Nobody in Amsterdam is wearing masks, not even indoors, not even essential workers or elderly people.
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NY has nudged slightly but noticeably even lower recently. Quite a few days with <1% positivity in the last week or two, with plenty of tests. We had gotten this low in mid/late June, then came up a tick and flattened out for most of the summer as the entire state went to Phases 3 and 4. Now it seems to be drifting a bit lower again. Maybe just noise and small variance, but interesting.
User Banned (1 week): trolling
If you wear a mask you signal that YOU are the one with symptoms, so that makes sense.
Almost all cases seem happen within the family or at private social gatherings like weddings or parties , or at bars where a mask is not required in other countries either, not when people spend 5 minutes in a shop. Masks are not going to help there, because let's be honest, nobody is going to spend the evening at a barbecue with friends wearing a mask.
No, that does not make sense because pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic spread exists.
Masks help everywhere. Why do you think your country is special?
I'm wearing a mask down here though.
Also seeing other people wear them without being told or required to (yet), so that's a positive.
Also seeing other people wear them without being told or required to (yet), so that's a positive.
What month is this? March? I really didn't expect people in this thread still believing this kind of stuff tbh
The only reason why you wouldn't wear a mask indoor or when social distance cannot be guaranteed is if you don't care about the spread of the virus.
I was just talking to my financial advisor and she was frustrated. Over the years she's in a spot where relationships form with clients.. some she's had for decades. But then she has to meet with people who deny that any of this is going on. There's a human investment there in these people but you can't fix them.
varies wildly by location
where I'm at, schools open after labor day
I would say the vast majority are not open yet. Very few started at the beginning of August but significant chucks of schools are starting this week and every week up until the week after Labor Day. By Labor Day week almost all schools and universities will have started in some fashion (remote or in person)
But they didn't need to change, in a lot of places, scientists lied knowingly that masks weren't necessary because they didn't have supplies. In which case people shouldn't be surprised that those people aren't believed.
Americans may rightly get shit around here but at least they have not stubbornly defended every decision of their government, evidence be damned.
Our government has not mandated masks at any time, only cities have local mandates. Harry isn't wrong for pointing out the obvious flaw in any potential mandate btw, and the argument dates back to "why Asian countries wear masks". Typically the mask carrier is trying to protect others from them, but with the asymptomatic spread it's just not possible to tell who is spreader and who gets infected.
Also keep in mind that is 4000 cases over a WEEK on 17 million people, and is mostly 20-40 year olds with little raise in hospitalizations and additional deaths for now (those should come next week, given the 1-2-3 punch this disease has).
Speaking of tracing: one of the more curious debates right now is that sudden rise in cases due to young people being well, young and stupid (take that, Zoomers! ) leads to a rather unfortunate understaffing on the tracing positions within the 'general health' organization. Which means we have now roughly 70% -50% contact tracing but not the same 'everything is awesome' as before. Of course there is now a push to swiftly increase the number of staff, but it does goes to demonstrate the problems with caseloads versus quite simply: people being people.
Europe's second wave is troubling, but it's not the same type of situation as before or as the USA is in.
And never needs to be either. Legally however, most European constitutions do not allow for legal full lockdowns. So that's what is on our politicians minds, if they seem a little unsure. Also, with recession clearly already in full swing, I don't believe anyone has the stomach for another lockdown either.
edit:
that all said, I don't trust this new wave from not getting worse either.
Seeing fall college athletics being cancelled again just magnifies what a terrible response the US has put together so far. I can't imagine a NCAA basketball season either. Living near a stadium myself, I suspect many businesses will be throwing in the towel soon. It will be interesting to see if some conferences still try to have a shortened schedule.
UK is about 6k per week right now for 67 million and UK is testing a lot more per capita these days. Dutch cases would be 16k for the UK. so 4k is a lot for a small European country. You also have to estimate many times more are carrying it at any one time.
We'll have to see how this goes. France and Spain are around the 2k range per day, UK may be joining them soon but so far seems like the massive targeted testing accounting for a slight rise in UK. If UK reaches 1500-2000 regularly then it will be hard to say it hasn't joined other countries rates like Spain, Netherlands, France in going the wrong way possibly.
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A teenager working at Sesame Place in PA was punched in the jaw and required surgery because someone was complaining about mask usage. After a while you get tired of the handwaving of others' behavior, this is unacceptable.
A prospective preventative treatment: https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2020/08/4...owerful-inhalable-protection-against-covid-19
A video from the article discussing it
A video from the article discussing it
Flanders is preparing the new school year, for which they looked at the previous period. From 1st of March to 30th of June - schools closed around the 15th of March and reopened around the 2nd of June - 196 people were found positive in a school context. That is 157 kids and 36 teachers. Of those, 15 transmissions took place at school, 9 students and 6 teachers.
Man you are worse than my friends whose father was in coma cause of Covid and he still doesn't want to listen to the news.
WHO: Non-Essential Dental Care Should Be Delayed During Pandemic
www.voanews.com
What an idiotic guidance?! Preventive dental care is the best way to avoid issues later on.
WHO: Non-Essential Dental Care Should Be Delayed During Pandemic
A WHO survey in 103 countries finds an overwhelming number of dental services have been completely or partially disrupted because of the coronavirus
www.voanews.com
In Belgium, a group of doctors, psychiatrists and nurses specialized in children's care have demanded in an open letter that all children can go back to school fulltime from the 1st of September. They state school is simply too important for the development of children to not do it. Even 50 or 80% at school, even virtual teaching is not sufficient according to them. They state that school delivers a stimulating, safe and connective environment, that it gives a day structure. That it gives social contacts, playtime and creative stimulation. It is indeed not risk-free, but in the balanse, it is so important to do this for their quality of life and development compared to the risk of becoming sick.
www.vrt.be
Experten willen dat alle kinderen voltijds naar school kunnen: "Belang van school kan je niet overdrijven"
Kinderartsen en –psychologen willen dat alle kinderen voltijds naar school kunnen op 1 september. Volgens hen bewijzen de jeugdkampen dat zoiets perfect veilig is.
www.vrt.be
Oh don't worry, the looming global climate catastrophes in our collective futures will make us look back at 2020 with rose tinted goggles reminiscing of the "good ol times when we could just hide from the nightmare".
In Belgium, a group of doctors, psychiatrists and nurses specialized in children's care have demanded in an open letter that all children can go back to school fulltime from the 1st of September. They state school is simply too important for the development of children to not do it. Even 50 or 80% at school, even virtual teaching is not sufficient according to them. They state that school delivers a stimulating, safe and connective environment, that it gives a day structure. That it gives social contacts, playtime and creative stimulation. It is indeed not risk-free, but in the balanse, it is so important to do this for their quality of life and development compared to the risk of becoming sick.
Experten willen dat alle kinderen voltijds naar school kunnen: "Belang van school kan je niet overdrijven"
Kinderartsen en –psychologen willen dat alle kinderen voltijds naar school kunnen op 1 september. Volgens hen bewijzen de jeugdkampen dat zoiets perfect veilig is.
what is the R0 in Belgium?
In Belgium, a group of doctors, psychiatrists and nurses specialized in children's care have demanded in an open letter that all children can go back to school fulltime from the 1st of September. They state school is simply too important for the development of children to not do it. Even 50 or 80% at school, even virtual teaching is not sufficient according to them. They state that school delivers a stimulating, safe and connective environment, that it gives a day structure. That it gives social contacts, playtime and creative stimulation. It is indeed not risk-free, but in the balanse, it is so important to do this for their quality of life and development compared to the risk of becoming sick.
Experten willen dat alle kinderen voltijds naar school kunnen: "Belang van school kan je niet overdrijven"
Kinderartsen en –psychologen willen dat alle kinderen voltijds naar school kunnen op 1 september. Volgens hen bewijzen de jeugdkampen dat zoiets perfect veilig is.
Ah yes, school during a deadly pandemic. So safe.
WHO: Non-Essential Dental Care Should Be Delayed During Pandemic
What an idiotic guidance?! Preventive dental care is the best way to avoid issues later on.WHO: Non-Essential Dental Care Should Be Delayed During Pandemic
A WHO survey in 103 countries finds an overwhelming number of dental services have been completely or partially disrupted because of the coronavirus
Not idiotic. Let's not go so we can go back without risking anyone's life next year.
Preventive care is how you avoid serious problems later in life. Especially when it can be linked to stuff like heart disease.
They don't say that it is safe, in fact they imply the opposite. They say that they think it is still worth the risk.
That's obvious. But we're in a pandemic. So we have to adjust.
The article says youth camps prove it is perfectly safe. (Followed by saying there is still a risk, but - they say it is 'perfectly safe')
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Stopping healthcare is however a braindead way to adjust. Healthcare institutions all over the world had to remind people the last months that is a terrible idea to skip preventive healthcare. And then the WHO makes such a stupid statement. Once this situation is over, reform in their communications department will absolutely be required.
I get what you're saying, but IMO we are in an extraordinary situation that could still become much worse. Regarding non-essential dental checkups appointment I think we can skip a year.
Over 30k people died due to this in my city. I went with my dental office's advice and cancelled my July checkup.
Yeah exactly that. A very close colleague and friend who had problem with managing his diabetes avoided going to the hospital to have it checked in person even though his mom tried to force him to go in person as they were just doing video consultation. He was avoiding to go because of the pandemic and the mixed messaging of health department here in Quebec. He died 3 weeks ago of a diabetic coma, 39 , 3 young kids 😭. I guess collateral death of covid, there must be thousand in similar case (mild heart attack ,acv,....) Plus all the delays in cancer treatment will have impact
So preventive care is more than important. Even dental care prevention can have a huge impact on health in the long term.
If you read the article though its more oriented to countries with high level of infection and minor dental care (cleaning) I agree these can be easily postponed
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In my country, still the world leader in number of deaths per million, the dentist society warned already in April - one month into the lockdown - that they were seeing issues that could easily have been avoided if people had kept their normal checkups. So people lost teeth. And having to remove/replace a tooth is still a longer procedure than filling a cavity so it is not safer for corona either.
Tandartsen waarschuwen voor uitstel tandzorg tijdens coronacrisis
De Vlaamse Beroepsvereniging Tandartsen (VBT) waarschuwt voor het uitstel van tandzorg. "We kregen de laatste dagen heel wat patiënten binnen met tand- en mondinfecties die vermeden hadden kunnen worden", zegt Frank Herrebout, voorzitter van de VBT.
www.hln.be
So, Berlin opened the schools on Monday and it's basically business as usual. The kids wear their masks in the buildings, but not during classes in the classrooms, the schoolyard or the after school center (hope that's translated correctly).
It's a fucking mess and disaster, and the first positive cases were already tested.
I don't understand how Berlin, that did quite good before the summer holidays, didn't come up with a better solution than: let's see how it goes.
Fuck that.
It's a fucking mess and disaster, and the first positive cases were already tested.
I don't understand how Berlin, that did quite good before the summer holidays, didn't come up with a better solution than: let's see how it goes.
Fuck that.
I just talked to the owner of my company yesterday. He's skipping or delaying a screening for colon cancer and refuses to go to a dentist. But he's flying coast to coast for business almost every week.
We saw the same dentist since the mid '90s and it was fantastic. He's a Fox News all the time guy so I'd just opt for no TV during my appointment.
It was little surprise that none of his non-hygenist/doctor staff were wearing a mask. They also didn't require customers to wear masks. It's disappointing because he was very good and always on top of the latest technology. I know they redid HVAC and added some special air scrubbers to help with the virus so that's good. But I couldn't get over not even taking basic mask requirements, even for the staff checking people in/out. I dumped them and found one that was taking better precautions.
The kids went already but I've delayed and so has my wife. I just didn't want the kids to develop problems at a young age, plus they have braces and therefore must see the ortho anyways. Both had those appointments delayed and it caused some problems.
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So my wife's district went over their plans, we're in NY and she teaches HS.
All students come to school M/W/F for their "core" classes (Math, History, English etc.) Classes are 80 minutes long (2 periods) and when switching classes it's one grade at a time. They're using the biggest spaces in the school possible for these classes, for example my wife's 11 English class will be in the gym. Students must wear masks, but when seated the students don't need to have their masks on (this is Fucking stupid IMO)
On T/Th the students stay home and do their elective classes, all virtually. The elective teachers still come to school but will be teaching their classes in the smallest rooms. All the teachers come to the school every day and use their "off" days for prep since they will have no periods off on the days they're teaching.
They still haven't figured out how they're going to handle lunch.
My wife is having a meeting right now where all the teachers get to ask the principal questions, I expect fireworks.
Overall, I hate that my wife has to go to school (she's pregnant) BUT this is probably best plan I can think of if they're gonna force them back. Maybe in NY the infection rate is low enough this can work, but I'm very skeptical. I imagine the school will have an outbreak at some point and need to be shut down, just hope my wife can remain safe.
All students come to school M/W/F for their "core" classes (Math, History, English etc.) Classes are 80 minutes long (2 periods) and when switching classes it's one grade at a time. They're using the biggest spaces in the school possible for these classes, for example my wife's 11 English class will be in the gym. Students must wear masks, but when seated the students don't need to have their masks on (this is Fucking stupid IMO)
On T/Th the students stay home and do their elective classes, all virtually. The elective teachers still come to school but will be teaching their classes in the smallest rooms. All the teachers come to the school every day and use their "off" days for prep since they will have no periods off on the days they're teaching.
They still haven't figured out how they're going to handle lunch.
My wife is having a meeting right now where all the teachers get to ask the principal questions, I expect fireworks.
Overall, I hate that my wife has to go to school (she's pregnant) BUT this is probably best plan I can think of if they're gonna force them back. Maybe in NY the infection rate is low enough this can work, but I'm very skeptical. I imagine the school will have an outbreak at some point and need to be shut down, just hope my wife can remain safe.
The translation is it a bit different from the article, which would be better translated imo as: The youth camps prove that it is safe to open the schools. It is not that they consider it without risk or negative effects, but if we were able to have youth camps then they consider it safe enough to also open schools.
fucking craziness
gizmodo.com
Florida Sheriff Bans Masks As State's Covid-19 Death Toll Breaks New Daily Record
Billy Woods, the sheriff of central Florida’s Marion County, banned masks for all deputies and visitors to the sheriff’s office starting Tuesday, according to a new report from the Ocala Star Banner—a strange decision to make in the middle of a pandemic that’s still wildly out of control.
gizmodo.com
I'm in NYC and my wife just told me that their should be a waiver for teachers who are immunocompromised. Your wife is pregnant which puts her in a position where her immune system is weaker.Did they not offer her a waiver?
It's her tenure year unfortunately, we also live in an expensive region and need both incomes, especially with kid coming
I didn't read the translation. But I don't see 'safe enough' anywhere in the article, they literally say that education at school can be 'perfectly safe', and use summer camps as the evidence of that.
This shit is infuriating
Planned religious gathering in New Ipswich raising concerns
NH has been doing really well keeping numbers low. 5 days with no deaths, only 1 new hospitalization, and <1% positive rate on tests and shit like this is going to fuck everything up.
Planned religious gathering in New Ipswich raising concerns
NH has been doing really well keeping numbers low. 5 days with no deaths, only 1 new hospitalization, and <1% positive rate on tests and shit like this is going to fuck everything up.
They don't mention it is "perfectly safe". They do mention it is safe based on what they observe from the camps. And they also mention there are risks that they feel are outweighed by the benefits of going to school. Which I interpret that as them considering it safe enough, and not perfectly safe.