With the coronavirus officially in Australia (52 confirmed cases at the time of writing), the Scott Morrison govt has implemented measures to control the disease, such as trying (and failing) to tell people not to hoard toilet paper, and quarantining those infected by telling them to stay at home.
Since getting forcibly quarantined in your own home due to the coronavirus will get incredibly boring after a while (just ask those who were stuck on the Diamond Princess), the Scott Morrison govt thought to help them out by sharing some tips on alleviating boredom while you’re on total lockdown.
Speaking of the coronavirus panic, the GOAT team talk about the biggest talking points about the disease on ‘It’s Been A Big Day For…’ below:
While that is a rare nice thought from Scott Morrison’s govt, the published “tips” read like it was written by a committee of boomers. It all starts off pretty promisingly by listing a bunch of common sense advice, such as what to do if you have coronavirus symptoms and how to maintain good hygiene.
However, things quickly descend into “OK boomer” territory when we get to the “Keeping spirits up in isolation at home” section as the tips listed include things like talking to others about the coronavirus, keep in touch with family and friends “via telephone, email or social media”, and exercising regularly via *checks notes* “exercise DVDs, dancing, floor exercises, yoga, walking around the backyard or using home exercise equipment.”
Uh huh. Not sure if the govt are aware but not everyone may have a backyard or home exercise equipment. Hell, who even has DVDs these days anymore when streaming and the internet are viable option?
To be fair, the govt did try to inject a bit of positive energy into it by recommending people to “Think about how you have coped with difficult situations in the past and reassure yourself that you will cope with this situation too” and to “remember that [the coronavirus] quarantine won’t last for long.”
But things get cranked up another notch in the “Reducing boredom while in quarantine at home” section, which recommends those infected with the coronavirus to:
- Arrange with your employer to work from home, if possible.
- Ask your child’s school to supply assignments, work sheets and homework by post or email.
- Don’t rely too heavily on the television and technology. Treat quarantine as an opportunity to do some of those things you never usually have time for, such as board games, craft, drawing and reading.
I don’t know about Scott Morrison and his govt, but those “tips” are the opposite of helpful if I were self-quarantining due to the coronavirus (which I don’t have by the way).
The last thing I would want to do while I’m in lockdown is to do work/school from home, and you bet your arse I’ll be using all the television and technology I’m physically capable of. Not dissing those who enjoy board games, craft, drawing, and reading, but I deserve a massive Netflix binge if I’m in quarantine due to the coronavirus goddamn it.
Okay, okay, I’m being too rough on the govt here for their dumb tips because they’re trying to do a nice thing. The overall message here is clearly something along the lines of “the sky’s the limit” while you’re in isolation so use that time constructively. Or don’t. It’s your life so you can do whatever.
If I were in quarantine due to the coronavirus, I’d build a fort out of all the toilet paper I’ve been hoarding.
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