Virus thread, the political one.

[beeatnik]

A political virus - America’s far right is energised by covid-19 lockdowns | United States | The Economist

The spreading of conspiracy theories is central to the extreme right’s activities. Some claim the virus is a hoax. Others blame the Chinese, the Jews or even Bill Gates. Some claim that the federal government is using the virus as a pretext to confiscate weapons and enforce “medical martial law”. Extremists also spread more familiar conspiracy theories, decrying 5G networks and vaccinations, which help introduce the uninitiated to their ideology.

Lockdowns fit this recruitment agenda. Stuck at home with money running short, people might become “more receptive to these movements”, warns Joshua Fisher-Birch, of the Counter-Extremism Project, an NGO. The far right is making use of online platforms such as Facebook, Gab and Telegram to spread its message to this captive audience. They use an ever-changing litany of memes, ranging from George Washington dressed as one of their ranks to Ronald McDonald with a machine gun on his lap. They also have a significant presence in the online gaming world, which helps them attract young recruits.

My running count of acquaintances (in LA, CA) who believe in at least one conspiracy narrative thread is nearing double digits.

[BBB]

There's some interesting reading in here:

Australians are experiencing new levels of trepidation about what comes next in the Covid-19 pandemic | Peter Lewis | Australia news | The Guardian

I really don't understand the 5G business. How did we get to be so dumb?

[j44ke]

...

I really don't understand the 5G business. How did we get to be so dumb?

4G made us dumb.

[Sbti]

Many people are saying that the 5G attaches the Covid-19 virus to the fluoride ion ultimately to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids.

[BBB]

Did the Chinese develop 5G in a lab. With the help of Bill Gates. And Obama. Who was clearly born overseas. Help. Where's my assault rifle...

[ides1056]

After the run on toilet paper and guns people have turned to bicycles. I met one today who has had two days off in two months from the LBS he works in.

So there is hope yet that sanity may prevail.

[guido]

Coronavirus Live Updates: Delay in Lockdown Led to at Least 36,000 More Deaths, Models Find - The New York Times

"Imposing restrictions even a week earlier could have saved lives, researchers found. The coronavirus pandemic has produced a somber Thursday ritual: the tally of unemployment claims across the United States."

[vertical_doug]

Coronavirus Live Updates: Delay in Lockdown Led to at Least 36,000 More Deaths, Models Find - The New York Times

"Imposing restrictions even a week earlier could have saved lives, researchers found. The coronavirus pandemic has produced a somber Thursday ritual: the tally of unemployment claims across the United States."

We can discuss these points, but the reality is most people are stupid. If the GOV had made the decision, and as a result the death toll was 10-20k level, then you can rest assured the conversation would be about the over reaction and all the damage the GOV did to the economy. If you wanted to get re-elected, you needed to let people die, and not lead.

(I think the UK Nudge Unit understood this and made the decision. The US may have a Nudge Unit, or just a Gut Unit, and made the decision by chance.)

[gregl]

We can discuss these points, but the reality is most people are stupid. If the GOV had made the decision, and as a result the death toll was 10-20k level, then you can rest assured the conversation would be about the over reaction and all the damage the GOV did to the economy. If you wanted to get re-elected, you needed to let people die, and not lead.

(I think the UK Nudge Unit understood this and made the decision. The US may have a Nudge Unit, or just a Gut Unit, and made the decision by chance.)

I'm hearing this refrain often by folks without higher education or medical/scientific background. Their knowledge and imagination won't allow them to understand that the absence of something (in this case, dead bodies piled in the streets) is in fact evidence of effectiveness. I believe an earlier poster referred to the difficulty of explaining a null set. When you add in the mounting unemployment numbers and internet conspiracy theories, it's the perfect storm for a COVID-19 second wave. It will be interesting to see the infection rate curves in a few weeks. With all states starting some level of "opening" and warm weather in the northern states, people are out, about, and in close proximity. Let the science experiment begin...

Greg

[theflashunc]

As one economist points out in this story about Georgia's stubbornly high unemployment claims, the issue remains consumer fear about the disease, not the shelter-in-place.

Reopening reality check: Georgia's jobs aren’t flooding back - POLITICO

[Matthew Strongin]

As one economist points out in this story about Georgia's stubbornly high unemployment claims, the issue remains consumer fear about the disease, not the shelter-in-place.

Reopening reality check: Georgia's jobs aren’t flooding back - POLITICO

My wife goes back to her retail job tomorrow. Other than being curious about what kind of traffic they'll get, I'm pretty unhappy about this development.

[j44ke]

I'm hearing this refrain often by folks without higher education or medical/scientific background. Their knowledge and imagination won't allow them to understand that the absence of something (in this case, dead bodies piled in the streets) is in fact evidence of effectiveness. I believe an earlier poster referred to the difficulty of explaining a null set. When you add in the mounting unemployment numbers and internet conspiracy theories, it's the perfect storm for a COVID-19 second wave. It will be interesting to see the infection rate curves in a few weeks. With all states starting some level of "opening" and warm weather in the northern states, people are out, about, and in close proximity. Let the science experiment begin...

Greg

I think if testing increases in availability and employers decide that a fully tested work force will help attract reticent customers, people may start hiding their illness and dodging testing for fear that they will lose their jobs.

[gregl]

I think if testing increases in availability and employers decide that a fully tested work force will help attract reticent customers, people may start hiding their illness and dodging testing for fear that they will lose their jobs.

The infected employees may be able to hide their illnesses if their symptoms aren't severe, but they will very likely spread the virus to co-workers. Some percentage of the co-workers will develop significant symptoms. Now they're in the scenario of the meatpacking industry where plants are shut down. I hope that well-managed companies will realize that ensuring their workforces stay healthy (by keeping infected workers at home, with pay and health benefits) will be better for the bottom line. I work for a large defense electronics company. Even though we're an "essential" business, we have 70% of our workforce working from home. This greatly decreased the population density in our facilities and has thus far allowed us to have just one (1) documented COVID case nationwide.

Greg

[j44ke]

I think if testing increases in availability and employers decide that a fully tested work force will help attract reticent customers, people may start hiding their illness and dodging testing for fear that they will lose their jobs.

Just to clarify - I think that testing should increase until everyone and anyone can be tested regardless of the presence of symptoms.

The infected employees may be able to hide their illnesses if their symptoms aren't severe, but they will very likely spread the virus to co-workers. Some percentage of the co-workers will develop significant symptoms. Now they're in the scenario of the meatpacking industry where plants are shut down. I hope that well-managed companies will realize that ensuring their workforces stay healthy (by keeping infected workers at home, with pay and health benefits) will be better for the bottom line. I work for a large defense electronics company. Even though we're an "essential" business, we have 70% of our workforce working from home. This greatly decreased the population density in our facilities and has thus far allowed us to have just one (1) documented COVID case nationwide.

Greg

That's pretty amazing. Every one in my wife's firm is working from home and there have been several cases so far. I don't know the actual statistics, but I can think of at least 4 colleagues of my wife's.

[bigbill]

That's pretty amazing. Every one in my wife's firm is working from home and there have been several cases so far. I don't know the actual statistics, but I can think of at least 4 colleagues of my wife's.

Our corporate guys are working from home and constitute the majority of positive cases in the company including the manufacturing plants that have remained open.

[beeatnik]

New poll. Friends Who Have Tested Negative.

Small sample of anecdata in my world.

Friend who works in a LA County Probation office with two employees, one who tested positive: Negative
Stepson's father who manages a Whole Foods where one employee tested positive: Negative
Paranoid school employee who lied about her residence to participate in the Riverside Co testing initiative: Negative
My sister who works from home and had a nagging cough for 5 weeks tested on the first day non vulnerable populations were allowed to test: Negative
The owner of an apparel company who works from home and has asthma and felt chest tightness, lives in a city with the 2nd lowest infection rate in LA County (75 per 100K): Negative

[gregl]

That's pretty amazing. Every one in my wife's firm is working from home and there have been several cases so far. I don't know the actual statistics, but I can think of at least 4 colleagues of my wife's.

We've been both proactive and lucky. Our three main locations are in cities that have not had significant outbreaks. I'm sure we have had undocumented cases. We convened our crisis management team in January and started planning our WFH (Work From Home) strategy before the severity of the outbreak was known. Employees who became sick starting in early March stayed home for two weeks, and that has become our company guideline. Anyone who gets sick, or has traveled for any reason is quarantined from company offices for two weeks. At the same time, we have instituted very strict workplace safety standards. Mask usage is mandatory even in individual offices. All employees entering company facilities have to fill out a health questionnaire daily. All common areas are closed indefinitely. Only virtual meetings are permitted. It's not fun, but our protocols have allowed us to stay productive and keep the lights on.

Greg

[j44ke]

We've been both proactive and lucky. Our three main locations are in cities that have not had significant outbreaks. I'm sure we have had undocumented cases. We convened our crisis management team in January and started planning our WFH (Work From Home) strategy before the severity of the outbreak was known. Employees who became sick starting in early March stayed home for two weeks, and that has become our company guideline. Anyone who gets sick, or has traveled for any reason is quarantined from company offices for two weeks. At the same time, we have instituted very strict workplace safety standards. Mask usage is mandatory even in individual offices. All employees entering company facilities have to fill out a health questionnaire daily. All common areas are closed indefinitely. Only virtual meetings are permitted. It's not fun, but our protocols have allowed us to stay productive and keep the lights on.

Greg

January. A defense electronics contractor. And Trump says no one told him.

[Saab2000]

I am working this week again and can report higher loads than a month ago. Still far less than full and our schedules have been reduced by 60+%. So business is massively reduced over a year ago. Still carrying way more freight than usual. This is my first time flying in nearly a month. Coast to coast today via Denver.

Airports are very spartan with greatly reduced food options. Boarding is very different as well. Passengers and crew members as well as ground staff are required to wear masks. There is resistance but my company will not allow people to board without them.

This is imperfect but my industry employs hundreds of thousands of professionals and the industry will die if not allowed to operate at least at reduced levels. 9/11 was a huge disruption but this situation dwarfs that.

We will see what happens going forward. I am dismayed by the people who still think this is a joke or a hoax, and they’re out there. But I am encouraged by the overwhelming majority of people practicing common sense and complying with the new norms. Hopefully we can return to some kind of normal again someday.

[beeatnik]

Airports are very spartan with greatly reduced food options. Boarding is very different as well. Passengers and crew members as well as ground staff are required to wear masks. There is resistance but my company will not allow people to board without them.

I wonder if for every person who refuses to wear a mask on a plane there's someone in a hazmat suit (probably 2).

Great title.

I Just Flew. It Was Worse Than I Thought It Would Be.
The surreal experience of flying during a pandemic, and the false promise of a return to normal

Flying During the Coronavirus Pandemic: What to Know - The Atlantic