Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[The Larch]

I'd say that a certain level of paranoia also plays a role in those wanting draconian measures to be kept further along than necessary.

There's those cases as well, but I'm referring to those that only see problems in parties, young people around or nightlife. Public transportation to the brim, not a problem.
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Oh yes, there's been quite a lot of scapegoating the young during the whole pandemic, and now that (at least over here) they're the group that remains to be vaccinated they seem to be the ones driving the current wave, so even more pressure is put on those activities.

[Syt]

Though the numbers are low, Austria is seeing an uptick in daily cases again, with 153 reported today, the highest in a month. Also the R is over 1 again for the first time since March. The government still plans for further relaxation of measures in two weeks.

[Duque de Bragança]

Some Brits seem quite radical regarding the kind of permanent measures that could be established to fight Covid.

Just saw the actual poll from Ipsos Mori and my favourite is the 26% who think nightclubs and casinos should be close permanently regardless of the covid situation

Edit: Although the 19% who want a permanent 10pm curfew are actually terrifying

Yeah, those two are the most chilling ones. It's way more than the usual 1-2% of people who just mess up surveys. I guess it's a legion of pensioners thinking that way. 

Discos and night-clubs were not doing well in France before the crisis. Most were not in city centres (party neighborhoods), except for some in Paris and the biggest cities, but stereotypically between two suburban motorway exchanges, not far from hyper/super market car parks. 
Youths like more and more free parties, or party bars/pubs. Even lots of 30-40 year olds think of discos as somewhat old-fashioned.

[Maladict]

Our fourth wave is starting, with the steepest curve since the pandemic started.
Just when all lights were supposed to turn green and everyone is busy booking their holidays.

New restrictions will not going to go over well, especially since the government (rashly) decided to end all restrictions just weeks ago and all the kids went out partying immediately and haven't stopped since.

And nightlife is being closed down again, effective immediately until at least late August. Same for big events.

With any luck the kids can still go abroad to party and catch it there.

[Sheilbh]

So cases appear to be flattening in Wales and on the decline in Scotland - it is being note this seems to be happening about 7-10 days after those nations were knocked out of the Euros. I slightly wonder if a lot of the very rapid growth in the UK actually reflects that and people crowding into pubs as much as they can to watch games?

It'd be interesting to do a study with other countries across Europe to see if there is a Euro 2020 effect?

Edit: And there are signs it's levelling off in England too - it may be people changing behaviour because of new cases as mobility data is down. So it may be nothing to do with the Euros.

[Josquius]

Could also be fun to map things out for places with large British expat populations.

[crazy canuck]

So cases appear to be flattening in Wales and on the decline in Scotland - it is being note this seems to be happening about 7-10 days after those nations were knocked out of the Euros. I slightly wonder if a lot of the very rapid growth in the UK actually reflects that and people crowding into pubs as much as they can to watch games?

It'd be interesting to do a study with other countries across Europe to see if there is a Euro 2020 effect?

Yeah, I was wondering about that as well.  Hopefully the numbers drop a couple of weeks after Sunday's match.  But in the interim, it is hard to think of a worse super spreader event than what is going to happen on Sunday.

[Sheilbh]

Yeah, I was wondering about that as well.  Hopefully the numbers drop a couple of weeks after Sunday's match.  But in the interim, it is hard to think of a worse super spreader event than what is going to happen on Sunday.

Yeah - and from what I understand very few cases have been linked to the stadiums themselves which makes sense because they are outdoors so very well-ventilated and also all stadiums in England (I don't know about elsewhere) have had loads of changes for covid - it is apparently a totally different/new experience going to a stadium. But there are links to public transport and pubs/bars around the stadiums that are enclosed and where people go for a drink and also all of the pubs/bars across the country showing the games.

I imagine there's something similar in Italy - where every bar in the country has a TV or projector for Sunday..

[crazy canuck]

Yeah, I was wondering about that as well.  Hopefully the numbers drop a couple of weeks after Sunday's match.  But in the interim, it is hard to think of a worse super spreader event than what is going to happen on Sunday.

Yeah - and from what I understand very few cases have been linked to the stadiums themselves which makes sense because they are outdoors so very well-ventilated and also all stadiums in England (I don't know about elsewhere) have had loads of changes for covid - it is apparently a totally different/new experience going to a stadium. But there are links to public transport and pubs/bars around the stadiums that are enclosed and where people go for a drink and also all of the pubs/bars across the country showing the games.

I imagine there's something similar in Italy - where every bar in the country has a TV or projector for Sunday..

And really around the world.  I imagine that Commercial Drive (an historic Italian hub in Vancouver) is going to have packed pubs, restaurants - anything with a TV where people can get together to cheer on their side.

[Sheilbh]

Yep - and of course the Copa America is happening as well so I imagine it's similar all over Latin America and in Colombian, Brazilian etc bars all over Europe and North America too.

[crazy canuck]

Yep - and of course the Copa America is happening as well so I imagine it's similar all over Latin America and in Colombian, Brazilian etc bars all over Europe and North America too.

Yeah, the next two weeks will be... interesting.

[Syt]

[mongers]

Wales under pressure to set Covid freedom date

This notion of a "Covid freedom date" is ludicrous, is it mainly used by some UK politicians and tabloid papers or is also encountered in other countries.

[Duque de Bragança]

Our fourth wave is starting, with the steepest curve since the pandemic started.
Just when all lights were supposed to turn green and everyone is busy booking their holidays.

New restrictions will not going to go over well, especially since the government (rashly) decided to end all restrictions just weeks ago and all the kids went out partying immediately and haven't stopped since.

And nightlife is being closed down again, effective immediately until at least late August. Same for big events.

With any luck the kids can still go abroad to party and catch it there.

or

[Sheilbh]

Our fourth wave is starting, with the steepest curve since the pandemic started.
Just when all lights were supposed to turn green and everyone is busy booking their holidays.

New restrictions will not going to go over well, especially since the government (rashly) decided to end all restrictions just weeks ago and all the kids went out partying immediately and haven't stopped since.

And nightlife is being closed down again, effective immediately until at least late August. Same for big events.

With any luck the kids can still go abroad to party and catch it there.

or

Interesting report that the government here had dismissed the idea of domestic covid vaccine passports for pubs and nighlife venue. But so far there is far lower vaccine take-up among young people and they are re-considering them. We already have the app with our vaccine status so it wouldn't be a big change, I imagine it would probably be a little bit similar the track and trace QR code.

I'm not sure how I feel about it. I suspect there is an issue of outreach as well as up-take. I have a chronic condition so I always have an update local GP but speaking to frineds and they've been getting vaccinated at areas they've not lived for five years because they're young and healthy - the surveys done by the ONS show no difference in desire for young people to get a vaccine it's also around 95%. But I think it is fair that there is probably less urgency (perhaps especially because it doesn't make much of a difference yet for international travel from the UK either). I can see the benefits and it creates a material incentive for people, but at the same time some people can't get vaccinated and while first jabs are open to everyone they are still being militant about the eight week limit.

Edit: Also I am back being annoyed at vaccine coverage. There's a study from Chile on use of the Coronavac virus which shows that it's safe and effective (about 85% on serious hospitalisation). I searched for "coronavac" to see which one this is, and it's the Sinovac vaccine. But the first story I saw had the headline "Sinovac's vaccine shown to be inferior to Pfizer shot in Chile study" - which I just find kind of enraging. It's another good vaccine - it's safe, it's effective and given that it's being used by China domestically and also sent abroad it's going to be available to hundreds of millions of people (many in countries with health systems that can't afford Pfizer) - and I feel like that should be the focus. Another good working vaccine not a "Which?" product review