For all that our world may have changed over the past three weeks, Newspoll has not: The Australian reports the latest result has Labor’s lead steady at 51-49. There has, however, been primary vote movement in favour of the major parties, with both up by two points: the Coalition to 40%, Labor to 36%. The Greens are down one to 12%, One Nation unchanged on 4% and others down three to 8%.
As with Essential Research, Scott Morrison has recovered somewhat from his post-bushfire slump, with his approval rating up three to 41% and disapproval down five to 53%. He now holds a 42-38 lead over Anthony Albanese as preferred prime minister, who led 41-40 last time. Albanese’s net rating has also improved, his approval rating up one to 40% (The Australian report says down three, but I believe it has its wires crossed from the preferred prime minister movement) and disapproval down four to 40%.
In other findings, 75% support the government’s decision to abandon a budget surplus in favour of economic stimulus; 51% believe the federal government has managed preparedness for the crisis well; 66% are satisfied with federal and state government efforts to inform the public about the virus; but only 47% feel the same way about managing its economic impact.
UPDATE: The Australian’s reportage rather downplays the fact, but the poll found only 33% were satisfied with the economic response of governments (the question emphasised “both federal and state”) to the coronavirus outbreak, with 47% dissatisfied. The 75% rating in favour of stimulus did not relate specifically to the government’s policy, but to the general notion that “the Morrison government should provide a stimulus package to safeguard the economy”, with only 14% favouring the alternative option that it “should prioritise its promise to deliver a budget surplus”.
For the other questions, 76% of respondents were worried about the economic impact of the outbreak, versus only 20% for confident; 51% were worried, and 47% confident, about the preparedness of the public health system, for which 51% were satisified with the federal and state government response and 33% dissatisfied; and 63% were confident, and 35% worried, about “the amount of information available to Australians about how to protect themselves”, for which 65% were satisfied and 28% dissatisfied with the federal and state government response.
The poll was conducted Wednesday to Saturday from a sample of 1501.
NSW School holidays start April 9, nearly four weeks away. I don’t think that they can or should stay open that long.
Notice that giving $750 to four million Australians barely moved the dial. I guess there so much going on people didn’t notice.
In October 2008, there was barely any movement in TTP but Rudd’s PPM value went from 54-25 to 59-24 in the week after the first stimulus package. It then continued to rise to an incredible 66-19 in early December 2008 when people actually got the cash (significantly more per person than this time).
Nice to see the Usual Suspects and habitual Poll Bludger yodellers have finally quit labelling anyone who urges caution as “racists” or, worse, not “living their lives as if each day is their last”, by travelling to (of all places) Box Hill for a dose of multicultural solidarity.
What was sensible two weeks ago – i.e. social distancing, especially from ethnic groups that, at the time (and unfortunately for them), represented 99.8% of virus sufferers – is even more sensible today.
Except today it’s everybody we’re socially distancing ourselves from. If only we had – all of us – spared the bravado just a few weeks ago!
Brendan Murphy was also a goose and a ScoMo noddy two weeks ago (when I first pointed out he was both CMO and SECHEALTH simultaneously), as he remains today, glad-handing David Speers in the Insiders Green Room, defending his master when it is suggested he should have been tested, and backing up Dutton The Potato with an exquisitely complicated (and convenient) explanation as to why he got himself tested at precisely the tight time – neither an hour too late, nor too early. If ever we did NOT need a Yes Man in the role of CMO, it is now, as the viral tragedy unfolds, worldwide, with our entire Cabinet potentially in the C19 sin bin for a fortnight… or worse.
Oh how the PB Illuminati laughed at the herd mentality of our panicky inferiors, stoushing in supermarket aisles over toilet paper. That gave us a week or so of feeling superior to the bogan masses, before we realised that not only did they stock up on Sorbent, but also on just about everything else – handwash, noodles, vegetables, breakfast cereal, and just about anything you could shake a trolley at, now unavailable for love nor money.
What they were doing was voting with their feet. They ignored the government telling them this was just a flesh wound. They ignored the smartarses laughing at them. What else could they do? In the absence of good information, the wildebeest at the back of the herd doesn’t need to know why it’s running. It just runs. It’s a winning strategy – for most. Over-reaction wins every time over conforming to the opinions of plonking elitist hecklers taking cheap shots. Better to feel a bit silly afterwards than get eaten by the lion.
Was it worth the cheap jibes, Bludgers?
I hope so, because there’s a load of laughs just about to start coming down the Coronavirus Superhighway to tickle our superior fancies.
This is the Australian research on social distancing. It was written for flu but it’s still pretty relevant.
https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/519F9392797E2DDCCA257D47001B9948/$File/Social-2019.PDF
alfred venison @ #43 Sunday, March 15th, 2020 – 11:24 pm
I have signed up to both. No problems at all. The Berlin Phil Mahler performances are superb.
yabba you saw my response on HSR etc?
Bushfire Bill @ #53 Sunday, March 15th, 2020 – 10:52 pm
Any known cases of coronavirus being transmitted through a Chinese restaurant? I thought not.
Diogenes @ #50 Sunday, March 15th, 2020 – 11:49 pm
You think the kids can’t pass it on to their parents and grandparents, or the bus drivers, or the teachers, or the before and after schoolcare supervisors, or via these people to their respective parents and grandparents, and via them to the petrol station attendants, and the checkout chicks and the other users of the petrol pumps, or, or ,or…? You think you can stop the spread by increasing it? I see. Brilliant.
In this world of mobile devices, a school ban would be pretty effective and for once you wouldn’t be telling them to turn it off and go outside. 🙂
yabba
That is not what I said. If the kids catch it and become immune over the next few weeks when they aren’t around their grandparents, they won’t pass it in to their grandparents in a few weeks when the schools close for Easter.
Personally I think it’s a risky strategy but that’s his argument.
Re Russia. Read that the virus can take a while to progress into the body and may be open to chemical treatment in the first day or so. It is known that 70% ethanol kills the virus. Sly grog Vodka is 70%+
This may explain the lower Russian case count.
Or no testing.
Diogenes
Should they not also be looking at keeping schools open 24×7, with children there as at a camp, thus kept away from their grandparents and indeed parents. Would also need lots of real resources deployed, which is far more effective in relation to a demand shock than a cash splash.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/15/epidemiologist-britain-herd-immunity-coronavirus-covid-19
Sobering read…
He writes too much to summarise in a few quotes. But it is worth a read. Your 5 minutes will be well spent. He ends with the following.
He writes about the UK, but rhetorically, why does this last sentence resonate?
“Should they not also be looking at keeping schools open 24×7, with children there as at a camp….”
Is there actually any evidence from any of the badly effected countries that school kids are a major transmission vector?
All the shit that’s been thrown at Morrison and the LNP and that’s all you can do?
A school ban would be disastrous for the Medical system.
Bucelphalus
The government should have been more aggressive in introducing bans on in-bound flights. The minute a country has a confirmed case then a ban should apply.
That is not the point, you goose.
You’re still going on as if you knew all there was to know about how C19 is transmitted, and where.
You didn’t. You had no information to the contrary. You’re still heckling people who took sensible precautions as if those precautions were totally unnecessary and stupid.
It’s the Y2K fallacy again. Y2K wasn’t the disaster it might have been BECAUSE skilled, diligent computer programmers and their managers worked for years fixing the overflow problems in just about every subroutine of legacy code, written years before and transliterated countless times.
Equally it wasn’t just bogans or racists who avoided Chinese restaurants and precincts. It was the bloody Chinese as well!
God knows what would have happened if we ignored Y2K, and God knows what would have happened if the public – including the Chinese clientele themselves – hadn’t deserted Chinese businesses and precincts until at least the 14 day quarantine period had passed.
Are you thick or something, It’s Time?
It may well have been because Chinese business were shunned that this virus didn’t kick off sooner, back in February.
And post facto analysis won’t aid your case. You didn’t know what this virus was all about, at the time. Nobody did. So retrospective wisdom, or guesswork doesn’t cut it.
In these circumstances erring on the side of caution is a winning strategy.
It seems that we are now at 300 confirmed cases, 52 more than yesterday, and 5 deaths, 2 more than yesterday.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries
Buce
“A school ban would be disastrous for the Medical system.”
Yes, thats definitely a huge downside of closing schools.
It’s Time
That isn’t the point. It isn’t transmitted by food unless poorly handled but It is about the staff’s hygiene and different cultures have different hygiene standards. Chinese people will tell you this.
Hey, just noticed my nephew Jonathan came third over all in the Mooloolaba triathlon over this weekend!
Just braggin’ …
Fulvio Sammut @ #72 Sunday, March 15th, 2020 – 11:43 pm
Well done you!
Well done him!
LR
An extra 2000 cases in 24 hours between Spain and Germany is a cause for concern.
Those NSW Health guidance for being in isolation has this very unhelpful advice:
“ Ask your family, friends or other members of the household to pick up your groceries and medicines for you. If this is not possible, you may be able to order groceries and medicines (including prescription medicines) online or by telephone.”
So what’s the advice if neither option is possible? Starve to death, I assume!
“So what’s the advice if neither option is possible? Starve to death, I assume!”
This is actually something the government could usefully spend some money on.
Employ people to do deliveries. It doesn’t have to be in the most efficient way possible. Just pay people, who are going to be unemployed, to do it.
The US has overtaken Iran as the largest overseas source and while Iran and China have both flattened off, the US rise shows no sign of decline.
https://www.covid19data.com.au/
Shunning China worked so well that there are now more confirmed coronavirus cases outside of China than inside. They’re probably quietly hoping that the rest of the world keeps it up so that things don’t flare up again inside China.
Blobbit
“ Employ people to do deliveries. It doesn’t have to be in the most efficient way possible. Just pay people, who are going to be unemployed, to do it.”
——————
There are lots of people living alone especially older women who have nobody to rush to the shops for them to get things from empty shelves.
Our society seems awfully fragile to the slightest shock to the consumer merry-go-round.
The neo-liberal public anti-government politicians are the worse.
Hopefully this disaster will see the end of the unprincipled crooks.
NBC/WSJ polling on coronavirus finds only 40% of Republicans agree that “the worst is yet to come”.
https://twitter.com/mmurraypolitics/status/1239174708081328129
Diogenes, agreed. We’re not as bad, yet. Unfortunately there is a good fit to an exponential growth in Australia, starting March 3 or 4. These are the numbers starting on March 4: (33, 52, 61, 63, 76, 91, 100, 107, 127, 156, 199, 248, 300). Plotting that forward we get to 1000 cases some time on the 24th.
WB
Have they got a surprise coming.
“Diogenes, agreed. We’re not as bad, yet. Unfortunately there is a good fit to an exponential growth in Australia”
How does that look of NSW is excluded? Seems to be the worst there.
Its a shame the virus doesn’t target the stupid.
Cud Chewer @ #85 Sunday, March 15th, 2020 – 10:15 pm
It should to a certain extent if those people don’t take adequate precautions.
Blobbit @ #84 Monday, March 16th, 2020 – 12:12 am
Sorry, I don’t have the daily numbers for NSW, only Australian daily totals that I originally scraped together by searching for old news reports. But there’s a site that might have the numbers here if you want to follow that up. Also the link Barney put up, I think, breaks out the different states. Maybe tomorrow I can do the regression. (no promises)
Laugh and cry..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow5bhEi6EdY
Check out the comments.. I love..
“If you think you have Covid-19 or flu-like symptoms please book yourself into your closest Trump property.”
Australia should follow South Korea, not the UK!
BORIS Johnson’s response to Covid-19 has all the hallmarks of a man blundering ahead without much of a plan – and the public can see it.
The Prime Minister left many in shock after deciding to eschew measures taken by other european countries to tackle the coronavirus, such as closing schools and banning mass gatherings.
Instead, the UK’s chief science adviser suggested they will move forward with a plan that includes letting the virus move through the population to infect 40 million people.
Over 200 scientists have signed an open letter slamming any support for prioritising “herd immunity”, stating that social distancing is the most effectve way to battle the pandemic.
Social media users were also quick to call out the Prime Minister for his lack of action, and it wasn’t long before #BorisTheButcher began trending on social media.
https://www.thenational.scot/news/18306275.boristhebutcher-trends-across-uk-social-media/
Rakali:
– UK has only about 2/3 ICU (etc) beds per capita as most developed nations such as Italy and Australia (due mainly to a decade of austerity in UK) and it may be that they have no choice but to do what they are doing… They might be looking at 10% chance versus no chance…
– US has a lot more ICU than almost any other nation (IIRC, Germany also has many) but it may not help the US much since they also have an enormous number of chronically unhealthy people and thus a larger high risk fraction (which will easily dominate the increased ICU availability).
– There are valid arguments both ways re Schools in particular. The apparent fact that children are very unlikely to require treatment is a potential opportunity
A R wrote:
Typical brain-dead comment from someone who, just a week or so ago, was bragging he was so fit and young that he wasn’t going to alter his busy social and multicultural schedule, selfishly forgetting that not everyone is so allegedly well endowed with glowing health and natural immunity.
Where do you get ’em, William? Why do they end up here?
For A R’s benefit: the virus CAME from China, thicko.
Ultimately EVERYBODY who’s got it got it from a back alley in Wuhan. I’m not making this up. Check for yourself if you don’t believe me.
Who KNOWS how bad it would have been here already if we hadn’t shut the door on Chinese entries, and if we – Skips and Chinese alike – hadn’t shunned Chinese businesses and precincts in the early days, when there were thousands of Wuhan arrivals for Lunar New Year, before the ban was imposed still in Australia and potentially infectious.
You don’t. I don’t.
But your strategy to fight the virus is to try to pin “racist” labels on people like me who took the precaution of keeping away from ethnic Chinese establishments, maybe slowing the progress of the virus a little bit, or maybe a lot. Or maybe not at all. We – neither you nor me – will ever know for sure. It’s like trying to prove a negative. Virtually impossible.
But at least I DID something instead of, like you, bragging how bullet proof I was to anyone who had the misfortune to read that disgusting post of yours.
Nowadays they call it “social distancing”, and if you hadn’t noticed, it’s now become official public policy.
Mate, labelling people and playing your childish Oneupmanship virtue-signalling games won’t protect you. The virus has no conscience and doesn’t recognize saintliness like yours.
Grow up, and start behaving like a mature member of society instead of a condescending do-gooder. At least for some of the time.
a.r
That is if you believe the Chinese numbers and it is too be expected that as the virus spreads that there could be more outside because the Chinese authorities have moved to restrict the spread of the virus in ways other countries have not.
It’s this simple: as soon as China relaxes, it’ll start up there again. Nothing surer.
A highly infectious disease that’s infected only about 1/20th of 1% of the Chinese population is still only lacing up it’s running shoes.
The scary thing is that the Chinese might want to declare an end to the epidemic there to prove something stupid, like the superiority of their system.
The Dawn Patrol is under preparation.
Cheers BK.
Good morning, bludgers.
With online ordering already broken down, those who have been stockpiling essentials don’t look so silly. But it’s forecasting how much and for how long that’s the problem.
https://newmatilda.com/2020/03/14/a-smirk-a-snort-and-a-scotty-from-marketing-fact-free-coronavirus-live-address-to-the-nation/
A bit late, but sensible move…
“Monday 16th March 2020: Woolworths Supermarkets is introducing temporary measures across its stores to help support the shopping needs of the elderly and people with disability in the community.
From tomorrow (Tuesday 17th March) until at least Friday, Woolworths Supermarkets will be opening exclusively for the elderly and those with a disability to shop from 7am to 8am, where permitted*.
The move has been prompted by the unprecedented demand in supermarkets over the past week, which has seen many elderly and vulnerable people in the community missing out on vital items they may need when they shop.
Woolworths Supermarkets will open to all customers from 8am. Access to the store prior to this time will require a relevant Government issued concession card*.
https://www.miragenews.com/woolworths-to-introduce-a-dedicated-shopping-hour-for-elderly-and-people-with-disability/
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Hundreds of thousands of Australians and foreign visitors face heavy fines or police action if they fail to comply with a compulsory 14-day isolation period as the country effectively shuts itself off from the rest of the world in a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus. A ban on all non-essential “static” events starts today but even more draconian measures which would shut down moderately-sized indoor events from restaurants to public meetings are to be considered within days.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australia-in-lockdown-virus-numbers-grow-hit-to-economy-gets-larger-20200315-p54a9q.html
Sarah Danckert reports that Qantas and Virgin Australia are reeling from strict new travel restrictions to tackle the spread of the coronavirus that are likely to severely hamper international flight arrivals.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/qantas-virgin-reel-from-coronavirus-travel-restrictions-20200315-p54aab.html
Parts of Australia could be closed off to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy has warned as the nation’s medical experts prepare for more “social distancing” measures.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/parts-of-australia-could-be-shut-down-chief-medical-officer-20200315-p54a5v.html
Trump’s America is stuffed! They are not handling things at all well.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/you-risk-causing-serious-illness-and-death-pence-slammed-over-airport-chaos-20200316-p54abw.html
Biochemist Xavier Symons looks at the ethical questions that will arise as load exceeds the capacity of ICU resources.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/an-icu-age-limit-rationing-lifesaving-care-to-cope-with-covid-19-is-an-ethical-minefield-20200313-p549qc.html
Jennifer Duke writes that politicians might be forced to stay away from Canberra for the last Parliamentary sitting week before the federal budget as the government rushes to pass legislation without risking spreading coronavirus among MPs.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/important-work-to-do-politicians-may-be-forced-to-stay-away-from-canberra-to-slow-coronavirus-spread-20200315-p54a98.html
Ross Gittins says that anyone who thinks avoiding a second quarter of decline in real gross domestic product means avoiding recession needs a lesson in economics.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/avoiding-the-r-word-won-t-be-as-easy-as-boosting-the-june-quarter-20200315-p54a6u.html
Clancy Yeates writes that one of ANZ Bank’s most senior executives has pledged that the lender will be more lenient towards firms tipped into temporary financial stress by the coronavirus crisis, after warning he “fully” expects hardship among some business clients in exposed industries such as tourism.
https://www.smh.com.au/buess/banking-and-finance/anz-expects-hardship-for-some-clients-as-virus-takes-toll-20200312-p549hn.html
Keeping calm and carrying on won’t work this time says Shaun Carney.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/keeping-calm-and-carrying-on-won-t-work-this-time-20200313-p549xl.html
“Australian governments have belatedly realised their approach to the coronavirus has been badly inadequate and are now imposing much tougher measures. The question is whether they have left it too late?” asks Jennifer Hewett.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/scott-morrison-plays-catch-up-to-a-crisis-20200315-p54aad
Simon Cowan says that the government now needs a long-term financial response to coronavirus.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6676503/government-needs-long-term-financial-response-to-coronavirus/?cs=14258
Phil Coorey outlines how the government is trying to slow down four million C-19 infections.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/fortress-australia-all-overseas-arrivals-must-self-isolate-20200315-p54a8h
Doctors are recommending people visit their grandparents before a lockdown is enforced – as it may be their last chance for a while.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/should-we-be-locked-down-experts-split-on-hardline-covid-19-measures-20200315-p54a8y.html
The NBN is preparing for the biggest test in its 10-year history, as the COVID-19 crisis forces millions of Australians to work from home.
https://www.afr.com/companies/telecommunications/nbn-telcos-prepare-for-unprecedented-demand-20200315-p54a7h
A leading Melbourne surgeon says the state government’s plans to fast-track more than 7000 procedures in the coming weeks will put Victoria’s public hospitals under pressure as they prepare to cope with the virus.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/surgeon-warns-on-coronavirus-elective-surgery-blitz-vote-grab-20200315-p54a8k.html
Unlike the climate emergency, coronavirus left us with no time for politics says John Birmingham.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2020/03/14/coronavirus-government-reaction-australia/
Mark Pearson gives us five ways to manage our news consumption in times of crisis.
https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-5-ways-to-manage-your-news-consumption-in-times-of-crisis-133614
Josh Frydenberg is contacting his G20 counterparts as Australia, United Kingdom, India and others call for a meeting of the bloc to better coordinate the global response to the pandemic.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/pm-urges-g20-to-call-virus-crisis-meeting-20200315-p54a8i
Euan Black explores the question of whether or not we are ready for a surge in remote working.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/work/2020/03/15/coronavirus-remote-working-change/
The Government has teed up a “community chest” of future rorts to target marginal seats in two more elections. The blatant manipulation of voters does not end with #sportsrorts and other assorted grants rorts. Jommy Tee has uncovered a cunning plan which could see Community Development Grants pork-barrel another two election campaigns.
https://www.michaelwest.com.au/future-rorts-why-buy-one-election-when-you-can-buy-three/
Existential threat and the generational divide. Climate vs coronavirus.
https://theaimn.com/climate-vse-corona-virus/
Sean Kelly writes from Switzerland that as European nations shut down to halt the spread of coronavirus, Australians need to trust their Prime Minister to tell us the unvarnished truth – and he needs to trust us.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-measure-of-success-pm-will-be-saving-as-many-lives-as-possible-20200315-p54a61.html
In what is not a good sign security has been called in to the ACT’s coronavirus testing facility this week after medical professionals were subjected to verbal abuse.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6678611/security-called-in-for-act-as-coronavirus-sparks-nurse-safety-fears/?cs=14225
Trump had offered funds to lure a German company seeking a coronavirus vaccine to the US but the German government was making counter-offers to tempt it to stay, the German government has confirmed. Trump only thinks about “winning”!
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/trump-tries-to-lure-vaccine-maker-to-us-from-germany-20200316-p54aby.html
The Washington Post has chronicled all od Trump’s false and misleading statements on coronavirus. The man is positively idiotic and dangerous!
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/we-have-it-totally-under-control-donald-trump-s-false-comments-on-the-coronavirus-20200315-p54a8v.html
America has no real public health system – coronavirus has a clear run explains Robert Reich.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/15/america-public-health-system-coronavirus-trump
Michael Koziol reports that the Morrison government has quietly mothballed an inquiry which would have paved the way for long-promised laws to protect gay students and teachers from being expelled or sacked from religious schools.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/morrison-government-quietly-mothballs-laws-to-protect-gay-students-and-teachers-20200312-p549m3.html
Germany is to partially close its borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg and Denmark as it steps up efforts to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/coronavirus-nsw-bans-gatherings-of-more-than-500/news-story/591befdb966439ee7597011c90ca2c8a
Trump’s response to the coronavirus pandemic has been ‘haphazard’, from a cascade of false statements to a public address that fuelled anxiety. David Smith wonders if he can save himself.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/mar/15/trump-leadership-coronavirus-pandemic
Donald Trump is “strongly considering a full pardon” for Michael Flynn, his first national security adviser who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his dealings with the Russian ambassador before Trump took office.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/mar/15/donald-trump-full-pardon-michael-flynn
Netanyahu now may not be able to form a government.
https://www.theage.com.au/world/middle-east/netanyahu-s-future-in-doubt-as-gantz-wins-chance-to-form-government-20200316-p54abv.html
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe
Jim Pavlidis
John Shakespeare
Matt Golding
Michael Leunig
Jon Kudelka
Glen Le Lievre
Sean Leahy
Alan Moir
Leak
https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/79a2d69ee8f1e8d41973caa98fb05e18?width=1024
From the US
Mexicanbeemersays:
Monday, March 16, 2020 at 12:34 am
“Bucelphalus
The government should have been more aggressive in introducing bans on in-bound flights. The minute a country has a confirmed case then a ban should apply.”
That would make it very quiet at the airports as almost every country has at least a few cases – and probably have minimal effect.
People can be contagious for some time before they show symptoms – and if they show symptoms (not all ppl do) – and if they recognise those symptoms (which I suspect many don’t).