CoronaVirus news and updates (and how it's affecting you)

[CyberCubed]

Just passed 21,200 total deaths worldwide. NY has the most cases of the U.S. now.

Goddamn we are ****ed. It's really strange how this turned out to be far more serious than anyone ever expected, we probably will lose millions of people as this goes on throughout the year. Remember its only been 3 months since cases were reported outside China. Now imagine what it'll be like at the end of the year.

I never thought I'd live through a plague/disease that wipes out a significant percentage of humanity, but here we are.

[Coola Yagami]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Just passed 21,200 total deaths worldwide. NY has the most cases of the U.S. now.

Goddamn we are ****ed. It's really strange how this turned out to be far more serious than anyone ever expected, we probably will lose millions of people as this goes on throughout the year. Remember its only been 3 months since cases were reported outside China. Now imagine what it'll be like at the end of the year.

I never thought I'd live through a plague/disease that wipes out a significant percentage of humanity, but here we are.

Mostly because of all the stupid people that were like 'oh it's the flu' and the extra month or so we wasted ignoring it instead of doing all we can to keep it the **** out of our country.

[Autbot_Benz]

Originally Posted by Coola Yagami

Mostly because of all the stupid people that were like 'oh it's the flu' and the extra month or so we wasted ignoring it instead of doing all we can to keep it the **** out of our country.

also doesn't help we have a ****ing moronic manchild as president who still hasn't taken any of this seriously.

[Powder]

Originally Posted by Autbot_Benz

also doesn't help we have a ****ing moronic manchild as president who still hasn't taken any of this seriously.

[Voltron]

In all of this, Japan seems to be the odd man out. Despite being one of the first hit and geographically close to the origin of the outbreak, the impact on the islands has been astonishingly low.

There's a lot of talk about why this is. Some have accused the Japanese government of downplaying the crisis, and that the situation is much more severe than is being reported. However, this would mean that the hospitals aren't reporting the massive casualties, which is all but impossible. Also, the families of those affected would have been more vocal about a cover-up. Combine this with the sheer size of Tokyo, the largest urban area in the world, and it's odd that the virus hasn't wreaked more havoc.

Shockingly, Japan never went under self quarantine. Other countries are barred from entering without mandatory screenings and quarantine periods, but the Japanese public have been living life largely unaffected. Schools shut done for a month or so, initially of their own volition. Everything else remained (and continues to remain) open and functioning at full capacity. Schools are set to reopen in April.

There's a lot of speculation as to why Japan avoided the same fate as other countries. One school of thought says that school closings were the best way to stop the spread of coronavirus, and that everything else benefited from that sole action. Others are worried that this is just the calm before the storm, and that a sense of complacency falling over the public may lead to the same kind of infection rates seen in other countries.

At the moment, no one's really sure about anything. There are no concrete answers. Last weekend was a holiday and a lot of people went out and there was a spike in infections, so it's definitely still a possibility that the worst is ahead.

Weird.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

I assume one of the contributing factors to Japan having less cases would be their tougher border control.

https://amp.scmp.com/news/asia/east-...uth-korea-kick

[Voltron]

That's a good reason, but doesn't explain everything. Once the virus is in a place, it spreads like wildfire. Hokkaido, a largely rural area, initially had the highest rate of infection. Today, Hokkaido is still second highest. Kyoto is still in the double digits, which is mind-blowing considering Osaka borders it. Border closings will prevent an influx of it, but not the general spread.

Regardless of all the actions, it seems like it should be worse than it is right now.

Obviously, these numbers have to be off. It's the lack of hospitalization that I find most surprising. It's in Japan, but it's not ripping through like it is in Italy and New York.

[frank_one]

A lot of cases in the USA, increasing faster than Italy.

[Voltron]

A buddy of mine is a medical news reporter. He says we're on track for 500,000 cases in the US by April 1st. It's been a solid 33% increase in cases per day. I think he said the same for deaths.

All information points to at least several months of this, if not a year and a half. A vaccine is apparently being tested, but the human trials can't be rushed for fear of unknown, long term side effects.

Until then, guess we're stuck with drinking chloroquine tabs.

Hunker down and stay safe, everyone.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Meanwhile here in the heart of rural America, we're on countywide lockdown and the governor is talking about martial law. Great, so now the government is essentially becoming a military state. Never in my wildest imagination did I think we'd see a time when the whole nation was literally a breath away from absolute authoritarianism. Because that's exactly what it looks like is happening. Police stopping people on the roads just to determine whether they are allowed to be out? Yeah, it's getting scary, but not because of the virus. I'm more worried about where we're heading as a country.....

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by MsMarvelDuckie

Meanwhile here in the heart of rural America, we're on countywide lockdown and the governor is talking about martial law. Great, so now the government is essentially becoming a military state. Never in my wildest imagination did I think we'd see a time when the whole nation was literally a breath away from absolute authoritarianism. Because that's exactly what it looks like is happening. Police stopping people on the roads just to determine whether they are allowed to be out? Yeah, it's getting scary, but not because of the virus. I'm more worried about where we're heading as a country.....

Abbott's talking martial law? I haven't been keeping up with the news, to be honest. I guess I'm not surprised.

[ranger_scout]

One of the most beloved, if not the most beloved, icons in the world of entertainment shared such a good message with everyone.

Julie Andrews says coronavirus 'sense of unity' reminds her of World War II bonding

[Voltron]

Meanwhile, Sanders is diverting campaign funds into charities.

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaig...-relief-effort

Somebody get this man a presidency.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Originally Posted by CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy

Abbott's talking martial law? I haven't been keeping up with the news, to be honest. I guess I'm not surprised.

Really? With your closer proximity to Austin, I'd have thought you'd be right in top of it. I mean, Dallas and Tarrant counties (and Parker, Denton, among others) have all been put on almost total shutdown. Only "essential" businesses are even allowed to stay open, people being told to shelter in place, etc. It's eerie how dystopian and despotic things are starting to look. Shades of 28 Days Later and 1984 mash-up with Contagion and Hunger Games type scary.

[CyberCubed]

I’m surprised most fast food joints are still open. At least there’s no struggle to find food. If supermarkets closed down than people would really start riots. There’s no greater fear than hunger and not having something to eat.

[Utrommaniac]

Originally Posted by MsMarvelDuckie

Really? With your closer proximity to Austin, I'd have thought you'd be right in top of it. I mean, Dallas and Tarrant counties (and Parker, Denton, among others) have all been put on almost total shutdown. Only "essential" businesses are even allowed to stay open, people being told to shelter in place, etc. It's eerie how dystopian and despotic things are starting to look. Shades of 28 Days Later and 1984 mash-up with Contagion and Hunger Games type scary.

I've barely been out to see how much has been shut down.

But, in my Ft Worth suburb in the few times I have...lots more people going for walks than normal.

[MikeandRaph87]

One thing that is concerning is the diagnosed cases in my state are actually five days old. It takes five days to get a positive or negative result. So the 104 cases in one day are technically from what would be six days ago now, last Friday.

[TommyT]

Originally Posted by MikeandRaph87

One thing that is concerning is the diagnosed cases in my state are actually five days old. It takes five days to get a positive or negative result. So the 104 cases in one day are technically from what would be six days ago now, last Friday.

And boom goes the dynamite..

[IndigoErth]

So I got the unemployment application submitted. Does anyone else find their division of unemployment (and some state nonsense in general) tends to be a be a bit, I dunno...vague? Unhelpful even?

I took this from a screen shot of my application. Where the lovely question mark for more info just...repeats the question and fails to state what FMLA even is. And wasn't the only question like this.



Really now, if people have to go and ask Google then you're failing.


The other fun thing is that in my state you are required to immediately sign up for the JobLink website. (Is this local or does everyone have their own state version?) Problem is, since I used it almost two years ago the account becomes deactivated if you haven't used it after 90 days. SO you have to contact the employment office to have it reactivated by a human being, you can't do it yourself. Naturally. Had to do that last time and it worked out fine. BUT. This time I called, a few times, and am told by the recording that the office is closed, even though I called within their office hours.

I guess maybe they're closed to over the virus, but it's state stuff, isn't that essential? I know it's closed to public access, but you'd think people would still be there to at least answer questions and whatnot. The recording even says they've hired more staff to help with the increased volume!

So I sure as hell hope that I don't have to have an active account on that site in order to get benefits, because I can't get hold of anyone. And I can't make a new account because it requires your SS# to check to see if you have an account, thus you can only have one.

Supposedly job search requirements, according to an informative PDF, are waived for applicants related to the virus, but I can't find anything more about that. Sure as heck hope I don't need an active account in order for my application to work out. Grr.

[frank_one]

Originally Posted by Utrommaniac

But, in my Ft Worth suburb in the few times I have...lots more people going for walks than normal.

It was the same here in Italy weeks ago. All of a sudden people felt the need to go out jogging. Police had to "drag" people out of the parks. Now going out for a walk is forbidden unless you need to walk the dog but you have to stay very near your house.