COVID-19 Megathread

[RadiantFlamberge]

On 7/11/2020 at 6:13 PM, MMX20 said:

https://www.raps.org/news-and-articles/news-articles/2020/3/covid-19-vaccine-tracker

MMX20, thank you for sharing that link.

 

I had read a bit about mRNA-1273's trial progress recently. One tester did suffer a grade 3 adverse event, having some severe flu-like symptoms and passing out (thankfully his girlfriend had caught him then). But after that, he was fine. One bad reaction like that is no reason to pull the plug. He was in the high dose group (250 micrograms)... BTW, that high dose will not be used in further studies. When tested in mice, mRNA-1273 has been successful at preventing infection and 25 or 100 mikes seemed to work equally well. And human testers have been producing antibodies like they should. This is promising.

 

I used to like Chuck Woolery's game shows Greed and Lingo. But now I've lost any shred of respect for him because of his recent tweet. He called the media, CDC, Democrats, and doctors liars. Not surprisingly, Trump retweeted what he said.

Edited July 14, 2020 by RadiantFlamberge

[Z1MZUM]

So many people not following the rules, we are doomed. Then again, at least we have rules.

 

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, Z1MZUM said:

So many people not following the rules, we are doomed. Then again, at least we have rules.

 

Too many people anyways. 
Just try to keep yourself safe.

[Z1MZUM]

2 minutes ago, NERVergoproxy said:

Too many people anyways. 
Just try to keep yourself safe.

 

I'll be ok, I've survived the worst of it.

[StressEater]

On 6/25/2020 at 0:03 AM, Dr_Mayus said:

Well Florida had another 5500 cases today...I guess opening up beaches and sporting events when you were still a hot spot was a really stupid idea.

 

The US is going to have to do another lockdown again because they cannot keep having these spikes.

 

For some reason we just like to be "extra".

I am so tired of this damn thing. I wish it would just be done and over with already.

[ladynadiad]

1 hour ago, StressEater said:

 

For some reason we just like to be "extra".

I am so tired of this damn thing. I wish it would just be done and over with already.

 

I also saw some stats showing that FL has the highest number of tests done of every state.  To be honest it really looks like the spike in cases is due to a spike in testing because the testing rates have gone up a lot as well.  Fatalities have been going down for 11 weeks though and I find it weird this isn't mentioned at all but it's on the CDC's website if you go look for it.

 

Something else that bothers me about this "spike" in cases is that we don't even know what percentage of the state's population it is.  The states getting the heat on it also have the largest populations in the country.  If you go raw numbers, of course they'll have the most cases because they have the most people. The numbers should be compared to total population and we should be looking at the places that have a large percentage of their population with the virus rather than just who has the most.   But say two states have 1000 cases, it means a lot more if the state has a population of 100,000 than it does if it has a population of 1,000,000.  Some of these states are also massive and the cases are more prevalent in some areas rather than others.  The focus on just raw numbers of cases bothers me because it looks like it's being done to just make the big states look bad when they may have the same percentages infected as every other state (excluding NY and NJ that are on the high side).

Edited July 17, 2020 by ladynadiad

[majob]

On 7/17/2020 at 3:57 PM, ladynadiad said:

 

You pretty much hit the nail on the head. Florida's numbers went up largely because of increased testing but in comparison to NY, which averages 800 deaths a day, Florida isn't remotely as bad as it looks. The Poisson curve explains it all better.

[ladynadiad]

4 hours ago, majob said:

You pretty much hit the nail on the head. Florida's numbers went up largely because of increased testing but in comparison to NY, which averages 800 deaths a day, Florida isn't remotely as bad as it looks. The Poisson curve explains it all better.

 

Yeah, there is increased testing, so of course there will be increased cases.  California, Texas and Florida also have the highest populations in the US.  So if there isn't an adjustment to take into consideration the population of the state, a raw number of cases is worthless.

 

California has 41 million people.  Texas 29 million and Florida 21 million.  So let's do a quick googling.  California has 388k confirmed cases and about 7,600 deaths.  The confirmed cases is just barely under 1% of California's total population.  Of those confirmed cases only about 1.9% of them died.  That's about 0.02% of the population.  Florida has about 350k confirmed cases and just under 5,000 deaths.  Cases would be about 1.6% of the population and of those cases only 1.4% of them led to deaths.  That's actually pretty amazing when Florida's population is known to be on the older side since it's a popular place for retirees to go.  So pretty much only about 0.02% of Florida's total population died due to the pandemic. 

 

Not going to comment further on my opinions of these numbers and the failure to report them.  Anyone here can do the math themselves and come to their own conclusions and look up stats on google and on the CDC website.

[RadiantFlamberge]

On 7/17/2020 at 3:03 PM, StressEater said:

I am so tired of this damn thing. I wish it would just be done and over with already.

AMEN. Too many people have been sickened or killed by C19 already. Enough's enough. I can't wait until the day comes that the C-19 vaccine ads start airing on nightly news commercial breaks and it's just one more yearly jab in the arm, assuming a dose lasts a year. If in the meantime the local governments must legally require mask wearing in public, so be it.

 

I haven't really missed going out to eat, to a movie theater or an amusement park, or on a road trip very much. I can make do without those things for now. Some people's priorities are totally out of line.

[MidnightDragon]

On 7/17/2020 at 2:03 PM, StressEater said:

 

I am so tired of this damn thing. I wish it would just be done and over with already.

Hardly think you're alone in this regard.

[StressEater]

5 hours ago, MidnightDragon said:

Hardly think you're alone in this regard.

 

The worst part is that it has sparked so much drama in the world. You have those who fight over wearing masks, those who feel that everyone should stay home, and then those who feel that it is the government trying to control them. I cant get on the internet without having to see someone's strong opinion about it.

[ladynadiad]

10 hours ago, StressEater said:

 

The worst part is that it has sparked so much drama in the world. You have those who fight over wearing masks, those who feel that everyone should stay home, and then those who feel that it is the government trying to control them. I cant get on the internet without having to see someone's strong opinion about it.

 

And all logic goes out the window as well. I've seen so many things that make me wonder why we're arguing this stuff.  Take masks for example, if they are so protective, people who wear them are protected and people who don't will not be protected and risk getting the disease.  If masks are so protective, the decision of others to not wear a mask doesn't affect that protection to people who do.  No matter how you feel on it, that's just logic and saying that someone else's decision can change that protection to me just sounds like proof that masks fail to protect.

[Mayellie]

2 hours ago, ladynadiad said:

 

And all logic goes out the window as well. I've seen so many things that make me wonder why we're arguing this stuff.  Take masks for example, if they are so protective, people who wear them are protected and people who don't will not be protected and risk getting the disease.  If masks are so protective, the decision of others to not wear a mask doesn't affect that protection to people who do.  No matter how you feel on it, that's just logic and saying that someone else's decision can change that protection to me just sounds like proof that masks fail to protect.

 

That's not really just it, though. You're right about that people not wearing them won't be protected. The issue is a bit deeper than that:

 

1) If everyone wears masks, COVID-19 will be under control. A ton of people will be able to go back to work and have a somewhat steady source of income. People refusing to wear masks are further spreading it. I personally don't care if they get sick. It pisses me off that they get sick and spread it to other people, who spread it to others, and so on. This makes the entire situation so much worse, harder to handle, and things will take longer to return to normal. Whenever that is.

 

2) People not wearing masks still risk spreading it to those with autoimmune diseases that likely do not have a good chance of surviving the virus. Yes, masks are protective (and drastically minimize your chances of catching a virus, but not 100%), but shouldn't humans also be sympathetic to one another? Considerate? Responsible? Compassionate? This is pure selfishness.

 

It's more about the first reason. If everyone wears masks, the virus will be more under control and easier to handle. People not wearing masks that end up infecting so many others are making this so much harder than it needs to be. Wearing a mask isn't obstructing freedom, and it doesn't make it harder to breathe. If it's hard to breathe to them, I wonder how they'll feel once they actually catch the virus (because they will).

 

So, the decision of others to not wear masks (when they are government mandated because they live in an area that has a high number of active cases) very much affects everyone else. It's not only about them. 

 

(Note: I can't tell if you're pro or anti-mask, but I mean in general, too.)

Edited July 21, 2020 by Mayellie

[StressEater]

2 hours ago, ladynadiad said:

 

And all logic goes out the window as well. I've seen so many things that make me wonder why we're arguing this stuff.  Take masks for example, if they are so protective, people who wear them are protected and people who don't will not be protected and risk getting the disease.  If masks are so protective, the decision of others to not wear a mask doesn't affect that protection to people who do.  No matter how you feel on it, that's just logic and saying that someone else's decision can change that protection to me just sounds like proof that masks fail to protect.

 

I don't think the masks do any good anyways. Most of the time its wrapped around the persons neck and not face. Not to mention, everyone is wearing those cheap ones that I feel don't protect from anything since there are gaps on the sides. You need one of those N95 masks, but if you have a beard, forget about it. 

[ladynadiad]

35 minutes ago, Mayellie said:

(Note: I can't tell if you're pro or anti-mask, but I mean in general, too.)

 

I personally am not either.  I have a medical reason for not wearing one, but don't fault anything but shaming people for not wearing a mask based on the assumption that they are selfish rather than assuming they have a medical reason for deciding the protection does them more harm than good.

[PhyrxianLibrarin]

15 hours ago, ladynadiad said:

 

I personally am not either.  I have a medical reason for not wearing one, but don't fault anything but shaming people for not wearing a mask based on the assumption that they are selfish rather than assuming they have a medical reason for deciding the protection does them more harm than good.

 

I think people make that assumption because every day, there are new videos of people being asked to wear a mask in public, and who respond somewhere between yelling about their rights, to spitting on people, to pulling out a gun and shooting people. That does not sounds like a medical reason.

 

Yes, this might be self selection bias. But if a doctor says you can't wear a mask, how do you get into the stores that require one? Do you carry a doctor's note with you? Or do you wear a mask through the door and then take it off once you're inside? "I have a medical issue" is also why people use those mobility scooters; it's true for some of them, sure, but not all of them, and the ones who abuse that system ruin it for the people who genuinely need it.

 

Wearing a mask isn't for keeping yourself safe, it's for keeping everyone else safe. It's a public sign of "I care whether you get sick or not".

 

(Note that when I say "you" I mean the royal you, I'm not literally saying you've done any of that).

[Dreakon13]

20 hours ago, ladynadiad said:

 

Take masks for example, if they are so protective, people who wear them are protected and people who don't will not be protected and risk getting the disease.  If masks are so protective, the decision of others to not wear a mask doesn't affect that protection to people who do.  No matter how you feel on it, that's just logic and saying that someone else's decision can change that protection to me just sounds like proof that masks fail to protect.

 

The idea is that masks stop whats inside of you from getting out, if not completely it really slows down the velocity of a sneeze, or a cough, or even talking.  There's less in the air, less on surfaces, less getting on other people.  While masks do offer the wearer some protection, if someone coughs in your face for 10 minutes, the fact you're wearing a mask probably won't help you too much.  Even if only a little got through, a little is all it needs.  If both parties are wearing a mask, well that's just the best case scenario.

 

How that chalks up to "proof that masks fail to protect" is beyond rational thought IMO.  It's just more excuses from lazy, stubborn, woefully misguided people.  It isn't magic that NYC went from the hell it was to where it is today.  It's not the weather, it's not herd immunity, it's not the virus weakening.  It's masks, distancing and hand washing/good hygiene practices.  That's how we stay safe, that's how we re-open.  If you don't care about those things, then I'm not sure what your endgame is.

 

EDIT: Medical exemptions may be a valid reason for YOU to not wear one, but it's NOT an argument to be made against masks in general.

Edited July 22, 2020 by Dreakon13

[Mayellie]

18 hours ago, ladynadiad said:

 

I personally am not either.  I have a medical reason for not wearing one, but don't fault anything but shaming people for not wearing a mask based on the assumption that they are selfish rather than assuming they have a medical reason for deciding the protection does them more harm than good.

My comment was aimed at those not wearing masks due to ignorance, selfishness, or both. Not to those with medical conditions.

 

I’m a bit surprised you’re not “pro-mask”. I’d imagine if I can’t wear a mask myself due to medical reasons, I’d want everyone else to religiously wear one (to reduce transmission between people, thus, reducing my chances of catching COVID). Maybe the area you live in has everything very tightly under control? Because this is a very similar situation to those with autoimmune diseases who have to depend on others to wear masks, so they’d stay as safe as possible.

 

 If you can’t wear a mask, and healthy people around you aren’t either, you’ll all have a high chance of contracting the virus. This goes back to my first point of people spreading it to each other at a high transmission rate, when it can be much lower and make the entire situation more manageable. 

[DaivRules]

Masks reduce the chance of you spraying everyone else with your gross bodily projections. They work for the same reason you don't sneeze right in someones face.

 

Other peoples masks are to keep you safe from them, your mask is to keep them safe from you.

 

[AJ_Radio]

The problem is there's no leadership.

 

After reading the last several pages of this thread it looks to me that a lot of you who are angry are Americans like myself. I don't blame you guys, because right now there is virtually nobody at Washington DC who is doing jack shit to stop this COVID-19 crap from getting worse.

 

Honestly the people out there not wearing masks and just touching shit out in public where there are many people around there deserve to get inflicted. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh but they deserve it. People are so goddamn stupid.

 

This entire year has been a joke. I look at the candidate running for president on the Democratic side and I just see a regular 'fucking' guy. There is nothing special about him, nothing that convinces me that I should vote for him this year. This government is owned by the corporations who are all in favor of Wall Street. If they cared about the average person, we would of had modern mental health care facilities, universal health care, classes in high school that teach teenaged kids how to prepare for the real world, and a lot more personal responsibility. We would of had that stuff a long time ago.

 

I see all the mainstream media stations (CNN, MSNBC, Fox News) talking the same bullshit over and over and over. I pretty much think that deep down, these network executives probably love all this talk on COVID-19 because they are getting more exposure. More viewership means better ratings and better ratings likely means more money. Ratings and money are all they care about anymore. It's not about reporting real news, it's pushing an agenda forward to get impressionable idiots to side with them.

 

America today is run by idiots, and there is virtually no real leadership anymore. So we're just going to have more and more people inflicted with COVID-19 until somebody finally steps up and does something. Yeah sure, they'd probably couldn't avoid a number of deaths. But good leadership would of taken us a lot farther than where we are right now.

 

Horrible year. Piss poor politics. Angry and upset people. Lack of communication. America is pretty much fucked at this point unless we start making some drastic changes to ensure a better future. I just can't see that happening with the general attitude going on.

 

I would do anything to go back to 5 - 10 years ago. America was better off 10 - 15 years ago, that's not me being old and stuck in the past, that's me telling the honest truth.

[Slava]

The COVID situation outside of the US is also pretty bad. India, Brazil and Argentina set new anti-records for daily cases yesterday. 

[VigilantCrow]

I can't help but laugh, whenever my local government makes a decision on masks.

We went through the entire spring flareup, with masks not being mandatory. Now that our province is down to a single case (and isolated), masks become mandatory on public transit and other services.

 

The problem (at least from a Canadian's perspective), is definitely a lack of leadership and an obvious push to make decisions so people feel better, instead of decisions making logical sense.

[DaivRules]

3 hours ago, Spaz said:

I would do anything to go back to 5 - 10 years ago

 

10 years ago we were still reeling from the Great Recession, things were pretty rough for a lot of people then, too.

[Alantor32]

I honestly don't know what to say other than we'll get through this. I have posted a link regarding the race for a vaccine not too awhile ago. Other than that, my hometown of Savannah is doing a good job of wearing masks, well almost becaue I see a few people walking down the streets without masks, but that doesn't mean my hometown is ignorant to the whole crisis. I should be lucky to live in Georgia because we're taking this Covid business seriously because when I go to work, I always wear a mask to protect myself.

 

I know what I say won't make any difference on the whole crisis right now, but we'll get through this, I know we will.

[Z1MZUM]

Well everything was going fine here in Australia, that was until the new outbreak in Melbourne and the unbelievable amount of fuck faces that feel they are above the Virus and the law. You pass this on, someone dies, that's manslaughter. I get it that the long term unemployed don't care and that there are plenty of people taking advantage of the job seeker program which is $1500 a fortnight for doing nothing. People need to get it through their thick skulls that it's up to us as individuals to get through this.