2019–20 Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19) Thread

[rockstaryuzu]

Glad to see that the head of 3M was able to talk the White House into letting them continue to supply all their customers:

https://www.ctvnews.ca/mobile/health/coronavirus/3m-makes-deal-with-white-house-says-canada-will-continue-to-receive-n95-masks-1.4885409

[amylance1215]

19 hours ago, rockstaryuzu said:

That list of cases from Sendai is so detailed! So different from here where patient privacy is paramount. 

In Vietnam, after the second wave, the government published every details about the infected, full names, dates of birth, home addresses, so everyone could find out if they have come in contact with that person or at least be vigilant if their houses were in the listed areas. I have mixed feelings about that approach but I supposed it is in the public's best interest. 

I don't think many countries will follow this approach, especially not the West. Although I'm currently in the US so I don't know if they are still doing that list or not.

Hopefully we can all support each other through these hard times, even just by sharing our stories. 

[rockstaryuzu]

An unexpected moment of levity in yesterday's news conferences....

 

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/politics/trudeau-says-speaking-moistly-during-coronavirus-update-regrets-it-immediately/ar-BB12hiGd?li=AAggXBV

 

I have to agree, 'speaking moistly' is a very gross image 

[river]

2 hours ago, rockstaryuzu said:

An unexpected moment of levity in yesterday's news conferences....

 

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/politics/trudeau-says-speaking-moistly-during-coronavirus-update-regrets-it-immediately/ar-BB12hiGd?li=AAggXBV

 

I have to agree, 'speaking moistly' is a very gross image 

 

 

(Look, at least your country's press briefings are coherent, even if they invoke some unpleasant mental imagery.)

[rockstaryuzu]

2 hours ago, river said:

 

 

(Look, at least your country's press briefings are coherent, even if they invoke some unpleasant mental imagery.)

I am grateful for that, and the fact that Trudeau is also easy on the eyes.  But Chrystia Freeland is my hero. 

[SitTwizzle]

On 4/7/2020 at 4:23 PM, river said:

Oh man, that Sendai list has so many 20-30 year olds on it. Stay safe, Yuzu.

 

I think we're starting to get the hang of the new normal here. More and more people are starting to wear masks - I live in a high-rise building, and two days ago, another woman and I got to the elevator at the same time, stood 10+ feet away, both wearing masks, and we agreed to take separate elevators. We're getting there.

 

Also, one of the nurses from work brought in a ton of cloth masks to wear in public and I might have chosen mine because the fabric reminds me of Origin 2.0... except it's obviously not sheer.

Well, it seems to have been in two waves, one in March and the other at the beginning of April, the first one was at a restaurant and, if I suppose Yuzuru Hanyu may still be practicing (with great precautions, though not bleaching the rink ;-) ) I very much doubt he is going to restaurant, or gather to crowded hanami walks, or any irresponsible behaviour. And we can be sure all his family are prudent too.

[rockstaryuzu]

From my city parks department...always look on the bright side of life, I guess

 

 

Lest anyone think this is fake, I've seen the 'Silly Walks' crosswalk sign we have downtown (and will happily show it to anyone who comes here for SCI in October), with my own eyes, so I'm very confident the Silly Walks Social Distancing sign also exists. 
 

 

 

[mercedes]

our major left masks(4 for each apartment)in our  mailboxes today....it's a small thing but it's going to be very helpful!

Also my internet provider changed the wifi name into 'io resto a casa(I stay at home)....silly thing but it made me smile!

[SitTwizzle]

I would like to share three pieces of information about situation in France, as I may not come back after the new figures are sent (usually after 7pm, GMT+2).

1) Yesterday the death toll seemed lower, this is because it did not include the elderly dead in their care home, even those tested positive (they would have at the very least, doubled the figure). I don't know if this was a one-off (for instance, because the figures arrived later), then these dead will be included in today's deaths; or if the government has really decided such an outright fake reporting, after months of off-hand underestimation ("no test, no contamination"), still ongoing for those who die at home by the way. We will see it this evening.

 

2) France don't use a skating rink for the large number of victims, but a large cool-storage warehouse. It was made somehow public by the complaint of a funerary services union, who lamented the high price of the "service" (250€), of a one-hour morning for nearer family (50€) and not knowing how to explain bereaving, struggling families such a charge. I hadn't seen the official announcement about it, probably because, you know, in France all is OK. No test, no contamination you know?

https://www.tellerreport.com/news/2020-04-03---coronavirus--requisitioned--a-rungis-market-building-will-accommodate-the-deceased-.BkAncKVDU.html

 

3) Last Friday the government, put under strong pressure, told they would eventually accept the long standing offer by veterinary services (mostly public, at very little expense) for testing up to 300.000 people per week. In fact some of these services took it at face value and started testing, hence a +23.000 in the official number of contaminated that day. Well, it seems nothing have been done yet, and these tests are still to be taken... No test, no contamination I tell you.

 

One piece of information regarding Germany : yesterday the death toll was the highest, I related it (maybe wrongly) to what a friend told me, of half the residents of a single care home who died of coronavirus, probably a breach in their confinement. The friend who told it me hasn't seen her mother for eight weeks now, she is very sad but now she's even more aware her mother needs such protection.

 

And a last one from Sendai, but an old one (last week) : the Sendai half-Marathon, set to take place on May 20th, is reported to this autumn. Quite logical.

www.sendaihalf.com/english/

 

worldometers.info/coronavirus/

 

[SitTwizzle]

Fortunately, for 1), it was a one-off.

Well, as so many people die at home without testing (because A&E can't take them), there is still a very strong underestimation, but at least no outright figure make-up.

Now the overwhelming is such, that not only the elderly can't get any help even if severely ill, but also children and teenagers, apparently because they are "too young to die of coronavirus" (though I don't know if it is everywhere) which led to one death at least.

 

As to Germany, worldometers show a very interesting survey (Germany page, April 10th) on a randomized sample of inhabitants from a heavily-hit German town : 2% were ill, with or without symptoms, and 14% had antibodies for this virus, the total being 15%. I would say one should add all those who have been contaminated but whose white blood cells were efficient enough to destroy all viruses before any start of antibody fabrication, but the latter are not protected either, in case some day they meet the virus while weak.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/germany/

 

My husband told me about a Chinese paper saying that antibodies for this specific virus didn't seem to last long (unlike antibodies against H1N1, proven to last decades), which I find quite worrying, but he couldn't find the source anymore.

 

As to Sendai, another event was cancelled : the Aoba-Matsuri Festival, May 16th-17th.

http://www.aoba-matsuri.com/index.html

 

[yude]

After the state of emergency was declared, the sightseeing bus company "Hato Bus" in Tokyo has stopped all bus tours, and about 130 sightseeing buses are shut down in the garage (they look like miniatures.)

[Figure_Frenzy]

...to bring a bit of levity in these sordid days...

After asking about the Easter bunny and the Easter bell, a concerned boy asked Marc Van Ranst, the virologist and arguably the most visible expert on coronavirus in Belgium, about the health condition and well-being of Sinterklaas, who lives in Spain. He got in touch with Sinterklaas' doctor and said that he was healthy and well. He now lived in self-isolation (as are other people in Spain), in the first floor of his castle, and his meal is brought by a special elevator to his study by his domestic assistants. He keeps in touch with his main assistant Soot Pete through Skype. The toys production scheduled for 6th December runs as expected, so there's nothing to worry about

https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2020/04/11/na-de-paashaas-en-de-paasklokken-hoe-gaat-het-met-sinterklaas-i/

[mercedes]

bless this child and Doctor Van Ranst too

[rockstaryuzu]

14 hours ago, Figure_Frenzy said:

...to bring a bit of levity in these sordid days...

 

After asking about the Easter bunny and the Easter bell, a concerned boy asked Marc Van Ranst, the virologist and arguably the most visible expert on coronavirus in Belgium, about the health condition and well-being of Sinterklaas, who lives in Spain. He got in touch with Sinterklaas' doctor and said that he was healthy and well. He now lived in self-isolation (as are other people in Spain), in the first floor of his castle, and his meal is brought by a special elevator to his study by his domestic assistants. He keeps in touch with his main assistant Soot Pete through Skype. The toys production scheduled for 6th December runs as expected, so there's nothing to worry about

https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2020/04/11/na-de-paashaas-en-de-paasklokken-hoe-gaat-het-met-sinterklaas-i/

That's so cute. 

[SitTwizzle]

Another cute idea : a chocolate-maker from Troyes, France, "customised" his traditional chocolate Easter rabbits with almond paste (in Northeastern France, as in Germany, Easter eggs are supposed to be brought by hares or rabbits, I don't know why) :