Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[Sheilbh]

I wonder why even non-fucked-up Western countries can't seem to keep a lid on Covid-19, whereas Asian countries seem to have put it away successfully (unless I'm just not following the news).

Yeah - I mean I think there'll be loads to work out because there are such varying rates of infection and deaths. For example within South-East Asia the Philippines and Indonesia have had quite bad outbreaks, mainland South-East Asian countries like Vietnam and Thailand have contained it far more successfully. Similarly Pakistan has been far more successful than India. In each case I've no idea why. There's loads of possible factors like masks, previous experience with pandemics, public health infrastructure, level of connection with the rest of the world etc.

[Tamas]

To me the only logical explanation seems to be that the first wave as very very widespread we just didn't have the testing capacity to realise it. So what we have now is a far smaller iceberg, we are just able to see most of it and not just the very tip of it.

Or the virus is just more dangerous during colder months but I have no idea if that's even possible.

[Syt]

The numbers from Vienna:



3,112 active cases, 230 fatalities, 7,462 recoveries.

[The Brain]

Numbers for Sweden (top cases, middle ICU, bottom deaths):

[alfred russel]

Back from Alaska. Regarding covid, it seemed a lot like what I'm used to in the southeast. Most people wore masks in Anchorage grocery stores with a few holdouts, but out in the sticks almost no one did. In Healy, not even the grocery store workers were wearing masks - I haven't seen that recently in the southeast, but Healy is probably more isolated.

An interesting discussion with a boat captain we hired - while we moved down the coast on the boat there was a pod of orcas with about 5 boats watching it - with one a massive whale watching boat that was only partially full. I asked the captain how many there would be if covid wasn't happening. He said 6. He said there are 2 of the big whale watching boats in Seward, and with covid happening that type of tourism is way off and only 1 is operating. But the other boats were more adventure tourism related, and that is basically at normal levels right now.

Along the same lines, there are sightseeing buses in Denali national park. We took buses to do backcountry camping--and the camper bus we took seemed at capacity with campers. But about 75% of the sightseeing buses have stopped operating.

[Valmy]

Out in the sticks they practice social distancing naturally.

[crazy canuck]

This week I, Mrs. CC and some good friends from Australia were supposed to be in Alaska on a tour after taking a cruise ship from Vancouver. 

[alfred russel]

Out in the sticks they practice social distancing naturally.

They still have stores.

What is shocking to me during all of this is how the federal government enforces strict covid rules despite theoretically being led by Trump. The national park system is extremely covid aware - for example we needed to wear masks and socially distance during an outdoor orientation on camping rules by the park ranger. Some activities in the park are still totally shut down. Non federal lands in the area seem basically unconcerned.

Trump may tweet at 3 in the morning to "liberate michigan" or whatever but his own government is in many cases actually rather strict.

Back in March/April when most of the world was shutting down and Trump was theoretically trying to keep things open, it was shocking that all the federal land around here actually shut down while the state parks never closed. The governor of Georgia and Trump were talking a similar game, but Trump does not seem to be doing the work to actually control the government he leads (unlike the Georgia governor).

[Valmy]

What Donald Trump does and what he says has not really lined up for the past 40 or so years. He is a bullshitter.

[katmai]

Back from Alaska. Regarding covid, it seemed a lot like what I'm used to in the southeast. Most people wore masks in Anchorage grocery stores with a few holdouts, but out in the sticks almost no one did. In Healy, not even the grocery store workers were wearing masks - I haven't seen that recently in the southeast, but Healy is probably more isolated.

Well duh. 

And yes the park has been open multiple weekends to local traffic where normal years we have two weekends in September that have to enter and win a lottery.

[Josquius]

So, it seems Tories gotta Tory. The headline says enough....

https://metro.co.uk/2020/09/14/grouse-hunts-and-shooting-get-special-exemption-from-rule-of-six-13269362/

Pfff.

[Sheilbh]

So this is interesting - how footfall in high streets has changed since lockdown:


Part of this are probably the types of workers that can work from home, so I imagine there are more in London. The other thing, probably, is that London is more based on public transport. So I think people probably feel safe driving into town, than getting the bus/train/tube. Personally I think my company's covid measures sound pretty sensible and I would be comfortable in the office. But I am not comfortable getting to the office particularly if everyone else in all the other offices are also returning to work.

But also the bump once lockdown was eased in early July in London is just so much smaller than anywhere else

[Josquius]

Odd choice of cities there.

[Sheilbh]

Odd choice of cities there.

Agreed. This is on the public transport point with more of the cities you'd expect to see (though it'll be a cold day in hell before I consider Birkenhead a city )

[Tamas]

So

This morning Priti Patel, the home secretary, told the Today programme that if two families of four were to stop for a chat when they met in the street, that would constitute "mingling", which is illegal under the rule of six legislation

The Guardian quotes some human rights barrister who rips this apart and (wants to) prove that such mingling is fine. Which I find deplorable, because quite clearly the intention is to prevent groups of larger than six interacting in close proximity, so no, two families should not be having an ad hoc gathering on the bloody street. I understand this government have been pretty terrible about this whole thing but surely it is a bit premature to advise people on legal ways to remove themselves from restrictions aimed at fighting the pandemic?