同路人語 627 – 新年展望 Prospect for a New Year!

新年展望

周偉文

今期《同路人》在年初一出版, 在這裏恭祝各位讀者新年快樂!

去年真的是困難的一年, 我們都經歷著新冠病毒的威嚇, 也看不到出路。不過澳洲人真的蒙恩, 在經濟上政府藉著薪金補助金, 支持著受困的小生意, 因此並沒有大規模企業倒閉的情況出現。在控制病毒傳播, 政府實施嚴格入口檢疫, 及強制隔離、佩戴口罩、免費快速檢測及廣泛的接觸者追蹤政策, 務求壓抑病毒傳播。除了去年七月在維州爆發隔離酒店病毒外洩, 大致上澳洲受感染情況不算嚴重。很快澳洲將開展疫苗接種計劃, 雖然問題不會在短時間內解決, 但相信澳洲社會可以慢慢走上正常。

同時間, 社會走進新冠常態。聯邦政府訂出疫苗接種計劃, 盼望在10 月底前能全國都完成接種疫苗, 務求全民受到保護。這表示, 在現時所有的防疫政策都會繼續, 只要一發現病毒蹤跡, 就會全面戒備, 全力找出擴散途徑, 進行阻截。因此, 社會上存在著鬆弛和緊張並存的狀態。

在路上、公共交通工具、商場、餐廳、咖啡室等場所, 人流在增加之中。維州進行澳網公開賽, 每天可以有30,000名現場觀眾在新冠安全措施下看球賽。辦公室可以有更多的人上班, 學校也回復實體教學, 公共設施也陸續重新開放, 提醒我們生活要回復常規。不過, 一旦發現帶病毒者出現過的地方, 同時存在過的人就要進行檢測及14天隔離, 確保病毒不繼續傳開。而且各類緊急措施, 包括封閉邊境, 可以隨時實施。

在這時期, 快速接收準確的疫情消息, 變得很重要。政府要強快訊息發放的途徑, 特別是支持主流社會以外的少數族裔社區, 務求有關疫情訊息能通過多元文化媒體及社區網絡發佈出去。

我相信在政府與社區通力合作之下, 澳洲社會有能力戰勝新冠病毒。

盼望在新的一年, 我們能走在更有信心、盼望及豐富的路上。

Prospect for a New Year!

As Sameway publishes on the first day of the Chinese New Year we wish all readers a blessed Year of the Ox!

2020 was a difficult year under the threat of Covid-19. Australians are blessed with financial support from the government for employees, small businesses and enterprises alike. On the front of containing the virus we have good measures of border checkpoints, mask wearing, free rapid testing, contact tracing etc. Apart from the Victorian outbreak of hotel quarantine in July last year, by and large we have good control. Vaccination is well underway to restore our normal life in the foreseeable future.

Meanwhile the society becomes Covid-normal. According to government’s plan the entire population would be vaccinated by October. Until then all Covid-policies remain active with a view to identifying and cutting off any possible chance of infection. So we are balancing between a relax state and an alert mode.

People are gathering up on the roads, public transport, in shopping malls, restaurants and cafes etc. The Australian Open allows up to 30,000 people participating under Covid-safe conditions. Offices, schools and public facilities are opening up for our back to normal activities. But once a case is detected people been in contact with the hot spots would undergo testing and isolation. Other emergency measures including border closure are ready to take effect.

Speedy access to accurate Covid-information becomes critical as such. The government must make sure an effective system is in place in particular catering for those ethnic minority communities through multicultural media and community network.

With the government and community working closely together, I believe we can prevail

We trust we can walk into 2021 with better faith, hope and provision.

Raymond Chow, Publisher