Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[Sheilbh]

The UK is closer to how we do things here but they are a unitary state and so I wonder how much control local officials have to craft responses suitable to local needs.

Public health and the NHS is a devlolved matter (with varying degrees of power for the four nations), but so far all decisions taken have applied to all four nations and there seems to be a fair amount of political unity between the UK, Scottish, Northern Irish and Welsh administrations (which is impressive given that each nation has a different party in charge).

I think the Mayor of London's also been involved in some COBRA meetings but doesn't have much formal power in these areas, so I think he's like an observer.

[Grey Fox]

But that did happen a couple of weeks ago and I'm still not clear why the US numbers are so much lower - for context I believe Senegal is now running more tests daily than the US.

Their system isn't just set up for a mass ordering of tests, regardless of capacity. If you remember what the Yanks here say, especially Mery & Valmy, Doctors consider cost 2nd, if not first.

[fromtia]

The huge charges we make people...well me in particular...to pay for tests and preventative medicine is really reckless and stupid.

But I guess it beats socialism.

I recently had an endoscopy (Im fine!). My insurance costs me $5000 a year. My endoscopy? $3000. Thank god there isn't a death panel though and that I have the freedom to be aggressively middled by an entire industry that adds no value.

[Syt]

Our boss asked us all into an ad hoc meeting today. He has friends in several ministries, and they tipped him off that if he hadn't stockpiled yet he should do so now because if infections get significantly worse it might be a lot harder from Monday on. He also advised us to take our laptops home, just in case. Doesn't mean that the shutdown will come, but better safe than sorry.

A colleague whose girlfriend's mom works in the chancellor's office confirmed checked with her and confirmed things might get hairy from Monday on.

Me, I was planning to stock up with 4 weeks' supplies today and tomorrow (one supermarket today, one tomorrow), anyways, so I guess I have my timing right. Supermarkets are well stocked, no panic buying yet.

Still, with schools and universities shutting down and significantly fewer tourists in the city, things become eerily quiet. Today was the first proper spring day with sunshine and 20 degrees. People were outside, but fewer than you'd think, and they were making less ambient noise.

Subways were quite noticeably emptier today, both in the morning, and just now, between 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm, i.e. when people leave the offices. Bit creepy.

[PRC]

Justin Trudeau is self-isolating after his wife was showing flu-like symptoms and is awaiting test results.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/trudeau-self-isolating-as-wife-sophie-awaits-result-of-covid-19-test-1.4850159

[Syt]

Oops.

https://twitter.com/gabstargardter/status/1238118508166348800?s=20

The guy standing to Trump's left just tested positive for coronavirus, according to Brazilian media. Fabio Wajngarten posted this photo, taken during meetings at Mar-a-Lago, five days ago.

The guy is Fabio Wajngarten, working for Jair Bolsonaro.

[merithyn]

This period of history is going to be a very a very good case study of social media driven mass hysteria

Are you 100% as confident as you sound, or is this your best guess given what we know so far?

In any case, the problem with evaluating the validity of hysteria about pandemics is that there are no control group alternate realities to test on.  It may well be that pandemics are extinguished because hysteria occurred early enough in the process for people to collectively take actions, and nudge the diseases parameters outside of the envelope needed for disastrous and uncontained spread.

The head of the BC CDC said again tried to calm by pointing out our medical system is reacting well, is not being overwhelmed and that it is not inevitable that it will be.

Rather than listening to over reactions by politicians and most of social media I prefer to listen to the experts.  I know that is really out of fashion these days and I am very much out of step for paying attention to that sort of thing.

That's bullshit and totally disingenuous to say. We've all provided multiple other experts who disagree with yours. Nice try to paint us as reactionary and hysterical, though. Well done. 

[merithyn]

He said all coronavirus treatment copays will be waived by health insurance companies. This is not true. Only testing, NOT treatment.

This one is really going to be a major problem once people go in and demand treatment for free.

[HisMajestyBOB]

My work is allowing for more liberal work from home. Some coworkers who take public transit will WFH. I will switch to driving in for now. The company VPN can't handle everyone working from home.

[crazy canuck]

The UK is closer to how we do things here but they are a unitary state and so I wonder how much control local officials have to craft responses suitable to local needs.

Public health and the NHS is a devlolved matter (with varying degrees of power for the four nations), but so far all decisions taken have applied to all four nations and there seems to be a fair amount of political unity between the UK, Scottish, Northern Irish and Welsh administrations (which is impressive given that each nation has a different party in charge).

I think the Mayor of London's also been involved in some COBRA meetings but doesn't have much formal power in these areas, so I think he's like an observer.

Good to hear 

Since I have a family member reliant on your authorities not acting like the Americans et al.

[crazy canuck]

This period of history is going to be a very a very good case study of social media driven mass hysteria

Are you 100% as confident as you sound, or is this your best guess given what we know so far?

In any case, the problem with evaluating the validity of hysteria about pandemics is that there are no control group alternate realities to test on.  It may well be that pandemics are extinguished because hysteria occurred early enough in the process for people to collectively take actions, and nudge the diseases parameters outside of the envelope needed for disastrous and uncontained spread.

The head of the BC CDC said again tried to calm by pointing out our medical system is reacting well, is not being overwhelmed and that it is not inevitable that it will be.

Rather than listening to over reactions by politicians and most of social media I prefer to listen to the experts.  I know that is really out of fashion these days and I am very much out of step for paying attention to that sort of thing.

That's bullshit and totally disingenuous to say. We've all provided multiple other experts who disagree with yours. Nice try to paint us as reactionary and hysterical, though. Well done. 

Ok.  Mine are actually in charge of the CDC.  I win

Also before you go all Marti on me, you might go back and read the part DGuller redacted from my post which he quoted.

[Sheilbh]

So turns out the 500+ event ban is just Scotland. The rest of the UK is considering it - but because of the burden it places on public services like police and health rather than to stop spread.

If you're showing symptoms you should stay at home.

Some fairly grim messages from PM: "This is the worst public health crisis in a generation. [...] Many more families are going to lose loved ones [than in flue]." And: "Most important task is protecting elderly and vulnerable during 'peak weaks'. That is some weeks away."

"We are now getting onto the next phase in that plan because this is now not just an attempt to contain the disease as far as possible but to delay the spread and thereby minimise the suffering."

From the Guardian: "He said even if the peak of the disease is delayed by a "few weeks" the NHS will be in a stronger position to handle it because of the improving weather, more beds will be available and there will be greater time for medical research. "

Chief Scientific Advisor says contain stage has delayed things and the trajectory looks like we're four weeks behind Italy - I'm not sure. I've seen just under two weeks as the estimate elsewhere. He thinks the actual number of cases in the UK is 5-10,000 not the reported 590. Currently there are 20 patients in intensive care with coronavirus.

[Grey Fox]

Quebec has banned anything that requires 250+ in a single area.

[HisMajestyBOB]

If I get the coronavirus, I'm flying to Vancouver and coughing in every public place I can.

[HisMajestyBOB]

Quebec has banned anything that requires 250+ in a single area.

Sounds like they're not listening to the BC CDC.