Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[Berkut]

Interesting little story.  Canada and US reached a deal that banns non-essential travel across the border.

Canada implements the ban to cover all modes of transportation.  US implements the ban at land and ferries - it allows people to enter the US from Canada by air, rail or sea for any purpose.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/covid-19-canada-u-s-border-1.5518191

Ridiculous. It is in Canada and it is in the US. What difference does it make if people travel back and forth?

We fucking get it dude. Can you go be an edgelord somewhere else for a bit?

Why does it rub you the wrong way that I don't have the same panic that you do?

10 million people have filed for unemployment in the US in the past two weeks. There had never before been a week with more than 685k.  The Saint Louis fed has estimated the unemployment rate may hit 32%. A $2 trillion stimulus was just passed, and there is talk of another stimulus--obviously tax revenues are going to plummet--the fiscal situation is going to be devastating. If you want to see significant new programs like Medicare for all, or a green new deal, this is going to make it considerably more difficult.

Trillions have been lost in market value of US equity, which is going to result in delayed retirement for millions. Many small businesses will go under.

Right now people are trapped in unsafe living conditions (such as with abusive partners). Several states (including Georgia) are eying this as an opportunity to stop abortion by declaring it a non essential service. If you care about education: well the school year is canceled!

These problems of the US are going to be far less than for most other countries that are similarly responding. Poor countries can't launch stimulus programs, and don't have social safety nets, and the poor were already food insecure. The effects there will be catastrophic.

In the meantime, global deaths are 52,863 (about 0.00076% of the global population). US deaths are 5,865. Those deaths are understated to an extent, and will certainly rise. They are also concentrated among the elderly.

The costs can and should be balanced against the benefits, and in this case the costs are extreme.

Its interesting that you compare the costs to the actual number killed so far, which of course is much lower because of those costs.

It seems a little dishonest. WHy compare the cost against the "benefit" when the reverse of the benefit you are comparing is exactly the outcome of the cost? Why aren't you comparing the cost against the numbers killed had no such cost been incurred?

[Berkut]

Now this is what a police state looks like:

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has warned that anyone breaking the coronavirus lockdown on the island of Luzon may be shot by the military or the police, as the country fights to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Apparently he was undeterred by the threat of a sharply worded missive from QC Sumption.

My county just issued an ordinance that anyone caught breaking the coronavirus lockdown may be fined up to $1,000 and/or jailed for up to 12 months.

I guess this is just the world today. So long as the authorities don't shoot you, you aren't in a police state.

Or rather, you apparently ARE a police state if the police have the emergency power to take emergency measures?

How do you differentiate then between this kind of "police state" and the other kind?

[Admiral Yi]

That fine is just for show.  There's no way to tell if a person is traveling to an essential job or for twit watching.

[mongers]

I'd have though Languishite would have been handling this a bit better, but we seem to have a fair few rubbing each other up the wrong way. 

[11B4V]

I'd have though Languishite would have been handling this a bit better, but we seem to have a fair few rubbing each other up the wrong way. 

Hittin'  the sauce there?

[Admiral Yi]

Mongers brave attempt to keep the peace: SHOT DOWN. 

[Eddie Teach]

I'd have though Languishite would have been handling this a bit better, but we seem to have a fair few rubbing each other up the wrong way. 

Not on purpose.

[grumbler]

We've got edgelords criticizing us and virtue signalers criticizing us.

In other words, languish hasn't changed a bit.

[11B4V]

Edgelord, is that French?

[merithyn]

Why does it rub you the wrong way that I don't have the same panic that you do?

Today, I sat in on a company-wide conference call where the C-suite talked about the cost to my health insurance company. The word "dollar" never came up. The cost to our company was counting in lives. How many in our four-state area were sick. How many were likely to die. How many of our employees were sick. How long, in months and years, we would be playing catch up to make sure that our membership is healthy.

I also listened to someone I love dearly tell me today about how he had to help convert his hospital's regular beds into ICU beds to help save people. While he did that, he walked through the ICU and he saw what this disease does to people. He said, "No one should die like that. It's the absolute worst way to die." If you've ever seen someone die of COPD, you know what he's talking about. There really is nothing worse than watching someone drown from their own mucus. It's heartbreaking. And they're dying alone because they're contagious. I want to hold my friend in my arms and let him cry, but I can't because it's not safe.

After I logged off at work, I drove to four different pharmacies to try to find a thermometer to bring to my youngest son. He has asthma and diabetes. Six days ago, his manager came into his work with COVID-19. No one knew. His wife was diagnosed the next day. She's a nurse. He tested positive on Monday. My son is sitting at home under quarantine, waiting to see if he's going to catch a virus that could kill him.

And you act as if this is no big deal. As if the bottom line - and your desire to get out and do things - is more important than these people's lives. As if your "need" to go camping and rock climbing trumps the needs of people who simply want to live. Your irresponsibility and selfishness offends me.

But as has been pointed out by multiple people, you're going to do you, so whatever. You'll argue that you're not being irresponsible and how careful you and your friends are. You'll argue how financially we can't keep doing this. And honestly, I don't really care. You do you, boo. It's not like you'll give a shit if someone the rest of us love dies because you decided to go camping instead of staying home.

[viper37]

Quebec has 5518 cases, 38 deceased.
2600 cases in Montreal.

Nearly all regions of Quebec are confined, non essential travel outside our region is highly restricted.  There's a police barrage at the entrance of the city.  With warnings 5km in advance.  Didn't stop an Ontarian from speeding at 170km/h (100km/h theoritical limit) right there and getting caught, obviously.  I enjoy speeding too, but dammit, you get warnings like 5km in advance there'll be cops and you keep on with it...


Ah anyway.

A Jewish Haseedeen community near Montreal didn't follow the guidelins to social distanciation, and naturally, they got multiple cases of covid-19 after some of their members came back from the USA.  The entire community is now under quarantine.

Some idiot thought the rules didn't apply to him and he celebrated the marriage of his daughter to a New York man.  While the hotel was technically closed to all public...  Owner says he respected the rules and had 150 guests withing 1m of each (the pictures show something else though). Employees says they were at least 300, dancing and partying all night long.  The people from New York did not self isolate.  Lots of people are sick now and health authorities are trying to retrace all guests.  The newlyweds are back in NY.

Because there are too many morons now, the fines have been upped to between 1000$ and 6500$ depending on the offence, for gatherings (at least 1000$) or coming back from the US and not immediatly isolating (stupid snowbirds) and that's an automatic 6500$.

The Montreal chief of opposition married his daughter last week-end and the police had to intervene for a gathering.  He insists he followed the rule and no one was invited except the priest and all those present were simply neighbours and everyone respected the 2m distance rule.  Lead by example...

[viper37]

There's no way to tell if a person is traveling to an essential job

require a proof of work, like a pay slip.

[11B4V]

There's no way to tell if a person is traveling to an essential job

require a proof of work, like a pay slip.

Random checkpoints.

[Eddie Teach]

Fuck that. Communists.

[11B4V]

Fuck that. Communists.

only a matter of time and it will be implemented by a Republican President. So suck it.