NON_POLITICAL China Coronavirus THREAD

[ch33zw1z]

I'm talking about the Asia attitude that existed for more than a decade before COVID. If you want to wear a mask when you go out (pollution, flu, whatever, ...), your friends won't think it's weird.

And funny enough, COVID caused it.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Schools are not "informal social gatherings." He says this is targeted to parties and such. That's how you target them without schools and churches and such.

Social gatherings are not important enough to justify. Education is obviously more important.

But how does the virus know the difference between formal and informal setting? A gathering is a gathering, the risk is the same either way. Either make the rules consistent across the board if the risk is that high, or don't make them at all.

And yeah I hope masks don't really become the new normal. I'm fine with it for now but hopefully once this is all over they won't be permanently mandated.

 

[ch33zw1z]

But how does the virus know the difference between formal and informal setting? A gathering is a gathering, the risk is the same either way. Either make the rules consistent across the board if the risk is that high, or don't make them at all.

In many states, they are. Schools in MA have very strict guidelines to adhere to or it's all remote learning. The rules apply to every event, no exceptions. But still, freedumb lovers rebel and cause towns to lock down here and there when they become hot spots.

 

[Artorias]

No more than 10 people can be together now in an indoor environment.

Premier cuts social gathering limits for all province: 'alarm bells are ringing'

Premier Doug Ford announced today the government is limiting informal gatherings to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors

www.timminstoday.com

But yet they are packing 30+ kids in classrooms...

This does not apply to commercial facilities such as event spaces, gyms, and church gatherings.

I guess god is going to protect church goers. What a joke.

 

[FelixDeCat]

I'm talking about the Asia attitude that existed for more than a decade before COVID. If you want to wear a mask when you go out (pollution, flu, whatever, ...), your friends won't think it's weird.

Asian mask wearing goes back far longer than you think. I posted a video earlier in this thread showing them wearing masks in public back in the late 1940s. From what I've learned, its considered polite to shield society from your germs if you are sick. In the video they were recovering from WW2 with Japan, Korea, China, etc all suffering from battle damaged infrastructure and lack of sanitary conditions.

Its just weird to see people from 70+ years ago randomly out in public wearing surgical masks.

Edit: Here is the video -

 

[CZroe]

But how does the virus know the difference between formal and informal setting? A gathering is a gathering, the risk is the same either way. Either make the rules consistent across the board if the risk is that high, or don't make them at all.

The point is to reduce unimportant gatherings to reduce transmissions. The point isn't to stop any and all transmission. You know this.

Some things are more important than others and unimportant things aren't worth the risk. If you can reduce transmissions enough just by getting rid of the unimportant things, why would you needlessly take things further? "Making the rules consistent" for the sake of consistency would've meant shutting down clinics and grocery stores and gas stations and power plants and hospitals during the lockdown. Get it?

 

[Spacehead]

And yeah I hope masks don't really become the new normal. I'm fine with it for now but hopefully once this is all over they won't be permanently mandated.

No one really wants them to become "the new normal" but maybe, just maybe, people will feel comfortable enough to wear them when they aren't feeling well.

 

[Maxima1]

Not really surprising that reproduction rates are so low in Asian countries when you can't even see someone's face.

Masks make a lot of people seem way more attractive.

XD

 

[Muse]

As soon as vaccines have been widely distributed, expect mask usage to fall 97% or more. Masks are unnatural, inhibitive and unappealing to normal in person social interaction. Its like wearing a handcuff on your face. Its a "facecuff."

You should rethink this. A person wearing a mask is patriotic, is socially conscious, is wearing a badge of honor.

Your prediction about the 97% facemask abandonment as soon as vaccines are widely distributed will not play out. A vaccine that protects 50% of the people who get them, even 60% or 70% still leaves at least 30% of the populace completely vulnerable to infection misery, death or permanent disability. I will not toss my face masks after getting vaccinated. I will continue to wear them until such time I have good reason to believe they are no longer beneficial. You should realize that face masks protect against more than covid-19. Flu, colds, multifarious other diseases, air pollution, invasion of privacy by virtue of surveillance systems (a real menace in China and elsewhere). I'm sure there are other benefits too. You are betraying a deeper concern that you have not come to terms with in your proclamation here.

Regardless of how this plays out, there should be no stigma concerning people wearing masks. It should be the person's prerogative, no questions asked, no penalty of any kind.

 

[Muse]

But how does the virus know the difference between formal and informal setting? A gathering is a gathering, the risk is the same either way. Either make the rules consistent across the board if the risk is that high, or don't make them at all.

And yeah I hope masks don't really become the new normal. I'm fine with it for now but hopefully once this is all over they won't be permanently mandated.

It's easier to control the situation in an institutional setting, e.g. classrooms, than informal social gatherings, much less barrooms, many religious gatherings. People may swear up and down that they'll observe protocols too, but some of these situations will be much better behaved than others. We have a health crisis here. We shouldn't just take people's word for things, we need to be pragmatic. It's contagion, too, we're not talking about automobile accidents which have defined and limited consequences.

 

[Svnla]

Latest news - over 10,000 of new infection cases are reported in France as of yesterday (Sunday). Restrictions are applied to 850,000 people in Madrid, Spain to stop new cases. Numerous protests in Israel because of another shutdown for the whole country.

Taj Maha opens for public with 5,000 visitors per day cap.

 

[Svnla]

Flights to nowhere are sold out within hours or less. What are they? Instead of fly from A to B, those flights would take off from A then fly for a few hours then back to A.

Taiwan - https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/covid-19-taiwan-travel-sightseeing-flight-nowhere-13125970

Australia (sold out in less than 1 hour) - https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/flights-to-nowhere-qantas/index.html

Japan - https://www.anahd.co.jp/group/en/pr/snapshot/20200825.html

 

[K1052]

I'm holding out for a cruise simulator appropriately stocked with mediocre buffet food and Americans who constantly act like they just discovered alcohol.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Flights to nowhere are sold hours within hours or less. What are they? Instead of fly from A to B, those flights would take off from A then fly for a few hours then back to A.

Taiwan - https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/covid-19-taiwan-travel-sightseeing-flight-nowhere-13125970

Australia (sold out in less than 1 hour) - https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/flights-to-nowhere-qantas/index.html

Japan - https://www.anahd.co.jp/group/en/pr/snapshot/20200825.html

Whats the explanation for this shit?

People that just want to retain airline status/miles or something?

I get the point for AIRLINES to do that, because I remember hearing something about in order for them to retain their dedicated gates at airports they have to fly a certain number of flights or something along those lines.

But I'm perplexed as to why someone would pay to go up in the air on congested fart-mobile as if it's fun.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

I'm holding out for a cruise simulator appropriately stocked with mediocre buffet food and Americans who constantly act like they just discovered alcohol.

We went on our first cruise about a year or so before COVID.... Holllllly shit that was the worst experience I've had.

Mediocre doesn't even describe the food. I would describe it as "1 step above microwaved meals". Rooms were microscopic tiny.

Yes on people that just discovered alcohol. Christ man, maybe I'm just old but drinking while sitting around and inside a pool is just boring as shit.


Plus we had our 2 year old running around and there just wasn't anything real fun for a family.... Old people playing slots/gambling. Young and dumb people drinking by the pool non-stop. That was really about it.

Maybe I'll try a Disney cruise when the kids are a bit older and can run around on their own. Outside of that, I'm done with cruises.

 

[Svnla]

Whats the explanation for this shit?

People that just want to retain airline status or something?

I get the point for AIRLINES to do that, because I remember hearing something about in order for them to retain their dedicated gates at airports they have to fly a certain number of flights or something along those lines.

But I'm perplexed as to why someone would pay to go up in the air on congested fart-mobile as if it's fun.

Why folks would do (pay good money (even several thousands dollars for first class), then spend a few hours in a flying aluminum tube, then back to the original place) it? Beat me if I know. I guess many people feel "stuck" for a while and the flights to nowhere make them feel better. I would not want to deal with the traffic to the airport, then TSA, then sit in a seat with others for a few hours, and then back to where I was earlier, and then beat the traffic to get home.

If I have time and money to burn, I would rent a car and spend a weekend or a week in a nice hotel and driving around at a different city instead.

 

[K1052]

We went on our first cruise about a year or so before COVID.... Holllllly shit that was the worst experience I've had.

Mediocre doesn't even describe the food. I would describe it as "1 step above microwaved meals". Rooms were microscopic tiny.

Yes on people that just discovered alcohol. Christ man, maybe I'm just old but drinking while sitting around and inside a pool is just boring as shit.


Plus we had our 2 year old running around and there just wasn't anything real fun for a family.... Old people playing slots/gambling. Young and dumb people drinking by the pool non-stop. That was really about it.

Maybe I'll try a Disney cruise when the kids are a bit older and can run around on their own. Outside of that, I'm done with cruises.

If people really want the experience they should just book the cheapest 3 star hotel and casino they can find in Vegas, demand they put you in the smallest room available, and just spin in the desk chair for 5 minutes every hour to simulate being at sea. It's literally no different.

 

[ponyo]

We went on our first cruise about a year or so before COVID.... Holllllly shit that was the worst experience I've had.

Mediocre doesn't even describe the food. I would describe it as "1 step above microwaved meals". Rooms were microscopic tiny.

Yes on people that just discovered alcohol. Christ man, maybe I'm just old but drinking while sitting around and inside a pool is just boring as shit.


Plus we had our 2 year old running around and there just wasn't anything real fun for a family.... Old people playing slots/gambling. Young and dumb people drinking by the pool non-stop. That was really about it.

Maybe I'll try a Disney cruise when the kids are a bit older and can run around on their own. Outside of that, I'm done with cruises.

Sounds like you went on the cheapest cruise and booked the cheapest room. Not all cruises and ships are the same. I'm not a huge cruise fan but I've always been impressed with the food, rooms, activities, and entertainment on the cruises I've been on.

Disney cruise is solid. Can't go wrong with the Mouse.

 

[Ajay]

Now that the major phase 3 trial protocols have been released some comparison is now possible

https://twitter.com/x/status/1307415684431765504

Thanks! I think I must not be understanding something if the trial endpoint are only 150+ events (infections).
Oh, and the infection rate is trending up in the US again - Yay freedum.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

If people really want the experience they should just book the cheapest 3 star hotel and casino they can find in Vegas, demand they put you in the smallest room available, and just spin in the desk chair for 5 minutes every hour to simulate being at sea. It's literally no different.

Pretty much. Except if you want to go home or go out to eat or go do something that is anywhere else then you're pretty much screwed.

Sounds like you went on the cheapest cruise and booked the cheapest room. Not all cruises and ships are the same. I'm not a huge cruise fan but I've always been impressed with the food, rooms, activities, and entertainment on the cruises I've been on.

Disney cruise is solid. Can't go wrong with the Mouse.

Royal Caribbean, which I would place it SLIGHTLY above Carnival.

Overall while the room sucked - paying boatloads more for just a room with more sqft really wouldn't have changed my opinion any better.

The food was still terrible - it all had this... taste... that resembled microwaved food. I even paid extra for one of the nights do their "fine dining 7 course meal" and while it was slightly better, it was still nothing to write home about.

EDIT: Oh also - EVERYTHING was just cramped as shit. There is a reason why cruise ships are a pandemic's best friend. Having to practically hump the wall when you're going down a hallway and cross paths with other people.



Like I said, if I were to ever go again - it would be Disney and it would only be with older kids and only with an upgraded room. Would also probably just be a 1 time thing as well.

 

[K1052]

Thanks! I think I must not be understanding something if the trial endpoint are only 150+ events (infections).
Oh, and the infection rate is trending up in the US again - Yay freedum.

Both Pfizer and Moderna think they'll be able to show efficacy at interim analyses and proceed to EUA with that data. We've certainly not got a lack of virus floating around in the population to make that seem like an outlandish expectation. Even Fauci who is pretty conservative seems to think that events in the placebo groups will probably accumulate sufficiently by Nov/Dec.

 

[purbeast0]

Part of the reason I want to go back to St. Thomas is because the cruise industry is dead. The island would be more enjoyable without any cruisers. I loved St. Thomas but my one gripe was how crowded some places got during peak cruise hours. And they are typically loud and obnoxious and love to leave their trash at beaches after they only have like an hour or two to hang out before going back to the boat.

 

[K1052]

Part of the reason I want to go back to St. Thomas is because the cruise industry is dead. The island would be more enjoyable without any cruisers. I loved St. Thomas but my one gripe was how crowded some places got during peak cruise hours. And they are typically loud and obnoxious and love to leave their trash at beaches after they only have like an hour or two to hang out before going back to the boat.

I feel the same way about Barcelona. Easy to tell when the cruise ships are docked unfortunately.

 

[Ajay]

Both Pfizer and Moderna think they'll be able to show efficacy at interim analyses and proceed to EUA with that data. We've certainly not got a lack of virus floating around in the population to make that seem like an outlandish expectation. Even Fauci who is pretty conservative seems to think that events in the placebo groups will probably accumulate sufficiently by Nov/Dec.

Geez, that's aggressive. 0.5% infection in the whole study group. I don't think that's enough data to make a determination, especially when targeting 50-60% efficacy. We become the 'beta' testers.

 

[K1052]

Geez, that's aggressive. 0.5% infection in the whole study group. I don't think that's enough data to make a determination, especially when targeting 50-60% efficacy. We become the 'beta' testers.

If you aren't getting infections in the vaccine arm then it is significant. Being beta testers to some degree is unavoidable since some super rare adverse effects may not show until you've got millions of doses in people. That don't mean it's a bad idea as far as I'm concerned since everything has a risk profile.