So how does lock down work for you guys?
four stages of lockdown. We are currently in stage 3. This means stay at home. We are allowed out for care giving (elderly/children etc), exercising, shopping/getting for food, going to the doctors, pharmacy or bank, or heading to work if you can't work from home.
My home state has mandated wearing masks in public.
We are reporting 300 - 500 daily new cases in my state for the last 2 weeks. Today jumped to over 700. Corona has hit the nursing homes; so the Australian Government is sending troops in to help with the care of the elderly.
Like the US, unemployment is very high. Our government has implemented two schemes:
1. Unemployment benefits. We do have an existing unemployment benefit scheme. They have introduced a Covid supplement payment to people that are registered. Since April, the fortnightly payment is now at $1300. I think it will reduce to around $900 per fortnight in September. It was sitting at about $550 before Covid.
2. Job Keeper. An incentive scheme for companies to keep staff on the payroll. This applies to all casual and permanent staff that were on a company's payroll as at 1 March this year. Employees are provided with a $1500 per fortnight payment IF the company has seen a drop in revenue of about 30% or more. This scheme is single handedly keeping the unemployment numbers from falling over a cliff. It was due to finish in September but has been extended to March next year, with caveats.
How are things in your state managed?