Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[Sheilbh]

Really hoping vaccine passports come out soon. Would love it if flying becomes acceptible again

Yeah - I am desperate for a holiday between jobs and really hope that's possible somewhere again

Especially because doing a UK holiday instead would be very expensive

[Duque de Bragança]

https://www.politico.eu/article/sebastian-kurz-austria-threatens-to-block-eu-option-to-buy-100-million-coronavirus-vaccine-doses-in-fight-over-distribution/

I see that Portugal has proposed giving 3 million Pfizer doses to countries based on need - which doesn't include Austria

Portuguese population is still far from being entirely vaccinated. 

[Tamas]

Supposedly the UK is way too full of immigrants yet no media mentions that the travel ban is not about loitering on a British beach instead of a Spanish one for migrants like me, but about not being able to visit our families after 1.5 years of being away.

[Josquius]

Supposedly the UK is way too full of immigrants yet no media mentions that the travel ban is not about loitering on a British beach instead of a Spanish one for migrants like me, but about not being able to visit our families after 1.5 years of being away.

Yeah, that's the annoying thing.
My gf was lucky and got a trip during the summer relaxation. But her parents have yet to see the grandchild and we don't know when they will.

[celedhring]

So, Catalonia recorded an R number of 1.2, highest since January. We're back into 200+ AI-14 territory and still no restrictions announced.

BUT, they've moved parliamentary proceedings to an open space inside the Parliament building, to set an example.



They're definitely doing a Boris on this one, betting that we've vaccinated enough of the elderly to keep mortality down. 

[Syt]

Austrian numbers had a bit of a dip yesterday, but back to what they were before. The numbers today are the highest Wednesday numbers since last year, with Vienna, Lower Austria, Burgenland leading the field, but Upper Austria is catching up. Vorarlberg, in the West, which piloted opening restaurants, bars, cafés due to their low per capita number (1/5 of Eastern states), has doubled their new cases per capita in the two weeks since the re-opening.

[Sheilbh]

That is fair and especially true with a new kid - and a point I've seen others making - Marie le Conte's been particularly good on this point.

[celedhring]

Austrian numbers had a bit of a dip yesterday, but back to what they were before. The numbers today are the highest Wednesday numbers since last year, with Vienna, Lower Austria, Burgenland leading the field, but Upper Austria is catching up. Vorarlberg, in the West, which piloted opening restaurants, bars, cafés due to their low per capita number (1/5 of Eastern states), has doubled their new cases per capita in the two weeks since the re-opening.

Restaurants are clear drivers of this shit. It sucks, but close them down, pay their bills, ride this out.

The other day our regional government was bragging that in 2020 they recorded their lowest budget deficit of the past 14 years. HOW CAN YOU BRAG ABOUT LOW DEFICITS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BIGGEST CRISIS IN OUR LIFETIME, have you been possessed by the unholy ghost of Jean-Claude Trichet?

[Sheilbh]

They're definitely doing a Boris on this one, betting that we've vaccinated enough of the elderly to keep mortality down. 

We're still in the January lockdown

We've only been allowed to meet people from other households (up to six or two households and outdoors) since Monday - and I am v excited to see non-delivery people over the Easter weekend

Restaurants are clear drivers of this shit. It sucks, but close them down, pay their bills, ride this out.

Yep.

Edit: I think outdoor hospitality re-opens in April if everything goes to plan and indoor hospitality re-opens in May. This feels like one of those monkey claw wish things because I've always thought it'd be great if the UK embraced table service - and now it's legally required

[Syt]

Austrian numbers had a bit of a dip yesterday, but back to what they were before. The numbers today are the highest Wednesday numbers since last year, with Vienna, Lower Austria, Burgenland leading the field, but Upper Austria is catching up. Vorarlberg, in the West, which piloted opening restaurants, bars, cafés due to their low per capita number (1/5 of Eastern states), has doubled their new cases per capita in the two weeks since the re-opening.

Restaurants are clear drivers of this shit. It sucks, but close them down, pay their bills, ride this out.

The other day our regional government was bragging that in 2020 they recorded their lowest budget deficit of the past 14 years. HOW CAN YOU BRAG ABOUT LOW DEFICITS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BIGGEST CRISIS IN OUR LIFETIME, have you been possessed by the unholy ghost of Jean-Claude Trichet?

Well, you need a negative test to go out. The reasoning for opening them was, "Otherwise people meet untested in private."

[celedhring]

They're definitely doing a Boris on this one, betting that we've vaccinated enough of the elderly to keep mortality down. 

We're still in the January lockdown

I meant 2020 "let it wash through the population" Boris, not the current paragon of good rulership. 

[The Larch]

https://www.politico.eu/article/sebastian-kurz-austria-threatens-to-block-eu-option-to-buy-100-million-coronavirus-vaccine-doses-in-fight-over-distribution/

I see that Portugal has proposed giving 3 million Pfizer doses to countries based on need - which doesn't include Austria

Providing more than enough vaccines for the smaller EU countries shouldn't be an issue at all. The three Baltics combined are only like 6 million people, so if Latvia (pop. 1.893.700 people) is in dire need of vaccines giving them an extra load shouldn't even move the needle for other countries. Austria blocking potential new acquisitions just to get away with a larger load (that they don't even seem to need) is the kind of asshole move one could expect from Poland or Hungary, but it looks like Kurz is as much of an asshole as he seems to be.

[The Larch]

Supposedly the UK is way too full of immigrants yet no media mentions that the travel ban is not about loitering on a British beach instead of a Spanish one for migrants like me, but about not being able to visit our families after 1.5 years of being away.

Yeah, that's the annoying thing.
My gf was lucky and got a trip during the summer relaxation. But her parents have yet to see the grandchild and we don't know when they will.

Yeah, we're in the same situation. My brother (who lives in Austria) just had a baby and we still have no idea when will we be able to see him in person. We don't want to make any assumptions, but we're hoping for international travel to be possible in the summer or autumn for a visit to be arranged.

[Sheilbh]

I meant 2020 "let it wash through the population" Boris, not the current paragon of good rulership. 

Oh dear

Providing more than enough vaccines for the smaller EU countries shouldn't be an issue at all. The three Baltics combined are only like 6 million people, so if Latvia (pop. 1.893.700 people) is in dire need of vaccines giving them an extra load shouldn't even move the needle for other countries. Austria blocking potential new acquisitions just to get away with a larger load (that they don't even seem to need) is the kind of asshole move one could expect from Poland or Hungary, but it looks like Kurz is as much of an asshole as he seems to be.

Agree. From when he became foreign minister and I first became aware of his face and hair, I've had a disproportionate dislike of him which he's finally justifying

[Zanza]

Is international travel really banned or just tedious in your countries? In Germany, you can fly to wherever they let you in. Just when you come back, you might need test and possibly quarantine.

Also domestic travel is discouraged, but not forbidden. Hotels are closed for non-business travel though.

I know people who went to Mexico or Turkey over Christmas to visit family. Lots of people now going to Mallorca as per media reports.