Corona Virus

[EvilNed]

Alright, so can we get an update on everyone? I hope everyone is OK. Currently in Stockholm, Sweden. The Swedish situation is very complicated because technically we have restrictions but people just don't give a crap about them. And the only things that can be enforced by law like the sale of alcohol and stuff like that. So currently, we're not allowed to be more than 8 people in "public places". But the definition of what a "public place" is not defined. I was in a café this morning that was just as busy as ever. So the only thing that's really shut down are cinemas, theaters and churches... People are doing their best to cancel social events and the like but there's only so much a populace is going to do without being enforced by police or whatever - and there's none of that. The government is not ordering cafés or restaurants closed because the Swedish constitution does not allow the government to infringe on people's rights except in a state of war. The numbers are pretty high right now as well. I know a lot of people who've had it (only one who got it bad, tho).

[shootemindehead]

Still Lockdown 2.0 here. Won't be easing until the 18th when shops and restaurants will be allow to open for a while. "Wet" pubs won't be opening, unfortunately . Travel between counties will happen for a short period after the 18th for Christmas. I won't be going anywhere, but the Mrs might head home for a few days. I can see things going back to restricted after that and remaining that way into the new year. Our numbers are staying around a few hundred, with a small number of deaths here and there. To be honest, unless something drastic changes, I can't see much happening for the first quarter of the year.

[MinionZombie]

Well, Corona Virus and the various lockdowns and restrictions have been the fetid rotten cherry on top of what has been a horrible year for us, what with Dad's stroke. It's thrown everything up in the air for us and, because of the piss poor way that we've been treated by the system of the NHS (e.g. we were supposed to get 2 weeks notice of him being discharged from the stroke ward, we instead got 24 hours; we were supposed to get a full debrief with a doctor regarding his stroke and his general health, we instead got nothing at all, with Dad being led to believe he had a "clean bill of health", when in fact he'd also had a heart attack (which we've only just discovered evidence of after an echo-cardiogram, which was scheduled MONTHS later than it should have been and only after we hassled them into remembering we even existed!); we were told "it's just a bit of a problem with speaking that'll take a bit of time", which while true, negated the fact that he has, basically, suffered some brain damage because of the stroke; indeed, the whole discharge process was handled very poorly and, further to that, the ONLY time ANY doctor contacted us was 48 hours after the stroke to pester us about DNR ... it's an endless list of fuck ups and failures and lack of communication. The bright shining beacon amongst the shit, though, have been the therapists (well, almost all of them). One in particular has been absolutely fantastic and helped us out in so many ways, such as translating a discharge sheet full of medical jagon into something we can actually understand. The boots on the ground, the folks who actually have to work in spite of the piss poor planning and communication and orders of those actually running the NHS, have been the ones who really get anything done and do things to help you. Our local GP surgery is lacking, to put it nicely. He's going to have a 72 hour heart monitor done next week - something which, surely, should have been conducted multiple times during his original month-long stay in the stroke ward? Why on earth is it being done SIX MONTHS later? *sigh* All of this has put a huge strain on our family, which is only small, it's just the four of us, one of whom lives on the other side of the country and is in a different Tier - so they won't be able to make it home for Christmas at all. I used to love Christmas, really look forward to it, get all into the wrapping of presents and the food and having the family together under one roof, but this year I'm absolutely dreading it. I just want it to be over and done with. Considering how fucking awful our 2020 has been, fucking Corona Virus and all its knock-on effects (nationally, personally, day-to-day) has been an absolute nightmare. If there was a God, they'd be a fucking scumbag.

[Neil]

Alright, so can we get an update on everyone? I hope everyone is OK. Currently in Stockholm, Sweden. The Swedish situation is very complicated because technically we have restrictions but people just don't give a crap about them. And the only things that can be enforced by law like the sale of alcohol and stuff like that. So currently, we're not allowed to be more than 8 people in "public places". But the definition of what a "public place" is not defined. I was in a café this morning that was just as busy as ever. So the only thing that's really shut down are cinemas, theaters and churches... People are doing their best to cancel social events and the like but there's only so much a populace is going to do without being enforced by police or whatever - and there's none of that. The government is not ordering cafés or restaurants closed because the Swedish constitution does not allow the government to infringe on people's rights except in a state of war. The numbers are pretty high right now as well. I know a lot of people who've had it (only one who got it bad, tho). But Sweden at least hasn't taken a sledge hammer to its economy and public health, out of all proportion to the thread CV19 in truth poses ...

[kidgloves]

As someone who works in retail, this virus has absolutely devastated my industry. Many friends and colleagues have,and will, lose their jobs. I'm in the end game of working life with no kids so thankfully I won't be too affected by the economic fallout but i have huge sympathy for the generations below who are going to have to pay for this.

[Neil]

As someone who works in retail, this virus has absolutely devastated my industry. Many friends and colleagues have,and will, lose their jobs. I'm in the end game of working life with no kids so thankfully I won't be too affected by the economic fallout but i have huge sympathy for the generations below who are going to have to pay for this. Agreed! Oh, I suspect in years to come, when the 'accounting' is done, we'll work out the death and suffering caused by lockdown measures (eg: undiagnosed cancer & missed treatments) were greater than the lives potentially saved. And most of the lives 'saved' are of course folks older than life expectancy... Then add on the decimation of the economies and all the suffering that causes (like unemployment). ie: Poverty kills. Frankly, I'm livid at the lockdown measures employed in the UK. The last time an economic crisis like this occured in the UK, it was due to German bombs landing. But with annual death rates akin to average, and ICU usage akin to seasonal average, we have the Government taking a sledge hammer to the economy in effect because of a severe flu. They keep saying they're following the science, but it's a select group of scientific opinions contrary to others, and more importantly they don't seem to be doing a cross benefit analysis of if the cure is worse than the disease. Which I'm certain it is. By a long way! And let's not even get into the draconian enforcement of covid laws, with people being arrested simply of daring to peacefully protest against the Government's actions. /rant

[kidgloves]

I'm really not surprised about the conspiracy theories doing the rounds. The gap between the rich and the poor is getting even bigger except this time the middle classes are being downgraded along with us working class. Tech companies are gagging and censoring a lot of opinions that go against the government's advice. The government are using out of date data to justify these measures. I'm classed as an essential worker and have been supporting our supermarket side of our business. All through this time I have been customer facing in various roles and I haven't come across one single person who even knows anyone whose been hospitalised. This guy sums up my feelings entirely.

[Mike70]

Boris Johnson is a little frat boy twit in American terms. i doubt that he has the maturity, seasoning, and adult mindset that is necessary for our time. Public school bastards with money in their pocket are the last people who need to be making decisions for Britain right now. He's in the same league as the that fuckin' punk orange fuckin' idiot in the White House....for just a few more days... but anyway, the Trump administration has lowered my opinion of Americans by....about 4 million points or so. I'm on another topic but nationalism makes me wanna throw bricks at the faces of the idiots talking that shite. "America First" was the worst thing that ever came out of anyone's lips over here. You CANNOT be a world leader with that attitude. Sorry for this digression. I've never hated any politician in the way I hate Donald Trump. My father is coming to live with us. He's nearly 80 and I'm completely out of patience with American fuckwits. There are still morons over here who think this is a "hoax" thanks to Trump's traitorous ass.

[shootemindehead]

The last few weeks of Trump has shown just how unfit for office he really was. Petulant time wasting with a 1-39 loss in courts over bogus, and frankly ridiculous, claims of voter fraud, with him perpetrating a dreadful and obvious grift upon the stupider part of the GOP's support base to relieve them of their cash. His entourage, too, are involved in an bizarre farce trying to run a nonsensical narrative that Biden lost the election, but is trying to pull the wool over people's eyes...somehow. An utterly baseless conspiracy that involve millions of people, the entire Democratic Party and state officials (some of which Trump himself put into power). What absolute fuckin scumbags. Trump and his cronies should be a lesson to all Americans.

[Neil]

Can we not have another thread decending into 'that territory' again please... ie: Let's basically keep it on topic with covid.

[Mike70]

Can we not have another thread decending into 'that territory' again please... ie: Let's basically keep it on topic with covid. Certainly. I'm sick with this shite. I'm uncomfortable. Muscle weakness, stuffed up head, I had a sore throat (it went away today, hopefully I;m on the up swing), and I can't taste anything. The taste thing is the worst part of this. I've been down since Thanksgiving. Thankfully, I work mostly from home. I spend my days reading micrographs (images taken with an electron microscope) and interpreting imagery from things like ground penetrating radar and infrared satellite images. So, my professional life hasn't been too effected.

[Neil]

Certainly. I'm sick with this shite. I'm uncomfortable. Muscle weakness, stuffed up head, I had a sore throat (it went away today, hopefully I;m on the up swing), and I can't taste anything. The taste thing is the worst part of this. I've been down since Thanksgiving. Thankfully, I work mostly from home. I spend my days reading micrographs (images taken with an electron microscope) and interpreting imagery from things like ground penetrating radar and infrared satellite images. So, my professional life hasn't been too effected. Have you had a bad flu before? If so how does it compare? Many months ago myself and partner both had a headache for about 3 days. I also had a sore throat. One afternoon, very unlike us, we both were so tired we had to go to bed to sleep it off. Was that a mild CV19? Or simply another bug? Who knows...

[Mike70]

Have you had a bad flu before? If so how does it compare? Many months ago myself and partner both had a headache for about 3 days. I also had a sore throat. One afternoon, very unlike us, we both were so tired we had to go to bed to sleep it off. Was that a mild CV19? Or simply another bug? Who knows... What I've had is like a mild flu or a decent case of strep throat. Then again, I'm not struggling to breathe. it's all relative. I may have to go get a potassium infusion tomorrow at the hospital because I've not had much appetite and I think my K level is getting low. If I do, I'll count myself lucky. Getting K can be nice and warm if it's done right.

[Neil]

Another example of how the cure might be worse than the disease. Nearly 25% of US dollars were printed this year...

[Mike70]

Another example of how the cure might be worse than the disease. Nearly 25% of US dollars were printed this year... 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.