Covid-19 pandemic

[ursus arctos]

It's a beautiful day here and the park is much fuller than it appears from this photo (though most people are maintaining distance). Noticeably more masks today than even 36 hours ago.

[Sporting]

Africa has more than 7,700 cases now. We can only hope that previous infection from malaria provides some sort of protection.

I hope so.

[Patrick Thistle]

There was a very depressing BBC news report last night from India.

[Logan Mountstuart]

I couldn't help but feel desperately sad out on my walk today. Three times I saw groups of teenagers sat really close to each other on benches or on the ground. 13 of them altogether, homogeneous groups of girls or boys so unlikely to be siblings.

That could be 13 different families seriously attempting to protect themselves at home and it could all be rendered futile by these selfish little twats.

I hate to judge. But jesus christ, the pure stupidity.

[Etienne]

Just learnt of the first COVID death of someone I've met. The mum of a close friend (though we've drifted apart a bit and I've not spoken to her for a couple of years). Her mum was 69.

[Diable Rouge]

You mentioned you had malaria. But you haven't had Coronavirus despite many people in your immediate circle being affected. Did any of them have malaria?

I saw some studies claiming (and I stress claiming) that people who had malaria might have increased immunity to coronavirus.

Also being reported that countries where the BCG vaccine has been widespread have had fewer infections and deaths, though there appears to be little evidence of that from either Ireland or the UK so far.

[Satchmo Distel]

Typical moment from Trump yesterday saying he'd been told to recommend wearing masks but making it abundantly clear that he thought them unnecessary.

[jefe]

Georgia reopened their beaches so people can "exercise".

[anton pulisov]

Also, if we're suspicious of Chinese figures, let's look at South Korea for comparison instead.

South Korea documented its first case of Covid-19 11 days before the UK. It has a population of about 51.5 million compared to 66.4 million for the UK.

The UK has had 3,605 deaths so far, with no sign of the death rate peaking yet, whereas South Korea has had only 177 deaths. In other words, we've had 20 times more deaths than South Korea despite having nearly two extra weeks to prepare.

Again, how can anyone look at those figures and think that we're doing "a great job"?

Yep. Europe twiddled its thumbs. Should have copied South Korea. "We don't have the tests" is bullshit. The expertise and industrial capacity exists in Europe. Complete and utter failure.

But then again, Europe fails most every winter to control the flu.

[G-Man]

Any update on this? Oh, and by the way, what's the best / most serious website for SA news updates?

South Africa's government is increasing testing now, and the expectation even two weeks before the lockdown is to expuire is that there'll be an extension. Some concessions have been made as to the number of passengers allowed in minibus taxis, which carry essential service employees. Which makes whites very angry, because, y'know, they can't walk their dog.

Compliance in townships is patchy, which is a massive concern. And there has been overreach by security personnel (not helped by a police minister who looks like dictator from Central Casting) , which is an obvious problem. For SA news and analysis, I recommend the Daily Maverick.

All the while, the credit rating agencies Fitch and Moody's have downgraded loans to SA to "junk" status, which is really shitty timing at a time when the South African Rand had already lost something like 25% in value against the Dollar and Euro due to the crashing economy. Great timing, capitalist fucks. If the people responsible should catch ebola, I'll cheer for fucking ebola.

[caja-dglh]

I couldn't help but feel desperately sad out on my walk today. Three times I saw groups of teenagers sat really close to each other on benches or on the ground. 13 of them altogether, homogeneous groups of girls or boys so unlikely to be siblings.

That could be 13 different families seriously attempting to protect themselves at home and it could all be rendered futile by these selfish little twats.

I hate to judge. But jesus christ, the pure stupidity.

They are teenage kids. Listening isn't exactly a strong suit at that age.

[Sean of the Shed]

Typical moment from Trump yesterday saying he'd been told to recommend wearing masks but making it abundantly clear that he thought them unnecessary.

Any effort by Trump to resist any form of protection from the virus should be positively encouraged.

[Balderdasha]

Morocco has more than 800 cases.

[Satchmo Distel]

Trump trying to kill his own voters again

[URL]https://twitter.com/Yamiche/status/1246556322293841927[/URL]

[ursus arctos]

Also killing lupus patients who need it

[Ray de Galles]

Does Trump (or his family/businesses) have an interest in this drug's production?

[Ray de Galles]

This is just astounding and terrifying (and completely par for the course for these press conferences recently) ;

[URL]https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1246553800716029952?s=21[/URL]

[Tactical Genius]

You mentioned you had malaria. But you haven't had Coronavirus despite many people in your immediate circle being affected. Did any of them have malaria?

I saw some studies claiming (and I stress claiming) that people who had malaria might have increased immunity to coronavirus.

My sister and her son have never had it. I assume her husband has had it as he lived In Nigeria until his late teens. My Mother has had it.
Sub-Saharan Africa is probably the last major continent to have a large number of infections due to a lack of regular travellers from Asia (most of the first cases were actually Europeans).

I think it's way too early to make assumptions regarding Africans having a built in resistance or immunity as well as the effectiveness of Anti-malerials.
I may be wrong, but I swear I took Cloroquinne when I first went to live in Nigeria in 1985. I stopped taking in a couple of months later as there were reports of strong side effects (I don't remember having any). I could be wrong though as it will be 35 years in August.
Speaking of Africa, Corona virus and Medications, there is something i wish to get off my chest. I may post something on the white Supremacy thread (Hint, France).

[San Bernardhinault]

146 more today, up to 1,112. Not great at all, but (as usual) can't tell if this is just more testing.

211 in hospital, 85 in ICU

97 extra in San Diego County for 1209. Nice drop off. Possibly weekend under-reporting. 228 in hospital, but only 89 in ICU which is a very small increase. A more reassuring day.

Also reassuring is that California's backlog of 60,000 tests is down to 13,000. It's unclear how many of those have been reported - but if they have been reported it's great because the state's increase was less than yesterday's.

[Sporting]

My sister and her son have never had it. I assume her husband has had it as he lived In Nigeria until his late teens. My Mother has had it.
Sub-Saharan Africa is probably the last major continent to have a large number of infections due to a lack of regular travellers from Asia (most of the first cases were actually Europeans).

I think it's way too early to make assumptions regarding Africans having a built in resistance or immunity as well as the effectiveness of Anti-malerials.
I may be wrong, but I swear I took Cloroquinne when I first went to live in Nigeria in 1985. I stopped taking in a couple of months later as there were reports of strong side effects (I don't remember having any). I could be wrong though as it will be 35 years in August.
Speaking of Africa, Corona virus and Medications, there is something i wish to get off my chest. I may post something on the white Supremacy thread (Hint, France).

I think I had malaria while travelling in the CAR in 1987 (can't be sure as it was never properly diagnosed but all the symptoms were present; "fever, moderate to severe shaking chills, profuse sweating, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and anaemia") Probably too long ago to give me any immunity today, though.

[Satchmo Distel]

[URL]https://twitter.com/theglipper/status/1246644176470585344[/URL]

[Sporting]

Problems for one of Spain's biggest brothels:

https://english.elpais.com/spanish_n...-brothels.html

[Balderdasha]

Only 84,821 cases and 5,800 deaths yesterday. I think that's just evidence of lower reporting at the weekend and expect it to spike again on Monday.

[Jah Womble]

Trump trying to kill his own voters again

Don’t knock it. Might be our best hope.

[jwdd27]

Prisons are a worry. A friend's brother is serving 4 years for drug offences, and although he has been moved to an open prison with other non-violent offenders, in many ways it's worse as it's 23hr lockdown. He would be getting released anyway fairly soon, but there's no way that can happen until he's tested, and he can't contact his probation officer or lawyer to find out what's going on as they're WFH and he only has office numbers.

And this guy is fairly intelligent and switched on (he was a fairly successful, ahem, businessman until he got pinched). Others will be clueless and helpless.