Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[mongers]

Hey remember that pandemic thing?

There was another car protest in Vienna against Covid measures. Furthermore, for tomorrow there's once again protests scheduled. At the same time, there will be protests in support of Ukraine's fight against the Russian aggressors. Which will be interesting, because the two camps will be diametrically opposed on several things, including Putin.

Yeah Putin kicks pandemic into touch, works on both levels.

Syt, have you considered attending the pro-Ukraine rally?

[Syt]

Don't feel super comfortable going among too many people just yet, esp. with Omicron BA.2 which is even more infectious now the dominant strain in Vienna.

[mongers]

Don't feel super comfortable going among too many people just yet, esp. with Omicron BA.2 which is even more infectious now the dominant strain in Vienna.

Good point, I didn't even consider coronavirus, just forgot about it. :gasp:

[Syt]

Not too many people at the anti-Covid protest so far, it seems. Couple hundred, maybe? Perhaps a 1000? Far from the 40k+ they managed to muster only a few weeks ago. The channels covering it on Twitter say it looks like it's only the "true believers", and it's not surprising - many restrictions are about to fall, and while the vaccine mandate is technically on the books it's not being enforced yet due to technical limitations, and there's aven rumblings that it might fall, anyways.

So that leaves brilliant folks like these:

[Syt]

Turkey closes the Dardanelles to Russian warships. That seems like a pretty big deal (not as in militarily, but that Erdogan agrees to it).

This seems to be in the wrong thread. Trust me, I know - happens to me all the time

[DGuller]

As I look at these pictures, I have one question: how did these really old pretty buildings survive WWII?  I image that between the terror bombing and the street fighting backed by assault guns, the odds were not good for such pretty buildings.  Or are those buildings fake, and are really modern buildings replicating what was there before?

[Syt]

As I look at these pictures, I have one question: how did these really old pretty buildings survive WWII?  I image that between the terror bombing and the street fighting backed by assault guns, the odds were not good for such pretty buildings.  Or are those buildings fake, and are really modern buildings replicating what was there before?

Damages varied. Vienna, on the whole, was not bombed as badly as Cologne or Hamburg, for example. The battle for Vienna was also not as ferocious as the one for Berlin. Numerous notable buildings were heavily damaged, esp. in the March 1945 raids (like the state opera which wasn't reopened till 1955, or St. Stephen's, and many others), but a lot of them were restored.

But there are exceptions. For example, the Heinrichshof:



was replaced in 1955 with this:

[Syt]

A couple of landmarks in 1945:


Albertina


Hofburg


Parliament


State Opera



Stephansdom, which had burned out in 1945

So for the most part, the main structures remained intact, or enough so to allow for reconstruction.

[DGuller]

Thanks!     Must be cool to have buildings or whole neighborhoods around that were around to witness history from many centuries ago.  I was too young to appreciate Lviv's historical city center.

[Syt]

Thanks!     Must be cool to have buildings or whole neighborhoods around that were around to witness history from many centuries ago.  I was too young to appreciate Lviv's historical city center.

It is pretty cool. The house I live in was built in 1791 (and refurbished/renovated many times since, but it's pretty much always been rental apartments). The walls, facade, etc. are still mostly the same.

[Syt]

In Berlin, 10s of thousands protest in support of Ukraine.

In Vienna you have a few thousand protesting the Austrian Covid oppression. To quote one participant: "Sure it's horrible what's happening in Ukraine, but what's happening here is also terrible!" Or as one of the key figures (she gained notoriety for tearing up a rainbow flag on stage at a Covid protest in 2020) said repeatedly at the pre-protest on Friday, "How many dead have yet to die?"

[frunk]

"How many dead have yet to die?"

Either all of them or none.  I'm not sure which.

[Syt]

A leading German Covidiot was speaking at the protest (officially counted at 15k ), calling on Western leaders to stop their aggression against Russia so that Germany doesn't become the battlefield of a World War for the 3rd time. Also, Putin is only enforcing legitimateinterests.

Also: DEUS VULT!

[Syt]

"Ukraine-fear is a replacement for receding Corona-fear.
DON'T BE PLAYED FOR A SUCKER !!!"

[Valmy]

So instead of being afraid of wars and disease I should just kind of be in a vague constant state of pathological paranoia? I don't know...the other sounds less likely to drive me insane.