h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I can think of other reasons for slowing down Covid-19.

There are more than 30 anti-viral drugs that have been trying to get approval, and what better way to test them than during a pandemic when there are a lot of sick people?

Here are some promising drugs and procedures:

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-lifeline/reasons-for-hope-the-drugs-tests-and-tactics-that-may-conquer-coronavirus-idUSKCN21V1YR

Another reason has to do with the supply chain. Wuhan got overwhelmed by the virus. They had to import zillions of masks, ventilators, etc. By the time the virus was tamed, China's ow factories had ramped up production of these items. They no longer they them for Chinese patients, but other countries were desperate to buy the products. So China turned form a net importer to a net exporter.

Now, all of a sudden, when masks are being made in great quantities and some of the other supply problems are being worked out, it appears that antibiotics and other supplies that are usually ample are running low. By now there are no surpluses of anything anywhere in the world, so once again someone will have to turn on a dime and make lots of something that they didn't know would be needed.

Of course, it might happen that there will be some good surprises here and there. Some of those drugs being tested will work. As soon as the tests pan out, the companies that make them may be busy churning out vast quantities of them. After all, biotech companies tend to be small and agile. They have to take advantage of opportunities when they occur. if they don't someone else will get there and score big.

Avigan is one such drug. It's made by a Japanese company, and it's been around so long that there are generic versions. This could probably be made in large quantities.

Remdesivir (Gilead manufacturer) has also been in the works for a long time. It is tolerated well by test subjects, so it shouldn't do any harm even if it doesn't work. The Chinese say that it *does* work well, though.

SAdly this thing is only just getting going
see this chart based on todays ONS (UK) Figures
https://twitter.com/EdConwaySky/status/1250007002165755905

The most vulnerable population segments might be expected to maintain isolation much longer than the normal population. Common sense might lead one to do that even in the absence of government direction,

If you are among that group, take advantage of the savings you will pile up over the next 18-36 months in vehicle costs: Insurance, gasoline, maintenance costs, repairs, and even depreciation.

You could possibly reduce the amounts of liability insurance coverage, increase deductibles on collision, cancel insurance on 2nd cars, boats, and RVs for the duration...

I'm waiting on my refunds...

Here's an unexpected advantage of this quarantine...


My social anxiety has been quelled. I haven't had to worry about how making any social blunders, over-talking, arguing with anyone, &c. I also haven't had the normal Fear Of Missing Out since everyone else is staying home as well.

That said, I'm REALLY looking forward to my favorite bars reopening, whenever that may eventually be.

Just opened one of my favourite bars.

Then I ate it.

I miss walking around my favorite outdoor Mall, looking in store windows and popping into a cafe for a pastry, with or without coffee.
It's especially galling to be missing out on this right now, when the planters would be full of Spring flowers.

It's not so much the coronavirus killing you! (you might not cop it)

It's the stupids going around thinking "I'm alright Jack" that'll pass it on to you
I'd class those as someone "attempting murder or manslaughter etc"

You could say the same about the so-called experts, Prof. With super expert Trump at the forefront. He is responsible for the United States ranking only 70th in the list of countries where you are best insured against covid-19. [Africa and South America are not yet included in this list.]
But as he himself points out, he assumes no responsibility ...

Just getting very boring and tedious, and painful here, with no access to 'outside', or exercise, we're doing an hour or so walking a day, at night when no one is about except the drug-dealers out on the street, and down-and-outs/tramps but an hours walking a day doesn't really touch the side in terms of exercise; that's the walking normally I do each day, to and from the gym my legs are already swelling up from fluid retention and whichever way round I look at the space in the house, I can't see there is room to fit a cross-trainer/elyptical trainer, in the house anywhere Plus I'm loathed to buy such an expensive piece of kit, without first being able to try it for size, etc, in a physical shop
Asides the gym, I mainly miss being insulted by bar-managers in our local pubs; stroke of luck last night, we met one local pub manager/landlord, last night, in the street, and had a quick, 2 meters apart conversation with him He's so boared he's painting the inside of the pub

All the figures on virus are a bit meaningless, without full testing, for both infection (active), and antibody testing (for those that have had and recovered from the virus) Hopefully the testing system can be resolved at some point and get out to those who need it, and ultimately the entire population

Colleagues that are normally too many desks away to tell a joke to are now only a mouseclick away in the chatbox. (not sure everybody appreciates that as an advantage though)

Doesn't sound like one to me.

I always likes a good joke me

But I can certainly see the disadvantage if you can't turn of notifications that might annoy you while you are trying to finish a task

Pierce trump is the usual "power gone to head" leader

from the shop floor to government we've got em!

an head the size of a nebula, but nothing to fill the space

Orange man actually bad.

March was the first month since 2002 without a school shooting in the U.S.Thank the quarantine...

How many kids got shot at at home instead?
I heard gun sales peaked.

Clarification: Last month was the first *MARCH* with no school shootings since 2002.

I suspect there were other months with no school shootings, likely summer months when school is out, otherwise they wouldn't have specified it like that. Regardless, it's such a sad statistic.

And yes, gun sales have risen since lock-downs were instituted. To be fair, I did hear a good rational for my state of Texas to keep gun stores open. If they had threatened to close them, there would have been HUGE crowds cramming into stores to purchase weapons before the stores were officially closed.

"...the Hamptons are not a defensible position. The Hamptons are on a low-lying beach. Eventually, the people will come for you." - Mark Blyth on the Brexit vote and Trumpism

With the current economic downturn and record income inequality, many may be worried about the rabble coming to get them...

Yeah, I saw, but didn't read, an article about how The Rich get worried during pandemics. (The article was behind a paywall). But the gist seemed to be exactly this. I also recently listened to a podcast about 'the velvet rope economy', how the rich really don't live in teh same world as we do. Specifically they don't experience many of life's hardships and irritants. They don't care about things like infrastructure because they don't sit in traffic, instead flying above it in helicopters. They don't worry about heathcare as they have "concierge" health service, even getting coronavirus testing while others can't, &c.

Yea a bit more of that kinda crap and it's torch and pitchfork time.

In my area, it's communities of color that bear the brunt of Coronavirus. It's the working class that delivers stuff to people, putting themselves in a position to be exposed.