Global Pandemic Lockdown

Started by Snarky, Sat 14/03/2020 11:38:17

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Snarky

So yeah.

I suppose I'm not the only one whose experience of the COVID-19 pandemic feels slightly surreal. Something we've been hearing about for months, but very far away, gradually spreading and coming nearer and nearer (I remember following the news over the last few weeks… OK, it's in Korea, on Tenerife, in Italy, in Finland, in Norway… in the local school), with people only slowly starting to take it seriously. Until things start to move very rapidly and we're all on lockdown.

The streets are so quiet now, with most people working from home and with restaurants, movie theaters, gyms, libraries and other public gathering places closed. Some store shelves are empty (though the panic-buying appears to have abated). So many little ways in which we take precautions. On buses, the space around the driver is cordoned off. People struggle to break habits to shake hands or hug. I stopped at a gas/charging station to charge my car, and an attendant was wiping down the charging handles and touch screens with disinfectant; inside, all the pastries were bagged up, and if you wanted a hot dog you couldn't help yourself to ketchup and mustard, they were placed behind the counter. Life goes on for most of us, but just not quite as normal.

I hope you're all staying healthy. If you're in isolation, quarantine or just "self-isolating," it's a good time to play some AGS games, eh?

Olleh19

Or create some AGS Games! :-D

But yes, you are right. I am one of those lucky bastards that can stay at home for long periods of time without worrying about if i can pay the bills or not..But still you got to get those groceries, i suppose :shocked:
You've buckled up those tincans?  :-\
So many "we are going to die" people on my facebook, keep bumping that one up. Was so long ago i ate that kind of food, but if there's any time for it. I guess it's now! (laugh)

JackPutter

I have been sent home from work for the next few weeks with the responsibility of keeping myself safe and well so I can come in to replace anyone who gets sick. I'm basically being paid to stay at home and shutter myself in. It's left me with a lot of free time, since I can't really go out socialising or anything like that. I will no doubt be using some of that time to practice developing with AGS, but I really wish it was under better circumstances.

I would urge people to use reputable news sources when it comes to gathering information on the virus, as I have seen a lot of misinformation being spread... especially on social media. It's very easy to see emotionally-targeted headlines or photos and start feeling the panic set in, so going to trusted news outlets to get accurate information from credible experts can help keep the facts straight in your head and certainly helps me feel less panicked. (I recommend the Reuters news service, they are an international news organisation which is not tied to any individual country or political ideology, they cross-reference everything they post and make multiple revisions on articles as the information changes, and they are consistently rated as the least-biased news source under independent review.)

My country has closed all schools, universities, and childcare facilities for the next two weeks, and it caused a sudden rush of crowds heading to the grocery stores to stockpile supplies. When I went to the shops after the announcement there were lots of empty shelves. At no point was it suggested that any food or supplies in general would become short, the only changes were that the education institutes would close, but people jumped to conclusions and raced out to buy far more than they need, depriving others of the essential items like bread, milk, eggs, toilet paper, etc. The supermarkets have plenty of supplies in the warehouses, the stores are all completely re-stocked already! No need for anyone to stockpile.

I could talk about this all day, but I'll finish up by saying that escapism is very important in situations like this. Sure, stay on top of the major announcements and events, but you need to switch off your brain too so that you don't get overwhelmed. So lose yourself in a good book, binge watch that series that you've been meaning to get around to, or dive into playing (or creating) a new game and follow another character's story for a while. This world is tough to handle at the moment, there's nothing wrong with wrapping yourself up in another one for a while.

Laura Hunt

#3
I'm in Gran Canaria spending a few days with my mom and even though things here are really calm and under control, I've decided to cut my trip short and return to Berlin tomorrow morning in case of overnight border closings, flight restrictions, etc. My office is closed and we're to work from home for the next 15 days or so. I'm used to spending lots of time at home (introverts unite! But far from each other!) so this won't be an issue for me, but I'm concerned about all the asshole Hamsterkäufer leaving the rest of us without any supplies. Germany is reacting super slow though (Berlin clubs are being closed on Tuesday instead of right now because god forbid that people have their weekend ruined!), so let's see how this whole thing develops... (roll)

By the way, isn't "global pandemic" a pleonasm? :-D

Cassiebsg

#4
It's the same over here JackPutter, they even decided to use the excuse to close the border today until then 13th april.  (roll) Of course, if you're a national or driving a truck in/out with supplies you still can cross the border... just turists can't. Considering that the 1st that tested positive here was a danish journalist that returned from a conference in Germany, I don't see how stopping tourists only will help anything. They're likely not the ones going to visit sick relatives in the hospital or the ones in a resting home.  (roll)

My husband was shopping this morning, like he does every Saturday morning, where we get milk and fresh bread. No fresh bread cause of the virus, and no milk cause of the hoarders... and then one other costumer was complaining about how bad it was that there was no milk and yadda yadda, and finished with "It's good I bought 15 liters yesterday!"  8-0 My husband felt like hitting him.  :-\

PS - This is not the pasteurized milk that can hold a month or more, but the kind that can hold about a week...
There are those who believe that life here began out there...

Crimson Wizard

I think it's a good occasion for someone to write a new "Decameron" of XXI century.

Laura Hunt

Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Sat 14/03/2020 15:51:25
I think it's a good occasion for someone to write a new "Decameron" of XXI century.

That would be awesome, but nowadays it would basically be a compilation of "the best 100 coronavirus tweets" or something :-D

Has anybody watched Buñuel's "The exterminating Angel"? I think I'm going to give it a re-watch one of these days. SO GOOD, and so fitting right now.


TheFrighter


Italia is off-limits, how boring.

_

Laura Hunt

Welp, our Prime Minister just appeared on TV to announce a battery of measures to put Spain on lockdown, pretty much the same as Italy. Which country will be next?

lorenzo

Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Sat 14/03/2020 15:51:25
I think it's a good occasion for someone to write a new "Decameron" of XXI century.
As gatherings are prohibited in Italy at the moment, it'll be difficult for the ten narrators to escape the city for the countryside this time, to pass the time with tales and games. ;)

Pogwizd

QuoteWelp, our Prime Minister just appeared on TV to announce a battery of measures to put Spain on lockdown, pretty much the same as Italy. Which country will be next?

Poland has been in a complete lockdown for last couple of days. There were even attempts to lock down specific regions. Also, any public gatherings of more than 50 people are forbidden and cinemas, schools, unis, museums, shopping malls and the like are closed down. 

Ali

Everything is fine in Britain. Thanks to Brexit, we're too plucky and independent to be affected by things happening in the real world.

Matti

Quote from: Laura Hunt on Sat 14/03/2020 13:33:28
I'm concerned about all the asshole Hamsterkäufer leaving the rest of us without any supplies.

Yes, that is annoying. Two days ago when I went to buy groceries, it was quite crowded and most of the people jam-packed their shopping carts. A few days before that I couldn't get any toiletpaper.

Quote
Germany is reacting super slow though (Berlin clubs are being closed on Tuesday instead of right now because god forbid that people have their weekend ruined!), so let's see how this whole thing develops... (roll)

Well, as of yesterday evening bars and clubs are being closed in Berlin and any event with more than 50 people is prohibited.

Mandle

Lightly considering getting out of Japan and heading back to Australia at the moment. Very likely Japan will do a lockdown soon, and I'd rather be in a place with at least wide open spaces and nice scenery when society goes completely nuts.

Creamy

Quote
QuoteI'm concerned about all the asshole Hamsterkäufer leaving the rest of us without any supplies.


Yes, that is annoying. Two days ago when I went to buy groceries, it was quite crowded and most of the people jam-packed their shopping carts. A few days before that I couldn't get any toiletpaper.
It's getting a little crazy here too. Friday the supermarket where I usually go was packed.

Nurseries, schools and universities are closed. All gatherings with more than 100 people are forbidden.
 

Laura Hunt

#15
Quote from: Matti on Sun 15/03/2020 10:02:39
Quote from: Laura Hunt on Sat 14/03/2020 13:33:28
I'm concerned about all the asshole Hamsterkäufer leaving the rest of us without any supplies.

Yes, that is annoying. Two days ago when I went to buy groceries, it was quite crowded and most of the people jam-packed their shopping carts. A few days before that I couldn't get any toiletpaper.

Quote
Germany is reacting super slow though (Berlin clubs are being closed on Tuesday instead of right now because god forbid that people have their weekend ruined!), so let's see how this whole thing develops... (roll)

Well, as of yesterday evening bars and clubs are being closed in Berlin and any event with more than 50 people is prohibited.

Yeah, and parks are still full of people and there has been no attempt whatsoever at keeping people at home, unless I've missed something in the last few hours. Self-isolation is still entirely optional as far as I know. And restaurants are still open.

I've also heard (and take this with a grain of salt, as with any through-the-grapevine info) that the number of deaths reported in Germany is so much lower than in other countries because it's considered that if you had a pre-existing condition and you catch coronavirus and die, your death is counted as being caused by your condition and not from the virus. Might be not be true, but seeing how little effort people around me are showing to even avoid contact with others, I don't really see many other reasons to explain the fact that out of over 5k reported cases and NO self isolation measures in place, somehow magically there have been only 9 deaths, especially considering Germany's massive senior population (senior care centers are still open and admitting visitors, right? Not 100% sure about that one.)

Something is going on here, and it smells like information manipulation at its finest.

Snarky

Whatever the truth might be about the real numbers, I'd point out that people who are not actually in isolation (those who are sick or have a confirmed infection), but are either in quarantine (because they may have been exposed) or practicing "social distancing" don't have to stay indoors at home all the time.

As long as you can avoid coming in close contact with people you don't live with (ideally keeping a 2m distance) and you practice good hygiene (washing hands thoroughly before you go out and when you come back, avoid touching surfaces that others touch), it's fine to leave the house and for example go to the park.

Laura Hunt

#17
Quote from: Snarky on Sun 15/03/2020 13:00:48
Whatever the truth might be about the real numbers, I'd point out that people who are not actually in isolation (those who are sick or have a confirmed infection), but are either in quarantine (because they may have been exposed) or practicing "social distancing" don't have to stay indoors at home all the time.

Maybe that's the case where you live, but in Spain, the State of Alert (a less restrictive version of the State of Emergency) was declared yesterday and among other things, staying at home is mandatory for the whole population with a few explicit exceptions. I'm not fucking around when I say "lockdown".

Full text here, and relevant section here, if you can read Spanish:

QuoteArtículo 7. Limitación de la libertad de circulación de las personas.
1. Durante la vigencia del estado de alarma las personas únicamente podrán
circular por las vías de uso público para la realización de las siguientes actividades:
a) Adquisición de alimentos, productos farmacéuticos y de primera necesidad.
b) Asistencia a centros, servicios y establecimientos sanitarios.
c) Desplazamiento al lugar de trabajo para efectuar su prestación laboral,
profesional o empresarial.
d) Retorno al lugar de residencia habitual.
e) Asistencia y cuidado a mayores, menores, dependientes, personas con
discapacidad o personas especialmente vulnerables.
f) Desplazamiento a entidades financieras y de seguros.
g) Por causa de fuerza mayor o situación de necesidad.
h) Cualquier otra actividad de análoga naturaleza que habrá de hacerse
individualmente, salvo que se acompañe a personas con discapacidad o por otra causa
justificada.

Matti

Quote from: Laura Hunt on Sun 15/03/2020 12:14:58
I've also heard (and take this with a grain of salt, as with any through-the-grapevine info) that the number of deaths reported in Germany is so much lower than in other countries because it's considered that if you had a pre-existing condition and you catch coronavirus and die, your death is counted as being caused by your condition and not from the virus.

I think it mainly depends on who is being tested and who isn't. In Italy there are a lot of post-mortem-tests and people who had the virus but also other (lethal) conditions have been counted as corona-related deaths. In Germany it's different and a lot more younger (living) people have been tested.

The mortality rate differs a lot between countries. In Germany it's quite low, in Italy it's very high. In China there's a big difference between Hubei (where the virus originated) and the rest of the country, which leads scientists to believe that the virus might have mutated, and that there's a more aggressive and a less aggressive one. But it's all speculation and there isn't enough data.

The estimated number of unreported cases of corona infections is totally unknown too and probably varies a lot between countries. I think it's more about the missing knowledge about the virus and the insufficiently and differently exercised testing of people, rather than misinformation.

Snarky

Thanks Laura, I'd forgotten that. Lots of differences in approach between countries, it will be very interesting to compare the outcomes. At the very least, it seems likely that we'll learn a lot from this outbreak about how to stem any future pandemics.

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