Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[HisMajestyBOB]

We're formally opening up pretty much everything at the end of this month. There's some discussion of resuming travel in the middle of June but nobody knows how that's going to work. We'll see.

What's the international travel situation like there? Are visitors allow? Can you go abroad/return home? Or is that all locked down?

[Legbiter]

There's a few international flights per week by the local carrier but every passenger has to go into 2 week quarantine upon arrival. After the middle of June tourists with previously booked trips might be able to come without having to go into quarantine (they'll get tested on arrival and told to self-monitor for symptoms) but I think this is a Hail Mary for the grumbling tourist industry. We'll see, best case scenario they seem to be hoping for is that Iceland, having beaten the epidemic will entice skittish travelers.

[alfred russel]

Wow, the initial leak seems to have been wrong and the national average is actually lower than that... 5%.

One point I'd not thought of from a public health person on Twitter. This could be bad for "herd immunity" or, which would be worse, it could be bad for a vaccine. Either not many people were infected and the IFR is actually around 1.3% which is higher than thought and observed elsewhere, or it's not clear how long we develop antibodies for which has an impact on vaccine development.

Assuming the antibody test is accurately reflecting who had the disease, I would expect a high IFR in Spain just because of the population profile of who was positive.

Obviously the IFR for young healthy people is super low, and for the elderly dramatically higher. The IFR for a population is generally being estimated as the weighted average based on the age profile and their health. The antibody tests in Spain had a lot less positives for the really young as a percent of total...that is going to drive up the IFR.

[Legbiter]

Maybe that's how this pandemic will play out, it'll bounce around in waves catching a few percent of the population every time until it settles down to a low-level endemic status or there's a vaccine. In which case we just learn to live with it. Here everything is pretty much drenched in hand sanitizer, every business has a dispenser and people liberally apply it before and after entering.

[Zanza]

There's a few international flights per week by the local carrier but every passenger has to go into 2 week quarantine upon arrival. After the middle of June tourists with previously booked trips might be able to come without having to go into quarantine (they'll get tested on arrival and told to self-monitor for symptoms) but I think this is a Hail Mary for the grumbling tourist industry. We'll see, best case scenario they seem to be hoping for is that Iceland, having beaten the epidemic will entice skittish travelers.

Actually based on these news we discussed to go to Iceland this summer.  I have been before, my partner not, but she's interested. Let's see.

[alfred russel]

Roller blading, running, bicycling, power walking, etc., are all low-risk hobbies that should be fine. You can also do those just about anywhere, and it doesn't require that a national or state park be open to you. It doesn't require that employees be on staff. None of that applies to what AR has been talking about.

I don't think anyone wants to hear about risk management and land access issues in climbing, but this isn't true. Most (but not all) climbing spots are on public land for obvious reasons. There is no need for employees--half the point is to get away from everything and be in nature--if I see an employee I'm doing something wrong.

[derspiess]

I'm going fishing this weekend. Game warden had better socially distance. Or just stay the hell away entirely.

[celedhring]

Covid lethality rate in Spain adjusted using the results of the seroprevalence survey.

[Razgovory]

I finally got my stimulus cash.

[Yi]

Blow it on weed and chicks

[/Yi]

I bought a new mattress.  I was really getting tired of getting cut up every night by broken springs.  And there were a lot of broken springs in that old Mattress.

[mongers]

I finally got my stimulus cash.

[Yi]

Blow it on weed and chicks

[/Yi]

I bought a new mattress.  I was really getting tired of getting cut up every night by broken springs.  And there were a lot of broken springs in that old Mattress.

Good choice Raz and thanks for the reminder, I really should get a new one too. 

[merithyn]

Roller blading, running, bicycling, power walking, etc., are all low-risk hobbies that should be fine. You can also do those just about anywhere, and it doesn't require that a national or state park be open to you. It doesn't require that employees be on staff. None of that applies to what AR has been talking about.

I don't think anyone wants to hear about risk management and land access issues in climbing, but this isn't true. Most (but not all) climbing spots are on public land for obvious reasons. There is no need for employees--half the point is to get away from everything and be in nature--if I see an employee I'm doing something wrong.

Every state park requires staffing if anyone is in them. You don't have to like it or think it's necessary, but that is how it works. They have to be there in case of an emergency. And with climbing, there is always a risk of an emergency. Again, I don't care if you think it's necessary, but the state (and feds) do.

[The Brain]

What's the deal with state parks and similar in the US? In Sweden there's basically no staff for nature stuff.

[merithyn]

What's the deal with state parks and similar in the US? In Sweden there's basically no staff for nature stuff.

So that there is someone to go to for emergencies. As I said.

[Barrister]

What's the deal with state parks and similar in the US? In Sweden there's basically no staff for nature stuff.

So that there is someone to go to for emergencies. As I said.

Meri, we have some National Parks in this country that are utterly uninhabited.  There is no staff there.  Same as some Alberta Provincial Parks.  You can visit but you're on your own.  Pretty sure there are parks like that in Alaska as well.

[viper37]

Maybe that's how this pandemic will play out, it'll bounce around in waves catching a few percent of the population every time until it settles down to a low-level endemic status or there's a vaccine. In which case we just learn to live with it. Here everything is pretty much drenched in hand sanitizer, every business has a dispenser and people liberally apply it before and after entering.

I think I'm gonna hang myself if this last for more than a year.  I hate this sanitizer, it irritates my lungs and I have trouble breathing with a mask on my face.