COVID-19 in Australia: Social distancing and self-isolation are being ignored by too many

Wars are not won by individuals acting alone but by working together, and Team Australia needs every one of us right now. What a disgrace some people still don’t get it, writes Kylie Lang.

In wartime, one particular action is incredibly powerful: respect.

As the fight intensifies against COVID-19, it is respect that will see us through, and help us rebuild.

Respect for our leaders delivering vital information, respect for rules temporarily constraining our freedoms, and respect for frontline workers risking their lives to save ours.

Respect for each other, period.

It has always been this way, no matter on which side of the political fence you sit.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said this week’s passing of the $130 billion JobKeeper scheme was not about ideologies.

Too right.

In his address to the House of Representatives on Wednesday, the conservative leader reminded me of Labor stalwart John Curtin, who steered our country through the greater years of World War II.

During the Battle of the Coral Sea in 1942, Prime Minister Curtin asked people to “make a sober and realistic estimate of their duty to the nation … men are fighting for Australia today; those who are not fighting have no excuse for not working”.

Despite pleas for people to stay at home and stop the spread ofcoronavirus, Burleigh Heads was packed on Friday morning. Picture: AAP/Darren England

Mr Morrison repeated this call for solidarity and for sacrifice, urging Australians to “keep up our efforts” against coronavirus because “progress can be easily undone”.

Wars are not won by individuals acting alone but by working together, and Team Australia needs each and every one of us right now.

What a disgrace some people still don’t get it.

They are the ones gathering in unacceptable numbers in public spaces and private homes, and getting in your face when you need to go out for supplies because 1.5m distances don’t apply to them.

They’re the ones ignoring Mr Morrison’s words and criticising his appearance, glibly saying he is looking haggard. Far out, wouldn’t you?

And they’re the ones giving emergency workers a hard time, abusing them for being “germ spreaders” instead of holding them up as the heroes they rightly are.

Although the anarchic actions of this discordant minority have been called out repeatedly, they don’t seem to be abating.

As a result, more and more of our privileges are being taken away.

Beaches are closed, national parks too. Access to nature is being restricted, for heaven’s sake.

What more of a wake-up call do these fools need?

In his address this week, the Prime Minister leader reminded me of Labor stalwart John Curtin, who steered our country through the greater years of World War II. Picture: AAP/Lukas Coch

Earlier this week, while picking up takeaway from Spaghetti House Trattoria in South Bank, I watched police officers tell a group of people in the parklands opposite to disperse.

The people did. The officers walked away. The people regrouped.

No respect, just a misplaced sense of entitlement to do what they like.

Stuff the law. Stuff public health. And stuff the $1334 fines they were subsequently issued when police returned. You can bet they’ll weasel out of paying them.

Australia is in a comparatively good place in the war on COVID-19, but modelling released this week shows the alarming consequences if we do not respect social distancing.

The rate of increase in the virus curve is slowing, however, overall numbers are still increasing.

Too many have already suffered. Lives have been lost. Livelihoods smashed. Mental health problems are soaring and a massive spike in domestic violence predicted.

The Australia that emerges from this pandemic will be a very different one.

How we relate to each other, do business, spend, travel, think – all of this will be permanently changed.

Police have been forced to patrol beaches because so many still refuse to do their part for Team Australia. Picture: AAP/Darren England

What the rebuilding of our nation will require is agility, hard work, patience and, indeed, respect because without it, communities will continue to suffer.

We’ve seen some wonderful examples of kindness amid this pandemic – little kids compiling care packages for older people in their neighbourhoods, people donating toilet paper, food and other essentials, and plenty of “pay it forward”.

A friend went to her local cafe on Monday and was told the takeaway coffee she’d ordered was free thanks to the generosity of a previous customer.

Another was at a green grocer’s checkout when the customer in front struggled to pay his bill and began removing tomatoes and bananas from his basket. She asked the shop assistant to put them back in and add them to her bill.

Difficult times, in particular, call on each of us to do what we can, to show respect for the plight of others and to appreciate our common humanity.

We should be looking for ways to help others, not seeing ourselves as somehow removed from them.

Follow the rules. Be respectful. Be part of Team Australia.

Kylie Lang is Associate Editor of The Courier-Mail

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