Enough with ‘second wave’ panic

I am writing to The Australian as the only medium that publishes any sane content on the COVID-19 situation. The bulk of the media is having a field day feeding anxiety over the virus, led by shrill cries from ABC newsreaders about “this killer virus” (it is not particularly deadly) that “will swamp the country with a second wave” (no it won’t as 99.9 per cent of us do not have it).

Death from all manner of causes is part of life. So far 104 Australian deaths have been attributed to COVID. More than 1000 will die this year on the roads. This could be avoided if the Government banned road use, but it doesn’t, accepting that there is a cost to liberty and commerce. So it should be with COVID.

When are we going to wake up, stop virtue signalling, let people save their businesses and family lives and deal with this issue sensibly?

Patrick Vowell, Metung, Vic

Many of the returning overseas travellers are COVID-19 positive and are duly quarantined for 14 days, usually in an expensive hotel. The question is, who are these incoming returnees and why are they coming home now? Scott Morrison asked three months ago that no one travel internationally and yet we are still quarantining many flying in every week.

This is an expensive exercise for taxpayers and even more frustrating when those in quarantine refuse to be tested for the virus before release.

Lesley Beckhouse, Queanbeyan, NSW

Much has been made about home office employment arrangements continuing beyond COVID-19, but there is a less desirable aspect to this. For neighbours, it brings noise — the din in a hitherto quiet location during the day of people pacing around outside their houses talking business, loudly and earnestly, on their mobile phones and annoying the whatever out of others, who can’t wait for them to return to the office.

Leni Palk, Unley, SA

Could the last (non-Victorian) person flying up to Queensland please turn out the lights?

Wolf Ebert, Sandy Bay, Tas

On Monday, The Australian reported that Iceland, with a population of 365,000, expected coronavirus would not affect voting because the country had only 10 reported deaths and 11 active cases (“Iceland chief wins in landslide”, 29/6). Yet here in Australia, with a population about 60 times greater and a death toll proportionally six times lower, we are in a state of panic, borders closed, wrecked economy, the second wave coming and dud state governments “keeping us safe”.

We need leaders with a thoughtful perspective, not ones who blindly follow bureaucratic extreme models, throw borrowed money at problems and don’t admit to their mistakes.

Tony Pearce, Wynnum, Qld

China syndrome

In 2008, I happened to be standing next to a group of friendly Falun Gong spectators who were waving Australian flags as we watched the Olympic Torch relay as it passed by the Chinese embassy in Canberra.

Two charter buses with interstate registration plates suddenly pulled up and a horde of young Chinese students disembarked, screaming abuse, pushing and shoving as they surrounded the Falun Gong spectators in an unprovoked and physically threatening manner.

Police were quickly on the scene, but it left a lasting impression on me and I am sure on all who witnessed it.

Thanks to The Australian (“Yang mobilised Chinese students for ALP campaign”, 30/6), I now know the identity of one of the organisers of that incident that turned ugly.

As a Victorian, I am alarmed that organiser Nancy Yang is a staffer in Premier Daniel Andrews’s electoral office and active in his Government’s campaign machine.

Andrews should be asked to explain. Urgently.

John Bell, Heidelberg Heights, Vic