For people visiting Melbourne and went to Moomba Festival Parade on 9 Mar 20, it must have been a surreal and strange experience. Why? Because after this parade, which thousands of people attended, the world had changed so dramatically. The change had so profoundly impacted all our lives in so many ways.
The Significant Dates
On 9 Mar 20, China mainland reported more than 80,000 cases of COVID-19 infections. At least 40 countries reported their first COVID-19 infection. The world watched the rapid increase of COVID-19 infections with great concern.
On 11 Mar 20, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.
By then so many countries had already started to impose travel restrictions and border closure to stem the spread of the COVID-19 infections.
On 13 Mar 20, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison advised Australians to cancel all non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people. Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, scheduled from 12 to 15 Mar 20, was cancelled at the very last minute. World Tour Bushfire Relief Concert, scheduled to start on 13 Mar 20, was cancelled. Melbourne International Comedy Festival, scheduled to start on 25 Mar 20, was also cancelled. Many more cancellations followed.
On 23 Mar 20, Australia started a national lockdown which lasted 8 weeks.
The Lucky and Unlucky Ones
Those who decided to return home before border closure certainly made the right decision. Because most if not all the countries still have their border closures in place when this blog is published. The border closures have resulted in so many people stranded outside their home country or home state, causing them so much inconvenience, anxiety, and even pain for some people.
I was one of the lucky people who returned from Melbourne to my home state Western Australia, after attending the Moomba Festival Parade, on 9 Mar 20. It was just weeks before the border closure.
While at the Moomba Festival Parade, I captured images of floats, performing dance troupes and community groups, and spectators.
I include these images in this blog and hope they would help some people present at the parade recall the enjoyable and memorable moments.
Want to read more COVID-19 related blogs? Click “COVID-19 Living and Life”.
Moomba Festival and Parade Melbourne 2021
I hope Moomba Festival and Parade Melbourne 2021, scheduled from 5 to 8 Mar 2021, will be much bigger and much more colourful. That would be the evidence of our victory against the COVID-19 pandemic!
Want to discover more interesting travels and destinations? Check out the “Travels and Destinations” blogs.
