Willoughby in COVID-19: let's capture this moment in time

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• Share The following is being shared on Facebook as a reminder of some of the impacts during this time on Facebook Share The following is being shared on Facebook as a reminder of some of the impacts during this time on Twitter Share The following is being shared on Facebook as a reminder of some of the impacts during this time on Linkedin Email The following is being shared on Facebook as a reminder of some of the impacts during this time link

  The following is being shared on Facebook as a reminder of some of the impacts during this time

  almost 6 years ago
  

  COVID-19

  Prime Minister Scott Morrison started lockdown on the evening of 22nd of March, 2020 with non-essential services including pubs, clubs and restaurants closed.Later that week, states shut their borders to non-essential travellers.

  By end of March more severe restrictions were put in place, including the two-person rule and a law banning people from being outside their homes except for four essential reasons (work, groceries, exercise and medical reasons).

  The Queen addressed her nation at 8pm on 5th April

  6th April Beaches around Australia have started to close.

  Community support groups established, to support the vulnerable, elderly, immunocompromised and people... Continue reading

  COVID-19

  Prime Minister Scott Morrison started lockdown on the evening of 22nd of March, 2020 with non-essential services including pubs, clubs and restaurants closed.Later that week, states shut their borders to non-essential travellers.

  By end of March more severe restrictions were put in place, including the two-person rule and a law banning people from being outside their homes except for four essential reasons (work, groceries, exercise and medical reasons).

  The Queen addressed her nation at 8pm on 5th April

  6th April Beaches around Australia have started to close.

  Community support groups established, to support the vulnerable, elderly, immunocompromised and people in enforced isolation due to exposure, in their community

  Petrol price close to home was 89cents

  Schools in NSW and Victoria closed as education departments implement new procedures to deal with the spread of coronavirus. Remote learning in place

  Self-distancing measures required

  Tape on the floors at grocery stores and others to help distance shoppers (1.5mtrs) from each other.

  Limited shopping hours, therefore, lineups outside the store doors Non-essential stores and businesses mandated closed

  People who can work from home

  Parks trails, entire cities closed or restricted to locals only in their bubble.

  Entire sports seasons cancelled.Olympics postponed to 2021.

  Concerts tours festivals entertainment events cancelled

  Weddings & funerals limited to less than 10 attendants, family celebrations holiday gatherings cancelled

  No masses, churches are closed No gatherings of 50 or more, then 20 or more, then 10 or more. Now, Don't socialize with anyone outside of your home bubble

  Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and all other TV networks are on in every home daily now

  Weekly tradition in UK, every Thursday 8pm #ClapForKeyWorkers campaign, to recognise the efforts of the NHS workers fighting the coronavirus pandemic every day

  Children's outdoor play parks are closed We are to distance from each other.

  Shortage of masks gowns gloves for our front-line workers.

  Shortage of ventilators for the critically ill in many parts of the world.

  Refrigerated trucks for the dead outside hospitals in the USA Italy Spain China and more.

  Panic buying sets in and we have limits on toilet paper disinfecting supplies, paper towels, staple foods hand sanitizer then alcohol

  Manufacturers and other businesses switch their lines to help make visors, masks hand sanitizer and PPE

  Fines of $1652 are established for breaking lockdown rules

  Stadiums and recreation facilities overseas open up for the overflow of Covid-19 patients.

  Rescued stranded tourists to self isolate in city hotels.

  Press conferences daily from the PM and other government officials.

  Daily updates on new cases, recoveries, and deaths Government incentives to stay home.

  Barely anyone on the roads

  Rescue in the form of $$ for those made redundant, or business to stay afloat and renters to remain in their homes.

  People wearing masks and gloves outside Essential service workers are terrified to go to work Medical field workers are afraid to go home to their families or evicted by housemates.

  376,000 deaths globally as at 1 June 2020.

  This is the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic,

  WHO declared March 11th, 2020.

  We have so much! Be thankful. Be grateful Be kind to each other - love one another - support everyone We are all one! On Wednesday 13th May stage 1 of easing restrictions started.

  Why, you ask, do I post this status? One day it will show up in my memory feed, and it will be a yearly reminder that life is precious and not to take the things we dearly love for granted

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• Share The Corona Crag on Facebook Share The Corona Crag on Twitter Share The Corona Crag on Linkedin Email The Corona Crag link

  The Corona Crag

  by lindyb, almost 6 years ago
  

  For the first time, the local magazine The Crag has been published online. It features lots of local lockdown stories and photos. Here's the link https://castlecrag.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Crag-No-208-Corona-May-2020.pdf

  For the first time, the local magazine The Crag has been published online. It features lots of local lockdown stories and photos. Here's the link https://castlecrag.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Crag-No-208-Corona-May-2020.pdf
• Share Ukulele Group- BUSK on Facebook Share Ukulele Group- BUSK on Twitter Share Ukulele Group- BUSK on Linkedin Email Ukulele Group- BUSK link

  Ukulele Group- BUSK

  almost 6 years ago
  

  Hi we are continuing to meet with our Ukulele Group- BUSK during the outbreak. Our usual Dougherty Centre monthly meetings have been replaced with on line Zoom sessions. Steve Lockwood our intrepid leader and his son Tim have complied all our individual recordings of the same song into one cohesive song. Its is very challenging as not everyone is in time! We have done two parodies so far the first one was My Gov ( to the tune of My guy) and I wanna wash my hands ( too the tune of I wanna hold your hand).

  He has put... Continue reading

  Hi we are continuing to meet with our Ukulele Group- BUSK during the outbreak. Our usual Dougherty Centre monthly meetings have been replaced with on line Zoom sessions. Steve Lockwood our intrepid leader and his son Tim have complied all our individual recordings of the same song into one cohesive song. Its is very challenging as not everyone is in time! We have done two parodies so far the first one was My Gov ( to the tune of My guy) and I wanna wash my hands ( too the tune of I wanna hold your hand).

  He has put them up on Facebook for everyone to see. So we have a group zoom meet and then practice our parody and then send our own recording to Steve to compile. We also get a few people to lead a sing a long but everyone except the singer is muted so its not the same as hearing everyone in full voice.

  So far we have found that it keeps us all in contact, forces us to keep practicing and we are now working on our new songs post Covid. Cheers Janet France co coordinator of BUSK UKULELE group

  Uploaded by Willoughby City Library with their permission
• Share Living in the midst of a pandemic - Surekha Ayyagari- Resident of Chatswood on Facebook Share Living in the midst of a pandemic - Surekha Ayyagari- Resident of Chatswood on Twitter Share Living in the midst of a pandemic - Surekha Ayyagari- Resident of Chatswood on Linkedin Email Living in the midst of a pandemic - Surekha Ayyagari- Resident of Chatswood link

  Living in the midst of a pandemic - Surekha Ayyagari- Resident of Chatswood

  almost 6 years ago

  Living in the midst of a pandemic has been a very new, strange and bit unsettling to begin with. I somehow thought I couldn’t find the words or visuals to describe my experience but slowly as I delved into it I could put the complexities of the sudden unfolding of events into simple prose which defined my account of witnessing these unprecedented times.

  I had heard of Covid 19 and saw some grim images of it’s devastation in Wuhan China on Television but it remained too far fetched to affect my life! We were beginning to get a bit cautious... Continue reading

  Living in the midst of a pandemic has been a very new, strange and bit unsettling to begin with. I somehow thought I couldn’t find the words or visuals to describe my experience but slowly as I delved into it I could put the complexities of the sudden unfolding of events into simple prose which defined my account of witnessing these unprecedented times.

  I had heard of Covid 19 and saw some grim images of it’s devastation in Wuhan China on Television but it remained too far fetched to affect my life! We were beginning to get a bit cautious about our going about of life but that was it.

  For me the rollercoaster ride of experiences and emotions started on what now seems way back; seemingly eons ago , on March 10th 2020 ; when I had to urgently travel to the US as my daughter had an emergency!

  Even on the Delta flight to Los Angeles, things seemed hunky dory except for the couple of empty seats here and there on a rather busy sector of travel. But it hit me the moment I landed there, as there was shelter in place already mandated. By the time I had taken the connection to Boston, the seriousness of the situation and it’s impact had hit me as we were just four passenger on the LAX - Boston flight and all the announcements were being personally addressed - “ Mrs Ayyagari , Mr X , Mr and Mrs Y, Please fasten your seatbelts belt and pay attention to the safety instruction as we take off!’

  My trip there and back is a blur as each day brought new and enormous paradigm shifts ; Cities shutting down completely, Universities going online; social distancing, throwing all of us off into a seemingly surreal, freakish; almost a Hollywood movieisc reality! The only silver lining was that I was heading home to Sydney with my daughter in tow and would land a few hours before the border was being shut for International travel! Unprecedented yet true! And it almost felt I was the protagonist in the Mission Impossible movie! Pandemic strikes! I literally had to google the word to understand it’s brevity!

  We landed in Sydney, tired and wiped out with the stress of travel during the outbreak of the pandemic yet euphoric of being home to what seemed like a more safer and protective environment. It was a bit intimidating signing the oath of self isolation; especially for someone like me who is constantly on the move! Home became our sanctuary for the next 14 days.I enjoyed that I had no schedule and nowhere to be, no pressure to socialise or equip the home to keep everything running smoothly -which was usually my responsibility or business in our domestic set up! Slowly the boredom and a bit of restlessness set in. The self isolation/ quarantine was more a mental challenge than a physical one. But by the end of my self isolation, everyone was in a lockdown. It was bitter sweet - I could be out and about but not quite so either!

  Our lives were changing surely and completely. Chatswood was getting quieter by the day! My frequent trips to the Westfield mall, Chatswood library, various coffee shops and restaurants on the Chatswood Mall and Interchange ; with friends and family and my yoga class; my biweekly meets at Mosaic; every activity had been suddenly halted and stalled indefinitely. It was very disconcerting and unfathomable. Life was slowly falling into a kind of numbness, a routine of sorts. It was a huge adjustment of all sorts.

  Slowly but surely we as a family, we all searched all corners of our beings and the far ends of our minds and souls and found our strengths and weaknesses; core values and beliefs and emerged and blossomed with new found resilience. I am very sure it was the same for everyone.

  I began enjoying the quietness of Chatswood and its surrounds. I was beginning to hear more of the birds than the hustle bustle of people. I did step out occasionally for my physical and mental well-being; to enjoy a walk in the Oval or down the deserted Victoria and Albert Avenues.

  I began discovering the beauty of the buildings, the juxtaposition of old and new, the high rises standing tall and witnessing the silence of the surrounds with regal panache!

  I started enjoying the eager and effervescent faces and smiles of all humans I encounter and interface in course of my walks.

  I miss the chime and the bustle of the city, the weekly markets on the Mall but the dancing of the sunlight and the jaywalking of birds added new found grace to the place.

  Life goes on, albeit with most humans on a much deserved, slower pace. It has indeed been a time of deep catharsis; where most of us had the time to relax, reflect, rejuvenate, rework our priorities.

  Friends and distant family became the core of existence and sustenance for many of us. With much introspection came the discovery - what mattered and who mattered and why!

  It was in a way very freeing. I am very grateful that most of us here in Chatswood are staying healthy and handling the change well. I am extremely thankful to the city of Chatswood, and all its people, in keeping our lives running smoothly: whether its the availability of all essentials, uninterrupted supply of all utilities, essential services like transport etc were running to clock work precision. The city was kept clean, garbage was collected on time. Coles, Woolies, the Indian grocery store and other essentials were open and catering to all our needs! It’s been remarkable, the way the country and our city quickly adapted and re organised to all the social distancing and other parameters of the pandemic in keeping us safe and help control the spread of the virus. Grateful to our city and it’s officials for constantly working in ensuring the wellbeing of all its residents and visitors, in all aspects of life -physical, mental and social.

  The Prime Minister, Our Premier and Our Mayor have been doing an excellent job in communicating regularly and working tirelessly towards the wellbeing of the Nation in all aspects.

  On a lighter note I was also among the lucky few who didn’t have to scramble for toilet rolls! Or hoard pasta and pasta sauce!!

  Last but not the least, I am enormously grateful to each and everyone living and working here and conveying in their own way that we all are in this together and together we shall overcome!!

  Surekha Ayyagari- Resident of Chatswood since March 2017.
• Share LifeSource Church moves online on Facebook Share LifeSource Church moves online on Twitter Share LifeSource Church moves online on Linkedin Email LifeSource Church moves online link

  LifeSource Church moves online

  by Anne Iuliano, almost 6 years ago
  

  
  

  LifeSource Christian Church had to adapt all its services and programs online. Services were streamed live, lots of content was recorded and uploaded onto media platforms, , groups met via zoom or other platforms, and suddenly the congregation had participants joining in from all around the globe. The current challenge has expanded our reach and we are eagerly anticipating what it will look like when the pandemic is officially over.

  
  

  LifeSource Christian Church had to adapt all its services and programs online. Services were streamed live, lots of content was recorded and uploaded onto media platforms, , groups met via zoom or other platforms, and suddenly the congregation had participants joining in from all around the globe. The current challenge has expanded our reach and we are eagerly anticipating what it will look like when the pandemic is officially over.
• Share We shall remember them on Facebook Share We shall remember them on Twitter Share We shall remember them on Linkedin Email We shall remember them link

  We shall remember them

  almost 6 years ago
  

  The dawn service in front of our residence was different but no less heart felt this year. One by one a few neighbours joined us as we listened and watched the live streamed service - from a social distance. As an officer that still serves my husband would only ever wear formal attire out of respect for the fallen no matter how or where the service was held. In the silence of the morning it was a moving experience to hear the last post coming from a number of households around the neighbourhood. Lest we forget.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  The dawn service in front of our residence was different but no less heart felt this year. One by one a few neighbours joined us as we listened and watched the live streamed service - from a social distance. As an officer that still serves my husband would only ever wear formal attire out of respect for the fallen no matter how or where the service was held. In the silence of the morning it was a moving experience to hear the last post coming from a number of households around the neighbourhood. Lest we forget.

  
  

  
  

  
  
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  Celebration of a graduation

  by janecoz, almost 6 years ago
  

  With universities postponing all graduation ceremonies we thought we would celebrate Caitlin’s completion of her Masters‘ Degree isolation style. Our acedemic neighbour went through what a graduation ceremony would entail from the safe distance of her front yard. Our family donned in academic gowns attended over the fence and celebrated with some bubbles and a special lunch at home. What a neighbours for!

  
  

  With universities postponing all graduation ceremonies we thought we would celebrate Caitlin’s completion of her Masters‘ Degree isolation style. Our acedemic neighbour went through what a graduation ceremony would entail from the safe distance of her front yard. Our family donned in academic gowns attended over the fence and celebrated with some bubbles and a special lunch at home. What a neighbours for!

  
  
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  Story by Juzhen

  almost 6 years ago
  

  Juzhen's story:

  我和我先生都七十左右年令，免疫力比效低的人群，疫情期间已有一个月没出门，woolworth在疫情期间服务老人为老人免费配送物品，儿子在网上为我们预顶好食物用品，为执行政府规定的社交距离，送货青年把货物放在我们准备好的前院桌子上。和谐社区，倍感温暖！🌹”

  English Translation

  My husband and I are 70 years old and in the vulnerable group. During the COVID-19, we haven’t gone out for a month. Their son ordered their daily necessities online for them and Woolworth provided free delivery service to elderly people during COVID19. They follow the Government’s guideline on social distancing. The young delivery man placed the daily necessities on the chairs they put in their front yard for them to pick up later. They feel the community is in harmony and feel warm at heart.

  
  

  Juzhen's story:

  我和我先生都七十左右年令，免疫力比效低的人群，疫情期间已有一个月没出门，woolworth在疫情期间服务老人为老人免费配送物品，儿子在网上为我们预顶好食物用品，为执行政府规定的社交距离，送货青年把货物放在我们准备好的前院桌子上。和谐社区，倍感温暖！🌹”

  English Translation

  My husband and I are 70 years old and in the vulnerable group. During the COVID-19, we haven’t gone out for a month. Their son ordered their daily necessities online for them and Woolworth provided free delivery service to elderly people during COVID19. They follow the Government’s guideline on social distancing. The young delivery man placed the daily necessities on the chairs they put in their front yard for them to pick up later. They feel the community is in harmony and feel warm at heart.

  
  
• Share 今天主日崇拜后,十二点三十分查經(照片是在查經中拍的 - Photo of Sunday worship bible study; and a message of thanks. on Facebook Share 今天主日崇拜后,十二点三十分查經(照片是在查經中拍的 - Photo of Sunday worship bible study; and a message of thanks. on Twitter Share 今天主日崇拜后,十二点三十分查經(照片是在查經中拍的 - Photo of Sunday worship bible study; and a message of thanks. on Linkedin Email 今天主日崇拜后,十二点三十分查經(照片是在查經中拍的 - Photo of Sunday worship bible study; and a message of thanks. link

  今天主日崇拜后,十二点三十分查經(照片是在查經中拍的 - Photo of Sunday worship bible study; and a message of thanks.

  almost 6 years ago
  

  Ying has written a message in Chinese about her thanks to the Government during this period of time especially for the seniors, during her online workshop, she thanks and prays for God for Australian Government to keep the Australian people safe.

  Ying has written a message in Chinese about her thanks to the Government during this period of time especially for the seniors, during her online workshop, she thanks and prays for God for Australian Government to keep the Australian people safe.
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  Ferndale Park Walking Track

  by janecoz, almost 6 years ago
  

  A beautiful bush walk to Lane Cove River, and safe too!

  A beautiful bush walk to Lane Cove River, and safe too!

  1 comment