Diary Entries

Cancelled, closed, no we can’t go to the performance of Shakespeare’s All’s Well that Ends Well in Robertson Park, Watson’s Bay. Nor can we go to the brand new production of Neighbourhood Watch at the New Theatre in Newtown. And Brian and Charley’s mathematics seminar at Bowen Library, Maroubra is not happening either. No gatherings, first it was of more than 500 people, then 100, then 50, 20, 10; now you can only walk out with your own family and even then one has to social distance; at least 1 metre, no 1.5 metres but if you’re running maybe it should be 2 metres. “Did you hear that a wedding has been a major cause of the CORONA virus spreading in NSW?” “Well I heard that the biggest problem is that a cruise ship line let thousands of people off their ship in the middle of Sydney – and that’s after cruise ships were banned!” “Who stuffed that up? The cruise ship doctor’s, border control, immigration, passport control…….. ?” “Don’t know, but it has led to thousands of infections, and a few have died”. “Where’s all this going? It feels so surreal. The dreadful scenes from China, Spain, Italy, the UK and Europe are distressing. And New York? Serious situation there but Trump denies that there is a problem. He says “we do Corona Virus so good. Better than anybody. The best there is!”. What a dope.

“It’s all a media beat up, it’s just the flu, we’ll all get it, have 2 days off, we’ll be fine.”. “No, I don’t think so. The primary school where I work in the canteen has lots of Asian families.Probably mostly from China. Seems to me that a lot of them haven’t returned after Christmas holidays. It’s Valentine’s Day, 14/2/20, there just doesn’t seem to be as many children”. “I told you, MEDIA BEAT UP! Who even knows if what we are seeing in China is actually happening? People dragged from their homes, forced into isolation. Surely that’s not happening? For flu?? !” “Flu kills thousands around the world yearly, more than this Corona Virus, overreaction!”. “Term 1 Week 7, there’s something to this story, finding it hard to get my Woolworths delivery slot. People are using home delivery rather than go to shops. REALLY inconvenient!” “Guess what? We were all told to go home from work today. Don’t come back! No, not sacked, asked to work from home”. “Term 1 Week 8. We have a 50% drop in lunch orders – what’s going on?” “What? Gladys Berejiklian’s saying don’t send children to school, but schools are open” “What’s that mean?? What’s Scomo saying? He’s sending his children to school? This is all a bit confusing” “Media reports: hundreds, no thousands dying in China! No ordinary flu – still think it’s a media beat up?” “Maybe not, why don’t we have any toilet paper? How inconvenient”. “No toilet paper at the supermarket, also, No: bleach, disinfectant, handsanitiser, wet-wipes, clothes/dish detergent, sanitarpads, paper-towels, boxes of tissues!” “There’s no beef mince either. And cruise-ship docking banned!” Term 1 Week 9, 24/3/2020, asked to freeze everything at the canteen. It’s surreal; secure everything, close off computer lunch ordering system: CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.