Message from the Publisher #020 – COVID NORMAL IN 2021

Covid Normal in 2021

We have experienced a Covid-Normal Christmas and New Year break in Australia with ups and downs.
The governments understood that most Australians wished to celebrate these days with their loved and hoped that restrictions could be relaxed. A few community transmissions in NSW and a new UK mutant of the Covid virus found in Queensland pushed everybody into tension.
To prevent the mutating virus coming into their states, most state governments immediately blocked visitors from Queensland. Firework in Sydney was the only symbolic celebration of the New Year among Australian cities with few audiences. It was only after two to three weeks that with a controlled number of community transmissions that put things back to normal. It is a blessing that Australia has not reverted to serious lockdown during this period.
Yes, the UK mutant was found to be more contagious and dangerous. The burst in the number of infected around the world indicated that we should not be too optimistic to believe that the hard time is over. Experts warned that even with the approval and starting of the vaccination program in the US, UK and other countries, the threat of Covid-19 for the whole world will not be over at least in the first half of 2021.

We need to learn to live harmoniously in a Covid normal society for a while.
It means we still can have the Australian Open in Melbourne, but the players would need to have a quarantine before the match. On 18 January, 5 persons coming for the competition were found to be positive even though they have checked to be negative before abroad the plane. At least 72 players isolated and without practice training because positively infected cases were found in their flight. We are quite sure the performance of the players will be affected, but we still hope to see good matches.
It means that we are going back to schools but our classes would be ready to go online once someone in the class be found positive. It also means that you can visit another city but may not be able to go home because of a sudden border closure.
Yes, we need to be going back to normal life but be ready to accept any sudden changes when the virus Covid shows its strength.

Raymond Chow
Publisher, BlessingCALD