Last week there was an ease of restrictions in the state Yve lives. However, Yve mentiones that she tries to be ‘one of the better behaving people’. This week she tells us about how she has been ‘iso dating’ with a guy. If you want to know more about Yve, click here to read her bio.
Press the play button to find out how Yve managed to go on dates during the lockdown.
Current situation in Australia 22-05-2020
Australia still seems to be in control of COVID-19. In the last week there has been an increase of 106 new cases and 3 deaths. Australia has a three-step plan to ease the restrictions. States and territories can decide when to take the next step. There have been some concerns over infections and McDonalds and international students. You can read last week’s article for more information.
Last week two employees of two McDonalds restaurants got infected with COVID-19. Twelve infections were linked to this case. Colleagues who possibly came in contact with the infected employees are now stuck at home. They need to self-isolate for two weeks while being on unpaid leave. Twelve McDonalds chains closed their doors in Melbourne.
International students
A lot of internationals students in Australia have lost their part time jobs because of the lockdown. They do not qualify for financial benefits because they are not a citizen or resident of Australia. Australia has more than 500.000 international students. Almost half of the annual student’s revenue comes from this group, because they have to pay the full fee. Some of these students now have to get help from homeless services to get by.
The government of New South Wales announced they will fund temporary crisis accommodation for foreign students. According to the ABC, the Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that ‘foreign students should be supporting themselves first and foremost’. The government advises foreign students to fly home. But these students are not always able to reach their native country.
Trade dispute with China
There has been a trade dispute about barley between China and Australia. Listen to Yve explaining why she thinks this has happened.
China is Australia’s biggest export market for barley, which is used for feeding livestock an making beer. It is likely that the new tariff of eighty percent will stop the export of barley to China. This would cost the grain industry of Australia 500 million Australian dollars per year.
The strong advocacy of Australia to investigate how corona originated and was handled by China, has nothing to do with the new tariff says China. According to them it has to do with the dumping of Australian barley into their market and government subsidies. The Australian government denies this.
COVID-Safe app
Yve has talked about her concerns of the COVIDSafe app in week two. Read and listen this for more information. More than five million people downloaded the app, which tracks down who patients have met and possibly infected. So far there has been one successful use of the app. In Victoria someone tested positive. The app showed one person this patient had met that was not already listed. Because of the data on the app, contact tracers where able to find this person for testing.
Extras
Read this article if you want to know more about the barley trade dispute.
The pandemic causes more women to lose their jobs than men. Want to know why? Read this article for more information.
Yve explains how she has been ‘iso dating’. But how do you do the opposite? Read this article for tips on how to break up with someone during a lockdown.
People have demonstrated in Melbourne against the lockdown. Watch this video to know why and what has happened.
Manel van Nieuwland 
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