COVID-19/Coronavirus Information and Support Thread (see OP for useful links)

[Touring Mars]

I guess it all depends on how effective vaccines are and whether or not other therapeutic treatments (new drugs etc.) are effective in reducing the impacts of the virus. Those are still unknowns, but there is reason to be cautiously optimistic - that said, I don't think we will be back to anything like normal for a while yet.

With some luck, a combination of natural immunity, induced immunity (from vaccines), favourable (though unpredictable) changes in the virus itself, continued changes in social behaviour (like mask wearing in shops and public transport), and better treatments will conspire to make 2021 less of a nightmare than 2020 was, but none of these are a given unfortunately.

Incidentally, I would reiterate that I am not a virologist nor a specialist in this area at all, though I did recently work with (and know) several people who are. My point about credentials is that there's not much point in pointing out how qualified someone is in a tangential field (like Chemistry), when that may have little to no bearing on how qualified they may (or indeed may not) be when it comes to public health issues such as this.

 

[Joey D]

Do you envisage that we are never going to get back to normal?

Things won't ever go back to pre-COVID, just like how things never went back to "normal" after 9/11. You'll see changes with more people working remotely, delivery services being more important for a business model, and more people wearing masks when they are sick. I know once I've been vaccinated and no longer at risk for contracting COVID, I'll still wear a mask when I'm sick and need to go somewhere, even if it's just a cold. I think you'll also see more care taken for service workers too. I think plexiglass barriers are here to stay and I can't see new public places being developed without incorporating them into the plan. I also think you'll see a bigger shift to telehealth and drive-up clinics.

I'd say by early 2022 you'll start to be able to travel without too much worry, attend large gatherings, and walk around without any sort of face-covering on. In some areas, we will start to see this potentially by next summer even, but it'll probably be at least a year or more from today before it becomes the norm. In less-developed nations, it could be far longer, stretching into 2023 or even much longer.

 

[Barra333]

I guess it all depends on how effective vaccines are and whether or not other therapeutic treatments (new drugs etc.) are effective in reducing the impacts of the virus. Those are still unknowns, but there is reason to be cautiously optimistic - that said, I don't think we will be back to anything like normal for a while yet.

With some luck, a combination of natural immunity, induced immunity (from vaccines), favourable (though unpredictable) changes in the virus itself, continued changes in social behaviour (like mask wearing in shops and public transport), and better treatments will conspire to make 2021 less of a nightmare than 2020 was, but none of these are a given unfortunately.

Things won't ever go back to pre-COVID, just like how things never went back to "normal" after 9/11. You'll see changes with more people working remotely, delivery services being more important for a business model, and more people wearing masks when they are sick. I know once I've been vaccinated and no longer at risk for contracting COVID, I'll still wear a mask when I'm sick and need to go somewhere, even if it's just a cold. I think you'll also see more care taken for service workers too. I think plexiglass barriers are here to stay and I can't see new public places being developed without incorporating them into the plan. I also think you'll see a bigger shift to telehealth and drive-up clinics.

I'd say by early 2022 you'll start to be able to travel without too much worry, attend large gatherings, and walk around without any sort of face-covering on. In some areas, we will start to see this potentially by next summer even, but it'll probably be at least a year or more from today before it becomes the norm. In less-developed nations, it could be far longer, stretching into 2023 or even much longer.

These two posts pretty much sum up what I think the next year or two will look like, assuming at least one of the vaccines comes to market. I will be astonished if some of the retail practices go back to pre-COVID ways. Hopefully 'working through' an illness becomes a thing of the past as well.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Simple human beings have lived with viruses from day dot.

Considering how harmless this virus is I really dont understand peoples train of thought on trying to hide from it.

We all need to get back to normality and let the elderly decide if they want to isolate themselves or not.

Most old people I know hate the restrictions more than the young

I was in a gas station this morning, older lady walking around with no mask. Walmart a few weeks ago, older couple walking around with no masks. Seems like a good portion of them don't care.

 

[x3ra]

Way to ignore everything except the old people dying.

Yes, that is a Daily Mail headline. It applies to August. Year to date, COVID-19 has caused one in six deaths in the UK.

After not even being on the list of killers until March 2020.

From nowhere it's killed more people in 9 months than road accidents in 30 years (and road deaths don't cause 3-6 other people to catch road accidents).

Twice as many people - and far more under 65 - have organ damage and long-term health implications from COVID-19 infection.

"Harmless".

It may be from a Daily Mail Headline but it's also in the the Office of National Statistics website https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopula...lymortalityanalysisenglandandwales/august2020
And I quote

• Looking at deaths that have occurred so far in 2020 and were registered by 5 September, 365,889 deaths occurred in England (33,003 more than the five-year average for January to August) and 23,416 in Wales (1,061 more than the five-year average).
• In January to August 2020, COVID-19 was the underlying cause of death in 12.5% of all deaths that occurred in England (45,797 deaths) and 9.8% of all deaths in Wales (2,302 deaths).

So if I'm reading your post correctly, that's a third less scary than you were painting it (1 in 8 rather than 1 in 6).

It's also stopped 13,000 people from dying from something else!!!

I figure people will be back to normal in 6 months, government will self-destruct..

 

[Joey D]

It may be from a Daily Mail Headline but it's also in the the Office of National Statistics website https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopula...lymortalityanalysisenglandandwales/august2020
And I quote
So if I'm reading your post correctly, that's a third less scary than you were painting it (1 in 8 rather than 1 in 6).

It's also stopped 13,000 people from dying from something else!!!

I figure people will be back to normal in 6 months, government will self-destruct..

Deaths are not the main concern of COVID, this has been explained ad nauseam in this thread. While COVID is definitely deadly and has killed a huge number of people, it's still not the main concern. The main concern is lasting effects that could linger and lead to an outbreak of other, severe, health complications. There's also the very real possibility of health systems being overrun and unable to care for people who are not COVID patients, which would be bad for everyone.

 

[Famine]

It may be from a Daily Mail Headline but it's also in the the Office of National Statistics website https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopula...lymortalityanalysisenglandandwales/august2020

Yes, I know. The Daily Mail chose to go with COVID-19's August-only death-rate as a headline to pander to the "it's harmless" narrative.

So if I'm reading your post correctly, that's a third less scary than you were painting it (1 in 8 rather than 1 in 6).

Now recalculate based on the fact COVID-19 killed nobody in the UK in January or February...

 

[UKMikey]

I was in a gas station this morning, older lady walking around with no mask. Walmart a few weeks ago, older couple walking around with no masks. Seems like a good portion of them don't care.

Anecdotal evidence is no reason to throw the vulnerable people who do care, and are not out and about, under the bus.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Anecdotal evidence is no reason to throw the vulnerable people who do care, and are not out and about, under the bus.

Just stating my observation, sir.

 

[DK]

Given all of the leaks from our government and NPHET about level 4/"4+"/5, I think we're heading the same way. We've had at least 1,000 new cases a day for 5 days straight (14-18 Oct), which is worse than any of the daily figures at the height of the 1st wave in late April. On the plus side, we've only hit double-digit death figures once in this 2nd wave (10 on 3 Oct), and with 34 cases in ICU, we're nowhere near being overrun yet.

I finish a 2-hour Assetto Corsa session and come back to 6 weeks of lockdown.

 

[rono_thomas]

I finish a 2-hour Assetto Corsa session and come back to 6 weeks of lockdown.

Whats the reasoning behind 6 weeks any idea?

 

[DK]

Whats the reasoning behind 6 weeks any idea?

According to the Irish Times, NPHET were concerned about the recent rise in hospital admissions, especially among over-65s. This would then impact other hospital departments.

The article mentions that there were fears of a repeat lockdown in January 2021, and I can't see anything to allay those fears myself.

 

[Jezza819]

An intriguing look at the World Health Organization.

***LANGUAGE WARNING NSFW***

 

[FoRiZon]

At what point until people would dare to be infected by COVID for being pressured or frustrated because of no jobs and / or being depressed for the crappy home life in general?

This **** goes way too long IMHO that I cant blame them for their major discontents and distrusts. I mean the consequences is devastating now as a result.

 

[Dotini]

There are various degrees of devastation. The worst would be planetary, which immediately kills all life on the planet. Close to that would be one which devastates much life and ends civilization as we know it. A pesky virus calling for minor inconveniences like poverty and extended isolation should be relatively easy for a smart, healthy and able human to endure for a few years.

 

[Danoff]

A pesky virus calling for minor inconveniences like

...a flimsy piece of paper on your mouth and nose.

 

[noshog]

...a flimsy piece of paper on your mouth and nose.

..... A chin nappy

 

[UKMikey]

..... A chin nappy

You're doing it wrong.

 

[Danoff]

I should say, that covering your own face with a flimsy piece of paper will not necessarily protect you. There are still ways to get sick. What I meant was that the minor inconvenience is for us all to cover our nose and mouths with a flimsy piece of paper.

 

[Imari]

A pesky virus calling for minor inconveniences like poverty and extended isolation should be relatively easy for a smart, healthy and able human to endure for a few years.

And anyone who isn't smart, healthy and able or was already in poverty before the pandemic can just die. Maybe we could cut to the chase and just put them into big incinerators, that seems like it would speed things up and avoid a lot of hassle.

 

[zzz_pt]

Here in Hamburg the daily numbers have risen to over 40 a day which led to a couple of extra restrictions in the short span of a week. First, masks are now mandatory on the outside in some of the most popular and busiest streets. Then, last Friday bars and restaurants recieved an order not to sell alchool and close at 23h00, respectively. Also, private parties/gatherings are limited to 25 people now.

The daily limit of cases before a possible lockdown is 50/day, so I fear we'll see it sooner rather than later.

 

[VolkswagenX]

Nobody:

Imari:

And anyone who isn't smart, healthy and able or was already in poverty before the pandemic can just die. Maybe we could cut to the chase and just put them into big incinerators, that seems like it would speed things up and avoid a lot of hassle.

 

[polysmut]

Nobody:

Imari:

You don't think @Imari's post was typed in sarcastic mode as a response to @Dotini?
That's how I read it.

 

[Dennisch]

I thought it was a brilliant idea.

 

[Touring Mars]

It looks like the practical lab I am doing next week will be online and not in person... phew.

That said, I don't know how they are intending to do it. Zoom is useful, but this practical has multiple groups doing different things at the same time, and to strict time limits. It should work fine, but it could also be a megashambles.

 

[Blitz24]

It looks like the practical lab I am doing next week will be online and not in person... phew.

That said, I don't know how they are intending to do it. Zoom is useful, but this practical has multiple groups doing different things at the same time, and to strict time limits. It should work fine, but it could also be a megashambles.

Bright side? Your risk of blowing up/poisoning yourself plummets significantly.
Dim side? Multiple more chances for the groups to do so to themselves and innocent bystanders.

 

[kikie]

A 106 y.o Belgian woman was infected, survived, and is cured.

 

[Danoff]

My state continues to take off. I'm guessing this is going to cause restrictions. Middle school has been dropped back to remote. New mask mandates in Denver.

 

[Touring Mars]

My state continues to take off. I'm guessing this is going to cause restrictions. Middle school has been dropped back to remote. New mask mandates in Denver.

View attachment 966203

A bit lower than the UK... Belgium is looking pretty dire at the moment. I'm having a Zoom beer with a lecturer mate of mine in Belgium this Friday - he's been having to do face-to-face teaching in the last month, which I can only assume is now stopped... I sincerely hope it is, anyway.

We reckon it is only a matter of time until Scotland is also back into full lockdown for a few weeks at least. We (my workmates and I) are hoping that the University will be allowed to remain open, but I doubt it will.

 

[Joey D]

Utah is facing one of the highest infection rates in the nation, three of our hospitals are now overcapacity, and testing sights are overwhelmed.

Utah County? Hold my caffeine-free Coca-Cola:

Utah County terminates mask mandate amid surge in COVID-19 cases

I really hate to point the finger at religion, but this is totally the result of Mormons since something like 95% of Utah County is Mormon. I really wish we could just put a wall around that part of the valley and make Utah County pay for it. Oh funny enough, this isn't even the stupidest thing the county did this week. Over the weekend several police officers were shooting exploding targets at their gun range and proceeded to ignite a wildfire that's now at something like 4,000 acres and only 10% contained. The sheer stupidity of people in that area is absolutely mind-boggling.