D&D and the rising pandemic

[Thomas Shey]

I usually try to be polite to all the workers in the store. Certainly plenty of the ones in the Ralphs I use know me on sight and don't seem to hate to see me coming. The only time I almost said someone was about a year ago when I went into a store and saw a worker with his mask hanging down around his chin. I was Not Amused.

 

[niklinna]

‘We’re playing with fire’: US Covid cases may be 30 times higher than reported

Severe undercounting undermines our efforts to ‘understand and get ahead of the virus’, researcher says after New York survey

www.theguardian.com

And somewhat related:

Geese, skuas, cranes and even foxes: avian flu takes growing toll on wildlife

One ecologist counted 160 dead wild birds while walking round a Scottish loch, and figures from other countries are just as worrying

www.theguardian.com

 

[CapnZapp]

If everyone had acted responsibly, we might not be done with the pandemic, but the spread would have been much more limited. And a lot fewer people would have gotten sick, wound up with Long Covid, or died from Covid. More infections also creates more mutations, so less spread might have also prevented strains like Delta and Omicron from emerging, which means the current vaccines might have been better at knocking it down when it did emerge.

Maybe it's not realistic to expect people to behave responsibly, but that doesn't mean that behaving responsibly is a waste of time.

My point is that even if everybody in your state or territory behaved responsibly for many months, you still would face re-infections continuously from other countries.

My point is that in too many cases, people think of it as if their country was an isolated island.

Meanwhile the pandemic rages on pretty much unchecked in large parts of the world, ready to return to your country the second you stop taking so much care.

This isn't meant to say it is meaningless to take precautions. Only that it wouldn't have been over even if everybody around you did.

Cheers

 

[JEB]

My point is that even if everybody in your state or territory behaved responsibly for many months, you still would face re-infections continuously from other countries.

My point is that in too many cases, people think of it as if their country was an isolated island.

Meanwhile the pandemic rages on pretty much unchecked in large parts of the world, ready to return to your country the second you stop taking so much care.

This isn't meant to say it is meaningless to take precautions. Only that it wouldn't have been over even if everybody around you did.

To be clear, when I say "everyone", I mean internationally as much as I do nationally or locally. I'm well aware that this is a worldwide failing as much as an individual one.

 

[beancounter]

The real problem in the U.S. is that a substantial minority of the population didn't take COVID seriously (to phrase it politely).
It was this lack of concern that allowed it to easily spread and mutate.

 

[Hussar]

Sigh.

So, Japan is finally opening its borders to foreign tourists. It's pretty restrictive - very limited numbers of tourist visas and only for group tours that are closely monitored. But, at least it's beginning. First tour group headed down to near my neck of the woods, a lovely little resort town called Oita where there are lots of hot springs and whatnot. Pretty little place on the coast.

Three of the tour group tested positive a day after they arrived. Whisked off to quarantine and gracing the front page of every freaking newspaper in the ((insert rage filled string of expletives here)) country. This group was made up mostly of tour group guides and travel agents. The papers are having an absolute field day with this.

Deep breaths. Deep breaths.

 

[Thomas Shey]

Mweh. My wife was exposed yesterday. We're both vaxed and recently boosted, but we're going to keep some distance and sleep in separate bedrooms until she can test Tuesday.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Deep breaths. Deep breaths.

Only if masked!

 

[GreyLord]

So, I took a trip around the U.S. recently. Interesting the different things I saw. Most people are not wearing masks these days.

I saw that in some areas that Covid was rated as rising rapidly. I wore a mask almost constantly while out of the Hotel room (Sorry, not going to wear a mask while sleeping). Tried eating outside when I could rather than inside restuarants.

Air Travel is a mess. I think less than 10% of flyers were wearing masks. Impossible to social distance on a Plane.

I think people in the U.S. are done with Covid regardless of whether it is done with them at this point.

 

[Umbran]

I think people in the U.S. are done with Covid regardless of whether it is done with them at this point.

It depends where you are somewhat. Like, in my local Whole Foods, you still see a lot of masks. I'm going to the theater next week, and the theater still requires proof of vaccination and masking.