The Coronavirus Thread

[Hermit]

Our figures dropped officially by more than 20% (strangely).

Fairy data. Dutch statistics are the best lies.

[pErvinalia]

Yeah I wouldn't believe them. That's what they want you to think, Scot.

[Scot Dutchy]

Our figures dropped officially by more than 20% (strangely).

Fairy data. Dutch statistics are the best lies.

That is why I added the strangely. Or did you miss that. There is incredible pressure on the government to lift the last restrictions and with the increase to 2 million vaccinations a week they can take the risk. Only 12 million need to be vaccinated of which 2,5 million have been done already. So in five weeks it will be completed.

[Hermit]

Our figures dropped officially by more than 20% (strangely).

Fairy data. Dutch statistics are the best lies.

That is why I added the strangely. Or did you miss that.

You did not describe the official figures as strange. You described the drop as strange. This is why I quoted your wording in the exact way you posted it.

[Brian Peacock]

Looks like the so-called 'Indian variant' is beginning to take hold here, and Germany is placing the UK on the 'No' list because of it. Where German leads the rest of the EU is sure to follow - even as Portugal gets ready to open it's doors to UK holiday makers. The government are hinting that they think it can be managed by local lockdowns, but even if you lockdown a town with the pubs and bars, restaurants, cinemas, gyms, etc etc open 30 miles away the question is how likely to be anyway. the good news at the mo is that while the Indian variant infection rates seem to be doubling every couple of days hospital admissions don't seem to be going up. Fingers crossed on that one.

The government is also making noises about vaccinating everyone over the age of 12, but the presence of the India variant suggests that donating vaccines to the developing world is probably more likely to have benefits at home than vaccinating the very lowest risk groups - as well as it also being the humanitarian think to do.

[Cunt]

CDC announced masks no longer required for vaccinated people.

The left, as usual, responds with sensitivity and thoughfulness.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics ... r-BB1gKm8S

Liberal activist David Hogg responded to relaxed mask guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by saying he will continue to wear a mask so people don’t think he’s a conservative.

They called him 'liberal'.

--------

In merrier news, there is a new tracing app called 'novid'. I heard about it through the Lex Fridman podcast


The math olympiad stuff was interesting, but the app was a bit beyond me. Distributed widely enough that you can try it out, but unless your local health authority is involved, it won't work properly. The app anonymizes everyone, but still has great accuracy, due to particulars of working with the authority. For example, if you get tested positive, you get a code to enter into the app. This leaves your personal details unavailable, while giving a high level of confidence to the data point.

Also, it uses bluetooth in an unexpected way.

Apparently gives information which is useful earlier than the existing apps. Those of you interested, he provides time stamps so you can skip the ads, and zoom in on the most interesting part.

His guest has a nice accent though, and speaks well. Worth the listen even past the 'novid' part.

[Scot Dutchy]

The government is also making noises about vaccinating everyone over the age of 12, but the presence of the India variant suggests that donating vaccines to the developing world is probably more likely to have benefits at home than vaccinating the very lowest risk groups - as well as it also being the humanitarian think to do.

Can you or anyone guarantee the vaccines will get to those needing them? That is a problem donating to a very corrupt country. The same is true of most of the third world.The rich families in India probably have the whole family vaccinated including their kids under 12.

[Cunt]

CDC announced masks no longer required for vaccinated people.

The left, as usual, responds with sensitivity and thoughfulness.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics ... r-BB1gKm8S

Liberal activist David Hogg responded to relaxed mask guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by saying he will continue to wear a mask so people don’t think he’s a conservative.

They called him 'liberal'.

--------

In merrier news, there is a new tracing app called 'novid'. I heard about it through the Lex Fridman podcast


The math olympiad stuff was interesting, but the app was a bit beyond me. Distributed widely enough that you can try it out, but unless your local health authority is involved, it won't work properly. The app anonymizes everyone, but still has great accuracy, due to particulars of working with the authority. For example, if you get tested positive, you get a code to enter into the app. This leaves your personal details unavailable, while giving a high level of confidence to the data point.

Also, it uses bluetooth in an unexpected way.

Apparently gives information which is useful earlier than the existing apps. Those of you interested, he provides time stamps so you can skip the ads, and zoom in on the most interesting part.

His guest has a nice accent though, and speaks well. Worth the listen even past the 'novid' part.

Just by the way, I do wish Tero, and maybe someone who 'gets' math, would listen to the description of 'novid'. I think there is stuff there more interesting than I am able to describe, related to math and disease.

[Brian Peacock]

The government is also making noises about vaccinating everyone over the age of 12, but the presence of the India variant suggests that donating vaccines to the developing world is probably more likely to have benefits at home than vaccinating the very lowest risk groups - as well as it also being the humanitarian think to do.

Can you or anyone guarantee the vaccines will get to those needing them? That is a problem donating to a very corrupt country. The same is true of most of the third world.The rich families in India probably have the whole family vaccinated including their kids under 12.

Can you or anyone guarantee that vaccinating the rich offers them protection if the unvaccinated poor are simply abandoned to become the breeding ground for new strains and variants? You're such a 5%er sometimes.

[Scot Dutchy]

The government is also making noises about vaccinating everyone over the age of 12, but the presence of the India variant suggests that donating vaccines to the developing world is probably more likely to have benefits at home than vaccinating the very lowest risk groups - as well as it also being the humanitarian think to do.

Can you or anyone guarantee the vaccines will get to those needing them? That is a problem donating to a very corrupt country. The same is true of most of the third world.The rich families in India probably have the whole family vaccinated including their kids under 12.

Can you or anyone guarantee that vaccinating the rich offers them protection if the unvaccinated poor are simply abandoned to become the breeding ground for new strains and variants? You're such a 5%er sometimes.

They are abandoned already by their governments. Dont insult Brian and why did you say that? It is the sorry truth or can you prove otherwise. How about the other Asian countries? If you cant pay it is sorry no vaccine. Or are you so removed in your first world bubble? My wife worked in Africa as a medical volunteer. It was a few years ago but as far as I understand little has changed. The tribal heads are just getting richer.

BTW when did I say just vaccinating the rich? You cant drop your old ways.

[Brian Peacock]

[Brian Peacock]

The government is also making noises about vaccinating everyone over the age of 12, but the presence of the India variant suggests that donating vaccines to the developing world is probably more likely to have benefits at home than vaccinating the very lowest risk groups - as well as it also being the humanitarian think to do.

Can you or anyone guarantee the vaccines will get to those needing them? That is a problem donating to a very corrupt country. The same is true of most of the third world.The rich families in India probably have the whole family vaccinated including their kids under 12.

Can you or anyone guarantee that vaccinating the rich offers them protection if the unvaccinated poor are simply abandoned to become the breeding ground for new strains and variants? You're such a 5%er sometimes.

They are abandoned already by their governments. Dont insult Brian and why did you say that? It is the sorry truth or can you prove otherwise. How about the other Asian countries? If you cant pay it is sorry no vaccine. Or are you so removed in your first world bubble? My wife worked in Africa as a medical volunteer. It was a few years ago but as far as I understand little has changed. The tribal heads are just getting richer.

BTW when did I say just vaccinating the rich? You cant drop your old ways.

You've missed my point entirely. Let's just say that Western leaders are heavily invested (in both senses of the word) in framing their responses and measure to a global pandemic only in domestic terms. This is why we're hearing them talk of vaccinating 12 year olds rather than higher risk demographics in the developing countries we rely on for trade. As we've known since The Great Pestilence of the mid 1300s, trade can be a vector for virulent infection every bit as potent as air or spittle.

I defended the point you quoted, and yet you felt insulted. Perhaps calling you a 5%er was a bit strong - although in global terms you definitely are one. Don't be so touchy - at least I didn't call you 'boomer'.

[Scot Dutchy]

You still dont get the point I was making; You dont donate to developing countries. Someone along the line will make a profit out of it and it will never reach the people you are aiming at. India is a major producer of the vaccine so surely you would think they would take care of their own but the money for the rich few there, is of more importance than helping their fellow country people.

Well I am a boomer and definitely not in the 5%. I would say I am comfortable but that is more due this country than my bank balance.

[Brian Peacock]

You still dont get the point I was making; You dont donate to developing countries. Someone along the line will make a profit out of it and it will never reach the people you are aiming at. India is a major producer of the vaccine so surely you would think they would take care of their own but the money for the rich few there, is of more importance than helping their fellow country people.

Well I am a boomer and definitely not in the 5%. I would say I am comfortable but that is more due this country than my bank balance.

Somebody along the line is making a profit out of everyone and everything - that's no reason not to donate to anything. I'm sure you and your government would be up in arms if vaccine contracts with Indian companies were diverted by the India government to vaccinate their citizens - we live in a global market system based on international property and contract law. Sure, the Indian govt under Modi are doing their best to milk the crisis but if we don't try to vaccinate the developing world they'll be fewer people to provide all that cheap overseas labour our economies live off - not to mention the millions more who will die. Like will CO2 emissions and planetary heating global issues like this effect all our lives whether we like it or not.

[Scot Dutchy]

So you dont mind donating to a system that you know will divert the donation and make a profit from it?
Our government has stopped giving donations to the Caribbean Islands. They are given loans with very tight financial conditions. The governments dont receive money directly but through for instance a Dutch accountant responsible to the Dutch government so as to avoid corruption. A friend of mine, a former top accountant by Shell, is just doing that in Sint Maarten with renovation of the Princess Juliana airport. You dont give blank cheques anymore.