Coronavirus Part V - 34 cases in ROI, 16 in NI (as of 10 March) *Read warnings in OP*

GM228 wrote: »

It’s amazing anytime anything significant occurs in the world and you watch those with PHDs in the arts of armchair warriors, internet experts, doomsdayers, serial scaremongers and general **** stirrers all come out to play.

What’s even more amazing is the constant slamming of each side against the other, those who say “yea it’s a great big fuss for nothing”, versus those who are genuinely worried and of course both sides get a new arse ripped for expressing their concerns, and obviously in the middle of the two with genuine beliefs there are those who simply enjoy the scaremongering and putting out false information, I even remember someone apparently giving the thumps up to false information early on in the threads because that was what social media was for.

For me I’m not too concerned as things stand* due to the fact that currently the vast majority of people have relatively minor symptoms and make a full recovery, but, I also acknowledge that there are those who are really worried about the situation, even to the extent of panic buying masks, food, toilet rolls or whatever – why do people slam those who feel this way? Fear is objective, but unfortunately we often stand back and judge someone else’s fear subjectively, why can’t we remember that some people naturally think the worst, some people home in on the worst case scenarios, some people unfortunately fall victim of the hoax’s and scaremongers, some people need a little more reassurances than simply “get over it”, unfortunately some people can’t help but feel this way, and you never know perhaps in time their fears may be justified if the virus situation gets worse*. We should respect both sides opinions rather than outright reject them.

*Remember the virus is still in it’s infancy and has already mutated at least once, as I understand it the second strain is weaker than the first, but, that is not to say it couldn’t mutate further, now don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean to sound like one of those scaremongers, but that is simply a very real possibility which could potentially happen, it is probably too early to say with any degree of certainty that it won’t adapt further. It is entirely possible the financial consequences of all this is going to be the biggest long term symptom - Brent Crude Oil dropping to 1991 prices with the lowest overnight drop in history, world stock markets crumbling, airlines going bust or cancelling routes and grounding fleets, the tourist, food and hotelier industry in trouble, millions of people in lock down on a scale possibly not seen since WW2 and potentially a general global recession, it is all unprecedented, never has there been such sweeping changes globally on such a scale at such a rate even for example after 9/11, the Gulf Wars or other globe trotting illnesses, it is these issues which worry me more than SARS-CoV-2.

With such a fast moving thread I’ve missed a lot of posts and no doubt both sides have had some strong views on the cancellations of the St. Patricks Day parades, lack of broadened general testing, clarity from the HSE, red zoning all of Italy and why flights continue to Italy until Friday etc, but I really don’t get why people are often convinced the HSE are withholding information as has been claimed more than once over the few threads, or why the WHO are supposedly incompetent at what they do….but yet for example some quote the likes of the Guardian or the Sun or WhatsApp messages as reliable sources of information?

Isn’t is better to be proactive rather than reactive? Whilst we may all look back some day and say yea it was all a big fuss for nothing, what if that is not the case, isn’t it better to be safe than sorry, as the WHOs Director General stated yesterday It’s not about containment or mitigation – which is a false dichotomy, it’s about both. Hindsight is wonderful, I’d rather look back and say “thank god we did X, Y or Z”, rather than “****, we should have done X, Y or Z”

Rant over (for now)

P.S.

A further pedantic little rant, why on earth does the media the world over keep reporting about the deadly COVID-19 virus? There’s no such virus, the virus infecting people is the new SARS-CoV-2 virus, the resulting disease it can cause is the new COVID-19 disease. (Be honest, how many people were actually aware of that?)

Still waters wrote: »

Definitely don't PM me

wakka12 wrote: »

Has there been any news event in recent history as extensively covered as this by media/internet since 9/11? Literally every time I turn on radio or tv or open social media, its coronavirus, literally always for the last fortnight at least

Beasty wrote: »

Stop clogging the thread up asking for PMs. PM the poster if you are that desperate for whatever info they may have

bodhrandude wrote: »

What is this PM everyone is talking about, don't leave me out either.

Strazdas wrote: »

That scenario would be good news. Any sort of respite would give the global authorities time to plan a fullscale battle with the virus.

Even if it came out swinging next winter, countries would be in far better shape to take it on.

fritzelly wrote: »

Beasty going to bed soon so...

madalig12 wrote: »

Chest freezers selling well in Donegal. The madness continues.

Strazdas wrote: »

Who knows? Scientists worldwide would have 5-6 months to think of novel and ingenious ways to take on the virus.....that's a huge amount of time to give the best minds in the world.

The virus has been running riot precisely because it caught everyone unaware and came out of nowhere this year.