2019–20 coronavirus pandemic

[GarryG]

I like how the Mayor in the Ozamiz City, Philippines treats people with or suspected of having the virus.

To make sure they not go out and infect others he basically locks them in their homes. Put a security fence up to stop them going out or any one visiting and have a armed security guard watching them all the time.

We have had 8 infected and 2 deaths here since the outbreak and those only been in the past few month and those who have arrived here by plane or ferry.

Shame Australia don't get strict like that to. Several months ago death toll was 99 there now it over 750. All because some people in State of Victoria who had the virus told to stay indoors and quarantine themselves, but 4 of them didn't and traveled everywhere. They traveled to Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast infecting thousands, and possible caused many of those deaths.

[kamnet]

Yikes, that ispretty damn harsh. I'd only reserve that for people who choose to be defiant.

Which happened here in Kentucky, USA about four months ago. A woman and her family were infected. The Health Department came to let them know that they needed to quarantine. The woman refused to, and said she would continue to leave the house. That was on a Friday, and the following Monday the health department came back with a warrant from a judge to place them all under house arrest. Everybody had to wear ankle GPS monitors (even the babies).

In another case, a judge actually assigned a state police officer to sit outside of somebody's front door 24/7 for 14 days to enforce a quarantine.

Unfortunately we still have cases going up here, but nowhere near as bad as all the surrounding states. Most Kentuckians appear to be taking this very seriously.

[Redirect Left]

Yesterday the UK registered just short of 5000 cases, 4926 to be precise.
Boris Johnson has announced plans to reduce this 2nd surge, which put in tldr terms is:

• Pubs, bars & restaurants must close by 22:00, that is, doors closed everyone out, not "last calls" in pubs.
• The above can only use table services, not people going up to get drinks or orders personally
• The Government have abandoned their 'back to work' drive, and are back to 'work from home if you can'
• Face coverings are now mandatory for staff and non-seated customers, shop workers and waiters, previously if you worked there, you were exempt from needing to wear them, just suggested to do so.
• Weddings have been reduced from 30 to 15 people, so a lot of awkward uninviting for many couples now.
• The plan to allow fans back to sporting events like football matches have been paused
• Fines have been doubled for the first offense of failing to wear face coverings, its £200 now instead of £100.

This applies to England. Scotland & Wales have (usually not too vastly) differing regulations.

It's basically a case of the Government changing from urgently getting us back outside to save the economy to, "actually this is your last chance to stop COVID spread before we just lockdown the country again".

[Chrill]

• Pubs, bars & restaurants must close by 22:00, that is, doors closed everyone out, not "last calls" in pubs.
• The above can only use table services, not people going up to get drinks or orders personally
• The Government have abandoned their 'back to work' drive, and are back to 'work from home if you can'
• Face coverings are now mandatory for staff and non-seated customers, shop workers and waiters, previously if you worked there, you were exempt from needing to wear them, just suggested to do so.
• Weddings have been reduced from 30 to 15 people, so a lot of awkward uninviting for many couples now.
• The plan to allow fans back to sporting events like football matches have been paused
• Fines have been doubled for the first offense of failing to wear face coverings, its £200 now instead of £100.

This applies to England. Scotland & Wales have (usually not too vastly) differing regulations.

It's basically a case of the Government changing from urgently getting us back outside to save the economy to, "actually this is your last chance to stop COVID spread before we just lockdown the country again".

This sounds a whole lot like the Swedish strategy, which has been extremely efficient once we passed our first wave. Restaurants are forced to have a certain distance between tables, and only table service. We are told to "work from home if you can, to make the journey to work safer for those who cannot". Weddings are currently limited to 50 people, as is every other gathering (parties, concerts, sports, etc.).

We do not have a mask wearing mandate, not yet, because the social distancing guidelines are fairly well adhered to. At least, when looking at the number of cases. My perceived feeling is people aren't staying away sufficiently, but I solve that by not going out during peak hours.

[Geo Ghost]

Well today we've hit the second-highest amount of new daily cases for the UK.

The only day the number was higher was April 10th with 7.8k cases. Today we've shot up to 6.1k.
And yet it looks 'business as usual' out there at the moment nearly. Most amount of people I've seen around since mid March.

But what's the government advice? Stay at home, go to work, only if you can. No you MUST go to work. You MUST go to school. You must eat out. Wait no, you must stay at home now to work! Unless you can go to work. But wear a mask, unless you're somewhere where you can buy stuff, but be out of the pub by 10pm. No more than 6 people, from any house holds (I think?) - I don't know anymore.

Seriously.. What the hell ARE the rules now? And why does it take a week to implement things? Does CoronaVirus not work weekends or something?
Incompetence is an understatement. How the hell can a government... a political group who's one job is to literally run a country... be so negligent in their duties and consistently fail and make the same mistakes.

For those who don't know, I've been working on the front line since CoronaVirus began. I've lost family. I've been separated from friends. Fought mental health up and down. I've not seen my partner since January after every meet we had was canned - looks like December will too at this rate.
Is anyone else literally losing their god damn mind out there... I don't wanna be the only one!

[GarryG]

I feel if all people obey the rules .. stay home unless necessary to go get essential items or work.

Wore a mask, not accumulate in groups, specially if not family. Then this Covid problem be over in a month.

Worse are those who know they have the virus and refuse to stay home .. they deliberately go spreading it to others to see who many they can infect and kill.

[Chrill]

Seriously.. What the hell ARE the rules now? And why does it take a week to implement things? Does CoronaVirus not work weekends or something?
Incompetence is an understatement. How the hell can a government... a political group who's one job is to literally run a country... be so negligent in their duties and consistently fail and make the same mistakes.

Why is the government involved? They're not experts in pandemic responses. Why not let the experts speak? In Sweden, all decision making is down to FHM (The Public Health Agency of Sweden), led by epidemiologists who have spent their entire lives researching exactly how to act in times like these.

[Pyoro]

Experts should certainly be heard, but it's not how countries typically work. There's also experts on economy, traffic, public health care, environment, and so on; you don't just let them run things either. Why does this need to be an exception? Either you trust your politicians to do the correct thing in principle, or you don't; in which case a representative democracy has a "tiny" error in its conception ^^

[Redirect Left]

Another 6,874 recorded in the UK. making for a very cliff like upward slide on the graph.

2020-09-25 17_04_39-Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the UK_ UK Summary.png (16.45 KiB) Viewed 2604 times

At this point I am wondering if the British public are coughing directly into each others faces or something.

[Geo Ghost]

Why is the government involved? They're not experts in pandemic responses. Why not let the experts speak? In Sweden, all decision making is down to FHM (The Public Health Agency of Sweden), led by epidemiologists who have spent their entire lives researching exactly how to act in times like these.

Problem is, no decisions were made here when they needed to be.
When experts were sending out red flags and warnings that we needed restrictions and to lockdown along with other countries... we were all being told by the government to "Sign happy birthday twice when you wash your hands". I'm not even joking there. That was literally the advice given to us when everyone else was locking down.
Just nothing was really done for months, and it wasn't till June when someone said that there's been no requirement for people arriving in airports to quarantine this whole time. Other things like masks, restrictions, etc there was always a pause. "Everyone must wear a mask on public transport to help curb the spread... starting in 2 weeks".

And now, we're starting that same cycle again of not knowing what the hell the plan is.
Of course, people need to actually follow the rules too and so many aren't (The stupidity I've seen on trains is unreal). But good government advice (or lack of) isn't really helping the situation at the moment

Sorry guys, ranting away here I know. The whole thing is taking a toll on me now after losing a lot this year Aurgh.

[GarryG]

Many blame the Governments for the spread of the virus, but I blame the people.

The Government warned us and told us how to be careful but did we all listen ... nooooooooo.

Those who have the virus told to stay home and stay isolated till they better .. but did many of them listen .. noooooooooo.

About 3 months back Australia death toll was on 99 .. but because some people who have the virus refused to stay isolated and when travelling, death toll is now 872.

Those who have the virus and not stay home should be charged for murder .. same as if you walked into the street with a machine gun and fired it into the crowd. But guess it not your fault the bullets kill and injured people as you never made the bullets, and you never made the gun.

[kamnet]

Many blame the Governments for the spread of the virus, but I blame the people.

The Government warned us and told us how to be careful but did we all listen ... nooooooooo.

Those who have the virus told to stay home and stay isolated till they better .. but did many of them listen .. noooooooooo.

About 3 months back Australia death toll was on 99 .. but because some people who have the virus refused to stay isolated and when travelling, death toll is now 872.

Those who have the virus and not stay home should be charged for murder .. same as if you walked into the street with a machine gun and fired it into the crowd. But guess it not your fault the bullets kill and injured people as you never made the bullets, and you never made the gun.

At least the Australian government spoke and most people listened. In the United States, our government didn't speak, and then didn't speak the words needed to take the virus seriously. While our president knew and acknowledged in private to a reporter that he knew it would be deadly, he didn't tell the public the truth. The United States recently surpassed 200,000 deaths. Too many people still believe the virus is a hoax, or that only the elderly and sick get it, and that people who are in good health our immune.

Just this past Friday, my state's senator, Rand Paul, sat before our top scientist in charge of the pandemic response that he though that New York had achieved such low infection rates because everybody had herd immunity. He was very sharply rebuked. The sad thing is that Mr. Paul is a doctor, with a college degree. He should be very knowledgeable on this stuff, yet he routinely discusses ignorant conspiracy theories. We have such poor leadership in our country.

[Zakos]

Rand and his father are very vocally opposed to the lockdowns to the point of inanity.

[orudge]

At this point I am wondering if the British public are coughing directly into each others faces or something.

I think they have said that part of the reason why we’re seeing so many cases now is that there is more testing now. Back in April you were pretty much only getting tested if you went to hospital (I believe) - we should have been doing then what we’re doing now. I imagine many of those being tested now have mild symptoms, though I do see hospital admissions and ICU patient figures have been creeping up a bit too.

The UK government, generally, has been appalling, and not just with the handling of (and the poor communication regarding) COVID-19. (Breaking international law in a “limited and specific way” anyone?). I do feel the Scottish Government has at least been a bit more cautious, and certainly clearer in their messaging.

On a personal note, anyone else have to deal with a close family member who has been reading too many conspiracy theories, thinks the whole thing is a fraud, Bill Gates yada yada microchip etc? Made a bit more interesting/‘fun’ by the fact that Neil Ferguson, the epidemiologist, is my cousin (on the opposite side of the family to the conspiracy theorist relative).

[Drury]

It's kinda insane how many people think mask under the nose does anything. I always look them in the eye and pull up my mask a little when I see them on public transport, they don't always care/get the hint though. Those who do just slide it back down after I look away.

I'm in Czechia now btw. They just declared state of emergency. See if anyone cares.

[Redirect Left]

It's kinda insane how many people think mask under the nose does anything.

I see a lot of people in the UK who pull their cover down to talk, then put it back up when they've done talking. As if they have no confidence in their voice managing to travel through the fabric.
Another rather obvious issue we have here is people who go to A&E (ER) or a pharmacy for a COVID test. Safe to say, if you have any reason to think you need a COVID test. Stay as far away from a hospital or pharmacy as you physically can. Because A) they don't do them randomly on the public anyway, and B) you've now put everyone in that hospital, pharmacy, doctors surgery etc, at risk of contracting it from you.

[Zakos]

I'm not sure about them, but in public I don't talk much so my breathing is done exclusively through the nose. It's useless if you wear it like that.

My solution is to feign a violent cough around anyone wearing it improperly, especially if they have kids. I'm perfectly healthy, but they don't need to know that.

[LaChupacabra]

My aunt uses a great method for such people. So far it always works.
Usually, if someone next to her does not have a mask or if he has stood too close, she first politely pays attention, and if it doesn't help, she informs that she is working in the hospital or is going to the hospital because she feels unwell (she can speak convincingly and intentionally she doesn't say it softly)... The effect is downright comic, because it works almost like some spell in the game hack'n'slash - "abracadabra" and all people within a few meters immediately take two steps back or miraculously on their faces (and noses) masks that they did not have before suddenly appear.

[kamnet]

In breaking news, US White House spokesperson Hope Hicks was diagnosed with COVID-19. Due to her close working proximity to President Donald J. Trump and First Lady, Melania Trump, they were also tested.

The President and First Lady have tested positive for COVID-19, and will be in quarantine for the next two weeks.

Despite President Trump's boasting that he has "good genes" and is in the best health of any American president ever, President Trump is 74 years old, he is obese, and it is well known that he lives on a high-calorie, high-fat, high-sodium diet of fast food. According to the CDC, the death rate of infected individuals over the age of 70 ranges from 20% to 33%. President Trump is his own personal "red zone".

In all seriousness, this is the worst possible time for him to have contracted the virus. Should he die before the national elections in 32 days, and still win, it would trigger a Constitutional crisis. While Vice President Mike Pence would be sworn in as president until January 20, 2021, he would not automatically be elevated as the next president since he is not running for president. Neither would any other candidate currently in the race. There is no law or custom for what happens if the victor of the US Presidency dies before assuming office.

Should the president die before election day, VP Pence could run as a write-in candidate. However, there are two things going against him. First, for voters who have already voted for Trump via mail-in ballots or early voting, they cannot recall their vote, and this will reduce the number of votes for Pence. Second, would be if Pence is popular enough to gain more votes than a deceased Donald Trump or any other candidate. Trump easily pounced Pence during the Republican primaries in 2016, and Pence has not been a very visible or publicly active vice president.

It may require an act of the US House of Representatives to determine how to proceed, and currently the House has a supermajority of Democrats. The Senate, which has a thin majority of Republicans, get no say in how the election works unless the House is at a dead-even impasse. And it is very likely that both parties will file lawsuits to stop any kind of action by the other party, and thus throwing this into the courts which may rightly decide that this is a political issue that it cannot partake in, and bows out.

[Chrill]

Donald Trump's "good genes image" could get a boost if, despite being an obese 74 year old, he pulls through without major issues. The timing is impeccable in that he can now decline the next, and perhaps also the Third, debate. However, the discussion will now move away from Notorious RBG to Trump and his handling of the coronavirus. An issue Americans simply don't think he has handled well. This enforces that image. How could the President himself get it? Clearly, infected people (Hicks) were allowed in his near vicinity. Not good.

I don't wish death on anyone, perhaps not even Trump, but more importantly I hope for a proper landslide for Biden. There can be no room for speculation regarding unfair advantages or foul play on Joe Biden's part. If Trump were to fall seriously ill before recovering, and Biden wins, then Trump would certainly claim he would have won the election had it not been for someone "planting" the virus in him, right? We'd never hear the end of it.

I hope for a quick, albeit sufficiently severe, illness before full recovery. Trump can get back on the trail, perhaps with a sense of newfound respect for the virus, and hopefully goes on to lose against Biden in a landslide.