Teresa Fitzgerald pictured with Harry Walsh in her last trip home to Donegal
TERESA Fitzgerald from Glencar, Letterkenny, works as a Relationship Executive at Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) based in Sydney.
Back in November, Teresa and her neighbours were just keeping on top of the bush-fires and the ripple effect from them was like nothing she had seen since she left Donegal 30 years ago.
They had just started breathing easy again when they had torrential rain for an extended period, again leaving much destruction and devastation. It was during this period that they started coming across COVID-19 in the news.
“To think the world was behind us earlier this year with the bushfires and now we with the rest of the world are on the same page with COVID -19,” she said.
“My ex colleagues back at CSIRO (Australia’s national science agency) were contacted last November by their international scientific colleagues expressing their concerns about developing their knowledge of the virus because of Chinese secrecy. From what they were told, they knew enough back then to predict that what’s now known as COVID-19 had the potential to be very serious for us if borders weren’t closed.
“Several government departments were informed, including the Federal Health Minister’s Office and the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison. Sadly, protecting commercial interests became a priority over the health of Australian citizens. We all know you can’t protect your economy without protecting your citizens,” she claimed.
Ms Fitzgerald lives in the Ryde area, North West of Sydney where they have a number of confirmed cases in the local hospital. Until this week she lived in the epicentre. Wollongong, a beach city south of Sydney, is now the new hub off the back of 37 guests confirmed with COVID-19 post attending a wedding.
In total they have 1,709 confirmed cases of coronavirus across the country, 704 of those are in NSW. Seven have died in total.
“There was no one more surprised than me to see such crowds going to Sydney beaches last weekend – so glad they’re now closed.
“I work for a peak industry body, representing the interests of more than 60,000 businesses employing more than 1 million people in manufacturing, construction, mining services, defence, retail, ICT, labour hire, transport and logistics, community services, food, horticulture and airlines.
“I bring in big businesses to shape industry policy which generally means getting them to part with money. I’ve been told many times in the last month that there will be no spending for now.
“I spend a lot of work time in the International Convention Centre, the staff there were saying they were booked out for the next four years but now they have six months’ worth of cancellations,” she said.
Teresa’s only child, Ciara, started her first job post university in investment banking. Four weeks into the job she is working from home as is her mother.
“For now, we have secure jobs too which is good,” she said.
Teresa’s niece, Etaoin Friel (her sister Mary’s daughter from Creeslough) gave birth to her first child, a girl in Wellington, New Zealand on March 15.
“I was very glad to hear she got home safe. NZ has 55 cases at this point and by all accounts appear to be doing their best to keep it controlled.
“I see the crazy human behaviour in the mix here. We’re not stockpiling and plan doing all we can to avoid COVID-19, look out for each other and the vulnerable.
“I hear too there is lots of Irish people working here in the medical system doing a fantastic job,” she said.
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere
SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT EDITION TODAY
and get access to our archive editions dating back to 2007(CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW TO SUBSCRIBE)