Climate Action Merribek: people in Brunswick, Coburg, Fawkner and Glenroy wanting action on climate change

Brunswick Climate Fair postponed due to CoronaVirus

March 13, 2020 at 1:35 pm John Englart Leave a comment

Climate Fair event on Saturday postponed due to rapid escalation of the Coronavirus CorVid-19 public health response.

Climate organisations in Moreland have been working to organise a climate fair to be held at Wilson Avenue in Brunswick on Saturday 14 March, with the assistance and co-operation of state Greens MP Tim Read.

With the cancellation of the Grand Prix in Melbourne this weekend, it is clear that major gatherings of people poses a major public health commumnity transmission risk. Social distancing needs to be employed to reduce level of virus transmission.

Slowing down community transmission of this virus is important to ensure the public health system has the resources to repond adequately to the level of demand required.

Dr Tim Read, the local state MP for Brunswick, put out a statement saying “It now seems the wrong time to bring people together for any non-essential reason.”

“While the Fair would likely be safer than a tram or a classroom, Perceptions matter in campaigning.”

He detailed that his office is getting calls and e-mails from doctors running out of masks and gloves and calling for events to be cancelled.

“Apologies to those who have already put in work for this event. Especially the kids at Brunswick South-West Primary who made the most beautiful sign. None of it will go to waste. We’ll hold this Fair when the fever subsides, most likely in the Spring or Summer.” announced Tim Read.

Tim Read’s statement and call to postpone this community event makes it clear that public attention, for a while, will now focus entirely on the course of the virus.

Statistics for the virus show that about 80 percent of people experience mild flu like symptoms, some people may not even show any symptoms. For 14 to 15 percent symptoms can become actute and may need some level of medical intervention, including hospitalisation, use of ventilators. This is where slowing the rate of transmission can be very important as the medical and hospital system can be ramped up to cope with a reduced rate of emergency cases.

Elderly people, people with Type 2 Diabetes, heart and respiratory conditions may be particularly susceptible to this virus, and need medical/hospital assistance.

The Death rate on current numbers as documented by World Health Organisation (WHO) is 3.68 per cent, based on 125,288 confirmed cases, with 4,614 deaths. While age, gender and pre-existing health conditions are all possible factors affecting outcomes, it is the Public Health response and ability to deal with the emergency that determines whether we end up with a death rate of 0.5 per cent or 3 to 5 percent.

The rapid escalation of the virus in northern Italy showed a hospital system failing to cope with the emergency, with many patients only able to given minimal care, that doctors and nursing staff working under enormous pressure for triage of medical care.

“Reducing community transmission is vital to ensure the health system in Victoria and Australia copes with the course of this virus.” said Climate Action Moreland Convenor John Englart,

“Postponing the Moreland Climate Fair is a responsible measure. We look forward to the Victorian Government also taking a responsible decision by the end of March in making science based interim emissions reduction targets for Victoria to meet Paris Agreement target and the zero net emissions target that Victoria has already set, and for the Australian Government to step up policy response commensurate with the climate emergency.” concluded Englart.

The Climate Fair exhibitors include:

• Neighbours United for Climate Action (NUCA)
• Climate Action Moreland
• Extinction Rebellion Moreland
• Stop Adani Moreland
• Friends of the Earth
• Moreland Greens
• Upfield Urban Forest
• CERES
• Joe’s Market Garden
• Climate and Health Alliance
• Moreland Bicycle Users Group (Moreland BUG)
• Tim Read MP
• Melbourne Climate Save
• Environment Victoria
• Healthy Futures
• Australian Energy Foundation (Zero Carbon Moreland)
• Australian Student Environment Network (ASEN)
• Friends of Merri Creek
• No Toxic Incinerator for Hume (NTIH)
• Climate Choir Melbourne

The event, for the moment, has been postponed to September 5. (Facebook Event)

Source: Via Flowing Data

References:

• World health Organisation (WHO) Corona Virus data tracker
• World Health Organisation – Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak
• Tomas Pueyo, 10 March 2020 (Medium) – Coronavirus: Why You Must Act Now
• Max Roser, Hannah Ritchie and Esteban Ortiz-Ospina (2020) – “Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) – Research and Statistics”. Published online at OurWorldInData.org. Retrieved from: ‘https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus‘ [Online Resource]

Entry filed under: Meet Climate Action Moreland members, news. Tags: Brunswick, Climate Fair, Corona virus, CorVid19, Moreland, pandemic.