To avoid the subject popping up in various topics, let's have this main thread to discuss or explain -- in an educated manner -- the effects of the spread of the Covid-19 virus around the world.



I was also lucky to get to travel to Canada, Thailand, Singapore and Taiwan end of last year.
Today that would be nearly impossible.

Being in Tokyo, I already saw the schools close down weeks ago and was, randomly, visiting Tokyo Disneyland and Disneysea on the last day (Feb 28th) before they government closed both Osaka Universal Studio and both Tokyo Disney parks.

I was concerned about my country (France) because, even as the crisis was unfolding in Asia, they were zero containment/safety measures deployed in train stations, airports or retirement houses when I was in Paris Feb 1st-8th. It didn't change by the end of of February either. So I asked my parents (both 71) and family to start being extra cautious.

Also discussed with them what to do if something was to happen to them -- not an easy topic but you don't want to bang you head on the wall after the unthinkable happened and... they never gave you the code of the family safe with all the important documents inside!

I haven't been able to find a roll of toilet paper in Tokyo for more than 2 weeks now.
In THE country of high-tech toilet washlets, I'm puzzled --- are people eating them??

As it stands today, most people will probably get infected at some point. A virus is not racist, political or discriminating.

https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

Based on the latest statistics, a large majority will recover, younger ones might not even feel sick at all but the elderly are at risk of saturating the health systems around the word. But while China/HK has slowdown (reversed the trend of new cases) by locking down 50M people, the new epidemic epicenters are only starting now (Europe and USA), following the exact same trajectory.

It will get worse before it gets better.

So please, wash your hands.
Self-quarantine if having symptoms, and you can afford to.
Don't go to ER or doctors, call for advice.
Don't hoard masks (pretty useless unless you're sick and want to protect others).
Don't empty supermarket shelves, it only adds to panic.
Only forward to your close ones confirmed, official information.

Since some of us might end up confined at home for a while, maybe it's a good time to play good old Laserdiscs again.
Perhaps this LD you've always postponed watching , or open that sealed boxset that you are keeping aging like a vintage red wine.

And if Internet crashes because too many people are streaming constantly (or the DRM servers go belly up), at least we'll have our physical media to entertain us through this weird period of time.

Be safe!
Be clean!
Be smart!

Julien

Well said Admin! Just be sensible and we can all get through this together.

I'm amazed in my small town that the shelves were empty for some stuff yesterday.
No rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer. They tell you how to make it but with no supplies what good is it.

My father told me that they couldn't get TP in NYC about 3 or 4 days ago and now my Brother said no pasta on shelves.

I keep telling my wife how things remind me of certain films that I have seen but can't remember all the titles.

We can enjoy our physical media as long as we have electricity.

On a funny note I was looking up how to make an alcohol stove from a soup or food can before all this started.
Search it up, may save you a few more days if power or something goes out to boil water inside.

This comes at a bad time. As I am trying to get into my apartment which should have been ready by now. Idiots in the office. So i'm stuck without the majority of my stuff. Can't spin. Plus this damn thing is making worry more than usual over someone special.

If the virus doesn't kill us all sheer stupidity and not following common sense will.

The toilet paper thing is wild. You can just wash yourself. Like seriously the worst case scenario is a makeshift bidet in your shower. Yeah it's gross, but you do what you gotta do.

Thanks for this thread Julien.

Well, as you propbably know Julien, our government of incompetent haven't taken any concrete measures yet except distributing flyers .
The schools were still open and they only decided to close them yesterday.
All the borders are still open and there are no verifications done to people entering or leaving the territory.
And France will probably get in the same situation as Italy, only may be worse, if we look at the number of infected, we're around a week late compared to Italy wich the whole country has been in lockdown.

As you said, time to spin the shiny discs but, if electricity goes out, then it will get pretty boring to wait
To Everyone good luck and take care

We have 6 here so far in New Zealand (i mean look at us on a map)
And we have only really started actively testing people, and the infected ones have been to sold out rock concerts etc.

I live out in the country, away from big cities so I feel somewhat safer.
Supermarkets still appear to be well stocked out here in the boondocks, just did some shopping yesterday
and everything looked like normal. Even toilet paper was still available. I wonder if it would make sense to
sell it online?

Living with my 79 year old dad still makes me feel a bit uncomfortable of the things that may come.

Anyhow, a couple days ago I watched this 2011 movie, which is pretty spot on:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1598778/
It even has a scene ...
If you enjoy good movies, and this is from Steven Soderbergh, give it a try.

In Corona news, a lot of countries in Europe are now closing their borders.
So staying home and watching movies is a goof thing to do.
Let's just hope electricity and running water don't stop.

Stay safe and healthy!

Hopefully this thing will reset a lot of b******t in the world. Destroy the economies.

I know I won't be able to pay my rent if I get told to stay home from my job but my parents might die and then I can finally buy property! So downside and upside for me.

The virus could mutate like the Spanish Flu. In Wave 1 it took out old people, then it mutated in Wave 2 to attack healthy young people. So if I'm dead I won't care anyway.

I'll watch laserdiscs until they evict me. Then I'll be homeless for a while, then I'll either inherit and buy a house or I'll die on the streets. Could go either way...

Is everyone still protesting in France?

Like lons_vex I am out in the boonies. Makes it a bit easier to quarantine. Hope you and your dad remain safe.

I'm not sure about the economies resetting forper but I am intrigued to see the aftermath and how things play out. Look I'm not saying this was intentional but...some people are going to profit from it. Of note the US is dumping tons of funny money in to try and prevent a flatline.

Yep, Australia too. CEOs have been resigning and fleeing to the equator weeks ago. They knew something we didn't?

I've been taking Corona pretty seriously since I first heard about it, but I know many people were flippant about it which is in part how we got to this point.

A couple big resignations in the US yesterday including Bill Gates..

Yeah, even buying stuff online has me worried. For example, the post office has you sign on one of those crappy touchscreens that won't recognize anything except an actual finger.

Thankfully nothing like that here. I've got to do some mailing and pick up today (been letting things pile up) and it's a small building so if anyone but the worker is in there I'll just wait. Trying to keep a good distance from people when I do go out.

Yes Gypsy, the yellow vests, lawyers, doctors, etc are still protesting.
Imo there are so much problems in France already, the virus might be the final blow to this government, to me the country is starting to crumble down.

Just tested our first two emergency room patients last night ..... No results for over 48 hours.

Hospitals are in for a very tough time, and make no mistake, 15 hour shifts for Allied Health Care Workers are on the menu daily and nightly .....


Wash thy hands, wash them frequently ........



And what the heck with the toilet paper .....

Someone said the run on TP is because every time someone sneezes, everyone around them s***s their pants .....



Fear is the real enemy.... stay safe people .....

Thanks for this thread & the points made so far within.

FFS the supermarket shelves here are something to behold, I don't think it is panic buying but more like selfish buying.

Everyone take care & do what has to be done, so much is simple common sense.

The hand hygiene thing is so important but still some people are not doing the right thing & the sad bit is they think they are being so clever, rather sad.

Best wishes to everyone & look after yourselves & those around you.

John

Shops have been out of toilet paper and the like for around 2 weeks now.
After work yesterday I popped into my usual supermarket and luckily they had just dropped 2 pallets of rolls on the floor, so I grabbed a 36 pack. I don't buy tissues for home I just use tp. Already had 3x double roll packs of kitchen paper towel.
This will last me for ages now.

I'm definitely at risk as I take psoriasis medication which weakens my immune system.

Needless to say, I'm washing my hands a lot more and limiting contact and gatherings of people.

Unfortunately my job doesn't allow me to work remotely so I can't be "socially distant" like it's being called for.

Just gotta try to be as safe as possible like the rest of us!