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Forums - General Discussion - Coronavirus (COVID-19) Discussion Thread

Nautilus on 12 March 2020
John2290 said:
Nautilus said:

I don't disagree with some of the measures being taken, like China isolating some cities, or even prohibiting flights from Europe to US for a time, but closing stores down?Forcibly?It's far more likely that you catch the damn disease in the streets, while sitting on a bench, than going shopping for groceries or a game.

I don't know man.I get some measures, but somethings are pushing too far.Big companies can survive having 30% of their business frozen for a month(specially with a good reason, since they can get some kind of deal with the government as form of "payment" for their help, so that they keep their employees job without ruining the business), but what about small business?Family business?The kind of companies that closing for a month could spell being on the red for the rest of the year or more, and thus having to let go some of their employees?

I don't know how long those measures will be enforced, but it will be at least for a month.And until April, i truly believe the situation will only get worse.What does those companies do then?Stay closed for 1,2 maybe 3 months, while still having to pay their employees and their expenses, with zero money comming in?

Just feel like this decision will only create another problem in the next 6 months that will last much longer than this virus.

It's the catch 22 I've been ranting about in this thread for the last week, it needs to be done with precision but best be forceful now and scale back towards reasonable when the stats on the sick start coming in as they lag weeks behind and then meet that precision point safely rather than scaling it up from the other end and having the hospitals overrun. Thankfully the worlds banks and reserves are pumping money at the problem to buy some time.

I can't speak for the US because I've been following it vaguely and more focused on my own country and EU nations but if it causes problems six months down the road at least we'll be there to meet them, we won't be if there is a weak response now and it turns out to be an Italy for every country who fall apart hard at the same time. I don't think even the Goverenents or the experts have the answers to the problems you are suggesting and we'll see it play out in real time but this forceful approach is certainly the safest bet right now, it's not a time to gamble. In the EU small businesses are being covered and I hope the US follows that also, but at least if they the owners won't be left with nothing to rebuild on when this is over. And six months? More like two years for a vaccine ready for mass distribution at best going by history (likely more but maybe less with current technology) this initial wave being the worst and hardest to get through since it is happening to everyone at once with limited time to react and then there will be more confined and localized outbreaks like the flu which will be easier to deal with and mitigate going into 2021 and beyond, hopefully then we'll have a vaccine in mass production. 

At the end of the day, these small businesses will have a time to boom after all this, just lets get to that point with as few deaths as possible and without society collapsing. Priorities, man.

Society won't collapse.We have been through far worse outbreaks, and a weaker one won't be the one to outdue society.Honestly, the biggest danger of this coronavirus outbreak is the internet.How the news are breaking out, how people are handling it(poorly in my opinion) is the biggest reason why this whole situation is shitty right now.My opinion anyways.

Either way, I don't quite agree with what you are saying.The government can't save them all, and if they are going to choose, they will be going with the big companies.And even if they had help, depending on how much damage this damn disease brings, it might take years to recover.Plus with how much importance is being given to this, and how technology has grown over the years, I honestly believe we might have a vaccine for the corona by June.

At this point I just want this whole situation to be done with.



My (locked) thread about how difficulty should be a decision for the developers, not the gamers.

https://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=241866&page=1

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super_etecoon on 12 March 2020
SpokenTruth said:
super_etecoon said:

Looks like something might be happening with that...

https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/cdc-director-commits-to-covid-19-testing-for-all-americans-regardless-of-insurance-coverage

"Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield said all Americans, regardless of whether they have insurance, will be able to be tested without charge after a back-and-forth with California Rep. Katie Porter during a congressional hearing on the novel coronavirus."

Interesting.  I hope it's as simple as that is suggesting.  Granted, that also pisses me off. If it were that simple, why has it not been utilized yet?

Watch the two minute exchange if you can.  Rep. Porter deserves a medal if this sticks.  And she holds his feet to the fire the entire time, even maintaining that she has been providing Director Redfield's office with info and support of the precedent to offer free testing for over a week.  It's also very sad to see just how inept the head of an agency like the CDC seems to be.  Hopefully he's just bad at oral examinations.



EricHiggin on 12 March 2020
SpokenTruth said:
EricHiggin said:

While the focus needs to be on healthcare at the moment, helping out some types of businesses makes way more sense than others.

An airline for example. Should they be expected to be diverse enough that if air travel becomes a problem, it won't hurt them much? That would seem unreasonable, considering the industry.

Now something like an auto manufacturer though? They made the choice to have parts made all over the world because it was an overall benefit to the company, after weighing the risks. If they are hurt in anyway due to this outbreak, that's their problem. How much have they benefited up until now?

At the very least, the funds should be directed at certain sectors if they're going to dish out some financial help.

How about some financial help for the people?  Paid sick leave?  Free testing (rather than $3,000+ now)?  A temporary UBI?  Increased WIC and SNAP?  Etc?

What good is bailing out an airline industry if you lose too many passengers to the very virus your corporate bailout was saving you from?

That same vid I saw the other day mentioned that 80% of Americans have paid sick leave in some form apparently. Again, not sure how true that is, but that would be pretty decent coverage out of the whole.

Even if the healthcare system was universal, it wouldn't automatically save everyone. Free healthcare doesn't mean no death.

UBI doesn't solve much. If you're not going out due to an outbreak, you're not spending extra money, other than on extra food and supplies, which some have mentioned isn't good if it's not rationed. Just because you can get tested, doesn't mean you don't die, and doesn't guarantee you don't spread it, even though it should help to slow the spread.



SvennoJ on 12 March 2020
Nautilus said:
This is officially the week that everything went to shit.Companies cancelling interviews over this(happened to me), stores closing down because the government demands it, flights being cancelled, theme parks closing, E3 cancelled...

Somethings I get, like Disney closing for the time being, but government forcing stores to close?It isn't the virus that's going to cause a dent on humanity, the economy will...

Honestly, this is getting out of hand... people should be more level headed.

It's the slow response, lack of screening at airports etc, that has gotten us into this mess. It was known since Januari. Shit happened in China, everyone just waited to see what would happen. Now Italy is closed down and Europe is following step, extreme measures are the only thing left.

What do you think the death toll is going to be when the health care system collapses, people are already rejected at hospitals in Italy. The economy can recover. Worst case scenario (Without these measures) is up to 70% of the population infected with up to 15% needing to be hospitalized. That's what all the fuss is about.




konnichiwa on 12 March 2020

Washington State Governor orders schools to close until April 24 in King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties [source]
- California: many schools in the Bay Area close due to the coronavirus outbreak [source]






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Nautilus on 12 March 2020
SvennoJ said:
Nautilus said:
This is officially the week that everything went to shit.Companies cancelling interviews over this(happened to me), stores closing down because the government demands it, flights being cancelled, theme parks closing, E3 cancelled...

Somethings I get, like Disney closing for the time being, but government forcing stores to close?It isn't the virus that's going to cause a dent on humanity, the economy will...

Honestly, this is getting out of hand... people should be more level headed.

It's the slow response, lack of screening at airports etc, that has gotten us into this mess. It was known since Januari. Shit happened in China, everyone just waited to see what would happen. Now Italy is closed down and Europe is following step, extreme measures are the only thing left.

What do you think the death toll is going to be when the health care system collapses, people are already rejected at hospitals in Italy. The economy can recover. Worst case scenario (Without these measures) is up to 70% of the population infected with up to 15% needing to be hospitalized. That's what all the fuss is about.

70%?Honestly, that's just an exageration.First, if things ever got that bad, countries would do the same as China and Italy, and would quarantine cities and such.So, it wouldn't come to that.

Secondly the population itself would start taking preventive measures, such as bringing hand sanitizers along, or avoiding public places for some time.Plus, the disease spreads through contact, so it dosen't have that much power in terms of contamination.

The biggest problem is the hospitals, with them not being able to handle.But then governments could try to shoote this part by bringing extra help, hiring doctors from other countries and setting temporary shelters to treat the infected.

Again, its a serious situation, but it's not the end of the world.I mean, if Europe survived the damn black plague during the 16th century with 0.01 of the technology we have today, I think we will be just fine.Which is why I think some of these measures are just too extreme.



My (locked) thread about how difficulty should be a decision for the developers, not the gamers.

https://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=241866&page=1

konnichiwa on 12 March 2020

Maryland also closes schools.

I can't keep up...






Quartz on 12 March 2020

UK - Boris Johnson has addressed the nation today:
Called coronavirus "worst public health crisis for a generation"
warned "many families are going to lose loved ones before their time"
UK is 4 weeks behind Italy
true UK cases likely up to 10,000
if you have symptoms stay home
more drastic measures to come.

Waiting to see if the faeces really hits the fan...



Good to see this site is still going 

PortisheadBiscuit on 12 March 2020

Seems like we're getting closer to being restricted to our homes in the U.S. Time to doomsday shop



Nautilus on 12 March 2020
John2290 said:
Nautilus said:

Society won't collapse.We have been through far worse outbreaks, and a weaker one won't be the one to outdue society.Honestly, the biggest danger of this coronavirus outbreak is the internet.How the news are breaking out, how people are handling it(poorly in my opinion) is the biggest reason why this whole situation is shitty right now.My opinion anyways.

Either way, I don't quite agree with what you are saying.The government can't save them all, and if they are going to choose, they will be going with the big companies.And even if they had help, depending on how much damage this damn disease brings, it might take years to recover.Plus with how much importance is being given to this, and how technology has grown over the years, I honestly believe we might have a vaccine for the corona by June.

At this point I just want this whole situation to be done with.

If it is handled properly, you're right. My fears have been soothed the last 48 hours anyway with the actions being taken, it looked very bleak the days before. however I'm afraid you're very wrong on the internet and information being the worst part, there is a reality to this that is causing the problem, it just isn't close to you right now and the information is what you see as the problem. Listen to the doctors and nurses in Italy who are telling their stories on what is happening  there and in their hospitals too and get some perspective. What is happening there is a tenth of the potential if we just laid down in a group and started singing campfire songs. Everything won't suddenly be okay if everyone smokes a joint, it'll be much worse ignoring it unless you want millions to die to save the economy and every last morsel of human compassion and moral integrity thrown out the window, fuck that world.

Everyone wants the whole situation to be done with, I have a sick person here with a compromised lung who's life is in flux right now and my elderly father is stubron, won't change a bit of his routine for this and won't take a word i'm saying seriously because the doctor on the telly told him the flu is worse. Stay safe and take care of yourself and those around you and play some games to alleviate the tension and I hope you're right about modern technology giving us a vaccine in record time, fingers crossed.

But I'm not saying anything should be done.I agree with many measures being taken, I just think some passes a line that makes it a bit too extreme.And yes, we have been through outbreaks and diseases that are far more deadly and we have survived just fine.Governments need to take action to stop this, but one thing is taking action, the other is just taking every action you can do and run with it.

I am, and everyone should take basic measures to keep yourself safe.But also remember that, if you are in the US, the chances of you getting infected is extremely small, especially with the measures being take.In a country with 350 million people, and lets say there are 20k infected, the chances of you comming into contact with one are... small to put it lightly.

What I mean is: Take measures to keep yourself safe, but don't stop living your life.



My (locked) thread about how difficulty should be a decision for the developers, not the gamers.

https://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=241866&page=1