BF2S Forums Pandemic thread

Some measures are all well and fine until the world is all up to speed on covid vaccine distribution. But these measures aren't going to achieve zero covid. Not even vaccines, our best defense, are 100% proof against breakthrough infections.

unnamednewbie13 wrote:

SuperJail Warden wrote:

I don't know why people want to keep lizards as pets. The animals are just too dumb. Even a cat will acknowledge you as a thing that it important.

Snake intelligence is a thing of ongoing research for herpetologists. You can look up a number of interesting studies on that. What animals feel, think, or how smart they are is, vocal and non-vocal communication, in general are subjects of ongoing research. I don't think intelligence should be a prerequisite for compassionate treatment. I imagine a spacefaring species might regard us as fairly stupid with limited brainpower, and I'd sure hope they wouldn't treat us like we'd treat some of our animals.

I've never owned a snake and have no plans on getting one, but I still think they're cute. If I got one, I'd probably spring for one that is OK in the Pacific Northwest and give it a way to slither outside into an enclosure with real plants and dirt. Snake owners do say that going outside (along with having a sufficiently large and outfitted terrarium) seems to improve their animals' mood. A common garter snake might enjoy going for the post-rain worms that are still surfaced.

I don't think snakes are cute. I also highly doubt they are that smart. Have you heard about all of the snake charmers who get killed by their snakes?

Anyway, how would a noodle with a head wear a sweater? Like this?

Guys can we please focus on the pandemic?

Last edited by SuperJail Warden (2021-10-30 19:08:37)

Going back to snakes, a snake has never really appealed to me as a pet.

The cat tried to kill me at every opportunity, I don't want a snake.

Dilbert_X wrote:

uziq wrote:

you have a little cock.

This was a bit funny when you were 15, now that you're approaching middle age do you think its still appropriate?

oh, so you do read my posts to the end, then?

if that's the case, why do you keep ignoring the content of my posts?

for about 12 pages both unnamed and myself have been saying 'nobody is pushing to abandon all measures, just that vaccination plus a host of other available measures can help us to gradually re-open'. we have been saying 'travel can be done in a smart way using testing and quarantine measures, where necessary'. then you link an article with news of china's plans to build quarantine facilities and say 'AHA! see! abandoning all measures is not a good idea!' yes, well done. p.s. you have a dick on your head, loser.

Unless leprosy is involved, ask dilbert about that.

Maybe a small snake I could live with, absolutely not interested in a colossal python.

Actually a stripper at a corporate event a few years ago brought a python and I didn't mind it, it was fairly small though.

There are big pythons and small pythons.

uziq wrote:

Dilbert_X wrote:

uziq wrote:

the idea of a sterilized, hermetically sealed nation that has 'zero covid' and just needs to police its borders and wipe-down its imports using bleach is a fucking NONSENSE. it's pie-in-the-sky, childish wish fulfilment, 'if only...' stuff.

As an increasing number of countries around the world reopen their international borders, China
is still pursuing its COVID-zero strategy — and the lengthy quarantine process is part of it.

Key points:
China is building a quarantine facility in Guangzhou with more than 5,000 rooms for overseas travellers
People travelling to some cities in China would have to quarantine twice in two different locations
China is unlikely to give up their COVID-zero strategy before the Winter Olympics in Beijing next year

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-31/ … /100574180

nope. the CCP have announced their intentions to reopen after they reach 80% full vaccination. keeping zero covid for the long term is not on anyone’s intentions.

japan pursued a similar strategy in the run up to the olympics. it’s hardly a standard scenario, is it? ‘let’s base our covid strategy on a nation that is nervous about hosting a gigantic world event’. ok! enjoy another 250 days inside melbourne!

i have fucking said REPEATEDLY that pre-flight testing and quarantine measures are likely to remain for the foreseeable future of travel. they will be features of the industry now in the same way that locked cabins and security strip downs were part of the post-9/11 world of air travel. i specifically said that countries will have to form agreements with each other and policies for safe travel, and that travel from covid hotspots to safe countries will probably be highly controlled. i have NEVER ONCE said that people will reopen their borders and allow uncontrolled, untested, oblivious travel. do you even read for fuck’s sake. you have a little cock.

There's several countries in the world now that have 80%+ vaccination rate. Quite a few in the EU. Despite the effort, it's not enough to keep covid at bay. Several are now reimposing restrictions or considering doing so as winter approaches.

It really makes you wonder what the point of it all is in the long term. 80% vaccination is only achievable for very highly developed countries. There will be many countries around the globe that will top out at 30-50%, even if they have unlimited supply. It may also take several years to get to that point globally. Because of issues with infrastructure, dispersed rural populations, low literacy rates, the fact that the jab isn't effective forever and will need to be reapplied etc. Considering that a nearly fully vaccinated population doesn't seem to be enough to deal with covid, it's a foregone conclusion that this pandemic will not end. More mutations may also pop up. We can only hope there won't be one that's more contageous and/or dangerous than delta.

So what will that mean for the next 1, 2 or even 5 to 10 years? I'll assume there's no sudden miracle cure and covid won't inexplicably disappear.

Yes, pre-flight testing and quarantine measures are likely to remain for the foreseeable future. It's likely there will be countries that are permanently semi-blacklisted from travel. It's likely most of the world will remain denoted as 'do not travel' because their healthcare infrastructure/population monitoring/vaccination isn't developed enough for high quality economies to trust them. Workplace restrictions might become either permanent or reconsidered every fall/winter season. Face coverings could be made compulsory on and off. Kids going to school or uni will always have covid dangling over their heads as an argument to restrict them from following in-class education or socialising with friends. Social venues, events, festival & nightlife might just be closed again every few months.

I'll be frank, it's fucking madness. I'm not a healthcare professional or virologist so don't have answers, but at this point it doesn't look like they have any answers either. The zero covid strategies around the globe have failed, and the controlled covid strategies are entering the realm of stupidity. After seeing that 80% vaccination isn't doing it the next 'way out' that's being propagated is for people to not only be vaccinated & QR-checked, but also tested regularly, wearing masks everywhere, social distancing forever, perhaps taking anti-viral medication in the future on top of that. On/off lockdownesque restrictions. And then we'll beat it for sure! All for the sake of mostly keeping geriatrics and retirees from flooding intensive care capacity.

It's folly to believe that the majority of the population will abide by all that shit or think that it is in ANY WAY possible for that sort of convoluted and costly system to be implemented anywhere but the very richest & developed countries. I'll carefully conclude: there is no real way out, and it'll take another year or so, maybe two, for that realisation to set in.

Last edited by Larssen (2021-10-31 09:09:07)

^ talk about disaster mongering. countries with high vaccination rates, plus new anti-viral medications, plus good hospital care regimes in place, really have very little to worry about seasonal recurrences of covid.

the main worry is that it could compound existing seasonal cycles of cold+flu in a particularly nasty way. i agree the most every country on earth, rich or poor, will be looking at winter illnesses and the necessity of winter booster jabs in a new light.

western countries have been applying flu boosters and weathering flu epidemics for the last 70 years. 200,000 people or so die every year from such flu epidemics. we think nothing of it. it’s depressing and perhaps callous to say so, but covid will join this picture. to make out that the future of society as we know it is imperilled and we face ‘years of madness’ is hyperbolic hokum.

get double vaccinated and take a booster every year. get your flu shot. stock up on vitamin c/d in winter and exercise prudence when on public transport or in congested areas. wash your hands. you will be fine.

Larssen wrote:

All for the sake of mostly keeping geriatrics and retirees from flooding intensive care capacity.

Yikes, my friend. One could easily take that for a Jay line.

Anyway, the anti-vax camp has done devastating damage, and it's going to be a slog undo. I don't think it's going to be possible to reverse in a generation or even two. In countries lagging behind, there may have to be mandates, and of course civil disorder may be a consequence. Ideally, we can get the global south to a point where they're no longer such a cauldron.

Fact Check-The Delta variant of coronavirus can affect all age groups
https://www.reuters.com/article/factche … SL2N2OJ0HW

One image shared on Facebook reads: “So they’re saying that the ‘delta variant’ is a covid variant that affects young people aged 12-20. How convenient is that? They want to jab the 12-20 year olds [sic] in September and here comes along a ‘new variant’ out of nowhere that affects that age group lol.” (here).

Going to have to aggressively battle these completely retarded takes wherever they pop up, for the foreseeable future.

However, this does not mean the Delta variant has “conveniently” targeted younger populations as some of the social media posts suggest. Such a suggestion misses vital context including the result of vaccination campaigns in older age groups, as well as the level of social contact among young people.

uziq wrote:

but remember: vaccines are minimally effective.

USA



Israel



Impact of vaccines seems to be nil to marginal in changing the death rate