Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[Tamas]

First morning of London lockdown:

[Richard Hakluyt]

maybe they are all essential workers?

I don't understand why tfl have reduced the number of tube services. Apparently tube usage was down 70% last week and 89% on Sunday.............but the trains were still crowded because tfl cut the number running.

[Tamas]

maybe they are all essential workers?

I don't understand why tfl have reduced the number of tube services. Apparently tube usage was down 70% last week and 89% on Sunday.............but the trains were still crowded because tfl cut the number running.

Yeah the photo itself was made by an NHS nurse. They should restore the original number of trains.

[celedhring]

Same happened in Spain and they ended up restoring regular service. I don't understand why they thought reducing service was a good idea.

[Richard Hakluyt]

Same happened in Spain and they ended up restoring regular service. I don't understand why they thought reducing service was a good idea.

It amazes me that so little use is being made of info from other European states that are further down this road. Though cutting the number of underground trains is such a tyro error that .......well, I suppose I should be used to incompetence in the UK by now.

[Syt]

Vienna public transport switched to weekend schedules because of fewer travelers. Which means subways every 5 minutes instead of every 2-3 minutes during the day. Seems fine so far.

[Zanza]

My father is a doctor and he shares the views of the WSJ article. 

[Syt]

Yum!

https://www.eater.com/2020/3/23/21191632/fda-routine-food-surveillance-inspections-suspended-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to "flatten the curve," the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is halting all routine surveillance inspections of facilities that manufacture food and other FDA-regulated products, the federal agency announced on March 18.

This change, which comes a week after the FDA announced the suspension of most foreign inspections, affects domestic inspections traditionally conducted every few years based on risk analysis. In lieu of these inspections, the FDA is considering other ways to conduct inspectional work while maintaining public safety and protecting both factory and FDA staff. "This can include, among other things, evaluating records in lieu of conducting an onsite inspection on an interim basis when travel is not permissible, when appropriate," FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn said in a statement.

[Syt]

My father is a doctor and he shares the views of the WSJ article. 

What does he suggest to limit the spread while also keeping the economy going? I think that's something that should seriously be thought about, because I don't think a 3, 6, 12 month shutdown is feasible.

[Zanza]

I don't know, which is why I disagree with him. I think we first need to stabilize (no more exponential growth, more like some East Asian countries) before we can lift some of the restrictions.  I asked him though, will be interesting what his answer is.

[garbon]

Yum!

https://www.eater.com/2020/3/23/21191632/fda-routine-food-surveillance-inspections-suspended-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to "flatten the curve," the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is halting all routine surveillance inspections of facilities that manufacture food and other FDA-regulated products, the federal agency announced on March 18.

This change, which comes a week after the FDA announced the suspension of most foreign inspections, affects domestic inspections traditionally conducted every few years based on risk analysis. In lieu of these inspections, the FDA is considering other ways to conduct inspectional work while maintaining public safety and protecting both factory and FDA staff. "This can include, among other things, evaluating records in lieu of conducting an onsite inspection on an interim basis when travel is not permissible, when appropriate," FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn said in a statement.

As your article notes, the FDA is just one layer of defense in food quality checks.

[Sheilbh]

Same happened in Spain and they ended up restoring regular service. I don't understand why they thought reducing service was a good idea.

It amazes me that so little use is being made of info from other European states that are further down this road. Though cutting the number of underground trains is such a tyro error that .......well, I suppose I should be used to incompetence in the UK by now.

There's also bosses claiming that their business is essential so people have to come into work - even though the government will literally help cover the costs of shutting down. I can't even see that many of these businesses would even be making much money in the current climate - who, really, is going into Sports Direct now?

We need to prosecute a few bosses who aren't responding appropriately pour encourager les autres.

[Josquius]

You'd be surprised. I was in decathlon on the weekend. All their indoor exercise shelves were empty.

[Sheilbh]

You'd be surprised. I was in decathlon on the weekend. All their indoor exercise shelves were empty.

Yeah - my biggest shock in yexterday's announcement was when people were restricted to "one type of outdoor exercise" a day. Some people do more than one?

[Zanza]

That's a restriction that makes no sense. If I want to run half an hour in the morning and ride my bike an hour in the evening, how does that create any additional infection risk?

Stuff like this does not help with acceptance of the sensible measures.