The COVID-19 Discussion Thread (OTB)

[Jens]

I got my library card renewed for which I had to show up in person with picture ID, but I wasn't asked to remove my mask. How do I know that I wasn't someone else?

Did they make you draw a mask on the photo ID?

[Fiery Phoenix]

I don't quite understand, and would want to ask a question in return. What do you mean when you say "Japan is reporting"? Do you mean the Japanese government? In that case, the figures for all the cases in different prefectures are reported (publicly and to the WHO, for example). Do you mean, "why does the media often just report the cases from Tokyo?" In that case, I wasn't really aware I think they may do it for other places as well when the place is well known, like "cases in NYC" or "record number of cases in Los Angeles." But in my case, it's more simple, it's just the fact that I live in Tokyo so, like other people reporting the cases in their counties, I obviously pay more attention to that.

And actually, if you look at the figures here for example: https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-data/h00657/, Tokyo does have the highest number of cases (though not per capita), it is by no means the only prefecture where there are significant numbers.

Yeah, I actually meant the media. Most headlines I see are something like, "Tokyo reports 200 new cases." It's not always obvious whether this is referring to Tokyo proper or Japan as a whole, but it usually tends to be the former from what I've seen.

[21st Century Schizoid Man]

How do I know that I wasn't someone else?

I often wonder that, whether I'm wearing a mask or not.

[ozduck]

Tomorrow, after seven months of our state border with the rest of Australia being closed to all arrivals, except for those with official approval, they will re-open to most states and territories. Persons arriving from the two most populous states of New South Wales and Victoria will however still need to self isolate for 14 days.

The national border is still closed to non-residents except for arrivals from New Zealand.

[grant hutchison]

I got my library card renewed for which I had to show up in person with picture ID, but I wasn't asked to remove my mask. How do I know that I wasn't someone else?

The other day, I was struck by how people who routinely work in operating theatres are easily able to identify each other, even when masked. I'd gone into the hospital accompanying my mother, and was walking out through the concourse, a little preoccupied and wearing the required mask, when I was hailed by an ex-colleague who hadn't seen me in four-and-a-half years.

Grant Hutchison

[Solfe]

The other day, I was struck by how people who routinely work in operating theatres are easily able to identify each other, even when masked. I'd gone into the hospital accompanying my mother, and was walking out through the concourse, a little preoccupied and wearing the required mask, when I was hailed by an ex-colleague who hadn't seen me in four-and-a-half years.

Grant Hutchison

One of my students doesn't like people with stuff on their faces. She rips whatever it is off, if given chance. It cute, but not really cute.

She tore off my glasses and when she realized it was me, she crushed the glasses so I wouldn't vanish again. The behavior tech in the room was shocked by the level of aggression used to get the glasses off and my unconcern at having them crushed. I asked her to play hide and seek with me and the student. As the student counted, instead of hiding, I turned around and bowed my head. It took her several tries to find me, even when I called her by name. The tech was also astonished at that.

Remember how I complained about the hazard of wearing facemasks? I was totally wrong. The first day of masks required eight staff to corral her and we were all covered with poop. We rarely have to shower and change students, but we all needed showers and changes. The same thing happened on day two. Day three her staff refused to send her back. When she was calm enough to return to school, we invented a new protocol based on the hide and seek game. We approach the bus unmasked, wave and once she acknowledges us, we put on the mask in full view of her. She still rips our masks off and pulls hair, but that is so much more agreeable than poop throwing.

[Jens]

Yeah, I actually meant the media. Most headlines I see are something like, "Tokyo reports 200 new cases." It's not always obvious whether this is referring to Tokyo proper or Japan as a whole, but it usually tends to be the former from what I've seen.

I see. I'm not really sure why that happens. You don't really see it so much in other places. I do remember that when Wuhan was still the epicenter, there was news about Beijing cases, but that's kind of special because it was still confined to China pretty much. I wonder if people are more interested in Tokyo than in Japan as a whole... Actually, I think that on the evening news a couple of days ago, the news was that Hokkaido had nearly equaled Tokyo (despite having a third of the population). So there may be a sense where Tokyo is taken as the bellwether.

[Solfe]

These lockdowns and restrictions are killing me. At this rate, I will never be skinny enough to wear the rest of the ninja costume.

[Trebuchet]

Yeah, I actually meant the media. Most headlines I see are something like, "Tokyo reports 200 new cases." It's not always obvious whether this is referring to Tokyo proper or Japan as a whole, but it usually tends to be the former from what I've seen.

Since Tokyo is the capital of Japan, I suspect it's along the lines of "Moscow threatens neighbors again" or "Berlin announces new Covid plan".

More than 160,000 new cases in the USA yesterday, a new record by about 40,000. What an awful year.

[schlaugh]

And apparently Elon Musk needs to self-quarantine after testing both positive and negative for COVID in four separate tests.

https://www.space.com/elon-musk-spac...-crew-1-launch

With SpaceX on the eve of launching four astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA in a historic flight, CEO Elon Musk has announced that he has received mixed results from recent tests for the novel coronavirus..

Musk made the announcement on Twitter early today (Nov. 13). It's not yet clear what, if anything, those results might mean for SpaceX's Crew-1 launch with NASA, currently scheduled to lift off from the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida tomorrow night at 7:49 p.m. EST (0049 GMT on Nov. 15). NASA has been cautious about crew health since long before COVID-19 burst on the scene and has directed agency employees to work remotely as much as possible to slow the disease's spread.

"When somebody tests positive for COVID here at the Kennedy Space Center and across NASA, it is our policy for that person to quarantine and self-isolate, so we anticipate that that will be taking place," NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said during a news conference today when asked about tweets in which Musk said he had received both positive and negative tests. Bridenstine said he had talked to Musk two days ago, before the testing issue arose.

[grant hutchison]

Musk clearly needs to do some reading on the limitations of rapid antigen testing, in particular its detection limits and its false negative rate. Or he could just go on calling it "bogus", I suppose.

Grant Hutchison

[Spacedude]

Our Governor just tightened up restrictions here to go into effect on Monday. Masks are required outside the home now by anyone over the age of 3 and indoor/outdoor gatherings are restricted to 25 max, among other asst tweekings. As hospitals reach their limitations there will be more to come.

[Trebuchet]

20 new cases in my small county last week, all associated with a Halloween party. Stupid.

Meanwhile, Worldometer says the USA death toll has passed 250,000 and new case records are being set every day. Over 180,000 yesterday.

[Selenite]

Apparently, in some parts of the US, nursing students are being recruited to fill the gaps even as veteran nurses quit because they feel vulnerable, expendable or just burnt-out. "We're not cannon fodder, we're human beings" explained one resigning nurse in Washington, D.C.

Meanwhile, a hotline created by physicians in New York City to help doctors deal with the mental anxiety of combating the crisis said it averages up to 20 calls a day.

Grim times.

[Gillianren]

Our county had a hundred-case day this week followed by two zero-case days. I haven't checked today's stats yet. But I did have a long talk with Simon yesterday about how they'd roll out a vaccine and why, frankly, their dad is probably going to be higher priority than we are.

[Jens]

Our county had a hundred-case day this week followed by two zero-case days. I haven't checked today's stats yet. But I did have a long talk with Simon yesterday about how they'd roll out a vaccine and why, frankly, their dad is probably going to be higher priority than we are.

That's interesting. I guess it's possible that there was a cluster somewhere, so they did a bunch of tests, and the results came out on the same day so you got that spike.

[Van Rijn]

I’m hearing stores are putting limits on toilet paper purchases because people are hoarding again. If you’re low, might be time to get a package or two.

[The Backroad Astronomer]

The Covid virus doesn't attack trees.

[publiusr]

Give it time...

[Trebuchet]

Canada has closed access to Peace Arch Park, which straddles the BC/Washington border. Apparently couples separated by the closed border have been setting up tents to have sex there.

[Solfe]

The toilet paper thing annoys me to no end. Fact: It's light, cheap and bulky, therefore not really efficient to ship. If you have or are a distributor that wants the most bang for their buck, then you don't ship toilet paper. Pretty much anything else gives a better return.

I hate the whole "it's a covid bottleneck." No, not really. It's a nice excuse not to ship a product with a high shipping cost and relatively low price.

[Selenite]

Apparently couples separated by the closed border have been setting up tents to have sex there.

Every law has a loophole.

[Gillianren]

That's interesting. I guess it's possible that there was a cluster somewhere, so they did a bunch of tests, and the results came out on the same day so you got that spike.

We had a 183-case day the day before yesterday (I check that after I'm done here); some friends last night suggested it's Halloween issues. Because three of the highest case levels we've had have been in about the last ten days. It's only been in the last six weeks or so that we routinely had more than ten cases in a day.

[publiusr]

Meanwhile, a hotline created by physicians in New York City to help doctors deal with the mental anxiety of combating the crisis said it averages up to 20 calls a day.

Grim times.

Security professionals too.
You have to treat your fellow humans as if contaminated—and the body English of putting these gun shaped thermometers against someone’s forehead—-and pull the trigger? Not pleasant at all. Where I am now, many of the trees were cut down ostensibly for safety reasons. It looks like a prison now, though it is just a business.

There is Dr. Who adventure for you. After visiting ancient Egypt, the Seventh Doctor sees a line of people, and a person with what looks like a las-gun.

He chided the poor badge, before seeing it was a thermometer.

“Why couldn’t it look like my sonic screwdriver?”

[Gillianren]

Our governor has issued tighter lockdown requirements again as our cases continue to skyrocket. 95 cases day before yesterday, which only a week ago would've been a record.

[The Backroad Astronomer]

One of the biggest donors for a vaccine was Dolly Parton giving a million dollars to the fund to find a vaccine.
https://graziadaily.co.uk/celebrity/...virus-vaccine/

[Gillianren]

Tom Hanks gave his blood!

[Jens]

Tom Hanks gave his blood!

I hope he didn’t give all of it.


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[Chuck]

So far I've given away three disposable masks. That's 36¢ worth

[Solfe]

I'm really hating this pandemic. At the moment, I have 20 days until my new job starts. I gave several weeks notice at the school where I work, but they shut down last Friday and went to remote learning. Since I am the sub and no one is sick, I have nothing to do. It took this job because it was a solid 40 hours a week, even if I wasn't a substitute teacher. On days when no one was absent, I would be the fifth person in a room or do lunch coverage. Now that they are doing remote learning, there isn't anything for me to do. I am still paid (which for some odd reason bothers me, even though it was part of the deal from the start).

If I can't amuse myself, there really isn't much to do. I've been drawing a lot, which is something. I was taking the dog for walks, but she has asthma and the cool weather isn't so great for her. Today, I went to work and checked my email. The building was empty, so I collected up the recycling and mopped the stairs. The last two items aren't my job at all. My boss thinks I am nuts and I suspect he's right.