covid-19

[RandBlade]

I'm concerned you're making that kind of genetic/racial correlation before all the facts are in. At this early point in understanding a *novel* virus, that "seems" like racist and/or xenophobic confirmation bias against immigrant (black) doctors and nurses (by your NHS) more than anything else.

There's data in. It's neither racist nor xenophobic to analyse risk factors as they come in. ONS reports that so far BAME are 4x more likely to die so far and even after controlling for known risk factors (geography, demographics, employment, comorbidities, obesity etc) that only comes down to 2x

It seems like genetics may double risk then environment may double it again. Or vice versa. Under those circumstances precautions make sense.

Strange that you view the NHS trying to protect its vulnerable doctors is xenophobic in your eyes.

[Lewkowski]

https://www.npr.org/2020/05/07/85171...id-19-patients

"As hospitals were overrun by coronavirus patients in other parts of the world, the Army Corps of Engineers mobilized in the U.S., hiring private contractors to build emergency field hospitals around the country.

The endeavor cost more than $660 million, according to an NPR analysis of federal spending records.

But nearly four months into the pandemic, most of these facilities haven't treated a single patient."

What a boondoggle.

[ar81]

Just look at the figures and think about them for two seconds before spreading them. Did you really think all but 550 Swedes had died? Preposterous on the face of it.

I do not believe. I use WHO data.

[ar81]

https://www.npr.org/2020/05/07/85171...id-19-patients

"As hospitals were overrun by coronavirus patients in other parts of the world, the Army Corps of Engineers mobilized in the U.S., hiring private contractors to build emergency field hospitals around the country.

The endeavor cost more than $660 million, according to an NPR analysis of federal spending records.

But nearly four months into the pandemic, most of these facilities haven't treated a single patient."

What a boondoggle.

It looks like governors are doing a bad job. Are they republican or democrat states?

[RandBlade]

https://www.npr.org/2020/05/07/85171...id-19-patients

"As hospitals were overrun by coronavirus patients in other parts of the world, the Army Corps of Engineers mobilized in the U.S., hiring private contractors to build emergency field hospitals around the country.

The endeavor cost more than $660 million, according to an NPR analysis of federal spending records.

But nearly four months into the pandemic, most of these facilities haven't treated a single patient."

What a boondoggle.

If you think that's bad you should see how much the US military have spent on nuclear missiles that have never been fired.

[RandBlade]

I do not believe. I use WHO data.

Post a link to your source then as that data is garbage.

[Aimless]

I do not believe. I use WHO data.

As I've explained, both your assumptions and your data are wrong. Do you not know what the current date is? Please, for the love of sod, please look up the latest data on the total number of confirmed cases in Sweden. I'll wait.

[Aimless]

Just saw an interview with prominent epidemiologist Johan Giesecke, in which he said that Sweden's failure to protect frail institutionalized elderly was a consequence of nursing homes being staffed by large numbers of refugees and other asylum seekers who can't read Swedish. It is among the dumbest and most repugnant things I've heard from a prominent Swedish public figure this year. According to current estimates, roughly 40% of transmission occurs during the presymptomatic phase, and roughly 10% are asymptomatic (more or less) throughout the course of their illness. Swedish officials as well as nursing homes have taken an extremely relaxed stance wrt isolation, staffing routines and the use of PPE. What recommendations did the ministry put out in Swedish that would've eliminated pre- & asymptomatic transmission and that couldn't have been implemented more effectively through other means? Hey immigrants—stop going to work a few days before you feel sick! Despicable fucking moron.

[EyeKhan]

If you think that's bad you should see how much the US military have spent on nuclear missiles that have never been fired.

That's a great response that made me smile.

However, the thing to note about those field hospitals is they were built when the probable severity of the pandemic was unknown, and today, it's WAY better to have field hospitals that were never needed, than to have a great need for field hospitals, but they simply are not there. There is absolutely nothing wrong, in this current reality, with having $600M in field hospitals that were never used. Unfortunately, it's the reverse of our testing capacity - we need a lot of it, but simply don't have it. if there were a way the Army could have built up our testing capacity, instead of field hospitals, there might be a legitimate complaint here.

[LittleFuzzy]

It's just a code for Lewk, a way of saying "see, the virus isn't as bad as all your librulz were saying." And as is usual for him, he completely misses basic facts by pretending that floor space was the actual problem being mentioned when talking about the risk of hospitals being overwhelmed.

[Aimless]

Dumbest editors in mainstream media.

[Lewkowski]

It's just a code for Lewk, a way of saying "see, the virus isn't as bad as all your librulz were saying." And as is usual for him, he completely misses basic facts by pretending that floor space was the actual problem being mentioned when talking about the risk of hospitals being overwhelmed.

There's little doubt it isn't as bad as many people were initially saying. I think it will be important for people to put blame/praise where it belongs - on individual governors. They have the power to do lock-downs or not. Red states get beat up all the time in the media for placing like South Dakota but strangely enough when blue states start lifting business restrictions all I hear is crickets.

[Aimless]

There's little doubt it isn't as bad as many people were initially saying.

This is an especially stupid thing to say in light of your stupid comments earlier in this thread.

[RandBlade]

That's a great response that made me smile.

However, the thing to note about those field hospitals is they were built when the probable severity of the pandemic was unknown, and today, it's WAY better to have field hospitals that were never needed, than to have a great need for field hospitals, but they simply are not there. There is absolutely nothing wrong, in this current reality, with having $600M in field hospitals that were never used. Unfortunately, it's the reverse of our testing capacity - we need a lot of it, but simply don't have it. if there were a way the Army could have built up our testing capacity, instead of field hospitals, there might be a legitimate complaint here.

Indeed. For context fiscal response to this has come to over $2 trillion and you're implying you have a concern with spending $0.0006 trillion of that on hospitals many of which have been needed.

[Lewkowski]

Silver lining...

https://dailycaller.com/2020/05/09/k...r-coronavirus/

"“Just look at April — 80% of the people [Customs and Border Protection] apprehended at the border were returned back over the border in an average of under two hours. That’s astonishing,” Cuccinelli told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s “Arizona’s Morning News” on Friday.

He continued: “In the last six weeks, the Border Patrol has been implementing a health order rather than immigration law.”"

[Steely Glint]

Twitter Link

UPDATE: The current UK alert level is 223060.7, which I believe means that all matter in the observable universe has been converted to covid-19 particles.

[Being]

ASK CHINA!!!! Google it.

[GGT]

There's data in. It's neither racist nor xenophobic to analyse risk factors as they come in. ONS reports that so far BAME are 4x more likely to die so far and even after controlling for known risk factors (geography, demographics, employment, comorbidities, obesity etc) that only comes down to 2x

It seems like genetics may double risk then environment may double it again. Or vice versa. Under those circumstances precautions make sense.

Strange that you view the NHS trying to protect its vulnerable doctors is xenophobic in your eyes.

The data is still being collected, the studies aren't conclusive, and it's too soon to draw conclusions about race. All I'm saying is that correlation isn't causation, and you can't keep saying "it seems like", or "it looks like" at this early stage. I'm not aware of studies comparing the infection rate for the general patient population vs healthcare workers by race -- factoring in the testing differences by state and country -- but those would be complicated, global studies that could take years. It might be faster (and smarter) to study the virus' genetic make-up first.

Of course anyone working the "front lines" is more vulnerable, because of their exposure to the virus and inability to work from home (or stay-at-home)....and they should have all the PPE (and workplace standards) they need to do their jobs and stay safe. Regardless of their racial or ethnic background. IMO moving people of color off the "front lines" might look like precautions and protections for minority groups, but it's really just exposing failures in public health policy.


edit: There's also 'evidence' suggesting men are more susceptible to contracting covid-19 and/or having negative outcomes...but I don't see any nation's healthcare system saying men should be taken off their front-line or first-responder job for their own protection.

[GGT]

There's little doubt it isn't as bad as many people were initially saying. I think it will be important for people to put blame/praise where it belongs - on individual governors. They have the power to do lock-downs or not. Red states get beat up all the time in the media for placing like South Dakota but strangely enough when blue states start lifting business restrictions all I hear is crickets.

1) The covid-19 pandemic is worse than many people predicted.
2) You're not complaining about 'red states' like Ohio, which has some of the toughest state restrictions made by any Governor.
3) South Dakota is being criticized because its Governor refuses to recognize the Sioux Nation's sovereign nation treaty-protected status.
4) And you don't hear complaints when "blue" states lift business restrictions because it doesn't fit your anti-lib'rul mindset.

[GGT]

Silver lining...

https://dailycaller.com/2020/05/09/k...r-coronavirus/

"“Just look at April — 80% of the people [Customs and Border Protection] apprehended at the border were returned back over the border in an average of under two hours. That’s astonishing,” Cuccinelli told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s “Arizona’s Morning News” on Friday.

He continued: “In the last six weeks, the Border Patrol has been implementing a health order rather than immigration law.”"

Yet the virus is running thru the WH, infecting military valets, press secretaries, and the Secret Service. It's also infected sailors on war ships and air craft carriers. The heads of CDC and FDA are in quarantine, along with Fauci. So much for health policy silver linings, huh. WTF is wrong with you?

[Lewkowski]

Yet the virus is running thru the WH, infecting military valets, press secretaries, and the Secret Service. It's also infected sailors on war ships and air craft carriers. The heads of CDC and FDA are in quarantine, along with Fauci. So much for health policy silver linings, huh. WTF is wrong with you?

Do you actually understand what the term silver lining means?

[gogobongopop]

[RandBlade]

LOL Gogo that was very funny!

[Timbuk2]

[RandBlade]

Blimey.

Twitter Link

[Loki]

When unemployment benefits are 3 times as generous as a minimum wage job, I don't expect those people to return to the job market until their 13 weeks are up.

[Lewkowski]

Yeah the way unemployment benefits were done here was ridiculous. At *best* (and honestly not ideal for a variety of reasons) you should never get more than 100% income replacement.

[Ominous Gamer]

Yeah, can't let anything highlight that poverty exploitation!

[Lewkowski]

Yeah, can't let anything highlight that poverty exploitation!

Are you seriously suggesting people should be paid more in unemployment coverage than they would make when working? Can you not see the problems with this?

[Ominous Gamer]

Nope, not at all what I said. But no one expects you to understand the alternative.