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COVID & AFL 2021

Featured Replies

23 minutes ago, Kent said:

I was talking about the tradeoff Money verses risk of Covid transmission mate !

Of course other orgs are influenced

 

I doubt there is another organisation in the country more attuned to the risk than the AFL given the impact of on the competition of any lockdowm or restrictions in Victoria.

The impact is not just financial- though that is massive obviously - its also the risk to the season itself. 

 

 
Just now, binman said:

I doubt there is another organisation in the country more attuned to the risk than the AFL given the impact of on the competition of any lockdowm or restrictions in Victoria.

The impact is not just financial- though that is massive obviously - its also the risk to the season itself. 

 

so why shut most of the stadium and push people together in a small area in close contact and risk transmission 

That's the issue Binny There is no plausible reason and its unexceptable

11 hours ago, Jaded said:

Yeah I get it completely. I just don’t get why they bang on about social distancing but they don’t distance people in seating areas. 
More bays open, less people using the same exists, toilets and bars too. 
I guess it’s a money thing for the AFL. Staffing of more bays for small crowds is not profitable. 

Not so much the AFL (except for Marvel). It would be a "money thing" for the ground managers, such as the Melbourne Cricket Club for the MCG. 

 
6 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Not so much the AFL (except for Marvel). It would be a "money thing" for the ground managers, such as the Melbourne Cricket Club for the MCG. 

But it makes a joke of social distancing LDC. Everything we are told is wear a mask and social distance. Then we are allowed a certain number into sporting events and what do we do jam them all in together. It’s safer getting a snag at Bunnings.

PS don’t touch the ball if it comes over the fence! Give me strength.

Edited by old dee

Great to have crowds back!! Let’s smash those bombers

Although, its their home game though so we won’t be getting many tickets you’d imagine 


12 minutes ago, DubDee said:

Great to have crowds back!! Let’s smash those bombers

Although, its their home game though so we won’t be getting many tickets you’d imagine 

TV event DD.

3 hours ago, Kent said:

so why shut most of the stadium and push people together in a small area in close contact and risk transmission 

That's the issue Binny There is no plausible reason and its unexceptable

There might be a number of plausible explanations. Some guesses at what they might be:

  • The evidence suggests that the risk of transmission in a true outdoor setting, like sitting outdoors at the footy, is extremely low 
  • Opening up bigger areas might require more staff (eg cleaners, security, hospitality workers etc) - and they in fact might be more likely to be a cause of transmission (eg congregating in staff rooms)
  • Contact tracing might be more difficult if big areas are open and people take the opportunity to sit in their allocated seats (which is much harder to do when there are people sitting close together - something i have discovered a couple times this year when trying to get a better spot and sitting in a free seat and having to move becuase the actual ticket holder turns up)
  • The venue and the AFL have to submit a very detailed plan to the dept of health that ticks of all the mandated safety requirement

All that said i agree it seems ridiculous. And it is annoying being crammed in at the footy at the best of times. 

My advice to the AFL and MCG.? Open up the top deck of the Ponsford stand and only allow people who have had a vaccination sit there - or work there. You wouldn't even get much mixing of people as gate one is miles from the other gates. Would suit me to a tee given that's where I sit anyway!

Whilst that idea is bit facetious, ultimately surely that is where we are heading. I read Bruce Springsteen, and others, are having gigs vaccinated only gigs in the States. 

Makes total sense from a risk mitigation perspective. Easy to do too, with the mygov statement of full vaccination as it has a unique code that could be entered when purchasing tickets.

 
26 minutes ago, binman said:

There might be a number of plausible explanations. Some guesses at what they might be:

  • The evidence suggests that the risk of transmission in a true outdoor setting, like sitting outdoors at the footy, is extremely low 
  • Opening up bigger areas might require more staff (eg cleaners, security, hospitality workers etc) - and they in fact might be more likely to be a cause of transmission (eg congregating in staff rooms)
  • Contact tracing might be more difficult if big areas are open and people take the opportunity to sit in their allocated seats (which is much harder to do when there are people sitting close together - something i have discovered a couple times this year when trying to get a better spot and sitting in a free seat and having to move becuase the actual ticket holder turns up)
  • The venue and the AFL have to submit a very detailed plan to the dept of health that ticks of all the mandated safety requirement

All that said i agree it seems ridiculous. And it is annoying being crammed in at the footy at the best of times. 

My advice to the AFL and MCG.? Open up the top deck of the Ponsford stand and only allow people who have had a vaccination sit there - or work there. You wouldn't even get much mixing of people as gate one is miles from the other gates. Would suit me to a tee given that's where I sit anyway!

Whilst that idea is bit facetious, ultimately surely that is where we are heading. I read Bruce Springsteen, and others, are having gigs vaccinated only gigs in the States. 

Makes total sense from a risk mitigation perspective. Easy to do too, with the mygov statement of full vaccination as it has a unique code that could be entered when purchasing tickets.

to the best of my knowledge being vaccinated doesn't prevent you getting Covid nor passing it on.

1 hour ago, Demonland said:

 

After two-three weeks of lockdown/restrictions and extremely limited new daily cases which can all be traced I think it is ridiculous to limit crowds to anything below 50% especially when there will be no distancing in the seats etc


There is 0 evidence of outdoor transmission. So having 15% capacity at the MCG is actually a joke. The only reasonable explanation behind it would be to reduce the load on public transport crowding. Beyond that, it is actually just a silly number to pluck out of thin air. 

32 minutes ago, Kent said:

to the best of my knowledge being vaccinated doesn't prevent you getting Covid nor passing it on.

Citation required for this statement but isn't the risk lowered?

5 minutes ago, Jaded said:

There is 0 evidence of outdoor transmission. So having 15% capacity at the MCG is actually a joke. The only reasonable explanation behind it would be to reduce the load on public transport crowding. Beyond that, it is actually just a silly number to pluck out of thin air. 

On this statement: "There is 0 evidence of outdoor transmission", citation required - is this the case.

Parking that, though, as others have said, it's not just about proximity in seats - it is incidental contact - toilets, bars, entry/exit, etc.

Don't worry, it'll be 15% capacity but they'll be sure to pack everyone in together!

51 minutes ago, Kent said:

to the best of my knowledge being vaccinated doesn't prevent you getting Covid nor passing it on.

It doesn't 100% prevent you from catching COVID but it does reduce the risk of catching it, and it also reduces the chance of you passing it on.

23 minutes ago, Jaded said:

There is 0 evidence of outdoor transmission. So having 15% capacity at the MCG is actually a joke. The only reasonable explanation behind it would be to reduce the load on public transport crowding. Beyond that, it is actually just a silly number to pluck out of thin air. 

There's some evidence outdoor transmission is possible though: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/jun/12/melbournes-mask-rule-is-there-evidence-covid-spreads-outdoors-and-how-does-it-occur

But the issue with capacity at stadiums isn't the sitting outside, it's the congregating in a number of places, and the requirement to staff the facilities and various things involved with the stadiums.

I'm not saying 50% is unreasonable by the way, but the rationale for cutting capacity isn't just the risk of people transmitting COVID in their seats.


1 hour ago, titan_uranus said:

It doesn't 100% prevent you from catching COVID but it does reduce the risk of catching it, and it also reduces the chance of you passing it on.

 

True.

The key thing though is if vaccinated, if you do get it you don't get very sick.   

23 minutes ago, binman said:

True.

The key thing though is if vaccinated, if you do get it you don't get very sick.   

Or in my age a better chance of not dieing. That's reasonably important to me.

 

2 hours ago, Kent said:

to the best of my knowledge being vaccinated doesn't prevent you getting Covid nor passing it on.

Correct. Keeps you out of serious effects and hopefully hospital.

18 minutes ago, old dee said:

Or in my age a better chance of not dieing. That's reasonably important to me.

 

OD, depending on your spell check, being vaccinated might reduce your chances of not:

  • losing weight
  • changing the color of your hair
  • making hippie inspired t shirts
  • croaking

 

9 minutes ago, binman said:

OD, depending on your spell check, being vaccinated might reduce your chances of not:

  • losing weight
  • changing the color of your hair
  • making hippie inspired t shirts
  • croaking

 

I can’t stop laughing at this. ?


47 minutes ago, old dee said:

Or in my age a better chance of not dieing. That's reasonably important to me.

 

od, according to a leading epidemioligist on the radio today

IF 70 YEARS AND OVER 

if you get covid and are unvaccinated you have 1 chance in 100 of dying from covid

if you get vaccinated with az you have 1 chance in a 1,000,000 of dying from az

you made the right choice

41 minutes ago, binman said:

OD, depending on your spell check, being vaccinated might reduce your chances of not:

  • losing weight
  • changing the color of your hair
  • making hippie inspired t shirts
  • croaking

 

No chance of 1, no hair to change colour, are hippie shirts still available. Croaking a definite chance. Even after two shots. Interesting thing spell check if you use the wrong word but spell it correctly it does not object.

 

Edited by old dee

 
16 hours ago, binman said:

True.

The key thing though is if vaccinated, if you do get it you don't get very sick.   

even without vax 99.5  % of people experience mild  symptoms

 

 

I know this has nothing to do with AFL but last night I got a good laugh after reading that local spectators will be allowed into the  Tokyo olympics.

They are not to cheer or stand / jump however clubbing is allowed. 
Monty Python in real life. 
I could not stop laughing for five minutes.


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