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| What if Restaurants and Pubs Disappear in Australia? | What if Restaurants and Pubs Disappear in Australia? |
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| The Australia Letter is a weekly newsletter from our Australia bureau. This week’s issue is written by Besha Rodell, a columnist with the Australia bureau. | The Australia Letter is a weekly newsletter from our Australia bureau. This week’s issue is written by Besha Rodell, a columnist with the Australia bureau. |
| During a week when the news has been so bleak, when we’ve heard about the deaths of colleagues and artists and beloved educators, when much of the world’s population is in lockdown, the closing of a pub might not strike you as a tragedy. And yet the news that my local pub was going out of business finally undid me. After weeks of gritting my teeth as my own work dried up, my husband’s new business shuttered, my son came home from school indefinitely, and my best friend lay with her newborn in a hospital where no visitors were allowed (including her husband), I relented and crumpled when I heard about the pub. | During a week when the news has been so bleak, when we’ve heard about the deaths of colleagues and artists and beloved educators, when much of the world’s population is in lockdown, the closing of a pub might not strike you as a tragedy. And yet the news that my local pub was going out of business finally undid me. After weeks of gritting my teeth as my own work dried up, my husband’s new business shuttered, my son came home from school indefinitely, and my best friend lay with her newborn in a hospital where no visitors were allowed (including her husband), I relented and crumpled when I heard about the pub. |
| My grief is about more than just a place in my neighborhood to grab a beer and a parma. It’s true that this particular pub became a touchstone for me and my family when we were adjusting to our move from the United States to Melbourne, its weekly trivia nights a dependable and fun way for us to connect with our new community. Whenever visitors or new friends were around on a Wednesday, trivia night welcomed them into our fold with good beer and banter and a fire roaring in the corner. On weekends, my husband and I played pool in its slightly shabby barroom, chattering to the owner, who became a friend. | My grief is about more than just a place in my neighborhood to grab a beer and a parma. It’s true that this particular pub became a touchstone for me and my family when we were adjusting to our move from the United States to Melbourne, its weekly trivia nights a dependable and fun way for us to connect with our new community. Whenever visitors or new friends were around on a Wednesday, trivia night welcomed them into our fold with good beer and banter and a fire roaring in the corner. On weekends, my husband and I played pool in its slightly shabby barroom, chattering to the owner, who became a friend. |
| So, my sadness is for that friend who is losing his business, but it feels bigger than that, like it encompasses all of the owners and workers out there who are losing their livelihoods. It represents my intense anxiety about what our cities will look like when we come out of this crisis. In recent days I’ve heard stories about inflexible landlords and collapsing business models at every conceivable venue: iconic, world renowned bars; restaurants owned by famous chefs; my beloved neighborhood pub. The hope that take-away and delivery might save even a fraction of these operations is optimistic. And for a city like Melbourne (or Sydney, or Hobart … you get the idea), the loss of our hospitality industry is almost unthinkable. As a country, we have increasingly built tourism on our strengths as a food and drink destination. Not only does food and drink support hundreds of thousands of workers, it makes our cities the livable, wonderful, delicious places that we call home. | So, my sadness is for that friend who is losing his business, but it feels bigger than that, like it encompasses all of the owners and workers out there who are losing their livelihoods. It represents my intense anxiety about what our cities will look like when we come out of this crisis. In recent days I’ve heard stories about inflexible landlords and collapsing business models at every conceivable venue: iconic, world renowned bars; restaurants owned by famous chefs; my beloved neighborhood pub. The hope that take-away and delivery might save even a fraction of these operations is optimistic. And for a city like Melbourne (or Sydney, or Hobart … you get the idea), the loss of our hospitality industry is almost unthinkable. As a country, we have increasingly built tourism on our strengths as a food and drink destination. Not only does food and drink support hundreds of thousands of workers, it makes our cities the livable, wonderful, delicious places that we call home. |
| The economic and health crisis unfolding in Australia and around the world is bound to become a cultural crisis down the line. In an email chat, Anthea Loucas Bosha, the chief executive of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, told me that the crisis “will affect us for years to come and, in turn, change us forever.” | The economic and health crisis unfolding in Australia and around the world is bound to become a cultural crisis down the line. In an email chat, Anthea Loucas Bosha, the chief executive of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, told me that the crisis “will affect us for years to come and, in turn, change us forever.” |
| This phenomenon is taking place globally. Last week, Pete Wells wrote about what might be needed for New York City restaurants to survive, and the opinion section ran an op-ed by a group of chefs and restaurant owners headlined, Will We Have an America Without Restaurants? Either of these pieces could have been written about Australia, with a few minor changes. | This phenomenon is taking place globally. Last week, Pete Wells wrote about what might be needed for New York City restaurants to survive, and the opinion section ran an op-ed by a group of chefs and restaurant owners headlined, Will We Have an America Without Restaurants? Either of these pieces could have been written about Australia, with a few minor changes. |
| I started writing about food because I love to eat, yes, but also because I love the industry that makes dining possible. Our corner pub is just a pub, but it’s also the thing that made moving across the world bearable. It’s where I met treasured friends, it’s where I found community. It is one of thousands of such places that are gone and may not come back. What will we look like as a city, as a country, as a culture, if that industry cannot be saved? | I started writing about food because I love to eat, yes, but also because I love the industry that makes dining possible. Our corner pub is just a pub, but it’s also the thing that made moving across the world bearable. It’s where I met treasured friends, it’s where I found community. It is one of thousands of such places that are gone and may not come back. What will we look like as a city, as a country, as a culture, if that industry cannot be saved? |
| I hope we never find out. | I hope we never find out. |
| What aspects of Australian culture do you fear for right now? Let us know at nytaustralia@nytimes.com. | What aspects of Australian culture do you fear for right now? Let us know at nytaustralia@nytimes.com. |
| Here are the week’s stories: | Here are the week’s stories: |
| Man Pleads Guilty to New Zealand Mosque Massacre. An Australian white supremacist charged with killing 51 worshipers at two mosques in New Zealand last year changed his plea to guilty in a surprise move. | Man Pleads Guilty to New Zealand Mosque Massacre. An Australian white supremacist charged with killing 51 worshipers at two mosques in New Zealand last year changed his plea to guilty in a surprise move. |
| Shutting Themselves Inside to Avoid Being a Burden to Others. When Australia had just a few coronavirus cases, Lee and Colin Lee decided to self-quarantine to keep resources available for younger people. “We’ve just got to share what’s there,” Mr. Lee said. | Shutting Themselves Inside to Avoid Being a Burden to Others. When Australia had just a few coronavirus cases, Lee and Colin Lee decided to self-quarantine to keep resources available for younger people. “We’ve just got to share what’s there,” Mr. Lee said. |
| Western Universities Rely on China. After the Virus, That May Not Last. In Britain, the United States and Australia, the coronavirus could blow huge holes in the budgets of universities that have “become addicted to one source of income.” | Western Universities Rely on China. After the Virus, That May Not Last. In Britain, the United States and Australia, the coronavirus could blow huge holes in the budgets of universities that have “become addicted to one source of income.” |
| Can’t Get Tested? Maybe You’re in the Wrong Country. Decisions and blunders made months ago have caused testing disparities worldwide. The science, it turns out, was the easy part. | Can’t Get Tested? Maybe You’re in the Wrong Country. Decisions and blunders made months ago have caused testing disparities worldwide. The science, it turns out, was the easy part. |
| I.O.C. and Japan Agree to Postpone Tokyo Olympics. The decision came after swelling resistance from nations and athletes to holding the Games amid the pandemic. | I.O.C. and Japan Agree to Postpone Tokyo Olympics. The decision came after swelling resistance from nations and athletes to holding the Games amid the pandemic. |
| What I Learned When My Husband Got Sick With Coronavirus. Our world became one of isolation, round-the-clock care, panic and uncertainty — even as society carried on around us with all too few changes. | What I Learned When My Husband Got Sick With Coronavirus. Our world became one of isolation, round-the-clock care, panic and uncertainty — even as society carried on around us with all too few changes. |
| The Dos and Don’ts of Online Video Meetings. From setting a clear agenda to testing your tech setup, here’s how to make video calls more tolerable for you and your colleagues. | The Dos and Don’ts of Online Video Meetings. From setting a clear agenda to testing your tech setup, here’s how to make video calls more tolerable for you and your colleagues. |
| How to Get More Sleep Tonight. Sleep has never been more important. Here are our most concrete recommendations for getting some. | How to Get More Sleep Tonight. Sleep has never been more important. Here are our most concrete recommendations for getting some. |
| Updated June 22, 2020 | Updated June 22, 2020 |
| A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico. | A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico. |
| The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth. | The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth. |
| The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave. | The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave. |
| So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. | So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. |
| Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. | Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. |
| A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. | A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. |
| The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. | The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. |
| States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. | States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. |
| Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. | Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. |
| If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) | If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) |
| If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. | If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. |
| If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. | If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. |
| Last week, we wrote about the anxiety over the coronavirus and asked what dilemmas you were facing. Here’s one reader’s response: | |
| The coronavirus-related dilemmas I face are never-ending, always changing. As a freelance lifestyle journalist, the whole concept of what I do — that is, report on lifestyle-related stories — has ceased to exist. | |
| Right now, clear instructions from the powers-that-be are welcoming and reassuring — these times we are all weathering are downright scary, and ambiguity is heightened more than ever. Should I apply for one of the coronavirus stimulus packages? Do I forgo the trajectory I’m currently on as a freelance journalist and pick up unrelated casual work to support myself and my partner? Will things ever be the same again? | Right now, clear instructions from the powers-that-be are welcoming and reassuring — these times we are all weathering are downright scary, and ambiguity is heightened more than ever. Should I apply for one of the coronavirus stimulus packages? Do I forgo the trajectory I’m currently on as a freelance journalist and pick up unrelated casual work to support myself and my partner? Will things ever be the same again? |
| These questions might have seemed somewhat melodramatic just one week ago. But it seems that the world of self-isolation and W.F.H. is just the new reality for the foreseeable future. | These questions might have seemed somewhat melodramatic just one week ago. But it seems that the world of self-isolation and W.F.H. is just the new reality for the foreseeable future. |
| When will it end? | When will it end? |
| -Josh Bozin | -Josh Bozin |
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| For more Australia coverage and discussion, start your day with your local Morning Briefing and join us in our Facebook group. | For more Australia coverage and discussion, start your day with your local Morning Briefing and join us in our Facebook group. |