Is it over? Good luck all!

[Bill the barbarian]

And so ends day one of the phased return to “normal” here.

Much of Canada—and it seems we are being joined by Australia, and the parts of America that did self isolate—move out of the shadow of the quarantine though not the self-distancing. Good news, but still, I urge all who are in areas that are making this change to remember the errors of hubris of our ancestors who thought all was safe back in 1919 and went straight from quarantine to party which started (or at least aided in fanning) the second and third waves of Spanish flu. 

Quote

Reported cases of Spanish flu dropped off over the summer of 1918, and there was hope at the beginning of August that the virus had run its course. In retrospect, it was only the calm before the storm. Somewhere in Europe, a mutated strain of the Spanish flu virus had emerged that had the power to kill a perfectly healthy young man or woman within 24 hours of showing the first signs of infection.

Dave Roos History channel

In all there were three waves of this global pandemic of an H1N1 corona virus. As nasty as the first wave was, the second and third were worse. 

Not trying to be a downer, just warning everybody to pay attention, watch your hands keep your distances do not share dice or books or better play on line (for a little longer, anyway) and I will see you all on the other side!

Be well!

 

Edited May 15, 2020 by Bill the barbarian

[foolcat]

Culprit in the Spanish flu was the Influenza A virus subtype H1N1. No relations, genetically or otherwise, to the family of coronaviruses.
 

But yes, the second wave’s gonna be rad. This is far from over.

[Lloyd Dupont]

Mmm.. Isn't it a bit early for Canada to relax thing?! 😮
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/canada/#graph-active-cases-total

Also, there are many factor, some quite simple that can affect the virus...
According to stats many African country have very low rate of infection, which I found odd and doubtful, maybe they simply have bad stats?
It seems, though, that it's somewhat true, they have, I guess less travel and much younger average population age.. but also, surprisingly, much more common mask manufacture and usage! Simple helpful measure! 😮 

Edited May 15, 2020 by Lloyd Dupont

[Bill the barbarian]

4 hours ago, Lloyd Dupont said:

Mmm.. Isn't it a bit early for Canada to relax thing?! 😮

Oh yeah, it is way too early, but some are saying that the self isolation was way too hard, and it’s way too nice and...

Edited May 15, 2020 by Bill the barbarian

[Loïc]

Here in France, we have "green" counties and "reds" (according to the virus circulation level and/or the hospitals' bursting level)... Green began to quit quarantine on may 11, just have to respect a few instructions: mask in public transports, no gathering exceeding 10 people... In fact, it's the same in red counties (and I'm in a red one...). Just more restrictions for schools, transports... Problem: I've got two kids (8 and 2 years old) and no school nor child centre until june 2... My wife already started her job again, and I'm playing the nanny for one more month... My boss understands well, and I'll recover my job in june (I'm in permanent contract).

Honestly? For one week, I see/hear (from my appartment...) gatherings and gatherings to celebrate the end of the quarantine... Then I think keeping my kids safe at home is just as well... I agree with Bill about the Spanish flu, and as an archaeologist, I'm convinced no lesson can be learned from history...

[Lloyd Dupont]

When I look at people around me it remind me that we are not very rationale... And I suddenly remember my younger years at school, I should have understod that watching my school mate completely fail at Maths, haha

[Ian Absentia]

1 hour ago, Loïc said:

Here in France, we have "green" counties and "reds" ...

Here in the US, we have Red and Blue, and there's little consistency or coordination between or among either, except that the Reds are generally more willing to roll the dice on the balance between personal liberties and public welfare.

You know that scene in, like, 25% of sci-fi movies where the crew is gathered around trying to decide whether or not to take their vacc-suit helmets off?  Yeah, we're all still there.

!i!

[Lloyd Dupont]

Well, the easiest thing to do, I guess, since we can't all agree, is to go explore this forbidding aliens ruin at night in separate group! This way no argument and w can cover more ground quickly!  

[Loïc]

10 hours ago, Ian Absentia said:

Here in the US, we have Red and Blue, and there's little consistency or coordination between or among either, except that the Reds are generally more willing to roll the dice on the balance between personal liberties and public welfare.

You know that scene in, like, 25% of sci-fi movies where the crew is gathered around trying to decide whether or not to take their vacc-suit helmets off?  Yeah, we're all still there.

!i!

Yeah, it's quite like that. The choice is clear: economics rule... I mean, I do understand we can't just let the country economically collapse, and we do have to go back to work, but I have the strong feeling they are jerking us around and sending us to the slaughterhouse... Since the beginning, French government's taking us for fools (as usual), and I know people working in several hospitals in "red" zones: according to them, the numbers (of dead) and statistics (of circulation) can't be true compared to the situation on the field. Nothing new: government lied about AIDS contamination in the 80s/90s, and lied during the "contaminated blood case" here in France, and probably at each health crisis (I precise I am not plot-paranoiac). I'm sure all governments do (to avoid panic...)...

...and talking about SF, in Star Trek it never looks good for "Reds"... 😉

1 hour ago, Lloyd Dupont said:

Well, the easiest thing to do, I guess, since we can't all agree, is to go explore this forbidding aliens ruin at night in separate group! This way no argument and w can cover more ground quickly!  

Agree, but I want to talk about night rate!!! 😁

This said, I'm still optimistic: history proves also humanity can survive and overcome anything, especially its own foolishness. Otherwise, we wouldn't be there since a long time!😜

[HierophantX]

I developed an auto-immune disorder in response to things the military ordered me to do. I’m super excited and filled with warm trusting feelings when my employer says everything is ok and it’s safe to go back to widget production... seriously nothing has fracking changed between now and when we locked down except a couple hundred thousand (thousand!) additional humans are dead. Insanity.

[lawrence.whitaker]

Here in Canada, lockdown and isolation rules are mandated Provincially. In Ontario, there's some tentative easing, but Doug Ford's administration is being cautious about this, and I think his stance overall has been pretty good and measured. There haven't been the hysterics seen in parts of the US, and on the whole Canadians, while wearying of the isolation and social distancing regs, are taking things pretty much in their stride.

Where I live, there have been only a handful of cases, 1 death, and the rest are recoveries - but still, the community is taking things seriously, and continuing to abide by the iso and SD guidelines.