'Ruined Christmas': Sydney band cops abuse over new Covid cluster
A Sydney band is being mercilessly trolled after their drummer became one of the people infected in a growing coronavirus cluster in the city’s Northern Beaches.
The drummer, a man in his 60s from Frenchs Forest, for the band, Nothing Too Serious, fell ill with Covid-19 and played a number of different venues including Avalon RSL.
The cluster he is part of grew by 23 on Saturday. There is no evidence he was responsible for the outbreak.
The band was named by Health Minister Brad Hazzard earlier this week and now Nothing Too Serious is being targeted by some people who are furious their Christmas plans have been ruined.
The cluster has also led to a lockdown being reintroduced in the Northern Beaches.
One man wrote the band should “accept the fact” they have “ruined Christmas for 10s of thousands of people”.
“F*** you,” he wrote.
Another man suggested the band’s name was appropriate.
“Just a little cough, might head out and spread disease around town and ruin travel for thousands of people who were nowhere near you lot,” he wrote.
“Hope the fines are huge.”
According to news.com.au, one person blamed the band for not being able to visit their cancer-stricken sister in Sydney labelling them “Covidiots”.
Another called them “idiotic boomers”.
Such has been the abuse, NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes has come out to bat for the band, calling them “an Avalon institution and a big part of the cultural life of the Northern Beaches”.
“The band does amazing work in our community, including a heap of charity gigs,” he said.
“They deserve our thanks, not abuse. The band members are not the cause of the Covid-19 outbreak. They are victims of the virus, just like the rest of us. So please, let’s recognise that the band has done nothing wrong, and that any suggestions to the contrary are simply untrue.”
‘Isn’t our fault’, Sydney band says
A member of the band, who spoke under anonymity, told news.com.au fellow members were concerned for the drummer’s welfare.
He added the cluster “isn’t our fault”.
“We were like the audience, we were no different to them in any way,” he said.
“We went there, under Covid restrictions and played in a Covid manner, and unfortunately as with the audience, one of us got infected.”
The band shared Mr Stokes’ post on their Facebook page and were flooded with messages of support.
“All the best good people. As a supporter of live music, I'm sorry to hear you have been caught up in this. I hope for quick recovery for your drummer and for who ever they caught COVID from,” one person wrote.
Another said: “Shame you had to cop all this flack guys. You are obviously not to blame. I hope your drummer does not get too sick and the rest of you are safe. Keep bringing the music when and where you safely can. People need it more than ever.”
“Ignore the s*** from emotionally-fuelled people who think they know everything but usually know nothing,” a third fan said.
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