Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[Agelastus]

Having the store gather your groceries and deliver them still seems unfathomable luxury to me. 

Depends how much you consider whatever else you could do with your time to be worth compared to the delivery fee, I guess (which if you are on a yearly plan is a no brainer if you are having a delivery a week - it works out to less than £1.39 per delivery with Tesco. Fuel costs alone if you go yourself swallow a chunk of that even without considering the time you save not having to travel there.)

I actually think it is faster to browse and checkout online than it is to do in the store as well. You are also less likely to impulse buy so it helps any budgeting you may have to do.

I certainly don't feel that it is a luxury, even if it does still feel slightly strange.

[DGuller]

I wouldn't be surprised if the stores here did it too, it's just not a service I've ever utilized.

So it may indeed by fathomable, you just choose to not fathom it.

[viper37]

Free masks provided by the state of Tennessee treated with registered pesticide

Free masks provided by the state of Tennessee treated with registered pesticide

Free masks provided from the state of Tennessee to its residents were treated with a registered pesticide, according to an investigation by NewsChannel 5 in Nashville.

The local station reported that these cloth face masks, meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus, were treated with a substance that is an antimicrobial designed to ward off odors called Silvadur. Silvadur is registered as a pesticide that is "harmful if inhaled," but is also intended for use to keep fabrics fresh.

The state started distributing the masks in early May, after they ordered 5 million of these "sock masks" from the Renfro Corp., a North Carolina-based sock maker. It also has a Tennessee operations facility in Cleveland.

Warren Porter, a professor of environmental toxicology at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, told the news channel that she wouldn't wear one.

"Nobody wants to breathe in covid, but I wouldn't want to be breathing in something that I also knew could be poisoning my body in a relatively short period of time and might be having multi-year effects on my health," she said.

The state spent $8.2 million on these sock masks. When the first shipments of the masks arrived and were being sent out, Democratic lawmakers criticized the quality of the masks, posting photos that showed flaws in the masks being distributed.

I suppose it's one way to make sure people don't wear masks. 

[Syt]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52857413

Coronavirus: Trump terminates US relationship with WHO

US President Donald Trump has announced that he is terminating the country's relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO).

The president has accused the WHO of failing to hold Beijing to account over the coronavirus pandemic.

"China has total control over the World Health Organization," the president said while announcing measures aimed at punishing Beijing.

Washington will redirect funds to other bodies, he said.

The US is the global health agency's largest single contributor, providing more than $400m (£324m; €360m) in 2019.

Mr Trump, who is campaigning for re-election this year and has been criticised for his own handling of the pandemic, has blamed China for trying to cover up the coronavirus outbreak.

More than 102,000 people in the US have lost their lives to Covid-19 - by far the biggest death toll in the world.

What did Trump say?

"We will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization and directing those funds" to other global public health charities, Mr Trump said in the White House Rose Garden.

"The world is now suffering as a result of the malfeasance of the Chinese government," he said.

He added that China had "instigated a global pandemic that has cost over 100,000 American lives".

The president accused China of pressurising the WHO to "mislead the world" about the virus.

What's the background to this?

Mr Trump's criticism of the WHO's handling of the pandemic began last month when he threatened to permanently withdraw US funding, suggesting the UN health agency had "failed in its basic duty" in its response.

"It is clear the repeated missteps by you and your organisation in responding to the pandemic have been extremely costly for the world," he wrote in a letter to WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on 18 May.

He later labelled the WHO a "puppet of China".

China has accused the US of being responsible for the spread of the virus on its own soil, attributing the outbreak to American "politicians who lie".

Earlier this month, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Mr Trump was trying to mislead the public, smear China and "shift the blame for [the US's] own incompetent response".

WHO member states have since agreed to set up an independent inquiry into the global response to the pandemic.

And here I thought Bill Gates was controlling the WHO, at least that's what the tinfoil hat brigade says.

Also: China 'attributing the outbreak to American politicians who lie'  .... subtle, very subtle.

[garbon]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/may/30/uk-coronavirus-live-england-lockdown-easing-is-premature-says-burnham?page=with:block-5ed24e588f087122eca52689#block-5ed24e588f087122eca52689

A "small number" of Extinction Rebellion protesters in central London have been arrested for breaching coronavirus regulations, with others issued fines.

The group said 150 people demonstrated on Parliament Square – keeping three metres apart from one another – against government incompetence and to demand a citizens' assembly on the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

A spokesperson called into question the public health rationale behind the protesters being arrested for breaking Covid-19 regulations and not dispersing after being told to leave by police who were not wearing masks.

[Tamas]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/may/30/uk-coronavirus-live-england-lockdown-easing-is-premature-says-burnham?page=with:block-5ed24e588f087122eca52689#block-5ed24e588f087122eca52689

A "small number" of Extinction Rebellion protesters in central London have been arrested for breaching coronavirus regulations, with others issued fines.

The group said 150 people demonstrated on Parliament Square – keeping three metres apart from one another – against government incompetence and to demand a citizens' assembly on the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

A spokesperson called into question the public health rationale behind the protesters being arrested for breaking Covid-19 regulations and not dispersing after being told to leave by police who were not wearing masks.

Should have been wearing Cummings masks.

[Sheilbh]

Interesting that three members of SAGE have gone public to say they are not comfortable with the lockdown lifting plans and that it's going to fast.

Worth noting because I think (looking at the minutes of SAGE now) that the mistakes going into lockdown were clearly based on the scientific advice the government was receiving. On this, that doesn't seem to be the case. It's a political decision.

[mongers]

Interesting that three members of SAGE have gone public to say they are not comfortable with the lockdown lifting plans and that it's going to fast.

Worth noting because I think (looking at the minutes of SAGE now) that the mistakes going into lockdown were clearly based on the scientific advice the government was receiving. On this, that doesn't seem to be the case. It's a political decision.

Obviously, we have a death rate two to three times higher than Spain, France or Italy and yet our 'leadership' is a exiting lockdown in a hurry to catch up with those countries. 

[crazy canuck]

It has been almost two weeks since BC started lifting restrictions and we have the lowest number of new infections since the beginning of March.

[Sheilbh]

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van Tam (who I like a lot) was asked about Cummings and was pretty blunt:
"I'm happy to answer that.

In my opinion, the rules are clear and they have always been clear.

In my opinion they are for the benefit of all, and they apply to all."

[Tamas]

Interesting that three members of SAGE have gone public to say they are not comfortable with the lockdown lifting plans and that it's going to fast.

Worth noting because I think (looking at the minutes of SAGE now) that the mistakes going into lockdown were clearly based on the scientific advice the government was receiving. On this, that doesn't seem to be the case. It's a political decision.

Maybe they know the future schedule and that's why they are upset, but based on what I have been seeing and hearing from colleagues, this whole thing with meeting 6 people outside while social distancing is something a lot of people have been doing already.

[Syt]

https://www.brusselstimes.com/all-news/belgium-all-news/114348/belgian-prince-tests-positive-for-covid-19-after-lockdown-party-in-spain/

Belgian Prince tests positive for Covid-19 after lockdown party in Spain

Prince Joachim, the youngest son of Princess Astrid and nephew to the king of Belgium, has tested positive for the new coronavirus (Covid-19) after attending a lockdown party in Spain.

The news was reported by the Spanish newspaper El Confidencial, and has been confirmed by the royal palace.

The party took place in the city of Córdoba in Andalucia. The newspaper obtained a confidential document from the government of Andalucia which reports a party in a private residence involving 27 people, although that number is not confirmed.

Prince Joachim is said to have given 27 names to contact tracers, but not all of those may be party goers.

The number is important, because Spain is now in its second phase of relaxation of the lockdown, and private parties are permitted, on condition no more than 15 people attend. Those who are known to have been present will be investigated. In the meantime, all are quarantined.

El Confidencial did not reveal the names of those involved, but did allude to "a member of the Belgian royal family." The Flemish newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws itself contacted the royal palace, and received confirmation that Prince Joachim was involved.

The prince, aged 28, has been living with his parents in recent months, and left Belgium for Madrid on 24 May. From there, he was due to travel on by high-speed train to Córdoba to take up an internship with a local company. He has had a long-distance relationship for some time with a Spanish woman who is from Córdoba.

The internship was the reason he was allowed to travel, the paper reports, as work-related trips were an exception to the general ban on non-essential travel. Normally, he should have spent two weeks in quarantine on arrival, but that appears not to have happened.

The prince's symptoms are said to be mild.

[Zanza]

https://www.ft.com/content/6b4c784e-c259-4ca4-9a82-648ffde71bf0

Interesting article with lots of graphs showing that the UK is among the worst hit countries by several measures.

[The Brain]

The prince, aged 28, has been living with his parents in recent months

Times really are hard.

[Syt]

The prince, aged 28, has been living with his parents in recent months

Times really are hard.