COVID-19 thread

[Travis B.]

I read yesterday that the supply problems are a result of the EU prioritising keeping costs down over getting immediate access to vaccine supplies, but I don’t know the details. (This was an opinion piece complaining that EU leaders were essentially handing the UK a post-hoc justification for Brexit.)

That raises the question of why keeping costs down would be a higher priority over matters one would presume to be more pressing like reducing the number of new COVID cases and deaths...

[Ares Land]

And we're down with the 'rona here at home...
(Seems to be one of the mild ones so far, so the hardest part will be the quarantine...)

I read yesterday that the supply problems are a result of the EU prioritising keeping costs down over getting immediate access to vaccine supplies, but I don’t know the details. (This was an opinion piece complaining that EU leaders were essentially handing the UK a post-hoc justification for Brexit.)

So they say. I haven't read anything substantial, but that seems most likely.
The wasted time (and lives)... are driving me mad; though on the plus side, I'm pretty sure the pandemic will end in the EU not that long after the US and UK and the economic damage will be lesser. Not that it changes anything about the deaths, but I have to think of something...

[Linguoboy]

That raises the question of why keeping costs down would be a higher priority over matters one would presume to be more pressing like reducing the number of new COVID cases and deaths...

His argument is that that’s basically what the Union is designed to do, that it’s essentially a “producers’ cartel” which tends to drop the ball when it’s called upon to do anything else.

In any case, here’s the link: https://www.eurointelligence.com/column/vaccines.

[Ares Land]

The latest speculation is that both UK and US reserved their production capabilities for themselves, whereas the EU did not. Which means we are producing for the rest of the world and ourselves, and used neither export bans or 'EU first' clauses.

Thinking on it some more, no matter the actual reasons, the worst mistake is in treating us like the proverbial mushroom, keeping us in the dark and feeding us shit.

I don't think the crisis will really change feelings towards the EU; unlike in 2008, no fairy tale full of evil penny-pinching Germans was released to the public -- not that it'd have been accepted, we're all really pissed off right now -- so the blame goes to national governments where it belongs.

[Ahzoh]

Can disinfectant wipes (like Lysol) actually kill coronovirus like they say? My uncle believes it's just a marketing trick and that it actually can't. He also seems to misinterpret what "kills 99.9% of germs" means saying stuff like "they could say it kills 99.9% of another virus but only 5% of covid"

Also I showed him something that claimed EPA did two lab studies showing two specific Lysol products could kill coronavirus over 2 minutes and because it's a government agency he already assumes they're lying because Americans are slaves to the dollar.

Health Canada also claims that no disinfectants can actually kill coronavirus.

I dunno, my uncle has concerning ideas on how germs and medicine work.

One time when I briefly (~10-20 seconds) and absentmindedly put my coat onto my shopping cart and then wore my coat again, he told me that now I got covid on my clothes and that I have to go change them and take a shower. Even like this when my pants accidentally touched the cart. (of course surface transmission is a threat, I'm not sure many people would go so far as to change clothes and shower after briefly touching a surface with a coat or pants.)

And when I told him my mum recovered her senses back faster after taking the covid19 vaccines and how they did studies showing that it's no coincidence that longhaulers have been recovering their senses faster, he's like "well that prolly only happens to a minority or it might cause their senses to improve in the short-term but actually make it worse in the long-term"

[Ares Land]

No idea about lysol, but it basically depends on the alcohol content. I suppose it works -- though soap is even better when you can use it.

Other than that, I feel your pain. We're playing 'covince the Boomer to get the vaccine' here at home. So far we're losing.

I know some people did change clothes and disinfect stuff and the like last year... But I don't know anyone who kept it up. (My limited understanding is that it's overkill.)

[doctor shark]

Brother (in the US) got his first dose of the (Pfizer) vaccine yesterday, and here I am sitting in the Netherlands waiting presumably now until June, at the earliest for any shot at getting the shot. It's funny seeing the two vastly different responses from my parents: my mother is totally fine with vaccination, while my father apparently has heard a lot from Oni no manko his wife and absolutely refuses to get it, spouting various conspiracisms and the like.

No idea about lysol, but it basically depends on the alcohol content. I suppose it works -- though soap is even better when you can use it.

Anything that's at least 70% ethanol will act usually fairly well as a viricide, as will a lot of other antivirals that disinfecting products contain. (Though many common hand sanitizers have other ingredients to "soften" the ethanol, because ethanol dries out your hands pretty nastily.) Indeed, soaps, preferably antimicrobial kinds, are best, but with alcohol-based hand sanitizers as a good second place/alternative.

[linguistcat]

Both my parents are choosing not to get vaccinated currently, not due to shortages or anything like that or even being inherently anti-vax in their views, but because the vaccines available were tested with fetal cell lines. Because they are both Catholics and feel that using fetal cell lines goes against their anti-abortion views. So it's not even a matter of reasoning things out, either there will be a vaccine that isn't tested or produced in any way through using fetal cell lines (and if they still refuse if one comes out THEN I will consider them anti-vax), or they will not get vaccinated.

Meanwhile I have to schedule a vaccination but I have to prove residency which requires I update my license which will take like, 2 months.

[alynnidalar]

Amusingly enough, my aunt, who leans a bit conspiracy for anything health related... sheepishly "admitted" she's been vaccinated. (she does payroll at a school and vaccines were offered to all of the school's employees) Guess her "oh, but covid isn't that bad really" and "oh, but does the vaccine even help" conspiracies didn't mean too much in the end.

(I shouldn't really mock--I was actually quite worried she would refuse to get vaccinated, and I'm relieved either common sense or peer pressure took over. But it was pretty funny when she was like, "so uh, this vaccine..." and I start bracing for an off-the-wall rant "...we had the chance to get vaccinated at the school the other day and I got my first dose...")

A week and a half until I become eligible... no guarantee I'll get an appointment, but I'm sure gonna give it my best shot!

[Linguoboy]

A week and a half until I become eligible... no guarantee I'll get an appointment, but I'm sure gonna give it my best shot!

My ward is holding a vaccination event today and even though I only made it onto the waitlist, I'm showered and shaved and ready to go at a moment's notice.

[Ares Land]

Both my wife and I got COVID right now. It's an approach to immunity! (Not the one we wanted or would recommend.)

Our main worry is that it's damn hard to get our relatives motivated. It's not that they're into conspiracies, really, they just can't be arsed.

[Rounin Ryuuji]

I hope you both have mild cases and recover very quickly with a negative number of complications.

[Ahzoh]

My aunt is holding off getting the vaccine because she’s she’s trying to get pregnant and she’s worried it might make her infertile.

[Linguoboy]

Both my wife and I got COVID right now. It's an approach to immunity! (Not the one we wanted or would recommend.)

Ugh. Best of luck to both of you.

[Ares Land]

Ah thanks. As they say, it's not over till its over, so far it's annoying but pretty mild.

[Travis B.]

Both my wife and I got COVID right now. It's an approach to immunity! (Not the one we wanted or would recommend.)

Our main worry is that it's damn hard to get our relatives motivated. It's not that they're into conspiracies, really, they just can't be arsed.

Uck - that really sucks. I hope you have a speedy recovery with minimum complications.

[MacAnDàil]

I hereby repeat the well wishing of our fellow board memebers.

[Vardelm]

Both my wife and I got COVID right now. It's an approach to immunity! (Not the one we wanted or would recommend.)

As others have said, all the best to you, hope it's not too severe, and speedy recovery!


I see many friends on Facebook taking trips to the southern US, Mexico, the Caribbean, etc. I also had an email about meeting with a group of friends in the next month or so. There's absolutely no way I'm getting together with anyone or going anywhere on a trip. I don't understand why people don't understand the whole situation. Even if you don't "get sick", you're quite possibly helping to spread it. Just..... DUH.

[kodé]

Both my wife and I got COVID right now. It's an approach to immunity! (Not the one we wanted or would recommend.)

As others have said, all the best to you, hope it's not too severe, and speedy recovery!

And best of luck also from me as well! I’m working remotely from the States for a French company, and apparently Île-de-France is back in lockdown Hopes that you and the rest of the country recovers soon.

I see many friends on Facebook taking trips to the southern US, Mexico, the Caribbean, etc. I also had an email about meeting with a group of friends in the next month or so. There's absolutely no way I'm getting together with anyone or going anywhere on a trip. I don't understand why people don't understand the whole situation. Even if you don't "get sick", you're quite possibly helping to spread it. Just..... DUH.

Here, here! This aggravates me to no end. Though FWIW there’s definitely a clone of safe behavior / taking precautions. I know some people farther down on the good end of the cline would have similar feelings about me taking a weekend trip an hour away (masked and distanced of course, but still not as safe as I *could* have been by not taking the trip).

[Ares Land]

And best of luck also from me as well! I’m working remotely from the States for a French company, and apparently Île-de-France is back in lockdown Hopes that you and the rest of the country recovers soon.

Thanks everyone! (We both got pretty mild cases, at least so far.)

Ile de France (and other heavily hit parts of the country) is in a weird kind of lockdown, which doesn't change much from previous policy. Saying that government policy is hard to read is an understatement but they're either afraid of economic consequences or violent reactions if they tighten things up more.

So, well, things are going to get a lot worse before they get better...