It’s already been labelled a more difficult lockdown than the first round, with data proving Melburnians are having a challenging time coming to terms with not-so-unfamiliar restrictions.
We saw similar reduced activity back in April and May, but now as stage 3 is rolled out again across the City of Melbourne and Mitchell Shire regions, having to face the facts of staying at home is still a tough thing to tackle for some.
A graph shows the rise in new cases between the first and second wave. Source
The second round of lockdown was put into place on July 9, as COVID-19 active confirmed cases continued to rise throughout these areas. In the first week of round one lockdowns, traffic sensor detectors reported an average of only 2,858 pedestrians a day. But fast forward to one week into the second lockdown, and that figure was 3,598.
It’s evident that Melburnians are either finding it hard to stay at home within the four reasons, or aren’t convinced that COVID-19 is a significant threat. In door-knock blitz testing, more than 10,000 residents refused to undergo the swab test, with health authorities blaming conspiracy theories and misinformation.
In addition, the World Health Organisation is continuing to warn people to stay vigilant about the “infodemic” that’s emerging from the likes of online platforms and social media. One example includes a known Australian conspiracy theorist posting to their 250,000 Instagram followers about the use of “contaminated test kits” across Melbourne sites. This is only one instance of a harmful claim that’s inaccurate and causing further gaps towards maintaining a united front against the pandemic.
Melburnians not staying home during testing
While plenty of residents are now taking action to get tested when they present symptoms, or come into contact with those that have developed them, they’re still not staying home while they wait for their results.
Google recently released data around user movements, which included 6.3 million Victorians, proving that Melburnians are not limiting their activity during lockdown 2.0.
Victoria’s State Government Health and Human Services team are now pleading for residents to stay at home and self-isolate after having the test done. Beyond this, all residents should only leave their property for four reasons:
- Shopping for food and supplies
- Receiving and giving care
- Exercise or outdoor recreation
- Work and study where you cannot do so at home.
Avoiding bill shock – lessons from lockdown 1.0
During the first round of lockdown and COVID-19 restrictions, Australia saw plenty of unexpected surprises. This included the inevitable household bill shock, as residents remained at home to work, study and practice social distancing.
In response, the Australian government released resources and support material intended to help consumers access ways to pay climbing bills. This information is now, once again, highly relevant – especially in areas of stage 3 restrictions across Melbourne and Mitchell Shire.
You can view these guidelines and tips here.
However, Energy Matters has also curated some useful information around how you can minimise pressure on your hip-pocket during COVID-19, with articles now life on these topics:
- How to adapt your household living during COVID-19
- #Stayhome: How Australians save on costly electricity bills during COVID-19
- UPDATE: COVID-19 restrictions – what you can and can’t do
- Use forums when customer service teams are inundated from COVID-19
- Surviving COVID-19 lockdown bill shocks through solar power.
We also highly recommend opting for a free energy health check to see if your household is getting the best possible deal and rates during this difficult time. You can get yours by heading here.
