CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
As COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc outside of the Northern Hemisphere, there is intense and growing demand for crucial medical supplies such as testing kits and medical masks.
On Wednesday it was confirmed that 10 million COVID-19 test kits were en-route to Australia from China, which will soon be handed out to hospitals, clinics and labs around the country.
However, it remains unclear if Australians will take the initiative to get themselves tested if they fit the criteria.
With only 4 million of the required 10 million downloads confirmed for the government’s COVIDsafe tracing app, health and government officials are starting to realise Australians aren’t as compliant as they thought they were.
The issue of testing is the same, with a large number of Australian men avoiding doctor visits like the plague they might be infected with.
It seems one hurdle of encouraging citizens to get themselves tested when they show symptoms is the shyness of Australian men, particularly when faced with ‘man flu’ heckle from their female loved ones.
That’s according to a new report by the not-for-profit organisation End Man Flu NOW! – a charity that aims to raise awareness for the problematic public health concerns that can be caused by women teasing Aussie blokes about over-reacting to a case of the sniffles.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has today addressed this issue in a Facebook Live video from his office.
“Please. To our mums, sisters, girlfriends, wives, daughters” said Mr Morrison.
“Please don’t be mean”
“The more men we get out there testing themselves, the better. If your husband, boyfriend, dad, son, brother is complaining about a throat tickle or a runny nose. It is very important that you don’t laugh at them or pretend to play tiny violins with your fingers.”
“This will cause them to suck it up and, in the off chance they are sick, possibly continue infecting community members”
Morrison’s have comments have been met with criticism from a leading pro-man flu organisations.
A statement released by MISSO (Mums, In-laws, Sisters, Significant Others Against Men Over-Reacting) says this is very typical of the Prime Minister to side with men, because he looks like the type that would definitely hit the coach with a doonah and hot water bottle the moment his sinuses loosen up after a hot laksa.
“We agree that idle hands are the last thing our nation needs in our efforts to defeat the Coronavirus pandemic” read the statement.
“But hypochondriacs are just as unhelpful in these uncertain times.”
“More than ever, Australian men need to be able to tell the difference between a hangover and a upper respiratory illness”
MORE TO COME.
