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

I'm inclined to agree with you, but I like to think that I would receive the same level of care as Boris, if in the same situation. He was in an NHS hospital, not a private one.
Trump's doctors just threw everything possible at him, (approved or not?) which might have been a bit risky. I don't think I would want the same care as him!

One estimate, including his helicopter flight (typically air ambulance rides cost Americans $20,000+), and luxury suites, says similar treatment would cost $650,000.

I don't care about the luxury suites or helicopter.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/oct/08/trump-covid-treatment-health-insurance
According to the New York Times, "Trump enjoys top Covid care that could cost ordinary Americans millions."

"One of the drugs Trump received was an experimental monoclonal antibody cocktail from Regeneron. This therapy is not available to the public, and may never be approved. Regular Americans cannot access it."

"Monoclonal antibody treatments approved over the last 20 years cost an average of $96,731"

"The president also received remdesivir, an antiviral medication with limited availability. Developing countries pay $2,340 per patient for a five-day course of treatment. But, everything healthcare-related is more expensive in the US. The list price for Americans is $3,120 per five-day course"

I do not mind Trump getting Remdesivir. I just wish it were available to everyone, at an affordable price.

Sorry, the link must have been The Guardian, not the New York Times.

Unsurprisingly it's the drug manufacturers who are claiming its effectiveness. WHO says not a significant treatment - but trials yet to be peer reviewed.

I don't have a lot of sympathy for POTUS, but I don't wish serious illness on anyone.

I mentioned the helicopter and suites simply because they were included in the report I saw. While a typical air ambulance trip is outrageously expensive (and often not covered by insurance), and the outlandishly posh suite and conference rooms the president utilized at Walter Reed were not directly part of his treatment, his medical treatment was not something anyone else can access and the cost of which would bankrupt not only the typical American, but also their extended family.

Got it!

This is a very unpredictable virus. Some people hardly know they have it, the effects are so mild. Even some healthy people in their seventies through nineties come through pretty well.

But you know gets really nailed by it? People who are morbidly obese or who have emphysema or heart conditions. People of color seem to be disproportionately obese, and they have hospitalization rates six times the average when they catch Covid-19. They are also among the ones on the front lines when it comes o delivering stuff to people who are sheltering in place.

And Hispanics? Here's what the CDC says: "CDC’s weighted population data show that over 26% of US COVID-19 deaths were among Hispanic people, who represent only 18% of the total US population."

And here we go again..another lockdown but with added time to go out and superspread between now and Thursday.

I bet there's some event members of the gov wants to attend before Thurs...
This time round, I have a feeling of doing as much as poss (safely) before it starts. Not looking good for Christmas gatherings.

No, it's not.

Did anyone feel in the Christmas spirit this year? Not a lot to celebrate.

Well my usual Remembrance Sunday is to walk to the local WW1 memorial in the sunken Remembrance garden and be part of the service and then go and have a roast dinner in one of the local cafes.Not happening today..

Talk about the devil and the deep blue sea...

In a village near us they have found a ww2 grenade which will have to be defused. So half the village is to be evacuated.

Among the affected are people who are at present quarantined and aren't supposed to leave their homes.

You couldn't make it up.

Combine world war two weaponry and present-day plague quarantines, for a really horrible situation.

Well this 2nd lockdown seems harder than the first one.. Even though many of the eateries in the village are doing takeaways. It's the lack of shelters where one can sit out of the rain and drink your coffee in the increasing colder weather. From March to April wasn't too long and the temperature was improving. Now we are heading into winter it seems very inhospitable with no shelter.

I agree, back in March we had summer to look forward to, and trhe hope that the lockdown would be sufficient to control the bug.
Now we are looking into winter and know that the UK governments measures are inadequate.

Just being able to sit outside in the sun now and again helped the days go by in first lockdown. Now I just look out of the window.
A friend & I sat out (on folding chairs with a thermos each) on our village rec last week & got some very odd looks from passing walkers. Perhaps if we'd used the picnic benches would have looked more sensible. At least there is a small amount of shelter under the veranda on the sports pavilion if it's raining...
Come December when even zoom classes likely to take a break, is going to be pretty bleak.

I'm running out of different routes to walk locally, Which increases the level of boardem.

Have you tried writing messages on Google Maps with a GPS tracker?

I can imagine being stumped by coming across a field or someone's house you can't go through!
We've been walking the same few routes since March. Initially enjoyed seeing the trees coming into leaf, crops growing etc. Now the Autumn leaves are pretty but the paths are muddy so can't walk so fast.
Not sure I want to drive anywhere else to walk, even for the change of scene.