Covid-19 (Coronavirus) - Please stay safe, y'all

[ClockworkCoder]

What bothers me more is that supermarkets can sell everything essential and non-essential, but it's the small independant shops that get closed down. They find it hard to compete in the best of circumstances. Amazon must be raking it in.

There's no simple solution, but the inequality is plain.

 

[Robert Taylor]

Yeah, that decision was stupid.

Today I learned about the existence of "long COVID". Apparently debilitating symptoms can last for months after you 'beat' the disease.

This is true. I have had this 3 times in my life, the last time about 12 or 13 years ago. My entire body hurt for about two months. I went back to work after a couple of weeks being in bed barely able to move for the first part of that.

I am still suspicious of the origin of the chinese virus, but I have zero fear of it.

 

[matzesu]

Im find the whole Corona discussion stupid:
Whe have a world wide pandemic (fuck yeah, let’s play our favorite scenes from the walking dead), so whe can wear a mask whiteout feeling stupid (hey look: I’m Batman ^^ ) finally the whole world got something together ^^


Send from something, i guess ^^

 

[levi]

What bothers me more is that supermarkets can sell everything essential and non-essential, but it's the small independant shops that get closed down. They find it hard to compete in the best of circumstances. Amazon must be raking it in.

There's no simple solution, but the inequality is plain.

Indeed. There was a news story on the TV last night about a web site to support local shops selling sweets and stuff (they interviewed the people in a sweet shop), from one village over from me. Presumably you go on the website and select what you want to buy, then someone cycles over to you with your stuff in a little baggie. I'm not sure how you pay for it though.

 

[ClockworkCoder]

Indeed. There was a news story on the TV last night about a web site to support local shops selling sweets and stuff (they interviewed the people in a sweet shop), from one village over from me. Presumably you go on the website and select what you want to buy, then someone cycles over to you with your stuff in a little baggie. I'm not sure how you pay for it though.

Sounds like a good idea. Reminds me of something similar - where you could select something from a store in a different country (e.g. Japan), and someone would buy the item and send it to you. But something like what you're describing could be good especially for smaller communities.

Post automatically merged: Nov 17, 2020

Im find the whole Corona discussion stupid:
Whe have a world wide pandemic (fuck yeah, let’s play our favorite scenes from the walking dead), so whe can wear a mask whiteout feeling stupid (hey look: I’m Batman ^^ ) finally the whole world got something together ^^


Send from something, i guess ^^

I like the way you see life

 

[JDTAY]

I've been doubtful about the masks too. The media was originally against them.

I mean, viruses are microscopic. Unless you have a microscopic filter in your mask, I doubt it's doing much to protect you or anyone else. There's a reason all the doctors wear plastic face shields over their masks.

I still wear masks, but I hate giving people another reason to shit on other people.

 

[pyrat]

In Japan, you wear a mask whenever you are sick out of respect for others. It's part of their culture I believe.

That's a cultural trait worth copying. We don't know who is sick, because we have a pandemic which is asymptomatic and simultaneusly infectious for many people, so we must all assume we might be sick and wear a mask.

 

[levi]

That's true, but the virus orignally comes presumably from your bloodstream. In the lungs despite the masses of air moving around, it seems to be easier to get from the wet blood into sticky mucus, or runny water than it is to get to dry air directly, probably due to the effects of surface tension. If the mask can soak up fluids exiting the mouth and nose then it'll also soak up the virus particles, and become highly contagious itself, which is why you have to be careful when removing them not to touch the damp bits.

 

[pyrat]

What bothers me more is that supermarkets can sell everything essential and non-essential, but it's the small independant shops that get closed down. They find it hard to compete in the best of circumstances. Amazon must be raking it in.

There's no simple solution, but the inequality is plain.

But in some places supermarkets are only allowed to sell essential articles whenever small shops for nonessential articles are also closed. The rest of aisles are cordoned off.
You're right about Amazon. If existing labour laws were better enforced it would maybe be enough to change its privileged position.

Indeed. There was a news story on the TV last night about a web site to support local shops selling sweets and stuff (they interviewed the people in a sweet shop), from one village over from me. Presumably you go on the website and select what you want to buy, then someone cycles over to you with your stuff in a little baggie. I'm not sure how you pay for it though.

I've heard stories like that, but I'm unconvinced. If people have to buy on the internet they're more likely to go to bigger online shops than local shops. On the internet everything is local.
And the shops have a nontrivial amount of work in listing all their articles, uploading attractive photos, writing good enough descriptions, answering queries, packaging... It's quite a change of business.
It's a little like telling ED to close the web, open a brick-and-mortar shop in Ingolstadt and hope for the best. He might do it if there was no other option, but hardly otherwise...
I mean, if the customers are really convinced that their goal is to preserve local shops, then it may work. But that's a big if.

 

[ible]

@Askarus masks are effective, that's why doctors wear them when doing surgery...

consumer level masks aren't as good, but they are better than nothing. (as long as they don't have a vent.)

 

[pyrat]

That's true, but the virus orignally comes presumably from your bloodstream. In the lungs despite the masses of air moving around, it seems to be easier to get from the wet blood into sticky mucus, or runny water than it is to get to dry air directly, probably due to the effects of surface tension. If the mask can soak up fluids exiting the mouth and nose then it'll also soak up the virus particles, and become highly contagious itself, which is why you have to be careful when removing them not to touch the damp bits.

I think that's true, but there's something more. Even if a virus is in the air, it's movement is not so easy, quite random. When it's in a droplet, the droplet mass allows it to travel more distance away from one's face. A mask or any obstacle reduces that movement, so it reduces risks for nearby people.

 

[levi]

True. Also I'm not sure how long dry coronaviruses can last in the wild. I'd expect a coronavirus in a bit of spit will receive less shock when it lands on a fence post or someone else's face. A dry virus would be subject to more direct shocks and maybe even the brownian motion of air molecules is enough to turn it into a simple mess of amino acids.

 

[Askarus]

We should focus on the real problems instead of glorifying masks as what they are treated now.
The infection count goes up, regardless the masks, so stop torturing children by forcing them to wear them the whole day while in school.

Masks have become a religious symbol now.
I'm not against social distancing, but masks are just a symbol of politics to show people "we do something".

 

[Robert Taylor]

I just want to let you guys know how proud I am of all of you. A few months ago almost everyone was zealous about masks and related issues around the china virus. You guys are taking a very pragmatic approach to evaluation the situation.

Very impressive to see.

 

[levi]

We should focus on the real problems instead of glorifying masks as what they are treated now.
The infection count goes up, regardless the masks, so stop torturing children by forcing them to wear them the whole day while in school.

As far as I've seen, kids in school aren't wearing masks.

Masks have become a religious symbol now.
I'm not against social distancing, but masks are just a symbol of politics to show people "we do something".

They're only a political issue if you make it one. I see very few people wearing masks when out on the moors, but I don't have a go at them, I just take slightly more care in walking round them. I personally always wear a mask when I'm out, because that's what you do now. It also helps me to avoid touching my face when I'm out and about.

 

[Askarus]

As far as I've seen, kids in school aren't wearing masks.

In Germany they have to. Maybe not everywhere but in most schools AFAIK.

I personally always wear a mask when I'm out, because that's what you do now.

At least I can't stand it to see people wearing masks everywhere.
It is fine to some degree in buses where you get close to others from time to time.
Humans are trained to see and read others faces.
Wearing masks hides your face to others and disables that important part of human interaction.

 

[levi]

Yes, I wave a lot more now that I used to. What used to be a smile and a nod is now better conveyed with your hands.

 

[Linux-SWAT]

According to my doctor and articles I've read, masks are effective indoor, even cheaper ones. It mostly prevents sick people to contaminate others.
Of course it's useless outdoor in the sense that the contamination risk is near zero unless you're speaking close to someone, or following a f*cking jogger.

And don't forget that the culprits aren't the people.

 

[Phlyra]

Do DIY Cloth Masks Protect Us From COVID-19? – Smart Air

Researchers built DIY masks from household materials and tested their effectiveness vs. sub-micron particles. Results found they blocked 60% of particles.

smartairfilters.com

Best Materials for Making DIY Face Masks - Smart Air

As a last resort, DIY masks provide more protection than nothing. Researchers tested household materials. These two materials captured the most particles.

smartairfilters.com

Study examines performance of fabrics for home-made masks against the spread of COVID-19

Studies indicate that homemade masks help combat the spread of viruses like COVID-19 when combined with frequent hand-washing and physical distancing.

www.news-medical.net

The Best And Worst Face Masks For COVID-19, Ranked by Their Level of Protection

The science is clear: Face masks can prevent coronavirus transmission and save lives.

www.sciencealert.com

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31142-9/fulltext

Widespread facemask use could shrink the ‘R’ number and prevent a second COVID-19 wave – study

Even basic homemade masks can significantly reduce transmission if enough people wear them when in public, according to latest modelling. Researchers call for

www.cam.ac.uk

Oxford COVID-19 study: face masks and coverings work – act now | University of Oxford

Cloth face coverings, even homemade masks made of the correct material, are effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19 - for the wearer and those around them - according to a new study from Oxford’s Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science.

www.ox.ac.uk

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

The mission of MIT is to advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century.

medical.mit.edu

5 Questions: Stanford scientists on COVID-19 mask guidelines

Scientists say we should wear masks to control the spread of COVID-19. Stanford experts share the evidence that informed the World Health Organization’s recommendations.

med.stanford.edu

Coronavirus masks: What’s the latest evidence? - Research on Benefits, Side Effects, and Interactions

We analyzed over 80 studies to help answer your mask questions: efficacy of different types, storage, and more.

examine.com

 

[ible]

We should focus on the real problems instead of glorifying masks as what they are treated now.
The infection count goes up, regardless the masks, so stop torturing children by forcing them to wear them the whole day while in school.

a kid wearing a mask isn't any more torture than wearing any other piece of clothing. (kids would wear scarves where i grew up, at least in the winter time )

there's a social stigma to not wearing your pants/shirt/undies in public (indecent exposure), but no one complains about their lack of freedoms there.

people should also wash their hands after using the bathroom, but not everyone does that in public (i think that's pretty gross, even in private). basic hygiene and wearing a mask during a pandemic won't kill you. it might actually do the opposite.