PROFESSOR Nancy Baxter is The University of Melbourne’s Head of the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health. A clinical epidemiologist, general surgeon and health services researcher, she has been in the forefront of the fight against Covid. She chatted with Donna Kelly about the pandemic.

Donna: The government and some people are talking “post pandemic” and yet it seems we are still in the grip of pandemic. Are we? What’s next?

“If we all work masks, particularly high-quality well fitted masks, we could drive down transmission. This would also help with flu transmission. I am really concerned about the healthcare system right now so I am wearing mine as much as possible.“
Nancy: We are very much still in the midst of the pandemic. Fortunately most of us have been vaccinated before encountering Covid so we are not seeing the same degree of illness as other countries did in 2020 and 2021 when they had to face the disease with no immunity.
But we now have almost 6000 people in Australia already dying of Covid in 2022 and thousands of people contracting the disease daily. Our health care system is strained and we are going into winter with what is shaping up to be (in addition to the Covid outbreak) a bad year for the flu.
I think many people had hoped that if they got COVID it would be “one and done” – we now know that having had an infection doesn’t protect you from getting Covid again for long, so if we try to live like the pandemic is over we will be getting Covid multiple times per year.
And on top of that there are likely to be new variants that have an impact. We are much better off because of vaccines, but realistically the pandemic is not over.

Donna: How can we best help ourselves when we are already triple vaxxed?
Nancy: For some people at higher risk (over age 65, immunocompromised) getting the winter dose (4th dose) is important and for anyone yet to get their booster doing so ASAP is important – having everyone boosted will save lives.
Getting your flu vaccine is important too – our health care system is going to be in big trouble if we have two major outbreaks happening at once. We all have different levels of risk tolerance, and some of us have higher risk of severe disease from COVID, so there is not one size fits all.
But at this point if everyone considered making small changes to reduce transmission it would help. Wearing masks, socialising outdoors when possible, socialising with smaller groups, ensuring your indoor air is well ventilated, and staying at home when sick – these are things we can all do.
For those people who get Covid (and many of us will – it is very contagious!) talking to your doctor about whether you are eligible for anti-viral medications that can reduce the risk of severe disease is important – the medication needs to be started within five days of symptoms so it’s important to act quickly.

Donna: Should masks still be mandated?
Nancy: If we all wore masks, particularly high-quality well fitted masks, we could drive down transmission. This would also help with flu transmission. I am really concerned about the healthcare system right now so I am wearing mine as much as possible.

Donna: If people like myself, in their 50s, with asthma, and carrying a couple of extra kilos of Covid coating, want another booster, should that be available?
Nancy: I think the best thing to do would be to speak with your GP who knows your history and can assess how high your risk is of severe outcomes from Covid. As we get further from our boosters, I would anticipate the age cutoff will come down so you will probably be eligible in the not too distant future.

Donna: Do Australian people take this seriously enough or have we become slack?
Nancy: People are really tired – I get that, but almost 6000 people have died already this year. Covid is on track to be one of the major killers of Australians this year with no end really in sight.
So I do think we have allowed our fatigue to cloud our judgement a bit. But I believe that after it becomes clear to Australians that this is not going away that people will start to change their behaviours. We are not going to live well with Covid unless we adapt to Covid.

Donna: How do you feel about being a celebrity? Was that ever on the books?
Nancy: I tell friends from Toronto that I am occasionally recognised on the street and none of us can believe it. No, this was very much not on my bingo card. I have felt very honoured to have the privilege of helping communicate what is happening to Australians. I feel that deeply.

Donna: Do you wish you were still in Canada – and how are they going there? I lived in Japan and had a best friend who was Canadian who often wore a maple leaf on her outfit to stand out from Americans. Do you ever do this? Joking, maybe.
Nancy: I lived in the US for five years and some of my best friends are American. I sometimes think Canadians are like Kiwis in terms of us always being mistaken for our bigger neighbours. However, I don’t generally need a maple leaf – the first “about” out of my mouth and the Australians are on to me. Not being able to travel home has been hard, however I am very grateful to have been in Australia during the pandemic. We have been remarkably safe throughout mainly because we were all in this together.

Regional and rural Victorian communities have a new Rainbow Ready Roadmap.

The roadmap means access to a landmark suite of resources to drive inclusion and equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ+) Victorians.
Minister for Equality Martin Foley said it gave regional communities access to a set of resources and guidance on how community groups, service providers, organisations, sporting clubs, health services, schools and businesses could take steps to ensure all members of the community including LGBTIQ+ Victorians are respected.
That included educating staff at council facilities about LGBTIQ+ communities, suggesting local businesses display pride materials or advising a school to host a pride day.
A series of in-person workshops will be held across regional and rural Victoria.
Link: vic.gov.au/rainbow-ready-roadmap

Macedon Ranges Shire Council will be holding a community talk and community round table event as part of National Reconciliation Week 2022, May 27-June 3.

Truth-telling and reconciliation will be held at Kyneton Town Hall on Tuesday, May 31 at 7pm. Speakers include Yoorrook Justice Commission education assistant director Brent Ryan and Reconciliation Victoria CEO Nicole Findlay. A Q&A session and light refreshments will follow the talk.
Reconciliation Action in our Community will be held on Tuesday, June 7 from 7–9pm at Woodend Community Centre.
Guest speakers include Mayor Cr Jennifer Anderson, Castlemaine Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation’s Vic Say, and Taungurung man and Council’s Reconciliation Action Plan Implementation committee member Dennis Batty.
Bookings essential on www.mrsc.vic.gov.au/RW2022 or 5422 0333.

Over the next few editions we are taking a look back at some of our favourite photos. And here’s Ian Tinetti like you have never seen him before.

The Vietnam veteran, and Cricket Willow owner bared all back in 2013, with fellow veteran and cricketer Laurie Wilks, for a good cause – a retreat for veterans and their partners at Bairnsdale.
Mr Tinetti, pictured with wife, Trish, said Greg and Annie Carter, with Mr Carter also a Vietnam vet, put the call out for veterans keen to be involved in a fundraising nearly nude calendar. The theme was whatever the veterans were involved in – so cricket was the obvious choice.
Money raised went towards providing better facilities at Cockatoo Rise war veterans’ retreat at Bairnsdale ran by the Carters offering a safe, secure and peaceful environment for veterans to enjoy time with their partners and mates.
The image ran in the first edition of The Local, back on September 2, 2013. Image: Kyle Barnes

The State Labor Government will provide fresh and healthy food with the new Ballarat Foodbank Hub, ensuring food relief gets to the people who need it most.

Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers Anthony Carbines welcomed the acquisition of land for a new facility to be operated by Foodbank Victoria in Ballarat.
The new hub will provide fresh and nutritious meals, prepared in an onsite commercial kitchen, with community based food programs including Farms to Families pop-up markets and training programs to improve food literacy, also operating from the hub.
The Ballarat Foodbank Hub will be located in the Ballarat West Employment Zone, on a 4.7-hectare site following an expression of interest process.
The Ballarat hub will be up and running by the end of 2022 and will partner with local charities to provide essential food relief to Central Goldfields, Golden Plains, Hepburn, Mount Alexander, Ballarat, Grampians and Pyrenees Local Government Areas.
The hub will be run by a mix of paid staff and volunteers and will also provide vocational training placement opportunities. Supplies will be provided by Foodbank Victoria and donations from local supermarkets, wholesalers, and producers.
The State Government is also delivering hub services through Albury-Wodonga Regional Foodshare, Bendigo Foodshare, Geelong Relief Centre, Mildura Foodshare and Warrnambool and District Foodshare.
This forms part of more than $39 million to expand community food relief across Victoria since February 2020, including $6 million from the Food Relief Financial Reserve which have provided 3.4 million meals to Victorians. A further $5 million has helped 93 community food relief organisations to deliver more food relief to Victorians.
Every year, the government provides $3.7 million to Foodbank Victoria to provide food to 140,000 Victorians each month in partnership with more than 470 charities.
Anthony Carbines said:
“We are ensuring a warm meal is available for everyone who needs it – because no Victorian should worry about having enough to eat.”
Juliana Addison Member for Wendouree said:
“With this new Ballarat hub, food relief organisations across the Ballarat community will be able to continue their important work getting food out to vulnerable members of our community long into the future.”
Michaela Settle Member for Buninyong said:
“The new Foodbank Hub in Ballarat will mean more families in our community have fresh and nutritious food on their table when they need it most.”

WORKING TOGETHER TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY RECOVERY

Council continue to work together to support people within the Hepburn Shire who were impacted by the January 2022 storm, and the subsequent flooding in Creswick.
Council’s Recovery Centre is a place for people impacted by the storm to find out about available support. This includes residents, property owners, business operators and farmers. The Storm Recovery Team can help people access services including counselling, social support, financial assistance, a secondary impact assessment (of storm damage) and more. To make an appointment, please call (03) 4373 7373.
At CHRH, our recovery support is being delivered by our Community Health and Wellbeing team. Our Recovery Support Workers are providing social work and psychological services, including in specialised areas such as alcohol or other drugs, family violence, youth and children, if required.
This face-to-face and/or telehealth support is available now – please call (03) 5345 9100 for more information.

INFORMATION FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE RECOVERED FROM COVID-19

Most people who have tested positive to COVID-19 can get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as they are feeling better (and able to return to normal activities) after they have completed 7 days of isolation. There is no need to provide a negative test or blood test before vaccination.
People with long COVID symptoms can still get vaccinated and can discuss this with their doctor if they have any questions.
A COVID-19 infection will provide some natural immunity but it will decrease over time. Vaccination is important to get maximum protection against further COVID-19 infection.
Unless you have been hospitalised for COVID-19, there is no recommended minimum interval between infection and vaccination, and no need to delay your vaccination once you have recovered.
If you were hospitalised for COVID-19, talk to your doctor first. If you received specialised treatments (monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma), a 90-day interval is required before getting a COVID-19 vaccination.
View more information in the Victorian COVID-19 Vaccination Guidelines: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/victorian- covid-19-vaccination-guidelines
Book a vaccination appointment at a Victorian vaccination centre using the online booking system, or by calling the Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398 between 8am and 8pm, 7 days a week. You can also book an appointment at your local GP or pharmacy.
For more information about COVID-19 vaccines, please visit: www.chrh.org.au/covid-19-vaccines/

Space Time

Autumn is here.
Days are speedily
getting shorter
and shorter
day by day.

The earth is spinning
fast, they say
and on its journey
around the sun
it travels even faster.

It doesn’t to us
seem in any hurry
at all. A day can
be a long time
and a year feel
like an age.

Summers are long,
winters longer.
But giving us a taste
of the fastness of space,
autumn just disappears
in a flash.

• Lal Von Steensen

THE world is buggered. Interest rates are spiking, the cost of living is up and we are all going to die. Or so the media would have you believe.

I woke up the other day a little too early so I decided to invest an hour on the couch with a coffee watching TV. The first stop was Channel 7 which quickly drew my attention to the blood red horizontal jagged line on the screen – the graphic was there to indicate interest rate rises – as they also crossed to various journalists live on location.
These guys were out on the streets at 6.30am in an attempt to add gravitas to the rate rise situation, I suppose. At that point, with a roll of the eye, I couldn’t help but change the channel to the ABC which had obviously pinched the same graphic but with a slightly smaller budget had decided that there was no point crossing to journalists that early in the morning.
I am sure the rate rise graphic is the work of the same designer who invented the spiky red Covid ball. It was that same colour. A shade of red which, unlike in a Chinese restaurant is supposedly designed to make you hungry and comfortable at the same time, evokes feelings of fear. I imagine it was dreamed up by a young graphic designer or perhaps a team of them, a shade of red that mimics blood.
And that, my friends, is the mainstream media with the saying “if it bleeds it leads”. And the saying these days would go on to say “if it doesn’t bleed, paint it red.”
But to my point, we have all experienced a rough two years or so, perhaps it’s time to cool our jets, and watch puppy dogs frolic, and while listening to sound of children playing we sip from a cup of homemade lemonade in a field of fallen autumn leaves. See below.

Yes, interest rates have gone up, but that is against the lowest rate in history and those of us who pay attention know that this simply stabilises the property market, makes housing more affordable which then flows on into the housing crisis.
There are much bigger things to worry about like mothers and the lack of them. It seems that a lot of my mid-50s cohort are losing theirs and not in a “where did she go?” in a shopping centre way, more like a just “where did she go” way.
I had an abundance of them at one-point thanks in large to my father’s ways (don’t worry he won’t be offended) and inability to live alone.
But one of my favourites was Donna’s mum Betty who was a great sparring partner, gave as good as she got in a typical mother-in-law/son-in-law relationship, and is sorely missed after almost two years.
Another cherished matriarch is Jackie, my step-mother of 27 years, who after three years of not seeing each other, we hugged and cried for three minutes on her death bed in New Zealand, just this April.
Not such a Happy Mother’s day rant over…

Oh, great news. Skeeta the dog whose owner could no longer keep her has a new forever home. And well done to Yvette for looking after her all this time!

ANGELA Rigby is a great advocate for Hepburn House – but her move in March last year was far from planned.

The now 81-year-old was living in a unit in Harper Court, Daylesford when she had a fall in the bathroom and had to shimmy along the floor through the laundry to the bedroom before she could manage to stand up and call for help.
She was OK but had done some damage to her sciatic nerve and found herself in Hepburn House for respite care.
“I got talking to Dianne (the manager) and she just asked me why not stay on, so I said yes. And it’s been brilliant. I told my son I was finally feeling a sense of freedom. And I meant mental freedom, physically you decline as you age of course, but mentally it is great here.
“There is the kindness and care of the staff, you can have as much or as little company as you like and there are no horror stories which you hear about some aged care places in the country.
“I would 100 per cent recommend it to other people who are perhaps feeling a little frail or lonely but come in first for a look around and see what the rooms and facilities look like.
“I think a lot of older people have preconceived ideas about aged care homes, but Hepburn House is fantastic. I put it down to Dianne, she is a very good manager.”
Angela is also happy to let other people do things for her after a busy working life and raising seven children.
The young family migrated from Lincolnshire, England in 1973, one of the first of the 10-pound poms to arrive via Boeing rather than a ship.
The move came because Angela, originally from the country, watched her husband working at the steelworks and with her four sons, thought “God, there must be a better place in the world for them”.
“England was very class conscious then and I just didn’t think they could be successful if we stayed trapped in that class scene and I was right. They are all doing very well now so it was a good move.”
The family of eight stayed in a migrant hostel once they arrived in Australia until they could find a family home in Melbourne, but her husband left not long after.
Angela, who worked in the mental health field most of her life, met an older Australian man, who had a friend with a cottage in Hepburn, and they used to spend their Christmas holidays there. Finally, as her partner got closer to retiring, the family made the permanent move in the late 1970s, looking at a house in Mt Franklin but choosing Sailors Hill.
When her partner died, she moved in with her daughter’s family in Bendigo. A few weeks later her son-in-law accepted a job in Darwin, and with the collapse of Ansett, they found a campervan and the family, including two babies and a cat and a dog, drove up to Darwin. Angela stayed for three years but then moved back to the Central Highlands and to Harper Place.
“So yes, I have been busy but I am not being busy any more and I am not moving out of here. I can relax and let other people look after me. It’s wonderful. I still like doing research on aged care – I was one of the people who opened Lumeah Lodge when the town decided we needed an aged care facility – and I like reading about human behaviour. I also do meditation colouring – that’s my creative activity. But mostly it is just great being responsible for just yourself, and having time for yourself. That is an amazing thing.”

Hepburn House is a progressive aged care centre offering a highly advanced, fully personalised range of aged care services for its residents.
Contact: 5348 8100 or www.hepburnhouse.com.au

THE annual RACV Florence Thomson Tour was held on Saturday, April 30 with the main drive from Bendigo to Maldon, then on to Castlemaine for lunch, then back to Bendigo via Elphinstone and Harcourt.

Participant and Trentham resident Jerry Wells said the event celebrated the pioneering spirit and contribution of women to Australian motoring

“In 1905, Florence Thomson was the sole female entrant in the Dunlop Reliability Trial from Sydney to Melbourne. Mrs Thomson, driving her little 6-hp Wolseley, was one of the 16 entrants who successfully completed the five-day trial over what was nothing more than 562 miles (900 km) of dirt track between the capital cities.
“The Florence Thomson Tour was created as an annual event in April 2017 by the RACV. In the event all the drivers are women and they are encouraged to dress in clothing appropriate to the era of their cars.
“Some 60 cars participated and as you can see from the photos, at Buda in Castlemaine, they all looked quite spectacular.

“The black and white photo was taken in Adelaide and shows Florence sitting in her little Wolseley shortly before the car and her team was transported to Sydney for the start of the trial.”

Images: Jerry Wells

THE Royal Commission into violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation of persons with a disability (DRC) is running until December 2022.

GdA indigenous support officer Fiona Tipping, left, and Your Story Legal Support Michelle Bowler, right, said at the end of September next year, the commission would present a report with recommendations to the government.
“We need help in collecting these stories also known as submissions, to make sure everyone’s voices are heard, and the important matters are talked about. You do not need to have a formal diagnosis, the DRC is open to anyone that identifies as having a disability, including people with mental health diagnosis, also known as psychosocial disability.
“The stories do not have to be limited to your personal experience, we welcome submissions from family, carers, friends, support workers and service providers. We are interested in good stories, what has worked well for you in the past, when have you been well supported.
“Recommendations, what would you like to see in the future in the disability space, what are the most pressing needs you have witnessed of people with disabilities? And also, stories about when you weren’t treated well.”
Ms Unwin said submissions could look very different for each person, from a voice recording on a phone or a painting, to a poem, video, written, on the phone or a private session. Private session registration end in June this year. The DRC has provided free and independent support for people wanting to tell their story, this includes advocacy, counselling and legal support.
“Grampians disAbility Advocacy is your local advocacy organisation, we are inviting you to an information session. We have noticed that a lot of people are not aware of the commission or not sure what its role is. We have decided to run these sessions in the hopes that people will come along and hear what it is all about.
“We have arranged speakers from each of the support agencies, ourselves, Your Story Disability Legal Support, Blue Knot counselling and a representative from the Disability Royal Commission. We invite you to come along, hear what the speakers have to say, ask any questions, and enjoy an afternoon tea.We will be there afterwards to chat and connect. Please register by calling 1800 552 272 or emailing admin@grampiansadvocacy.org.au”

A NUMBER of events are being held across the Macedon Ranges to mark International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) this week week.

A flag-raising ceremony will be held at the Kyneton Mechanics Institute on Tuesday, May 17 from 12pm featuring guest speakers from Macedon Ranges Shire Council, Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health and the community.
IDAHOBIT is celebrated each year around the world to raise awareness of the discrimination LGBTIQA+ members of the community continue to face and to celebrate the richness that diversity brings to lives.
As well as raising the rainbow flag, there is a community lunch on Wednesday, May 18 at the Kyneton Mechanics Institute and a series of activities being held in conjunction with Goldfields Libraries. A special storytime for pre-school children will be held at Gisborne, Romsey, Kyneton and Woodend libraries on May 17 and 25 where performer Em Chandler will share some rainbow families storytelling.
The following week at Kyneton, Woodend and Gisborne libraries there will be a screening of a series of videos called Meet the Family and at Kyneton library there is also the opportunity to create a rainbow pendant or key ring.
Details: 5421 1666, healthpromotion@scchc.org.au or www.sunburycobaw.org.au/idahobit-celebrations

The 5000 Club is seeking a cook to work with us at the pavilion at Victoria Park, Daylesford which has a full commercial kitchen.

Your responsibility would be to cook one main dish and one vegetarian dish. The hours are 9am to noon on Fridays and we would pay industry level wages. Shopping is done in consultation with the cook.
If you can help us, please contact the president, Loretta Little, on 5348 4193, or mobile 0439 364 857. pthree hours on Fridays, and we would pay industry- level wages

• Loretta Little, Daylesford

Rex consultation too quick: Hepburn Shire Council officers were directed by councillors to design The Rex community consultation in November 2021.

he process was announced on April 27, 2022 via the Hepburn Shire website with responses required by May 20. This is less than a month for responses whereas council took five months to design the process.
The information provided by council does not include the possibilities that have already been suggested to council such as subdivision, selling with conditions for community use for part of the building, selling with conditions around leasing part of the building for community use and private sale of part of the building to pay for or contribute to the cost of redevelopment of the community part of the building.
The information does not include possible community use of the building other than those included in the original Hepburn Hub concept.
Further, the information is inaccurate as it does not include the council plan to include the cinema which although not included in the original plan for The Rex was quickly included as a result of a huge community outcry.
A radically altered plan for the building with the community space excluding the back area which has problems with damp and drainage will be significantly less costly than the original council plan. Therefore the figures given are not relevant if the community space redevelopment is confined to the front part of the building.
The responses sought do not include an option for people to recommend halting the sale pending further exploration of the viability of alternatives currently being explored.
Had the consultation been co-designed as requested by the Rethink the Rex group this option would have been included. It appears this questionnaire has been developed to produce the answer council is seeking, that is to sell The Rex.
In order for this consultation process to properly reflect community views, a longer timeline is required to ensure the community is properly informed of alternative options.
Although council is stating that these options do not need to be developed beyond a concept stage, some work will be needed to establish viability before circulating information to the community sufficient for them to reach a conclusion about the best way forward.

• Jules McDonald, convenor, Rethink the Rex community group