OUR community is in the depths of an unprecedented event with an estimated 20,000 people in Shepparton and surrounds currently in isolation or were recently.
While we have faced our fair share of lockdowns, this many Goulburn Valley residents in mandated isolation is unchartered territory, with those home for the 14 days unable to go further than their letterbox.
The Morrison family from Tatura have provided insight into their time in home isolation.
1. What interesting activities have you been up to in isolation?
We have stuck with our usual activities of painting, craft and board games. On Monday we rearranged the kid’s bedrooms so waking up each morning didn’t feel like Groundhog Day
2. Are you finding difficulty in getting food/supplies delivered?
We have never shopped online; we always have preferred the personal way of shopping locally and not buying anything more than what we need for a few days.
So this element has been the hardest, luckily my parents are able to grab whatever we need and leave it at the gate. However, my parents are more vulnerable than us to the virus so it’s difficult to feel comfortable with this arrangement. I did just make an online order with one of our local supermarkets but the earliest delivery time slot is days away.
3. How are you juggling home school?
Mannix, my year eight from Notre, has been an absolute champ. He is in the study before 9am each morning and stays focused throughout the day. Mimi, our daughter in grade five and Peaches, our daughter in grade one, have been allowed to go at their own pace. We have given them free time to explore their creative interests and only pull the schooling out when they say they’re bored. This system has worked really well for us in keeping the work enjoyable for them.
4. How do you feel being in isolation is affecting your children?
It’s only early days but the kids are doing better than me, I hate to admit it but I believe the last eighteen months has conditioned them to isolation.
5. How did you find the COVID-19 testing process; did you have a long wait?
We are Tier One from Notre, usually as tier one you would be first called for testing but the sheer numbers with school exposures has changed all that. Only immediate concern groups were called up first, unless showing symptoms. Mid-last week we got the notice to take our son to be tested which yielded a negative result. My husband pre-registered for testing and arrived at a site at 9am last Wednesday and was out by 1pm which also yielded a negative result. The paediatric test was used on Mannix, and since it tickles rather than hurts, I’m confident that the Mimi and Peaches will handle it well and not feel violated when we all go for testing on day thirteen.
6. Do you feel the information around isolating/testing has been clear?
I thought it was pretty straight forward until my husband’s test. Cam had a sore throat and thought he should get tested even though he is fully vaccinated. At the testing site they told him that he is a secondary of a close contact, so if he comes back negative, he no longer needs to isolate. We are waiting on further clarification before we free ourselves and break open the gates.
