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

[super_gt]

If this is true that the coronavirus epidemic will last until next spring then this lockdown which we see in many European countries(including my country) will be effective only if someone produce a vaccine in the next two to three months. You can't keep people locked up in their homes all year and all the business closed.

 

[twitcher]

It's quite possible that Canada's official policy regarding the spread of Covid-19 is inadequate. It's starting to become clear that reaction of every country has been too slow & I wouldn't fault Trump on that score. But at least we don't have the country's leader making asinine, ego-centric, self-inflating comments to the press. Trust me, if Trudeau did, he would be pilloried by the Canadian press ... & everyone else in Canada. Trump's stupid comments barely illicit much reaction now - & certainly none from his cult followers - because it's just baked into the pie now.

Skippy disappears for weeks at a time, so we don’t get much opportunity to hear what he has to say. Whenever he does speak, it’s 99% “uhh umm hmmm uhhh hurrr durr uhhh ummm.”

 

[Biggles]

Big city air pollution is down too. Another positive.

One of things discussed with regard to the problems in northern Italy is the prevalence of toxic fog there. In the winter months the nebbia descends for days, sometimes weeks at a time, throughout the Po valley region that spans across the north of Italy. The immediate consequences include regular multi-car pile ups, but apparently it has also resulted in high levels of chronic respiratory problems which may be contributing to the high mortality rate of Covid-19 in the area.

 

[MatskiMonk]

BoJo giving a speech about how the UK is basing its decisions emphatically on science... must know more than the W.H.O.

He's also saying "asking" a lot, not "telling" when it comes to limiting social gatherings. Thanks for the clarity there.

 

[Dotini]

If this is true that the coronavirus epidemic will last until next spring then this lockdown which we see in many European countries(including my country) will be effective only if someone produce a vaccine in the next two to three months. You can't keep people locked up in their homes all year and all the business closed.

Don't those underground cities around Cappadocia prove humans can live for years in caves and underground cities?

 

[Blitz24]

Don't those underground cities around Cappadocia prove humans can live for years in caves and underground cities?

The problem is once you let more than one human in and/or if you let any out.

 

[TexRex]

D I M P L E S

 

[Jezza819]

Now that Alabama has 20+ cases with one being in the next county over from where I live, I got an email from our apartment complex when I went home for lunch today. They aren't closing the gym but just stressed to be sure and wipe down the equipment before and after using. Also there will be no picking up packages from the office after this Wednesday and to arrange to have them held at either UPS or FedEx or delivered to our door. Not sure how we can ensure they will deliver to our door since that is usually up to the driver.

 

[Scaff]

I was due to go back to the UK for a couple of weeks next month, but I couldn't see that happening, and as I'm over 50 with asthma I spoke with one of my company's directors yesterday afternoon, and brought my holiday forward to be taken immediately for my own health reasons - I have to commute via packed public transport. It's putting the technical side of my company in difficulty, and it was a fight for me to come to the decision, and I do feel guilty about it, but ultimately my health comes first, and the director, although slightly miffed, agreed.

This kind of thing for me is the biggest eye-opener, how unprepared a lot of companies (even very big ones) are in terms of business contingency.

I'm fortunate, the company I work for provides everyone with laptops and full VPN access and when the US stated that everyone had to work from home last Friday it was in place and done within the same day (and that was global), however, the company my wife works for it took them five days to sort a laptop out for her to be able to work from home and they only did so under protest. Our youngest daughter works for the largest Building Society in the UK and they have zero ability to allow home working for the majority of the office-based staff and seem to have no idea what to do about it, how to do it or even any willingness to do it!

 

[Dennisch]

@MaxAttack

Coffeeshops are allowed to do business again, as long as they serve as pickup points. Not allowed to sit and smoke inside.

 

[FT-1]

BoJo giving a speech about how the UK is basing its decisions emphatically on science... must know more than the W.H.O.

He's also saying "asking" a lot, not "telling" when it comes to limiting social gatherings. Thanks for the clarity there.

This is such a slimy strategy. By strongly advising people not to go to social gathering areas (such as pubs and clubs), the government doesn't have to pay compensation to businesses and their staff if it is unfeasible for them to remain open.

 

[girabyt3]

A local pastry shop's statement about the quarantine... Total RESPECT to them!!! ♥



Quick translation: The shop will share the food props to all the 700 employees during this two weeks and they still are going to get rightfully paid in all kinds, again. RESPECT!! ♥

 

[twitcher]

Canada has now officially restricted entry of all non-Canadians. Citizens, and family of citizens (that’s seems like a funky one) will still be permitted entry.



So we went from accepting flights from china, Iran, and Italy with NO SCREENING, to restricting access to all foreigners in the snap of a finger. These clowns give me no reason to trust them .

 

[Slapped]

This kind of thing for me is the biggest eye-opener, how unprepared a lot of companies (even very big ones) are in terms of business contingency.

I'm fortunate, the company I work for provides everyone with laptops and full VPN access and when the US stated that everyone had to work from home last Friday it was in place and done within the same day (and that was global), however, the company my wife works for it took them five days to sort a laptop out for her to be able to work from home and they only did so under protest. Our youngest daughter works for the largest Building Society in the UK and they have zero ability to allow home working for the majority of the office-based staff and seem to have no idea what to do about it, how to do it or even any willingness to do it!

Even though I have that, that would only account for about 1/3 of my job. I'm a screwdriver jockey for most of my work - swapping out failed boards, PSUs, UPSs, HDs and SSDs, so I need to be onsite for the majority of my work. Sysadmin duties are a relatively small part for me.

For those that can work from home all the VPN access is there and has been for years, but basically it's not possible to prepare a company for a loss of skilled staff that need to be onsite to do what they do.

Anyway the Swiss government has now called an emergency situation - the only shops that will be open will be food and pharmacies, and people like me who suffer from a chronic lung conditions are basically being told to remain at home. From what I understand I just need to get a doctors note confirming my condition and then I'm excused for the duration. Isn't going to be an easy ride however as I'll still need to talk others through the process of what I do just using my minds eye, especially when the manuals are wrong, which they frequently are.

 

[TenEightyOne]

So we went from accepting flights from china, Iran, and Italy with NO SCREENING, to restricting access to all foreigners in the snap of a finger. These clowns give me no reason to trust them .

But passengers from flights were screened as I understand it, and the warning that this ban was coming was made a week ago. It was hardly the snap of a finger.

 

[twitcher]

But passengers from flights were screened as I understand it, and the warning that this ban was coming was made a week ago. It was hardly the snap of a finger.

I’ve seen several videos and read first hand accounts of people who have returned to Canada, as late as last night, and gone through zero screening.

In Canada, we went from not wanting to ban flights from certain countries because that might be racist, to banning everyone, overnight...literally overnight.

Any warning that this might come was nothing more than rumour and speculation. Again, even as of yesterday, the government wouldn’t say anything other than “wait for our big announcement tomorrow,” (which is in the video I linked).

 

[TexRex]

In Canada, we went from not wanting to ban flights from certain countries because that might be racist, to banning everyone, overnight...literally overnight.

"Door number one didn't lead anywhere, so I've turned around and not looked back. Let's try door number two."

You accuse the media (BOO!!!) of playing identity politics and yet you're doing so yourself. It's hilarious. Sad...but hilarious.

 

[BrainsBush]

Our PM Rutte just spoke to the people and our country decided to follow the 'herd immunity' strategy in stead of a complete lock down.
Third scenario was to do nothing. Out of these three the specialists think (as a lot is still unknown) the 'herd immunity' is the best one.
Probably after the first a second and potentially a third wave will follow over a time periode of 1-1,5yr.
Time will tell if this is the "best" option.

 

[twitcher]

Edit: deleted because of double post

 

[Biggles]

I’ve seen several videos and read first hand accounts of people who have returned to Canada, as late as last night, and gone through zero screening.

In Canada, we went from not wanting to ban flights from certain countries because that might be racist, to banning everyone, overnight...literally overnight.

Any warning that this might come was nothing more than rumour and speculation. Again, even as of yesterday, the government wouldn’t say anything other than “wait for our big announcement tomorrow,” (which is in the video I linked).

You've obviously got a political "anti-skippy" agenda. The Canadian authorities have been playing catch-up, like practically everybody else in the world. I'll wait until I hear Trudeau calling the Alberta premier a "snake', bragging about his great, super-genius uncle, or his own amazing aptitude for immunology during a public announcement about Covid-19.

Our PM Rutte just spoke to the people and our country decided to follow the 'herd immunity' strategy in stead of a complete lock down.
Third scenario was to do nothing. Out of these three the specialists think (as a lot is still unknown) the 'herd immunity' is the best one.
Probably after the first a second and potentially a third wave will follow over a time periode of 1-1,5yr.
Time will tell if this is the "best" option.

My daughter told me she just ventured out in The Hague to get supplies & managed to score a couple of rolls of kitchen towel!

 

[TenEightyOne]

In Canada, we went from not wanting to ban flights from certain countries because that might be racist

Source for that government policy?

 

[Dotini]

Reports tease of a full lockdown on San Francisco and the Bay Area, news conference supposedly within the hour.
Mandatory shelter in place with residents basically confined to their homes - something like that.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Guess I'm working from home...

https://www.sfchronicle.com/local-politics/article/Bay-Area-must-shelter-in-place-Only-15135014.php

All non-essential gatherings of any size are now banned, along with non-essential travel “on foot, bicycle, scooter, automobile or public transit.”

Well that's gonna get real boring real fast.

 

[TexRex]

Source for that government policy?

To the conservative Canadian blogosphere!

 

[Famine]

the 'herd immunity' strategy

"Herd immunity" is when enough of a population have immunity to the disease that it prevents spread and, by doing so, protects those who are vulnerable, susceptible, or immunocompromised, by stopping them from being exposed to it. It's not when it spreads unchecked so everyone vulnerable, susceptible, or immunocompromised has been killed by it and everyone left alive is immune to it.

There's a lot of weird anger in the UK right now that the government is advising what people should be doing and letting them do it (or not) like adults, instead of banning/closing/cancelling stuff and quarantining people with the army.

 

[twitcher]

Source for that government policy?

The last 5 years of Canadian politics. I can’t be bothered to scroll through the last 2 months of twitter, but I’ve seen the rhetoric.

You've obviously got a political "anti-skippy" agenda. The Canadian authorities have been playing catch-up, like practically everybody else in the world. I'll wait until I hear Trudeau calling the Alberta premier a "snake', bragging about his great, super-genius uncle, or his own amazing aptitude for immunology during a public announcement about Covid-19.

My “anti-skippy” agenda comes from watching this inept government struggle to clear a dozen people off of some train tracks, shaking hands and bowing to Iranian officials mere weeks after 752 was shot down, while telling me that more taxes will fix the climate...and now I’m supposed to put unquestionable faith in this government to see us through this crisis.

Forgive me for not jumping on the “Trudeau is amazing” bandwagon.

"Door number one didn't lead anywhere, so I've turned around and not looked back. Let's try door number two."

You accuse the media (BOO!!!) of playing identity politics and yet you're doing so yourself. It's hilarious. Sad...but hilarious.

The post I deleted ended up not being a double...It was in response to this post.

Identity politics? I love how a random person will try to assess someone’s personal politics based on some forum posts. I’ve voted liberal, conservative, and NDP in various Canadian elections, so spare me this nonsense about playing for one team or the other.

Fact is, based on his tenure as PM thus far, Trudeau has done nothing to give Canadians faith that he will lead us through this. He’s an embarrassment to the word “leader”.

 

[Joey D]

Looks like a potential treatment is in the works through the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research in Australia.

Coronavirus Australia: Queensland researchers find ‘cure’, want drug trial

One of the two medications is a HIV drug, which has been superseded by “newer generation” HIV drugs, and the other is an anti-malaria drug called chloroquine which is rarely used and “kept on the shelf now” due to resistance to malaria.

An effective treatment seems like something we will get long before a vaccine, especially if they're already formulated drugs.

 

[TenEightyOne]

Source for that government policy?

The last 5 years of Canadian politics. I can’t be bothered to scroll through the last 2 months of twitter, but I’ve seen the rhetoric.

Ah, somebody said it on Twitter. Thank god we're getting into the real facts.

There's a lot of weird anger in the UK right now that the government is advising what people should be doing and letting them do it (or not) like adults, instead of banning/closing/cancelling stuff and quarantining people with the army.

Despite it being well known around these parts that I have little love for the current government I think they're doing quite a good job in difficult and largely unknown circumstances, at least as far as covid-19 goes. They're damned if they do, damned if they don't, and they'll largely be judged in hindsight.

 

[McLaren]

Wasn’t Thailand already proposing treatment with a HIV drug? Nothing more of that story since, iirc.

 

[twitcher]

Ah, somebody said it on Twitter. Thank god we're getting into the real facts.



Despite it being well known around these parts that I have little love for the current government I think they're doing quite a good job in difficult and largely unknown circumstances, at least as far as covid-19 goes. They're damned if they do, damned if they don't, and they'll largely be judged in hindsight.

Ten, of you followed Canadian politics as closely as I do (I’m just assuming you don’t since you’re not Canadian), then you wouldn’t need a source to verify Canadian liberals labelling everyone and everthing as racist. It’s basically been their party moto for 5+ years.


I just find it beyond hilarious that people will go at Trump and BoJo until the cows come home, but as soon as I criticize the ineptitude, hypocrisy, and identity politics played by my liberal PM, I’m the one playing identity politics and who has an agenda. Spare me, folks.