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

[Famine]

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/16/us/newport-911-toilet-paper-trnd/index.html

Sea shells?

 

[Adamgp]

They are finally doing something about this coronavirus at work besides sending out emails saying to wash hands. By the end of the week I'll probably be working from home, if not next week for sure.

The company will likely be breaking a bunch of it's own rules to do it however. Sounding like most of engineering will need to bring their entire desktop workstations home, as there are not enough laptops to go around, and it would be too expensive to buy enough for everyone.

 

[DG_Silva]

Societally we don't spit on the floor (we were conditioned out of it during the consumption era),

You've never been to Birmingham, it seems...

So back at the shop today, just finished an 8 and a half hour shift, not too much to report after yesterday.

We didn't have a delivery today but we worked what was left of yesterdays delivery and we smashed though it in a few hours, however having no delivery today meant that we had no milk or bread all day, we had a couple of pallets of TP that customers went through in about 20 minutes, it wasn't so busy today and it felt like a normal Monday, the biggest irritation for me was people asking when the milk and bread was coming in and the answer to that was tomorrow when we get a delivery and people were asking the time the delivery was due in and I can could only give a rough answer, it got on my nerves after a while.

I popped into my local 'Food Warehouse' (basically Iceland on a shopping estate), and was talking to a young lad there; apparently, their tills only allow two of certain groups to go through the till, so two packs of toilet rolls (irrespective of brand), two bottles of handwash/sanitiser, two bottles of milk, etc. That's a more intelligent way of doing it, rather than relying on discretion from the customer (which mostly, but not completely, worked when I experienced such an event with the fuel tanker driver strikes in the early 2000s).

I get the whole herd immunity thing, and we've had to take precautions with my mother-in-law, getting shopping when needed and leaving it in her porch for her to pick up. A lot of people around me are not understanding why the schools are still open, but after explaining the idea is to make sure that children/young adults get the virus, it kind of makes sense.

EDIT: Went to the doctor's today - a relative ghost town thanks to not allowing anyone in without an appointment - but the doctor did at least rule out coronavirus due to lack of fever. He also ruled out a chest infection, but couldn't confirm what it was. He's given me an inhalor and a nebuliser, but so far it hasn't done anything to relieve my increasingly tight and sore chest.

 

[nostradavor2]

Now we can close the boarders when there's Corona virus? We can destroy economics and so many families in Europe? Take much more lives than virus can. Natural selection is one thing but getting killed by politicians another. When hordes of migrants were entering Europe we couldn't close the boarders? F#*? :/FF

 

[longshot1314]

One of the things that has really bothered me on last call day here in NY is the fact that no mentions of aid packages have been provided for small businesses. No holds on rents or mortgages. Sure fine if there’s more unemployment insurance, but what good does that do if you have no job to come back to?

 

[Liquid]

The UK government isn't forcing anywhere to close because those places can then begin claims from their insurance; if they are not forced closed and stay open but people simply don't bring in custom, then the insurers don't pay.

That's one of the reasons for the "advising" of people to not go to pubs but keeping pubs open.

Also, re: "Chinese Virus". Obligatory:



There are circumstantial times when using "Chinese" virus works as a geographical descriptor but those are now rare.

"What about Spanish flu?" Yeah, that was 1918 when it could still take 2-6 months for gossiped information to get from London to Sydney.

The simple fact is we live in better times with a faster acquisition of knowledge. We know what it actually is now so there is no need for a metonym or euphamism like that.

You'd have to be stupid to not see the obvious dog whistle of the term Chinese virus, notwithstanding the superficial difference between, say, Chinese flu and Chinese virus.

Literally anything negative-but-foreign is open to so much dog whistle abuse.

 

[baldgye]

I’m not convinced, I might be wrong but the government needed to show their working, in regards to their plans. Their plans to slow the spread hasn’t worked as we’ve (from what I’ve seen) maintained the % increase of confirmed infections.

To my mind, they should have lead with a plan to save people and not the economy. The fact the government has been ‘forced’ to daily updates due to its lack of clear strategy is kinda of telling.
I’m not sure why we needed to wait a week or two before slowing people’s movements... my only assumption can be the economic cost. But then I imagine that ‘saving’ will be thrown away while the population recovers/NHS crumbles...

But you know me, I’m forever an optimist

@Touring Mars to follow up;

 

[TJ13]

With more things going to be closed by 5 pm tomorrow here I found out that Newport police have actually had to post this.

"
It’s hard to believe that we even have to post this. Do not call 9-1-1 just because you ran out of toilet paper. You will survive without our assistance.
In fact, history offers many other options for you in your time of need if you cannot find a roll of your favorite soft, ultra plush two-ply citrus scented tissue.
Seamen used old rope and anchor lines soaked in salt water. Ancient Romans used a sea sponge on a stick, also soaked in salt water. We are a coastal town. We have an abundance of salt water available. Sea shells were also used.
Mayans used corn cobs. Colonial Americans also used the core of the cob. Farmers not only used corn cobs, but used pages from the Farmers Almanac. Many Americans took advantage of the numerous pages torn from free catalogs such as Sears and Roebuck. The Sears Christmas catalog, four times thicker than the normal catalog, could get a family of three wiped clean from December through Valentine’s Day; or Saint Patrick’s Day if they were frugal.
Then, of course, there are always alternatives to toilet paper. Grocery receipts, newspaper, cloth rags, lace, cotton balls, and that empty toilet paper roll sitting on the holder right now. Plus, there are a variety of leaves you can safely use. Mother Earth News magazine will even tell you how to make your own wipes using fifteen different leaves. When all else fails, you have magazine pages. Start saving those catalogs you get in the mail that you usually toss into the recycle bin. Be resourceful. Be patient. There is a TP shortage. This too shall pass. Just don’t call 9-1-1. We cannot bring you toilet paper."

So if you run out of TP, please don't call 911

 

[Famine]

The UK government isn't forcing anywhere to close because those places can then begin claims from their insurance; if they are not forced closed and stay open but people simply don't bring in custom, then the insurers don't pay.

That's one of the reasons for the "advising" of people to not go to pubs but keeping pubs open.

There's a couple of issues with this idea.

Firstly, it's bollocks. Not actual complete bollocks, but pretty much a whole set of testes. In principle, if you have business interruption cover, and the insurers classes COVID-19 as a definable risk within the terms of the insurance agreement (which is by no means assured; a sudden pandemic won't make it into most lists), then a business could claim in the event of a government or local authority shut-down of access to the premises. There's a lot of stumbling blocks in there, and it's not contingent on Boris saying he's going to close pubs.

Secondly, the Government introduced an absolute flotilla of protective measures for businesses affected by COVID in the Budget literally last week.


In short, it's goose barf.

 

[TexRex]

Darkwing fever, I like that, I might stick with that from now on. Either that, or Wuhan Flu. Both have a nice ring to them.

Still, neither are its name. It's not actually referred to as a Chinese virus because such nomenclature is too easily abused as a scare tactic. It's not actually referred to as a bat virus because bats generally aren't to be feared, though I've been startled when encountering one in the gazebo and I've been a little grossed out finding dead ones in the pool filter basket. Yes, we get bats here from time to time.

Why are you so bent on referring to it by anything other than its name?

Allegation stamped out? When? By who?

Here you go.

Take note that I actually pulled it up for you rather than merely saying it exists and telling you to find it yourself.

I must have missed that.

Must have. Curious, though, that you missed a post that quoted one of your own, but managed to find another post by the same user appearing a short scroll below it, and disregarded the entire contents of said post but for a single word which you repurposed as a jumping-off point for your ridiculous diatribe regarding how things are named.

But here’s a video that was posted on page 60 of this thread, maybe you missed it.

I saw the tweet. I actually cited it as you using others' social media posts in an effort to call out the media's playing of identity politics.

I do find it humorous that you accused me of throwing around "anti-conservative TYT talking points" after having shared a tweet from Media Research Center, with its laughable conservative bias, which undoubtedly contains a video edited in a manner that ignores context, likely to the extent that it could easily be considered deceitful.

Nope. Just saying that if you want to throw around the “conservative talking points” accusation, I can just as easily retort with “liberal talking points” accusation. Let’s not devolve to that level, m’kay.

I mean, sure, I'll grant you that political correctness (BOO!!!) is a conservative talking point. It's been that way since its modern use began in early '90s academia with whiny conservatives invoking it in response to what they alleged was oppression by the liberal majority. Since you're so interested in names, you may like to know that "political correctness" (BOO!!!) is intended to link government ("political") to a normative agenda ("correctness") in an attempt to suggest that their rights to free speech are being violated when they actually aren't. If they were, they wouldn't have to concoct such a bogeyman.

It's such a conservative talking point that its invocation has occasionally even come across as a self-deprecating sociological pastiche, such as when they've accused a goddamn cereal company of politically correct (BOO!!!) pandering when a commercial portrayed an interracial couple with a mixed-race daughter or when a televesion network was hit with a similar accusation for the portrayal of a lesbian couple on a prime time drama. Except it wasn't actually satire.

But I digress. I'll grant you that "political correctness" (BOO!!!) is a conservative talking point. I do wonder, however, what "anti-conservative TYT talking points" I've thrown around in this discussion. Treat me as though I've never watched TYT and wouldn't know what they've said...because this is very much the case.

If I'm honest, it seems to me that you resent that I've called you out on your invocation of political correctness (BOO!!!), which I understand, though that hasn't stopped you from doubling down on it with further unsubstantiated (as far as I've seen) remarks, and rather than substantiate your own remarks, you've attempted to shut down discussion with that "talking points" bit.

Here’s Fredo Acosta (whoops, it’s Fredo Cuomo, and Jim Acosta...get the clowns mixed up sometimes) claiming it’s xenophobic to label the virus as Chinese, then following it up by calling it Wuhan Coronavirus.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, (I bet I sound like K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider), whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Whoa. Pump the brakes.

"Then"?

I know information is coming rapidly and from all corners, but the curtailment of travel here from Europe was just announced less than a week ago. I wanna say it was this past Wednesday, which would be March 8th. "Then", January 20th, "whoever said whatever"?

Calenderz r hard.

For perspective, January 20th is when Chinese state media previously stated travel from Wuhan was cut off, though it has since been revealed that the order came sooner. On the 23rd, public transportation within Wuhan was shut down in an attempt to limit the spread of the virus. It wasn't until the 24th that the first case in Europe was announced.

But yeah, keep mixing up the timeline to serve your narrative. Also consider that this site's AUP holds that users are not to provide information they know to be false.

I question the images presented in that tweet as well, because the date on the right is clearly visible but the date on the left conveniently is not. It's been my experience that getting to the original message on the twitter where a date is visible requires a single click from what's shown there. It's likely intended to be that user friendly.

 

[twitcher]

Still, neither are its name. It's not actually referred to as a Chinese virus because such nomenclature is too easily abused as a scare tactic. It's not actually referred to as a bat virus because bats generally aren't to be feared, though I've been startled when encountering one in the gazebo and I've been a little grossed out finding dead ones in the pool filter basket. Yes, we get bats here from time to time.

Why are you so bent on referring to it by anything other than its name?


Here you go.

Take note that I actually pulled it up for you rather than merely saying it exists and telling you to find it yourself.


Must have. Curious, though, that you missed a post that quoted one of your own, but managed to find another post by the same user appearing a short scroll below it, and disregarded the entire contents of said post but for a single word which you repurposed as a jumping-off point for your ridiculous diatribe regarding how things are named.


I saw the tweet. I actually cited it as you using others' social media posts in an effort to call out the media's playing of identity politics.

I do find it humorous that you accused me of throwing around "anti-conservative TYT talking points" after having shared a tweet from Media Research Center, with its laughable conservative bias, which undoubtedly contains a video edited in a manner that ignores context, likely to the extent that it could easily be considered deceitful.


I mean, sure, I'll grant you that political correctness (BOO!!!) is a conservative talking point. It's been that way since its modern use began in early '90s academia with whiny conservatives invoking it in response to what they alleged was oppression by the liberal majority. Since you're so interested in names, you may like to know that "political correctness" (BOO!!!) is intended to link government ("political") to a normative agenda ("correctness") in an attempt to suggest that their rights to free speech are being violated when they actually aren't. If they were, they wouldn't have to concoct such a bogeyman.

It's such a conservative talking point that its invocation has occasionally even come across as a self-deprecating sociological pastiche, such as when they've accused a goddamn cereal company of politically correct (BOO!!!) pandering when a commercial portrayed an interracial couple with a mixed-race daughter or when a televesion network was hit with a similar accusation for the portrayal of a lesbian couple on a prime time drama. Except it wasn't actually satire.

But I digress. I'll grant you that "political correctness" (BOO!!!) is a conservative talking point. I do wonder, however, what "anti-conservative TYT talking points" I've thrown around in this discussion. Treat me as though I've never watched TYT and wouldn't know what they've said...because this is very much the case.

If I'm honest, it seems to me that you resent that I've called you out on your invocation of political correctness (BOO!!!), which I understand, though that hasn't stopped you from doubling down on it with further unsubstantiated (as far as I've seen) remarks, and rather than substantiate your own remarks, you've attempted to shut down discussion with that "talking points" bit.


Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, (I bet I sound like K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider), whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Whoa. Pump the brakes.

"Then"?

I know information is coming rapidly and from all corners, but the curtailment of travel here from Europe was just announced less than a week ago. I wanna say it was this past Wednesday, which would be March 8th. "Then", January 20th, "whoever said whatever"?

Calenderz r hard.

For perspective, January 20th is when Chinese state media previously stated travel from Wuhan was cut off, though it has since been revealed that the order came sooner. On the 23rd, public transportation within Wuhan was shut down in an attempt to limit the spread of the virus. It wasn't until the 24th that the first case in Europe was announced.

But yeah, keep mixing up the timeline to serve your narrative. Also consider that this site's AUP holds that users are not to provide information they know to be false.

I question the images presented in that tweet as well, because the date on the right is clearly visible but the date on the left conveniently is not. It's been my experience that getting to the original message on the twitter where a date is visible requires a single click from what's shown there. It's likely intended to be that user friendly.

You’re taking this name thing way more serious than I thought anyone would, but go off. I made the reference to hamburgers mostly as a joke.

As far as the TYT thing, bringing up “conservative talking points” is a liberal talking point. It gets played on repeat, nonstop.

I’m not sharing anything I know to be false. The tweet I shared was from a verified account who has a track record I trust. I’m not out here trying to CSI tweets to find out what is real and what’s not. If you want to put in that leg work, be my guest. Regardless of the result, I’ll be thankful for your service.

 

[TexRex]

You’re taking this name thing way more serious than I thought anyone would, but go off. I made the reference to hamburgers mostly as a joke.

This literally started with you posting a tweet because you're pissy that "liberals" are accusing officials of racism and xenophobia for their continued use of a name for a virus when it has another name.

Now, I don't know that it's actually xenophobic or racist, in fact I'd lean toward it not being so but for the fact that it's being used by individuals and groups who have demonstrated a propensity for employing xenophobic rhetoric. Still, I'm not saying it is or it's not.

You've explicitly stated that it's not "because other viruses are named for places and that isn't racist" without further substantiation, and again, while others are legitimately named for places, this one is not.

But yeah, I'm the one taking it seriously.

Incidentally, things that aren't inherently racist can have racist intent. I've heard "coon" as a legitimate abbreviation of racoon, and yet it's seen wide use as a slur to refer to black people. A cracker is both a thin, typically baked snack food onto which spreads, produce and charcuterie may be rested prior to consumption and a slur to refer to white people or a particular subset of white people.

As far as the TYT thing, bringing up “conservative talking points” is a liberal talking point. It gets played on repeat, nonstop.

I called out your invocation of political correctness (BOO!!!), and rather than substantiate your remarks that led me to do so, you refer to my having done so as "talking points". Play the ball, not the man.

But you can't actually substantiate them, can you? That's kind of how the invocation of political correctness (BOO!!!) works. It's deliberately ambiguous so that it can be invoked whenever anyone sees fit ("everything I don't like is political correctness*"), but any effort to elaborate on its invocation attributes definition that may hinder future invocation.

*Edit: Whoops! It is a bogeyman, so...BOO!!!

 

[CodeRedR51]

Harkins just announced they are closing all of their movie theatres until the 31st. Employees will be paid.

 

[ryzno]

Jesus, so what is gonna happen to those who can't work from home? Will they be paid?!

I sat at home with my thumb shoved somewhere today, while I watched my son and got an ear full from my ex cause she has to work...
And some people are getting paid, not me though.

 

[twitcher]

This literally started with you posting a tweet because you're pissy that "liberals" are accusing officials of racism and xenophobia for their continued use of a name for a virus when it has another name.

Now, I don't know that it's actually xenophobic or racist, in fact I'd lean toward it not being so but for the fact that it's being used by individuals and groups who have demonstrated a propensity for employing xenophobic rhetoric. Still, I'm not saying it is or it's not.

You've explicitly stated that it's not "because other viruses are named for places and that isn't racist" without further substantiation, and again, while others are legitimately named for places, this one is not.

But yeah, I'm the one taking it seriously.

Incidentally, things that aren't inherently racist can have racist intent. I've heard "coon" as a legitimate abbreviation of racoon, and yet it's seen wide use as a slur to refer to black people. A cracker is both a thin, typically baked snack food onto which spreads, produce and charcuterie may be rested prior to consumption and a slur to refer to white people or a particular subset of white people.


I called out your invocation of political correctness (BOO!!!), and rather than substantiate your remarks that led me to do so, you refer to my having done so as "talking points". Play the ball, not the man.

But you can't actually substantiate them, can you? That's kind of how the invocation of political correctness (BOO!!!) works. It's deliberately ambiguous so that it can be invoked whenever anyone sees fit ("everything I don't like is political correctness*"), but any effort to elaborate on its invocation attributes definition that may hinder future invocation.

*Edit: Whoops! It is a bogeyman, so...BOO!!!

Unless I’m mistaken, any time I’ve been talking about “liberals”, I’m talking about the Liberal Part of Canada. I should have capitalized, my bad.

The people who are calling the elected US officials racist/xenophobic for using terms like “Chinese Coronavirus” are being hypocrites in doing so, as they themselves were using those same terms just a few weeks ago.

 

[maxi25]

Apparently there are people being idiots and doing stupid things like blaming Chinese people or refusing to go to any Chinese related place like restaurants for fear that they might get the virus.

That's not how these things work people.

 

[Biggles]

It seems to me that a critical piece of evidence is going to be what happens in Italy over the next week. Will the infection rates start to go down due to the extreme quarantine measures being taken?

As of today there were approx 28,000 confirmed cases in Italy. There are 4,907 cases that have been "resolved" to date. 44% of those (2,158) have resulted in death. There are 23,000 current cases of which 92% are considered "mild" & 8% are considered "serious" or "critical". It is startling to realize how little time ago the pandemic actually took grip in Italy. One would hope that the "resolved" cases would start to increase & the new infection rates would start to drop off.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/italy/

 

[Chrunch Houston]

So the third largest county (by population) in the US, Harris county, Texas (Houston) has ordered every bar and nightclub to close indefinitely. The local government has also mandated that all restaurants must close their dining rooms and offer only take out or delivery. I am in the business, I really feel sorry for all of the waiters in my company. It is going to be tough for them to go from $50 to $150 a shift to whatever they will make as delivery drivers for our company, or on unemployment.

Also this:

 

[Joey D]

Australia is continuing to make some strides with treatments.

Melbourne scientists make major coronavirus breakthrough
A global coronavirus breakthrough from Melbourne scientists could fast track treatments and vaccines to fight the illness, as well as help identify those at risk of dying.

The TL;DR version of it is that researchers have mapped how the immune system responds to the virus.

I guess when you live in a country where everything is trying to kill you, including Mother Nature's inferno, you get moving on figuring out ways to combat the virus.

 

[CodeRedR51]

The TL;DR version of it is that researchers have mapped how the immune system responds to the virus.

This is why I believe we'll never really face a disease that kills millions ever again. We have a lot of really smart people on this planet that figure this 🤬 out quickly.

 

[Biggles]

The people who are calling the elected US officials racist/xenophobic for using terms like “Chinese Coronavirus” are being hypocrites in doing so, as they themselves were using those same terms just a few weeks ago.

We've already been through this. A few weeks ago Covid-19 was basically largely confined to China, so calling it "Chinese Coronavirus" was an understandable description of the virus. Now it is not.

When Trump uses the term "Chinese Virus" (see the post by Crunch above) he clearly has a political motive in doing so - "blaming" China, which he thinks somehow "exonerates" him, which is a typically immature, self-serving attitude that does nothing to help the situation.

 

[Chrunch Houston]

When Trump uses the term "Chinese Virus" (see the post by Crunch above) he clearly has a political motive in doing so - "blaming" China, which he thinks somehow "exonerates" him, which is a typically immature, self-serving attitude that does nothing to help the situation.

Exonerate for what exactly? Trump closed air travel between effecticted areas of China and the US very early on and was called racist and a xenophobe by the democrats. He did this while the dumb-assed Dems where too busy "impeaching him" to do anything.

The CCP covered this virus up until it got out of control.

 

[girabyt3]

This is why I believe we'll never really face a disease that kills millions ever again. We have a lot of really smart people on this planet that figure this 🤬 out quickly.

But hey, it has to work first

 

[twitcher]

We've already been through this. A few weeks ago Covid-19 was basically largely confined to China, so calling it "Chinese Coronavirus" was an understandable description of the virus. Now it is not.

When Trump uses the term "Chinese Virus" (see the post by Crunch above) he clearly has a political motive in doing so - "blaming" China, which he thinks somehow "exonerates" him, which is a typically immature, self-serving attitude that does nothing to help the situation.

You’re probably correct in assuming Trump’s motive, but is it any different than what China is doing?

Edit: I should clarify. What the CCP is doing, not the Chinese people.

 

[Biggles]

Exonerate for what exactly?

He thinks he needs exoneration, because everything's always about him. He's been busy trying to downplay the situation in the US because he's worried about the way it will effect his political standing. Now the economy's in as bad shape as when Obama came to office, he's anxious to make sure everyone understands it's "not my responsibility at all".

The CCP covered this virus up until it got out of control.

You’re probably correct in assuming Trump’s motive, but is it any different than what China is doing?

I don't think anyone's holding up the CCP as an example of the right way to do things.

 

[CodeRedR51]

 

[girabyt3]

You’re probably correct in assuming Trump’s motive, but is it any different than what China is doing?

Edit: I should clarify. What the CCP is doing, not the Chinese people.

I don't think even Trump is that stupid to create something lethal just to destroy China just because it was close to be top spot....

 

[Aphelion]

This is why I believe we'll never really face a disease that kills millions ever again. We have a lot of really smart people on this planet that figure this 🤬 out quickly.

I think this case will be an eyeopener. For years and years we have known that our society is structured in such a way that allows potential viral threats to spread like this, but weve largely done nothing except “make sure you wash your hands and dont be gross”.

I hope people take the hint. Questions will be asked like “why do we need to funnel thousands of people from around the city into confined spaces to sit and watch someone when they could far more easily do it remotely?”

Or even better “why would I ever wilfully board a giant floating petrie dish”?

Stuff that would lower the impact and spreading potential of things like this.

 

[baldgye]

Exonerate for what exactly? Trump closed air travel between effecticted areas of China and the US very early on and was called racist and a xenophobe by the democrats. He did this while the dumb-assed Dems where too busy "impeaching him" to do anything.

The CCP covered this virus up until it got out of control.

Nasty question...

 

[Chrunch Houston]

He thinks he needs exoneration, because everything's always about him. He's been busy trying to downplay the situation in the US because he's worried about the way it will effect his political standing. Now the economy's in as bad shape as when Obama came to office, he's anxious to make sure everyone understands it's "not my responsibility at all".

Thank you Dr. Biggles. fffft