COVID-19 Diaries: Basel Suliman

Portrait of medical scientist, Basel Suliman, part of the pathology team at Westmead Hospital who are at the cutting edge of fighting the highly infectious and still mysterious COVID-19 virus.

Globally, almost 5 million people have been infected with the disease so far and nearly 325,000 people have lost their lives.

While scientists around the world, including here in Australia, are racing to find a vaccine, an effective and safe vaccine is estimated to still be 12 to 18 months away.

Part of an ongoing photographic series, 'COVID-19 Diaries'.

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COVID-19 Diaries: Professor Dominic Dwyer

Portrait of Professor Dominic Dwyer, Director of Public Health Pathology, New South Wales Health Pathology.

Professor Dwyer is leading a large team of scientists and researchers at Westmead Hospital who are world-leaders in developing testing kits and undertaking testing for COVID-19.

Their work has been a major contributing factor to limiting the spread of the virus in NSW and across Australia.

Part of an ongoing photographic series, 'COVID-19 Diaries'.

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COVID-19 Diaries: First Weekend of Lockdown Easing

Crowds emerged out into public spaces, cafes and restaurants around NSW this weekend as lockdown laws were eased for the first time since they were introduced a couple of months ago.

In anticipation of widespread gatherings, the NSW Health minister warned that the public were “sitting ducks for the virus” unless social distancing measures were followed.

Part of an ongoing photographic series, 'COVID-19 Diaries'.

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COVID-19 Diaries: Restrictions Ease

A local pub in Chippendale opens its doors on the first day of the relaxation of social distancing laws in NSW.

Pubs, clubs and restaurants are now able to accomodate up to 10 patrons for eat-in dining on their premises, as long as they allow for the one person per 4 square metre rule.

Part of an ongoing photographic series, 'COVID-19 Diaries'.

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COVID-19 Diaries: A Sign of Optimism

A rare sign of optimism in Sydney today as businesses try to get back on their feet, post lockdown.

Part of an ongoing photographic series, 'COVID-19 Diaries'.

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COVID-19 Diaries: Million Life

Evidence of the increasing economic downturn - homelessness, closed businesses, job losses and the heady aspirations of former times - culminate in this photograph.

Part of an ongoing photographic series, 'COVID-19 Diaries'.

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COVID-19 Diaries: Unemployment Record Rise

A sign in the shopfont window of a job recruitment agency explains that it has closed its doors due to the COVID-19 crisis.

It was announced today that Australia has experienced its steepest monthly rise in unemployment on record with around 600,000 people having lost their jobs in April. It takes the unemployment rate to around 6.2%, a number many suspect is much lower than the actual rate, which they say could already exceed 10%.

Part of an ongoing photographic series, 'COVID-19 Diaries'.

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COVID-19 Diaries: Skipping Girl

A young woman works out by herself in the deserted stands at Redfern Park, on the last day of strict COVID-19 lockdown laws, before they are slightly relaxed in NSW from tomorrow.

As of tomorrow, up to 10 people will be able to train in parks together, as long as they adhere to the 1.5 metre social distancing restrictions.

Part of an ongoing photographic series, 'COVID-19 Diaries'.

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COVID-19 Diaries: Boarded Up Shop

A woman with a shopping bag walks past a boarded up shop in Sydney’s CBD.

The NSW government has indicated it will loosen some of the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on Friday in an effort to reboot the the economy, but it is yet to be seen how businesses might recover from the historic economic downturn.

Part of an ongoing photographic series, 'COVID-19 Diaries'.

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COVID-19 Diaries: At Home With Lucerito

Lucerito, originally from Peru, stands at her apartment door, where she shares a room with four other women. Self-isolation and social distancing at home is impossible.

Lucerito is a cleaner, one of the frontline workers who have been deemed by the government as ‘essential’. They are also some of the most at-risk to exposure to COVID-19 and some of the lowest paid workers in the country.

Part of an ongoing photographic series, 'COVID-19 Diaries'.

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COVID-19 Diaries: Mother's Day

To the mothers out there who can’t be with their children today.

Part of an ongoing photographic series, 'COVID-19 Diaries'.

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COVID-19 Diaries: At Home With Lina Cabaero

Portraits of Lina Cabaero, coordinator of Asian Women at Work, which supports and empowers migrant women who are living under the threat of labour exploitation.

Lina has recently been diagnosed with cancer and has just undergone her third treatment of chemotherapy. People with underlying health conditions are far more susceptible to COVID-19. Lina has been self-isolating at home with her family in Marrickville since the outbreak of the virus.

Part of an ongoing photographic series, 'COVID-19 Diaries'.

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COVID-19 Diaries: Lockdown Easing, Manly

On Friday, the Federal Government laid out plans to ease lockdown measures across the country. In NSW, the government has yet to move substantially on these measures, although it is flagging action in the not too distant future, possibly by next week.

Amongst the general public, there seems to be a mood for gradual opening up of lockdown laws. Unusually warm May weather has seen people pushing the boundaries of social distancing laws in public spaces, like beaches, as seen in Manly yesterday.

Part of an ongoing photographic series, 'COVID-19 Diaries'.

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COVID-19 Diaries: Old and New

An ill-placed sign outside St. Vincents Hospital juxtaposes new and old.

Part of an ongoing photographic series, 'COVID-19 Diaries'.

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COVID-19 Diaries: Azad

Azad, originally from Bangladesh, stares out at the Sydney Harbour Bridge on his daily ferry trip to Manly to clean apartments.

Cleaners have been considered ‘essential workers’ since the outbreak of COVID-19. They are also some of the lowest paid workers in Australia.

Part of an ongoing photographic series, 'COVID-19 Diaries'.

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COVID-19 Diaries: Fake News

A man reads a daily newspaper next to a sculpture of a man reading a daily newspaper. No social distancing problems for this this man (left) .

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COVID-19 Diaries: At Home With Fiona and Ryder

Portraits of photographer and single mother, Fiona Wolf-Symeonides at home with her son Ryder, 7.

Artists and those in the creative industries have been some of the hardest hit by the economic downturn due to COVID-19. Fiona has lost all of her photographic work as a result of the onset of the virus.

She has been homeschooling Ryder from their small inner-west flat in Sydney since schools in NSW closed down in March.

Fiona recently won the portrait prize for the HeadOn Photo Festival.

Part of an ongoing photographic series, 'COVID-19 Diaries'.

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COVID-19 Diaries: At Home WIth Peter Crowfoot

A portrait of photographer, Peter Crowfoot, at home in self-isolation under COVID-19.

People living with disabilities are more vulnerable to the coronavirus and even more disadvantaged financially. While other forms of government support have been implemented and supplemented, the disability pension has not been increased. At the same time, living costs have substantially risen since COVID-19 hit the economy.

Part of an ongoing photographic series, 'COVID-19 Diaries'.

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COVID-19 Diaries: Opera From The Rooftops

Photographs from last Sunday’s opera performances from the rooftops of Kings Cross.

Local resident, Portland Georgiou, has organised the performances for the last six weeks as a way to engage communities and foster solidarity in the face of social isolation under COVID-19.

Every Sunday, singers David Carroll and Sylvie Woods have performed to local residents from the surrounding apartment blocks and curious passers-by at ground level.

Part of an ongoing photographic series, 'COVID-19 Diaries'.

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