Holiday destinations, which should be lapping up the peak of summer trade, are seeing stores and restaurants close because their staff have tested positive or are in isolation.
I’ve been visiting the Mornington Peninsula every summer for the last 20 years or so. I have never seen it so quiet on a hot New Year’s weekend as I did last week.
People queue for a coronavirus test. Credit:Chris Hopkins
This isn’t good for the local economy.
ANZ data showed that spending around Australia, but particularly in Victoria and Sydney, has fallen to levels as if we were back in COVID-19 lockdowns, with the hospitality sector taking the biggest financial hit.
Stefanie Milla, CEO of the Aesthetic Beauty Industry Council, representing businesses such as hairdressing and beauty salons, told 3AW Drive last week that the current situation in Australia is “worse than lockdown”. A lack of staff, clients who are too afraid to go out, and no government support means the industry is recording a loss of income worse than ever.
Once again, Australian governments have failed to learn from previous mistakes; this time, the ones made overseas. Over the last couple of years, we read about how uncontrolled spread of COVID made every major economy suffer record declines. We looked on and chuckled smugly as Australia’s economy bounced back.
Now, our recovery is in doubt, due to Omicron and a lack of an appropriate response and preparation from our governments.
You may say I am being paranoid or a fearmonger. You might tell me to stay inside while the brave go out to confront this new world. The fact is a majority of people do not have this mindset.
This is the reality of what many wanted. No restrictions, unmitigated spread of the virus and just “living” with the consequences. Well, these are the consequences and they aren’t what many would call “living”.
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We all want the pandemic to be over. None of us want to endure more forced lockdowns. But without sensible public health measures in place, we are imposing one on ourselves right now anyway.
We need to grow up and realise this isn’t over. We need to remember you can’t run a healthy economy without healthy people. We can’t just close our eyes and ignore it, hoping it goes away.
This is the reality.
This is not the hot vax summer we all wanted it to be.
You’re not alone in being stressed about the public health disaster
Source: Philippines Alive
