NON_POLITICAL China Coronavirus THREAD

[K1052]

Should we be concerned that the US is trying to buy out the manufacturing capacity for these manufacturers to corner the market, as it were?

Generally no. We're just paying for first doses up front and before we know if they even work so as to have them on hand when we get definitive data. The adenovirus vaccines in particular are easy to manufacture in many facilities across the world for low cost.

 

[K1052]

After NHL and NBA see success in their bubbles MLB is now bubble curious.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1293167730582073344

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

After NHL and NBA see success in their bubbles MLB is now bubble curious.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1293167730582073344

Sorry but what is a "bubble" format?

 

[sdifox]

Sorry but what is a "bubble" format?

How the NHL has kept its playoff bubble coronavirus-free -- so far

Zero positive tests and a functioning postseason tournament didn't come easy. Here's how the NHL engineered a best-in-the-industry environment.

www.espn.com

 

[Homerboy]

Sorry but what is a "bubble" format?

All teams, players, coaches, personnel, reporters, doctors... ANYONE involved in the proceedings are basically quarantined in location(s) together. You don't get to leave and others don't get to come in (without a 2 week isolation) It's working in the NBA flawlessly thus far. They are bubbled in a complex within Disney in Florida. Hotels, accommodations, venues etc all inside a "bubble"

In closing, Manfred is the worst commissioner ever. They imposed very few rules on the the MLB players and look what happened.

 

[K1052]

already answered I see

 

[manly]

Think I heard last day or two on TV news that the Trump administration just paid Moderna $100,000,000 for their vaccine.

That's chump change. I didn't read the news, but the headline figure was $1.5B.
As K1052 mentioned, it's 100M doses. $15 a pop??

 

[K1052]

That's chump change. I didn't read the news, but the headline figure was $1.5B.
As K1052 mentioned, it's 100M doses. $15 a pop??

Yes. The government also gave them about 900M to cover trial costs and manufacturing scale up. They did this for one or two others as well so the all in cost per dose is technically higher but still negligible in the scheme of the ongoing economic damage we're enduring.

 

[brianmanahan]

Sorry but what is a "bubble" format?

everyone on the team is a bubble boy

if the nfl did that they could rename the washington redskins to the washington moors

(or is it moops?)

 

[snoopy7548]

everyone on the team is a bubble boy

if the nfl did that they could rename the washington redskins to the washington moors

(or is it moops?)

Moops! It was the Moops!

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

So... employers are pushing for us to burn our vacation time now - so that if things start to ramp up again in the later part of the year that we aren't all trying to take it at once.

Thoughts on booking a trip out to a resort hotel? Hoping it's a lot more dead with a lot less people than normal. Ultimately just looking for a way to relax without much human contact outside of ordering food at a table or something.

Actually, last time we went to a Ritz Carlton resort pre-covid - the pool (with slides, lazy river, etc...) were practically entirely dead during the week Mon - Fri. It was only over the weekend when they let other savage people from outside the hotel pay their way to get in and it got semi-crowded.

 

[thestrangebrew1]

So... employers are pushing for us to burn our vacation time now - so that if things start to ramp up again in the later part of the year that we aren't all trying to take it at once.

Thoughts on booking a trip out to a resort hotel? Hoping it's a lot more dead with a lot less people than normal. Ultimately just looking for a way to relax without much human contact outside of ordering food at a table or something.

Actually, last time we went to a Ritz Carlton resort pre-covid - the pool (with slides, lazy river, etc...) were practically entirely dead during the week Mon - Fri. It was only over the weekend when they let other savage people from outside the hotel pay their way to get in and it got semi-crowded.

I'd go camping personally. We've been going up to the Sierras lately, with one trip to the beach sprinkled in. Less people and arguably more fun than some resort worrying about what you and other people are touching etc. Although my sister just got back from D-World and said it was awesome not having to worry about lines. As of yesterday no one in her family is showing symptoms. She has more balls than I do going to a place like that lol

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

I'd go camping personally. We've been going up to the Sierras lately, with one trip to the beach sprinkled in. Less people and arguably more fun than some resort worrying about what you and other people are touching etc. Although my sister just got back from D-World and said it was awesome not having to worry about lines. As of yesterday no one in her family is showing symptoms. She has more balls than I do going to a place like that lol

2 kids. One toddler, one baby.

Camping just won't work with all the ridiculous crap we need. Otherwise I wouldn't mind.

Breast pumps, baby crib, frozen milk... Blah blah blah.

 

[Spacehead]

So... employers are pushing for us to burn our vacation time now - so that if things start to ramp up again in the later part of the year that we aren't all trying to take it at once.

I was trying to get my employer to let me take some vacation time as we're getting slow but they decided to start laying people off. We're a small shop & I can understand not wanting to have several people taking vacation at the same time when we're not shipping much but i kinda thought that was one of the uses of the PPP loans.

 

[Svnla]

After 3 months or over 100 days, New Zealand is having new cases of virus. Australia has 19 deaths, 331 new cases just from the state of Victoria alone. Singapore has 61 new cases.

Yike.

Link with update.

New Zealand reports new coronavirus cluster as country battles fresh outbreak

New Zealand reported 13 new community coronavirus cases on Thursday as the country tackles a fresh outbreak that ended an enviable run of more than 100 days without any locally transmitted infections.

www.cnn.com

 

[mrblotto]

So... employers are pushing for us to burn our vacation time now - so that if things start to ramp up again in the later part of the year that we aren't all trying to take it at once.

Wrong, that’s not the reason.

Your employer has to pay you for all of your unused vacation time when you get laid off. So it only benefits THEM to suggest you take vacation now. If you (and other employees of course) take your vacation now, your employer can show a smaller amount owed on their ledger at the end of the year.

TL;DR - it’s a numbers game designed to benefit the employer

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Wrong, that’s not the reason.

Your employer has to pay you for all of your unused vacation time when you get laid off.

That's actually incorrect - that is based upon state laws.

Final Pay Rights: Getting Your Last Paycheck | Workplace Fairness

Final Pay: Getting Your Last Paycheck Getting your final paycheck and being paid everything you are owed can be a tricky situation. What do you do with your accrued vacation days? What if your former employer doesn’t want to pay? Do you get paid during your two-week notice? This page can help...

www.workplacefairness.org

So it only benefits THEM to suggest you take vacation now. If you (and other employees of course) take your vacation now, your employer can show a smaller amount owed on their ledger at the end of the year.

TL;DR - it’s a numbers game designed to benefit the employer

While I understand your point to a certain extent - our company has pretty much said layoffs aren't on the table. Our sales numbers are actually close to what our original goals were (pre-covid).

But there is one other valid-reason... The policy for vacation at my employer is that any vacation you get - expires the year you get it.

That means, if we get 3 weeks of vacation, we have to take those 3 weeks by December 31st of that year or we lose it. No rollover. So they actually do have a valid point that we need to take our vacation - otherwise everyone crams to try and take it at the last second.

And yes, it's a shitty policy that I haven't had with previous employers - but whatever

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Airlines being pieces of shit - this is definitely something we all haven't seen before in our past....

Airlines Are Withholding Billions in Refunds—That’s Billions With a B

Passengers with trips canceled months ago struggle to get refunds from some carriers or travel agencies, even with U.S. law on their side.

www.wsj.com

 

[K1052]

AZ/Oxford pretty far into their Phase 3 enrollment

https://twitter.com/x/status/1293934628072501250

 

[Muse]

AZ/Oxford vaccine was IIRC one of (if not THE) first in development and then testing, and they still seem to come off as the best bet. At least from what I've heard. There's a lot of other stuff out there so maybe it won't pan out as the best or may not be the best now by virtue of the info out there, but based on what I've heard, seems they top the list. It may be that the Trump administration is trying to go with a US based development, which may be pretty stupid if the AZ/Oxford vaccine is superior. It's no time to go "yeah, made in USA." Sheesh. Our handling of this health crisis has shaped up to be a cautionary tale. Why would I trust a US based vaccine particularly? I mean, who do you trust? Not the T admin. Not the CDC even.

 

[K1052]

AZ/Oxford vaccine was IIRC one of (if not THE) first in development and then testing, and they still seem to come off as the best bet. At least from what I've heard. There's a lot of other stuff out there so maybe it won't pan out as the best or may not be the best now by virtue of the info out there, but based on what I've heard, seems they top the list. It may be that the Trump administration is trying to go with a US based development, which may be pretty stupid if the AZ/Oxford vaccine is superior. It's no time to go "yeah, made in USA." Sheesh. Our handling of this health crisis has shaped up to be a cautionary tale. Why would I trust a US based vaccine particularly? I mean, who do you trust? Not the T admin. Not the CDC even.

The US has invested $1.2B with AZ to produce 300M doses for us. Delivery is supposed to commence in October.

If the British phase 3 pans out we should probably just issue the EUA and not wait for the US 30K phase 3 which isn't starting here until this month. The prospect of going through the winter without a vaccine at least in limited deployment given how poorly the US has controlled the epidemic is not at all appealing.

 

[Roger Wilco]

Back in the early summer I began to think nothing could be worse than the initial outbreak here in the US, and that the primary driver of pain going forward would be economic.

But now I fear that the fall will bring something much worse. This virus is now fully dispersed and deeply rooted in all populations across the country.

The winter is going to be bleak.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

The US has invested $1.2B with AZ to produce 300M doses for us. Delivery is supposed to commence in October.

If the British phase 3 pans out we should probably just issue the EUA and not wait for the US 30K phase 3 which isn't starting here until this month. The prospect of going through the winter without a vaccine at least in limited deployment given how poorly the US has controlled the epidemic is not at all appealing.

One has to wonder how fun it's going to be once vaccination begins.

You think you saw a shit-ton of people in lines to get tested? Sheeeeeeeeeeeet - wait till the vaccine lines come.

You gotta wonder how distribution is going to work for the vaccines.... Normally you go through your doc

You also gotta wonder how anti-vaxxers are going to take this, since for once an epic shit-ton of people are going to be taking it all at once... and then some are going to get sick afterwards and say vaccines are evil lol.




Also - whats with so many doses from so many providers? Last I checked we only have ~350m in the US? Or are we captain america saving the rest of the world too?

 

[ElFenix]

In closing, Manfred is the worst commissioner ever. They imposed very few rules on the the MLB players and look what happened.

apparently part of the reason it took so long to get baseball going is that manfred has no clue what he's doing. player's association is licking their chops at renegotiating the CBA following the 2021 season

Normally you go through your doc

initial wave will be gated to at-risk, i'm sure. after that, probably any pharmacy will be administering them. costco, walmart, kroger, safe way, HEB, walgreens, cvs, etc.

Airlines being pieces of shit - this is definitely something we all haven't seen before in our past....

Airlines Are Withholding Billions in Refunds—That’s Billions With a B

Passengers with trips canceled months ago struggle to get refunds from some carriers or travel agencies, even with U.S. law on their side.

www.wsj.com

i applied for and received a refund from united's new system for one of my cancelled flights (which was elligible for refund under their old 6 hour rule tho united spent an hour telling me my flights weren't refundable, and even after they told me they'd refund it they fucked up and issued a cert instead, then when i called in to fix that they told me it wasn't a 6 hour change and i went off on them). might as well try with the other.

Also - whats with so many doses from so many providers?

a) the vaccines i've heard of are two-dose, so 100 million doses might be 50 million vaccinated
b) hedge - you don't want to say well we already bought 100s of millions of vaccines from the guys who haven't gotten theirs in production yet when 100s of millions of doses are being made by the other guys
c) if effectiveness wears off you'll need more doses
d) i'm sure there's options and similar involved

 

[K1052]

One has to wonder how fun it's going to be once vaccination begins.

You think you saw a shit-ton of people in lines to get tested? Sheeeeeeeeeeeet - wait till the vaccine lines come.

You gotta wonder how distribution is going to work for the vaccines.... Normally you go through your doc

You also gotta wonder how anti-vaxxers are going to take this, since for once an epic shit-ton of people are going to be taking it all at once... and then some are going to get sick afterwards and say vaccines are evil lol.




Also - whats with so many doses from so many providers? Last I checked we only have ~350m in the US? Or are we captain america saving the rest of the world too?

The current government fucking up distribution of a vaccine is a big concern I have. Especially after they flubbed with PPE and remdesivir. Part of this will probably be alleviated by constrained supply for a couple months at least. There are 15 million-ish healthcare workers who should be at the head of the line to that's 30M doses off the bat.

Funding the at risk production of multiple vaccines using different platforms increases the chances that you'll get an effective one (or more) sooner if there are some which fail. Money wise it's a pittance compared what months more delays would cost the economy. All vaccines in trial also are two dose affairs so 330M people will require 660M total doses. Any surplus will almost certainly be donated to other countries since it's in our interest to have them inoculated too.