Topic: Corona Virus Panic/Discussion Thread

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/09/politics/joe-biden-covid-speec...

"At the center of Biden's new plan is directing the Labor Department to require all businesses with 100 or more employees ensure their workers are either vaccinated or tested once a week, an expansive step the President took after consultation with administration health officials and lawyers. Companies could face thousands of dollars in fines per employee if they don't comply."

"Biden also signed an executive order requiring all government employees be vaccinated against Covid-19, with no option of being regularly tested to opt out. The President signed an accompanying order directing the same standard be applied to employees of contractors who do business with the federal government."

YES

Finally. THIS is what I voted for: someone willing to be politically unpopular with his enemies in order to do the right thing. Not a namby-pamby fence-sitter who tries to appease everyone and gets nothing done.

I've gotten so, so tired of people just pretending like it's normal for the insane 1/3 of the population to hold the rest of us hostage by fueling the continual fires of a pandemic that's continuing to kill and hospitalize so many of our citizens.

@Ralizah

@Thrillho The people at Fox News aren't stupid. I'm sure the most toxic anchors, like Tucker Carlson, were scrambling to be first in line for the vaccines. They care about not getting seriously ill or dying. They just don't care if it happens to the yokels and deluded old people who make up the majority of their audience.

The right is relying on the supreme court to slap this down now. If it does... well... I think every person sick with covid in the U.S. should line-up to give free hugs and kisses to the justices.

Biden's people think this will withstand legal scrutiny, though, so we'll see.

I talked to some of my friends who are civilian contractors for a company that works with a certain US federal agency recently, and they've gone absolutely apeshit over Biden's mandate for federal workers. I even had one friend ask me where to get a fake vaccine card, and said friend and I are no longer talking after I replied to him saying "to get a fake vaccine card, you have to get a real vaccine."

People are stupid and lazy. Said friends live in Louisiana, which is under a mask mandate. Oh well ... they'll lose their jobs on December 8th, as their contracting firm has given them until then to get at least one shot.

I guess the next wave is officially in progress here in Poland. Almost 10k new cases today.

@Voltan Man, that’s tough. Stay safe over there. It’s weird how these waves hit in different pockets around the world. What is the vaccination rate and mask wearing policies in Poland?

@Th3solution I looked up the numbers. 46% fully vaccinated and another 6% after the first dose. These are better in large cities and I live in the capital, so it's not bad here, luckily.
As for mask wearing policies - they exist but are hardly enforced. You're supposed to wear a mask in any public indoor spaces and transport but I see a lot of people not wearing any and half (or more) of those who do can't be assed to wear them properly - so they might as well not.

Think there was a surge in cases in my area last week, but there has been a decline this week. I expect those will go up again as it has been half term for schools, and the shopping prevents and things have been mega busy.

We've been informed by the head of department that if you do not feel comfortable coming in, then not to, if cleared with your manager beforehand. Most people are continuing to come in with whatever arrangements they had though.

@Voltan I expect our cases to get even worse than they are. About 2K cases a day just in Glasgow and that’s before every country’s delegation descends on us for this climate thing.

I just learned that a guy from work (who works remotely so I normally only see him a few times a year anyway) didn't get vaccinated and is currently intubated in ICU...

@Voltan Urgh, that’s so sad but I find it so depressing that people are still turning down the vaccine, whatever their reason.

@Thrillho Unfortunately this person is an embodiment of “small town mentality” in many ways, if you know what I mean. I imagine this means mostly the same in any country.

I have been unmasked in packed theatres, nightclubs and pubs along with literally every one else multiple times in the past few months.. struggling to see the logic in continuing to wear a mask anywhere now.

@kyleforrester87 I still wear one in shops out of habit. Feel a bit weird when people are up in my face without one on.

@kyleforrester87 yeah me too. One major factor was when the kids went back to school after the summer holidays. Prior everyone had a mask on.

When the kids went back the first day 80% of adults had one on. The next day it was half. Then everyone bar a few grandparents collecting kids stopped bringing the kids in with a mask on. This them quickly filtered to everyday life.

The mask science is obviously sound. However the way the public use them ie) using the same mask for weeks at a time. Is arguably compounding the issue. So yeah keep em off bar doctors and such.

It's been fun but the mask issue should never have been politicised, the nonsense in America; left mask / right maskless - is an absolute joke. Those people really need to sort themselves out America's political landscape is a joke.

@nessisonett it was weird coming into Scotland in September and having to start wearing one again everywhere.

Like a thousand of us had spent all week sharing facilities and living on top of one another, then we all had to mask up for the coach from JoG to Inverness 🤷‍♂️

I do get “how” that happened, our circumstances were fairly extreme and we got caught in an area with a strict policy - all fair enough. Just my point is it’s becoming more and more discretionary as it does not always make sense anymore to keep wearing a mask on occasion in the context of the rest of your life.

Get your vaccines and crack on!

@themcnoisy I agree the politicising of it is maddening. Frankly half the time I do wear a mask these days is because I don’t want people to think I am trying to make a statement… not the right reason to be wearing one is it lol

I still wear my mask in supermarkets not because I feel obliged to for ethical reasons but because it means people hardly ever recognise me and I never have to do a stop and chat.

Yes, This! Amen, brother. Also means I don’t have to shave or brush my teeth. I hope to mask the rest of my life and never shake another person’s hand again.

@Th3solution You’re gonna end up like Mileena from Mortal Kombat 😂