magical freedom from lockdowns...

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The COVID-19 pandemic felt for many of us like it came out of the blue, but scientists have long been sounding the alarm about a potential pandemic from a coronavirus.

We already had warnings with the SARS and MERS outbreaks, both caused by coronaviruses, and both spilled over from animals into humans. Given the way people continue to encroach on animal habitats, trade wildlife and eat bushmeat, it is increasingly likely that zoonotic diseases that come from animals will cause future pandemics.

This already happens more often than you might think. Since the 1940s more than 330 emerging infectious diseases have been identified, of which 60% were zoonotic. And when a new infectious disease does emerge, human migration, population growth, rapid global travel, climate change urbanisation and dense urban slums can all hasten its spread. Given that more people are living in closer proximity to each other than ever before and that normally more than a billion people cross international borders each year, it has never been easier for outbreaks to escalate and spread globally.

With the current pandemic, research carried out in response to previous coronavirus outbreaks and developments in vaccine technologies gave us a head-start that meant that COVID-19 vaccines could be developed rapidly. Even so, at the outset we had limited national systems for case detection and tracking of epidemic spread. The complete lack of treatments or existing vaccines meant that in the year that it took to develop vaccines, millions lost their lives to COVID-19.

R&D tends to focus on immediate threats, and often on drugs, vaccines or diagnostics that are most profitable, which explains why many diseases identified by World Health Organization as having a high potential to cause future pandemics are currently being neglected. Many of these threats affect low- and middle-income countries and have little or no research and development ongoing. This is dangerous, and means that if any of these diseases turn pandemic, we could once again be caught off guard. Millions of lives could be lost.

In this series, we look at which pathogens currently pose the greatest pandemic threat, why that is and what research has been carried out into mitigating their impact.

https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/next-pandemic

The American billionaire Warren Buffett, known as the 'Oracle of Omaha' , is sure that in the future a new pandemic will come that could be worse than that of Covid-19 , because despite the lessons that this experience has left us, people would not be prepared to face it either.

It may interest you: Warren Buffett donates $ 4.1 billion and retires from the Gates Foundation

This week, during CNBC's 'Buffett & Munger: A Wealth of Wisdom' show, the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway predicted that "there will be another pandemic ."

“We know that there is a nuclear, chemical, biological and now cyber threat. Each of them has dire possibilities , "Buffett said. " It doesn't seem like it's something that society is fully prepared to deal with, "he added.

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Okay. Was what happened with Covid-19 a rehearsal for worse to come including worse lockdowns?

yesterday...

Free Julian Assange Now...

yesterday

By Gus Leonisky at 5 Sep 2021 - 1:01pm
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what's a hair cut?...

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced the state is set to move out of lockdown in October, when businesses including pubs and gyms will be able to reopen.

The restrictions will ease on the Monday after the state has reached 70 per cent vaccination coverage of people aged 16 and older. Current forecasts predict NSW will reach this target in mid-October.

It means trips to the pubs with mates, haircuts and road trips within NSW will all be back on the cards for fully vaccinated people.

Meanwhile, parts of regional NSW with no COVID-19 cases will have restrictions eased on the weekend.

How many friends can I go to the pub with?

Pubs will be subject to density limits of one person per four square metres inside and one person per two square metres outdoors. Drinking standing up will be permitted outside.

Gyms will also be allowed to reopen under the one person per four square metre rule and will be able to run classes for up to 20 people.

Up to 500 people will be able to attend ticketed and seated outdoor events while indoor entertainment facilities, such as cinemas, can reopen with 75 per cent of fixed seating capacity.

What if I’m not vaccinated?

The new freedoms will only apply to people aged 16 and older who are fully vaccinated or have medical exemptions.

“You have been warned. If you’re not vaccinated, come forward and get the vaccine, otherwise you won’t be able to participate in the many freedoms that people have at 70 per cent vaccination,” Ms Berejiklian said.

Can I finally fix my regrowth?

After being shut away since June, you will be able to visit your hairdresser once the state reaches the 70 per cent double vaccination target. The same will apply to other beauty services such as nail salons and waxing. Businesses will be limited to five clients at one time.

Retail stores can reopen subject to density limits (unvaccinated people will continue only to be able to access essential retail).

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/nsw-s-lockdown-road-map-revealed-everything-you-need-to-know-20210909-p58q2z.html

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insulting the community...

The Mayor of one of Sydney’s 12 hotspot LGAs has labelled a decision to cancel the daily COVID-19 press conference an "insult to the community" at a time when the state is in crisis.

Key points:

From Monday, the NSW Premier will no longer hold a daily COVID-19 press conference
NSW Health will instead publish daily videos outlining the latest information
Questions are being asked about the timing of the announcement, with daily case numbers yet to peak

From Monday, the 11:00am press conference will no longer go ahead and will be replaced with daily videos, published by NSW Health, showing updated figures and information.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she and her ministerial counterparts would front the cameras "intermittently" on a "needs basis".

She insisted the government was not attempting to shy away from media scrutiny, saying NSW "prides itself on having the most transparent information available".

Catch up on the main COVID-19 news from September 10 with a look back at our blog

But Khal Asfour, the Mayor of Canterbury-Bankstown, is not convinced.

The local government area recorded 269 new infections today, the highest in any Sydney area.

"The Premier's the one who called this a national emergency a few weeks ago and now, in the middle of this emergency, at the height of the pandemic when the case numbers are about to reach their maximum, she bundys off," he said.

"It's an hour of her day to answer questions on behalf of the community and now she's decided she doesn't want to do that. She's too busy for us.

"I really do think it's an insult to our community and to everyone — to the workers that are stuck at home, to the business owners that can't go to work. I mean, what are they to think when their leader, when their Premier, just turns [her] back on them once more?

"In a middle of a crisis, the leader needs to be front and centre, answering questions and giving us assurance and hope.

"I think it's quite insulting."

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FREEING JULIAN ASSANGE would be a good start...

By Gus Leonisky at 10 Sep 2021 - 8:49pm
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