PlagueWatch 2020-23 - Coronavirus

[CameronDuke]

I'm pretty sure it's more like an NC State basketball team playing against UNC-CH just after the Cheaters lost to Duke...at least that's the way it feels.

Hahaha, I needed that laugh tonight

[throatybeard]

Ugh, headed in the wrong direction again. Seems like we are still in the first third of this nine inning game to use a baseball analogy.

I think we just got pushed back to the negative first inning.

[CameronDuke]

I think we just got pushed back to the negative first inning.

Unfortunately, I agree with you. The next few weeks may push us further into negative territory.

One of the only times I like going further into negative numbers is when I’m golfing. And that rarely, if ever, happens.

[budwom]

I know it's behind the NY Times paywall, but hey, if you happen to be interested in what Fauci thinks these days:https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/21/o...gtype=Homepage

Some pretty candid stuff.

[sagegrouse]

Worth a read about the very low level of COVID-19 infections in Uruguay, wedged between Brazil and Argentina -- both heavily infected. WaPo article.

[budwom]

Worth a read about the very low level of COVID-19 infections in Uruguay, wedged between Brazil and Argentina -- both heavily infected. WaPo article.

Who ever thought I'd have Uruguay and Tunisia envy (Tunisia can visit the EU, we can't)? Didn't see that one coming. Good for them.

[MChambers]

Folks did supposedly random testing in Indiana and concluded that 2,8% of the population has been infected and that COVID-19 is six times deadlier than the flu. No idea how truly random the testing was.

https://theconversation.com/random-t...nfected-138709

[CDu]

Folks did supposedly random testing in Indiana and concluded that 2,8% of the population has been infected and that COVID-19 is six times deadlier than the flu. No idea how truly random the testing was.

https://theconversation.com/random-t...nfected-138709

Yeah, "between 5 and 10 times deadlier than the flu" seems to be the consistent range folks are finding. I haven't looked at that Indiana study, but the results (both the overall prevalence and the fatality rate) seem reasonable.

[CameronDuke]

COVID-19 IN VIRGINIA

Positive COVID-19 Cases: 80,393 (+1,022 from Tuesday)
People Hospitalized: 7,351 (+84 from Tuesday)
COVID-19-Linked Deaths: 2,051 (+3 from Tuesday)
Total Tests: 1,047,021 (15,045 from Tuesday)
All Health Districts Current 7-Day Positivity Rate Total: 8.4%

[PackMan97]

Who ever thought I'd have Uruguay and Tunisia envy (Tunisia can visit the EU, we can't)? Didn't see that one coming. Good for them.

I'm not all that surprised. We have a weak federal government when compared to the rest of the world as well as a very culturally diverse population with a strong independent streak. The countries that nailed this typically have both a very strong federal governments and a conformant population. Can you imagine someone in japan or China standing up and saying it's their right to not wear a mask?

[OldPhiKap]

I'm not all that surprised. We have a weak federal government when compared to the rest of the world as well as a very culturally diverse population with a strong independent streak. The countries that nailed this typically have both a very strong federal governments and a conformant population. Can you imagine someone in japan or China standing up and saying it's their right to not wear a mask?

The French and Italians say hello.


"How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?" -- Charles de Gaulle

[mph]

The French and Italians say hello.

From what distance and are they wearing a mask?

[dudog84]

I'm not all that surprised. We have a weak federal government when compared to the rest of the world as well as a very culturally diverse population with a strong independent streak. The countries that nailed this typically have both a very strong federal governments and a conformant population. Can you imagine someone in japan or China standing up and saying it's their right to not wear a mask?

This is about one thing and one thing only: leadership.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

The French and Italians say hello.

Well, the French and Italians also have hundreds of years of history, overcoming external threats.

Well, the Italians have been more successful with external threats than the French I suppose...

If we were willing to look at COVID-19 as an external threat like 9/11, we would band together, follow the rules, and whip it's arse with a patriotic zealous rage!

Can't we just bomb something?

[OldPhiKap]

From what distance and are they wearing a mask?

Good questions. And, I guess technically they say "bon jour" and "ciao" -- so I'm way off.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

But . . . it's the China Virus so I thought we checked that box with the mask-resistant crowd.

Was it over when the Chinese developed the coronavirus to destroy America?
Chinese?
Forget it, he's rolling...

[rsvman]

This is about one thing and one thing only: leadership.

Disagree.


I lived in Japan for about two and a half years, and there is a lot more to the problem than leadership (not saying that leadership, or lack thereof, isn't one of the major problems).

To oversimplify the situation greatly, if you are Japanese and born and raised in Japan, you get the following mantra drilled into your head from babyhood on:
1) You are a part of the whole, a small part
2) The whole benefits by the contributions of individuals
3) The whole is more important than any one individual or collection of individuals
4) "The nail that sticks out gets hammered down"

If you are born and raised in America, you here the following from birth onward:
1) You are an individual and you have individual freedom
2) The purpose of the government is to protect and guard your personal freedoms
3) You can do whatever you want to do; be yourself
4) It is not necessary to conform in any way unless you want to


Bottom line: Even if leadership had sent a consistent message from the very outset, I believe we would still have the same problem, maybe to a somewhat lesser extent, but we will still have the exact same problem. Getting all Americans to do the same thing is, as they say, like herding cats. It just can't be done. It is, on the other hand, quite simple to get the vast majority of Japanese to do the same thing. They WANT to help the society. Americans want to help THEMSELVES. That is a HUGE cultural difference that I don't believe could be remedied by better leadership.

[budwom]

^ I hear what you're saying about the Japanese, but as the NY Times noted today, pretty much all of the Northeast has figured out how to pull in the same direction (though it admittedly took time). No reason the rest of the country can't figure it out, too.

[dudog84]

I know it's behind the NY Times paywall, but hey, if you happen to be interested in what Fauci thinks these days:https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/21/o...gtype=Homepage

Some pretty candid stuff.

I think this is the article you are talking about, without the paywall:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/i-...wCM?li=BBnb7Kz

[budwom]

I think this is the article you are talking about, without the paywall:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/i-...wCM?li=BBnb7Kz

It is..well done, very crafty of you!