Originally Posted by
nancypants
that’s exactly my point, until someone comes up with an objective measure of what is “normalcy”, all we have are peoples subjective opinions. People tend to surround themselves with people who think in similar manners so it’s natural that someone who is not a fan of the way Australia is handling matters will likely find their circle of friends and family has similar views
the View from my UK contacts, who are almost all intensive care or anaesthetic physicians, but a few teachers and my brother who does something and gets paid for it but I don’t know what, is that they have found the UK’s handling of matters pretty miserable. Very little normality subjectively experienced over there
of course some in the UK would perhaps like to have the choice of their grandparents alive and needing to spend time and money to see them again, rather than said grandparents dying alone with one of my mates outside the room, having balanced a couple of warm water filled latex gloves on their hand to give them impression of someone holding it!!
I don't think there is any way to characterise the UK's handling of this other than a shambles, disastrous, catastrophic and in my personal opinion, criminal. I believe the government, including the PM and Secretary of State for Health have blood on their hands. The one thing they have handled very well is the vaccine roll out.
I'm in the UK, and I know well over 30 Aussies here, including friends and colleagues. Not a single one of them wants to be in Australia at this point in time. With the vaccine rollout being pretty successful, the next 12 months here (and in the EU, US) will basically see all restrictions lifted. At the peak we had 39k people in hospital with Covid, now its less than 900.
I don't think Australia's response versus the UK to this last year can even be compared. It's on a different stratosphere. However, the Australian government and their scientific advisors have arrogantly said "we don't have a problem, so we will wait and take our time to approve the vaccines and get them to people". Then the government's messaging was pretty horrific, because its on them to highlight the importance of vaccines. The complacency and arrogance of those in charge is what is causing this. And it will result in very difficult financial consequences for many people, and dire consequences for some who will lose their jobs, livelihoods and a lot more. Maybe that is not the situation for you or your circle, but it is for many others.