Closing Down

The Australian States and Territories are closing their borders to non residents.  There are three main roads to Western Australia and there are now check points on them.  Only returning residents and trucks (lorries) carrying freight are being allowed to enter.  Number of international and domestic flights have been drastically cut.  Non passenger shipping is still being accepted but the port is closed to cruise ships.  The 1700-passenger MSC Magnifica was reported in the media as wanting to dock last night having previously be turned away from Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart.  Local media were reporting 250 passengers had flu like symptoms.  It that were correct then the number would exceed the State’s total number of intensive care beds.  The latest news is the State Government has prevented anyone from disembarking.  The ship has been refuelled and will leave for Dubai.

Jan and I did our weekly shop a day late today.  The shelves are still empty of toilet paper, facial tissues, pasta and rice.  The checkout operator informed Jan that if she wanted toilet paper she would need to be in the queue before the store opened.  He also mentioned it was the same people buying the toilet paper every morning and he wondered what they would do with hundreds of dunny rolls?

We then drove to see what the new Perth Costco looked like.  It opened last Thursday and at that time the queue went twice around the warehouse.  When we drove into the car park the queue occupied two sides of the building.  we did what the three vehicles ahead of us had done and did a U turn heading back out the exit.

A week ago the State Government was telling residents to avoid travelling overseas on holiday and instead have a holiday in the State.  That has now changed to not having a holiday and remaining at home in self isolation.

I’m concerned for Ian & Irene (nb Free Spirit) travelling on The Ghan from Darwin to Adelaide.  They may find themselves trapped in South Australia

I can also see this self isolation lasting 4-6 months, followed by a further period of 4-6 years for the world economy to recover.