General / Off-Topic The safest place

[jasonbarron]

It poses such an interesting question, really. Do you shut everything down, try to mitigate the spread or just let it rip through the biomass like a fire through dry timber?

The problem with the first is that it won't change anything except destroy the world economy. The problem with the second is that it's only a prolonged version of the first, all hopes pinned on a vaccine. The problem with the third is obvious; nobody has the stomach for it. Imagine being in charge of making the decision? Not a job I'd want.

 

[Ian Skippy]

However, the lines of what is strictly rational from an epidemiological perspective and what any given populace will be willing to tolerate are not likely to be the same, and there will need to be compromises. Pushing too hard on controls will lead to a backlash that will exacerbate problems.

The absolute lockdown in Italy is supported by a incredibly number of people. Not at first, but now people truly see what they are facing resistance against the measures is virtually non-existent. Last week support was at 89%, which rose to 94% yesterday. This may differ per country/culture, of course. The ability of a nation to adhere to measures is going to play a major role in the outcome within each country.

 

[ianw]

London could go into lockdown under tougher coronavirus measures

No 10 considers stricter containment steps as disease spreads rapidly in the capital

www.theguardian.com

I think they will shut venues, pubs, etc. and tell people they should stay in unless they are key workers going or peeps going to shops etc.

But they will prob keep transport running and allow key people in and out - which is what they mean by not restricting travel in out as that would mess up key workers who rely on tubes buses etc. and need to get in/out.

They won't rule anything out and they still talk about the "right timing" and they do seem to be responding to changes and so forth so we'll see I guess..

ETA - they will be defining "key workers" too

 

[askavir]

@Phisto Sobanii ironically the Barron family did in fact lay in a rather massive supply of almond milk, cases of it that don't require refrigeration until they're opened. Not too much toilet paper, though: jasonbaron is a baby wipes man

Well if you're stocked and living isolated in the outback, then you're probably in the best place to be right now.

 

[ianw]

It poses such an interesting question, really. Do you shut everything down, try to mitigate the spread or just let it rip through the biomass like a fire through dry timber?

The problem with the first is that it won't change anything except destroy the world economy. The problem with the second is that it's only a prolonged version of the first, all hopes pinned on a vaccine. The problem with the third is obvious; nobody has the stomach for it. Imagine being in charge of making the decision? Not a job I'd want.

Yeah - what a task.

Imagine you got elected a couple of months ago - new ministers, new roles, majority. In normal times it's politics business as usual with a massive daily doses of waffle with yah boo from the opposition during daily question time. Situation normal.

Then the poop hits the fan and now you have to actually make a crap ton of serious life affecting/business and economy affecting decisions dozens of times a day and there is nowhere to hide..

 

[Synkreto]

Don’t know if this is true or not, maybe a Londoner can confirm, a lockdown of London should be eminent within 12-24 hours, if true this is much more serious than expected.

Nope, not more serious than expected, not at all . I would say, expectations are being met .

Head of State in Bavaria, Mr. Söder, just a few hrs. ago announced that a statewide curfew may be coming soon . Some counties already are under curfew . Once Bavaria implements that, the rest of the Federation States will not be far behind .

Ausgangssperre

Ausgangssperre

www.tagesschau.de

I really like how he phrased the announcement . He basically said, if too many people keep on acting irresponsibly in terms of social distancing etc., it will come to the curfew . Now people can show how much they value their democratic freedoms...its up to us basically what is going to happen . People actually vote for or against curfew with their behaviour .Direct democracy, I never thought I would experience it in my lifetime .

 

[askavir]

Lockdowns are at least 2 weeks late, but better late than never.

 

[Phisto Sobanii]

@Phisto Sobanii ironically the Barron family did in fact lay in a rather massive supply of almond milk, cases of it that don't require refrigeration until they're opened. Not too much toilet paper, though: jasonbaron is a baby wipes man

Haha! I didn't even realize that fact about refrigeration. TIL.

 

[Ian Skippy]

In other news: https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/0319/1124039-bangladesh-coronavirus/

 

[Phisto Sobanii]

I get that you don't like the other side, not everyone see's it that way. Shift your viewpoint to see the virus as the enemy of us all, just for a bit.

Quick nitpick... I'm not comfortable using language like that to describe what is essentially a natural thing doing what life does on this planet. Of course I'm not looking to humanize it. We should be leveraging every mind available to send this thing back to whatever cave it crawled out of. But it's not an enemy. It's not malevolent. It's a virus doing what virus do.

Reminds me of what Patrick quoted the other day. We don't need to have our passions inflamed to fight a "common enemy." Historically, that approach has been problematic at best.

 

[Stigbob]

Quick nitpick... I'm not comfortable using language like that to describe what is essentially a natural thing doing what life does on this planet. Of course I'm not looking to humanize it. We should be leveraging every mind available to send this thing back to whatever cave it crawled out of. But it's not an enemy. It's not malevolent. It's a virus doing what virus do.

Reminds me of what Patrick quoted the other day. We don't need to have our passions inflamed to fight a "common enemy." Historically, that approach has been problematic at best.

That is very nit-picky indeed .

Jason's currently seeing anti-Americanism everywhere so I'm pointing at the true culprit rather than anthropomorphising the virus.

To imply it could mean some people taking offence at a human "common enemy" just look at Trumps labelling of the virus the "China virus" and the rise of Asian-Americans buying firearms to defend themselves from the huge spike in reported attacks against them in the US in recent days. My saying bad things about the virus isn't really the same as those hugely problematic things.

 

[Phisto Sobanii]

That is very nit-picky indeed .

Jason's currently seeing anti-Americanism everywhere so I'm pointing at the true culprit rather than anthropomorphising the virus.

To imply it could mean some people taking offence at a human "common enemy" just look at Trumps labelling of the virus the "China virus" and the rise of Asian-Americans buying firearms to defend themselves from the huge spike in reported attacks against them in the US in recent days. My saying bad things about the virus isn't really the same as those hugely problematic things.

Hadn't heard about the "China virus" thing. That is as stupid and moronic as one can get with this. What you're saying doesn't rise to that level whatsoever, but I would still encourage you to be mindful.

"China virus." What rubbish. Gotta love how people take advantage of this sort of thing.

 

[AJW]

It poses such an interesting question, really. Do you shut everything down, try to mitigate the spread or just let it rip through the biomass like a fire through dry timber?

The problem with the first is that it won't change anything except destroy the world economy. The problem with the second is that it's only a prolonged version of the first, all hopes pinned on a vaccine. The problem with the third is obvious; nobody has the stomach for it. Imagine being in charge of making the decision? Not a job I'd want.

You clearly have no understanding of the purposes of shutting things down. It has next to nothing to do with 'pinning hopes on a vaccine'. The purpose is to slow the rate of spread as far as possible to give those who are worse effected a chance at getting any healthcare at all.

The world economy is going to be deeply affected either way, and leaving millions to die unnecessarily doesn't strike me as a way to bolster it.

 

[jasonbarron]

Hadn't heard about the "China virus" thing. That is as stupid and moronic as one can get with this. What you're saying doesn't rise to that level whatsoever, but I would still encourage you to be mindful.

"China virus." What rubbish. Gotta love how people take advantage of this sort of thing.

Uh...it did originate from China, so...

 

[Morbad]

Something doesn't need to be malevolent, nor do I need to vilify it, for it to be my enemy; it just has to be an obstacle to my continued well being.

 

[Stigbob]

Hadn't heard about the "China virus" thing. That is as stupid and moronic as one can get with this. What you're saying doesn't rise to that level whatsoever, but I would still encourage you to be mindful.

"China virus." What rubbish. Gotta love how people take advantage of this sort of thing.

There's a historical precedent for it. "Spanish flu" is the most popular name for the 1918 epidemic outside Spain, where it was known as the "French flu" IIRC.

Scared people get tribal and dodgy politicians like to have external (or internal) scapegoats.

 

[jasonbarron]

Stigbob, widespread reports of Asian Americans buying firearms because of all these attacks they're supposedly sustaining is a lie layered in deception and completely covered in bull manure.

That story line and all related media sentiment is simply to aid and abet the CCP in their efforts to blame shift and wriggle out from under any kind of responsibility. If you're going to operate as their mouthpiece expect some serious push back

 

[AJW]

Viruses don't originate. They mutate.

 

[Stigbob]

Stigbob, widespread reports of Asian Americans buying firearms because of all these attacks they're supposedly sustaining is a lie layered in deception and completely covered in bull manure.

That story line and all related media sentiment is simply to aid and abet the CCP in their efforts to blame shift and wriggle out from under any kind of responsibility. If you're going to operate as their mouthpiece expect some serious push back

I listened to a radio interview with two US gunshop owners about it two days ago. They've never seen this many Asian-Americans buying guns and they all want them for self defence due to the reported attacks on them. They've also had a huge increase in their customers of all nationalities stockpiling ammo.

You need to be a very good shot to hit a virus.

 

[jasonbarron]

I listened to a radio interview with two US gunshop owners about it two days ago. They've never seen this many Asian-Americans buying guns and they all want them for self defence due to the reported attacks on them. They've also had a huge increase in their customers of all nationalities stockpiling ammo.

Oh, they may be, though that's highly anecdotal and utterly sets aside the fact that gun sales are up across the board and most of them are because of fear of civil unrest. If you don't understand this issue, gun ownership in America, then feel free to become informed. But if you're simply disseminating highly charged and inaccurate information on purpose to sow the seeds of discord (which is where my money is at) you should probably consider quitting while you're ahead.