Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[viper37]

What difference will the declaration make?

Get governments to start taking this more seriously. Start preparing, stockpiling and preemptively urge people to prepare. More forceful travel restrictions. Not wait passively until you get a large cluster of infection. By the time you see the disease on the ground you're at best seeing a snapshot of the epidemic as it was around 2 weeks ago. Just look at South Korea.

If they do it too soon, they will be called scaremongers/alarmists, just like global warming activists.  Especially if, due to preparation&mitigation measures, it turns out not be a global pandemic with millions of dead people across the planet. 

Lots of people don't want to hear anything until there's a clear&near certain risk of death, and will criticize the government for wasting money.

There are political considerations.

Medically/scientifically, I suppose that preparing too soon may take away resources needed for other healthcare problems.  It's also that the virus still has a lot of unknowns/uncertainty.  And you also run the risk of people becoming complacent when nothing happens for a while.

[alfred russel]

Time for a languish 2020 corona virus death pool? It will give the winners some brief joy before they too expire.

[viper37]

Time for a languish 2020 corona virus death pool? It will give the winners some brief joy before they too expire.

I'll be among the first Languishers dead if it hits my area

[Legbiter]

If they do it too soon, they will be called scaremongers/alarmists, just like global warming activists.  Especially if, due to preparation&mitigation measures, it turns out not be a global pandemic with millions of dead people across the planet. 

Lots of people don't want to hear anything until there's a clear&near certain risk of death, and will criticize the government for wasting money.

Yeah I know why they are doing it. It's only helpful in a situation like this to overreact early rather than when it's too late though. Only massive overreaction stopped SARS back in the day.

[alfred russel]

Time for a languish 2020 corona virus death pool? It will give the winners some brief joy before they too expire.

I'll be among the first Languishers dead if it hits my area

This is a terrible bet. First rule of gambling is to never bet on your own demise, with the possible exception if you are trying to set up you descendants.

[Eddie Teach]

How are we supposed to find out? Just assume everyone who stops posting is dead?

[alfred russel]

How are we supposed to find out? Just assume everyone who stops posting is dead?

I think that it is reasonable to request members post a positive diagnosis, and then regular updates as the disease quickly progresses before ultimately claiming their life.

[crazy canuck]

If I die I will let you know.

[Admiral Yi]

WHO announced virus has peaked in China.  Also government orders all wet markets closed. From NPR/BBC

Now South Korea and Italy get to answer monger's question.

[Iormlund]

Time for a languish 2020 corona virus death pool? It will give the winners some brief joy before they too expire.

I'll be among the first Languishers dead if it hits my area

I've got a weakened immune system and I work with hundreds of people -- including frequent travelers. 

[MadImmortalMan]

WHO seems to have done some strange things recently, mostly at the behest of the CCP. I'm guessing somebody doesn't want to lose face.

[celedhring]

They've just detected an infected Italian tourist in the Canary Islands. Given the large flows of people between Spain and Italy, the virus is probably already here, I guess I could be good value for the pool but I have no prior health concers and I'm in my early 40s.

[MadImmortalMan]

Part of the reason our market was down so much today was that Italy had a bunch of confirmed cases.

[Admiral Yi]

Heard that Tom Cruise is barricaded in a Milan hotel and shooting on Mission Impossible has suspended.  Also that some fashion designer held a fashion show with no audience and live streamed it.

[Tamas]

They've just detected an infected Italian tourist in the Canary Islands. Given the large flows of people between Spain and Italy, the virus is probably already here, I guess I could be good value for the pool but I have no prior health concers and I'm in my early 40s.

Luckily we spent last week on a different island there.

But I think one of our neighbours is Italian.