Warning to All MLW Members - Fear and the Cronavirus

[bush_cheney2004]

13 minutes ago, SpankyMcFarland said:

At this stage in the US, a jump in positive cases should occur when testing increases - it’s not necessarily a bad sign. There is almost certainly a large group of cases out there yet to be diagnosed. The nettle has to be grasped on both sides of the border if we are going to control this thing. BTW any head of government in this crisis should try and lead the nation in working together and exercise restraint on the negative comment front. Calling the state governor at the heart of the epidemic a snake ain’t really helping matters. 

 

The U.S. crossed that threshold long before COVID-19, and I don't know that it's any worse than Trudeau being MIA for weeks on the issue.

Trump has earned praise for travel bans, while Trudeau has been criticized for doing the opposite.

Good luck !

[SpankyMcFarland]

34 minutes ago, bush_cheney2004 said:

 

The U.S. crossed that threshold long before COVID-19, and I don't know that it's any worse than Trudeau being MIA for weeks on the issue.

Trump has earned praise for travel bans, while Trudeau has been criticized for doing the opposite.

Good luck !

This isn’t a Canada-US spat. The President should try and avoid creating confusion and let the administration speak with one voice by staying high-level and relatively non-specific in his remarks. 

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/06/trump-anybody-who-wants-a-test-gets-a-test-amid-shortage-for-coronavirus.html

 

[bush_cheney2004]

1 minute ago, SpankyMcFarland said:

This isn’t a Canada-US spat. The President should try and avoid creating confusion and let the administration speak with one voice by staying high-level and relatively non-specific in his remarks. 
 

 

Not going to happen..this is an election year in the USA...virus or no virus.

Americans are not lemmings.

[Zeitgeist]

Let Trump be Trump. He’s hilarious.  

[bush_cheney2004]

13 minutes ago, Zeitgeist said:

Let Trump be Trump. He’s hilarious.  

 

Right....he is not going to change now just because of a virus.

Win...or lose...as TRUMP !

As before...worry about Trudeau...not Trump.

Edited March 8, 2020 by bush_cheney2004

[August1991]

Everyone imagines that this is the "End of the World!".

Well, we live for about 70 or 80 years. IOW, every year, about 1.3% of us die. (1 of 70)

====

From what I can understand, this virus kills older people. While possibly infected, no one under 20 has any fear of death.

Am I missing something?

[Dougie93]

Whatever it is, I honestly can't be bothered to take any measures, you never see the one coming that gets you anyways.

I'm already a recluse, so it doesn't interfere with my lifestyle. 

Doesn't matter what it is for the tourist industry though, they are already getting decimated

Prices haven't really fallen that much however, so it seems like they just shut capacity down rather than give fire sale discounts

I did see a 4 star hotel room in Milan for $47 a night, but it's winter in Milan, it was actually warmer here today than it was there

Edited March 8, 2020 by Dougie93

[OftenWrong]

Now that it has spread to many countries, affecting many markets and being used to take and make money, all stats about the virus are politicized and no longer trustworthy. Countries are better off hiding the bodies and not revealing true numbers, to protect their economy until markets stabilize. Somewhat akin to the Canadian method for dealing with Mad Cow Disease, where farmers merely employed a little shoot, shovel, and shut up.

[Dougie93]

The media is already turning the story into Trump Derangement Syndrome, so I think that will bury the lead and cause people to tune out before too long.

 

[Zeitgeist]

54 minutes ago, OftenWrong said:

Now that it has spread to many countries, affecting many markets and being used to take and make money, all stats about the virus are politicized and no longer trustworthy. Countries are better off hiding the bodies and not revealing true numbers, to protect their economy until markets stabilize. Somewhat akin to the Canadian method for dealing with Mad Cow Disease, where farmers merely employed a little shoot, shovel, and shut up.

We actually reported cases in Canada.  I don’t think the Yanks did.  Ever the Boy Scouts, Canada takes the economic hit by being honest. 

[Argus]

It's hard to determine actual mortality rates when you don't know how many cases there are. Hospitals are only seeing the most serious cases in many countries - like the United States. And if you're not testing people with minor indications then you're not getting the right numbers. This seems to be partly by design, as Trump indicated the other day. He didn't want to admit a US cruise ship because the numbers would go up, and he cares about keeping the numbers (artificially) low. The US still has very few testing facilities and they can't do more than a very limited number of tests. It seems probable, even likely, that this disease is spreading out below the surface in many countries, including the US, and simply not being detected.

Don’t Test, Don’t Tell: The Bureaucratic Bungling of COVID-19 Tests

As I write this essay on March 5^th, there are more confirmed coronavirus infections in Harris County, Texas (five) acquired by Americans who traveled to Egypt than there are confirmed cases within the entire country of Egypt (three). Why? Because Egypt has only tested a few hundred people in this country of 100 million. There are more confirmed coronavirus infections in the city-state of Singapore (three) acquired by Singaporeans who traveled to Indonesia than there are confirmed cases in the entire country of Indonesia (two). Why? Because Indonesia has only tested a few hundred people in this country of 265 million.

With the exception of South Korea and Italy (and perhaps Australia and the UK), pretty much every nation in the world has adopted some form of Don’t Test, Don’t Tell. The offenders include rich countries like the United States and Japan, vast countries like Indonesia and India, communist countries like China and Vietnam, theocracies like Iran and Saudi Arabia, oligarchies like Russia and Nigeria, social democracies like Germany and France. Don’t Test, Don’t Tell knows no geographic or ideological boundary.

https://quillette.com/2020/03/06/dont-test-dont-tell-the-bureaucratic-bungling-of-covid-19-tests/

[OftenWrong]

Chaos, panic in Italy after plans for a mass quarantine of the northern provinces are leaked out. Thousands of people are fleeing to the south by car, rail, or whatever means available before the government even had time to put their plans into effect. There are lineups everywhere in stores to buy emergency supplies.

The Italian government is imploring people to return. "Sadly, some of the people who fled will have the virus in their lungs, and will spread it to their brothers and sisters."

But what choice did they really have, padre? I heard the Italian strain is so contagious, if you come within 6 feet of someone who has it you might as well start making your own funeral arrangements. So for people it's flee, or face CoViD death.  

[Dougie93]

3 minutes ago, OftenWrong said:

The Italian government is imploring people to return.

I'm seriously considering taking advantage of coronavirus to get a cheap vacay, but like I say, it's cold in Italy right now.

On the other hand there are flights from Buffalo to Florida right now, $41 round trip.

[Dougie93]

It's actually only $11 more to fly to Florida right now  than it is to take the Go Train to Toronto.

Embassy Suites Orlando 4 stars, rooms for $76 /night, 52% off.

Edited March 8, 2020 by Dougie93

[Zeitgeist]

3 hours ago, Dougie93 said:

It's actually only $11 more to fly to Florida right now  than it is to take the Go Train to Toronto.

Embassy Suites Orlando 4 stars, rooms for $76 /night, 52% off.

My parents are down there now.  I have tickets for April.  Hope I don’t have to cancel due to Coronaquarantinemania.  Whatever happens happens.  

[Dougie93]

3 minutes ago, Zeitgeist said:

My parents are down there now.  I have tickets for April.  Hope I don’t have to cancel due to Coronaquarantinemania.  Whatever happens happens.  

I don't see what would force you to cancel anything, at the end of the day a pandemic is going to last 8-12 months, so it will have to become the new normal

[Zeitgeist]

Just now, Dougie93 said:

I don't see what would force you to cancel anything, at the end of the day a pandemic is going to last 8-12 months, so it will have to become the new normal

I think I’d rather sip a margarita by a palm tree on a beach and worry about Coronavirus than worry about it up here come vacation time.  What the hell...

[Dougie93]

1 minute ago, Zeitgeist said:

I think I’d rather sip a margarita by a palm tree on a beach and worry about Coronavirus than worry about it up here come vacation time.  What the hell...

Well if nobody else is traveling and everything is deserted,  that's the time to go, if a pandemic, that means everywhere, so it's not any safer here than Orlando anyways

[Dougie93]

The other thing is, there's no cure for the coronavirus, people are gung ho to get tested, but that doesn't do anything for them

Thus you'll know you are sick when you get sick, and then there is no cure, so you'd  just have to ride it out.

The weather is looking good in Orlando

https://www.theweathernetwork.com/us/14-day-weather-trend/florida/orlando

Edited March 8, 2020 by Dougie93

[Zeitgeist]

14 minutes ago, Dougie93 said:

The other thing is, there's no cure for the coronavirus, people are gung ho to get tested, but that doesn't do anything for them

Thus you'll know you are sick when you get sick, and then there is no cure, so you'd  just have to ride it out.

It’s basically a really bad flu that will kill those whose constitutions are compromised by age or other health problems.  There are two main strains, one more aggressive than the other.  Wash your hands frequently; keep your hands away from your mouth, nose and eyes; and stay away from sick people.  Keep a safe distance from people in public, but that will be hard since it can travel six feet.  If you get sick, self-quarantine, contact the regional health authority, and follow the prescribed self-care.  This too shall pass.  It will be a time of sadness for those who lose loved ones, and the economy will have a rough go for a while.  It’s all happened before, but not for a while, and the world is more crowded.  

Edited March 8, 2020 by Zeitgeist

[Dougie93]

1 minute ago, Zeitgeist said:

It’s basically a really bad flu that will kill those whose constitutions are compromised by age or other health problems.  There are two main strains, one more aggressive than the other.  Wash your hands frequently; keep your hands away from your mouth, nose and eyes; and stay away from sick people.  Keep a safe distance from people in public, but that will be hard since it can travel six feet.  If you get sick, self-quarantine, contact the regional health authority, and follow the prescribed self-care.  This too shall pass.  It will be a time of sadness for those who lose loved ones, and the economy will have a rough go for a while.  It’s all happened before, but not for a while, and the world is more crowded.  

Meh, that's too much hassle, I'm just going to carry on as per usual, again, a pandemic is 8-12 months,  there's no way you're going to keep that routine up for a year

[Zeitgeist]

1 minute ago, Dougie93 said:

Meh, that's too much hassle, I'm just going to carry on as per usual, again, a pandemic is 8-12 months,  there's no way you're going to keep that routine up for a year

That’s how it will go for most people and the virus will spread.  At the very least, the elderly and people with compromised health should be extra cautious.  

[Dougie93]

49 minutes ago, Zeitgeist said:

That’s how it will go for most people and the virus will spread.  At the very least, the elderly and people with compromised health should be extra cautious.  

 I'm already reclusive and I'm already a neat freak, beyond that I can't make any promises.

[Dougie93]

The Saudis have crashed the oil price to $30,  Dow futures are down over -1000 

 

[SpankyMcFarland]

The UK’s excellent daily summary is already out of date:

Quote

As of 9am on 9 March 2020, 24,960 people have been tested in the UK, of which 24,641 were confirmed negative and 319 were confirmed as positive. Three patients who tested positive for COVID-19 have died.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public#number-of-cases

A fourth person has died in the UK. The first two deaths in Germany have also been confirmed.

On the personal front, the Hindu clasped hand Namaste greeting seems the best alternative (apart from just waving) as long as you don’t touch your face.

The Saudis aren’t exactly helping on the economic front by flooding the oil market. 
 

 

Edited March 9, 2020 by SpankyMcFarland