1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:03,280 Speaker 1: Good morning and welcome to the Daily OS Today. I 2 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:06,440 Speaker 1: really wanted to open this with something other than lockdown news, 3 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:09,320 Speaker 1: but honestly, there's not a whole lot out there. Sam, 4 00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:10,360 Speaker 1: what are we talking about. 5 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 2: We're going to talk about your favorite pandemic, then cross 6 00:00:14,040 --> 00:00:17,280 Speaker 2: over to Tokyo where there has been an emerging story 7 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:22,159 Speaker 2: about an Australian athlete, some great news about Brisbane, and 8 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:24,439 Speaker 2: then we're going to take a deep dive on how 9 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 2: other cities are traveling. There's been so much noise at 10 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 2: the moment about Australia's COVID nineteen chapter, so we wanted 11 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:34,120 Speaker 2: to touch base around the world to take more of 12 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:36,960 Speaker 2: a global outlook on it. Zara hit us up with 13 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 2: the COVID data we need to know, but we don't 14 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:39,519 Speaker 2: want to know. 15 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:43,559 Speaker 1: Yesterday wasn't a great day for New South Wales. There 16 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 1: were one hundred and ten locally acquired cases and more importantly, 17 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:50,840 Speaker 1: forty three of those cases were infectious in the community. 18 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 1: Gladys Fary Jicklian wasn't overly forthcoming in what will happen 19 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:58,080 Speaker 1: next week? As Sydney is expected to emerge from lockdown, 20 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 1: we won't know what July thirty one, looks like across 21 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 1: the state, across Greater Sydney until at least the weekend 22 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 1: and early next week. We've somehow ended up with a 23 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:12,120 Speaker 1: ranking system of number of COVID cases. So next we 24 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:15,040 Speaker 1: go to Victoria, where there were twenty two locally acquired 25 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 1: cases yesterday. Good news was that those were all linked 26 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 1: to known outbreaks. Later in the day we found out 27 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 1: that South Australia had recorded seven new locally acquired cases 28 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: and that takes the latest cluster in SA to twelve. 29 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:33,319 Speaker 2: Over to Tokyo now and Australian equestrian writer Jamie Kermand has 30 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 2: been suspended from the Olympics only two days before they've started, 31 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 2: after testing positive for cocaine. Kermant now faces a four 32 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:43,319 Speaker 2: year ban from the sport, and he said in the 33 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 2: statement that the positive result was likely from a single 34 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 2: recreational use of the drug at a social event and 35 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 2: had no connection with his sport of equestrian. That is 36 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 2: not hard to believe. Kermand was due to make his 37 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 2: first Olympics appearance this year. 38 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 1: A couple of weeks ago we brought your horrific story 39 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:04,520 Speaker 1: about an abduction in Nigeria, and today we're reporting that 40 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 1: one hundred women and children who were abducted in June 41 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 1: by bandits have been freed, according to authorities in northwest Nigeria. 42 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:15,680 Speaker 1: According to reports, they were released without any ransom being paid. However, 43 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 1: no further details have been shared. Tragically, since December twenty twenty, 44 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,520 Speaker 1: more than one thousand people have been abducted in Nigeria, 45 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:27,120 Speaker 1: many of these being school aged children and predominantly women. 46 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 1: Not to announce the games of the thirty fifth Olympiad 47 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:37,359 Speaker 1: high awarded to Brisbane, Australia. 48 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:40,640 Speaker 2: That was the moment that Brisbane was announced as the 49 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 2: host city for the twenty thirty two Summer Olympic Games. 50 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:49,079 Speaker 2: Australian officials, including the PM and Queensland Premier Anastasia Palichet, 51 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:52,080 Speaker 2: presented a forty five minute pitch to secure the games 52 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 2: before every member of the IOC, the International Olympic Committee 53 00:02:56,240 --> 00:03:03,320 Speaker 2: took a silent vote. So COVID news in Australia has 54 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:07,440 Speaker 2: been pretty inescapable in the last few days, few weeks, 55 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:11,399 Speaker 2: kind of almost the last month. What we thought would 56 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 2: do today on the pod is have a look at 57 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 2: three other places around the world on three different continents 58 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 2: and take a bit of a survey of where they're 59 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 2: at with COVID nineteen. Whenever we put up stories about 60 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:25,880 Speaker 2: countries and their battles with the pandemic, or particular cities 61 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 2: relaxing restrictions, it gets a really great response from you guys, 62 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:32,799 Speaker 2: and we think that's because it's important to understand the 63 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 2: global nature of this global pandemic. So let's have a 64 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 2: look at the UK, Singapore and Vancouver. 65 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 1: There has been no shortage of news about Freedom Day, 66 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 1: which was the day in the UK where Boris Johnson 67 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 1: announced that basically all major restrictions were being lifted. So 68 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 1: this included face masks no longer being required to be worn, 69 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 1: no more limits on how many people can meet or 70 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 1: attend events. We saw incredible photos of completely packed night 71 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 1: clubs that an Australian could only dream of, and the 72 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 1: guidance on social distancing was also limited. And that's all 73 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:10,520 Speaker 1: happened against the backdrop of the UK continuing to record 74 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: around fifty thousand cases a day. There are also several 75 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 1: government ministers, including the Prime Minister, who were in isolation 76 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:21,040 Speaker 1: after the Health Minister tests a positive for COVID nineteen. 77 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:25,600 Speaker 2: However, in the UK, the number that authorities are focusing 78 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 2: on and encouraging the public to focus on is in 79 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 2: fact the hospitalization rates, and they have dropped quite dramatically. 80 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:34,800 Speaker 2: So you basically have a situation where COVID is still 81 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 2: being widespread, but because of mass vaccinations, the actual symptoms 82 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:41,160 Speaker 2: of COVID are less severe. 83 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 1: An interesting note on that one though, because despite a 84 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:46,360 Speaker 1: number of restrictions being eased, I was speaking to a 85 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 1: friend who is living there who said that a lot 86 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 1: of people are just sitting back and waiting to see 87 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 1: what happens, that they're not actually getting in and amongst it. 88 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:57,320 Speaker 1: Firstly because they get a ping if they have become 89 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:00,279 Speaker 1: a close contact, and a lot of them, you know, 90 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 1: have events coming up and therefore can't afford to go 91 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 1: into two weeks of isolation. So they're not actually taking 92 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 1: heart in these activities for fear of becoming a close contact. 93 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 1: And that's an interesting dynamic because supposedly they are going 94 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 1: to be living with this for the immediate future, and 95 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 1: yet some people are a bit worried about going out. 96 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:24,360 Speaker 2: The other key factor there is that private businesses are 97 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 2: still implementing restrictions if they see fits. So masks are 98 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 2: still mandatary in many cafes around the UK and it's 99 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:35,680 Speaker 2: definitely part of daily life. Still. Now over to Singapore. Now, 100 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:38,599 Speaker 2: Singapore was a country that was quick to shut its borders. 101 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:42,719 Speaker 2: They implemented a really comprehensive contact tracing and testing program 102 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 2: very early and were often drawn into conversations in Australia 103 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 2: about a country with a similar quarantine requirement. In June, 104 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 2: Singaporean legislators unveiled the country's roadmap to a new Normal, 105 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:57,160 Speaker 2: a phrase that we have seen used in Australian political 106 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 2: discourse throughout the pandemic, and they focused on moving away 107 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:05,160 Speaker 2: from daily monitoring of cases to more thinking about hospitalizations 108 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 2: and how many are in the intensive care units of 109 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:10,920 Speaker 2: their hospitals. They essentially want COVID to be treated as 110 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:14,719 Speaker 2: a less severe disease like influenza or chicken pox. However, 111 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:17,159 Speaker 2: in the last week or so things have taken a 112 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 2: turn and Singapore is currently averaging twenty six new COVID 113 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 2: cases a day and they've gone back into lockdown. No 114 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 2: firm date yet has been set for the reopening of 115 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 2: the city. 116 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 1: State. 117 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 2: Now over to the US, and let's focus in on Seattle. 118 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 2: So in Seattle alone, almost six thousand state residents have 119 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:39,480 Speaker 2: been killed by COVID nineteen, with four hundred and fourteen 120 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 2: thousand Seattle residents testing positive across the eighteen months of 121 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 2: the pandemic. However, now, as of June thirty, nearly seventy 122 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 2: percent of state residents sixteen and older have gotten their 123 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:54,720 Speaker 2: first dose of the vaccine, and they've now reopened up 124 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:58,000 Speaker 2: the state, so physical distancing is barely there. There are 125 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 2: some limits on how many people can be inside business, 126 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 2: and there are some areas where masks are still used. 127 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:05,279 Speaker 2: But for people in Seattle, or at least the reports 128 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:07,359 Speaker 2: coming out of the state, it's very much about a 129 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 2: summer of getting back to normal and enjoying the outdoors. 130 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:12,240 Speaker 2: So I think it's fair to say we're at the 131 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 2: point of the pandemic now where we can see a 132 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 2: really wide variety of cases and scenarios across the world. 133 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 2: Countries are totally different speeds to each other. There's less 134 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 2: of that sense of a unified global pandemic as there 135 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 2: was in twenty twenty. 136 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:30,800 Speaker 1: I think that that's been an interesting characteristic of these 137 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 1: lockdowns in Australia is that last time our friends in 138 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 1: the US, our friends in the UK, everyone was in 139 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:40,920 Speaker 1: the same set of circumstances, even though of course it 140 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 1: was much worse in many other countries across the world. 141 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:47,640 Speaker 1: Now it feels like the delta variant is affecting countries 142 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:50,440 Speaker 1: at a different pace, and we don't know how it 143 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 1: will look with these countries and these cities that have 144 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:55,720 Speaker 1: vowed to move on as if COVID is just the 145 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 1: flu with an adequately vaccinated population. 146 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 2: And that's ultimately the big question that the Prime Minister 147 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:05,680 Speaker 2: and state leaders are being confronted with every day. We 148 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 2: don't know the answer to that, but we're going to 149 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 2: do our best to bring you the facts and the 150 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 2: reporting as it happens. You can follow us every day 151 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 2: on the Daily gous. It's where over one hundred and 152 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:18,560 Speaker 2: forty thousand Australians get their news. We're finding that it's 153 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 2: a really helpful resource for people after a press conference 154 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 2: when you're not really in the mood to listen to 155 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:26,680 Speaker 2: forty five minutes of a state leader. We'll sum it 156 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 2: up for you in a couple of slides. Have a 157 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 2: fantastic day and look after yourself.