Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
The deal with Sweden is that they went with only limited lockdowns, hoping to get to herd immunity quicker I suppose. They seem to be putting less effort into health care for serious cases, like not providing oxygen.
Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker
The Swedes will watch it, as long as NOTHING happens in it. Aren't they pretty much the founders of videos like that of logs burning?
What would you expect with all that time on their hands:
In the depths of winter, the Stockholm area has only around five and a half daylight hours, while in the north of Lapland, the sun peeks above the horizon to give just 4 hours of twilight and almost 20 hours of complete darkness. But the darkness is short-lived.
Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
Don't know if it went bad or just not as good as they hoped. The Deaths/1M pop in Sweden is actually less than UK, Spain, Italy and just a little higher than France. But I wouldn't say any of these countries used a good model, like S. Korea. The European country that has a really high death rates is Belgium, I have no idea why. But when I look at these numbers I'm never sure how much faith in them. A lot of different methods are used for counting COVID deaths.
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Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
The Deaths/1M pop in Sweden is actually less than UK, Spain, Italy and just a little higher than France.
Most of the articles I've seen focus on Sweden being far worse than it's Scandinavian neighbours. That's probably a better comparison because the Scandinavian countries are markedly different to other European ones. Populations tend to be older, much stronger health systems, much more family and society orientated, much lower populations per sq/m, lower light levels, temperatures and so on.
It's kind of weird. In a way I'm glad they undertook that experiment, it's good that someone did. But Christ I'm glad I'm not one of the test subjects.
The European country that has a really high death rates is Belgium
Have you got a source on that? I was under the belief that we (the UK) were doing far worse than any other European country so I'd like to read into it.
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Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
The Economist has been showing a graph each week of deaths per 100,000 (or 1000, I forget which), and Belgium is consistently above the rest by a modest amount. I don't have a link, though.
Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
I think Sweden's approach was all about getting people infected at a higher rate than most other places. Not without controls at all: masks and distancing and hand washing still encouraged though perhaps ignored more. They seem to have limited the level of care (avoiding ventilators or even extra oxygen at all in severe cases) and I don't know where that fits in aside from propaganda value for others.
It is hard to tell whether this is going worse or better than a lot of other places. If accelerating exposure is core to their policies then of course they will experience higher case/death rates this early in the game.
For all we know they might come out of it better and quicker in the end. But it's hard to tell, we don't even know where the end is yet.
So many variables to account for as alluded to above. So many interests (Big Pharma, corrupt mainstream media, academics tribally invested in their own positions, politicians angling for advantage). And that's before we even bring in economic factors and their whole slew of tribes and camps.
Thanks, that's a really good source. It still doesn't show the UK in a great light but it does show that we're not stone dead last which is the impression I'm getting from the press over here (though we're still running firmly in the back field).
The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter - Winston Churchill
Hadoop actually sounds more like the way they greet each other in Yorkshire - Inferrd
Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
Don't know if it went bad or just not as good as they hoped. The Deaths/1M pop in Sweden is actually less than UK, Spain, Italy and just a little higher than France.
Sweden like the other Scandinavian countries not only has a smaller population, but also a much lower density of population then it bigger European neighbours, and all the biggest outbreaks have occurred in the biggest cities with higher population densities.
Comparing Sweden with its Denmark or Norway which are similar to it in both population and population density there approach has been catastrophic, mainly driven by there deaths in care homes which are much higher then they expected.
Even those in charge of Sweden's approach are now admitting they made mistakes.
I think Sweden's approach was all about getting people infected at a higher rate than most other places. Not without controls at all: masks and distancing and hand washing still encouraged though perhaps ignored more. They seem to have limited the level of care (avoiding ventilators or even extra oxygen at all in severe cases) and I don't know where that fits in aside from propaganda value for others.
Not really, Swedens approach was all about civic and personal responsibility a deep trust between the people and the state. They still did some physical distancing measures & hand washing but no lockdown, they banned any large gatherings over 50 people and only allowed table service at cafes and restaurants.
They were relying on the people following the governments moderate guidelines and people using there common sense to keep them safe but they had no real plan to protect there care homes and without a lockdown or some other plan to protect them Covid swept through there care homes at a high rate.
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Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
Quick question for those that do not reside in the US: What is the general attitude towards others that wear masks out in public? Ridicule? Indifference? Positive? And what is the general attitude towards wearing masks in the first place?
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Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
In the UK there was no major uptake of face masks in the early stages for a couple of reasons:-
1. The science was saying that anything other than surgical grade face masks wouldn't protect you
2. It was felt that surgical face masks should be left for the NHS rather than the general public.
2 is still true but the opinion about 1 has shifted radically. The evidence is still that they don't protect you but they do make you far less likely to pass on an infection. For that reason I'm seeing an increasing number of people wearing masks but I would say it's still very low.
As for Ridicule/Indifference/Positive, I would say indifference. For the last few weeks I've been masking up when I go shopping or go into town. In the supermarket, nobody seems to even register it. In town I get a second glance, but that's all. I don't even get a politely raised eyebrow.
To be fair, we're Brits. Polite indifference is kinda our national identity.
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Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
In France, we had masks very lately for the population, the priority was for the medical people and first necessity activities.
When we were confined and had mask, most of the people wore the mask (I would says 80-90%), It is less the case now beside in the stores and restaurants that make it mandatory to enter (in there it is 100%). People still wear the mask but outdoor is is about 50% now maybe less and reducing everyday. it also depends of the area, in Britanny, they almost don't wear any mask as they is very few case of contaminated people.
I didn't see any particular attitude toward people who wear the mask or toward those who don't (so I would say indifference).
Here I speak only for the areas I live and work in (east suburb of Paris), maybe different in others areas.
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Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
The U.S. is a big place. I suspect attitudes vary between and within regions as much as they do other countries.
I know people who fled the Greater Detroit area for parts of the Upper Peninsula early on. Population density is low there aside from a few of the major cities, and even there infection rates were low due to isolation. Most of those are also college towns and during lockdown students had largely gone home, emptying many communities.
So cruising webcams up there I seldom see any masking. The fishing resorts have no tourists so locals have the luxury of fishing those spots themselves and I've seen few masks there. Same goes for grocery stores with webcams overlooking their parking lots and even the little downtown strips. Not a lot of Yooper mask wearing. Some that I see might even be more of a fashion statement. The area is largely rural but in those college towns there can be a sharp political divide between the local and academic populations.
A friend up there makes the joke that they had 3 protesters recently, and that they vandalized and looted a newspaper vending box. Slapped a bumper sticker on it and extracted 1 newspaper without paying.
Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
Not a whole lot of mask wearing in Idaho, anymore. Wal-Mart requires staff to wear masks, and a month or so back I'd say that about 70% of patrons were masked. Now it's down around 10-20%. Other stores, like Home Depot and ranch supply stores probably never got above 30% masked, and are down below 10% by now.
Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
Do you have like in France all the cashier desks protected with Plexiglas windows ?
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Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
Canada for the most part seems to be indifferent to masks. Some people hate them, some love them, but no one seems to really call the other out on it; we all just leave each other be (except maybe some passive-agressiveness which Canada excels at). Basically everywhere has plexiglass now in front of checkouts and a few places are recommending people wear masks, but none are enforcing.
Mind you, my experiences come from a town of about 150,000 people that has only had 63 cases and have been virus-free for over a week now.
Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
Long story... raccoon troubles, no longer legal to even live-trap without a license, without evidence of rabies Animal Control won't come out, etc. etc.
Not a fireworks guy or even just a garden variety pyro, but I thought "hmm" when the county woman on the phone suggested loud sharp noises. Even the right time of year!
Drove around town, even out toward a few Hicksvilles. Nada.
Took a drive down toward the outskirts of Zona Infectada (Detroit) because the closest place with any stock was the other side of Howell from here. Even so the proprietor had been bucking the Governor here earlier. Boss Lady in attendance there told me most sellers flubbed their ordering by vacillating too long this year.
35 miles each way but a nice day, I was bored and don't get out much.
Got there and went in, immediately felt like a clown in my mask. Nobody working there nor other customers had masks on. No hand sanitizer anywhere.
Realizing they wouldn't be selling matches, lighters, et al. there I next went into a nearby dollar store. There the door had a sign requiring masks. I went in and nobody else but the employees wore them in there. They also had crude "distancing markers" on the floor at the checkout but no sanitizer or anything.
Went back to my car, pulled my disinfecting wipe from the ziplock I keep it in to stay moist. Drove home and did a more thorough cleanup.
Far more casual about spreading infection than anything I've been used to.
Managed 43 MPG so I can't whine about the cost of the trip.
At least have have some loose single Black Cats, Lady Fingers, and to start with some Red Cracker Snaps. Even the Snaps seem loud enough to me after a test. If the 'coons aren't impressed then I can level up. Bought some cheap bamboo sparklers so if all else fails I can just entertain them.
Last edited by dilettante; Jun 20th, 2020 at 05:19 PM.
Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
How about testing?
It's never been offered to me. I'm not sure it means much without some event suggesting you might be infected. Otherwise you'd need testing over and over and over right?
What do you think an "event" ought to be? Failing one bullet point on a screening?
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Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
How about testing?
In theory we've got it available for anyone showing symptoms. There were some grumblings about the logistics of it (having to travel too far to get tested and results taking too long to come back) but those seem to have dies away so I get the impression it's running pretty smoothly now. I mean, they've had a full quarter to get it right so, um, piss ups in breweries I guess.
Otherwise you'd need testing over and over and over right?
I'm not sure if antibody immunity has been definitively proved one way or the other yet (has anyone else heard anything on this? It feels like that debate's gone quiet) but assuming we do get immunity I guess you only need to test positive once. But, yeah, a negative test is like an MOT, it only shows you're OK on the day it's taken.
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Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
Mask wearing in Manchester were i am is mixed.
I would estimate about 50% of people use them in Super Markets (Grocery Stores)
Around 20% maybe are using them just going outside, i even saw someone driving past me the other day wearing a mask.
There are no problems between those who wear them and those who dont though that i have seen
It's now compulsory to wear a Mask on Public transport in the whole of the UK which is good, not that i am currently using it as i am working from home.
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Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
Banks won't let you wear a mask. I was wondering about that. Perhaps it's different in different areas, but if you want to wear a mask into a bank around here you have to contact them first.
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Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
Banks won't let you wear a mask
They're fine with it round here. I went into my bank a few weeks ago to sort out an issue. I was wearing a mask and they didn't question it. Mind you, if 4 surfer dudes turn up wearing ex president masks, I imagine they might get a little nervous.
The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter - Winston Churchill
Hadoop actually sounds more like the way they greet each other in Yorkshire - Inferrd
Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
Yeah, that's a weird pattern.
We just topped 100 cases in a day or week (I forget which), which was the first time we've hit that level since April. That's not a good trend. The majority of them came from a few bars that opened back up. Gee, what a surprise. Fortunately, it was all in young people, so if they haven't managed to pass it on to others, there may be no deaths out of this group.
Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
Unfortunately it is easy to fall into "Lies, damned lies, and statistics", so it's important to keep a critical eye on statistics.
While the percentage increase/decrease in cases is useful to know, it's really only useful with much more context, not least the number of cases before (an increase of 50% is bad, but if it is from a tiny amount like 100 cases before then it isn't a major concern).
The other one seems to be much more appropriate, as it presumably takes account of things like that, and the limits of the healthcare system etc. Unfortunately without knowing their measure of what counts as "controlled" etc, it isn't easy to be certain... but it does seem to be a much more valid set of data to pay attention to.
Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
Originally Posted by FunkyDexter
They're fine with it round here. I went into my bank a few weeks ago to sort out an issue. I was wearing a mask and they didn't question it. Mind you, if 4 surfer dudes turn up wearing ex president masks, I imagine they might get a little nervous.
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Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
Give me a break...what is your point
I see what you did there...
there's a big spike coming in Oklahoma
I agree and I'd rather Trump wasn't holding rallies at a time like this but, as someone who advocated for attending Black Lives Matter marches in the last few weeks, I do recognise the hypocrisy in my position on that one. Political events, even those I personally regard as frivolous, do at least have the merit of being important to the future of your nation.
On the other hand, lockdown parties like we've seen in Bristol and Manchester in the last week just make me despair. Seriously, what sort of person attends these?
The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter - Winston Churchill
Hadoop actually sounds more like the way they greet each other in Yorkshire - Inferrd
Re: Corona virus, China major city lockdowns, etc.
I agree and I'd rather Trump wasn't holding rallies at a time like this but, as someone who advocated for attending Black Lives Matter marches in the last few weeks, I do recognise the hypocrisy in my position on that one.
I feel that if he held is rally's outdoors, there would be less criticism.
On the other hand, lockdown parties like we've seen in Bristol and Manchester in the last week just make me despair. Seriously, what sort of person attends these?
I know what you mean, but as to what sort of person attends these? young people who are fed up with not being able to go out, and dont think the rules apply any more after Cummings broke them all.
That still makes them idiots, just idiots following the example of government advisers
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Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker
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