If you have been tested for Covid-19, you can now receive your pathology results via text message. A first in the State, the development by NSW Health Pathology means you’ll get your results faster.Instead of waiting up to a week to get the results, an automated SMS message will be sent to you within 24 hours of getting the test done at a specialist lab.Patients who test positive for the virus will still have their results reported immediately to their referring doctor and public health unit.A NSW Health spokesperson said “this major development is about putting the patient first by helping reduce the anxiety of waiting for results in isolation. It will also help ease pressure on busy hospital and laboratory staff”. To receive their results via this new service, a patient must opt in through a registration and identity verification process when they are being tested for Covid-19 at a NSW public hospital.“Data security is critical to this process and the SMS notification system will integrate with existing statewide security and other support infrastructure to ensure patient privacy and data integrity is maintained,” the spokesperson said.Following is an image of the SMS people will receive, if they test negative for COVID-19:

Police are seeking community assistance with locating 22 year old Ashleigh Deahm, who is wanted by virtue of an arrest warrant. Miss Deahm is known to frequent the Lismore and Bentley areas.If you can help locate Miss Deahm, contact Lismore Police 02 6626 0599 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. 

When the “gig” economy dried up a few weeks ago, it meant the end of life as we know it for local musicians.The coronavirus-forced closure of pubs, clubs and venues as places for music and performance meant no more income for musos and actors – and the end is still not in sight.Goonellabah-based musicians Chris Fisher and Marcelle Townsend Cross (aka Monkey and the Fish) found themselves facing uncertainty in the future, but have kept making music, performing recently from their own home, and streaming the concert live on Facebook in The Pub With No Fear.“The musos are lining up for Centrelink – there’s nothing in the government’s rescue package for the casual gig economy,” Marcelle said.“Chris has signed up for Centrelink benefits and we are surviving because I still have some teaching work.”Chris had been running the East Lismore Bowling Club open mic events until the club was forced to close under social isolation restrictions.“We lost all our gigs,” Marcelle said. “Most musicians plan their gigs six months in advance, so everything is lost.“But our garden is looking good – Chris has not just been sitting around – he’s been doing stuff around the house.”Bring on the online pub - The Pub With No Fear.Monkey and The Fish in the band's gigging days.It’s a Facebook group set up by Alstonville musicians Debi Martin and Brad Buckley as a concert space to give musicians a chance to keep performing, and people who love live music to keep hearing it.“We did a Monkey and the Fish solo set last weekend,” Marcelle said. “Chris had fun setting up for it on the day. He set up lights and a backdrop and the sound system. He spent a day getting the sound right – we still wanted the performance to look and sound great.”At The Pub With No Fear, musicians' performances are scheduled throughout the day, and if listeners like the music, they can put money into the performer's Paypal account, if they have supplied one.Marcelle said all the recordings stay on the site for a while and you can watch performances live or catch up later.“Friends of mine were watching and they loved staying connected with us and our music,” Marcelle said. The Pub With No Fear’s instigators Debi Martin and Brad Buckley said setting up the group was one way they could keep doing their job as musicians, which they loved.“Like so many others, we have worked hard to get to where we are and be gig match fit - only to be thrust into a world of uncertainty,” they posted on Facebook.“This means our craft stands to slip if we don’t find a way to keep it up."We have to keep music alive, give people a place to go to retreat to … maybe kick back and enjoy a few hours watching musicians in real time perform from their lounge rooms, studios and outdoor home settings."If you are interested in listening or performing, find The Pub With No Fear on Facebook. Tuesday is official open mic day and upcoming and new performers get a chance to stretch their wings.NEWS: Local theatre ready to light the night sky

While the stage remains dark, the Rochdale Theatre’s outside is set to be brightly lit this Wednesday, April 15 in a show of solidarity with other entertainment businesses forced to close in the Covid-19 crisis. In lighting up, the Lismore Theatre Company joins other arts facilities around the nation, like the Brisbane Powerhouse, for Light Unite Australia.It’s heralded as a mark of respect to all fighting the pandemic and draws attention to the plight of the entertainment business and the loss of income for a whole industry.LTC technician Luke Kane said “it's a great way to bring a little colour to keep our spirits up during this period as almost everybody in the entertainment industry is currently unemployed”.Light Unite is an Australian Lighting Industry Association initiative to raise awareness of the impacts of the global pandemic on the entertainment and arts industries. “Traditionally theatres are not dark for long, so having every theatre in Australia shut down is unprecedented,” Luke said.“All theatres, whether professional or community based are feeling the financial and emotional effects.”LTC president Sharon Brodie said “it is difficult for creative, community minded people to just stay home, but in the end our committee was proactive in postponing our scheduled shows to protect our audiences”. “I believe that our community has appreciated what we have done and will be eager to support the theatre when we reopen,” she said.“Meanwhile, we can light up our exterior from 7-9pm on 15 April to remind the community and the government that we are still here.”Educating Rita was to open on March 20 for three weekends and the pantomime Puss in Thongs was scheduled for six performances in late April. The Company’s Artistic Director and Educating Rita’s Producer Kylie Fuad said “although it has been a huge setback for our 50th year at the Rochdale, we will celebrate with Educating Rita as the first show of our 2020 season, whenever it starts”. “Our volunteers are a resilient bunch and will be back stronger than ever and we will be keen to welcome more people to be part of our theatre,” she said.While in this forced period of closure, the company is posting photos of past shows on its Facebook page and providing links to the many free on-line productions streaming from theatre companies around the world.Keep an eye on the skies over Goonellabah from 7-9pm on Wednesday, April 15 and LTC social media pages to see what’s happening.NEWS: The Pub With No Fear invites local musos to play

Local not-for-profit organisations can apply for one of the up to $5000 community grants up for grabs from Summerland Credit Union.Applications close on April 30 and are open to a wide range of organisations throughout the community, including charities, schools, sporting organisations, social clubs, and community events.Previous grant recipients include Goonellabah’s Care-Ring Children’s Centre to update the centre’s vegetable garden and the outdoor play area; Eltham Public School P and C to create a butterfly garden; Lismore Friendship Festival to put on the Piazza in the Park Festival; RED Inc to provide a specialised bed and lifter designed for someone in a wheelchair; and South Gundurimba Hall to improve the catering options for all hall users from the community.To apply, click https://summerland.com.au/community-grants

How can we make employment and business ownership easier to access for Indigenous Australians?The Indigenous Affairs Committee in the Federal Parliament has launched a new survey seeking your feedback on how to achieve this.This survey forms part of the committee’s current Inquiry into Pathways and Participation Opportunities for Indigenous Australians in Employment and Business.Committee chair Julian Leeser said a focus of the inquiry is removing barriers.“What better way to start than by removing barriers to participating in the inquiry?” Mr Leeser said.“You can fill out the survey in only five minutes, and if there’s something you’d like to raise with the Committee in more detail you can still make a longer written submission to the inquiry and be considered as a possible witness at a future public hearing.”The Committee plans to announce hearings around regional as part of the inquiry.You can find more information about the inquiry on the Committee’s website: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Indigenous_AffairsThe survey can be accessed at the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/IndigenousParticipationSurvey

Alcohol-based hand sanitiser is dangerous if ingested, particularly for children.  The message from NSW Health to parents comes after a recent spike in the number of emergency calls due to hand sanitiser exposure incidents - mostly by babies and young children ingesting it at home.NSW Poisons Information Centre said while hand sanitiser is an important tool in stopping the spread of Covid-19, even a small amount can be harmful for young children and babies if ingested.The Centre’s senior poisons specialist Genevieve Adamo said hand sanitiser products should be stored safely and out of reach of children. “When they are used by young children it should be under the supervision of an adult,” Ms. Adamo said.“Washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is also a safe and effective option to help combat Covid-19.”Consumers are reminded to be aware of imported products which may not be clearly labelled and may contain more toxic alcohols such as methanol that make the product more dangerous. Products may also be packaged in a range of container types, including beverage containers, which can increase the risk of accidental ingestion and poisoning.Additionally, there have been reports of people making their own hand sanitiser, which may increase the risk of potential poisoning.Most minor ingestions can be safely managed at home but telephone assessment is still important.“Regardless of the quantity, people should always call the Poisons Information Centre for first aid and monitoring advice and should ensure they have the container of the ingested product with them,” Ms Adamo said.“Calling the Poisons Information Centre first to see if you or your child needs to go to hospital may prevent unnecessary visits to the Emergency Department and will help to keep Emergency Departments free for emergencies. “In the current climate, it also prevents people increasing their risk of exposure to Covid-19.”Everyone can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by practising social distancing, thorough hand washing, cough etiquette and staying home if they’re unwell. To learn how to protect yourself and others see https://preview.nsw.gov.au/covid-19 For advice on possible poisoning, please contact the 24 hour Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.  

Now that we are home bound for a while and you can see many people working on their lawns, hedges and gardens, we felt it was a good idea to give some tips on what type of fruit and vegetables to plant in Autumn.Our source is The Garden Centre in South Lismore, a locally owned business. We spoke to Oliver Blythe who passed on this advice.Autumn brings cooler growing conditions which is good for root vegetables like carrots, potatoes, radishes, parsnips, onions and garlic.There are quite a few other vegetables that also do well in autumn such as peas & beans, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and kale.Some herbs will also keep you in fresh supply such as parsely, spring onions and corriander.If you are lacking in room then pots are a viable option for herbs.Preparing your garden bed for two weeks before planting is ideal, digging in some compost to loosen the soil and mix in the nutrients.The cabbage moth is still active while we have these remaining warm sunny days but there are natural remedies available to protect your crops.For the fruit lovers, it is a good time to plant citrus trees so oranges, lemons and limes as well as mangoes and lychees.As you know, we at the Lismore App want you to shop local and keep your money in our community. If you are already a gardener or if you want to give growing your own vegetables a try, you can call the Garden Centre, order what you need then quickly pick it up soon after. There are strict social distancing rules that will be enforced.Coronavirus has shortened trading hours to three days:Sunday 9am - 1pmMonday 9am - 4:30pmTuesday 9am - 4:30pmThe phone number is 6621 7305 and the address 67-69 Union Street, South Lismore.Oliver mentioned they have plenty of seedlings at The Garden Centre.Good luck with your autumn and winter crops!A reminder that to further shop local and support businesses that are doing it tough at the moment, go to the Takeaway/Home Delivery yellow button on the front page of the Lismore App.You can help save a business from closing by ordering takeaway or getting home delivery whether it be coffee, lunch or dinner or sheets for your bed.

In the past few days, we have had people ask what you can and cannot do during the coronavirus pandemic restrictions.I hope we can give some clarification for you on a few hobbies after discussions with the Lismore Police station this afternoon.FISHINGFishing is considered 'passive exercise' so is acceptable. You cannot drive 3-4 hours to fish but Ballina is fine and you must practise social distancing from other boats at a wharf or other fishermen on the beach.Keep in mind that many NSW beaches are closed so please check before heading out.In a statement from NSW Police Commissioner gave this advice "If you do need a break and if [fishing] is your exercise, then do it sensibly and do it quickly and return home".EXERCISING ON OR NEAR THE BEACHAs you maybe aware, exercise is permitted for 1 hour per day with one other person or the people in your household that are living under the same roof. If you are exercising with a friend then you must practice the 1.5 metre social distancing rule.You can drive to your exercise location and this includes beachside locations, as long as they are in your vicinity and not 2-3 hours away. Most NSW beaches are closed but if there are running tracks close to the beach these may be used.MOTORBIKE RIDESIf you own a motorbike, the official word is that your bike should stay inside unless it is your mode of transport. Weekend rides to de-stress are not considered exercise therefore are banned. The Richmond District Police have caught some riders that thought it was safe to do so.VISITING RELATIVESVisiting relatives is only allowed if you are caring for that person or providing supplies.A family Easter Sunday visit to watch the Easter egg hunt or for an Easter lunch is not allowed.This is the part that will be difficult for most families, including ours. The best result is a virtual Easter egg hunt through one of the many platforms available like Facebook live, Instagram live, Zoom, Google hangouts and Houseparty.The final word is from Mick Fuller, the NSW Police Force Commissioner "As I keep saying, a good rule of thumb is that if you are questioning whether you should be doing something, it is best to give it a miss".Don't forget you can contact the Lismore App at anytime through the 'Contact The App' button at the bottom of the front page.

The Northern NSW Local Health District has increased its confirmed cases of coronavirus by 2 to 53.It has not been named which specific local health districts these cases occurred. The last confirmed count for Lismore from the NSW Health website says 5, as of this afternoon.A reminder that the Lismore Base Hospital Fever Clinic remains open every day over Easter from 10am to 6pm if you develop or are suffering from any of the following symptoms;A feverA coughA sore throatShortness of breathThen you should seek medical attention.In NSW there were 44 new cases in the last 24 hours to 8pm Friday April 10 bringing the total confirmed cases to 2,857 with 23 deaths. A 91 year old female with pre-existing conditions passed away in hospital.

It is good to see that petrol prices are coming down in price, albeit slowly.If your car is in need of a top up after your limited driving during the 'stay at home' phase of COVID-19, here are the cheapest prices.At the time of writing, Petrol Spy has United on Ballina Road, Lismore is the cheapest at 125.9 for E10 Unleaded. The same price can be had in Nimbin at the Matilda Blue on Sibley Street.BP around the corner (Dawson and Conway) is at 129.9 as it is at the BP at the roundabout near Trinity and Lismore Fuels in South Lismore (Terania & Tweed St).Everything else is in the 130's from 133.9 up to 147.9.Around the 2480 post code you have 119.9 in Kyogle, 121.9 in Casino, 112.9 in Coraki, 110.9 at Evans Head and Newrybar has 106.9.Don't fill up in Ballina as their cheapest is a 137.9!On April 6, I wrote a story about why petrol prices remain high when a barrel of crude was at $20, the lowest price since 1999. While it has risen to $23 prices are still very low in comparison to the last 5 years Lismore Petrol Prices - why are they so high?.

For anyone who normally attends religious services, this Easter brings some changes in how we find that connection, while in isolation – and staying at home. A number of local churches are offering online services this weekend and The Lismore App had a look to see what was happening.Anglican ChurchThe Anglican Church will celebrate Easter with a dawn service, beginning at 5.30am on Sunday, April 12.Anglican Church Pastor Christian Ford said the service would be pre-recorded and then uploaded to be watched on Facebook and then made available on YouTube“It’s an old tradition to have the Easter Sunday vigil of a dawn service,” Pastor Ford said. “We start in darkness and end in light as the sun rises.”Pastor Ford said this Easter’s deviation from traditional gatherings was being felt by many people, who get comfort and meaning from being able to go to church.“But Jesus was about the breaking of tradition,” he said. “He showed that death was the end of everything – that was the biggest break ever. We might feel uncomfortable, but we’ll get through it.“We just need to remember we are a community and remember the wellbeing of others too.“Today, Good Friday, we remember that sacrifice is involved with love – I’ll miss out on being with my mum and dad today, but we sacrifice that for a greater good.” Southern Cross Presbyterian ChurchYou can join the Presbyterian congregation online this Sunday at 10am: https://zoom.us/j/657139469?status=successCentreChurchCentreChurch will broadcast online on Facebook on Sunday morning at 9.45am: https://www.facebook.com/Centrechurch-Lismore-169646339912064/Catholic ChurchThe Easter Triduum in the Cathedral will be live streamed on the Lismore Diocesan YouTube channel.Mass times are:Good Friday - Celebration of the Lord's Passion 6pmEaster Saturday - Vigil Mass of Easter 6pmEaster Sunday - Easter Mass 8amBishop of Lismore Reverend Greg Homeming said in a letter to parishioners "until the emergency is over, I will offer daily mass for each of you"."I will also spend more time in prayer asking Our Heavenly Father to take all fear from your hearts, to fill you with gentleness and peace, to give you and your loved ones His protection and to bring healing to those who contract the virus. I would be very grateful if you would remember me in your prayers,” he said.With regard to Confession, he said "the Church teaches that, when it is impossible to go to Confession, all that is required is an act of contrition and a promise to go to confession in the future".NEWS: Fun things to do this Easter

Just in case you were tempted to get in your car and drive into nature for the weekend, Lismore City Council has put a stop to it and closed a number of roads.The decision was made after National Parks and Wildlife closed both Minyon Falls and Nightcap National Parks due to Covid-19 restrictions.Barricades and signage have been erected on Minyon Falls Road, at the intersection with Coopers Creek Road. Nightcap Range Road is also closed at the Middleton Way intersection.Lismore City Council said regular checks will be performed on the road closures to ensure compliance. “Anyone found to be flouting the closures will be reported to the Police,” a Council statement said.Local residents can still access their properties, as can emergency vehicles if required.NEWS: Churches broadcast online Easter services NEWS: How to cope in your family bubble during the school holidays

There are a lot of fun - and safe - activities to entertain you and your family at home this Easter.While Lismore’s playgrounds, art gallery and libraries may be closed, you can still do a daily workout, see an art exhibition, listen to children’s story time and even borrow an e-book – from the safety and comfort of your own home.Here is a list of things you can do this Easter.FITNESSStay at home and keep moving: Lismore fitness options go onlineBoost your health and immunity with free online programsAfter gorging on chocolates and hot-cross buns, why not work off those extra calories with Goonellabah Sports & Aquatic Centre’s Switch Fitness program.Every day, GSAC’s Yonika Mantel is posting work-outs that you and your family can join.These are great for the mind as well as the body. Go to the Switch Fitness Facebook page and get fit for free: https://www.facebook.com/SWITCHFITNESSCENTRE/ART GALLERYPeggy Popart takes art adventures onlineFor lovers of art, the Lismore Regional Gallery is there for you. Its doors may be closed but its windows to the world are open wide.You can watch the story and see the craftsmanship behind the world-famous Hannah Cabinet that is now on permanent display in our gallery, visit Online Exhibitions, listen to previous Podcasts from the popular and thought-provoking Thursday Night Live series, or unleash your pent-up creativity by joining an online art class.This and more, is available at the Lismore Regional Gallery: https://mailchi.mp/lismore/lismore-regional-gallery-update-april-2020LIBRARYFor bookworms and storytellers, the place to go this Easter is the online Richmond Tweed Regional Library.Adults and children can join the library and download e-books, e-magazines and audio books by clicking: https://rtrl.spydus.com/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/MSGTRN/WPAC/JOINThe young ones will be mesmerised watching the special Easter Storytime that will be published on the Facebook page on Saturday morning. https://youtu.be/2cRSKVhodFMThey can also watch the local librarians present online Storytime, Toddler time and Baby Bounce: https://rtrl.nsw.gov.au/cp_themes/default/page.asp?p=DOC-JMV-32-26-07, or direct Youtube link for all past sessions: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHiMpHlIYykZFGE0iuy8GRwAnd of course, no-one should miss the Special Guest Peggy Popart from the Lismore Regional Gallery reading Where the Wild Things Are.Peggy is a character with an awesome knowledge of art and is a terrific tour guide who loves to draw a picture or two with kids, big and small! Oh, and she also has some pretty bold dance moves! https://www.rtrl.nsw.gov.au/cp_themes/default/page.asp….You can see the previous online library videos on Lismore City Council’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHiMpHlIYykZFGE0iuy8GRw. 

The latest major Lismore event to fall victim to the Covid-19 crisis is the Italian-themed Piazza in the Park.This has been held for the past four years, usually in late June, and in 2019 was organised in conjunction with a Lismore Italian Film Festival.Festival organisers, Lismore Friendship Festival Committee, have decided to postpone the events and hope to make a decision in coming months about future plans.Committee president, Dr Ros Derrett, said the festival has played a significant role in the region’s community cultural landscape, and intends to continue the celebration with vigour and creativity in the future.“Last year 4500 people attended the Piazza in the Park, held in Spinks Park, and over 300 attended the inaugural Italian Film Festival at Lismore Cinemas,” Dr Derrett said.“We are determined to offer locals and visitors the free family fun that has been characteristic of the outdoor festival, but only when safe to do so. “We will work with festival partners, public funders, our sponsors, business stakeholders, Council, volunteers, stallholders to ensure a full return to sustainable events.“We acknowledge the city’s connection with two Italian sister cities and residents of Italian descent who have contributed much to the region’s rich cultural life.”She urged the region’s residents to keep track of future plans and preparations through the festival’s social media platforms and website.

Hot cross buns delivered at the right time can make all the difference. People receiving cancer treatment in Lismore’s purpose built accommodation, Our House, received a delivery of local hot cross buns from Football Far North Coast.The small “sweet gesture” was a joyful one to show the community that someone was thinking about them, Football Far North Coast general manager Steve Mackney said.“What better way to say we care than with hot cross buns,” Steve said.“We recognise that with the restrictions and recommendations for staying at home, the guests at Our House may need some encouragement from others during this time.“It’s about recognising that both clubs and local charities are affected right now, but together we can work through this season.“Covid-19 has made an impact in our country, and businesses including sporting clubs and local charities have been hit hard through this holiday time. “Staying at home to stay lives this Easter is the message for all and despite the hardship we are all feeling, we just want to spread some Easter joy to those doing it tough.”Our Kids and Our House Fundraising Coordinator Rebekka Battista, said Covid-19 has impacted charities.“Like all businesses we work with community and with the restrictions to help save lives our fundraising has been effected,” Rebekka said.“A huge thanks to Football Far North Coast and the soccer community, they have supported Our Kids and Our House for years and we know too they have been hit hard. "We really appreciate them championing us through this.”

We are now into the Easter break and the first set of school holidays for 2020 - in most unusual circumstances.At The Lismore App we thought it wise to discover how the family unit (or bubble as it is now known) will be affected and get some tips on how to cope - just in case you may need some advice.Difficult questions need an expert response, so we contacted Basia Radlinska, a Clinical Psychologist with the Southern Cross University.For the last two weeks, Basia has been working with young people on-line through the coronavirus pandemic.Coronavirus self isolation What she is seeing since children are now mostly home schooled, is different forms of anxiety. Children that suffer from social anxiety actually feel better in this environment and are enjoying being at home. While children that have depressive symptoms are struggling more, because they have lost their main support network - their friends."The result of self isolation is a loss of motivation to do anything, let alone any schoolwork - and a loss of connection with their friends, Basia said, "Developmentally, young adults connection with their friends is the main part of their identity".Parents of adolescent children may find this relatable, as their kids spend more time talking to their friends and less with the family - which is normal behaviour."That is what evolution wants us to do at that age," Basia said. "Connect with our peers, rather than our family to prepare them to leave the nest. This can be really challenging to some parents."So, now their identity is really confused - as it had been wrapped up in their friendships, and now they are isolated at home.No more structureBasia talked about how there is no structure in their lives anymore - like going to class at a certain time, where the teacher tells you to do certain work. Young or adolescent children are not particularly self driven. This is because the frontal lobe of the brain is developing until they are 25. This is about self motivation, planning and structure - which is why a set external school structure works for children."When kids are at home, they struggle to set that structure for themselves" Basia said.So, what can parents do to help their children at this time?"These school holidays will bring less of a difference between what is happening now and what traditionally is the case", explained Basia, "usually children go from being at school physically for seven hours a day then travelling for holidays, there is less distinction now because they have been home for the last three weeks"."The daily school work will stop coming in, and normally kids will be spending a lot of time outside with their friends doing some sort of activity. This leads to the child saying "I'm Bored!".Basia's advice for parents is: "Try to maintain a routine where you are getting up at the same time, having regular healthy meals, trying to get exercise in your day and trying to get social connection in your day," Basia said."Those are the absolute pillars of wellbeing - diet, sleep, exercise and social connection - whether there is a pandemic or not."Also, time out is important. One of the difficulties with everybody being home is that people lose their personal space and their private time."Parents can think that this is a good time for family bonding, but everyone is used to having eight hours away from each other, so it is important that you allow time-out for everybody in the family. That's place that someone can go for as long as they want with out being questioned or judged."It will be a real challenge finding activities for them during the holidays. There is already a tendency towards screen time which is a big battle for a lot of parents already and this pandemic is exacerbating those screen time issues."Your children's screen time Basia's advice is to be more gentle with your children about the screen time issue.Be more relaxed about the amount of time spent playing games, or chatting to friends - because it is their only source of social connection right now."Those battles around screen time are only going to escalate", Basia said, "the emphasis right now should be on maintaining harmony in the home, rather than having battles about screen time," Basia explained."I know some parents are worried about what kids are accessing on their phones, i-pads and computers."Open up those conversations so you can understand what apps and websites they are using and getting them to explain what it is and how it works."This can appear to quite complex to parents, but my advice is to sit down and talk to your children and ask them to show you their apps. I am sure they would enjoy showing you their music apps or game apps like how to make a Tik Tok video."Increased stress levelsPeoples stress levels and anxieties will increase in the coming days and weeks which could lead to parents tempers being a bit shorter.At this time Basia says we should be showing more compassion toward one another and to realise that these are particular circumstances that will pass. We could also practice more forgiveness than we normally would and make relationship harmony the priority."We are allowed an hour of exercise a day so encourage your kids to get out of the house for that hour, she explained, "be clear what the rules are: they can exercise for one hour with one other person, as long as they maintain social distancing. Parents should facilitate that for their kids if the child's best friend lives close by"."This can be a big relief for people who are cooped up. It's the same for adults - make the most out of what we are allowed to do".Stressed? What to do.If you find yourself in a stressed moment, what do you do?"The same self care advice applies to adults. Maintain as much structure and compassion as possible in your days", Basia explains."In times of stress some people 'over structure' because they cannot control what is happening in the world but I can control what happens in the day. The problem with over-structure is that you are setting yourself up to fail, there is no wiggle room for the normal parts of life"."Then there is 'under structuring' where nothing is planned or scheduled so nothing gets done. It is about finding a happy balance"."Setting out a schedule is great as long as there is some downtime in the day as well"."What can work is making some really specific lists that feel achievable so it allows you to tick some things off to feel like you have accomplished something. The list has to be specific and not big - like clean the house - as this is nondescript, you could endlessly clean the house. Be specific on your lists like clean out the cutlery drawer".Set some SMART goalsSet yourself some SMART goals.These are specific, manageable, attainable, realistic and time bound."In these uncertain times we are looking for normalisation in our daily lives", Basia said, "there is no right or wrong way to get through this pandemic but I think when people prioritise the things they value the most in their lives they tend to cope better"."We need to ask our selves what do we value more? Do I value more that our child is following a very specific schedule or do I value our relationship and that my child is not feeling super anxious".Good luck with your family bubble over the coming two weeks and more. I hope Basia has given you some good tips on how to not only survive but thrive during these homebound school holidays.

Our good news has come to end regarding new coronavirus cases for Lismore.Between 9:45am this morning when Wayne Jones, CE Northern NSW Local Health District said there were still 5 cases and now we have another confirmed case taking the total for Lismore to 6.Another warning shot across the bow for us to keep practicing self isolation unless necessary and social distancing when we do need to venture outside of our homes. Then it is keeping up the high hygiene standards by washing or sanitising our hands regularly.The total count for the NNSWLHD is now 51 with 44 of those contracted over seas. Unfortunately, one of these cases is in ICU.The Lismore Base Hospital COVID-19 clinic will remain open during the Easter break between 10am and 6pm.

It is an Easter Long Weekend and the start of school holidays, normally we would have the car, the trailer or the caravan all packed up and ready to shoot off north or south to the coast for a week or two.As we know, life is very different now compared to twelve months ago. Home is where the camping will occur for now. A tent in the backyard or a caravan in the driveway if you want to still feel part of the holiday spirit.So, at the start of this difficult time, here is a coronavirus joke or two to kick off our Easter festivities!Stay healthy, keep smiling and have an awesome Easter!From the Lismore App team.