PERHAPS it's information fatigue setting in after almost a year of shocking and tragic news about the coronavirus pandemic.
With vaccines promised soon, there appears to be a slight but perceptible lessening of community urgency when it comes to the national conversation about COVID-19.
Yes, the South Australian government reacted with speed to address the Parafield outbreak, and moved just as quickly to lift its hard lockdown when it was realised the threat was not as bad as it first believed.
While the public sector is still acting with necessary caution, private enterprise hit by the pandemic is raring at the bit to re-engage, banking on a vaccine as a cure-all allowing a rapid return to free movement.
COVID-19 SNAPSHOT:
- Berejiklian faces controversy over self-isolation
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- COVID cases could carry immunity for at least eight months
- US vaccine 'before Christmas'
- 17 new cases in China
If optimism - along with global stockmarkets - is rising, then so is COVID-19. Infections continue to hit new heights across the northern hemisphere as it heads into winter.
When Australia's great lockdown began in late March, global cases were totalling about 60,000 a day.
Eight months later, the rate is 10 times higher, hitting a new peak on Friday of 660,000.
Shockingly, almost a third of those cases - or 196,000 - came from the United States.
This time last month, the US had almost 9 million cases, but India, with 8 million, was on track to overtake it.
Since then, India's infection rates have fallen, and America's have accelerated.
The gap is now 3 million cases: the US with 12.2 million cases and India 9.1 million.
All up, coronavirus has a far greater grip on humanity than at any time this year, and as previous plateaus have proven temporary, there is no obvious reason to expect infection to slow of its own accord.
Without vaccines, there is literally no end in sight.
Although a virtual G20 meeting at the weekend pledged to "spare no effort" in distributing vaccines, German chancellor Angela Merkel said richer nations had already contracted for their vaccine stockpiles, and she feared poorer countries would be left behind.
This must not be allowed to happen. In a global order already shaken by COVID-19, the best form of self interest will be to see all countries treated equally.
If not, this present mood of optimism could prove short-lived.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned in March that COVID had the potential to send countries into "chaos".
An unfair distribution of vaccines could easily prove to be the catalyst.
ISSUE: 39,472.
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