[Slow Ben]

They just closed all the schools about an hour east of here for the next three weeks. Damn.

[Kanese S's]

The school district where I work remains open for some goddamn reason.

Meanwhile the person who usually works the front desk in the afternoon/evening is out sick so I'm getting all the calls from parents asking whether the schools are closing or not and trying to make suggestions.

/first world problems.

[Tiste Simeon]

This whole thing is beginning to bum me out. Like I know that should I get it I will likely be fine but sheesh it seems that I get the slightest symptom and my brain goes into meltdown.

I think it may be because I'm trying to process the house move and that's worrying enough as they may end up cancelling ferries which means we would essentially be homeless!

I got a bit of a stomach ache tonight and suddenly a part of me is imagining a slow and painful death. I have to keep reminding myself that I'm most likely fine and it's exhausting!

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

'Sen. Lindsey Graham Will Self-Quarantine After Attending Mar-a-Lago Event With Infected Brazilian Aide

[...] The White House says U.S. President Trump has no plans to be tested for the new coronavirus or go into self-quarantine after attending the same events last weekend.'

https://time.com/580...Sxlf5hGe7fYw7XU

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 13 March 2020 - 12:36 AM

[Tiste Simeon]

Black Swan, on 13 March 2020 - 12:58 AM, said:

It’s just the market and paper money that gets hurt.

Do you know anything at all about America?

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Abyss, on 12 March 2020 - 05:54 PM, said:

PM Trudeau self-isolating, wife Sophie sick, tested for Corona.


....ahhh fuck.....

'The wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau[...] tested positive for coronavirus. [...] 'on the advice of doctors, he will not be tested at this stage since he has no symptoms.'

https://www.thedaily...avirus?ref=home

[Tsundoku]

It's not the disease that's going to fuck us up, it's the way we handle it as a society. So far - not looking great in some places.

So, some Canadians reckon they have a vaccine. Biology types out there - what's the likelihood?
Especially that it's
1. going to be produced in time to have an effect, and
2. going to cover both strains? I know I know, you need a second vaccine, I'm asking if they could have one for each.

This post has been edited by Tsundoku: 13 March 2020 - 08:48 AM

[Maark Abbott]

De Pfeffel leading the way and showing why the UK is so bigly great.

Most of the world: Lockdown, no travel, sorry guys

De Pfeffel: Well we need to take this on the chin, unfortunately some of you will die, sorry about that

:/

[Tsundoku]

They downsized the NHS, so COVID will obligingly downsize the elderly population to suit. And it's not like anyone wealthy will suffer, even if they catch it. The perfect Tory result.

[Maark Abbott]

Tsundoku, on 13 March 2020 - 08:50 AM, said:

They downsized the NHS, so COVID will obligingly downsize the elderly population to suit. And it's not like anyone wealthy will suffer, even if they catch it. The perfect Tory result.

Basically. I am very concerned about the implementation of curfews and blanket bans of gatherings as well because that suits a government that uses 1984 as a manual down to a tee.

[Macros]

Why the fuck is trump refusing to be tested.
I mean I know why, he's a paranoid wreck, but surely a fit to rule situation has to be in play here and a doctor should just jab a swab down his fucking throat

[Mezla PigDog]

Maark Abbott, on 13 March 2020 - 08:15 AM, said:

De Pfeffel leading the way and showing why the UK is so bigly great.

Most of the world: Lockdown, no travel, sorry guys

De Pfeffel: Well we need to take this on the chin, unfortunately some of you will die, sorry about that

:/

I don't remotely support Johnson as a leader but at some level this is correct. It's an airborne respiratory virus. It is passed the point of being stopped and therefore everyone will eventually get it and some people who would probably die soon anyway will die earlier than they should. I'm not saying that's not tragic but this has been happening to species since species existed. So the only option is to spread out the speed at which everyone gets it but healthy people do need to get it and have it over with. It's not going away, we can't hide, for most of us there is no point in hiding, so we just have to control it. We need a steady stream of healthy people getting it, recovering and getting back into the workforce - emergency services first and foremost and then everyone else to keep the economy afloat to pay for the emergency services and keep essential goods moving.

I am going nuts here with all the panic. Healthy people are being such pricks about it. Is it just because I've been exposed to infectious disease research my whole professional life? I feel like some kind of autistic person who can't comprehend the emotion around me.

Figure out how you are going to minimise transmission to any vulnerable people in your family and community. Listen to advice from scientists. Then go about your business and deal with the difficult shit if and when it happens to your nearest and dearest. If you work in the emergency and healthcare services then I salute you - make sure those around you pick up the slack when you are working your ass off! I've volunteered to look after my friends kids as she is a healthcare worker and her husband is in the police. I'll also head up to care for my mum if she gets it particularly badly.

At some point those of us posting are going to get it and I'm curious to know what it's like for your average Joe. I think that information is lacking or is being drowned out. Sophie Trudeau and Tom Hanks have said they just feel a bit tired and are aching - that's what as healthy people we are freaking out about- it's nothing to a healthy individual and self-quarantine under those circumstances is also nothing.

[Khellendros]

One of the Premier League managers has tested positive for coronavirus. The PL was the only major European football league not to be suspended/put behind closed doors as yet - will definitely happen now. Champions League and Europa League have just been suspended. Euros will likely be put back a year.

On the work front, our (UK) universities are planning to switch to remote teaching from 23rd...let's see how that goes.


Edit: Literally just postponed top 4 leagues in England to 3 April at earliest. Weirdly the leagues below that are going to continue playing.

This post has been edited by Khellendros: 13 March 2020 - 11:11 AM

[Primateus]

My psychiatrist has cancelled the next two sessions on account that I have to take public transportation to get there.

[QuickTidal]

Mezla PigDog, on 13 March 2020 - 09:48 AM, said:

I am going nuts here with all the panic. Healthy people are being such pricks about it. Is it just because I've been exposed to infectious disease research my whole professional life? I feel like some kind of autistic person who can't comprehend the emotion around me.

Most of the healthy people I know are trying to stay safe (I would not remotely call it panic that people are stocking up on things because we are all about to be sequestered behind largely closed doors for a couple of weeks or more) to protect the ill/older/immune-compromised in our orbit...those we know, and those we don't.

I have 3 immune-compromised people and two very elderly people in my direct family orbit...I'm protecting them.

As someone said up-thread, we have to be willing to LOOK like we overreacted. That's important. If we looked like we overreacted, we did our job at flattening the curve so those that need to get medical assistance can do so and not worry that it won't be there to support them.

But we should also define "panic"....its not panic to: stop gathering in great numbers, stock up on things (not hoard mind you) for a period of time isolated (either by virus, or by lockdown/quarantine), be extra cautious around the sick and coughing, wear masks if sick ourselves, work from home if you can, cease extracurriculars for the time being, ride your bike instead of transit, close schools (and even businesses) for a chunk of time...these precautions are all a part of getting ahold of the virus and tamping it out.

As I noted upthread, South Korea's seeming "overreaction" has their death numbers at 0.6%, lowest on the planet for their infection numbers and theirs should be lauded as the best way of having approached this.

Now, there is something to be said about actual panicking like hoarding TP, and food and goods, ect. But it's kind of unavoidable when many people are told by their gov't not to worry for two months...and then in the space of 24hrs EVERYTHING shuts/suspends/cancels. That's not normal, and that's why people have freaked out a little. You can't expect them not to do so when we are talking about whole communities. An individual can be smart, circumspect, and do the right thing....but the masses are prone to the emotional gut reaction of "What the hell is going on?!" and they react. That's humanity.

------------


Last night's grocery store trip (which was just our weekly trip) was bananas because once they decided they are closing our schools for 3 weeks, everyone went a'shopping....lol. I was still able to get most of the stuff but the shelves were barer than I expected and lineups were pretty insane.

[Mentalist]

Mezla PigDog, on 13 March 2020 - 09:48 AM, said:

Maark Abbott, on 13 March 2020 - 08:15 AM, said:

De Pfeffel leading the way and showing why the UK is so bigly great.

Most of the world: Lockdown, no travel, sorry guys

De Pfeffel: Well we need to take this on the chin, unfortunately some of you will die, sorry about that

:/

I don't remotely support Johnson as a leader but at some level this is correct. It's an airborne respiratory virus. It is passed the point of being stopped and therefore everyone will eventually get it and some people who would probably die soon anyway will die earlier than they should. I'm not saying that's not tragic but this has been happening to species since species existed. So the only option is to spread out the speed at which everyone gets it but healthy people do need to get it and have it over with. It's not going away, we can't hide, for most of us there is no point in hiding, so we just have to control it. We need a steady stream of healthy people getting it, recovering and getting back into the workforce - emergency services first and foremost and then everyone else to keep the economy afloat to pay for the emergency services and keep essential goods moving.

I am going nuts here with all the panic. Healthy people are being such pricks about it. Is it just because I've been exposed to infectious disease research my whole professional life? I feel like some kind of autistic person who can't comprehend the emotion around me.

Figure out how you are going to minimise transmission to any vulnerable people in your family and community. Listen to advice from scientists. Then go about your business and deal with the difficult shit if and when it happens to your nearest and dearest. If you work in the emergency and healthcare services then I salute you - make sure those around you pick up the slack when you are working your ass off! I've volunteered to look after my friends kids as she is a healthcare worker and her husband is in the police. I'll also head up to care for my mum if she gets it particularly badly.

At some point those of us posting are going to get it and I'm curious to know what it's like for your average Joe. I think that information is lacking or is being drowned out. Sophie Trudeau and Tom Hanks have said they just feel a bit tired and are aching - that's what as healthy people we are freaking out about- it's nothing to a healthy individual and self-quarantine under those circumstances is also nothing.

I agree with this. My mom who woks in halthcare and was there for the SARS scare feels the same way.

Unfortunately, my manager and my boss fall into the vulnerable catergory, and I take public transit to get to work. So they're telling me to stay home for their sake, and I don't have much choice in the matter.

[QuickTidal]

I honestly feel like depending on what the exponential increase will look like over the next few days (That PDAC conference that went on with the infected people is going to be the main cause) that a GTA lockdown/Quarantine is probably next, possibly all Ontario. Likely to coincide with the schools closing and march break, which will only make sense as so many parents will have to stay home for an extra 2 weeks now anyways.

For myself, I just hope to get to the store after work today to get netting and gorilla tape to go to war with the goddamned pigeons on my balcony and block them out of roosting and knocking boots there.

[Maark Abbott]

Macros, on 13 March 2020 - 09:04 AM, said:

Why the fuck is trump refusing to be tested.
I mean I know why, he's a paranoid wreck, but surely a fit to rule situation has to be in play here and a doctor should just jab a swab down his fucking throat

He doesn't do this Chinese coronavirus, have you seen the coronavirus he does? It's the best, the best. We are gonna do some virus, some corona. Have you seen the corona that Hillary does? She has some emails, and let me tell you, they are corona emails, the coronaest emails, bigly.

[QuickTidal]

Honestly, Trump is a massive germaphobe. He's not being tested because he's scared as fuck....and he's in a high risk category to and he knows it.

[Silencer]

QuickTidal, on 13 March 2020 - 12:35 PM, said:

Mezla PigDog, on 13 March 2020 - 09:48 AM, said:

I am going nuts here with all the panic. Healthy people are being such pricks about it. Is it just because I've been exposed to infectious disease research my whole professional life? I feel like some kind of autistic person who can't comprehend the emotion around me.

*snip*

Now, there is something to be said about actual panicking like hoarding TP, and food and goods, ect. But it's kind of unavoidable when many people are told by their gov't not to worry for two months...and then in the space of 24hrs EVERYTHING shuts/suspends/cancels. That's not normal, and that's why people have freaked out a little. You can't expect them not to do so when we are talking about whole communities. An individual can be smart, circumspect, and do the right thing....but the masses are prone to the emotional gut reaction of "What the hell is going on?!" and they react. That's humanity.

------------

Yeah, see, I don't know about elsewhere, but here this bullshit started long before things began getting to the point of shutting down/closing. It started when we had 1 confirmed case and 0 deaths.

That was definitely a panic.

Hell, it's still a panic. Yes, immunocompromised and elderly people need to be protected. Those are the people who should be getting supplies and support. Instead, it's all the *healthy* people cleaning out store shelves and acting like they might die. For most of them, this isn't a serious health risk and a bit of common sense hygiene and self isolation when symptoms present and through sickness are all that is necessary.

The problem is, that the overreaction we are seeing is not the "we took excessive precautions and flattened the curve", it's borderline doomsday prepping, and it has the potential to cause more harm than good (see above about people who are actually at risk not having the supplies to stay safe, plus economic impacts that are driving the world towards recession - though that could very well happen with lack of a proper reaction too).

It's a bit of a balancing act to get people to treat this seriously while not tipping the balance too far that way.