Corona Virus

[Tricky]

My manager just lost his father in law to covid, felt unwell with it last week but seemed to be doing ok on antibiotics, then at the weekend it suddenly turned into bacterial pneumonia and he rapidly went downhill. It's very real and people need to stop acting like it's no big deal. This would have been under far better control months ago in the UK if people had actually heeded the governments advice and stayed at home instead of looking for every which way to bend and break the rules to keep seeing each other and carry on as if there's nothing happening.

[JDP]

The US gets a big fat F on this. If Covid was killing 10% of the people that contracted it, the US would be done as a country and would be on its knees begging for help from anyone who would listen. Never seen people act like children over not being able to go to a bar, because youth sports might be cancelled, because the tanning salon isn't open, etc. Fragile and paranoid is what I think of most Americans. I already had a DIM opinion of most of my fellow countrymen, this seals it. Most Americans don't give a shit about anything but themselves and the few people in orbit around them. There. I stayed away from politics and went after the country as a whole. To me it isn't about Right or Left or any of that shit. It's about what information are you gonna give credit to and what kind of lunatic nonsense are you gonna buy into. Dipshits and asshats come in all political flavors. Neil, I will literally pay you to fry the first person who acts the fool over this. This pandemic is one of the biggest, maybe biggest thing, that's happened in our lives. It has separated families, shut down economies, and pretty much been a planet wide bummer. We should talk about it...without paranoia or nonsense. I've even had to sever friendships over this shit, some of them people that I have known even since way back in high school! Sorry, but I just won't risk my health and even possibly my life for anyone's paranoia. And it doesn't matter how many times I have explained to them that this is not any "hoax", they still insist on wanting to go on with their lives as if nothing has happened. "Come hang out with us, don't be scared of the Covid-19 Bogeyman!" Uh, no thanks! I'll send you "Get Well Soon!" postcards when you find yourselves in obligatory quarantine because you contracted this crap due to your silly unfounded conspiracy theories and irresponsible behavior.

[MinionZombie]

Yep. There's a story in the news just now about a UK family who've now lost FOUR members after they insisted on having a family Xmas. We've been isolating since early March, and personal family circumstances that have recently developed have kept us hunkered down - particularly during the summer when so many people were just swanning about doing whatever they liked - so we've been essentially "locked down" for damn near a year now. Therefore, it absolutely infuriates me to see utter twats waltzing about in town without a mask on, or - like today - a couple of ladies shuffling up the street, one masked properly, the other blabbering away with only her chin covered. The mini lockdown at the tail end of last year ... barely saw a difference in traffic around town (we get online shopping, thankfully, so we don't have to venture in - I just drive through while giving the cars a spin to keep the batteries going, as I've been doing since April). The only time I've been outside of the house is to either drive the cars (in which case I get in at home, drive a non-stop loop, and then get out once back at home), or visits to the hospital and GP surgery (because of the aforementioned change in family circumstances, which have taken a torrid year and turned into a living nightmare that will never be rectified). So yeah, idiot members of the public, "influencers" sodding off to Dubai, and useless governments/politicians (Bojo is absolutely not cut out to be a Prime Minister) making the wrong decisions or making the right ones weeks after they should have been taken, has led to this nonsense continuing and it all fucks me right off. At least during this latest lockdown I've seen, relatively speaking, more mask wearing and fewer cars on the road - so there's more heed being paid to it compared to the last one ... but there's still utter buffoons out there fucking things up, and, frankly, the vaccine should surely be targetted at people who are most likely to spread it (as well as the most vulnerable). I can't tell you how mad it made me to pass the county colleges (on the way back and forth to the hospital) to see the college kids swanning about with NO FUCKING MASKS ON in great big groups. Just yards away from the hospital itself (which had active Covid cases) I saw a group of teen boys literally sitting on top of one another outside KFC. Teens. Always banging on about wanting to be treated like adults, harping on about "votes for 16 year olds", and all that shit, and they're faced with the biggest global event in living memory (aside from WWII) - a respiratory pandemic that can be combatted by WEARING A SIMPLE FUCKING MASK - and they can't be fucking bothered. Nope, can't social distance, can't cover their spotty faces and bum fluff, can't follow a simple instruction ... ... fucking maddening. Same goes for those 20-somethings (or indeed anything-somethings) who are all like, "Nah, I won't get it, or I'll not be affected by it if I do get it" just running around licking door handles or whatever idiotic shit they do. "Ooh, mah freedoms!" - what freedoms? To show the bottom half of your ugly face in public? Wowee. Eat shit. I wanted to go full-blown Nicholson so bad seeing that shit. I mean, it was literally a needle-in-a-hay-stack situation trying to see one of those college kids wearing a mask.

[Neil]

Yep. There's a story in the news just now about a UK family who've now lost FOUR members after they insisted on having a family Xmas. The problem with these obviously horrible stories, is that:- 1) The average age of a CV19 fatality is basically older than life expectancy. 2) Something like over 90% of victims have a co-morbidity. 3) Over 80% have two... 4) If you look at the weekly death rates, even now in January, they're not that much out of the norm. Meanwhile, we are now ten months into 'house arrest' with the economy being utterly decimated, and most likely so much harm being done to public health it outweighs the good we're supposedly doing it for.

[ProfessorChaos]

I found out from our regional supervisor yesterday that I am eligible to receive the vaccine, given the nature of my job and how they can justify classifying me as an essential first responder. Problem is, they don't have enough of the vaccine in my county, sounds like it won't be around till May. Kind of hesitant because of the fact that there are no long-term studies on this yet. However, someone I work with has had the virus and has had one hell of a time bouncing back, about like Mike it sounds like. And my brother's wife lost her grandmother to it at the beginning of the year. However, I also know a handful of people who have had it, and had no real problems with it other than a runny nose and mild chest congestion. So while I don't I think the whole thing is a grand hoax, I'm not sure if it's as bad as they're letting on. Apparently it is for some people. Not sure about the vaccine yet though, I guess I'll see when it becomes available how I'm feeling about it.

[JDP]

I found out from our regional supervisor yesterday that I am eligible to receive the vaccine, given the nature of my job and how they can justify classifying me as an essential first responder. Problem is, they don't have enough of the vaccine in my county, sounds like it won't be around till May. Kind of hesitant because of the fact that there are no long-term studies on this yet. However, someone I work with has had the virus and has had one hell of a time bouncing back, about like Mike it sounds like. And my brother's wife lost her grandmother to it at the beginning of the year. However, I also know a handful of people who have had it, and had no real problems with it other than a runny nose and mild chest congestion. So while I don't I think the whole thing is a grand hoax, I'm not sure if it's as bad as they're letting on. Apparently it is for some people. Not sure about the vaccine yet though, I guess I'll see when it becomes available how I'm feeling about it. It's like playing Russian roulette. You may get the bullet or you may not. You don't know how this thing will affect you until you get it. So, the best thing is to not "play the game" in the first place and not get infected with this shit. As for the vaccine: it is too recent, I would not risk taking it yet. I know a doctor who works at a clinic, he qualifies for taking it since he is in daily contact with infected people, and he sure as heck is not taking it yet. He wants to wait and see if there's any serious side effects first.

[EvilNed]

The problem with these obviously horrible stories, is that:- 1) The average age of a CV19 fatality is basically older than life expectancy. 2) Something like over 90% of victims have a co-morbidity. 3) Over 80% have two... 4) If you look at the weekly death rates, even now in January, they're not that much out of the norm. Meanwhile, we are now ten months into 'house arrest' with the economy being utterly decimated, and most likely so much harm being done to public health it outweighs the good we're supposedly doing it for. To play the devil's advovate: Mortality is only part of it. The virus is very infectious and can bring otherwise healthy people to their knees. Recovery can be slow and while the mortality rate might not be all out of the norm there is obviously an effect on society to carry on as normal since there are so many sick people. The Virus spreads mostly through superspreaders and clusters, which makes it very unpredicteable. If it strikes, it can strike bad.

[Neil]

To play the devil's advovate: Mortality is only part of it. The virus is very infectious and can bring otherwise healthy people to their knees. Recovery can be slow and while the mortality rate might not be all out of the norm there is obviously an effect on society to carry on as normal since there are so many sick people. The Virus spreads mostly through superspreaders and clusters, which makes it very unpredicteable. If it strikes, it can strike bad. Agreed... But I still think there's been an out of proportion reaction to test figures and death rates vs the damaged being done to economies and public health by very questionable lockdown measures. And let's not even go into civil liberties being trampled over by decree. I know a doctor who works at a clinic, he qualifies for taking it since he is in daily contact with infected people, and he sure as heck is not taking it yet. He wants to wait and see if there's any serious side effects first. I suspect the vaccine is absolutely fine... BUT, I understand the concern given the rush to get them through... I'm not keen on taking it.

[MinionZombie]

As soon as I'm eligible for a vaccine I'm fucking taking it. Mind you, with the way the roll out is happening - both in terms of categories and the actual pace of administering vaccines - it'll be ages until I'm up for it. Teams all over the world have been working on it, in conjunction, and have been building on knowledge they already knew about other strains of Covid. It may be somewhat unprecedented, the speed at which they've managed this, but these are also highly exceptional times. We've not had a pandemic like this in living memory, and the last time mankind had one this bad you not only didn't have the scientific abilities, but also didn't have the mass spread capabilities of twatty influencers and selfish pricks insisting on having their international holibobs DURING A FUCKING PANDEMIC. Considering the widespread impact of global lockdowns - and not just in financial terms, because there have been so many knock-on effects - it's in the global interest to tackle it, hence the concerted and coordinated efforts. Paranoid about having the vaccine? Based on what exactly? Meanwhile... https://uk.news.yahoo.com/covid-deni...134207238.html

[Neil]

Paranoid about having the vaccine? Based on what exactly? For me, the fact it has been rushed through, and the fact that I almost certainly don't need it. ie: To repeat:- 1) The average age of a CV19 fatality is basically older than life expectancy. 2) Something like over 90% of victims have a co-morbidity. 3) Over 80% have two... ^ I don't see myself as an at risk individual, and the vaccine is not a pancea to prevent infection or symptoms. ie: It only reduces them... If it comes to some rediculous arm twisting where I need it for a vaccine passport for a holiday I guess I'll have one. And I really really don't want my kids to have it. They literally have no reason to have it... Meanwhile... https://uk.news.yahoo.com/covid-deni...134207238.html I really don't understand the covid denial mindset. Very odd. But then we have people who believe the earth is flat and 'space is fake'. What I find interesting in your article, is it seems to fail to mention that he seemingly had asthma. ie: Respitatory diseases are not good when combined with asthma. So we have the press happy to push the narrative of he died from CV19 alone? For that added bit of alarmism?

[EvilNed]

Neil, I think you've misunderstood. You do not take the vaccine to prevent yourself from getting sick and saving your own life. You take it from preventing yourself from getting sick and saving other people's lives.

[Mike70]

^ I don't see myself as an at risk individual, and the vaccine is not a pancea to prevent infection or symptoms. ie: It only reduces them... Bwhahahahaha! That will not keep you safe. I'm not an at-risk individual either. I can barely walk 25m now because of Covid and it looks to be permanent. Take the vaccine. You DO NOT WANT to play Covid roulette. Yes, most people recover. But a significant number of those folks have new health issues - heart problems, asthma, muscle issues. I wish there'd have been a vaccine in November. I'd still be able to hike. I'll probably never do that again and it hurts because I loved hiking. It was a big part of my recreation. I'll probably never play basketball again. THAT SUCKS BIG TIME. Take the vaccine. You don't want endocarditis. You don't want asthma. You do want to be able to walk. Don't act like an American anti-vaxxer.

[MinionZombie]

For me, the fact it has been rushed through, and the fact that I almost certainly don't need it. ie: To repeat:- 1) The average age of a CV19 fatality is basically older than life expectancy. 2) Something like over 90% of victims have a co-morbidity. 3) Over 80% have two... ^ I don't see myself as an at risk individual, and the vaccine is not a pancea to prevent infection or symptoms. ie: It only reduces them... If it comes to some rediculous arm twisting where I need it for a vaccine passport for a holiday I guess I'll have one. And I really really don't want my kids to have it. They literally have no reason to have it... I really don't understand the covid denial mindset. Very odd. But then we have people who believe the earth is flat and 'space is fake'. What I find interesting in your article, is it seems to fail to mention that he seemingly had asthma. ie: Respitatory diseases are not good when combined with asthma. So we have the press happy to push the narrative of he died from CV19 alone? For that added bit of alarmism? 1) There's still clearly a risk to people who aren't vulnerable. Mike's Russian roulette metaphor is appropriate. Or it's like spin the bottle. You may or may not get it. If you do get it, you may or may not get it bad. If you get it bad you may or may not die. If you don't die but have it bad, you'll likely have knock-on effects for a very long time. Do you seriously want to run any percentage of risk by not taking the vaccine, or having your kids vaccinated (although I'd imagine children who aren't in specific vulnerable categories won't be vaccinated for a long time, if ever, and should therefore benefit from folks above their age range having received the vaccine)? There's been plenty of stories in the past year of deniers, or just folks who haven't been fussed, getting Covid and either dying or getting it very badly - or passing it onto their loved ones, who then die - and I bet they all wish they'd been a bit more careful and taken it seriously. As for the speed of making the vaccine ... speed doesn't exclusively correlate with "dangerous". Do you have a background in manufacturing vaccines? No. Neither do I. I'll leave it in the capable hands of countless people the world over who have worked together and pooled their vastly superior knowledge on the subject of viruses and vaccines, and put my trust in them. Being paranoid about it is about as silly as the time when Tony Blair went all iffy about routine childhood vaccinations - the widely debunked panics about them causing autism - regardless of the timescale for developing them. Sometimes you have a ticking clock and that sets the agenda. 2) It's not my article, it's some article on Yahoo. Him having asthma then made him more vulnerable to Covid. Had he taken it seriously he wouldn't have got the virus and he wouldn't be dead right now, and his family wouldn't be grieving, left with his mess to clean up and the gaping void of where he used to be to fill up somehow, if possible.

[JDP]

. Paranoid about having the vaccine? Based on what exactly? Not really "paranoia", it's just the same thing with all new vaccines, they are still basically on a "test period" until a very large number of people have taken them and been observed for side effects. The CDC keeps track of such things, so it is good to periodically check their updates. Example: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...s/Moderna.html Notice this pertinent part: Most side effects were mild to moderate. However, a small number of people had severe side effects that affected their ability to do daily activities. Keep an eye on such warnings. Hopefully, it remains restricted to "a small number of people" permanently and you do not fall in that category. If push comes to shove, take the risk and get vaccinated, but if it is not something urgent, if you are certain that you are not at high risk of getting infected, then wait and see if the vaccine's safety status does not change. The more people get vaccinated and very few to no one develops any serious side effects, the better for you. It means your chances of being in the "at risk" group for the bad side of the vaccine are minimal.

[Neil]

1) There's still clearly a risk to people who aren't vulnerable. Mike's Russian roulette metaphor is appropriate. Or it's like spin the bottle. You may or may not get it. If you do get it, you may or may not get it bad. If you get it bad you may or may not die. If you don't die but have it bad, you'll likely have knock-on effects for a very long time. Do you seriously want to run any percentage of risk by not taking the vaccine, or having your kids vaccinated (although I'd imagine children who aren't in specific vulnerable categories won't be vaccinated for a long time, if ever, and should therefore benefit from folks above their age range having received the vaccine)? Yes and no... Again the vaccine is not a guarantee, only an improvement to odds. And keep in mind things like statistically children are at more risk of death from seasonal flu than CV19. I suspect when all this is done and dusted well see a fatality rate akin to contracting normal seasonal flu, but the current hype is giving people the impression it's something far worse. Him having asthma then made him more vulnerable to Covid. Had he taken it seriously he wouldn't have got the virus and he wouldn't be dead right now, and his family wouldn't be grieving, left with his mess to clean up and the gaping void of where he used to be to fill up somehow, if possible. Yep, being at such clear risk, he was a total plum, and should appear on a Darwin Awards list somewhere... I watched this the other day and mirrors my concerns, are the way stats are being given to us results in a considered view, or one risking leading to hysteria - ie: covid death rates being given with no real context and based on a death within 28 days of a +ve CV19 test - and also questions are the deaths incurred by our ten+ months of lockdown measures risking out weighing the lives they are supposed to save? - https://vimeo.com/505133187