Topic: Corona Virus Panic/Discussion Thread

@zupertramp yeah, why are they worth so much testing capacity?! Dont get me wrong, I love my football but im finding the exceptionism extended to certain elite sports a farce. My team did a group photo with 50 folk and no social distancing. Positive cases and spread amongst some. I provide care for my gran and can't hug her and wear a mask constantly in her presence yet I'm watching grown men hug each other after scoring a goal? My patience is worn thin

@nessisonett I’m a full blown socialist by American standards

(Although I meant that as more of a disclaimer in case anyone suspected I was a full blown Tory.)

@RogerRoger i didn't even know what they were called... I had to look it up. they do appear to be incredibly awesome.

@zupertramp Last December I got stuck on the motorway because his motorcade, which I guess was transporting his entourage, had a whole lane to itself. I was not impressed.

@nessisonett Aye, Kier Starmer would make Thatcher's zombified corpse itself blush.

@kyleforrester87 "I have a very hard time believing this would all have been handled any differently under a Labour government"

I've run some numbers through my Alternate Reality Soothsaying Engine (TM). Prepare to feel very silly indeed Forrester.

March 2020 - Covid begins to take hold throughout the UK. Corbyn declares he is self-isolating on his allotment and urges us all to do the same.

April 2020 - Labour begin to deliver on their election promises. The wages of the elite are slashed, while those of NHS staff are increased hundredfold.
The proposed 'free broadband for all' policy is rolled out across the UK, ensuring that Joe Wicks is beamed into every home in the nation.

May 2020 - As Corbyn's condition worsens, Wicks spies his chance and marches on Downing Street, with his 3 million supporters in tow.

June 2020 - The coup complete, Prime Minister Wicks announces that 'Clap for Carers' will be replaced by 'Jog for Joe'. The sheer amount of people descending on our parks every Thursday evening puts a massive strain on both the NHS and the dogging community.

August 2020 - With the NHS buckling, Trump pounces, buying out all of Britain's hospitals in one swoop. Healthcare is now out of reach of all but the wealthiest individuals. "Go see your doctor" declares the new NHS advertisement campaign. "He's a really great guy. Everybody says so."

October 2020 - Following Labour's changes to the national wage structure, the only people who can now afford healthcare are the doctors and nurses working in our hospitals. News channels are awash with footage of NHS staff wandering around their own wards, getting in and out of the beds.

December 2020 - His reputation in tatters after his infamous Brexit deal which saw Europe retain all of Britain's exports and fishing rights in exchange for tax breaks on imported gym shorts, PM Wicks finally bows to public pressure and resigns. An election is called and in their search for the polar opposite of the lean, athletic Wicks, the British public vote for Boris Johnson in their droves.

January 2021 - With most of the British public now dead, Johnson is forced to declare mass immigration as the only way to kick-start Britain's economy. It is announced that the newly-arrived workforce will ride up and down our city streets on 'Boris Bikes' administering first aid to those in need. Faced with an economic slump, Johnson vows to "Get Brexit Undone" by next Christmas.

Christ. I did actually vote Labour last time. We dodged a bullet there!

Now do The Last of Us 2 if it had a good storyline!

@Gremio108 ARSE... lol... I'm assuming that's intentional.

Does Amazon carry those?

@mookysam @kyleforrester87 I'm a leftie leaning centrist at heart (I like both Greggs AND houmous) but I don't really go into the whole, would the other side have done a better job. Since we don't know, we can only evaluate what the people who are doing the job are doing.

I think that the Government response to this crisis has been patchy. I think that we've done really well on increasing testing capacity, our reporting of stats and this vaccination task force has done wonders in terms of vaccinating so many people so quickly.

However, the comms have been woeful and every single decision is last minute at a time when everything seemed inevitable and could be avoided. Everything is an embarrassing U-Turn. How many people are going to die because of Christmas relaxations? If I take away my political allegiance and judge the government on how they did, it's really not good. Would Labour have done better? No idea - maybe not, but then I would hold them to account too.

As for underfunding, yes it has been a clear Tory priority and yes, council services have been massively hit. That's policy.

@LieutenantFatman We did it though our next door neighbours were both doctors and had two nurses on our street so it felt quite nice. Except for the guy who was checking who was doing it and is now breaking the rules.

@Rudy_Manchego you bleeding heart liberal pig

@kyleforrester87 Can we not keep [your] politics out of gaming please? We are here to discuss games.

@Rudy_Manchego double negative, snowflake!

@kyleforrester87 Grammar TRIGGER Qanon scum.

@kyleforrester87 The Last of Us Part II would probably involve Joe Wicks as well. I'm convinced he's going to bring about the downfall of humanity somehow. Call it a hunch

@zupertramp I hope you're not questioning the validity of my ARSE

So from what I understand there's now a UK variant, a Brazil variant, a South Africa variant, and possibly a US (Los Angeles) variant.

So... Yeah.

I've been operating on the notion that this all would eventually end but, idk, maybe I should stop assuming that and just give in that this is the new normal. This is life now. sigh

@zupertramp I think it will eventually will get back to 'normal', but things like hand sanitisers being readily available at stores and people wearing masks will be around for longer.

Was it swine flu about 10 years ago that everyone started using hand sanitiser, but that eventually was forgotten about.

@zupertramp Ultimately, Covid will be with us for many many years. The main thing is that hospitalisation rates lower to a manageable amount each year. So I believe (being nowhere near a medical expert) that immunisation etc. won't wipe it out but may provide enough cover to folks that non-risk groups have very mild symptoms and higher risks get lesser versions. Ultimately, most government focus is on lestening hospitalisations and therefore, lower mortality rates so that health care systems can cope.

Then there will be regular top up immunisations, same as seasonal flu, for new variants etc. I think though, we'll see masks, testing and quarantine measures stay for some time. Particular at mass events or if you have illness, same as what happened after SARS.

Of course, I am being optimistic!

@zupertramp Yeah, it’s pretty depressing. I hadn’t heard about the LA variant, but the others are definitely out there. From what I read online, the Brazilian variant is the scary one. The others may spread easier but are no more deadly and are still covered by the vaccine. The Brazilian strain may be resistant to the vaccine already.

So... yeah — masks and social distancing might be here for a while.

The only problem is that masks, hand washing, etc., also lower your immune response to diseases in the long run. This is especially true for children, teens and young adults; you need to come into contact with as many diseases as possible to protect yourself for years to come. My biggest fear is that some people will raise their children, or live their own life, as if anything is a potential hazard. And in 30 years from now you'll end up with a bunch of snowflakes that die from the common cold at age 50.

@Octane Is that really your biggest fear, though? Not ghouls?