rei
4160
@krayzkrok what does “munted” mean?
Also drunk / shitfaced, but in this context definitely fucked.
MrTibbs
4163
Some major shutdowns scheduled for NYC:
Fun story - Parmalat was basically Italy’s Enron. The name of the main shell company they used to hide losses translated to “Black Hole”, which seemed a bit on the nose.
They’re already asking the UK government for an aid package.
Turning air travel back into a luxury will be best in the long run from an environmental perspective. Let the majority fold and concentrate on a few flag carriers/state Airlines. if we to save companies over the next year we’ll need to pick and choose what industries are sustainable in the new world.
vyshka
4167
Looks like the German and London exchanges are taking a beating right now.
Aceris
4168
On the herd immunity thing, the UK government are now saying that was never a goal, but just a think that happens as the virus becomes endemic, and the briefing wires got crossed. This actually makes sense to me. It seems to me the key questionable assumption in the planning is there’s no way to stop the spread. If the plan is to slow it down then it does make sense to delay control measures until a little later on in the outbreak (because you would get to the same level after a while anyway). The curve turns down because of immunity (and the people most like to be infected are also the most active spreaders, so even a 5% post-infection rate significantly reduces the spread. ) Given how bad its going to get and how long measures will have to be maintained, the China model does look more compelling now. But there might be consequences of the model I’m not getting (maybe stopping a second wave requires a powerful surveillance state?)
My suspicion is the UK gov had a premade plan for a disease that was a bit more virulent and less lethal, and COVID19 is sufficiently close to the parameters that they have used the plan, resulting in some questionable assumptions (although no more questionable than the utter failure to track and trace throughout Europe and the US in the early stages, something the UK did much better at because it was part of “The Plan”). Ultimately strict controls will still be introduced, it’s a matter of slight differences in degree and a couple of weeks delay compared to what might have been possible. Still very expensive in lives though if they are wrong :(
So I just learned that a co-worker one island over on my floor was diagnosed with Covid-19 (he got it from a roommate). Given that two other co-workers are suffering heavy colds right now, there’s a significant chance I’m infected too.
No symptoms yet apart from the sniffles, but we’ll see.
China might just keep its doors shut forever. It’s a big place.
The alternative would be every so often things will flare out of control again, and they end up welding people inside their apartment blocks every time it happens.
vyshka
4171
I’m sorry to hear that. I hope you all make it through this okay. I’ve been lucky that I’ve been a remote worker for 7 years now. So hopefully I will be able to keep contact limited.
draxen
4172
I think the assumption that containment is impossible is the smartest aspect of the UK strategy. You look at the global tracker and there are currently outbreaks in 145 countries. Do all these countries have the discipline and resources to contain the virus?
The genie is out of the bottle.
Aceris
4173
I am currently suspicious that we will get draconian travel restrictions, and a lot of people will be quietly happy about that.
I saw a video yesterday, an US expert explaining what they’re doing in China, after the whole lockdown.
The TLDR, very aggressive monitorization. Everywhere you go, you get your temperature checked, and if it’s wrong, you go get checked for Covid, and a few hours later, if you have it, quarantine away from family.
draxen
4175
You mean the idiots? :)
Although the geopolitical ramifications could be considerable. Are we looking at a post-pandemic world where countries are split into infected/non-infected categories until a vaccine has been invented. It could shift the balance of power in several regions. Those who take longer to contain or achieve herd immunity (through vaccine or 80% infected) will be more economically damaged.
The whole thing is just… crazy.
Sending peace, love, and well wishes to everyone around the world.
I suspect that it will not, but I hope that it will bring us all closer together and we’ll see inter-country co-operation on a huge scale. We’re all in the same boat.
After announcing a ban on entry to the country — last night was the deadline for foreigners, tonight is the deadline for citizens and residents — Ecuador has followed up with a lockdown order. No large assemblies of people, people are to stay home unless they are buying food or medicine, going to work, seeking medical attention or attending to old or disable family people. All retail businesses except food stores / markets and pharmacies are closed. The order is not clear about restaurants, but Ecuador is a place where a good many people depend on very small neighborhood ‘restaurants’ for at least one daily meal.
The police and army have been ordered to enforce the lockdown. Given what I’ve seen in the past, I imagine they are going to mostly be focused on stopping cars to find out where the occupants are going and why. I live across the street from one of the main police substations, so I’ll have a birds-eye view of prep activities this morning.
Nikolaj
4177
Is anyone still assuming it can be contained? I think most of the measures in place in most western countries now aim to soften the blow that is coming against their health care systems, not to completely contain the virus.
draxen
4178
No idea. I’m just speculating…
The Asian countries still appear to be successfully (at the moment) pursuing a containment strategy. China, S. Korea etc.
South Korea is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. It’s not clear they ever had a choice as to their strategy, as if containment fails the spread would be much faster than other places with the same measures.
