Topic: Corona Virus Panic/Discussion Thread

@nessisonett Yeah I don't know what's up with Nintendo Life lately the quality of their articles use to be quite good but now their articles are like something I expect from IGN not Nintendo Life. I don't if it's cause of of the latest batch of writers or what. It seems though that they are going for more of a tabloid feel with all these controversial articles.

I mean ultimately, it says something about the state of the world that wearing a face mask during a global pandemic that has killed thousands is somehow a political statement. [Puts tin hat on] It is almost like making the wearing of masks a political thing distracts from the ongoing blame and discussion on the poor handling of the pandemic in many countries.

I don't think either are controversial articles really when you take a step back. So I mean, you could argue a fan made Smash mask or whatever isn't a worthy article but I don't think you can say that they shouldn't post it because complete plonkers will get angry. It is the same with Brie Larson - I get she is a celeb and a gamer but articles on her seem out of place on a newsite, especially since she has launched her own platform to talk about games/geek culture and will constantly be spouting stuff. However if Nintendo Life choose to do an article, they should be able to without fear of those that hate her for her politics or Captain Marvel or like... whatever.

I thought the same with the gamer girl game article here though -such vitriol and hatred on the comments. It is just sad to see.

@Rudy_Manchego 'It is almost like making the wearing of masks a political thing distracts from the ongoing blame and discussion on the poor handling of the pandemic in many countries.'

You have hit the nail on the head. I've seen all manner of things on masks but the reality is in risk environments YOU SHOULD NOT BE THERE!

It's like chlorinating chicken in many ways. The poultry industry in America can't be trusted to adequately kill chickens in a safe and clean way so they chlorinate them to avoid passing germs onto the general public. Chlorine ironically causes stomache issues if consumed. It's a cheaper fudge than just having the required methods and health and safety in place to stop the threat of salmonella.

The same can be said of masks. Public transport, close proximity working and indoor stuff should be avoided - but is apparently unsustainable. The virus is airborne and is miniscule so you can breath it in anyway. Those places should be closed up as you will contract and pass on covid 19. Masks are fudge although they will slightly mitigate the risk.

With both of these examples the solution is a fudge. On to Covid 19 - Business owners should have been critically focused on upgrading techniques and workplace mechanics to lessen the risk for workers and customers, rather than the constant peckering of wearing or not wearing masks. Obviously wearing a mask is beneficial, you aren't breathing directly at another person so aerosols are expelled around your face - rather than straight at the person ahead. But you have to breath and if you are in a risk environment you are still likely to pick the virus up.

It's why in China were mask usage is a part of culture they still lock down areas. If masks were the answer then China would never have had an issue.

@themcnoisy I mean thats the thing with masks. I do believe they are useful and can play a small part if we all do our thing. They aren't magic protection but if enough people wear them and it stops some casual infections, it seems worth it. More important is going to be track and trace, financial aid for those isolating, a working app, new ways of doing things and so on.

I have been wearing a mask when in inside places like shops etc. for months now. Don't see the big deal. It also means I can mouth rude words at idiots without them realising. I may never go back!

@Rudy_Manchego Haha, yes — exactly. Having an excuse to cover up the lower half of one’s face in public is fortuitous, imo. If I forget to shave, no problem. If I just ate garlic for lunch, no problem. If I have a piece of food stuck between my teeth and don’t realize it, no problem. If I have a zit on my chin, no problem. And like you say, if I want to mouth something rude or obnoxious at my boss in the heat of the moment, no one is the wiser. 😜
Besides wearing a mask makes me feel like a superhero with a secret identity, or a cowboy out on the cattle drive.

But yes, I have seen articles that claim that at least in analyzing the earlier outbreaks in Italy, Wuhan, and NYC that the public mandates for mask wearing did more to flatten the curve than social isolation measures. Not sure if that is true, but it sounds reasonable.

I wore a full-face covering to my local supermarket the other day. Got a few funny looks and the shop assistant politely suggested that I should remove it next time. I was very surprised by this reaction; after all, I was wearing it for their benefit.

You'd think they'd never seen a Mandalorian helmet before.

I assume that's a joke Rog? 😅

...Though I seem to recall there being an article when this all started of someone going around in a plague doctor get-up @RogerRoger... so it wouldn't exactly surprise me

@Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy Dressing up as a plague doctor is a bit on-the-nose, though, isn't it? Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a bit of satire, but there's a line!

@nessisonett It's Americans. The degree to which we've politicized the wearing of masks is insane.

@Ralizah Yeah, it really concerns me. Because I totally didn’t say that they were a plague of morons.

@nessisonett I'm concerned too, good buddy.

At least you live in a country that's not acting like spreading this plague is a competitive sport.

@Ralizah Lmao, our PM did attempt herd immunity, and look how that turned out!

I just got back from the supermarket, and was quite surprised to see how many people were wearing face coverings. Almost all of the customers there were complying with the new rules in England by wearing face masks.

@Arugula I was waiting for a ‘total cases = 0’ roughly half an hour later. To be fair, it must be a lot easier to contain these things without pesky human rights getting in the way, you can just burn the bodies and disappear anyone who says otherwise.

@KratosMD Precisely! Strangely, less people will probably die in North Korea from the virus since it’s so easy to impose lockdown due to the country essentially always being that autocratic. Perhaps the US should look towards the ‘North Korean model’ for guidance 😂😂

The world's changed a lot since the end of January. The unemployment tsunami is on track and the big countries have become aggressive, we still haven't learned to close shop properly during a Pandemic which again is unsurprising. There's going to be the start of tax rises approaching and the end of an era for the West is slowly drawing the curtains on a relative bright part of our history with enforced mask usage and the paranoia of the rich forcing us all back to work. Star Wars is kicking off and we haven't even visited the next planet along yet. Heads have gone with confused populations and blundering decisions leaving solid unions lurching towards a rushed retreat into no mans land. Idiotic political power grabs hidden by the righteous demonstrations which have slowly intertwined into a farcical disregard for health and safety. There was only ever one chance and the world missed it by miles, we now have the new small pox without the immunity.

@themcnoisy I wouldn’t say the last 10 years have been particularly bright. The middle class might have recovered from 2008 by now but the working class are still feeling the effects of that many years of austerity. This will be a case of ‘from bad to worse’ for a whole lot of households. And let’s be honest, if taxes go up then it’ll be affecting those on the lower brackets, not the super rich or corporations. Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk’s fortunes have actually grown during the pandemic by billions but you don’t see them doing the slightest damn thing to help. It doesn’t help that the UK and US, ‘free’ countries are utilising state media to spread misinformation and distract from what’s really going on.

@themcnoisy Just wait until the Brexit icing on the cake!

I hope everything is alright with you though fella, not seen you around much recently.

@crimsontadpoles America's government is too corrupt and incompetent to try and do anything to prevent the spread of a deadly disease. Thankfully, Walmart mandated mask wearing recently, and a bunch of other businesses have followed since then. It's pretty bad when you have to rely on Walmart, of all companies, to be the good guy!

It seems to be effective, though. When I went to one recently, everyone was wearing a mask, and I only counted three people who has it under their noses.

@nessisonett there's going to be a change in taxation with over 40s being hit in the pocket under the guise of 'social care tax'. That will then follow a general rise in income tax. Woo hoo

@Thrillho I'm good mate, work is mad busy so it's the polar opposite of LockDown with free time. It doesn't help going for the Cities skylines platinum either which is one of the most arduous.