Coronavirus outbreak

[InFamous]

I don't get it. Our numbers were "good" (compared to like 1-2 months ago) but Switzerland is going back into a lockdown light version.

It's probably to make sure the numbers stay good, as opposed to having a huge spike over xmas, which if what is inevitably going to happen in any countries that are open, unless there is a major miracle.

[Rihab]

Merkel is outta her mind (nothing new though)

The bish is planning a full lockdown after Xmas and NYE

Just start rolling out them vaccines already bish

My state is planning a lockdown right after christmas, before NYE. I wish them an ounce of luck with that.

They'll lose every last bit of credibility if the streets are packed on 31 Dec (they will be).

[Tansike]

It's probably to make sure the numbers stay good, as opposed to having a huge spike over xmas, which if what is inevitably going to happen in any countries that are open, unless there is a major miracle.

That would make sense, but politicians are talking about "very bad numbers" etc. so that's why I don't get it.

But hey, it is what it is.

Fingers crossed the weather gets better soon, because it's starting to become really depressing...

[InFamous]

My state is planning a lockdown right after christmas, before NYE. I wish them an ounce of luck with that.

They'll lose every last bit of credibility if the streets are packed on 31 Dec (they will be).

Can ye not just celebrate at home for one year my god.

[InFamous]

That would make sense, but politicians are talking about "very bad numbers" etc. so that's why I don't get it.

But hey, it is what it is.

Fingers crossed the weather gets better soon, because it's starting to become really depressing...

Maybe they are talking about death numbers instead of case numbers, although on the latest update you guys had almost 9000 cases when ye had been having like 3 to 4k cases daily for a while

[Rihab]

Can ye not just celebrate at home for one year my god.

I will, but with more than one other person (highly illegal).

[SholasBoy]

It's so great to see the first people getting their vaccinations today. I understand peoples scepticism, but I'm willing to take the risk than a continuation of what we've had this year. If people don't want to take the vaccine, let them come up with their own alternative remedies and the rest of us can get back on with our lives.

[menime123]

I will, but with more than one other person (highly illegal).

If you play the game and break the rules, you forfeit the win.

[menime123]

It's so great to see the first people getting their vaccinations today. I understand peoples scepticism, but I'm willing to take the risk than a continuation of what we've had this year. If people don't want to take the vaccine, let them come up with their own alternative remedies and the rest of us can get back on with our lives.

Only in England could a man called ‘William Shakespeare’ be one of the first in the world to given the vaccine

[SholasBoy]

Only in England could a man called ‘William Shakespeare’ be one of the first in the world to given the vaccine

Haha yes I loved that. And so he should be, at over 400 years old, I'd say he was definitely high risk!

[menime123]

Haha yes I loved that. And so he should be, at over 400 years old, I'd say he was definitely high risk!

All’s well that ends well!

[InFamous]

I will, but with more than one other person (highly illegal).

I thought you could have ten? Or is that just for over Xmas?

[theMathematician]

I thought you could have ten? Or is that just for over Xmas?

No one understands the rules at the moment as they are basically changing every day... The government is acting pretty cluelessly at the moment.

[InFamous]

No one understands the rules at the moment as they are basically changing every day... The government is acting pretty cluelessly at the moment.

That's the same pretty much everywhere tbh. Things are changing constantly. That's why it makes sense to just accept that this Xmas is going to be quiet and get on with it. I don't understand people's constant need to push against the tide. The world is just full of Rita Oras i guess.

[theMathematician]

People in Western countries just don't want to be told what to do and want to decide on their own what's right for them. That's pretty much the issue in this whole thing, InFamous .

[Tansike]

Maybe they are talking about death numbers instead of case numbers, although on the latest update you guys had almost 9000 cases when ye had been having like 3 to 4k cases daily for a while

Those 9k were from three days, as friday to sunday get reported together on monday

[InFamous]

People in Western countries just don't want to be told what to do and want to decide on their own what's right for them. That's pretty much the issue in this whole thing, InFamous .

People in western countries need to wize up and quit acting as if we are being locked underground with bread and water once a day.

[InFamous]

Those 9k were from three days, as friday to sunday get reported together on monday

Ah ok. Dunno then maybe just preventative as I said.

[menime123]

People in Western countries just don't want to be told what to do and want to decide on their own what's right for them. That's pretty much the issue in this whole thing, InFamous .

Its really not.

The issue is individual people thinking they know better than anyone else what is best in the middle of a global pandemic with a new virus.

The top scientific minds in the world have worked and reported on COVID and governments are working along the same paths as most agencies are coming to the same conclusions - and yet people still want to believe conspiracy theories or moan about infringements on their civil liberties.

I honestly don’t know why anyone thinks they’re above the rules that have been put in place to save lives. I’m completely perplexed at anyone this far into it that is moaning and complaining about how unfair it is.

This virus is bigger than any one of us and it’s about saving lives. You can throw all the statistics you want at me, but it’s not just about the recovery rate - it’s about the death rate. It’s about ensuring the infrastructure remains in place to treat anyone who needs treatment in order to live.

Can you imagine being turned away from a hospital because it was full? There would be civil unrest and god only knows what else. In the west we expect medical assistance as a basic human right, not a luxury.

Ultimately it’s like refusing to wearing a condom during sex - foolish behaviour from a foolish person that thinks ‘I won’t get anything’ despite the fact AIDs and HIV still cannot be cured. It’s pure ego and there is no rationale behind it.

[jio]

There are many political aspects in this so I wouldn't be so absolute...

Those measures cannot last forever and luckily a vaccine or a treatment will end them. But, to answer the question of why people do not follow covid rules, I always say that there are two groups: idiots and idealists. To understand the second one ask yourself the question: what would we do if a cure or a vaccine has not been found in 2 years time?

[theMathematician]

jio : Some would say 'Life has to go back to normal, we have to live with people getting infected and yeah, some may die.', others would say 'We have to keep infection rates low at all cost, even if that means to lock yourself at home forever and completely ruin the worldwide economy.'. I would have loved to hear politicians say that in a transparent way at least once instead of always saying that there is no long-term plan.

[InFamous]

jio : Some would say 'Life has to go back to normal, we have to live with people getting infected and yeah, some may die.', others would say 'We have to keep infection rates low at all cost, even if that means to lock yourself at home forever and completely ruin the worldwide economy.'. I would have loved to hear politicians say that in a transparent way at least once instead of always saying that there is no long-term plan.

Thankfully no one who actually makes the decisions are thinking like that. It is interesting that you haven't mentioned that actual middle ground which could have been workable - if people had done as they were asked. To have an open economy but under strict conditions with people doing what they were asked to do. But we all know that never works cos people cannot be trusted to do the right thing - hence the lockdowns.

[theMathematician]

So you'd prefer alternative No. 2? Because assuming there was no vaccine, there would only be those two alternatives.

[InFamous]

So you'd prefer alternative No. 2? Because assuming there was no vaccine, there would only be those two alternatives.

No, there's actually another alternative that would be workable in my opinion. That things could be open but if people did what they were asked, keep distance, respect boundaries, limit contacts. Governments tried that but of course people couldn't be trusted to do what they should.

[jio]

No, there's actually another alternative that would be workable in my opinion. That things could be open but if people did what they were asked, keep distance, respect boundaries, limit contacts. Governments tried that but of course people couldn't be trusted to do what they should.

Well, obviously the alternative you mention is the preferable one but only short term. Because "doing what they were asked" is acceptable under the condition that is a temporary measure and a vaccine will give the answer sooner rather than later. And that was exactly the reason I said "2 years later", i.e. so as to take this alternative off the table because it is not a long term solution.

So, idiots aside (and there are many of those too, I'd go as far as to say that they are in the majority), for some people those temporary measures are simply not acceptable right now and for good reasons too. "Black lives matter" is the ultimate example of that... people had to choose between staying home safe (sure, there was no legal requirement but that was the scientific advise) or taking some risk and fighting for their rights. And around the world there are many other similar instances, big or small, where protest is not possible while in quarantine. I mean I certainly didn't see any western leaders criticizing Belarussian protests for creating a coronavirus risk, so I guess they agree with me.

So I wouldn't put everybody in the same category. Coronavirus does not trump over everything else, there are still old problems that have to be faced. And facing some of those may cause spikes in coronavirus infections So what?