Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[alfred russel]

Sheilbh, there are three factors.

The low rate of urbanization (and lack of the same type of indoor culture) serves to reduce spread--that has been a constant factor throughout covid-19,

The young population and lack of access to testing will mask the spread there is,

At this point you have significant immunity built up in western populations that won't be in Africa. The part from immunizations won't be almost at all and if the spread earlier was less then they will have less from that as well.

We know that covid-19 has been spreading in places like Rwanda but not enough to result in a bunch of bodies piling up. So as of May 3, 2021, where are cases worse? I have no idea. Who has had more cases to date on a per capita basis: the US or Rwanda? I suspect there is enough data to come to an informed conclusion at least for Kigali and probably the whole country. I'd bet that the US has had more cases so far.

[crazy canuck]

In other news, looks like my brother is out of ICU. Still in hospital, but breathing without a ventilator

Great news. 

[Maladict]

In other news, looks like my brother is out of ICU. Still in hospital, but breathing without a ventilator

[Admiral Yi]

In other news, looks like my brother is out of ICU. Still in hospital, but breathing without a ventilator

Schweet

[alfred russel]

Homies, it has been a long and winding road, but it seems the baptists have finally pulled it off. DC just banned dancing at weddings. I for one welcome our new theocratic state.

https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20210503/dc-wedding-reception-dancing-ban

[Tamas]

In other news, looks like my brother is out of ICU. Still in hospital, but breathing without a ventilator

Great news!

[Tamas]

addressing the insufferable impact of the pandemic on Dorsey's leisure activities.

Why. Can't. You. Just. Ignore. Him.

[Valmy]

Homies, it has been a long and winding road, but it seems the baptists have finally pulled it off. DC just banned dancing at weddings. I for one welcome our new theocratic state.

https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20210503/dc-wedding-reception-dancing-ban

Only inside. A loophole the Baptists seldom observed

[Admiral Yi]

Why. Can't. You. Just. Ignore. Him.

Why is it important to you that other people ignore Fredo?

[Sheilbh]

Incidentally I am getting excited by these regular experiments - League Cup, FA Cup, Snooker World Championship - that, so far, do not show covid outbreaks or spikes in infections. Hope this one is as positive and I cannot wait to be in a crowd again

'We are ecstatic!': a taste of post-Covid freedom at Liverpool pilot gig
Event at Sefton Park attended by 5,000 people with no distancing or masks as part of research programme


There was much hugging and euphoria at the event in Sefton Park, with attendees free to mix on the condition of having had negative Covid tests. Photograph: Jon Super/Rex/Shutterstock
Helen Pidd North of England editor
Sun 2 May 2021 19.09 BST

The first "near-normal" concert since Covid began took place in Liverpool on Sunday, with 5,000 giddy music lovers crowding into a festival tent with no masks and no social distancing.

All had agreed to act as guinea pigs for scientists studying the safety of mass events as part of the government's Event Research Programme. A negative Covid test was a condition of entry, with concert goers asked to take a further PCR test on Friday "so that festivals can go ahead this summer".

Stockport guitar band Blossoms were headlining the show at Sefton Park, which felt like a euphoric mini-festival. There were bars selling overpriced pints of Strongbow in paper cups, huge queues for progressively grubby Portaloos and extremely excited young people scarcely able to believe their luck at being out of the house in big groups without being told off by the "rule of six" police.


A screen displays messaging about allowing people space if they want it, at the latest event in the government's research programme. Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images

"We are ecstatic!" said Tom Plummer, 19, a chemistry student who was wearing matching Hawaiian shirts with his housemates. "I will happily be a test subject for Boris [Johnson] any day."

Inside the tent messages flashed up on screens ordering revellers to "BE KIND: if someone wants a bit of space, give them room." Another said: "It's fine to wear a face mask in the big top if you want to."

Pretty much nobody did. They were too busy enjoying the novelty of having their chin – or lipstick – on display in a crowd for the first time in what has felt like an age. There was a lot of hugging, much shrieking and selfie-taking to document this evening of – dare we say it? – post-pandemic history.

Everybody was so happy to be out (out!) that the support bands were hailed like megastars. "One step for scousers ..." began Liverpudlian singer-song writer Zuzu as she opened to massive applause. "Oh my God, look at youse, I'm going to cry."

It was an emotional night. By the time Blossoms took to the stage, straight boys in bucket hats were giving each other big sloppy kisses and girls in bikinis were swaying on their boyfriends' shoulders.

Singer Tom Ogden promised "the best night you've had for a very, very long time". A low bar, perhaps, but true all the same: a sweaty, joyous, raucous evening of pressing up against strangers all singing the same tune.

Many concert goers were first-year students at Liverpool's universities, most of whom had caught Covid in freshers' week and felt cheated out of university life.

"I've still never been to a club, ever," said Jade Webber, 19, studying physiotherapy. She was extremely excited to be at the gig and had spent the previous fortnight learning all the lyrics of all three bands on the bill, to get the most out of the experience. As well as Zuzu and Blossoms, the lineup also featured Wigan four-piece the Lathums.

Tim West, 19, studying veterinary science, said lockdown had been tough on young people, who are least at risk of getting seriously ill and at the back of the vaccine queue. "Is lockdown worth killing everybody's enjoyment?" he asked.

It was Blossoms' first gig since 15 March 2020, eight days before Boris Johnson put the UK into a then unprecedented lockdown.

The five-piece thought they might be out of action a few months. Their accountant worked out they could spend 18 months off the road before they would have to get other jobs, but they quietly hoped to at least be able to hit the festival circuit to tour their number one album, Foolish Loving Spaces.


Festival goers did not have to wear face coverings or maintain social distance. Photograph: Danny Lawson/PA

In the end it was over a year since they took to the stage again for what the band described as "a massive honour".

Ticket holders had to be over 18 and registered with a GP in the Liverpool city region to attend. Contractors from outside the area, including journalists, had to take live Covid tests on Zoom on Saturday in order to gain accreditation.

The concert was the biggest seen in the UK since Covid hit last March and part of a series of pilots including club nights, football matches and snooker tournaments.

Closing the night in front of five thousand smiling faces, Ogden summed up the moment. "It had been devastating year," he said, "but this has been a colossal ray of sunshine."

Why. Can't. You. Just. Ignore. Him.

I like AR

[Tamas]

Why. Can't. You. Just. Ignore. Him.

Why is it important to you that other people ignore Fredo?

It's a waste of my time having to scroll through an entirely pointless discussion.

[garbon]

Why. Can't. You. Just. Ignore. Him.

Why is it important to you that other people ignore Fredo?

I've been doing it for years and it has been divine.

[Admiral Yi]

I've been doing it for years and it has been divine.

That's not an answer to my question.  I fully understand the benefits to myself of me ignoring other posters.  There are posters I ignore.

My question was what you get out of others ignoring them.

Is your life better because Tamas ignores Fredo?  Is Tamas' life better because you do?

[Valmy]

Tamas just said it was because he hates having to scroll past the long AR debates.

[Admiral Yi]

Tamas just said it was because he hates having to scroll past the long AR debates.

I missed it because I just started ignoring Tamas. 

I got what Tamas said, but Grab On said something different.