Random fun fact of the day:
Around 120 Chinese certificates for medical masks were examined in Switzerland. All but 6 were fake.

Here is a insightful youtube video by a creator called 'Brew' who I have been subscribed to for a while - all of his sources are in the description.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQJteHRyclI

The reason why I posted the video is because he provides a calm and clear view to this current topic (at the time of recording) and might be useful to those who have just looked at this thread and to those who have been part of this thread for a while.
This video left me quite satisfied with regards to this topic.

For the Brits on here has Boris changed his approach since his hospitalization?

Governor Cuomo just signed an EO that allows for marriage licenses to be obtained through virtual weddings. This timeline is so weird.

What reports? There is no overall mortality rate, it depends entirely on age demographics which is very different between countries.

So the US is averaging around 30k new cases each day but still there are some people protesting in the streets to end the semi-lockdown.

Good luck with that!

Lock down is a big word, I have never seen so many people walking outside as today... With no where to go, people just go for a walk, letting the kids out. As long as they stick together with families and stay away from others it can't hurt. However I also saw 2 groups of teenagers together again. 4 of them in swim trunks and bikini, next to the river. It was 7 degrees today, mixed clouds with cold wind, frost last night, snow yesterday, Canada lol.

No wonder the numbers are still (slowly) going up here, the current lock down isn't strict at all.

What other diseases?

Swine Flu? Yeah, that killed more people - but also had 2 years to do so, while Covid only had 3.5 months so far. Similar thing for other diseases that killed more people, they simply had more much time than Covid had just yet.

Just have a look at this video from April 2nd.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz1bGzYdRdk

The numbers are a bit outdated by now, but as you can clearly see, Covid-19 is taking off much faster than other diseases. Covid-19 is killing more persons in the US alone each day than the 2009-2010 Swine Flu outbreak did worldwide at it's peak. Influenza kills about 500k a year, but again, it has an entire year to work with, resulting in a median rate of less than 1400 deaths per day worldwide. It also says that at the then-current rate, it would take until May 23rd to become the most deadly disease of this century. But since the rate is accelerating, we're already more than halfway there, and will surpass the 2009-2010 Swine Flu epidemic by end of this month already.

And about other deaths causes, how about this comparison that person made a week later? It compares the weekly numbers to other causes of deaths, like some diseases, but also car accidents, D-Day and the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. And keep in mind that's just until April 9, the rate is quite a bit higher by now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_wZQ8fVIwQ

So no, your argument that any of these diseases was more serious is busted. We didn't have an epidemic like this one in 100 years and the spanish flu, and it's not even close. 

This. I still go to rescues and I will still shake someones hand, out of pure habit. - It's hard to break a habit.

In saying that... I think it's the second day in a row where we have no confirmed new cases... Bringing it to 1 confirmed case for the entire week, so the "risk" is low here anyway. But those habits... Need to be broken.

But I don't for think believe anyone should be criticized for failing to break those habits, it's a hard thing to do.

Quarantine is there to protect everyone, Trump's actions and statements may have indirectly led to more deaths.
Thus he was certainly wrong.

Covid is certainly a disease that discriminates against the Aged and those with compromised health, everyone can get it, sure, but the rates of death are highest amongst those demographics.
The Aged just happens to have a larger portion of it's particular demographic fall into the conservative camp... And consequently are the ones stupidly "rallying" despite quarantine restrictions.

Just stay the fuck home. Everyone.

The other issue is that by having these so called "patriots" out protesting... They are making us first responders lives more difficult, we don't want to be dealing with any of this unless it is absolutely necessary, but they only care and think about themselves.

Not all free healthcare is equal. I can walk into my local hospital and seek treatment straight away, in-fact everyone can.

It's not overloaded. It only takes hours to do a test, not months.

We have one of the best healthcare systems on the planet, better than your "paid" systems that you so eloquently listed, that is for sure.

And not only is the healthcare cheaper in terms of total GDP, but it's higher quality care as well, there is literally no downside to a working universal system.

Hard to say. Here a month ago we had a massive pocket of infections at the airport where workers were loading and unloading parcels/baggage and didn't come into contact with any individuals, turned out the virus can last a significant amount of time on a surface, long enough for workers to catch it while handling luggage/baggage/parcels.

When you put the economy before life, then you have a serious problem in my opinion, money can always be made and replaced again, you can't replace a life.
The economy will kickstart again, people will be working... If the USA has an appropriate social safety net it would be a non-issue.

I am an essential worker, so my job is 100% secured, but if I had to give it up to ensure the safety of the community, I certainly would, without even thinking about it.

And you are right, if the lockdown is ineffectual, then the lockdown is flawed. - But that is just another one of Trumps stuff ups, shame you can't get a competent leader to do it once, do it right.

We seem to be getting a single confirmed case once every 3-4 days here now for the entire state, so we are definitely on the cusp of completely beating it, but the lockdown is going to be retained for at-least another month until we actually, decisively kill it. - Our borders will still be closed, especially to other nations which are riddled with the disease like China and the United States, but that is just common sense.

Locally our economic activity will likely start to pick up over the next 4 weeks, that way we will be sure there aren't cases flying under the incubation period.

But yeah, Trumps handling of this is absolutely disgusting, he will certainly be held accountable in the history books... Hopefully the Americans vote him out at the next election for their sake. (Although I will miss the free entertainment.)

Video games are certainly a necessity for some.

And it doesn't discount what occurs in the rest of the world.

If the US had even just a semblance of a social safety net, you wouldn't have to choose