General Coronavirus chit chat thread - non-travel specific

[amaroo]

Trendy and cool?

Not long ago the son of a friend exercised his right to use this option.

He was only in his mid twenties, but had MND. It had reached the stage that he could only move his eyes and that allowed him to in a limited way operate a computer. This allowed him to opt to end his life in this way. He was horrified that he would soon be trapped in a body where he had a fully functioning mind, but where he could not move in any way, not even his eyes.

Several years ago I had a mate of 3 decades long. He had had a medical condition since he was in his early twenties that worsened each year and which was extremely painful, and at the end agonising so. It has reached the stage where pain killers simply were not working. Indeed not long before his passing we were discussing at how even triple the dose that he was prescribed that it did not good. He would I am sure would liked to had had the euthanasia option available to him. So instead of dying with his family around him he instead chose to end his on life in lonely circumstances so that his wife and daughter would not be implicated in his death. not have to see him pass in that way.

There is nothing trendy and cool about euthanasia.

See post above.

 

[PineappleSkip]

You know its coming but GST to be raised in about a years time to pay for the bail out.

You'd need to get the states and territories to agree to that. Which would be mass political suicide.

My money is on an income tax surcharge. Remember the coyly named 'Budget repair levy'?

 

[cove]

Yes I remember credit carding that @PineappleSkip as that was when we could use points to fly.

 

[I love to travel]

You'd need to get the states and territories to agree to that. Which would be mass political suicide.

My money is on an income tax surcharge. Remember the coyly named 'Budget repair levy'?

I dont think it will be enough. Tbe states need a guaranteed cut via GST to repair their budget deficits.

 

[drron]

He was using the decision by the premier as an example of restrictions on social liberty on a broader scale. Plus, for good measure, trying to downplay the seriousness of covid by saying people die anyway from other causes and so the whole raft of measures are an afront to society.

The couple of sentences at the beginning are simply to contextualise how reasonable he is before launching into the opinion piece.

And I thought those on the left are meant to be compassionate and caring.but as the only example you have of the fellow is his bringing up the Premier saying if couples live apart they could not go and visit each other.That to me is a pretty aggressive denial of a person's rights and even thinking about it shows a complete lack of compassion.
The more serious problem that decision plus the fellow in NSW getting fined for eating a kebab on a park bench by himself erodes the trust some people have in those making decisions.So if you want everyone to practice social distancing you very much need to be sensible in your actions.

 

[jase05]

Looks like we in this for the long haul barring a miracle

Coronavirus: New modelling reveals Australians could be locked in isolation

EXCLUSIVE

amp.news.com.au

 

[I love to travel]

And I thought those on the left are meant to be compassionate and caring.but as the only example you have of the fellow is his bringing up the Premier saying if couples live apart they could not go and visit each other.That to me is a pretty aggressive denial of a person's rights and even thinking about it shows a complete lack of compassion.
The more serious problem that decision plus the fellow in NSW getting fined for eating a kebab on a park bench by himself erodes the trust some people have in those making decisions.So if you want everyone to practice social distancing you very much need to be sensible in your actions.

To be fair the kebab guy had been warned twice previously.

 

[andye]

I don't see much 'party' politics in deciding how long to impose restrictions.
One of the tough aspects for governments is that some of the press/public will hold them personally accountable for any CoViD deaths after a relaxation
While wholeheartedly agreeing with current measures, we have to realise that there are non-CoViD deaths we are storing up if things persist (e.g. delayed colonoscopies, delayed cancer surgery, people presenting late with myocardial infarcts, people not seeking attention with minor stroke symptoms).
The balance is very hard and I'm sure will weigh heavily on the health and economic experts' minds

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The more serious problem that decision plus the fellow in NSW getting fined for eating a kebab on a park bench by himself erodes the trust some people have in those making decisions.So if you want everyone to practice social distancing you very much need to be sensible in your actions.

Or the reverse? Depending on the state we live, we're not supposed to be outside unless one of four things... medical, essential shopping, exercise, work (if you can't work from home).

A third warning for being outside without falling in one of those categories = a fine. That shows that the rules are going to be applied and that no one gets to determine their own interpretation of what the law 'should' be.

There are people skipping quarantine, the police need to be focusing on them, not spending their time on someone eating a kebab

 

[Pushka]

Or the reverse? Depending on the state we live, we're not supposed to be outside unless one of four things... medical, essential shopping, exercise, work (if you can't work from home).

A third warning for being outside without falling in one of those categories = a fine. That shows that the rules are going to be applied and that no one gets to determine their own interpretation of what the law 'should' be.

There are people skipping quarantine, the police need to be focusing on them, not spending their time on someone eating a kebab

He was warned.

 

[amaroo]

Didn't take long for the European Union to come under pressure.

As Italy teeters, EU wrestles with crisis that could tear it apart

It might be remembered as one of the most consequential calls for help in modern European history.

www.smh.com.au

 

[tgh]

All a bit worrying, the bug may be a good adapter and start skipping species.. that would be a game changer

Tiger tests positive

Seven more big cats test positive for coronavirus at Bronx Zoo

Following a National Geographic inquiry, the zoo confirms that four more tigers and three lions have the virus. This comes the same day as two pet cats in New York become the first in the U.S. to test positive.

www.nationalgeographic.com

 

[get me outta here]

It is gross ignorance that somehow people working in a hospital are ‘unclean’ and may infect others. And, of course the answer to this is that the people (women mostly), being victimised should take the action and change their clothes when they’re outside so that people don’t know what their profession is. Even though they have no change rooms or showers.

If I were not self isolating I would get a lot of people to escort nurses and others who need to go shopping, buy a muffin, or a cup of coffee and protect them against the cough wits.

And here we go again telling Australians that it is unAustralian. Yeah nah, that does not make a positive difference when the idiots are involved.

Why on earth would people be abusing hospital staff?

'Not the way Aussies behave': Minister blows up at people abusing nurses amid coronavirus pandemic

The NSW Health Minister slams "unacceptable" behaviour by members of the public who have spat on nurses, verbally and physically them and refused them service amid the pandemic.

www.abc.net.au

 

[PineappleSkip]

There has been a spike in reported cases in India. Case numbers have tripled since 31 March, from 1,400 to 4,200, although part of that would be attributable to increased testing.

This comes a few weeks after the disastrous (with hindsight) Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi in mid March, two weeks after the infamous Malaysia event.

Among the visitors from around 45 nations at the Nizamuddin Markaz, the centre which serves as the movement's global headquarters, were individuals who had come in with unexpected baggage - the coronavirus. They transmitted it to many others at the markaz's packed shared living spaces and these individuals later dispersed far and wide, not just as faithful foot soldiers of the puritanical movement but also as carriers of the deadly virus.

It was this centre's network that found itself at the heart of India's Covid-19 pandemic over rapidly unfolding events last week . At least 1,023 coronavirus cases, spread in as many as 17 states in India, have been traced back to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation. That number constitutes about a third of the total cases in India, which stood at 3,374 on Sunday morning. Some deaths have also been linked to the same gathering.

The Delhi event occurred about the same time as after another huge Tablighi Jamaat event across the border in Lahore, with Pakistan now trying to round up and quarantine tens of thousands of attendees.

Pakistan has quarantined 20,000 worshippers and is still searching for tens of thousands more who attended an Islamic gathering in Lahore last month despite the worsening coronavirus pandemic, officials said Sunday.

More than 100,000 people went to the meeting, organisers said, undeterred by government requests for it to be cancelled as the virus hit the country.

The Times of India gave an update on the outcome of the India event today.

NEW DELHI: As many as 1,023 Covid-19 positive cases found in 17 states have been traced to the Tablighi Jamaat in Delhi, accounting for 30% of all cases in India, the health ministry said.

The Guardian reports that India has just 51 testing centres, so reported cases won’t tell the whole story, or even much of it.

Industrial strength ignorance, fear and loathing have ensued; have a look at #CoronavirusJihad on twitter.

A further source of concern in India is the spread of coronavirus in Mumbai’s Dharavi, the largest slum in Asia with nearly 1,000,000 living there.

Worries over Mumbai's Dharavi emerging as a cluster with a high number of coronavirus positive cases surged when a 35-year-old doctor, who has a clinic in the area, tested positive. This is the third such case which is linked to Dharavi...

The BBC reports the link between the Delhi Tablighi Jamaat and Dharavi...

Patient No 1 of Dharavi lived with his eight-member family - his wife, four daughters, and two sons - in a poky 420 sq ft one-room apartment in a low-rise slum tenement ringed by squalid shanties...

The man owned another apartment in the same complex. There he hosted five people who had reportedly arrived from Delhi after attending a conference in early March organised by Tablighi Jamaat...

 

[JessicaTam]

[mod hat]
A number of off topic posts verging on personal attacks have been removed.

Keep civil, and keep to the CV-19 general discussion.

To quote a UK politician: "This is not a request, it is a direction"
[/mod hat]

 

[lovetravellingoz]

There has been a spike in reported cases in India. Case numbers have tripled since 31 March, from 1,400 to 4,200, although part of that would be attributable to increased testing.

With the number of people they have living in poverty and in very crowded conditions you would imagine that sooner or later that their will be vast numbers of people infection.

The cases will most likely come from the middle and upper classes.

 

[VPS]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=241515553901256

Ha ha

 

[Cossie]

Yes, I'm a pessimist, I can't see things changing, same as the attempt to ban poaching, if there is a market, greed will always win.

Coronavirus: Putting the spotlight on the global wildlife trade

Conservation experts say the pandemic is a watershed moment for curbing global wildlife trade.

www.bbc.com

What chance is there when China's National Health Commission promotes bear bile injections for covid19, sigh.

China promotes bear bile as coronavirus treatment, alarming wildlife advocates

China’s National Health Commission published a list of recommended treatments, including injections that contain bear bile powder.

www.nationalgeographic.com

 

[get me outta here]

Did anyone see any reports of the level of infections outside of Wuhan, in other China centres like Beijing, Shanghai etc? It seems odd that there was not much reported on this. Perhaps it is just a part of the CCP general secrecy.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I give up!

Woman and daughter were fined $2000 for being out for a driving lesson on the weekend. They said they had no intention of getting out of the car so they assumed it was ok.

Were they out shopping? Going to the doctor? For exercise? Or for work? Nope.

So how is the message not getting through????