Corona Virus

[shootemindehead]

That's how easy it can be to catch it. A little bit gets onto a mucus membrane and then it's a roll of the dice how bad you get it. We've (as in me and my family) been super vigilant, but we've also basically cut ourselves off from the outside world. I haven't set foot in a shop since the week before lockdown #1 in March 2020, and when we have had to have people come to the house they've either just been doing work outside (e.g. gutter cleaners) or have themselves been very vigilant when coming inside (in that case they've only been physical, occupational, and speech therapists for my Dad). How's your old man getting on?

[Neil]

i haven't set foot in a shop since the week before lockdown #1 in march 2020. mumma!

[MinionZombie]

How's your old man getting on? Do you mean in general or after having had the vaccine? In general he'll never be the same again, the stroke did too much damage. Speech is up and down, sometimes he's okay and other times he struggles a lot. Even at the best of times he's way below where he used to be. Physically he's been impacted, too. The cognitive damage done by the stroke has had widespread ramifications, too. Even his personality has changed. The whole thing has clobbered us all considerably, with everything made even worse by every shitty aspect of Covid and lockdown etc. If I wasn't here to help Mum simply wouldn't be able to cope with everything that needs doing or taking on. The vaccine - he had a sore/achey arm for a couple of days, maybe felt a smidge tired, but that was it. mumma! It was to get some milk in the local Spar. At that point we were already wearing masks and gloves (the latter just for that one thing in that one shop). A week before Dad had the stroke I went into the pharmacy to pick up a prescription for him (had it not been for Covid, and the GP surgeries being so reluctant to actually see anyone, leaving them to wrongly self-diagnose, he might have evaded the stroke), and I was wearing a mask - the only person in the building. When I exited I was actually laughed at.

[Neil]

The vaccine - he had a sore/achey arm for a couple of days, maybe felt a smidge tired, but that was it. Sounds like my mum...

[shootemindehead]

Do you mean in general or after having had the vaccine? In general he'll never be the same again, the stroke did too much damage. Speech is up and down, sometimes he's okay and other times he struggles a lot. Even at the best of times he's way below where he used to be. Physically he's been impacted, too. The cognitive damage done by the stroke has had widespread ramifications, too. Even his personality has changed. The whole thing has clobbered us all considerably, with everything made even worse by every shitty aspect of Covid and lockdown etc. If I wasn't here to help Mum simply wouldn't be able to cope with everything that needs doing or taking on. The vaccine - he had a sore/achey arm for a couple of days, maybe felt a smidge tired, but that was it. I meant his recovery from the stroke he had. It can be a long old road, but I have seen people make great recoveries even after severe ones. Things do change, though, and sometimes permanently. As you say COVID isn't going to make things any easier and it couldn't have happened at a worse time, that's for sure. But, at least you're all around to lend a hand. There's no underestimating the difficulties involved though. It sets a hell of a task before everyone.

[ProfessorChaos]

Does it know where it got it from? It's interesting how many people are being very careful and yet still catch it... he and his wife are both schoolteachers and have 3 school age children so they are more exposed than most. as far as I know their school has strict policies in place about masks, social distancing, etc. he is also a basketball coach and they are starting their season, albeit with extra precautions. so far he is the only one in his household who has it. he is isolating in the basement. says he is doing fine other than a bit of fatigue, but not out of the woods yet.

[Mike70]

I think if 'Rona has shown us anything it is this - There is NO WAY the US or UK would survive a pandemic that was killing even 25% of the population. The US would be over as a world power, probably forever, and might even split up into smaller countries. I have 0 faith now in our civilization's ability to survive a really deadly pandemic. It would be the end of everything. There's no real arguing this point either. The actions of many US citizens and even the governments of several states are a death trip if something like the Black Death ever rears its head. I gotta laugh at anyone who thinks this civilization would survive anything like that.

[Neil]

I think if 'Rona has shown us anything it is this - There is NO WAY the US or UK would survive a pandemic that was killing even 25% of the population. The US would be over as a world power, probably forever, and might even split up into smaller countries. I have 0 faith now in our civilization's ability to survive a really deadly pandemic. It would be the end of everything. There's no real arguing this point either. The actions of many US citizens and even the governments of several states are a death trip if something like the Black Death ever rears its head. I gotta laugh at anyone who thinks this civilization would survive anything like that. In our favour:- The speed information can be spread to people to inform people how to take precautions etc. The amount of automation now available. The number of people who can work from home. The speed we can now create treatments. Against us:- The speed information can be spread to people causing panic etc. The speed/distance at which people can now move. The expectation of the above. IMHO - Ultimately we're worse off due to the speed at which people move, and the population densities in areas. We're better off due to speed of information and response.

[MinionZombie]

In our favour:- The speed information can be spread to people to inform people how to take precautions etc. The amount of automation now available. The number of people who can work from home. The speed we can now create treatments. Against us:- The speed information can be spread to people causing panic etc. The speed/distance at which people can now move. The expectation of the above. IMHO - Ultimately we're worse off due to the speed at which people move, and the population densities in areas. We're better off due to speed of information and response. Also against us: Lying/inept politicians / governments (e.g. trying to cover it up in the first place, lying about masks because you don't have enough of them, piss poor communication with the public, totally confusing rules that are constantly changing). Fuckin' idiots. Arseholes who think wearing a mask is some great assault on their "freedoms!" (said freedom merely being to show their ugly mug in full in public). People who are grotty - the types who don't wash their hands, the types who are full of a snot-blasting flu but insist on going to the barber's for a light trim of their barnet, the types who open-mouth cough like a toddler, the types who sneeze outwardly rather than into their elbow (as if they're going for distance in the Olympics). Folks who make trying not to spread a deadly virus into a political "fuck you", attaching it to anything whatsoever.

[Mike70]

In our favour:- The speed information can be spread to people to inform people how to take precautions etc. The amount of automation now available. The number of people who can work from home. The speed we can now create treatments. Against us:- The speed information can be spread to people causing panic etc. The speed/distance at which people can now move. The expectation of the above. IMHO - Ultimately we're worse off due to the speed at which people move, and the population densities in areas. We're better off due to speed of information and response. Against us: the fact that so many Americans think their "freedoms" are an idiot license to do whatever they want. Add to that Americans gullibility for nonsense, lies, and rumors. I don't think it can be argued - America would fall and fall hard in a pandemic that was killing 25% of the population. This country would come completely unglued at the seams, man. I don't really think y'all realize just how fragile and paranoid this population is. It's frightening to folks like me. I've never been paranoid like that. I just do not get it. Most Americans are weak, fragile people. This is NOT the Republic of 1941.

[shootemindehead]

^ It's a nation that's controlled by fear. It kinda always has been.

[JDP]

In our favour:- The speed information can be spread to people to inform people how to take precautions etc. The amount of automation now available. The number of people who can work from home. The speed we can now create treatments. All of these are unfortunately useless when it comes to the huge numbers of paranoid delusional simpletons who are 100% convinced that there's this huge conspiracy to "fuck up things for everyone and destroy the economy on a global scale" (but they never give any rational explanation as to exactly why would anyone want to do that) secretly led by billionaires like George Soros or Bill Gates. No matter how many times you show them that this pandemic is not any "hoax" they just refuse to believe it, UNTIL THEY CATCH THE SHIT THEMSELVES, but then it is too late, another stubborn idiot has already contributed to spread the crap around. Viruses must be really having a huge laugh at our expense these days.

[Neil]

[/list] All of these are unfortunately useless when it comes to the huge numbers of paranoid delusional simpletons who are 100% convinced that there's this huge conspiracy to "fuck up things for everyone and destroy the economy on a global scale" (but they never give any rational explanation as to exactly why would anyone want to do that) secretly led by billionaires like George Soros or Bill Gates. No matter how many times you show them that this pandemic is not any "hoax" they just refuse to believe it, UNTIL THEY CATCH THE SHIT THEMSELVES, but then it is too late, another stubborn idiot has already contributed to spread the crap around. Viruses must be really having a huge laugh at our expense these days. I'd say a "small vocal minority" myself...

[MinionZombie]

I'd say a "small vocal minority" myself... The problem with "small" vocal minorities, is they're able to show incredibly loudly these days due to social media - hence the countless articles of people being 'mad as hell' at some slight error in wording causing 'great offence' to 'huge numbers of people' on Twitter ... when it's actually a few nobodies with nothing better to do stirring shit. Also - the sort of idiots who'd get bitten by a zombie and then try and hide it, while sweatin' up a storm in a room full of healthy people: https://uk.yahoo.com/news/coronaviru...151602264.html Four passengers have been fined £10,000 after failing to state they had come from a coronavirus "red list" country within the previous 10 days. Travellers arriving in England from one of 33 countries on the list must now quarantine in a hotel for 10 days. These include places such as Portugal, the United Arab Emirates, and South American countries. The passengers were stopped at Birmingham Airport after attempting "to hide their routes". Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd told a meeting held by the West Midlands Police's strategic policing and crime board: “By midday yesterday (Monday), on the first day of implementation, we have received six passengers who had declared travelling from a red list country, who were taken to the quarantine hotel. “We also had four passengers who were identified as having travelled from a red list country, that hadn’t declared it. “So there are some people who have who have attempted to hide their routes but that’s not worked out. “They were identified and received £10,000 fines as a result.”

[Neil]

The problem with "small" vocal minorities, is they're able to show incredibly loudly these days due to social media - hence the countless articles of people being 'mad as hell' at some slight error in wording causing 'great offence' to 'huge numbers of people' on Twitter ... when it's actually a few nobodies with nothing better to do stirring shit. True - they are just a few nobodies. eg: Flat Earthers are now more vocal and organised than ever, but I don't see them as a threat to rational thought. People who'd otherwise be likely to think the earth is flat, are simply the ones likely to end up circling social media echo chambers. Covid deniers and the like I see in the same boat really, and I don't see them as a threat to otherwise rational folks. And as for countless alarmist articles after attention/hits? The problem with modern media/news IMHO is so much of it is attention/hit/revenue/agenda driven, so it's hard to judge what you see on it as a fair representation of reality.