Covid at Best and Fairest

[daisycutter 29,756]

1 hour ago, Wrecker46 said:

I've got a mate who is over 70 hours now without a result. He Rang the DHSS and they are not open on weekends or public holidays so he could easily crack the ton.

as well as cracking the s@#$s

[Diamond_Jim 12,628]

7 hours ago, Demonland said:

The whole scenario is farcical. Asymptomatic testing is clogging an already overwhelmed system and testing 72 hours prior does not account for the 71 hours afterwards. Rapid tests on departure or arrival would be more accurate although can you imagine the lines/wait at the airport.

almost as stupid as the 72 hour pre departure test for the UK.

By the time you land its 100 plus hours and they have 125k cases a day !!!

[Jaded No More 68,974]

7 hours ago, Whispering_Jack said:

There’s worse to come.

We made it into Queensland (which means we queued last week for 1½ hours before we flew out 3 days later). Yesterday, we had to go through the same process in a long line outside a pathology lab on the Gold Coast with hundreds of others, mostly masked but minimal social distancing. The State’s resources are so stretched that the police minister said they would struggle to enforce the testing requirement and that it was virtually an honour system. There’s not only an enormous strain on resources but it places every one who goes at risk of catching it anyway and people who should be tested are missing out. It’s a bloody mess. 

What a joke. We will waste half a day while up there to get a day 5 test when we are leaving on day 7, and unlikely to even get a result by then. 
Absolutely moronic behavior. 
Honestly if I knew those were going to be the rules I wouldn’t have bothered booking this bloody holiday. Not worth the stress 🤬

[Dr. Gonzo 24,338]

8 hours ago, Wrecker46 said:

I've got a mate who is over 70 hours now without a result. He Rang the DHSS and they are not open on weekends or public holidays so he could easily crack the ton.

When he does get through good luck speaking to someone who can actually assist in any way

[dpositive 1,730]

On 12/25/2021 at 9:51 AM, Jaded No More said:

When did they get tested? 

Why is going on holidays so stressful now? Bloody moronic premiers. 

Bloody moronic premiers responsible for the actual hospitals and health systems of their states, aware of the effect of too much movement are merely following the lead of the PM who locked down our borders ( missed the Ruby Princess) and continues to restrict entry.

Of course he hasn't built an effective quarantine system, nor administered an effective tracking and tracing system and his vaccine rollout just continues to display the ineptitude that this government has displayed so often and well.

[Jaded No More 68,974]

40 minutes ago, dpositive said:

Bloody moronic premiers responsible for the actual hospitals and health systems of their states, aware of the effect of too much movement are merely following the lead of the PM who locked down our borders ( missed the Ruby Princess) and continues to restrict entry.

Of course he hasn't built an effective quarantine system, nor administered an effective tracking and tracing system and his vaccine rollout just continues to display the ineptitude that this government has displayed so often and well.

How is getting a PCR test 72 hours prior to arrival, without the need to quarantine until you get results, anymore useful than doing a Rapid Antigen Test at the airport prior to departure?

What stops me getting a PCR test, then going to a backpackers and licking the door handles and then flying to QLD 3 days later while positive? 

All these premiers are doing is chest beating. There is no rhyme or reason to put this much pressure on a system that is meant to serve symptomatic and close contacts, rather than people wanting to travel who are DOUBLE VACCINATED.

Either open your borders, or don't. But don't open your borders because you need the tourist dollars at the expense of overwhelming testing centres and labs, so people who truly need to get tested are turned away or isolating for days on end waiting for results. It's selfish and unnecessary.

Make me do a RAT daily for all I care. 

[dpositive 1,730]

5 hours ago, Jaded No More said:

How is getting a PCR test 72 hours prior to arrival, without the need to quarantine until you get results, anymore useful than doing a Rapid Antigen Test at the airport prior to departure?

What stops me getting a PCR test, then going to a backpackers and licking the door handles and then flying to QLD 3 days later while positive? 

All these premiers are doing is chest beating. There is no rhyme or reason to put this much pressure on a system that is meant to serve symptomatic and close contacts, rather than people wanting to travel who are DOUBLE VACCINATED.

Either open your borders, or don't. But don't open your borders because you need the tourist dollars at the expense of overwhelming testing centres and labs, so people who truly need to get tested are turned away or isolating for days on end waiting for results. It's selfish and unnecessary.

Make me do a RAT daily for all I care. 

Yep there is not a lot of logic in any of the handling of the pandemic. When the PM transformed it from a health issue to an economic issue and ignored the health system solutions it just went crazy.

We seem to have learnt little and are repeating the worst features of the whole debacle.

Vaccinations through the state health systems that have administered influenza programs would have been a more effective measure than outsourcing to a myriad of companies and private gp's and pharmacists. Testing really proves nothing except you are what you are at that point of time. More likely to get infected as you walk past the line of people waiting or the next public venue you attend where people are unmasked.

Vaccination doesn't stop spread but does limit it. We are all being inconvenienced to protect the few who are not vaccinated, coz that's still enough to overwhelm our health facilities. Build and staff a better health system.

[Demonland 73,209]

Had to get another test (on Christmas day of all days) to travel interstate and received the result 27 hours later. Not bad considering the time of year. My test the other day took 50 hours.

Both Negative.

[Jaded No More 68,974]

1 hour ago, Demonland said:

Had to get another test (on Christmas day of all days) to travel interstate and received the result 27 hours later. Not bad considering the time of year. My test the other day took 50 hours.

Both Negative.

I couldn’t handle the stress of waiting. So paid $300 for both me and my husband to go tomorrow to a private testing clinic that promises results in 24 hours. A total joke. 

[Demonland 73,209]

48 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

I couldn’t handle the stress of waiting. So paid $300 for both me and my husband to go tomorrow to a private testing clinic that promises results in 24 hours. A total joke. 

I didn't know that was an option. I might have considered paying for peace of mind  as I've been stressed about not getting the results back. Having said that I have 3 kids so the cost would have been huge. 

[rpfc 28,808]

Word on the ‘pharmacist street’ is that the PCR testing requirement for domestic travel will go Jan 1. Don’t know if it will happen but he is has conversations with those that can make those calls.

[Jaded No More 68,974]

52 minutes ago, Demonland said:

I didn't know that was an option. I might have considered paying for peace of mind  as I've been stressed about not getting the results back. Having said that I have 3 kids so the cost would have been huge. 

I did not know either. But my GP friend suggested it. It’s only for asymptomatic travel testing. I think it’s meant for overseas travel as you need to bring a passport and you get a certificate that is valid internationally. I assume Anna will also accept it 🙄

$300 is a big chunk of money for 2 of us that we didn’t want to spend. But honestly the cost of cancelling if I don’t get my test results back on time is far worse. 

[Wrecker46 3,042]

On 12/25/2021 at 7:25 PM, Jaded No More said:

What a joke. We will waste half a day while up there to get a day 5 test when we are leaving on day 7, and unlikely to even get a result by then. 
Absolutely moronic behavior. 
Honestly if I knew those were going to be the rules I wouldn’t have bothered booking this bloody holiday. Not worth the stress 🤬

Interesting the Poms had a Covid scare and got there results back almost immediately. I imagine they had to get PCR like everyone else.

Edit: just read poms had Rapid tests

Edited December 26, 2021 by Wrecker46

[Diamond_Jim 12,628]

1 minute ago, Wrecker46 said:

Interesting the Poms had a Covid scare and got there results back almost immediately. I imagine they had to get PCR like everyone else and just got prioritised. 

No ...just the spit in the tube... five minute test

Given that they were all having Christmas lunch together 48 hours ago it goes to show that the definitions of contacts etc are going by the wayside ... good thing

[Jaded No More 68,974]

26 minutes ago, Wrecker46 said:

Interesting the Poms had a Covid scare and got there results back almost immediately. I imagine they had to get PCR like everyone else.

Edit: just read poms had Rapid tests

I am two hours deep in the line to get tested. A test I paid privately for. Absolute joke. 

[Demonland 73,209]

2 hours ago, Jaded No More said:

I am two hours deep in the line to get tested. A test I paid privately for. Absolute joke. 

I'd be interested to know what the turn around time for your results from the private test are if you don't mind sharing.

[Diamond_Jim 12,628]

The travel testing is starting to become ridiculous.

Stories on social media about people having multiple tests in hope that one is in the 72 hour window.Others tell of friends and family in various queues with travelling party being ferried around the centres.

Who knows if it's true but it's now farcical. 

[Demonland 73,209]

50 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

The travel testing is starting to become ridiculous.

Stories on social media about people having multiple tests in hope that one is in the 72 hour window.Others tell of friends and family in various queues with travelling party being ferried around the centres.

Who knows if it's true but it's now farcical. 

This further clogs up an already overwhelmed system that should be concentrating on symptomatic people and Tier 1 exposures.

[Jaded No More 68,974]

7 hours ago, Demonland said:

I'd be interested to know what the turn around time for your results from the private test are if you don't mind sharing.

 

UPDATE:  we just got our results (both negative).... 4 hours to get swabbed, 7 hours to get results. Absolutely worth $300!!! 

We went through Clinical Labs if anyone is interested or desperate. It's $150 per person. 

Also I applied for the border pass and it was instantaneous 

Edited December 27, 2021 by Jaded No More

[Demonland 73,209]

2 hours ago, Jaded No More said:

 

UPDATE:  we just got our results (both negative).... 4 hours to get swabbed, 7 hours to get results. Absolutely worth $300!!! 

We went through Clinical Labs if anyone is interested or desperate. It's $150 per person. 

Also I applied for the border pass and it was instantaneous 

Thanks for the info.

[Jaded No More 68,974]

Thrilled I stressed and paid for a test and then walked straight off the plane and out the airport. Not a single person checking. 
Ah well happy new year 

[FarNorthernD 5,861]

16 hours ago, Jaded No More said:

Thrilled I stressed and paid for a test and then walked straight off the plane and out the airport. Not a single person checking. 
Ah well happy new year 

I’m guessing you flew into Cairns Jaded?