Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[Zoupa]

There are no healthy obese people, DG.

Obesity is a medical condition. There's a direct correlation with life expectancy.

[Eddie Teach]

I'd guess the extra weight causes issues even if the person has good strength and cardio.

[Duque de Bragança]

Nice shouting match in the bus this morning with only 4 (!) people, excluding the chauffeur.
5 windows opened in a chilly morning (6-8°C). I start closing the ones closest to me and a broad starts complaining. Went through quickly to the fever argument (got fever? Get tested!). With one another useless in the back "we already have problems let us not create more". Exactly, no need to get a cold right now!
After the feverish broad left, the one who had remained silent recognized I was right by saying the other must have been feverish or crazy.

Rules are pretty clear in this aspect in Parisian buses, or used to be, whenever there is a argument about closing or opening windows, the one who wants them closed has priority.

[Syt]

The Vienna police squad cars have been instructed to put radio Ö3 on the speakers at 6 pm every day, because the station plays Rainhard's Fendrich I Am From Austria, which is pretty much the inofficial anthem of Austria (and I'd think more people know the lyrics of it).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xi_8DB7zsD4

[Zanza]

I've been assuming that Germany is simply managing to catch a higher proportion of people with moderate symptoms. So the UK has fewer cases than Germany but more deaths? I don't think so, it is more that we have an insufficient testing rollout and thus underestimate the prevalence of the virus.

I read that Germany is reaching test capacity now so once they stop being able to test a high proportion of suspected cases and concentrate on the more severe ones, the perceived lethality rate here will also go up even if that's just a statistical fluke. 

[FunkMonk]

Safely back in the US after departing India. India is banning all international travel starting the 22nd so we left just in time. 

Now what is this about a rampant and uncontrollable plague that is destroying the fabric of American society that I'm suddenly hearing about?

[Agelastus]

More boring impressions on the travel front.

Got into town early enough to risk getting a Mother's Day card; lots of people around, very few of them trying to zigzag to keep distances open. Friends obviously seeing each other and stopping to chat at normal distances. Not very encouraging.

At the station all of the few travellers trying to keep their distance from each other in the booking hall and on the platforms and when boarding the train. Much more encouraging.

[celedhring]

1326 dead (+32%), and a staggering +41% increase of UCI patients (1,600). 

[Iormlund]

Even Madagascar has cases now. We're fucked.

[Liep]

How are cruise ships still a thing?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_coronavirus_pandemic_on_cruise_ships

[Sheilbh]

I've been assuming that Germany is simply managing to catch a higher proportion of people with moderate symptoms. So the UK has fewer cases than Germany but more deaths? I don't think so, it is more that we have an insufficient testing rollout and thus underestimate the prevalence of the virus.

I think Germany also - like the Netherlands and South Korea - had an initially quite young group of people who got it. There's minor deviations but broadly the trend for Western countries seems pretty similar (with the possible exception of the US) and, sadly, over the course of this pandemic I imagine it will all average out

Same here, really. Our authorities have admitted as such and are trying to roll out faster testing procedures (we have some drive-thru testing sites up and running in some areas). Labs are a big bottleneck though - I think Italy is having the same issue.

Same here - it has been ramping up but from what I understand the big testing issue is capacity. So at the minute the focus is, I believe, people in hospitals showing symptoms, care homes and prisons.

Got into town early enough to risk getting a Mother's Day card; lots of people around, very few of them trying to zigzag to keep distances open. Friends obviously seeing each other and stopping to chat at normal distances. Not very encouraging.

For fuck's sake

Incidentally I really liked the video (about half-way down the page) from ITV News on social distancing v social isolation:
https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2020-03-20/social-distancing-vs-self-isolation-the-official-guidance-on-staying-safe-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/

[Iormlund]

Same here - it has been ramping up but from what I understand the big testing issue is capacity. So at the minute the focus is, I believe, people in hospitals showing symptoms, care homes and prisons.

I think most of us are beyond the point where testing potential infected is viable. Tests should be mostly reserved for the people staffing essential roles (docs, nurses, police, food chain, critical infrastructure).

[Sheilbh]

Maybe - care homes and prisons strike me as really important to monitor especially while our testing is limited to "do you have it now". Because an outbreak in either of those communities could really quikly escalate.

You could be right on where the focus should be. We can't test everyone who might have it. Hopefully this antibody test which is coming will be as much of a game-changer as the scientific community seem to think.

[Agelastus]

So, to continue...

Now checked in at the hotel to set up the tablet.

I picked it up at the pickup point at a Sainsbury's local store; while there I was talking to the shop assistant and commented on how full their shelves were. She told me that the main stores were raiding them for stock. In fact, while I was there, I saw two of the green produce carry-crates taken out to a car to be taken to a larger store.

The bleeding eyes smiley is starting not to cut it any more.

[Iormlund]

Staff in the trenches in Madrid running out of supplies.

Video of a nurse explaining how to create an apron out of a plastic bag.