There was a COVID scare at work this week which was given the all-clear after the staff member was tested and came back negative. It was potentially a domino effect with a few close contacts myself included. It was an odd week at work because it didn’t feel like a week up to Christmas. My Christmas plans just got cancelled a couple of hours ago with other family being close COVID contacts and having to get tested and monitor for symptoms. In a way, I don’t mind because it doesn’t feel like Christmas this year anyway. Last Christmas I spent the day with my father as I knew I had to make the most of the time left in his life. I had a week of early starts and I was not looking forward to a big day on Christmas anyway. My Mum will be seeing some friends of her and my aunt Betty. Aunty Betty is in lockdown due to a COVID scare at her respite care.

I wanted to pull out of Christmas anyway as we are in the fourth wave of COVID that has started in the last few weeks with a potential for 25,000 cases a day within the next few weeks. The government is not keen on doing any lockdowns and so far the cases have grown to 5000 a day with only one death in Sydney so far, so it seems the health authorities are wanting herd immunity with the Omicron variant, as they claim it is mostly mild. They are making mask-wearing mandatory in most indoor settings and I would recommend people wear masks wherever they go, especially in crowds. Stay safe and enjoy the break. I am going to sleep in and enjoy some Kangaroo with mushrooms and rice on Christmas day. Tomorrow is going to be pretty hot so I am going to wait until the late afternoon to go for a bike ride.