Semi-OT: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Discussion Thread

[speedfiend]

I really wish our media here in the states wasn't so political with this virus. One side of the political aisle is attacking Fauci and the other side appears to now be attacking Birx, claiming she is losing credibility. They are both extremely good at their jobs--let's let them give advice.

As an outside observer this seems very true. I have been watching snippets of both Fox and Friends and CNN (not for extended periods, there are limits to my curiosity) and both seem agenda driven, and more interested in praising or criticising Trump’s handling of the crisis than in what is actually transpiring.

100% this. It’s so hard to get objective news and I find it very frustrating as I actually want to learn more. Sometimes yahoo has some articles that aren’t agenda driven - but those are really rare. Local news isn’t as bad w/ the partisan stuff, but fear and shock is their primary goal and that stuff can be bad too.

For objective news on America I usually check BBC.

I haven't checked the local news here in Taiwan pretty much in forever. All the media outlets are biased one way or the other. For the latest update on COVID-19, I usually check the FB postings from several well known virologists on the island.

[DowJones]

I also think America's "testing failure" is dramatically overblown. America has run 4.32 million. The next closest country is Germany at 2.07 million. Italy is next at 1.51 million. Now let's take a look at testing in terms of percentage of the population:

United States: 1.30%

Germany: 2.45%
South Korea: 1.13%
Canada: 1.51%
United Kingdom: 0.82%
France: 0.71%
Netherlands: 1.00%
Belgium: 1.48%
Sweden: 0.94%
Finland: 1.24%
Norway: 2.74%
Singapore: 1.62%
Italy: 2.50%
Spain: 1.99%

America falls somewhere in the middle among this group of countries, which is an accomplishment considering how many people there are and how physically large the country is. Germany, as an example, is smaller than the state of Montana. It is much easier to test people in a country is dense.

3 states account for about 1/4th the total of those testing number in the US, and the 2nd most populated state in Texas has done a comically low level of testing. You don't wait for a cluster outbreak to start aggressively testing, which is essentially what about 30-40 states are basically doing.

The testing in the US has been miserable, no amount of spin or excuses can change that.

What spin? I posted facts—literal numbers. Texas only has 20 deaths per 1 million residents. NY has over 1,000 deaths per million residents. Why are you surprised that Texas isn’t flooded with tests? Testing is scarce in every country in the world, as the evidence I presented shows. Let’s focus on hotspots like NY and New Jersey worry about states like Florida and Texas when the data tells us we should.

The media acts like the Governors in Florida, Texas, and Georgia are all blundering idiots when their states have deaths per million at 41, 20, and 82. Let’s focus more on NY, New Jersey, and Michigan where they are at deaths per million of 1,000+, 583, and 283.

[DowJones]

I really wish our media here in the states wasn't so political with this virus. One side of the political aisle is attacking Fauci and the other side appears to now be attacking Birx, claiming she is losing credibility. They are both extremely good at their jobs--let's let them give advice.

As an outside observer this seems very true. I have been watching snippets of both Fox and Friends and CNN (not for extended periods, there are limits to my curiosity) and both seem agenda driven, and more interested in praising or criticising Trump’s handling of the crisis than in what is actually transpiring.

Here’s the thing we’re both outside observers but this isn’t a both sides issue. Trump has been uniquely unqualified to lead in a moment of crisis and he’s screwed this situation up in almost every way imaginable. I don’t watch CNN, but they do provide credible experts on the channel if you don’t want to tune into their opinion segments. I watch MSNBC and they’re really good providing expert analysis but also talking the issue from many different points of view which includes people on the frontlines, policy makers, people from past administrations who were in charge of pandemic responses and unique views on how it disproportionately affects people of colour. Meanwhile Fox News is pushing unfounded claims that it was created in a lab and has idiots like Dr. Phil on there incorrectly claiming more people die in swimming pools than from coronavirus. You can’t talk about the response without criticizing the lack of leadership, it’s plain facts not agenda driven media hype. I think you mentioned you’re from Australia. Well I think your PM is absolute dog ****, but at least you can probably point out specific steps he took to limit the spread and how he actually showed leadership through tone and actions. You don’t have to spin anything because the facts and results can support the argument. Not so much with Trump. The bar is so low with him that if he had shut his mouth and let the experts make decisions he’d be getting all the credit from supposedly bias outlets like CNN. This isn’t inherently political but neither Trump or his supporters can admit that he’s making an extremely tough situation even worse. If you want to get a better idea of what’s happening on the ground in America you should watch the Governor’s addresses.

I am stunned by your stance on MSNBC. Everyone in America knows that MSNBC is to the left what FoxNews is to the right. One of their popular hosts literally said it was his goal to turn Donald Trump’s political bones into dust. How is that fair reporting?

[michaelm]

As an outside observer this seems very true. I have been watching snippets of both Fox and Friends and CNN (not for extended periods, there are limits to my curiosity) and both seem agenda driven, and more interested in praising or criticising Trump’s handling of the crisis than in what is actually transpiring.

100% this. It’s so hard to get objective news and I find it very frustrating as I actually want to learn more. Sometimes yahoo has some articles that aren’t agenda driven - but those are really rare. Local news isn’t as bad w/ the partisan stuff, but fear and shock is their primary goal and that stuff can be bad too.

For objective news on America I usually check BBC.

I haven't checked the local news here in Taiwan pretty much in forever. All the media outlets are biased one way or the other. For the latest update on COVID-19, I usually check the FB postings from several well known virologists on the island.

I go with scientific opinion myself of course and read several of the virology papers on the sequencing and likelihood of the virus being manufactured, but think what people think about the pandemic, what they are being told by the various news outlets, and the economic aspects of the pandemic are important.

I think true journalism died a long time ago.

[California Gold]

Here's yet another report of Covid causing stroke to younger folks with no underlying conditions.

The new coronavirus appears to be causing sudden strokes in adults in their 30s and 40s who are not otherwise terribly ill, doctors reported Wednesday.

They said patients may be unwilling to call 911 because they have heard hospitals are overwhelmed by coronavirus cases.
There's growing evidence that Covid-19 infection can cause the blood to clot in unusual ways, and stroke would be an expected consequence of that.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/22/health/strokes-coronavirus-young-adults/index.html

Scary stuff.

[WestbrookGOATed]

Here's yet another report of Covid causing stroke to younger folks with no underlying conditions.

The new coronavirus appears to be causing sudden strokes in adults in their 30s and 40s who are not otherwise terribly ill, doctors reported Wednesday.

They said patients may be unwilling to call 911 because they have heard hospitals are overwhelmed by coronavirus cases.
There's growing evidence that Covid-19 infection can cause the blood to clot in unusual ways, and stroke would be an expected consequence of that.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/22/health/strokes-coronavirus-young-adults/index.html

Scary stuff.

Not only are hospitals not overwhelmed, they are laying employees off!! That is complete bull ****. And nothing from CNN or any of the major "news" outlets can be trusted.

[California Gold]

Here's yet another report of Covid causing stroke to younger folks with no underlying conditions.

The new coronavirus appears to be causing sudden strokes in adults in their 30s and 40s who are not otherwise terribly ill, doctors reported Wednesday.

They said patients may be unwilling to call 911 because they have heard hospitals are overwhelmed by coronavirus cases.
There's growing evidence that Covid-19 infection can cause the blood to clot in unusual ways, and stroke would be an expected consequence of that.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/22/health/strokes-coronavirus-young-adults/index.html

Scary stuff.

Not only are hospitals not overwhelmed, they are laying employees off!! That is complete bull ****. And nothing from CNN or any of the major "news" outlets can be trusted.

So what you're saying is that the article I posted is fake? I'm not the biggest believer in media, and in fact I am pretty critical of CNN in general, but doctors and scientists have nothing to gain from making stuff like this up. Believe what you want though. It's sad that people actually think like this.

[Topofthekey]

This isn't a Trump issue when it comes to America's response. Everyone was caught with their pants down. Heck, Fauci himself said he wasn't overly concerned towards the end of February. Part of that can be blamed on the lack of transparency coming out of Wuhan.

Again, how do you explain the way most Asian countries handled it?

For example, Singapore. Here is an interview with a virologist from Singapore, on January 21st

He confirmed that human to human transmission was happening. He also described the stringent checks being set up in Wuhan

(source: https://www.npr.org/2020/01/21/798088813/coronavirus-in-china-spreads-by-human-to-human-transmission)

On January 23rd, Singapore recorded its first case, and immediately started contact tracing and testing

Did the lack of transparency not affect them as well?

And still, even though that may have happened, the entire rest of the world wasn't panicking or thinking this was going to be any worse than it became.

Yes, the entire world was caught off guard by the virus

But the point is, most Asian countries reacted accordingly, with whatever information they had at the time

Trump and Europe did not

But they are also the most vocal right now in trying to deflect blame. Some people in the UK blame 5G. Germany blames China. Trump supporters are pushing conspiracy theories ranging from China unleashing the virus to kill Americans to Bill Gates creating the virus so that he can tag everyone with digital implants

It's absurd

[Saintsteven]

Here's yet another report of Covid causing stroke to younger folks with no underlying conditions.

The new coronavirus appears to be causing sudden strokes in adults in their 30s and 40s who are not otherwise terribly ill, doctors reported Wednesday.

They said patients may be unwilling to call 911 because they have heard hospitals are overwhelmed by coronavirus cases.
There's growing evidence that Covid-19 infection can cause the blood to clot in unusual ways, and stroke would be an expected consequence of that.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/22/health/strokes-coronavirus-young-adults/index.html

Scary stuff.

Not only are hospitals not overwhelmed, they are laying employees off!! That is complete bull ****. And nothing from CNN or any of the major "news" outlets can be trusted.

They're laying people off because elective surgeries are being put on hold which is a large source of income our privatized healthcare system and we'd rather not bring in asymptomatic people into hospitals right now and spread the virus and use our available resources not for procedures which can be but on hold for a bit...

Sent from my LM-G710VM using RealGM mobile app

[WestbrookGOATed]

Here's yet another report of Covid causing stroke to younger folks with no underlying conditions.



https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/22/health/strokes-coronavirus-young-adults/index.html

Scary stuff.

Not only are hospitals not overwhelmed, they are laying employees off!! That is complete bull ****. And nothing from CNN or any of the major "news" outlets can be trusted.

So what you're saying is that the article I posted is fake? I'm not the biggest believer in media, and in fact I am pretty critical of CNN in general, but doctors and scientists have nothing to gain from making stuff like this up. Believe what you want though. It's sad that people actually think like this.

Doctors and scientists have nothing to gain? What about a gigantic freaking pay day?

[California Gold]

Not only are hospitals not overwhelmed, they are laying employees off!! That is complete bull ****. And nothing from CNN or any of the major "news" outlets can be trusted.

So what you're saying is that the article I posted is fake? I'm not the biggest believer in media, and in fact I am pretty critical of CNN in general, but doctors and scientists have nothing to gain from making stuff like this up. Believe what you want though. It's sad that people actually think like this.

Doctors and scientists have nothing to gain? What about a gigantic freaking pay day?

You can't be serious...?

Please tell me you're trolling.

[WestbrookGOATed]

Here's yet another report of Covid causing stroke to younger folks with no underlying conditions.



https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/22/health/strokes-coronavirus-young-adults/index.html

Scary stuff.

Not only are hospitals not overwhelmed, they are laying employees off!! That is complete bull ****. And nothing from CNN or any of the major "news" outlets can be trusted.

They're laying people off because elective surgeries are being put on hold which is a large source of income our privatized healthcare system and we'd rather not bring in asymptomatic people into hospitals right now and spread the virus and use our available resources not for procedures which can be but on hold for a bit...

Sent from my LM-G710VM using RealGM mobile app

What exactly is your occupation?

[WestbrookGOATed]

So what you're saying is that the article I posted is fake? I'm not the biggest believer in media, and in fact I am pretty critical of CNN in general, but doctors and scientists have nothing to gain from making stuff like this up. Believe what you want though. It's sad that people actually think like this.

Doctors and scientists have nothing to gain? What about a gigantic freaking pay day?

You can't be serious...?

Please tell me you're trolling.

How would I be trolling? You think a few doctors and scientists aren't capable of stretching the truth for a big paycheck? If you think that's impossible you're just severely lacking intelligence or any sense of reality.

[bondom34]

Guys...ignore the troll. Might just be best to not give him attention.

[speedfiend]

Again, how do you explain the way most Asian countries handled it?

For example, Singapore. Here is an interview with a virologist from Singapore, on January 21st

He confirmed that human to human transmission was happening. He also described the stringent checks being set up in Wuhan

(source: https://www.npr.org/2020/01/21/798088813/coronavirus-in-china-spreads-by-human-to-human-transmission)

On January 23rd, Singapore recorded its first case, and immediately started contact tracing and testing

Did the lack of transparency not affect them as well?

And still, even though that may have happened, the entire rest of the world wasn't panicking or thinking this was going to be any worse than it became.

Yes, the entire world was caught off guard by the virus

But the point is, most Asian countries reacted accordingly, with whatever information they had at the time

Trump and Europe did not

But they are also the most vocal right now in trying to deflect blame. Some people in the UK blame 5G. Germany blames China. Trump supporters are pushing conspiracy theories ranging from China unleashing the virus to kill Americans to Bill Gates creating the virus so that he can tag everyone with digital implants

It's absurd

The blame China thing is getting so bad that our government (Taiwan) is taking steps to reduce the font of the word "China" from our passport cover page as well as our major airline. Seems no one can make the distinction between ROC and PROC.

[California Gold]

Doctors and scientists have nothing to gain? What about a gigantic freaking pay day?

You can't be serious...?

Please tell me you're trolling.

How would I be trolling? You think a few doctors and scientists aren't capable of stretching the truth for a big paycheck? If you think that's impossible you're just severely lacking intelligence or any sense of reality.

So lets get this straight. Doctors make up that article to "scare" people so that they can stretch the truth for a big pay day....

Yeah I'm sorry but nothing you've said makes any logical sense. I think the only one here lacking intelligence is you. Pathetic. You remind me of the idiots out there protesting to reopen the country.

[WestbrookGOATed]

You can't be serious...?

Please tell me you're trolling.

How would I be trolling? You think a few doctors and scientists aren't capable of stretching the truth for a big paycheck? If you think that's impossible you're just severely lacking intelligence or any sense of reality.

So lets get this straight. Doctors make up that article to "scare" people so that they can stretch the truth for a big pay day....

Yeah I'm sorry but nothing you've said makes any logical sense. I think the only one here lacking intelligence is you. Pathetic. You remind me of the idiots out there protesting to reopen the country.

I didn't read the article. It's from CNN. Do you know how much Bill Gates Mr. Let's Depopulate the earth has donated towards a vaccine for this virus? He plans on vaccinating 7 billion people which is the entire earth. For a virus with a 2% mortality rate. So yeah I wouldn't be surprised if there were doctors or scientists paid to stretch the truth and scare people into taking his vaccine. Those "idiots" are out there protesting because they can't work due to this BS virus and the entire economy is collapsing. They're protesting to keep our freedoms that dumbasses like you are willing to give up over a severe cold.

[California Gold]

How would I be trolling? You think a few doctors and scientists aren't capable of stretching the truth for a big paycheck? If you think that's impossible you're just severely lacking intelligence or any sense of reality.

So lets get this straight. Doctors make up that article to "scare" people so that they can stretch the truth for a big pay day....

Yeah I'm sorry but nothing you've said makes any logical sense. I think the only one here lacking intelligence is you. Pathetic. You remind me of the idiots out there protesting to reopen the country.

I didn't read the article. It's from CNN. Do you know how much Bill Gates Mr. Let's Depopulate the earth has donated towards a vaccine for this virus? He plans on vaccinating 7 billion people which is the entire earth. For a virus with a 2% mortality rate. So yeah I wouldn't be surprised if there were doctors or scientists paid to stretch the truth and scare people into taking his vaccine. Those "idiots" are out there protesting because they can't work due to this BS virus and the entire economy is collapsing. They're protesting to keep our freedoms that dumbasses like you are willing to give up over a severe cold.

I'm sorry I can't engage in someone who literally is trying to conjure up conspiracy theories to back up their nonsense. At least I was right -- you are just like the idiotic protesters. God help ya.

Sickening that we have human beings like this poster.

[WestbrookGOATed]

So lets get this straight. Doctors make up that article to "scare" people so that they can stretch the truth for a big pay day....

Yeah I'm sorry but nothing you've said makes any logical sense. I think the only one here lacking intelligence is you. Pathetic. You remind me of the idiots out there protesting to reopen the country.

I didn't read the article. It's from CNN. Do you know how much Bill Gates Mr. Let's Depopulate the earth has donated towards a vaccine for this virus? He plans on vaccinating 7 billion people which is the entire earth. For a virus with a 2% mortality rate. So yeah I wouldn't be surprised if there were doctors or scientists paid to stretch the truth and scare people into taking his vaccine. Those "idiots" are out there protesting because they can't work due to this BS virus and the entire economy is collapsing. They're protesting to keep our freedoms that dumbasses like you are willing to give up over a severe cold.

I'm sorry I can't engage in someone who literally is trying to conjure up conspiracy theories to back up their nonsense. At least I was right -- you are just like the idiotic protesters. God help ya.

Sickening that we have human beings like this poster.

You know how I know you're a braindead idiot? Before I even opened your reply I knew you would say something about conspiracy theories or tinfoil hats. That's ok. Ignorance is bliss. Every government in history has been completely trust worthy right? Sickening we have dumb f*cks like you that dont dare question anything and do exactly as you're told. You're a sad excuse for a human being. Stick to watching basketball and leave the critical thinking to people that have brains in their heads.

[California Gold]

I didn't read the article. It's from CNN. Do you know how much Bill Gates Mr. Let's Depopulate the earth has donated towards a vaccine for this virus? He plans on vaccinating 7 billion people which is the entire earth. For a virus with a 2% mortality rate. So yeah I wouldn't be surprised if there were doctors or scientists paid to stretch the truth and scare people into taking his vaccine. Those "idiots" are out there protesting because they can't work due to this BS virus and the entire economy is collapsing. They're protesting to keep our freedoms that dumbasses like you are willing to give up over a severe cold.

I'm sorry I can't engage in someone who literally is trying to conjure up conspiracy theories to back up their nonsense. At least I was right -- you are just like the idiotic protesters. God help ya.

Sickening that we have human beings like this poster.

You know how I know you're a braindead idiot? Before I even opened your reply I knew you would say something about conspiracy theories or tinfoil hats. That's ok. Ignorance is bliss. Every government in history has been completely trust worthy right? Sickening we have dumb f*cks like you that dont dare question anything and do exactly as you're told. You're a sad excuse for a human being. Stick to watching basketball and leave the critical thinking to people that have brains in their heads.

Yeap, meanwhile there are hundreds of Doctors out there saying the same thing. Some of which I know personally but yup because you want to cry about conspiracies, they must all be wrong! You really lack intelligence on this subject, that much is clear. You don't even have a logical point about it other than reaching for wild conspiracy theories and yes what you said is a conspiracy theory based off of nothing. If you have any evidence of anything please do share though.