COVID-19 Diaries: Melchora, Cleaner, Sydney Hospital

Portrait of Melchora, who has been a cleaner at Sydney Hospital for 23 years.

Cleaners and sanitising staff have been at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic more than a year ago. Migrants and women, in particular, make up much of the profile of those working in these critical occupations.

Australia has experienced another day of zero community transmissions, despite the small outbreak in Brisbane a few days ago and in contrast to yet another surge in cases across China, South America and Europe.

Part of an ongoing series, ‘COVID-19 Diaries’.

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COVID-19 Diaries: Ann, Nurse, Sydney Hospital

Portrait of Ann, nurse at the COVID-19 Clinic, Sydney Hospital.

As we head into the Easter holiday break, Brisbane’s three day lockdown has been lifted, with just one community transmission yesterday in Queensland and one in northern NSW.

The Byron Bay Blues Festival remains cancelled.

Concerns linger, however, as to whether COVID-19 is still circulating within the community and it is still not clear how the Brisbane transmission occurred in the first place.

Healthcare workers remain at the forefront of this pandemic.

Part of the ongoing series, 'COVID-19 Diaries'.

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COVID-19 Diaries: Portrait of Mandy

Portrait of Mandy, nurse and healthcare worker at the COVID-19 testing clinic at the Sydney Hospital.

Just as hope was emerging that we were over the worst of the pandemic, medical centres and COVID testing clinics around the country are now bracing themselves as the nation awaits if the Brisbane outbreak will be contained after a three day lockdown, which could be extended further over the Easter break if coronavirus cases continue to spread.

Despite no local transmissions in NSW, the Sydney Hospital continues to experience steady testing numbers, particularly by those from hotel quarantine. Healthcare workers remain at the forefront of this pandemic.

Part of the ongoing series, 'COVID-19 Diaries'.

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COVID-19 Diaries: No New Cases in NSW But Restrictions Stay

Masked commuters emerge from Martin Place subway station at morning peak hour.

Encouragingly, no new community transmissions of COVID-19 were recorded in NSW today - the second day in a row.

However, current health orders and restrictions will stay in place, including the mandatory wearing of face masks on public transport.

Part of an ongoing series, COVID-19 Diaries.

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COVID-19 Diaries: Sydney Test Match, Day 3

Images from outside the Sydney Cricket Ground on Day 3 of the India versus Australia Test Match, where 10,000 spectators were mandated to wear masks.

Police and security presence continued to be visible, and despite almost 100% mask-wearing, social distancing was minimal outside the ground.

Part of an ongoing series, COVID-19 Diaries.

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COVID-19 Diaries: Sydney Cricket Ground Cricket Test

Today’s second test match between India and Australia went ahead at the Sydney Cricket Ground today, despite repeated calls for it to be cancelled because of concerns it could be a ‘super-spreader’ event.

A heavy police and security presence, including riot squad, met cricket fans outside the SCG, with numbers well down on previous years.

A limit of 10,000 spectators per day was placed on the match, with strict conditions on seating and the wearing of mandatory face masks.

Residents from 10 Western Sydney suburbs, centred around the Berala outbreak, have been banned from attending the game.

The match is expected to run until Monday.

Part of an ongoing series, COVID-19 Diaries.

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COVID-19 Diaries: Mandatory Masks

This week, mandatory mask-wearing rules were introduced to the Greater Sydney, Central Coast and Wollongong areas in certain settings, including at shopping and retail centres, on public transport and hair dressers.

People can be fined $200 for not complying with these NSW Health Orders.

Part of an ongoing series, COVID-19 Diaries.

Calls by health experts for mandatory mask-wearing in Sydney have been going on for weeks, if not months.

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COVID-19 Diaries: A Vision of the Future

Larry, a student and city commuter, poses in front of Sydney Town Hall in what he calls “apocalyptic fashion”, a style that he thinks more people will be adopting in the future.

Today, Greater Sydney is under new COVID-19 restrictions, with mask wearing now mandatory in certain indoor settings, such as on public transport, shopping centres, retail outlets, places of worship and hair and beauty premises. From tomorrow, $200 fines will be meted out for a failure to adhere to mask wearing in these settings. Further limitations on public and outdoor gatherings have also implemented.

Despite this, next week’s Sydney Test cricket match has been given the go-ahead, where up to 24,000 spectators are expected to attend. The sporting event has been described as an ‘unnecessary risk’, according to epidemiology expert, Professor Raina MacIntyre.

Protests, outdoor performances and other public activities have been capped at 500.

Part of an ongoing series, COVID-19 Diaries.

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COVID-19 Diaries: New Year's Eve Fireworks

Images of New Year’s Eve fireworks from Vaucluse in Sydney’s east, where hundreds gathered on New South Head Road last night to celebrate the end of 2020, ignoring pleas to stay at home, wear masks and socially distance after the latest outbreak of COVID-19.

Part of an ongoing series, COVID-19 Diaries.

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COVID-19 Diaries: A Tale of Two Cities

Left, a food truck feeding the homeless and operated by Sydney's 24-7 Street Kitchen and Safe Space Community at Martin Place, is moved on by police on New Year’s Eve; while on the right, exclusive, permit-only dining space is prepared in the lead up to the fireworks in the designated ‘Green Zone’ at the Rocks.

As of today, the federal government will cut the COVID supplement to the JobSeeker allowance by $100 a fortnight, and cut the JobKeeper allowance by $200 a fortnight.

Part of an ongoing series, COVID-19 Diaries.

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COVID-19 Diaries: NYE Green Zone

Photographs from around Circular Quay, the Sydney Opera House and The Rocks on New Year’s Eve, where police and riot squad patrolled the area in the designated ‘Green Zone’, which was cordoned off from the public, except for those with permits.

NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, had urged the public to stay at home and watch the NYE fireworks on the television for fear of the celebrations becoming a super-spreading event, after the recent outbreak of COVID-19. Extraordinary measures were taken by authorities yesterday to block views and prevent public access to traditional viewing positions around Sydney Harbour. However, exceptions were made for exclusive dining and waterfront businesses, for those with a permit.

Part of an ongoing series, COVID-19 Diaries.

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COVID-19 Diaries: A NYE View from Circular Quay Station

A masked commuter waits for a train at Circular Quay station in front of temporary hoardings that have been erected to prevent a view of last night’s New Year’s Eve fireworks. This year, NSW authorities have been at pains to block access to the public to discourage mass gatherings under the recent outbreak of COVID-19.

The fireworks went ahead despite calls for them to be called off amid fears of it being a super-spreading event.

Part of an ongoing series, COVID-19 Diaries.

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COVID-19 Diaries: Preparing for NYE

Masked cleaners and service workers prepare a dining room with a view of the Sydney Opera House at one of Sydney’s most exclusive hotels in the lead up to last night’s New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Part of an ongoing series, COVID-19 Diaries.

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COVID-19 Diaries: COVIDSafe Government App

The COVID-Safe app was released by the Federal Government back in April 2020, with Prime Minister, Scott Morrison encouraging everyone to download the app, saying it was "Australia's ticket to a COVIDSafe Australia".

The technology relies on users voluntarily downloading the app and using Bluetooth to detect other COVIDSafe users around them. The data is then kept for 21 days for contact tracing.

However, fears about cost, efficacy, security and privacy soon emerged.

Since its launch, COVIDSafe has been plagued by technical problems and blasted as “dishonest” and ineffective The app has only traced 17 cases since April, with at least $7 million spent on advertising, and with a total cost of $16 million.

Zero cases have been detected through COVIDSafe during the recent Northern Beaches outbreak in Sydney and zero cases were detected throughout the entire second wave in Victoria.

The Government has just released an update of the app.

Part of an ongoing series, COVID-19 diaries.

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COVID-19 Diaries: SVT Hindu Temple

Images from the Sri Venkateswara Temple at Helensburgh, including photographs of head holy man, Sridhar Battar, and president, Kanag Baska.

Like all places of worship, COVID-19 restrictions apply to gatherings, with a current limit of 300, at one person per four square metres.

The SVT temple usually expects upwards of 25,000 people to attend their New Year’s celebrations, but this year they are bracing for strict limitations on numbers. NSW authorities will announce New Year’s Eve restrictions in the next few days.

Part of an ongoing series, COVID-19 Diaries.

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COVID-19 Diaries: Sanitary Workers

Sanitary workers sweep through Circular Quay and the CBD using tongs to hand out free medical masks to pedestrians.

Anecdotally, less than 5% of people have been seen wearing masks in public throughout the city, despite the growing outbreak of COVID-19 in Sydney.

Many of these sanitary workers are low paid and from migrant backgrounds.

Part of an ongoing series COVID-19 Diaries.

COVID-19 Diaries: A Very COVID Christmas

Christmas images from around the CBD as Sydney remains on high alert for signs of the COVID-19 outbreak which is spreading across the city.

Part of an ongoing series COVID-19 Diaries.

COVID-19 Diaries: Bondi Beach Testing Station

Photographs at Bondi Beach COVID-19 drive-through testing station, where cars lined up today for nearly two hours as people waited to be tested. Bondi was this afternoon added to the rapidly lengthening list of COVID hotspots. Numbers at the testing station have spiked since the outbreak in the Northern Beaches this week and as Christmas approaches.

The State Government has eased expected restrictions for the Christmas period, a move that has come under some criticism amongst fears of a Melbourne-style outbreak, and the potential for super-spreading events over the summer holidays, despite two days of lower than expected COVID-19 cases.

Adding to public nervousness was the case of a Qantas cabin crew member who flew infected from Darwin to Sydney today, without being tested or quarantined. The quarantine system is facing stiff scrutiny as suspicions deepen that contagious cabin crew are flying into the country without proper screening or quarantining.

A record 60,000 people were tested in NSW on Wednesday.

The authorities are expected to announce plans for New Year’s Eve after the Christmas period is over.

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