COVID-19 Rant

[zelmo73]

If Corona spreads to the same degree as the flu then a lot more people will die.

If! If! If! You accuse me of wearing a tin foil hat when all you are doing is speculating as well, basing your numbers only off of confirmed cases of COVID-19. Over 60,000 of those confirmed cases have recovered from the virus; what about the countless unconfirmed cases that had the virus and recovered from it? Chances are that if you've had a cold within the past year then it's likely that you already had it. 

[Alex]

Dude, you even understand the difference between a cold and a virus? Honestly, I just about fell out of my chair laughing at your post this morning and how much you are revealing you do not know.

Not only are you totally, absolutely clueless, but you aren't even aware of how ignorant you really are. Flu season started a lot earlier than this virus, that is why there have been many more cases of the flu than it, and that efforts have been made to limit its spread. If it doesn't spread it will be because of the measures being taken to try and limit it, and not your crackpot theories.

If you care to actually read my posts, you will see at some times I do indeed engage in speculation. If you would care to read your own posts you will also see you have engaged in speculation (not when you suggest this is all some conspiracy though. That is called being a crackpot).  Indeed, your last post you have done this when you said that if you've had a cold then the chances are you've had Covid-19 (and I'll come back to this later). I also engage with facts in order to make those speculations as accurate as I can. That's the difference. I can look at virus transmission models, the effects of other viruses that are closely related to Covid-19 and come up with evidence-based guesses, and IF is a damn important phrase. IF is the worst-case scenario that we are trying to stop, but won't be able to IF we listen to people like you.

Other people on this thread are able to post up scientifically based evidence to back up what they say. This has been sourced from reputable sources (which you dismissed as media hysteria) and yet you are yet to post anything that can back up your claims. Until you can then I am going to dismiss your posts as the ravings of a demented loony unworthy of further debate, but worthy of further mockery. So either provide some proof or leave the grown-ups to talk.

Oh, and I have a cold right now, but I have been tested and I don't have it so the chances are you are wrong there too. Unless of course, you think that people are being lied to there as part of this plan you mentioned.

Just so you know, by the way, the earth isn't flat, we have been to the moon, Elvis is dead and if the Illuminati are running everything then they are doing such a bad job that they might as well not bother at all.

[ER]

Alex, is the test done by a cheek swab or a blood test?

[RCMerchant]

with very little known about the virus other than that it is only potentially dangerous to really old and sick people.

This really gets my craw. Your total disregard for the 'old and sickly', like they're disposable human beings.

[Alex]

Neither of those. The much more unpleasant nasal method. I don't know if they are using the same type of test everywhere, although I can ask my brother if you want me to check. A quick check says it can be done by blood, coughing up mucus or taking a sample from the lungs which sounds about the worst method. No mention of cheek swabs though, which I'd have thought would be the way to go for something that lives in the nose and throat.

EDIT: Stewart says the NHS are using throat swabs. I guess we get whatever they've had lying in a cupboard for the past 30 years instead. 

[Rev. Powell]

A lot of this debate has to do with concepts of risk tolerance.

Let's say, strictly for the sake of argument, that there's a 1 in 200 chance that any individual will die from this virus.

Some, like me, would say that's not a great enough risk to make any major lifestyle changes at all.

Others would find a 1 in 200 chance of dying to be insanely dangerous, and voluntarily quarantine themselves.

I don't think there's an objective metric we could use to prove either view wrong.

If I were king of the world, I'd say, let's all just go about our business normally. That's why they don't let people like me make these decisions. I shouldn't be allowed to impose my high tolerance for risk on society as a whole. I'm part of a broader society and (in this case) I bow to the consensus.

[Alex]

I'd bear in mind that this isn't the first of these big news viruses we have seen in our lifetime. I suspect it isn't going to be the last. If we can perfect the procedures on one like this that catching it isn't a death sentence then we can improve our procedures and learn lessons for the day when we do have one that is more dangerous, and thusly give people a better chance of surviving an outbreak where the chance of dying is much higher, therefore I think this is a worthwhile exercise simply because it isn't a mass pandemic of some Ebola variant or other such disease.

While I do not deny that from a mass sociological point of view it wouldn't do any harm to the human race to suddenly have a lot less older and sick people to look after, indeed quite the opposite. With ageing populations in most first world countries, it would releave a lot of stress of the care systems looking after them. On the other hand, there are a lot of those at-risk people I happen to appreciate having around so from a personal point of view would like to keep them alive as long as possible. I am sure many of them agree.

[chefzombie]

well, i'm not QUITE elderly, but i appreciate the sentiment! 

[Alex]

well, i'm not QUITE elderly, but i appreciate the sentiment!  

Wait one second, I thought you were so old that you thought continental drift was a fast-moving sport.  

Only kidding, luv ya really. You should ask Kristi how I used to torment Iain who had the misfortune of being about 2 days older than me.

[Rev. Powell]

Interesting site with some continually updated statistics and charts: https://covid19info.live/

One interesting note: we're at 10 times the number of worldwide deaths at this point than at a comparable point in the SARS epidemic, and the rate continues to climb with a slope that makes SARS look flat by comparison.

[Alex]

I think I saw someone mention that SARS had about 10% mortality, so if thats true I guess this one transmits a lot more easily.

[Allhallowsday]

I got 2 calls from my doctor's office yesterday to confirm that I would be there today.  I was.  They tried to hand me a clipboard and I asserted I'm not touching anything - not filling out forms.  I saw a few people in the hospital with masks or rubber gloves.  I didn't even have to touch anything in the men's room - except my zipper!  My hands were clean - I'm not touching your sparkling sink!  I do think caution is the word. 

[zelmo73]

Dude, you even understand the difference between a cold and a virus?

Actually Alex, I barely read anything that you post here. I find your posts long-winded and rather boring. You strike me as one of those kinds of people that loves to hear themselves talk, yet for all of your efforts you really don't have a whole lot to say. That being said, you are also not as smart as you apparently like to think that you are.

The common cold is a viral infectious disease that infects the upper respiratory system.

It is the most common infectious disease in humans and is mainly caused by coronaviruses or rhinoviruses.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/166606

[zelmo73]

^ You kill me, man. You believe a comic book villain quote over TWHO?
Yes, there are dumbs**ts fighting over toilet paper.
But the reason for the precautions is so fewer people do die. I am one of those 'old and sickly' (  58, with heart disease) that you seem to not give a flying fvck about. This ain't a comic book, Jr.

No RC, a person wrote that quotation. A person that made a valid observation about our society in general. I mean, look at some of you, after all. Too scared to even step outside in the daylight anymore for fear that the COVID-19 might get you. I have another quote written by a human being for you...

[RCMerchant]

^ You kill me, man. You believe a comic book villain quote over TWHO?
Yes, there are dumbs**ts fighting over toilet paper.
But the reason for the precautions is so fewer people do die. I am one of those 'old and sickly' (  58, with heart disease) that you seem to not give a flying fvck about. This ain't a comic book, Jr.

No RC, a person wrote that quotation. A person that made a valid observation about our society in general. I mean, look at some of you, after all. Too scared to even step outside in the daylight anymore for fear that the COVID-19 might get you. I have another quote written by a human being for you...

Yeah, a person wrote it. You did. It may not be original, but you wrote it.
As for fear- I don't fear my own death. I've had 4 open-heart surgeries. But I do have empathy for those 'old and sickly' folks who are afraid. Maybe that's a word alien to you.
But you seem to like quotes- here's one for ya, and I know who said it too-
"Your a dumbass." Oh- and that quote comes from ME.

It's a good thing you didn't read Alex's post...it may have seized up the rusty cogs of your brain.
See ya in the funny papers, Jr.