China Coronavirus

[thewobbler]

So you've gone full circle again then, and believe that nationwide government policy should be left in the hands of unelected scientists.

Okay. Just good to clear that up.

You're going full internet eejit here

Plus ca change

Internet eejits desperately search for "hypocrisy" when they have no argument

And when they can't find hypocrisy, like you can't, they invent it, like you do, and invent straw men

That you use the phrase "unelected scientists" is very telling as to your frame of mind

Do please clarify for me whether i) you want advice to only come from elected people, ie., people who don't have any expertise at all or ii) you want scientists and experts in relevant fields to have to face election

i. Advice should come from experts.
ii. Decisions should be made be by appointed representatives.

When any unelected person or body attempts to force their will on the people, that is undemocratic.

NPHET's recommendations might be entirely correct.

NPHET informing the media of a level 5 lockdown request on a Sunday evening, before discussing this recommendation with their elected peers whose responsibility it is to implement recommendations, is wrong on every level.

Generals are answerable to politicians for this very reason. Would you be happy to allow a general to wage war because he understands military strategy better than any politician? If not, then that's double standards.


I'm not really sure where the straw man or hypocrisy angle, towards me, is forming here. Unelected advisors should not be hanging the government out to dry. That's okay for lobbyists and the media. It's not okay for advisors.

[Angelo]

The Level 3 restrictions seem to be primarily just a watered down version of Level 5 which begs the question of why all the hoo-ha over this.

[highorlow]

The Level 3 restrictions seem to be primarily just a watered down version of Level 5 which begs the question of why all the hoo-ha over this.

Your being sarcastic on this I would hope.

[johnnycool]

It seems the Zero COVID debate is dead. You can't keep flogging a dead horse.

There's never really been a proper debate about it

New Zealand shows it can work

Devi Sridhar said last week that the UK is now effectively pursuing its own zero Covid strategy

Did she?

I'd always thought she was one for living with the virus, masks, proper and I mean proper test and trace and the likes..

[balladmaker]

WHO predicts 10% of people have had COVID already .... if correct, the official figures of 35 million globally is a long way off an approx. 800 million based on the 10%. 

Still, 90% of the planet still to be exposed to it, but it would appear to be a lot less deadly if the 10% figures are to be believed.  Roll on a 'thumb-p***k' antibody test so we can all do a quick check.  As for immunity for those who have had it already, the jury is still out on that one.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-54422023

[Jell 0 Biafra]

Were there equivalents to lockdown during the Spanish flu?  How long did it take for things to go back to normal back then?

Here's an interesting article on that in the US. Useful graphs showing what happened when restrictions were lifted early/late relative to other states.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/2020/03/how-cities-flattened-curve-1918-spanish-flu-pandemic-coronavirus/

[Cunny Funt]

Positive news with head of the World Health Organization saying a vaccine may be ready by the end of year.

[Hound]

21 residents and 10 staff at a nursing home in Portlaoise all test positive.
Brought in by one staff member I'd guess.
Really not sure what the procedures are for protecting the vulnerable in nursing homes given staff have to live life, but this is some mess and there are more stories of new cases cropping up in other nursing homes.

[Blowitupref]

21 residents and 10 staff at a nursing home in Portlaoise all test positive.
Brought in by one staff member I'd guess.
Really not sure what the procedures are for protecting the vulnerable in nursing homes given staff have to live life, but this is some mess and there are more stories of new cases cropping up in other nursing homes.

Little learnt with the outbreaks in the nursing homes back in spring it seems.

[armaghniac]

Positive news with head of the World Health Organization saying a vaccine may be ready by the end of year.

Some opinion on the end game
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/09/25/how-covid-19-pandemic-ends-421122

[Cunny Funt]

Positive news with head of the World Health Organization saying a vaccine may be ready by the end of year.

Some opinion on the end game
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/09/25/how-covid-19-pandemic-ends-421122

When was that article dated?  Tedros Adhanom was one of those that said it would be 2022 or 2023 before a vaccine was ready so something has happened since for him to change his mind.

[armaghniac]

Positive news with head of the World Health Organization saying a vaccine may be ready by the end of year.

Some opinion on the end game
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/09/25/how-covid-19-pandemic-ends-421122

When was that article dated?  Tedros Adhanom was one of those that said it would be 2022 or 2023 before a vaccine was ready so something has happened since for him to change his mind.

The date in the link suggests 25 Sept.
As John Maynard Keynes said, when I receive new information I change my mind, perhaps Adhanom is in this category.

I reckon that vaccines, testing and treatments will all bear down on this virus and useful ones have probably already been invented but still require a period for testing and then widespread deployment.

[Rossfan]

432 cases in the 26 today but 669 up North (equivalent to 1700 here)
What the fck are ye at up there???

[Milltown Row2]

432 cases in the 26 today but 669 up North (equivalent to 1700 here)
What the fck are ye at up there???

Herd immunity it seems!

[imtommygunn]

23 more in hospital and only 20 icu beds left (though to be fair mostly non Covid).

They may get those nightingale hospitals back up again quick.