Coronavirus/Covid-19 Discussion Thread

[I Am A Swede]

It's fascinating how we've become the object of such interest from the rest of the world....

But it feels like there are some misconceptions on how we've handled this pandemic here in Sweden. I get the feeling that some people think that we haven't done anything and are living as normal, and that is not completely true. Our government hasn't forbidden people from going outside, and most businesses are still open. Congregations of more than 50 people have been banned however, and high schools and universities have closed and the students work from home. There is also a ban on visiting retirement homes, since the elderly have shown themselves more vulnerable to this disease

Apart from that we've mostly had recommendations, but most people here do listen to the experts. Many people are working from home, and social distancing have become the norm. Bars and restaurants have reduced the number of guests on their premises, and some shops have put a limit to how many customers they allow inside. All unnecessary travelling is also discouraged, and that seems to have been respected for the most part. The Easter holiday is usually a period with lots of travelling, but not this year.

 

Only time will tell which method, ours or most other countries, have been more succesful. There will come a time, in the probably not so distant future, when other countries will have to relax their rules, and we'll see what happens then. I know that Norway, Denmark and Austria have started to relax their rules somewhat. You cannot keep an entire population under lock and key forever. The society will collapse if you do that.

Will they have been able to stop the virus spreading, or will it start to spread again when people come out of their confinement....?

Edited April 10, 2020 by I Am A Swede

[Faulkner]

 

[~bl~]

how about masks and what kind is vest if not wanting the n95

[DRW50]

 

I apologize in that you probably feel like you're being asked to speak for your government - it's more that I don't really trust reporting (it doesn't help that some of the reporting is from sites like Vice that have a toxic background). I'm sure Sweden is doing what they can...more than what's happened in the US. The only thing that has helped the US, somewhat, is that states have had some of their own leeway. Trump would have happily sent most of us to our deaths.

[alphanguy74]

If they were claimed by family, they would be buried in whatever cemetery the family uses, and not in a mass grave. You can bring in refrigerator trucks from anywhere. Even 5 states away. They are on wheels, you know. A bunch of these are most likely undocumented people and homeless. 

That is not true. One of our first deaths in the state was Al Grimes, the Henry county Democratic party chairman. And he most certainly is white. As a matter of fact, 40% of deaths so far have been white. you can see that right here:

https://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/novel-coronavirus/results.php

 

Edited April 10, 2020 by alphanguy74

[I Am A Swede]

 

Thanks for your concern, but I'm fine.  

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I just felt I had to clear up some misunderstandings about the way we have handled this situation. I know that we seem to have a higher ratio of deaths in relation to confirmed cases than many other countries, but we probably have a larger amount of unconfirmed cases than most as well, since we haven't done any widespread testing so far. We have concentrated more on testing high-risk groups to ease the pressure on our health-care system. Instead we've been asked to stay at home from work when you experience even the slightest symptoms, and stay at home until you've been symptom-free for two whole days.

 

Another aspect is that of the 870 deaths we've had reported so far, 88% have been 70 years or older, and the vast majority of those have other illnesses. So it is not entirely certain that Covid-19 was the cause of their deaths. They had the virus in their bodies when they died, but the actual cause of death could very well have been something else. But they are included in the statistics anyway.

 

 

[xtr]

 

Thanks for sharing about your situation in Sweden. I do think that at some point more nations will move towards what you guys are doing. But that may be a while. We're tightening down in places here including in my home state of North Carolina. Some recent changes that have been made are that starting Monday the governor has issued an executive order that only so many people can be in a store at a time. Some stores have already been doing that like Walmart and Family Dollar.

 

I went to Walmart today to do some shopping and they were only letting so many people in and they made sure that everyone was given a sanitized basket. I actually like the way they handled things. I don't go to Walmart very often and don't really like going there, (Even though the prices are cheap and I like the products) because it can be so crowded. Even before the coronavirus. Family Dollar is also making people carry something in their hands, that alerts employees in the store to how many people are in there at a time. My dad went there today and said they aren't letting more than like 15 people in the store and they have to carry something in their hands to alert people when they are in a store. 

 

Also, the military bases here have gotten more strict with their rules. Single marines can't really go anywhere on base. (Except for places like the Chow Hall, I believe they may have prohibited from really traveling off base too). The commissary will no longer allow visitors into it, you have to have a military ID card or dependent ID card to get in there. Also anyone who wants to go into the commissary or place like the exchange (including shoppers and employees) must now all wear a face covering. They aren't letting anyone in there without some sort of face covering. The CDC has recommended face masks, but these are the first stores here in NC that I know of that have made it mandatory that everyone that shops in them has one. I think that will definitely keep some people out, one big reason because a lot of people don't have access to masks right now. They are so hard to find here, and if you order on places like Amazon you'll be waiting weeks for one. 

 

I was glad I did grocery shopping today. Next week a lot of people will get the stimulus checks starting on Wednesday and the places here (especially the grocery stores) will stay busy. They already can't keep certain items on the shelves like toilet paper and wipes. I haven't seen toilet paper/wipes/sanitizer in most stores for weeks now. Thankfully one of my dad's friend has a small discount store which usually keeps toilet paper, or else I wouldn't be able to get any. People here keep hoarding and keeping supplies low. And I believe it's a lot of the same people that keep doing it.

 

My dad told me he went to a Dollar General a few days ago and the employees had to prevent this woman who lives alone for hoarding toilet paper. She had already bought multiple large packs of toilet paper the day, before and was trying to hoard even more. (Like six large packs in total). They made her stop and she left. People like that are causing shortages and also are creating extra foot traffic in the stories, because people who don't have the resources and/or time to hoard have to go several places to try and find toilet paper. 

 

With the  way people are shopping, hoarding. even with the new rules in place coming Monday about how many shoppers can be in stores, I still don't really want to be in stores when the stimulus checks first hit. I still won't be able to find a lot of stuff anyhow. 

Edited April 11, 2020 by xtr

[Roman]

I thank you for this. I really do.

[alphanguy74]

Where did you hear that bit of fake news that all the deaths in Missouri are black?

[xtr]

Babyface has revealed he and his entire family tested postive for the Coronavirus but are now negative. '

 

 

Also, I don't know if it was mentioned in this thread (I apologize if it was, I haven't been posting in this thread lately) but Jordi Vilauso also mentioned his entire family getting it, including his children.

 

People need to be safe and as careful as they can. There are some instances when this has killed a lot of people in a family, like the mother and some of her children in New Jersey. It's extra alarming that little children are now being reported to get it like Jordi's kids. For the most part, this thankfully hasn't affected many children. 

 

I know it's harder for someone to really distance themselves from a spouse, but everyone definitely needs to be careful. And look out for your children too.  

 

 

[victoria foxton]

 

  

[alphanguy74]

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[Huntress]

 

It's the same in Germany. In my city, 44 people have died (as of today), and most of them were over 70 and had underlying illnesses. 15 of these 44 people died in a single retirement home.
Notable exceptions were a younger woman who lived in a facility for disabled people and a 47-year-old doctor who apparently didn't seek medical treatment (!) and died alone in his apartment. His body was found a week later.

 

The weather has been fine all week and people are roaming around in the parks, riding their bicycles and enjoying the sun – but of course only with their families or in groups of two. There have only been a few instances where larger groups needed to be dissolved, so most people are acting reasonable.
In the supermarkets and drugstores, there is access control during rush hour, and cashiers sit behind a wall of plexiglass. Hoarding is no longer allowed (for example, you are only allowed to buy one packet of toilet paper). People are encouraged to wear masks, but hardly anyone does.
Everything else is still closed, but apparently politicians will be trying to re-open the country step by step at the beginning of May.

 

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Berlin is like a ghost town these days. Places that were once overcrowded day and night and flooded by tourists and locals are lifeless.

 

[Roman]

why are you responding to me? I don't like you. STHU.

[alphanguy74]

You responded to me just 3 days ago. I thought this thread was supposed to be a discussion. Someone had given you information that was patently false, and obviously Gray Bunny heard it as well... and I only asked what outlet it was. 

Edited April 11, 2020 by alphanguy74