Topic: Corona Virus Panic/Discussion Thread

@kyleforrester87
I know, right? Chances are, this virus isn't ever going to go away, not in our lifetime anyway. So if the news continues to be dominated by this for the next few months or years, I can see less and less people watching it.

@LieutenantFatman I honestly haven’t watched the news ever since the 2014 independence referendum but the constant coverage is making it rather hard to avoid. It’s easy enough to stay up to date through Twitter etc and you get a wide variety of opinions too.

@LieutenantFatman yes, I just look ahead over the next year and groan. And by that point, as you say, it’s still going to be out there, people will just get used to living with the fear of it and will probably limit certain activities as a result. I mean personally I don’t plan on going to any weddings, gigs etc for a long time. As for pubs.. I’d struggle to avoid them completely but I don’t think I’d go in one that was busy.

Everyone’s just going to be a bit more sensible I guess. But I’m still wiping down my food shopping. I am not going to be doing that for the next year I can tell you that.

Ultimately, I struggle to see what the long term strategy can be other than hoping that some level of immunity begins or we can vaccinate the most vulnerable. In the end, the world cannot exist in lock down for more than a few months without massive chaos and societal upheavel. A slow lifting of lock down will naturally slow the spread but not kill it and the nature of our global economy is that there is still going to be international travel.

On the plus side, we will all be aware of distancing, good hygiene, the symptoms and what to do if we come in contact with the virus so that may help but I don't know what else. I guess I don't get how to avoid a second peak. I think widespread testing and contact tracing is probably the key but we aren't geared up for that yet here in the UK.

@kyleforrester87 @LieutenantFatman @Rudy_Manchego @nessisonett

There are far too many conflicting pieces of information out there. Even scientific studies are conflicting. So we will all end up going with the news that interests us or which is surprising. When the lead medical officer (dark hair usually stands on the right of the 3 during briefings) says its too early for a deep dive into the failings or positives I believe her, that's all we need to know. Far too many foreign sources claiming this or that. Countries with negligible cases proclaiming one thing another with negligible cases saying another.

Europe and the USA will be in a better position to find a workaround than anywhere else moving forward. We have more cases and are better equipped for a thourough analysis without prejudice.

I would assume we get immunity rather than living with it like herpes. But again this is something which will become more obvious in time. Better medical procedures are currently enacted compared to even 4 weeks ago so evidence one way or the other will mount up, fact based.

@themcnoisy yeah well it’s been bandied around a lot but “armchair virologist” is about right - too many regular people suddenly think they are experts. And when even the experts don’t have the answers I don’t think there is much to be achieved from researching questionable data and trying to draw our own conclusions or convincing other people of our arguments.

The bottom line is we are all going to be totally fed up of hearing about this for the next few years, and while we will all just need to try and live sensibly the sympathy and understanding everyone has now will soon dry up. It’s true what they say about death and taxes, and it’s only gunna become more true!

Meanwhile, here in the US a grocery chain has already turned it into an inspiring 80's montage (and yes, this commercial is real, song & all). Only in the USA.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&...

@LaJettatura Seeing as Sanders has now dropped out of the race, it’s not looking like healthcare will be changing significantly in the US for at least the next 4 years. Unfortunately the word ‘social’ seems to make certain groups of people immediately jump on the communism bandwagon when social healthcare is discussed. I actually saw a sign that one of the weird coronavirus protestors was holding that read ‘social distancing = communism’. Bonkers.

@nessisonett @LaJettatura When me and the wife were in Vermont last year, we got talking to an older couple from Texas. Somehow the conversation got to healthcare and he told us that “socialist medicine” was outrageous and then asked us what it was like in the UK.

He quite liked the idea of “socialism” after we explained the NHS to him

It’s interesting though because even if the vaccine effects only last one year, could you build up real herd immunity with it in that time so it would fizzle out? Would pockets of anti-vaxxers make this impossible? Would the geo-politics work?

The ethics of how it would be manufactured and distributed are difficult enough; Trump would be the first to refuse any other country getting supplies if it was made there I’m sure...

@Thrillho Apparently loads of anti-vaxxers are all for a coronavirus vaccine. It’s all a bit ironic given that the vaccine will probably be rushed to market, making it a lot less tested and less safe than the vaccines these ones are actually protesting.

@kyleforrester87 That's the world we live in. Anyone who can use a touch screen is an expert.

We are both sensible enough to look at a plethora of subjects and use the same common sense and open mind to come to a fact based conclusion.

That's not happening with covid 19 news. Almost every source is opinion based on frustratingly inadequate evidence about something off piste.

Our own government for all its faults has actually come up with the best furlough scheme, the best mortgage assist and possibly the best LockDown rules which allow us all to get out now and again whilst remaining isolated and paying our bills. The spokes people are always on point with reminding us to stay at home. For the general public we have space in hospital, shops are stocked and electricity is staying on. We are world leaders in the hunt for a vaccine, hopefully good news is on the horizon.

From a none essential worker they have done as well as possible in my opinion, in that regard. As for the issues with PPE, testing, sick NHS workers, the staggering infected totals and lagging death rates - they are the real issues right now, the government has dropped the ball. But outside of NHS workers and people at risk, if everyone was honest, it's boring news to the fitter than average, low risk person. We are getting paid sat at home waiting to be given the nod to start work again.

So anything outside of this, miracle cures, scare stories about immunity, opinion pieces about life never returning to normal, the outlier 15 year old who dies from covid-19. They are all intriguing but there are a million reasons these things could happen, purposefully left out of the news articles. It confuses public opinion, muddies clear water and adds additional stress.

We need a good proven antibody test, a good start with our stage 2 and 3 vaccine programs and for everyone to stay at home. There should be no rush to head to work and everyone should have a financial crutch during the next month to 2 months.

If the vaccines fail stage 2 and if the antibody test proves to be a dud, then and then alone should we be in panic mode.

@LaJettatura we will hopefully develop the vaccine and our Bros and sisters in the USA are first in line. You have our backs, we got yours.

@Thrillho Here's a good source for information;

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01115-z

The reality to answer your question is the time frame is currently too short but in none biased and unblemished reporting from Chinese specialists in March is that nearly all recovered patients had signs of antigens 2 months after recovery.

Right now there is no other source as we dont have the recovered patients over a longer timescale to test.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/20/opinion/coronavirus-testin...

Here's an instructive (and terrifying) article that seems to throw some light on why a number of people with "mild symptoms" seem to die really suddenly.

lol My state is one of a few states that is planning on fully reopening in less than a week. This after a series of astroturfed conservative protests against the lockdowns that were signal boosted by the president of the United States.

Really excited to see our confirmed cases double over the next two weeks, despite a persistent lack of available testing materials, and despite the fact that at least two cities in the State have become hotspots for the disease.

@Ralizah the links asking me to start an account so it won't let me read passed a few paragraphs unfortunately.

As for releasing LockDown and awaiting the excrement to hit the fan, it's a slow burn. If most people socially distance it can have the same effect as isolating. But that's a big fat if. I suppose by the 16th-20th days after LockDown you will know how much of a bad decision it is when deaths start racking up. Crazy to have a social experiment when there are good things coming hopefully round the corner.

@LaJettatura We don't have protest groups in The Netherlands fortunately. But we do have idiots setting telephone towers on fire, because they think COVID-19 is caused by 5G...

@themcnoisy With any test there are always false positives and false negatives. I don't know the extent of people that have been confirmed positive a second time; but it could be due to false positives alone. I'd have to look into it, but it doesn't have to mean that you can contract it again in a relatively short term period.

Day 5 of my fridge being on the blink and I’ve managed to invent the greatest breakfast of all time. I had a jar of red pesto in the cupboard to put some of that on a couple of slices of plain white bread, topped it with some Italian seasoning and salt/pepper. It actually tasted like bruschetta out a proper restaurant, except it was on normal toast. Would recommend.

@nessisonett Add some cheese, put it in the oven and you have breakfast pizza toast.

@Octane Definitely something to try when I have a working fridge. I miss cheese.

@Thrillho @nessisonett @LaJettatura
Yeah, for some reason US citizens recoil by something being termed “socialized.” What they don’t realize is that Medicare (the US system of federally funded healthcare for all citizens over age 65 and for the disabled) is basically socialized healthcare, and the average citizen would never want to give up their parents or grandparents Medicare privileges. I think if it’s called something different, people are more open to it, or as Thrillho says, after they understand what it actually entails, it’s less scary sounding to them.
Of note, I have talked to some people who are UK immigrants here who didn’t care for the NHS. I’m sure every system has its pluses and minuses. Not to mention the “sour grapes” phenomenon it may be, where as a psychological rationalization something that one can’t access is explained away as probably being of poor quality.

@Ralizah I like that article. Interesting to read actual doctors reactions and stories from the front lines. This was telling:
“A vast majority of Covid pneumonia patients I met had remarkably low oxygen saturations at triage — seemingly incompatible with life — but they were using their cellphones as we put them on monitors.”
No wonder the internet is full of people that don’t make any sense. May explain why all of a sudden hoards of people can’t figure out how to run their PS4’s! 😉