Covid-19 pandemic

[Snake Plissken]

Professor Sikora is the equivalent of that bananas economics Professor that the Brexiteers liked to wheel out in their support.

[Kowalski]

But he is just so positive, and positivity is what's most important at the end of the day, in the final analysis.

These people would have died anyway and I'm sure that opinion is a great comfort to their families.

I should add that I know what I'm talking about because I have an opinion and I keep positive.

Incidentally, I blocked the University of Buckingham's Professor Positivity on twitter because of his positive vibes.

[Balderdasha]

151 deaths in the UK today. 1,375 in the last week.

[Gangster Octopus]

Yeah, but they'd've died anyway...

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

"Bring out your dead! Bring out your dead!"
- "Here you go, got one for you."
- - "I'm not dead!"
"He says he's not dead!"
- "He will be soon, can't you just take him?"
- -"I don't want to go on the cart!"
- "Shut up!"

[Balderdasha]

There have now been more deaths from Covid-19 globally than deaths from homicide in 2017.

[Balderdasha]

There are no longer any active cases in New Zealand. The last active case recovered yesterday. That's a very impressive achievement.

[Balderdasha]

The virus is currently spreading fastest in Brazil (33,000+ new cases yesterday), the USA (20,000+), India (12,000+), Russia (8,000+) Chile, Pakistan and Peru (all 5,000+).

[Muukalainen]

The government today voted to allow free passage without quarantine from the three Baltic states and from three of the four Nordic countries, the obvious exception being the basket case that is our western neighbour.

It's difficult to explain why the pandemic has affected us comparatively lightly so far. Yes, the government acted promptly by putting movement restrictions and social distancing measures early on, and yes, the greater Helsinki area was shut off from the rest of the country for several weeks when it became apparent that the situation there was far worse than elsewhere. However, the restrictions placed on us appear to be less rigid than in many other countries, both when restrictions were initially imposed and also more recently when they're in the process of being eased back. Schools, except high schools, re-opened in the middle of May (they're closed again now because the school year ended on 1.6) and restaurants, shops and businesses are, as far as I can see at any rate, open normally. Most people are distancing to a sensible extent, hand disinfectant is available in most places (actually, every shop that I've been in, although that ain't that many), the plastic screens remain in place to protect staff, and face masks are worn as appropriate, for example the chimney sweep turned up this morning wearing one. Mass attendance at e.g. sports, music events are still not allowed.

[Gangster Octopus]

Our gardeners are here, suitability masked and gloved.

[anton pulisov]

57% of people in the Bergamo region have antibodies.

[Antepli Ejderha]

The number of fines issued to people breaking lockdown rules in Wales

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/w...wsApp_AppShare

Dyfed Powys have issued 50% more fines than the Metropolitan Police.

[Diable Rouge]

The government today voted to allow free passage without quarantine from the three Baltic states and from three of the four Nordic countries, the obvious exception being the basket case that is our western neighbour.

It's difficult to explain why the pandemic has affected us comparatively lightly so far. Yes, the government acted promptly by putting movement restrictions and social distancing measures early on, and yes, the greater Helsinki area was shut off from the rest of the country for several weeks when it became apparent that the situation there was far worse than elsewhere. However, the restrictions placed on us appear to be less rigid than in many other countries, both when restrictions were initially imposed and also more recently when they're in the process of being eased back. Schools, except high schools, re-opened in the middle of May (they're closed again now because the school year ended on 1.6) and restaurants, shops and businesses are, as far as I can see at any rate, open normally. Most people are distancing to a sensible extent, hand disinfectant is available in most places (actually, every shop that I've been in, although that ain't that many), the plastic screens remain in place to protect staff, and face masks are worn as appropriate, for example the chimney sweep turned up this morning wearing one. Mass attendance at e.g. sports, music events are still not allowed.

Regional population density and the rugged geographic terrain must inhibit transmission also.

[ursus arctos]

The regional differences even within Wales are striking. There clearly is no coordinated strategy in this regard.

[Balderdasha]

More than 7.5 million cases worldwide.

[Patrick Thistle]

The regional differences even within Wales are striking. There clearly is no coordinated strategy in this regard.

Interesting comment. Care to elaborate?

if you're talking about comparing rates in Powys to other parts of Wales you need to know that population density is similar to the Scottish Highlands. Less than 1 person per km²

[elguapo4]

8 deaths, 8 new cases announced in Ireland. Varadkar hopes that 90% of businesses will be open by July.

[jdsx]

I hadn't seen this before....according to a CDC report (https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6919e6.htm), after a single* choir practice in Washington state, 53 out of the 60 participants were infected with Covid 19.

*There were actually two choir practices where the disease could have spread, but the likelihood is that there was one 'event' (is my reading).

[Balderdasha]

Some interesting data on who dies from Covid-19 in England and Wales, and presented in a visually appealing eat, in this article: Who does coronavirus kill in England and Wales? Visualising the data

https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng...sing-the-data?

[Antepli Ejderha]

The regional differences even within Wales are striking. There clearly is no coordinated strategy in this regard.

Ceredigion put in a track and trace system and minimised deaths across the Hywel Dda Health Trust.

[Antepli Ejderha]

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/w...imple-18348215

Here's the article ursus arctos

[ursus arctos]

Very interesting

So it isn't just policing strategies that differed significantly among regions

[Antepli Ejderha]

Very interesting

So it isn't just policing strategies that differed significantly among regions

Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire made up Dyfed which is one half of Dyfed Powys police.

Ceredigion is also a very Welsh speaking area and apart from Aberystwyth is very rural and has lots of small towns. For them to do this was an extremely ambitious project in an area that is quite poor. Absolute kudos to them and it puts to shame the efforts of Westminster.

[Patrick Thistle]

Ceredigion put in a track and trace system and minimised deaths across the Hywel Dda Health Trust.

They did that because they didn't have the option of increasing hospital ICU capacity. It was supposed to be the "best we can do" option. Turns out it was probably the best option.

[Patrick Thistle]

The field hospitals that were going to save Cardiff and Swansea hospitals from being overwhelmed turned out to be white elephants. Although it's hard to know how much the news that they were expecting to have to house 2000 patients in the Millennium Stadium persuaded a lot of people to curtail their activities and adhere to the rules.