Coronavirus - The Thread :(

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Coronavirus - The Thread :(

If i made a video and said i was a doctor would that mean I am now a doctor :chin:

I have a friend who has a PHD in literature, did his thesis in comic books.... so Is literally a doctor of comic books.... I wouldn’t trust him to save your life if you had a heart attack, I definitely wouldn’t take his advices on virology
 
That's handy he can cure the economy

At school, a long time ago, a lot studied economics. I couldn't get my head around it, as it seemed far too complex, and skirted the simple issues. The whole thing seems to be based around growth, which isn't possible, unless the world was actually expanding too.

To me, it seems that economics needs winners, so there must be losers. Alternatives seem to be socialism or communism, where there are more losers, but everyone loses more equally, except a few at the top, who win big, until they fall from power, then have to go live in another (sympathetic) country.
 
A good Economics degree is considered an entry into many professional roles and correctly applied justifiably so. China has a particularly well educated elite and they definitely know how to pull the right economic levers to impliment any given policy.

An economist should have the tools to understand how individuals, groups and wider systems will respond to any number of changes social, legal or financial. This would include the one child policy, useful for a while, and now not, where models showed a better financial and social outcome without it. Venezuela had an issue with a shortage of loo rolls so they put an army general in charge, was always going to fail, what they actually should have done is what Russia did, which is legitimise the black market for loo rolls.
It's less about your politics, its more about understanding what levers to pull.
Also it is well understood that growth is no longer a great idea, we need to convince the policy makers of that the problem now.
At school, a long time ago, a lot studied economics. I couldn't get my head around it, as it seemed far too complex, and skirted the simple issues. The whole thing seems to be based around growth, which isn't possible, unless the world was actually expanding too.

To me, it seems that economics needs winners, so there must be losers. Alternatives seem to be socialism or communism, where there are more losers, but everyone loses more equally, except a few at the top, who win big, until they fall from power, then have to go live in another (sympathetic) country.
 
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While what you guys are saying is absolutely true, my point was a doctorate in economics =/= a medical doctorate.
So this chump starting a video about COVID-19 and introducing himself as Dr. Chris Martensen is leading people to believe that he actually knows something about medicine/healthcare
 
Indeed, that still stands of course. It is interesting to think that, a medical doctor might say ban sugar, or use face masks.. A good Economist would tell you how to encourage people to naturally use less sugar by some lever without causing sugar farmers to commit suicide or some such, or note that there are not enough face masks and ask can we do something instead... we need all disciplines to do a good job.
While what you guys are saying is absolutely true, my point was a doctorate in economics =/= a medical doctorate.
So this chump starting a video about COVID-19 and introducing himself as Dr. Chris Martensen is leading people to believe that he actually knows something about medicine/healthcare
 
Vitamin D keeps coming up as the most important supplement to take to boost the immune system.

I had a melanoma removed 8 years ago (Thank you N.H.S.), and was found to be very deficient in vitamin D which I have had on prescription ever since.

This surprised me a lot as all my hobbies are outdoors, walking, cycling, gardening etc, and I wear shorts and T-shirts all summer.
 
Rather than spread these all about (no pun intended..), let's keep one central thread here.

As some of you may know, I'm out in Taiwan, where they were very early on the ball (to the point where a lot of people, including me, thought they were being ridiculous) to stop the spread and infection.

To give you an idea of what it's like here - we've had 2 deaths TOTAL - and when the second poor soul died at the weekend, there was mass hysteria on the news... for ONE death. People would go insane if we had the Europe levels!!?

We don't have lock down here and life goes on pretty much as normal except for a few changes - if you want to go into a public building (so hospitals, clinics, government office, airline office - I guess *office*) you need to:

1) Wear a face mask (which I'm going to say 30-40% of the population did before the outbreak anyway) < this one is now also required on public transport too.
2) Have a head temperature scan.
3) Wash your hands at the door with alcohol cleanser.

And that's it.

Everyone who travelled abroad since March 4 had to go into 14 day self quarantine, with a £25,000 fine if you broke it (which someone did get this weekend by going to a nightclub). They track you by phone. If you leave it at home and go out, they will sense it's not moving and send a text - if you don't reply, they send someone to your house.

I was due to fly back to the UK in 2 weeks - but after looking at what happened over the weekend, I can't believe it. Boris asked for everyone to social distance, and what did they all do...? Go out to the park and the beach :eek:

I understand this kind of thing has not happened in the west before, but it's more serious than people are understanding. The only reason we have kept it under control here (and places like Singapore and South Korea - who originally had a massive outbreak, but totally got their numbers back down) is because people follow the rules.

Unfortunately the social distancing is required - unless everyone masks up (to stop coughing and sneezing sending the particles everywhere, plus you can't touch your nose and mouth wearing them) which just can't happen as the UK doesn't have the capacity.

So please people, be safe. It doesn't have to get as bad as Italy, numbers in South Korea (for example) were able to peak at just two weeks, with a decline since, so it is possible - but people need to be vigilant.

I'd love to know what everyone is feeling back home now - my parents don't seem too bothered, which worries me, as they ain't no spring chickens!!
This decisive action shows just how clued up Taiwan is - early action is paramount and so is the necessity to follow whatever rules are laid down despite how restrictive they are. After all, it is to protect people.
I am disgusted though not surprised with what has happened in the UK - general education has reached an all time low - nobody is taught common sense. Plus this attitude of selfishness and no thought for others from the majority of the public who seem to think it is "their right" to do what they want despite advice.
The blame must also lie with the Govt. who acted at a glacial pace instituting lockdown, not providing essential medical equipment and are still not doing so. The total mismanagement and incompetence is inexcusable, and now lockdown has been relaxed no doubt due to financial pressure from industry, and we all know where this is going. Infections will skyrocket and we will lose all that we have worked hard for. It has happened in the States, Australia and now will happen here. Meanwhile, people die, and all in the cause of money. There have been incredible acts of generosity and kindness but are far outweighed by a selfish and uncaring population. The result has been people who needlessly died, people who have spent months ill, people who have lost their jobs and homes and have had their lives ruined - it says it all about the way this Country has become.
 
For once Dave we briefly agree.
There are examples you might approve of such as the invention of PAYE income tax in America, a country still notorious for poor and unwilling tax recipients.
It works because it is highly auditable, the private sector does the paperwork, it is in the simplest versions fair and unavoidable, and people stop noticing it very quickly.
That's how you can pay for the NHS for example as National Insurance is simply a name for an extension to PAYE.
Please, I beg you, stop sagging off tools everyone needs whatever your political bias.
So a good economist will be able to screw over many people and make it look like it was all their own fault
 
Vaccine unlikely(well a real one that works), none for any other coronaviruses like the many forms of the common cold, take a look at how long a vaccine usually takes to develop and how well the ones in africa have gone and the H1N1/sars, I'd be more inclined to have a vaccine if the company who develop it were held accountable, but they usually get covered by the government so no risk for them, already the main players are looking for exemptions from any liability, the main man on this says the vaccine will kill/injure 700,000 but its a small price to pay to inoculate the world at 20x cost profit and trillions in the bank.
New study saying it can live on your clothes, not enough testing done for timelines yet, so dont forget put all clothes in wash and shower if you've been outdoors, or shop naked except your mask/face covering, which you don't need to wear in pubs, cafes or restaurants as cv19 doesn't use these establishments to spread.
 
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If you can take medicine in suppository form then surly a virus can get in when you wipe your arse on paper in a public toilet, if someone has contaminated it?

Covid19 attaches itself to cells in our throat. Or cells contain a protein that the virus can connect to. Those cells and proteins do not reside in our bowel, so the virus has nothing to attach to, and will die.

Children have significantly lower levels of this protein, it develops as we get older, this is why they are less susceptible to the disease.
 
Richard nose for those wearing their mask over the top lip.
NYT-Face-Mask-Pattern-1-web_750.jpg
 
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