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I have as personal COVID-19 anecdote that may relate to why Melbourne cases #s are not dropping quickly
I live in a 16 floor apartment complex
Today a resident notified building management that s/he tested positive 4 days ago
#CovidVic #COVID19Vic #covid19au #covid19australia
I live in a 16 floor apartment complex
Today a resident notified building management that s/he tested positive 4 days ago
#CovidVic #COVID19Vic #covid19au #covid19australia
The resident has been mostly isolating but has walked through the common areas and visited the trash room (according to the resident)
The building manager was tested today and is now isolating, awaiting results
The residents of the building have not been advised to get tested
The building manager was tested today and is now isolating, awaiting results
The residents of the building have not been advised to get tested
I only discovered this because a colleague in a neighboring building received an email notice
I did not receive the email
I asked two residents who also were unaware of the situation
There is still no notice on the building (5 hours later)
I did not receive the email
I asked two residents who also were unaware of the situation
There is still no notice on the building (5 hours later)
I see a few problems here with the Victoria public health response:
#1 Voluntary Isolation is a bad idea
Since April experts have recommended mandatory centralized isolation based on evidence transitioning from unsuccessful to successful suppression https://twitter.com/XihongLin/status/1251339883676909568
#1 Voluntary Isolation is a bad idea
Since April experts have recommended mandatory centralized isolation based on evidence transitioning from unsuccessful to successful suppression https://twitter.com/XihongLin/status/1251339883676909568
That may be a bit much, but at the very least we should have a closely monitored at-home isolation
Even in Kentucky they are putting ankle-monitors on COVID-19 positive cases who don't consent to close monitoring https://abc7.com/health/couple-under-house-arrest-after-testing-positive-for-covid-19/6323759/
Even in Kentucky they are putting ankle-monitors on COVID-19 positive cases who don't consent to close monitoring https://abc7.com/health/couple-under-house-arrest-after-testing-positive-for-covid-19/6323759/
#2 Testing is poorly targeted
Victoria has ample testing capacity. Sentinel surveillance is a stated goal
Why not advise those living in an apartment block with a known positive case to test?
Shared communal spaces and sewage system seems to justify:
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/coronavirus-hong-kong-high-rise-sewage-pipe-investigation-2020-2?r=US&IR=T
Victoria has ample testing capacity. Sentinel surveillance is a stated goal
Why not advise those living in an apartment block with a known positive case to test?
Shared communal spaces and sewage system seems to justify:
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/coronavirus-hong-kong-high-rise-sewage-pipe-investigation-2020-2?r=US&IR=T
#3 Communication is poor
Public health authorities should notify building management when a resident becomes COVID-19 positive (there must be a way to protect privacy!)
Our building management had to reach out to @VicGovDHHS for advice, after the resident notified them
Public health authorities should notify building management when a resident becomes COVID-19 positive (there must be a way to protect privacy!)
Our building management had to reach out to @VicGovDHHS for advice, after the resident notified them
My building may not have as many cases as in Flemington & N. Melbourne (for now), but the VIC public health authorities could do better than this
They should be more pro-active
I hope this is not representative
They should be more pro-active
I hope this is not representative
FYI, for comparison, this was the response in Flemington & N. Melbourne: https://twitter.com/pauldowsley7/status/1279525418941341698
