Topic: Corona Virus Panic/Discussion Thread

The world's changed a lot since the end of January. The unemployment tsunami is on track and the big countries have become aggressive, we still haven't learned to close shop properly during a Pandemic which again is unsurprising. There's going to be the start of tax rises approaching and the end of an era for the West is slowly drawing the curtains on a relative bright part of our history with enforced mask usage and the paranoia of the rich forcing us all back to work. Star Wars is kicking off and we haven't even visited the next planet along yet. Heads have gone with confused populations and blundering decisions leaving solid unions lurching towards a rushed retreat into no mans land. Idiotic political power grabs hidden by the righteous demonstrations which have slowly intertwined into a farcical disregard for health and safety. There was only ever one chance and the world missed it by miles, we now have the new small pox without the immunity.

@themcnoisy I wouldn’t say the last 10 years have been particularly bright. The middle class might have recovered from 2008 by now but the working class are still feeling the effects of that many years of austerity. This will be a case of ‘from bad to worse’ for a whole lot of households. And let’s be honest, if taxes go up then it’ll be affecting those on the lower brackets, not the super rich or corporations. Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk’s fortunes have actually grown during the pandemic by billions but you don’t see them doing the slightest damn thing to help. It doesn’t help that the UK and US, ‘free’ countries are utilising state media to spread misinformation and distract from what’s really going on.

@themcnoisy Just wait until the Brexit icing on the cake!

I hope everything is alright with you though fella, not seen you around much recently.

@crimsontadpoles America's government is too corrupt and incompetent to try and do anything to prevent the spread of a deadly disease. Thankfully, Walmart mandated mask wearing recently, and a bunch of other businesses have followed since then. It's pretty bad when you have to rely on Walmart, of all companies, to be the good guy!

It seems to be effective, though. When I went to one recently, everyone was wearing a mask, and I only counted three people who has it under their noses.

@nessisonett there's going to be a change in taxation with over 40s being hit in the pocket under the guise of 'social care tax'. That will then follow a general rise in income tax. Woo hoo

@Thrillho I'm good mate, work is mad busy so it's the polar opposite of LockDown with free time. It doesn't help going for the Cities skylines platinum either which is one of the most arduous.

@Ralizah @nessisonett @themcnoisy I'm still doing okay, but my father has pretty bad food poisoning. Hopefully he won't need to brave Corona Central and go to the hospital.

@KisekiFan7 That’s a tough one, I really feel for those that have to make the decision of whether to risk going to the hospital or not. It’s a strange concept to think that going there could end up making you more sick but it’s definitely a worry. Hopefully he pulls through!

@KisekiFan7 Any semi-competent hospital should be good and paranoid rn, so don't let him needlessly suffer out of fear of covid. I mean, my brother in law had to be hospitalized a month ago or so, so I get the fear, for sure. Good luck with your father!

Welp, covid-19 just claimed the life of Herman Cain, former Godfather's Pizza CEO and failed Republican presidential candidate.

I don't recall this guy ever doing or saying anything too awful, and between his weird campaign ad and tendency to quote Pokemon movie song lyrics, he managed to make me laugh more than once.

RIP you affable oddball

@Ralizah I hadn’t heard about him to be honest, he must be one of those guys that didn’t really get coverage outside the States. I just read today that he ran for president before sexual harassment allegations meant he stepped aside and the man, the myth, the Mormon Mitt Romney got the nom instead. Are his pizzas any good?

Ahhhh... of course. There's always something. Is there anyone involved in U.S. politics who isn't a creeper?

He never had a chance, though. He was basically a joke candidate who provided the comic relief during that election cycle.

Crazy to think ol' Mormon Mitt represents the last vestiges of human decency in that party. Now he's considered a "traitor."

I've never eaten at that particular chain, unfortunately. I'm more of a Slim and Husky's person.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/usaandmain/2018/07/10/sl...

@Ralizah I’m gonna go on a pizza pilgrimage in the US. Mmmmm, pizza. Might need to wait a few years, I’m not sure I want a side of COVID.

Got to love the news, showing Boris telling us that England isn’t easing lockdown then immediately showing images of thousands of people flocking to the beaches. You literally can’t make it up.

lol Just heard on the news we're probably heading toward 200,000 deaths by the end of August. It won't be long before we're clearing 100,000 new cases nationally every day.

@nessisonett What Chris Whitty said was interesting, we are at the limits of what we can open and things will need to close so we can open other things.

Be interesting to see what goes.

@nessisonett you've got to love the mixed messages!! Have a staycation, travel and support UK business then within a couple of days message is to avoid costal resort towns. Its not like beaches werent overrun a month ago foreshadowing what will happen in decent weather. In the north of England don't go round to your parents house but you can meet them indoors in a pub?! Clear effort to shift blame to individuals behaviours rather than face some of the systematic failures with poor messaging.

@R1spam Well I hope the English don’t have a bloody staycation up here, our numbers are slightly better! Still work to be done of course but it really does look like a mess down there.

@R1spam agreed. It makes no sense and it's what makes people aggrieved.

Holidays should have been cancelled for the whole of Europe with special dispensation given to primary economic holiday destinations from the EU. Greece has fared well so far with covid 19, less so when the ferrying destination for carriers all over the world. The reality is in a few months time you would prefer to visit a covid battered area as the transmission will be diminished.

It absolutely sucks not going on holiday. But after a 2 month LockDown, stripped liberties, recession etc. Pasty skin for 12 months is nothing.

As for the general rules within the UK. I can sit a family in my car showroom but can't sit with them on the shore. Just what's going on here? It's fundamentally flawed.

A novel idea would be to have weekend LockDown. So rules pretty much as they are, business as is. But on a Saturday and Sunday everyone is locked in. It means we have 2 days a week when transmission can't happen which would cut the R Rate and people can refocus on washing hands and keeping a distance - which you can't help but forget when sucked into the work cycle, Business would still perform adequately and it would also help the environment.

We would then have a jetty point for cycling things back if it goes south again (which it is just listen to Chris Whitty he's not messing around this time).

Anyone else think it's dumb that restaurants force masks when you walk in the door but don't mind if you take them off once you're at your table eating? What the hell difference is that going to make? If that virus is such a super virus i assure you it can still be spread while sitting down at your table too. Oh and have you heard now they're saying we should be wearing goggles to cover our eyes also?

I wouldn't be quite as annoyed by all this histeria if the rules in stores or other places of business were consistant but it seems everybody has their own theory's about how it's contracted or what we should be doing to prevent it. No wonder people have gone completely nuts!

@Zeldafan79 Your outcome is partly determined by the viral load. Think of it like a car crash. If you clipped wing mirrors with someone when you’re driving at 1 mile an hour and wearing a seatbelt you’ll probably be fine. If you crash head-on at 60 when you’re not wearing a seatbelt your chances of suffering injury or death are higher.

When the risk is cumulative all safety measures are beneficial even when you’re taking other greater risks in other areas.

This is the reason why healthcare workers have a greater risk of death when infected. They will receive more virus from more people if not wearing appropriate PPE.