Last week, I opened my first Christmas cracker for the season. With someone else. At a real-life Christmas party! The paper crown is put on, and the joke is read out (What winter athlete is the warmest? Long jumper!) As my friends boogied along to the original Mariah Carey Christmas album on a warm, frangipani-scented summer night, I felt a real turning point.
I hoped that the Australian lockdown would not last long. We’re not yet virus-free, despite the fact that it has been almost a year since Australia shut its borders. While many mistakes were made during the coronavirus pandemic, containmentralia is one of the world’s success stories, with less than 60 active cases as of the time of this writing. It’s not bad for a country of 25,000,000.
I am fortunate to be from the northern part of New South Wales, which has avoided any infection clusters or prolonged lockdowns. There were some silver linings. I was able to run for an hour in Byron Bay and not have to dodge a hundred people. After being closed for the majority of the year, all state borders are now open, albeit with some restrictions. Also, regulations have been loosened around the country, allowing sports events, restaurants, and pubs to run at full capacity.
It’s not that 2020 wasn’t a difficult year for most Australians. Our tourism industry, for instance, has been devastated by the prolonged absence of foreign visitors. No matter how much our lives have suffered, we are aware that it could have gone much worse. Every evening in 2020, we watched reports from the frontlines of the pandemic, including the US, UK, and other countries that have struggled to contain this virus. It felt like a horror film. It’s not a tragedy that is happening on our planet.
As the festive season has been canceled in many countries, I feel a little guilty for planning a fairly typical Christmas Day on the coast of Australia: a beach day with family and friends and an Esky filled with mangoes and prawns. Many Australians will also celebrate Christmas in the same manner as they have always done. A coronavirus outbreak this week in Sydney, just weeks after Melbourne was released from one of Australia’s most stringent lockdowns, has reminded us we are not yet out of the woods. Sydney’s 21 beaches are closed until further notice, and residents have been urged to stay at home for the next few days.
We are closely monitoring the situation in Sydney, but I am cautiously optimistic I will still be able to gather with my family on Friday as planned. As Australia’s coronavirus vaccine program is not expected to begin until March 2021, vigilance is key to avoiding any further outbreaks. In Sydney’s Northern Beaches, where masks are recommended inside, this means keeping a distance of 1.5m from other household members, following check-in procedures in hospitality venues, and wearing a mask on public transport. It’s at least.
While Australia may not be completely free of coronas this Christmas, it’s safe to say that I’ve never felt more grateful for the opportunity to spend my holiday here.
