Coronavirus COVID-19 Thread

Jolly_Green_Giant

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Those are the ones that look like palm trees right?
I've been told several times while working around high powered RF Transmitters that you'll know youre being irradiated when you start to smell almonds. So if you get close to a palm tree that smells like almonds, you might be in the right place.
 
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Aramsolari

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I think @Montoya articulated well how I feel about the whole business.

I respect people's right to avoid vaccinations but I really draw the line when they descend into violent protests. What's happening in Vancouver these past few weeks has really harden my stance towards the whole anti-Vaxxer/Mask/Mandate crowd. I now have ZERO patience for them and believe they should be denied public platforms and any semblance of legitimacy. (They can still shill in the cesspools of Facebook and Twitter). Ultimately nobody should give them the time of the day.

There are people who have legitimate reasons to not be vaccinated (I actually know a few...one had a serious reaction after his first shot). My government has acknowledged and made concessions to that. These individuals are to be protected. The interesting thing is that these people are generally not the ones protesting, it's the folks who are perfectly healthy who are out and about.

For some reason my city has become ground zero for anti-Vaxx protests in the country. There are protests planned for tomorrow and next week. After much public outcry they've moved their protests to City Hall instead of Vancouver General Hospital. It still doesn't make any sense to me because the city doesn't make public health orders....it's the Province that does it and the provincial capital is a 3 hour ferry ride away. Nobody says anything about this lot being bright.

Vancouver on a whole is an extremely liberal, progressive city. My theory is that many of these guys are out of towners (Fuck you Kelowna/Kamloops) looking to provoke a reaction from the locals. Similar to the same kind of shit the Proud Boys try to pull when they descend on a city like Portland.

These guys have the right to protest....sure. It's also my goddamn right to ridicule and mock them wherever they appear. If they assault nurses, we also reserve the right to kick the living shit out of them. Good thing they're next to a major hospital!

Currently the local public opinion is vastly against them and they certainly haven't won over new fans with their ambulance blocking, nurse assaulting antics. I wanna see these guys get treated like how the Westboro Baptist Church gets treated, with scorn.
 

NaffNaffBobFace

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One of my colleagues who didn't want to be vaccinated made an interesting suggestion - he said he'd be up for being intentionally exposed to the naturally occurring virus rather than being vaccinated.

I pointed out the downsides of that, in that research found the vaccine side effects were found to be present in natural infection sometimes to the point it was hundreds of times more likely to get that rare side side effect, I pointed out the risk of Long COVID is about 40% and there is zero risk of that with a vaccine, I pointed out that as there is no cure for natural infection so if it cascaded into serious illness there would be no turning back, that every new infection risks mutation of the virus in to one which could infect people who have been vaccinated, and that in the UK we currently have 8,000 extra sick people in hospitals causing extra pressure to the point general surgery has been delayed in multiple areas, to the point 5.6 million people are on the waiting list, operations which include the removal of cancers, a procedure known to typically have a higer success rate the earlier it is done.... with all that kindly considered he'd still be up for natural infection. I didn't pressgang, only gave him the facts.

I then proposed, as well as Quarantine Hotels, we also have Infection Hotels. Not medical facilities, just hotels. Those wishing to be infected naturally can take two weeks off, book in at their own expense and receive exposure to the natural virus and then spend 14 days in their hotel room waiting it out building their immunity... A waiver would, of course, be required agreeing they are aware of the consequences of their choice and that as it is knowing action that could potentially add burden to already strained medical services they will be at the end of the queue behind people who have been exposed out in the general population if capacity is already strained.

He said it sounded expensive considering he would not be going on holiday, the vaccine is free and he could go out tomorrow and be infected out on the highstreet or on a night out at the club and he said it was dangerous if he wasn't going to get hospital attention... I pointed out if the system was overwealmed when he finally caught it, he wasn't guaranteed to get medical attention anyway. Fair enough, you pay your money and you take your choice.

Something gives me the feeling the above Infection Hotel idea will not be required though. As it has been found with the current generation of vaccines fully vaccinated people can be protected but also carry a contagious viral load as high as unvaccinated people, this winter is going to be... interesting... to experience. I just hope it is not me who gives the virus to him. I don't think we'd ever know how he eventually gets infected, but still, I don't want it to be me!
 
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Aramsolari

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He said it sounded expensive considering he would not be going on holiday, the vaccine is free and he could go out tomorrow and be infected out on the highstreet or on a night out at the club and he said it was dangerous if he wasn't going to get hospital attention... I pointed out if the system was overwealmed when he finally caught it, he wasn't guaranteed to get medical attention anyway. Fair enough, you pay your money and you take your choice.
Your colleague sounds......special. Hope he's fun at parties at least!
 

Aramsolari

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Also on a lighter note...I salute the proprietors of this fine local business for fulfilling their civic duty. I expect many a Gentleman will rethink their hesitation for getting the shot if they haven't already.

xKaCYLW-OL3sHtBDUTSaWx4g5gM1-DXmt-YMFk5hTmo.jpg
 

NaffNaffBobFace

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Your colleague sounds......special. Hope he's fun at parties at least!
This is the thing, they are one of the more rational persons in the workplace and are sometimes questioned on their mid to long term outlook on certain things. A long thinker.

I'm not defending their saying no to it, however I want to work out why and how we might be able to offer them a compelling option they would take?

I believe the flaw for them is the more they look in to vaccines and the technology and how they are made and the process of testing etc, the more questions they have. As with any medicine, really, what will be the long term effects? 5 years, 10 years, 20 years. Until the point a couple of generations have passed, he's not going to be up for it because his mind is 20 years in the future and he sees an unknown and isn't going to step into that stationary cupboard to protect himself until he knows no one has blu-tak'd sharpened pencils inside the door like some kind of rudimentary Iron Maiden...

I should ask him if they came out with a vaccine based on existing vaccine technology which is established and the long term effects of are known, but which have a lower efficiency, would he take it? From our conversations I'm guessing he would even if efficiency is only 40% to 60%. Anything is better than nothing I suppose?

It's interesting, I think there will be a percentage of people against vaccination not because they are stunted mentally but because they are questing mentally for answers - sort of the equivalent of the athiest "If you can't give me the Gods phone number, I'm not going to belive they exist" -"If you can't tell them in 5 years anyone who took an mRNA vaccine isn't going to get hair growing between their toes I'm going to assume there is a chance it will, or worse" and there is no way I can tell this person they are wrong.

All I can do is challenge the assumption that getting the virus naturally will not result in the same odd side effects, or worse, in 5 years time.

Perhaps don't call them an Atheists... an atheist would still refuse to believe even when presented with absolute proof... perhaps New Tech Agnostic. They don't deny the vaccines potentially are good, but they also can't accept that they potentially in the long term they won't turn out to be bad... They have questions which can only be answered with time.

That's time we unfortunately don't really have. How to offer them another option which is compatible with their long view that won't take 20 years for them to be on board with?
 
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NaffNaffBobFace

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Also on a lighter note...I salute the proprietors of this fine local business for fulfilling their civic duty. I expect many a Gentleman will rethink their hesitation for getting the shot if they haven't already.

View attachment 21331
That is a compelling argument, i'll put it to my colleague. 😄
 
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Vavrik

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This is the thing, they are one of the more rational persons in the workplace and are sometimes questioned on their mid to long term outlook on certain things. A long thinker.

I'm not defending their saying no to it, however I want to work out why and how we might be able to offer them a compelling option they would take?

I believe the flaw for them is the more they look in to vaccines and the technology and how they are made and the process of testing etc, the more questions they have. As with any medicine, really, what will be the long term effects? 5 years, 10 years, 20 years. Until the point a couple of generations have passed, he's not going to be up for it because his mind is 20 years in the future and he sees an unknown and isn't going to step into that stationary cupboard to protect himself until he knows no one has blu-tak'd sharpened pencils inside the door like some kind of rudimentary Iron Maiden...

I should ask him if they came out with a vaccine based on existing vaccine technology which is established and the long term effects of are known, but which have a lower efficiency, would he take it? From our conversations I'm guessing he would even if efficiency is only 40% to 60%. Anything is better than nothing I suppose?

It's interesting, I think there will be a percentage of people against vaccination not because they are stunted mentally but because they are questing mentally for answers - sort of the equivalent of the athiest "If you can't give me the Gods phone number, I'm not going to belive they exist" -"If you can't tell them in 5 years anyone who took an mRNA vaccine isn't going to get hair growing between their toes I'm going to assume there is a chance it will, or worse" and there is no way I can tell this person they are wrong.

All I can do is challenge the assumption that getting the virus naturally will not result in the same odd side effects, or worse, in 5 years time.

Perhaps don't call them an Atheists... an atheist would still refuse to believe even when presented with absolute proof... perhaps New Tech Agnostic. They don't deny the vaccines potentially are good, but they also can't accept that they potentially in the long term they won't turn out to be bad... They have questions which can only be answered with time.

That's time we unfortunately don't really have. How to offer them another option which is compatible with their long view that won't take 20 years for them to be on board with?
My extended family (which is quite large and spans 2 countries) is like a microcosm of society in general. The vaccination rate is virtually the same. Canadians have a little less hesitancy than Americans. In speaking with them, I have only asked whether they have been vaccinated and why not if they haven't been. It is a very unscientific way to come to a conclusion, but the various answers have been quite telling - and part of human nature.
The root cause in my experience: They're scared of needles, and unwilling or unable to overcome that fear. The consequence is they come up with all sorts of reasons why.
 

Radegast74

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My extended family (which is quite large and spans 2 countries) is like a microcosm of society in general. The vaccination rate is virtually the same. Canadians have a little less hesitancy than Americans. In speaking with them, I have only asked whether they have been vaccinated and why not if they haven't been. It is a very unscientific way to come to a conclusion, but the various answers have been quite telling - and part of human nature.
The root cause in my experience: They're scared of needles, and unwilling or unable to overcome that fear. The consequence is they come up with all sorts of reasons why.
No political weirdness? That's more than half the fun!

This article explored vaccination in a rural part of the US...very interesting for a number of reasons, I could go on about it for hours for thousands of reasons, but I'll just stop and give you the link.


EDIT: Ok, I can't resist, this was one of my favorite parts of the article:
Sometimes a rumor would spread that Covid-19 was running through a restaurant, Turley said. The locals would stay away, but the tourists wouldn't know.
Very neighborly! lmao
 

Aramsolari

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The root cause in my experience: They're scared of needles, and unwilling or unable to overcome that fear. The consequence is they come up with all sorts of reasons why.
That’s my experience as well. I know guys who talk all big (it’s bullshit, I’m not afraid of getting sick, hoax, etc, etc) only to confide in me after that they’re afraid of needles.

I understand and respect that. However my understanding ends when they project their personal fears outwards and channel their efforts into convincing others to also reject the vaccine, sow misinformation or worse…..participate in chaotic protests like the ones we see in my city.

I’m quietly optimistic that we’ll eventually have access to vaccines that are administered orally or via other means. I believe vaccine uptake will jump up then.
 

NaffNaffBobFace

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COVID Corner - Some articles from around the world from today, Saturday 11th of September:

- World: Global Confirmed 224,131,841 Global Deaths 4,621,188

- UK: Call for Army to ease ambulance waits at A&E

- UK: UK lecturers fear students’ return

- France: French ex-minister investigated over Covid response


- Australia: Former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott fined for allegedly failing to wear mask

- Philippines: The Philippines reports record Covid-19 cases

- US: Biden's vaccine push sets off legal challenges

- US: Atlanta Zoo reports 13 western lowland gorillas have tested positive for Covid-19.

- Greece: 55% of the population are fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

- Turkey: 2,000 people demonstrated in Istanbul on Saturday against official coronavirus-related mandates

- Australia: Tops 2,000 new Covid-19 cases for the first time.

 

Aramsolari

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There has been political weirdness on both sides of the border, but in Canada the divide is not nearly as political as it is in the US (so it's a little less fun).
Well quite a bit of ‘Murica is leaking over these days. We have our fair share of Qanon, MAGA anti-vaxxer types. I’ve seen guys march in these recent protests wearing MAGA hats and other related paraphernalia. I assume most of these guys are Canadian which is well….odd.
 
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Radegast74

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The root cause in my experience: They're scared of needles, and unwilling or unable to overcome that fear. The consequence is they come up with all sorts of reasons why.
There are treatments for needle phobia ("trypanphobia")

Of course, the number one effective treatment that won't cost you money for psychotherapy:
LOOK THE OTHER WAY WHEN THEY GIVE YOU THE SHOT lol
 

Vavrik

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There are treatments for needle phobia ("trypanphobia")

Of course, the number one effective treatment that won't cost you money for psychotherapy:
LOOK THE OTHER WAY WHEN THEY GIVE YOU THE SHOT lol
I overcame my fear of needles (in the arms) when I was 10). Had to go for a glucose stress test. When I was 14, I had to get eye surgery. I was awake and totally conscious for that. Then years later I had a chance to get a steroid shot in my ass... but I discovered I could opt for a suppository. Let me tell you this: that was the wrong decision. I've opted for needles since.
 
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