The next pandemic : What have we learned ?

[beecee]

On 12/14/2021 at 10:36 AM, Ken Fabian said:

More serious penalties should be reserved for actual instances of infecting other people through their failures to follow community health advice  - which I think counts as causing significant harm. I am not advocating jail as the principle penalty for refusing to wash hands or vaccinate but it needs to be made clear that it endangers public safety. I think assurances of public health and safety are a prerequisite for freedom of movement.

https://www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-update-nsw-man-fined-thousands-for-breaching-isolation-and-travelling-to-newcastle-nightclub/74f9b68a-53ad-4169-a33f-f8eb97d60ea2

Man fined $10,000 for breaching isolation and starting Newcastle outbreak

Two men have been fined for allegedly breaching self-isolation orders and travelling to Newcastle, the epicentre of the New South Wales Omicron outbreak.

The men, both 20 and understood to be known to each other, were told to self-isolate from December 8 after coming into close contact with a COVID-19 patient.

But they allegedly headed to the Argyle House nightclub on Wharf Road later that night.

more....

That's a deserved hefty fine in any one's language. Non payment of course means jail time. 

[Sensei]

4 minutes ago, beecee said:

That's a deserved hefty fine in any one's language. Non payment of course means jail time. 

..these fines are generally senseless..

It is procedure "how to produce domestic terrorists" | "how to produce criminals".. etc. etc.

..restaurants can sell on-line (and should! as long as they are not luxury restaurants they can operate pretty fine with on-line sales, if people can't go any restaurant nor shop, and there is a reliable delivery system) but there are businesses which completely rely on client coming in physically, and 1) unable to freely operate and 2) have to pay debts, office rents, fines (?) and 3) get fined if they are open... An endless loop... Not possible to pay fine, if you don't operate, and can't operate unless breaking the law which prohibits being open.. Complete madness.. Mutually exclusive..

 

[beecee]

29 minutes ago, Sensei said:

..these fines are generally senseless..

It is procedure "how to produce domestic terrorists" | "how to produce criminals".. etc. etc.

These men self produced their "domestic terrorists" defining moment by not obeying isolating laws, and going out having a good time, disregarding all and sundry, due to there own selfishness,  and have now infected 100's. What do you suggest? Personally, I say lock em up!  

From my link.....

"More than 200 COVID-19 cases have already been linked to the nightclub.

Anyone who attended the nightclub between 9pm on Wednesday, December 8 to 3am on Thursday, December 9 has been deemed a close contact, and must immediately get tested and isolate for seven days".

 There may well be more, and sadly the possibility of death. 

Edited December 17, 2021 by beecee

[CharonY]

One thing that we observe in many data sets is that putting ordinance in place (e.g. masking mandates, limits of gatherings etc.) often slows down or reduces transmission events after some delay. Even in areas with poor adherence or very weak mandates it seems to have some effect. I have not looked into the lit (only at the data in a very non-data sciency way) but my suspicion is that simply making these public announcements reduces contact events as at least some folks become more careful. 

This also seems to be age-stratified to some degree, where especially younger groups tend not to care either way (i.e. infection rates seem to decline or slow down less than for the older age groups following such mandates).

Conversely, lifting mandates seems to be seen as an endorsement of gathering and other potential risky behaviour, frequently associated with at least short, sometimes sustained spikes of case numbers.