about the rising death, toll slamming his detractors and making false claims about the virus. He was photographed, surrounded by the military, not social distancing but wearing a mask. This was rare as he seems to consider the wearing of masks to be unmanly. He did share with the nation that he thought that he looked like the Lone Ranger. – an American Western movie hero. He just doesn't seem to care at all about the terrible tragedy that is unfolding in America the great. He seems unphased by this worldwide pandemic that he once claimed was a hoax.

Of course the disadvantaged, poor, the aged, black people, and minority groups are more highly represented in the toll. 'All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others' George Orwell Animal Farm

Trump has, dog in the manger style, greedily bought up stocks of an anti-viral drug remdesivir which preliminary studies and application, shows 'some' efficacy treating patients suffering severe COVID symptoms.

Trump is encouraging business as usual and was photographed in the oval office grinning with cans of beans and a packet of wafer biscuits on his desk. Is this haul destined to be added to the stockpile in his bunker?

I and many commentators, usually refer to Trump making us extra glad that 'at least we are not as bad as America' He provides an endless feed to collective schadenfreude. Many nations echo that sentiment. The US has over 150,000 deaths so far, despite Trump's denial. Trump blames the high rate of infections on the high rate of testing.

Week two

I was awaiting the results of a COVID 19 test but I was not too downhearted. Despite a concerted campaign mounted against Dan Andrews I have been encouraged by his responsible measures. He has been highly transparent and I am confident that he is resisting what appears to have been bullying tactics to relax restrictions. But then this happened.

Scott Morrison appeared as a footy fan. No mask, no social distancing.

We were urged to live along side the virus. This was our best protection he reassured us.

While Dan Andrews toiled night and day, Scott Morrison was rumoured to be holidaying in 'virus safe' Queensland.

Scomo has been promoted as a lad entitled to his holidays, weekends off, Hillsong crowd gatherings, the footy and of course beer.