Coronavirus (Covid-19)

[ShyViolet]

Definitely! . Stay safe everyone!


Oh I’m just going to leave this here. All I’m going to say is, even in 1975 Spielberg was already ahead of his time.

https://youtu.be/fGoekw7e-3U


(Not trying to make light of all this awful stuff that’s happening, just thought we could all use some levity.)

[Ben]

That’s levity!?

[Bill1978]

I watched Jaws for the first 2 months ago and that scene really jumped out as a reflection on the way some people (especially governments) were treating the threat of COVID-19.

After 'beating' COVID-19 and seeing lots of relaxing of lockdown, Australia has gone back into panic mode because one state has seen a large increase in cases (supposedly caused by security guards sleeping with quarantined people in hotels). The borders to that state have been closed by other states and the opinionated mouth pieces are crying unfair and overreaction and won't someone think of the economy. Even trotting out the 'fact' that the first round it was predicted 125000 Australians could die from this disease but that didn't happen so why lockdown again. Um mouth piece that's because we went into lockdown a lot faster than other countries and the lockdown prevented those deaths.

I will admit though this 2nd round is really great for my science teaching and how easy a disease can re-emerge.

My big head scratcher from all of this is that even before COVID reappeared in large numbers in Australia we were still in restrictions even though it seemed we had beaten it. And we just accepted it. And then to look at countries like the USA which is nowhere near stabilising infections and everything I see on the socials indicate it's business as usual - just wear a mask. Or not because COVID is a joke. Blows my mind.

[Ben]

Well it’s not about to get better anytime soon:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... rus-spread


(Also, by the way and with no disrespect to Bill, but it does "grind my gears" when covid is referred to in capitals. As with Pixar, which has also attained this use for some reason, there’s no reason or sense to capitalise Covid-19; the word is not an acronym but an amalgam, combining three abbreviations to create a new term: in this case corona-virus disease, so the actual nomenclature would be a pretty unwieldy Co-Vi-D, shortened to CoViD, with the 19 obviously being the year it was discovered. But just as we don’t give cancer the distinctIon of importance or respect with a capital C, we shouldn’t give covid, or coronavirus, that distinction either. The Guardian story above, gets it about right, lowering case for the word, because it has become a new spoken term, but also acknowledging the use of capitals by retaining the capital C. They did actually print a whole article on this (!), "recognising how it’s “important to preserve pedantry at a time of national crisis” are always going to raise a smile." But also important in getting it right!)

[Bill1978]

No offence taken, I guess cause everything I have read online about covid-19 has used the capitals its been imprinted onto my brain and that my brain likes to compare it to other diseases like SARS. But now it's been pointed out to my brain hopefully it will remember its not an acronym haha.

My biggest issue is the whole name just doesn't sound like a disease. It sounds more like some for of tech gear like iPhone or Gadget 2.0. When I talk about covid it just doesn't have the same ring to it like measles, ebola, chicken pox. Kinda wish they just stuck to corona.

[Ben]

I know what you mean! Covid-19 is more correct as a description than corona, though, since covid is just one virus in the coronavirus family (SARS is another). So coronavirus is the "parent", if you like, and the likes of SARS and Covid-19 are what one actually catches and, hopefully doesn’t, dies from.

Unfortunately, as we move forward and these things inevitably occur again, they will probably be given the same name, designated again by the year they are discovered, so Covid-21, Covid-36, etc, etc...!

Gosh, I hope I’m wrong...

[Bill1978]

I hope you are wrong, cause I really don't want to be a science teacher having to talk abut sequels to diseases. I prefer my disease sequels to be more like the flu - Spanish, Bird, Swine, Horse. Than numbers. Haha

[Ben]

Reminds me of Christopher Lee in Gremlins 2...!

[Daniel]

My mall closed back up again this week. Shocker! Although a few stores with outside entrances get to remain. Cases are still rising by the day, breaking records and we're on the brink of another full lockdown. I really hope it doesn't come to that but it's not looking good.

[Randall]

What state are you in, Daniel?

[Daniel]

California. Thankfully not near one of the hot spots.

[droosan]

I'm in California, as well .. and I've been inside my townhouse pretty much since March. I go out just once every week or so for groceries, and come straight home. I'm still unemployed .. but I've been using the time to learn new software, and have taken several online art courses.

Back in March & April, local roads and shops were deserted (or outright closed). But I've seen a shocking amount of people who are clearly just casually 'out-and-about', during my more-recent grocery runs. At the very least, I appreciate that 99% of them are wearing masks.

There have been rumblings at both the L.A. county & state levels of another 'lockdown' being necessary ..

[Ben]

What, even though the US has "the lowest mortality rate in the world"...!?

[droosan]

forgive me; I'm not 100% certain to what this refers..? I've never made such a claim.

If it's just a general reference to something the U.S. President said .. well, OK; but I make an effort to avoid much of what he says, in general. Seems safer .. and saner.

[Randall]

Yes, that's a Trump quote. Chris Wallace called him on it when interviewed on Fox News in a piece that aired today.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/enterta ... 468226002/