Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[Agelastus]

God, I'm so sorry - that's a horrible situation.

Fortunately, as I said at the weekend, I'm not very social around town - to the extent that my most likely cause of infection is the Tesco Delivery Driver when I'm at home.

The buses and train I need to take to get to the hospital is more concerning, of course. On the other hand, if people stop travelling that may be less of a concern (not that I noticed any reduction in passengers when coming back from Sheffield on Sunday - if anything the train was fuller.)

Of course, if people stop travelling the buses and trains may stop running as well...either via employee illness or bankruptcy.

[crazy canuck]

No EI changes announced.  Maybe tomorrow's announcement.

[Sheilbh]

It seems like the main difference in approach between the UK and ROTW is that the UK government is giving all of this as advice and asking people to take it seriously and as the Chief Scientific Advisor put it "be responsible and be accountable for your actions". The government has lots of emergency powers to enforce this sort of stuff, but isn't actually using them to legally enforce this - yet.

If we are irresponsible, then it feels like the government will start enforcing and actually making this legal.

Edit: Also I could be wrong but I really find this border closing trend a bit of a nonsense. I just don't see how it's going to make any difference now when we all have community infection. And in Europe it's bizarre, I mean you can't cross the border into, say, Germany but there are still flights this week from, say, Tehran to Frankfurt.

[mongers]

It seems like the main difference in approach between the UK and ROTW is that the UK government is giving all of this as advice and asking people to take it seriously and as the Chief Scientific Advisor put it "be responsible and be accountable for your actions". The government has lots of emergency powers to enforce this sort of stuff, but isn't actually using them to legally enforce this - yet.

If we are irresponsible, then it feels like the government will start enforcing and actually making this legal.

I predict a food rationing system will be needed within 8 weeks.

I simply don't trust a significant minority to act responsibly.

[Threviel]

It seems like the main difference in approach between the UK, Sweden and ROTW is that the UK government is giving all of this as advice and asking people to take it seriously and as the Chief Scientific Advisor put it "be responsible and be accountable for your actions". The government has lots of emergency powers to enforce this sort of stuff, but isn't actually using them to legally enforce this - yet.

If we are irresponsible, then it feels like the government will start enforcing and actually making this legal.

Fixed it, two islands of sanity in a sea of bad decisions.

[Fate]

It seems like the main difference in approach between the UK, Sweden and ROTW is that the UK government is giving all of this as advice and asking people to take it seriously and as the Chief Scientific Advisor put it "be responsible and be accountable for your actions". The government has lots of emergency powers to enforce this sort of stuff, but isn't actually using them to legally enforce this - yet.

If we are irresponsible, then it feels like the government will start enforcing and actually making this legal.

Fixed it, two islands of sanity in a sea of bad decisions.

:smh:

[Valmy]

Fixed it, two islands of sanity in a sea of bad decisions.

Really? South Korea made all the bad decisions?

[fromtia]

Soooo seems a kid at my girlfriend's school, a delightful fellow with a habit of violently attacking and spitting on everyone, probably has it. She has a cold too.

The Simon Ferocious School for Biting and Spitting?

[Sheilbh]

It seems like the main difference in approach between the UK, Sweden and ROTW is that the UK government is giving all of this as advice and asking people to take it seriously and as the Chief Scientific Advisor put it "be responsible and be accountable for your actions". The government has lots of emergency powers to enforce this sort of stuff, but isn't actually using them to legally enforce this - yet.

If we are irresponsible, then it feels like the government will start enforcing and actually making this legal.

Fixed it, two islands of sanity in a sea of bad decisions.

Interesting - I do feel reassured knowing that another country is following this approach and especially that it's Sweden. I would be less reassured if, say, the only other administration taking this approach was Trump or Duterte

The death rate in the UK is terrifying 35 yesterday to 52 today. The day before increased by 12, and 10 the day before. Apparently this is focused on London at the minute which is ahead of the rest of the country in approaching the peak.

[Valmy]

I guess I am taken aback by the notion that Sweden and the UK are precisely the same, I doubt they are, and that everybody else was acting identically wrongly...because they obviously are not.

But if a business is open and requiring its employees to report to work how exactly are people supposed to take personal responsibility? Very rarely are you going about your business entirely on your own whim.

[Fate]

Fixed it, two islands of sanity in a sea of bad decisions.

Really? South Korea made all the bad decisions?

After all the deaths this will be a great reminder of the lessons we learned all the way back in 1918.

St. Louis vs Philadelphia.



Guess which city took the pandemic seriously and which didn't?

[Sheilbh]

I guess I am taken aback by the notion that Sweden and the UK are precisely the same, I doubt they are, and that everybody else was acting identically wrongly...because they obviously are not.

Yeah there'll be differences and the measures across the world are very similar - we are later than most European countries. Hopefully these measures will work. I'm just reassured that Sweden's the country because I think their public policy seems sensible (from the outside) - same with Germany.

It's more the approach I found slightly interesting - so they're not banning large gatherings, they're asking people not to go - and lots of organisers are now cancelling.

On border closures I've not seen a single reason from any of these governments about what impact they expect this to have, it strikes me as pure populism for want of a better word

But if a business is open and requiring its employees to report to work how exactly are people supposed to take personal responsibility? Very rarely are you going about your business entirely on your own whim.

Yeah I hope that doesn't happen - as I say the government has enforcement powers but is asking for "responsibility" like you'd expect in a "mature liberal democracy". I hope we do have enough civic responsibility that people will follow this advice and not be dicks. But that is a risky approach.

And in lots of businesses like most retail, hospitality, tourism - there's no point in being open if people follow the advice.

Two of my friends now going into the 14 days household self-isolation - one is very relieved that she's still allowed to exercise (she runs a lot and fast) if they keep their distance.

Edit: Also I see the Italian authorities are building emergency hospitals just like they did in Wuhan - hopefully we're all learning.

[PRC]

Stayed at home again today because of cough.  But now I have my work laptop and could remote log in to work.

I gotta say though this will get really old, really fast.  I'm in my basement office hunched over a tiny 12" laptop.  Because day homes are not closed there are 8 kids in the room outside not being overly loud, but being kids means they're still noisy.

8 kids!?  You guys have been busy.   

[Maladict]

PM announced largest peacetime crisis. However, no complete lockdown as there would be no country left after however many months it would take. Listen to experts, look after each other. State to look after old people and businesses.

Pretty characteristic Dutch compromise policy, we'll see how long it lasts.

[Fate]

Italy's daily update:

349 new deaths and 2,470 new cases in the past 24 hours. Now up to 2,158 deaths and 27,980 cases. # of deaths and cases slightly decreased from yesterday but way too soon to know if things are slowing down yet.