1 hour ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

They'll surely have full crowds with people having to sign in confirming vax status or medical exemption status. No way they can keep these restrictions going for a 3rd year, they'll be turfed out regardless of peoples political leanings.

I don’t disagree, I just don’t know what the hospital capacity looks like in that scenario which I hope is the only thing that stops us opening up fully (and is bought by the general public IMO).

2 hours ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

PSA - you can now download your vaccine certificate to the Services Victoria app (the same app used for logging in to shops, etc)

I've got an iPhone so I've already got it in my Apple wallet. If I understand correctly, though, there is no equivalent to a "wallet" in android phones, so I assume downloading to the Services Victoria app overcomes this dilemma.

I don't know the mechanics, but i suspect you'll have to show this certificate to get into the MCG, along with other places, next year.

 

I think Android users can get it on Google Pay if they use it. Might suss it out right now actually.

1 hour ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Beware the Northern Winter

If Europe and the US have a bad covid winter (think 40 year old vaccinated people dying in numbers) with a new variant 2022 may resemble 2021

Hope I am very wrong but this time last year we all thought 2021 would be sunshine and roses.

Spot on DJ. I assume nothing about the end of the pandemic now. 

Edited October 11, 20213 yr by old dee

1 hour ago, layzie said:

I think Android users can get it on Google Pay if they use it. Might suss it out right now actually.

How did you go layzie?

2 hours ago, Foopy on the telly said:

Mate, pandemics don’t last forever. We’re going to see normal again. Not “CoViD-nOrMaL”, but plain old normal. Those who say otherwise don’t use their brain enough.

Plain old normal? I'm in Europe (France), so a bit further down the track on this than Oz. Through a big stick approach we've managed to get vax up over 90% of most of the adult pop, kids over 12 rapidly catching up. We're currently at under 5K cases a day nationally, which is about as low as it's been for 18 months, though tragically, still losing 30+ people a day. Here's what we live with to keep those figures down:

- Masks in all enclosed spaces, public transport etc. etc. Includes private spaces (work etc.). 

- Anywhere people come together, whether it's restaurants, theatres/cinemas, sports stadiums or sports facilities in general (gyms), and any long-distance travel, you can't get in without a vaccine pass: vaccinated or recent negative test. You can't even sit outside at a cafe without one, and people in all these places have a scanner on their phone that verifies the code that you have on your phone.

- Most school kids are still having to mask, though that's being eased for younger kids in areas with very low cases

- Many shops are still restricting number of people inside at any time and "number allowed" is often displayed outside

- Social distancing is still practised, and enforced in some circumstances. e.g., most shops where you have to queue have marks on the floor, 1m apart.

- Hospitals and places where there are vulnerable people are insisting not just on being vaxed, but having a negative test as well.

etc. etc.

"Normal", but the vast majority accept it as the price to pay for living with the "pandemic that won't last forever".

 

1 hour ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Beware the Northern Winter

Northener here: getting nippy in the mornings, but not yet winter. We're holding up OK for the moment. This time last year we were just heading into a lockdown that basically lasted until May. Vaccines work.

1 hour ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Beware the Northern Winter

If Europe and the US have a bad covid winter (think 40 year old vaccinated people dying in numbers) with a new variant 2022 may resemble 2021

Hope I am very wrong but this time last year we all thought 2021 would be sunshine and roses.

This time last year we barely had a vaccine! We should be 80% in a few weeks so calm the farm mate

7 minutes ago, bing181 said:

Plain old normal? I'm in Europe (France), so a bit further down the track on this than Oz. Through a big stick approach we've managed to get vax up over 90% of most of the adult pop, kids over 12 rapidly catching up. We're currently at under 5K cases a day nationally, which is about as low as it's been for 18 months, though tragically, still losing 30+ people a day. Here's what we live with to keep those figures down:

- Masks in all enclosed spaces, public transport etc. etc. Includes private spaces (work etc.). 

- Anywhere people come together, whether it's restaurants, theatres/cinemas, sports stadiums or sports facilities in general (gyms), and any long-distance travel, you can't get in without a vaccine pass: vaccinated or recent negative test. You can't even sit outside at a cafe without one, and people in all these places have a scanner on their phone that verifies the code that you have on your phone.

- Most school kids are still having to mask, though that's being eased for younger kids in areas with very low cases

- Many shops are still restricting number of people inside at any time and "number allowed" is often displayed outside

- Social distancing is still practised, and enforced in some circumstances. e.g., most shops where you have to queue have marks on the floor, 1m apart.

- Hospitals and places where there are vulnerable people are insisting not just on being vaxed, but having a negative test as well.

etc. etc.

"Normal", but the vast majority accept it as the price to pay for living with the "pandemic that won't last forever".

 

I see the point you are making but as a Victorian the above sounds wonderful right now 

1 hour ago, DubDee said:

I see the point you are making but as a Victorian the above sounds wonderful right now 

Been plenty of times when we were locked down here and I looked with envy at Victorians out and about ... but yes, wonderful. Hang in there.

5 hours ago, Foopy on the telly said:

Mate, pandemics don’t last forever. We’re going to see normal again. Not “CoViD-nOrMaL”, but plain old normal. Those who say otherwise don’t use their brain enough.

(that last sentence wasn’t direct at you though).

Virologists, immunologists, epidemiologists etc seem to say otherwise. Mutations, Gompertz function, endemic maybe one day, depends on vaccine efficacy, prophylactics etc

Based on the assembled science by experts - those who use their brains and are actual domain SMEs - it seems impudent to think it’ll be situation normal anytime soon.

 

 

3 hours ago, old dee said:

How did you go layzie?

Yeah it’s a goer on Google Pay Old Dee! I also tried to add it to my Service Victoria app but couldn’t log on, hopefully that’s just a temporary issue. 

3 hours ago, bing181 said:

Plain old normal? I'm in Europe (France), so a bit further down the track on this than Oz. Through a big stick approach we've managed to get vax up over 90% of most of the adult pop, kids over 12 rapidly catching up. We're currently at under 5K cases a day nationally, which is about as low as it's been for 18 months, though tragically, still losing 30+ people a day. Here's what we live with to keep those figures down:

- Masks in all enclosed spaces, public transport etc. etc. Includes private spaces (work etc.). 

- Anywhere people come together, whether it's restaurants, theatres/cinemas, sports stadiums or sports facilities in general (gyms), and any long-distance travel, you can't get in without a vaccine pass: vaccinated or recent negative test. You can't even sit outside at a cafe without one, and people in all these places have a scanner on their phone that verifies the code that you have on your phone.

- Most school kids are still having to mask, though that's being eased for younger kids in areas with very low cases

- Many shops are still restricting number of people inside at any time and "number allowed" is often displayed outside

- Social distancing is still practised, and enforced in some circumstances. e.g., most shops where you have to queue have marks on the floor, 1m apart.

- Hospitals and places where there are vulnerable people are insisting not just on being vaxed, but having a negative test as well.

etc. etc.

"Normal", but the vast majority accept it as the price to pay for living with the "pandemic that won't last forever".

 

 

30 minutes ago, Superunknown said:

Virologists, immunologists, epidemiologists etc seem to say otherwise. Mutations, Gompertz function, endemic maybe one day, depends on vaccine efficacy, prophylactics etc

Based on the assembled science by experts - those who use their brains and are actual domain SMEs - it seems impudent to think it’ll be situation normal anytime soon.

 

 

There’s a difference between the end of a pandemic and the end of the existence of the virus that causes it. I was talking about the former.
 

The virus is now most likely always going to exist, but will likely eventually become endemic. And of course the pandemic is going to go on for a long while yet, I never said it was going to end soon. But that doesn’t mean it won’t end. All pandemics eventually end. I didn’t say when, because nobody knows. 

1 hour ago, layzie said:

Yeah it’s a goer on Google Pay Old Dee! I also tried to add it to my Service Victoria app but couldn’t log on, hopefully that’s just a temporary issue. 

I thought that was the issue too. But you don't need to log on. I couldn’t work it our for ages Then finally read the instructions properly.

You have to go to google play and update your vic services app. And then go through the steps

Edited October 11, 20213 yr by binman

9 hours ago, Superunknown said:

Virologists, immunologists, epidemiologists etc seem to say otherwise. Mutations, Gompertz function, endemic maybe one day, depends on vaccine efficacy, prophylactics etc

Based on the assembled science by experts - those who use their brains and are actual domain SMEs - it seems impudent to think it’ll be situation normal anytime soon.

 

 

yes of course these experts Virologists, immunologists, epidemiologists etc have been right all along

9 hours ago, binman said:

I thought that was the issue too. But you don't need to log on. I couldn’t work it our for ages Then finally read the instructions properly.

You have to go to google play and update your vic services app. And then go through the steps

I am reminded of that saying binman, when all else fails read the instructions.

9 hours ago, binman said:

I thought that was the issue too. But you don't need to log on. I couldn’t work it our for ages Then finally read the instructions properly.

You have to go to google play and update your vic services app. And then go through the steps

i added it just now after failing all day yesterday woweeeeeee!

Now I'm tackling MYGOVID

Wish me luck

What a clunky site

Do people get paid to design these applications surely the Services Vic can do it all

And why do we need medicare involved 

9 hours ago, binman said:

read the instructions properly.

Attention: every single male. 

13 hours ago, bing181 said:

 

- Anywhere people come together, whether it's restaurants, theatres/cinemas, sports stadiums or sports facilities in general (gyms), and any long-distance travel, you can't get in without a vaccine pass: vaccinated or recent negative test. You can't even sit outside at a cafe without one, and people in all these places have a scanner on their phone that verifies the code that you have on your phone.

 

 

Bing, this was very helpful and also comforting to know. But can you please explain a bit more about the bolded line? Is this the French (or EU) equivalent of a digital certificate that confirms vaccine status?  

4 minutes ago, Kent said:

i added it just now after failing all day yesterday woweeeeeee!

Now I'm tackling MYGOVID

Wish me luck

What a clunky site

Do people get paid to design these applications surely the Services Vic can do it all

And why do we need medicare involved 

The certificate is stored in your Medicare account. I think

And to see the certificate in MyGov you need to link Medicare to your MyGov. 

If you have already linked MyGov and Medicare you can download the Medicare app and then link the certificate from that app direct to the services app.  

Well when i say direct, it also involved the MyGov app.

Clear?

Actually in the end it was pretty easy. The wrinkle was i assumed you needed to log into your account in the services app - you don't. In fact i don't think i have even created an account! 

10 minutes ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

Attention: every single male. 

My brain when looking for something in the fridge/cupboard/pantry: does not compute, it is not there, cannot see required object

 

7 minutes ago, binman said:

The certificate is stored in your Medicare account. I think

And to see the certificate in MyGov you need to link Medicare to your MyGov. 

If you have already linked MyGov and Medicare you can download the Medicare app and then link the certificate from that app direct to the services app.  

Well when i say direct, it also involved the MyGov app.

Clear?

Actually in the end it was pretty easy. The wrinkle was i assumed you needed to log into your account in the services app - you don't. In fact i don't think i have even created an account! 

To be clear, if you have the Services Victoria app, you don't need to log into it. But you do have to make sure you have the latest version. You can tell if you have it because the lastest version includes a new box next to the green "check-in" button. The box has within it a graphical representation of what looks a bit like a piece of paper with three lines and a tick next to it. If you have that, click on it and it will download your digital certificate from the Medicare site. (I am unsure whether you have to have the Medicare Express Plus app downloaded first, or not. It's the Medicare Express Plus app which provides the digital certificate to the Services Victoria app, and the Apple Wallet.)  

We've had 18 months to prepare covid ready hospital facilities but so far has much happened?  Early last year wasn't there a 'covid surge health plan' to convert Jeff's Shed to a covid hospital with high levels of ICU capacity? 

To me a dedicated covid facility makes the most sense as it would concentrate covid health resources in the one place, allow existing hospitals to continue as pre-covid and greatly minimise the risk of covid escaping to staff, patients and visitors to those hospitals.

The buildings to create a dedicated covid facility are there.  It is a matter of converting and resourcing them.  Let's not burden an existing stretched hospital system with more resource intensive cases; covid.

29 minutes ago, Premiers said:

We've had 18 months to prepare covid ready hospital facilities but so far has much happened?  Early last year wasn't there a 'covid surge health plan' to convert Jeff's Shed to a covid hospital with high levels of ICU capacity? 

To me a dedicated covid facility makes the most sense as it would concentrate covid health resources in the one place, allow existing hospitals to continue as pre-covid and greatly minimise the risk of covid escaping to staff, patients and visitors to those hospitals.

The buildings to create a dedicated covid facility are there.  It is a matter of converting and resourcing them.  Let's not burden an existing stretched hospital system with more resource intensive cases; covid.

less than 10% of available ICU are currently in use and they have dedicated separate Triage units already installed

1 minute ago, Kent said:

less than 10% of available ICU are currently in use and they have dedicated separate Triage units already installed

But will the use stay at 10% when we open up? 

When we open up there will be a lot more demand on hospitals and icu from the usual life events.  I was referring to a dedicated facility for all covid cases not just icu. 

42 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

To be clear, if you have the Services Victoria app, you don't need to log into it. But you do have to make sure you have the latest version. You can tell if you have it because the lastest version includes a new box next to the green "check-in" button. The box has within it a graphical representation of what looks a bit like a piece of paper with three lines and a tick next to it. If you have that, click on it and it will download your digital certificate from the Medicare site. (I am unsure whether you have to have the Medicare Express Plus app downloaded first, or not. It's the Medicare Express Plus app which provides the digital certificate to the Services Victoria app, and the Apple Wallet.)  

You do need the Medicare express app to do it all via your phone.

Edited October 11, 20213 yr by binman