…desperately trying to distract myself from the fact that our deputy PM actually said ‘all lives matter’ and his government hasn’t actually publicly disapproved of white American fascists staging a (failed) coup.
test early test often
Sydney: test early, test often.
Check NSW Health on fb 
for testing locations.
The 2 pillars of our orsm covid response are contact tracing and testing.
Apparently we aren’t testing as much as we were when we were shitscared a couple of weeks ago.
If we don’t test, the contact Tracys can’t do as orsm a job tracking us.
Got a symptom? Get a test.
Tests are free. Private clinics may require a GP’s referral.
What are the covid symptoms?
Say it with me:
fever (37.5 ° or higher)
cough
sore throat
shortness of breath (difficulty breathing)
runny nose
loss of taste
loss of smell
Other reported symptoms include:
fatigue
acute blocked nosed (congestion)
muscle pain
joint pain
headache
diarrhoea
nausea/vomiting
loss of appetite
Hunting hound. Hunts.
Frank just did her daschund ‘i have hunted and found a Thing! Human! Come! See the thing’’ bark and growled.
This is what she’d found.
Hunting hounds. Always on the job.
no
Ok white Australians, NO MORE CRICKET FOR YOU. Goddammit ENOUGH with the racism.
romance
It’s a mess of a day, but there’s hope.
Small Axes
I’m part way through ep1 of Small Axe, a BBC short film series about the West Indian community in London in the 1960s-80s. It’s directed by Steve McQueen and has a w o w cast (incl. Letita Wright and John Boyega).
If you want to know about the Black migrant history of the UK during this period, AND want regular doses of everyday eating, dancing, singing, and FIGHTING THE MAN, i reccomend. It’s a great companion piece to that BBC podcast series about Black music in Europe.
Quick, what’s a casual, non-confrontational way to tell your fave barista doods to put their masks over the mouth and nose, not just chin?
Is COVID testing free?
Is COVID testing free in NSW?
YES.
Even if you’re not an Australian resident?
YES.
Testing at private clinics
– Some private clinics need a referral from a GP to get the test, and the GP may charge or bulk bill for that appointment.
– There are some dodgy private clinics with misleading fb ads talking about charges. If you’re confused, go to a govt testing centre to be sure.
Nb Victoria beat us in testing numbers today. We can totally win tomorrow.
do not want
Things i don’t need:
– Julian Assange in my country
– to hear Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in a netflix show again
– any more moisture in the air
– Brett Whitely.
a new cluster in Sydney
It’s interesting to read that Sydney is still the main point of arrival for overseas visitors. So more people come through this city as they return to this country. And the chance of them having covid is increasing as numbers increase overseas.
The latest cases come from transport workers, who caught covid at work, driving o/s people.
Clusters then spread out from there, mostly into families and work networks.
I get quite upset when i read comments about the ‘thoughtless selfishness’ of infected people in the community. We know workplaces and extended family gatherings are key points for transmission. Being angry and nasty with people doing risky, low status work, who then spend time with (and often caring for) their families is… well, it’s poor form. Particularly from people who have the choice to work from home, self-isolate, and so on.
I don’t feel right about being nasty to infected people, who have, after all, contracted covid, and know they have infected their friends and family.
This type of angry fear leads to the authoritarian actions of police, which result in violence towards people of colour, the homeless, the disempowered. And it’s worth remembering that for wealthy people fines are just an inexpensive ticket. For the poor and disenfranchised fines mean incarceration, children and dependants left homeless, and time in the dangers of prison.
If you feel super angry about rising case numbers in NSW, that’s ok. When we’re frightened, we often get angry. If you’ve just come out of lockdown, you’re probably still dealing with the distress and tension of that experience. And being angry at people who seem to be triggering that happening again makes sense.
But you can’t change other people’s behaviour. You can only change how you respond to it. Be kinder to yourself. Stop looking at case numbers. Call a friend and tell them you love them. Go watch dogs play in the park. Have a swim. You’re doing a good job, and you deserve a break.
If you can, please donate to Sisters Inside.