Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[grumbler]

I don't see how the US opening schools would lead to millions of dead school kids. In Sweden schools for grades 1-9 have remained open, and so far we have (thank God) not a single Covid-19 death among the under-20s.

Absolutely no one said that the US opening schools would lead to millions of dead school kids.

Could it be exhibit #319712 of swedish humblebrag?

/yawn

CC did, see above.

Good to see that someone is reading his posts.  Thanks for taking one for the team.

[alfred russel]

Alfred has taken some dubious positions in this thread IMO but the last deserves serious consideration.  The longer the US is locked down, the greater the likelihood that job and income losses become permanent.  Sustained 15-20% unemployment would be catastrophic and that level of loss of income will cost many lives.  In America at least, we have to consider the possibility that we've lost the war against COVID and are incapable of winning given our current political and institutional context.  We probably aren't going to herd our 50 cats for a consistent strategic response (nor do we have a shepherd capable or interested in doing that) or enact effective nationwide measures for testing, tracking and tracing and so it may be all we can do is control to some degree the timing over which the population becomes exposed and infected.  Either way, we have reached the point where it is longer fair to say its a lives vs $ tradeoff, it is tradeoff of some people's lives against others, with the potential magnitudes on both sides uncertain.

There's no reason why quality of life for those losing income shouldn't be part of the equation/discussion as well.

OK Evil Hitler.

Because regular Hitler... wasn't evil?

He is Swedish...Sweden took a neutral stance in WWII.

[Razgovory]

They appear to have taken a neutral stance toward the Virus as well...

[Habbaku]

You can always try burning it down again.

I mean, it's worked before. 

No it didn't. 

[fromtia]

https://www.npr.org/2020/04/27/845165404/ex-officials-call-for-46-billion-for-tracing-isolating-in-next-coronavirus-packa

Here is a plan. Might not be the best plan, but it's a plan. Something, anything. I have an open mind, or at least I'm trying my best to have one.

[Josquius]

So it seems we are heading ever further  into Chernobyl territory here. Incidentally I'm just watching that series.

The government finally hits its 100,000 tests a day target. Huzzah!

.... For one day....

And it had to transparently fudge the numbers to do so.

https://www.hsj.co.uk/quality-and-performance/revealed-how-government-changed-the-rules-to-hit-100000-tests-target/7027544.article

[Eddie Teach]

You can always try burning it down again.

I mean, it's worked before. 

No it didn't. 

Got Lincoln reelected.

[Valmy]

I think just capturing Atlanta was sufficient to get him re-elected. The burning was a bit of an overkill.

Also: didn't the Confederates start that fire or am I misremembering that?

[The Brain]

Alfred has taken some dubious positions in this thread IMO but the last deserves serious consideration.  The longer the US is locked down, the greater the likelihood that job and income losses become permanent.  Sustained 15-20% unemployment would be catastrophic and that level of loss of income will cost many lives.  In America at least, we have to consider the possibility that we've lost the war against COVID and are incapable of winning given our current political and institutional context.  We probably aren't going to herd our 50 cats for a consistent strategic response (nor do we have a shepherd capable or interested in doing that) or enact effective nationwide measures for testing, tracking and tracing and so it may be all we can do is control to some degree the timing over which the population becomes exposed and infected.  Either way, we have reached the point where it is longer fair to say its a lives vs $ tradeoff, it is tradeoff of some people's lives against others, with the potential magnitudes on both sides uncertain.

There's no reason why quality of life for those losing income shouldn't be part of the equation/discussion as well.

OK Evil Hitler.

Because regular Hitler... wasn't evil?

Not nearly as evil as people who want society to function during Covid-19.

[merithyn]

We are tracking at just under 500 unemployed claims for every covid 19 death.

oh FFS why do I still bother reading your posts.

Because there isn't a block function. Believe me, I've looked.....

I gave up on him long ago

I've always known you to be a clever sort.

[merithyn]

Our CMO told the company yesterday that the testing being done is insufficient, and the results are problematic as they are only administered correctly about half the time. This is in our four-state area (Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Utah). Additionally, the titre testing is only accurate about 25% of the time, and we still don't know if three months out that's beneficial.



I've truly never felt more hopeless in my life.

[Admiral Yi]

Got my sweet, sweet unemployment bonus. 

[HisMajestyBOB]

They appear to have taken a neutral stance toward the Virus as well...

That's reasonable. The virus could very well win and it would pay to be the first country on their side.

[fromtia]

https://www.ksl.com/article/46747667/mitt-romney-proposes-patriot-pay-boost-of-12-more-per-hour-for-frontline-workers


Mitt Romney proposes federal subsidy for pay raise for frontline workers.

[HisMajestyBOB]

Sounds communist. We'd be better off giving all of that money to a few select individuals and allowing it to trickle down as God intended.