News Worldwide impact of the novel coronavirus (covid-19)

[whiteraven]

We have a few cases in Michigan now. And people have gone bonkers. It didn't help matters to have the Governor and Mayor declare a State of Emergency. In a matter of hours the stores have been ransacked. We went out for dinner at our favorite pizza place which is usually very busy and it was empty.
Events cancelled, schools closing, locking down nursing homes and hospitals. Even cancelled our St. Patrick's parade.

Be safe out there.

Just tonight I'm hearing about the closure of major events here, including the Opening Day parade.

I'm personally really struggling with all of this. I just don't care about any of it. I mean, I am *really* sorry for the people who are sick and I am following all the precautions (most of which everybody should have been doing anyway), but as for me getting sick? I'm sort of *shrug* about it. If I do, I do...

 

[blackemerald1]

I am following all the precautions (most of which everybody should have been doing anyway), but as for me getting sick? I'm sort of *shrug* about it. If I do, I do...

^Well that's good whiteraven. There is no treatment or vaccine. So avoidance is the only real thing you can do to safeguard yourself.

^Washing your hands is a routine that should happen regardless - coughing etiquette the same. All the personal hygiene routines and precautions that stop the spread of illness and disease already should be happening.

It's a bit sad that it takes this type of viral pandemic to reinforce this stuff.

I always did feel a bit 'out there' when I used my hand sanitizer, wiped down the handles on trolleys and washed my hands after touching communal things. But what a way to feel not so alone?? lol

Caring for our elderly folks & making sure they are protected against all viruses that are out in the wild should be routine too.

I've turned off the news - it is distressing.

@The Albatross - the redneck is hilarious. I like his gun slinging Wyatt Earp style!. Still laughing.

 

[Sideways]

Caring for our elderly folks & making sure they are protected against all viruses that are out in the wild should be routine too.

What concerns me is the virus becoming prevalent in the community. Because that puts some of my loved ones at real risk. My nan won't survive another case of pneumonia, and my mum would be in real strife if she got this virus.

In that respect, I'm grateful for events shutting down. People do seem to be spreading the virus quite unaware that they're even sick, and closing large events will slow the virus down.

All it would take is a person unknowingly carrying the virus into my nan's nursing home, or serving my mum at a shop, and they could be put at serious risk. It's an inconvenience that has the potential to save a lot of lives.

I've had to switch off most of the news as well. The panic seems to have shifted to bitching about how unnecessary all these public health steps are, and that really upsets me.

These steps weren't taken with SARS. We've had new viruses enter the community without our chief medical health officers asking us to pay this much attention. I don't believe that these precautions would be taken across the board if there wasn't genuine concern - our respective economies couldn't afford it. Some viruses don't end up becoming a serious problem (SARS), but some viruses do become a major health problem (HIV).

I'm finding the intolerance of reasonable, sensible precautions to be upsetting. I don't want my loved ones to end up in ICU just because people wanted to go to that next music festival, you know?

 

[whiteraven]

It's a bit sad that it takes this type of viral pandemic to reinforce this stuff.

I know, right?

 

[Anarchy]

The company I'm working for does most of its selling at trade fairs in America and Europe. The customers need to actually see what they are getting - Internet works for advertising but sales need to be one to one

The fairs are being cancelled. The latest cancellations take out approximately 60% of forecast sales for the year.

Compulsory redundancies are a strong possibility if we can't lose some guys by voluntary means

Some of our production guys are in a local mountain rescue team and have been told to expect to be draughteded to drive ambulances and work in hospitals.

If that then takes us below the number of people required to operate safely - what about the rest of us?

I've worked outside Britain - so there are gaps in my forced payments to the national ponzi scheme insurance. It's very unlikely that I would get any recompense or dole while I look for an alternative job ( I still have to pay into the system though!). If it comes to that, I can do it but it will be uncomfortable.

 

[The Albatross]

Disturbing new story line. With respect to the number of Italian Covid-19 patients it seems premature:
Faced with tough choices, Italy is prioritizing young COVID-19 patients over the elderly. That likely 'would not fly' in the US.

Another reason why I don't like the European model over private health insurance and care. The numbers just don't make sense to me for a call for prioritizing younger over elderly patients.

 

[Anarchy]

RE: "stock market crash"... not all Covid or China related. OPEC & Russia are butting heads on oil prices.

Even those are just the triggers (and scapegoats)

Just like with the greenbacker versus gold money controversies in nineteenth century America and the Banking School versus currency school debates in nineteenth century England

The bankers and especially the central bankers will try to blame anyone or anything but themselves and their activities (money printing and fractional reserving) for stock market bubbles and their inevitable bursting.

Worse than that, they'll offer themselves and an intensification of their fraudulent activities as the indispensable rescue for the crisis that they created and profited from creating.

An institution that can legally create money out of thin air, can employ and buy lots of friends

With banks and especially central banks employing most of the working economists, and paying the salaries (or at the very minimum paying for "consultancy" or speaking engagements and conferences) of most of the professors.

Don't expect any startling criticism or insights from lamestream economists or media.

Like a fraud trial, where it can take several weeks or months to explain to a judge and jury what has happened, explaining things like "Cantillon effects", fractional reserve banking compared to full reserve banking, and fiat money compared to a commodity money -take a long time. A forum isn't the right place to do it.

Probably the best place to start for anyone who is curious would be Murray Rothbard's books
The mystery of banking
And
What has government done to our money

Both are available for free download at mises.org

 

[Mee]

The company I'm working for does most of its selling at trade fairs in America and Europe. The customers need to actually see what they are getting - Internet works for advertising but sales need to be one to one

The fairs are being cancelled. The latest cancellations take out approximately 60% of forecast sales for the year.

Compulsory redundancies are a strong possibility if we can't lose some guys by voluntary means

Some of our production guys are in a local mountain rescue team and have been told to expect to be draughteded to drive ambulances and work in hospitals.

If that then takes us below the number of people required to operate safely - what about the rest of us?

I've worked outside Britain - so there are gaps in my forced payments to the national ponzi scheme insurance. It's very unlikely that I would get any recompense or dole while I look for an alternative job ( I still have to pay into the system though!). If it comes to that, I can do it but it will be uncomfortable.

Have you checked eligibility for one of the government schemes to offset this? For example- being paid statutory sick pay while self isolating is one I think?

It might appeal to some as an alternative to redundancy?


It’s very, very tough. Our personal finances are very impacted. My husband’s job is one of the key industries impacted. He and his colleagues are doing everything they can to avoid redundancies. The travel bans ( if not offset by considerable support by governments) are going to be crippling.

Already without bans things are very difficult. Airlines are being criticised for flying with no or few passengers without people understanding THEY don’t want to fly at a loss either but they are mandated to in order to retain the slots ( Landing/ take off ‘tickets’ ) . Slots are the real ‘thing’ in air industry- not planes or fuel or anything- those slots make or break airlines , and are how big airlines put little ones out of business - over the slots. They are worth staggering amounts of money. Governments allowing airlines to not be penalised over slots during this - could save staggering amounts of money - and jobs.

 

[somerandomguy]

My university has cancelled all classes and told all the students who normally live in dorms to stay home. A major work event that I've been meticulously planning for months was just cancelled.

I'm annoyed but basically OK with it. I think the ban on large gatherings is a good idea since our healthcare system is NOT set up to be able to intake thousands of new patients all at once. If we're all going to get it, it's better to try and stagger it as much as possible. (Although it seems the economic costs may end up offsetting any benefits to the healthcare system.)

 

[Frostheaved]

I'm in college. School is going completely online. I'm going to be home constantly with my mom and brother, who aren't exactly the most pleasant people. I mean, I live with them anyways, but getting to go on campus and have an excuse to be away is wonderful. Considering the situation with covid-19, my mom is constantly making predictions and praising herself for being right while putting down everyone who disagrees with her or does something she doesn't like. I just want to lay low... but my ability to maintain my space and boundaries will be very limited, what with being home most of the time. I am not thrilled. I hope that the library will remain open...

 

[Neverthesame]

@somerandomguy I think it's probably for the best. I'm just glad they're taking it seriously.

Having seen some of the CT and x-rays of people who have died from respiratory damage, all I can say is damn.
I'd hate to see a triage protocol put in place from a totally overwhelmed health care system. It would be very, very sad for alot of families.

 

[scout86]

Up till yesterday, I've been telling myself I wasn't really worried about this. (Not that I don't get that it's serious, I do, I just didn't think it would be all that serious HERE.) Then I realized this is supposed to be my busy time of year and I hadn't had anyone contacting me for an appointment for a few days. THEN, since I needed to make an appointment for an oil change, I stopped by my mechanic and found out he could get me in today (at a time that didn't work) or ANY TIME tomorrow....... That's kind of a first. Soooo, I'm still reminding myself this all could be a coincidence, or just my mammal brain looking for patterns. Or, it could be a problem.

At the risk of dragging US politics into this, the speech last night was the least reassuring speech by a person "in authority" I've heard since Reagan got shot and Al Haig attempted to reassure the public by saying "don't worry, I'm in charge". (Fortunately, he wasn't.)