outbreak! (ebola, sars, coronavirus, etc)

the thing is the testing capacity problem just wasn't solved. it could be the case that arguments about how far we should go to contain this are purely academic, because we haven't gone anywhere. https://t.co/Y5QE457FRH

— 'Weird Alex' Pareene (@pareene) March 25, 2020

If only the USA… https://t.co/qwhiqwyTuj

— Doug Henwood (@DougHenwood) March 25, 2020

I mean, Ireland absolutely will revert immediately afterwards, but the point is taken that there are some thoughts unthinkable in the US.

ventured out first time in a week (prescribed, essentials stock-up)

pharmacist amused by my ramshackle face mask (he asked why it had sticking plasters on it, was it official advice? actual reason = to hide the rude anti-trump message and hence dodge non-social-distancing bespittled arguments with hackney maga types, i gave him a brief version of this)

(he is a lovely man i see a lot of, given my meds regime, i worry for his safety and his staff's, they are all nice ppl)

no flour to be found (except like chickpea flour and similar)
some TP (scented but what can you do)
interestingly all the grated cheese is veg grated cheese
eggs are back (but i don't need em yet)

in general the local stores are well stocked i think

the hipster bakery place is still open! i didn't go in tho, i make my own bread now (extremely badly until my flour runs out)

hackney maga types

Words, usages, and phrases that dismay the shit out of you

I can vouch for chickpea flour btw, apart from using it in Indian breads (not that I personally know how do that) mixing it with other flours adds a bit of protein, or so I choose to believe

Gram flour is for pakoras (cheers for reminding me I have some pakora mix in my cupboard).

you can also make burfi with it iirc

this would be a much more informed post if my partner was awake lol

News on the ground tells me Japan seem to think they've licked the virus, so it's largely business as usual. One of my in-law relatives sent us a karaoke video of her singing with three friends, no doubt it's a similar story across the country. I'd like to think they don't have a major outbreak coming, but I kind of suspect they do, and afaik the government haven't spent the time they've been gifted by the rest of the world in preparing an economy-saving aid package. Maybe they have, and are keeping the plans under their wigs for now, but at the moment it's looking like complacency has set in big-time - in the nation with the oldest population in the world.

Tokyo is just about to lockdown, radio is saying

Everyone should be tested to see if they had it ASAP. That's what lulls are for (-D. Warwick).

The stories I've heard from doctor friends and acquaintances have been mixed. Some places seems to be non-stop but managing and preparing for the worse. Other places seem to be busy but getting ready for the worst. Other places don't seem to be busy yet and/or have yet to see their first cases. Ideally there is a lot of coordination going on between hospitals in the same regions so that those less busy places can be prepared to help with the overload, should it arrive.

Wait, is Japan business as usual, or about to go on lockdown? That's some mixed rumors!

tokyo has a fair level of social distancing as normal, and theres been plenty of restrictions as practiced fairly widespread without official hard measures being set out acc to ky resident brother

I'm just going by personal communications by friends/family there, hopefully it's better than I think. They're going to need to enforce any lockdown better than the UK have done though!

Looks like Tokyo reported c. 40 cases today or yesterday and is going into lockdown as a result. They're still keeping it under control better than almost anyone else.

jackson-browne-tests-positive-coronavirus

Sorry to hear but also seriously trying not to make a Doctor My Eyes Joke

Japan seem to think they've licked the virus

Exactly the wrong thing to do to a virus btw

is there an update on the Hackney Maga types situation?

The French plan is to blood test everyone for the antibodies once the period of confinement is over.

Tokyo is definitely not under lockdown. The mayor suggested similar language to shelter-in-place but nothing formal. Will be interesting as this weekend coincides with peak hanami for the region.

hackney maga types: i met none but that only means my sympathetic magics are effective in warding them off

FOR THE TIME BEING

mark s in maga sympathiser shocker

the antibodies test, what do you do with the results? just let the immune go back to 'normal'?

Positive antibody titer means you have been infected and now have an adaptive immune response that will prevent you from being infected again.

testing for the presidence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies will tell you if people who have cleared the virus and are healthy have been infected, you can do neutralization assays with retrieved antibodies to get at what level of protective immunity a previously-infected person will have, and I guess hopefully tell people who may not be sure if they had it already that they did have it and after two more weeks just to be sure clear them to go out and about

I’m wondering what that looks like practically. A certificate to say you’re allowed out?

That's what we do for vaccination records for schools in the U.S., so yeah basically

I am boldly predicting that will be a shitshow here

I don't think anyone has gone broke predicting a shitshow over the past several years.

roughly 40% of the country would download Breitbart counterfeit templates

It is time to think outside the box and seriously consider a somewhat unconventional approach to COVID-19: controlled voluntary infection.https://t.co/n4N5MNeaxW

— The Federalist (@FDRLST) March 25, 2020

lol no thx

jesus christ, I was hoping none of the idiots would actually say that and they've written an article about it

NYC morgues expected to reach capacity next week

morgues in spain are already at capacity.

which means the morgues here are going to be at capacity in a couple weeks.

The US is now on pace to have the worst coronavirus outbreak anywhere... pic.twitter.com/GgtcF4788J

— Mark MacKinnon (@markmackinnon) March 25, 2020

counterpoint: we should be fine by easter, a perfect day

counterpoint: no we are the best

I've been thinking about that a lot this week, the combo of our stupid healthcare system + a stubborn population that refuses to disrupt their lives + a ruling party that does not take this seriously & values stock market numbers over human lives seems like the perfect breeding ground for this virus and I think there's a chance that the US gets decimated by it in a way that even Italy & Spain won't - not just 'worse' but 'exponentially worse'. Really hope I'm wrong though.

I have heard we have the strongest, most american version of the virus. More powerful than other countries.

I've been working from home for three weeks and will be doing so for at least 11 more, if a critical mass of people get it into their heads that shit isn't going back to normal anytime soon we have a fighting chance!

Positive coronavirus news: total new daily infections & deaths declined in Italy for a second straight day. https://t.co/VPMbzvY8uk

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) March 23, 2020

xps finally a proof of the real American exceptionalism

Sorry old link

BREAKING: Better news from Italy, although it's hard to call 683 new deaths in a day better news. But that is down from y'day (tho' still the 3rd highest daily total). And new infections are down for the 4th day running at 3,491. Total deaths break another barrier - at 7,503.

— Bill Neely (@BillNeelyNBC) March 25, 2020

Don't panic you are ok. You are not gonna die. You can make it without stressing the medical systems. Just breathe. You are going to be ok. You can make it through without jumping in the frying pan. You are fine. All the vaccines you ve already had is enough to see you through.

— M.I.A (@MIAuniverse) March 25, 2020

i was kind of worried about coronavirus, but then i saw this tweet by mia and

that seems like... bad advice

other vaccines are kind of the mercenary/posse/militias of the viral world - they're not quite as effective as the real thing, but definitely still help. in this case, since we all have so many other vaccinations (read: "private militias"), we can still overwhelm coronavirus with pure numerical advantage! please buy my new hit single

I volunteered to go into the hospital I work for today and hand out donated food to the staff. We tried to be ad socially distant as possible and everyone was so lovely and grateful.

That’s awesome.

Meanwhile, it’s grim down south

Dit is een heel grimmig beeld van de situatie in Spanje https://t.co/MzsqI0hnMu pic.twitter.com/Dm4Vb2U5PK

— Job de Wit (@JobdeWit) March 25, 2020