What is a “typical Avalon couple”? White, mostly. Largely (but not exclusively) middle class. And according to one NSW government official, divorced but living under the same roof.
*shrug*
Yesterday, Sydney’s northern beaches recorded two mystery coronavirus cases. The source of the infection is under investigation, and contact tracing is urgently underway. (May I suggest these two?)
A woman in her 60s and a man in his 70s attended multiple venues in Palm Beach and Avalon Beach, including the Palm Beach female change rooms, the Avalon Bowlo, the Avalon Woolies, and a few cafes.
According to a report in The Australia, the two cases were a couple who did not isolate while waiting for their test results, which goes against every guideline Australian authorities have been ramming home since March.
An official familiar with the matter but who did not have permission to speak publicly told The Australian:
“They took a long time to track down. They’re a classic Avalon couple, divorced but living under the same roof.”
…Okay?
I’m not that familiar with Sydney’s northern beaches, but I’m guessing that “they’re a typical Avalon couple” is not that flattering in this context? pic.twitter.com/pF2kNQwhyE
— Paul Syvret (@PSyvret) December 16, 2020
Now, the entire Northern Beaches is on high alert, and Oliver’s Pies in Avalon has to close for two weeks.
“Everyone living in the Northern Beaches area should monitor for even the mildest of symptoms and come forward for testing immediately if they appear, then isolate until a negative result is received,” NSW Health said.
Of course, not isolating while waiting for the test results is exactly what NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian admitted to like two weeks ago, and seems to have gotten off scot free.
And so far, News Corp (which owns The Australian) has decided not to dox the couple in question, unlike its fucked up ‘Enemies of the State’ story, which put the names and faces of two teens who skipped quarantine on the front page.
No state leader has yet emerged to call the couple “selfish”, either.
Will this “typical Avalon couple” be subject to the same treatment as other non-public officials who have flouted guidelines? Probably not.
Meanwhile, if the same government official wants to tell me more about what they mean by ‘typical Avalon couple’, I am ALL ears. Are they surf club members? Do they not wear shoes in public? Have they got a part-time share in a boat? Please, please DM me.
UPDATE: Immediately after publishing, it was reported that overnight two *more* coronavirus cases were detected on the northern beaches.
https://twitter.com/CaseyBriggs/status/1339342846776655872
In case it needs repeating: if you get tested, isolate. If you have symptoms, get tested. We are so nearly through this.
