Topic: Corona Virus Panic/Discussion Thread

As for masks, I don't wear them outside, or even indoors when there are very few people.

In a supermarket or other crowded locations, though? Totally.

@mookysam 38.6% of the total population is vaccinated. Every state is different, but they're mostly between 30% and 40% in terms of total vaccination rates. The number will jump with vaccines being approved for preteens, but the concerning thing is that demand is sinking nationwide, and solidly 30% of the country refuses to get vaccinated.

@zupertramp Deaths will definitely be down overall, but I'm not excited by the notion of redder parts of the country (where I live... yay...) serving as incubation chambers for new variants that'll keep the pandemic going perpetually.

@Ralizah Business can still stop people from entering without facial coverings it goes under the right to refuse service clause most business has. In fact my company's president sent us an email stating that our company isn't loosening the facial coverings restrictions despite what CDC says, because as you said we can't keep track of who's vaccinated and who isn't and alot are going to lie about it.

I had to ask a guy to leave my store yesterday cause he didn't have a facial covering on and he got mad said he had both shots. I told him politely that I am sorry but the company doesn't recognize that and we reserve the right to do business with who we want. He replied well guess I won't be shopping here then which I replied ok well have a nice day.

All of you lot getting to leave the house and I’m in basically the only area of the UK still in full lockdown! Although that’s because the Rangers fans went on an absolute rampage after winning the league and did big human sh*tes outside shops in the city centre.

@nessisonett Shops have been open for almost a month now I think, but I haven't been to one. I think I got used to it. Did visit a couple of pubs though, but they only allow outside serving.

The only thing I'm missing at the moment is the cinema. Hopefully they can open up in a month or so.

@Octane Yeah, our shops have been open but we’re staying in tier 3 lockdown so pubs and such are staying closed for now. Which is fine by me, to be honest I’ve never been a fan of being packed into a pub.

@nessisonett I've seen some of the clips of George Square. Mental, christ knows what was going through your head to be there. I'm taking advantage of tier 2 life and have a table in a beer garden booked for 2 hrs tomorrow. I quite liked a busy pub for a big match or something before but I'm not ready for being inside with tons of folk without a mask, even after being vaccinated.

@R1spam I can only dream of tier 2 life! At least you’re even getting to a beer garden, I don’t mind a nice table outside. It’s more the packed inside that I’ve never really been a fan of even before all this.

@Ralizah yeah variants are a concern. Though I'm more worried about places like India than our red states. I have a neighbor, for example, who proudly appeared on a Newsmax segment as a Trump supporter but she still wears a mask because she lives with her elderly mother and Covid just hit way too hard here to pretend it's nothing. Point being there's still a bunch of people taking precautions mixed in with all those with social responsibility deficit disorder so that the risk is mitigated in spite of the latter's best efforts.

@zupertramp “Social Responsibility Deficit Disorder” 😂. Haven’t heard the term but I like the name. It appears to be an incurable condition. 😛

I’m surprised how calm COVID seems to be, all things considered, with steep drops in cases over the last few months. To me it’s a testament to vaccines and masking/distancing working. It’s amazing how many people have forgotten how awful things were in the US just 6 month ago.

I also find it curious the labeling of those wearing masks as ‘living in fear’ as if we’re trembling in our boots and cowering in a corner weeping over the situation. It’s seems a bit of a hyperbolic description of doing a simple act to try to help out your fellow human beings. Are there people who are still holed up and paranoid to go outside — I’m sure there are, but the average guy at the store with a mask on is not what I would call ‘living in fear’. I find that description a tad pretentious.

People forget that mask wearing is primarily done to prevent the wearer from unconsciously spreading the virus to others. There is some benefit to the wearer in reducing inhalation but you really need the high grade medical ones for that, if I’m not mistaken. Standard face coverings are mostly an act of goodwill and decency to show your love and concern for others. Sadly, it seems many people lack that humanistic quality. But I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and just assume they are misguided and oblivious to the logic behind the masks. Which, if so, is mostly a failure on the leadership end. ...Surely it’s not simply that 50% of the population is completely self-centered.

And yeah, I’ve caught myself with my mask on in the car and chuckled at how silly I must look to others. But it is certainly an issue of convenience and just forgetting I even have it on (because let’s be real, it’s not that uncomfortable). It is most definitely not a sign of me palpitating in terror because I fear that I can’t dare take my mask off in my car because COVID could be lying wait to attack me. 😆.

But people can think what they want of me. Because, as I say — I largely do what I do for them. Chances of me dying from COVID are small, but the person next to me in line at Wal-Mart, they may not look so healthy. Whether they recognize my efforts or not is on them, and honestly I don’t really care if they do. If they look down on me for doing something to try to help them, it still doesn’t diminish the act of goodwill itself. I can at least look in the mirror at myself and know that I’m doing what I feel is an appropriate civic duty.

@Th3solution all very well said.

I’ll be getting my vaccination soon! Sent off my details and they’ll be confirming my appointment in the coming days. Apparently they’re doing everyone over 18 here now due to rising cases.

@nessisonett cool cool. let us know when it is and how it goes.

Well it's a shocker folks, the UK prime minister is an incompetent buffoon who has a pathological aversion to telling the truth, would quite happily let 1000s of people die to avoid additional expenditure and would about-face on any decision depending on what he thought public opinion would tolerate. I'm not sure I needed someone as deeply unreliable as Dominic Cummings to confirm that for me! I don't know what is more depressing, that it's true and our present government is a new low point in our history or that the vast majority of people already know and couldn't give a toss! Should also be some soul searching within the UK opposition parties, to not be ahead in any opinion poll says it all.

@R1spam Might just go down to the borders and start sawing. Start a new island instead 😂

@nessisonett pure brutal mate, let me grab a shovel and join you 😂

So I'm in the process of moving to a new state which has required some travel and boy oh my has it been an experience in regards to covid precautions. Truth be told I'm having to relocate to Oklahoma temporarily and holy 💩 these people just do not care. I'm actually scared to put on my mask in public for fear of being the victim of some politically motivated hate crime. Strange times trying to navigate all this. It's exhausting and I really don't understand why ideological battle lines needed to be drawn over masks. I'll be glad when it's all over.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2279063-coronavirus-who-...

This is good news for the naming of variants. Should hopefully reduce the amount of hate crime and discrimination linked to the pandemic.

@LieutenantFatman “The established systems for naming and tracking genetic lineages of the coronavirus will remain in use by scientists and in scientific research, as these “convey important scientific information”, the WHO said in a press release on 31 May. But the new Greek alphabet-based labels will “help with public discussion”...”

In other words, “Y’all are too dumb and ignorant to discuss scientific facts without turning them into a way to hate each other.” 😂

@LieutenantFatman It probably says a lot that I honestly had no idea there even was a UK variant. Well seeing they barely talked about that one on the news.

@Jimmer-jammer
Sounds about right! Some people will use anything they feel might justify their endeavours to spread hate.

@nessisonett
I remember it being mentioned briefly, but yes, there didn't seem to be much interest.