TODAY I had to visit my local general practitioner at a medical centre close to my home. It was just a simple matter of following up some test results and getting a couple of scripts.
There was a sign asking people to use the hand sanitiser before entering. Inside the chairs were spaced at the regulatory distances and all of the spare chairs had been stacked. All of the magazines had been removed. There were only three patients waiting inside and one outside. Although it was almost lunch time, this is a waiting room that usually has at least a dozen people.
My GP is a personal friend and we've been on a first-name basis for many years. He keeps a record of my various injections and tests that are due and any other issues that need addressing. At one stage this doctor was looking after four generations of my family. Despite the fact that my GP was working into his lunch break, he still took time to discuss my various concerns. Before I left, I asked if the small snippet that I'd read in the newspaper was really true; that medical practices were under threat through lack of business.
How could this possibly be the case?
His response was that people are avoiding doctors' waiting rooms, possibly because they fear that they are more likely to pick up COVID-19 there. Because of this, many people are not visiting their GP for all of the usual ailments which, though not so serious, need regulator attention. What surprised me most was the statement that they can run at a loss for a couple of months, but not for a whole year.
To be honest, I felt much safer in the waiting room than visiting my local supermarket to buy groceries. Although most supermarkets are operating with a restricted number of customers, you are asked to wait in a line outside the store while those leaving file past you. All of those customers are potential carriers of COVID-19. The shopping trolley that you're pushing has probably been handled by dozens of people before you.
Although I'm not driving as much at the moment, I still have to fill up that car occasionally. I wonder how many people have handled the pump that day. Are they following safe practice? Did they sanitise their hands before they picked up the pump? Do the employees regularly sanitise the pumps? I keep a bottle of hand sanitiser in my car, but not everyone does.
If your local medical centre, small or large, is forced to close, where will you go when things get back to normal? To help our local GPs survive, we don't need to make unnecessary appointments. We just need to do what we normally have done in the past.
Outside your own home, I think your local doctor's waiting room is the safest place.
John Lambkin, Eleebana
TOPICAL THOUGHTS REVIVED
IN 1991 I asked my young son to cut out the segments of "Today in History" from The Herald, because I thought it might later expand his general knowledge. He pasted them into a scrapbook for the entire 12 months and I still refer to them occasionally, particularly since the current Topic team took their holidays recently. As I was reading through the events from April 14, 1991, I noticed that the "Thought for Today", which appeared below the list of events, was a quote from the Spanish novelist, Miguel de Cervantes" :- "Diligence is the mother of good fortune". Twenty nine years later, on page 3 of The Herald, also dated April 14, was a photo of the people crowding each other along the Bathers Way near Merewether Surf House on Sunday 12 April, right in the middle of our Coronavirus season.
Diligence indeed.
David Stuart, Merewether
WATERSHED DAYS FOR WEIRD
As our skilled researchers frantically seek a vaccine, I know that equally committed individuals, beavering away in their sheds are doing the same. After all, throughout our history Australians have proven to be uniquely inventive.
For example, I recall one of the Hunter's educational institutions' research library books were suffering a heavy infestation of mites making the books unusable. Various treatments failed until a resourceful local pestie instructed his staff to give every single book a blast in a microwave. Laborious? Yes. Successful? Very.
But my favourite example concerns a hard-working DIY exponent, who was suffering a severe case of piles. Now we would consult the local pharmacist or our GP but the solution was waiting for him in, of course, his shed. He treated his painful nether region with paint thinners. I wince as I write.
At a later visit to his doctor he casually mentioned his remedy. The GP gaped, nothing that it would have been excruciating. Our man agreed, but added that it had worked. So have faith that our eccentric, but successful inventors are on the verge of a breakthrough but please readers, don't do anything stupid with microwaves or paint thinners to cure the virus, they don't work. I know because I tried.
Maureen Dearing, Newcastle West
BOOZE LOSES IN LOCKDOWN
I BELIEVE editorial from Dr Sarah Callinan and Dr Michael Livingston ('Will COVID change our drinking habits', Opinion 14/4), which suggests that Australians are drinking more during the pandemic, couldn't be further from the truth.
As researchers in the alcohol field, they should have had more caution in equating an increase in packaged liquor or home delivery sales to many Australians drinking to excess while at home during this crisis.
There has been a total decimation of on-premises sales through pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants. Our members producing beer, wine and spirits are all telling us that this loss of sales has only marginally been made up for by an increase in packaged retail liquor sales.
Indications are that overall sales and volume loss range from 10 to 30 per cent, with many small producers even more severely impacted as they are unable to access the retail channel and/or have had to close their cellar/brewery/distillery door.
It is also important to understand that consumption doesn't necessarily occur shortly after the time of purchase for packaged liquor sales, but in my opinion normally occurs over a considerably longer period of time. In time, I'd anticipate that we'll learn that the trend towards moderation and "premium-isation" that has occurred over the last two decades has been maintained.
Andrew Wilsmore, Alcohol Beverages Australia
THEY'RE FOR A GREATER GOOD
So true, Frank Ward (Letters, 15/4). Despite their past excesses the unions are still our greatest asset for social stability because they prevent the inequality now disillusioning our millennials. Its about fairness when an employer is so well protected from poor or reckless business decisions. Trickle-down economics were disproven decades ago.
Marie-Lise Bouic, North Lambton
SHARE YOUR OPINION
Email letters@newcastleherald.com.au or send a text message to 0427 154 176 (include name and suburb). Letters should be fewer than 200 words. Short Takes should be fewer than 50 words. Correspondence may be edited and reproduced in any form.
SHORT TAKES
MEAT, as with everything, has gone up in cost, but I'm aware of some prices that I think are way over the top; $44 a kilo a friend was charged for a leg of lamb; $25 a kilo for mince. I believe this kind of gouging is ridiculous. Perhaps the Herald could run a guide for saving money in the shops.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
REGARDING people not isolating at home, maybe Australia is ahead of the curve as we are an island country and continent isolated from the rest of the world. I hope we're in good stead and continue to work hard to control this virus. Stay sensible and safe, Australia.
Bryn Roberts, New Lambton
COVID-19? I'm more worried about the possibility of COVID-20. What are the World Health Organisation and United Nations going to do in the future regarding wet markets and the world exploitation of wild animals ('Overseas 'horror show' gives lessons to PM', Newcastle Herald 16/4)? These two supposedly necessary organisations must act and rebuke nations who don't play by the rules.
Alan Harrison, Glendale
GARY Bruce (Short Takes, 15/4), where will all the show ponies and pumped up meatheads go to parade if the council closes Bathers Way?
Matt Ophir, Charlestown
WE all are doing our bit by staying at home, but if you are ready to scream or have cabin fever, I say keep a few shopping bags or a prescription with you, put your joggers on and head somewhere nice and quiet. No partying, just you and the big outdoors and maybe a takeaway for lunch.
Julie Robinson, Cardiff
LET'S not send anyone out to sea that is already sick. We have made enough mistakes with the Ruby Princess. Have some compassion.
Bill Slicer, Tighes Hill
BAIL them out? I'd be all for using our taxes to bail out Virgin Airlines except they themselves reportedly haven't paid any corporate tax in this country for several years.
Colin Fordham, Lambton
THANK you, Max McKinney, for your report on our public transport data ('Public transport use drops off amid virus', Herald 15/4). The figures you are quoting from Transport for NSW equate to an average of about 16 passengers per tram trip in March. Ask any local resident about how many passengers they see on these trams and I believe they will tell you they run almost empty most of the time.
John Fear, Newcastle East
I AM happy to report the Remembrance Flame in Civic Park has been fixed (Short Takes, 16/4). Thanks to Gary and his crew from City of Newcastle.
Ken Stead, Lambton
SORRY Carol (Letters, 16/4) you may not like NRL, but for the sanity of the many supporters, why not let a sport recommence is players safety is not at risk?
