Coronavirus Thread V: A Shot in the Arm (READ OP)

[Greed and Death]

Even not during a pandemic evictions cause death. That is the fundamental nature of homelessness and housing assigned on ability to pay.

Evictions sometimes cause death.
Evictions do not always cause death.
Housing is not assigned on the ability to pay. There's a floor below which housing should be available but isn't.

Housing is assigned on ability to pay. I didn't make these rules I just play the game.

[San Lumen]

Evictions sometimes cause death.
Evictions do not always cause death.
Housing is not assigned on the ability to pay. There's a floor below which housing should be available but isn't.

Housing is assigned on ability to pay. I didn't make these rules I just play the game.

and it seems like our leaders didnt think about the wave of homelessness or other issues they would create. Newsom said he may shut down the entire state again. Nothing whatsoever is being done to help small business.

[Greater Sundiata Shores]

No one could have done a better job than Donald trump. Really, we know Donald Trump did a better job than Jacinda Ardent did in New Zealand.

[Kiu Ghesik]

Sun

What have you done

[Greater Sundiata Shores]

Sun

What have you done

What you should be asking is what has Trump done?

The answer is yes

[Reploid Productions]

Sun

What have you done

That's not Sun. I believe one of my colleagues is about to deal with Rojava's malicious impersonation puppet.

EDIT: Yup, he DEAT.

[Giovenith]

Sun

What have you done

What you should be asking is what has Trump done?

The answer is yes

*** Greater Sundiata Shores: DEAT ***

Impersonating other players isn't nice. You are neither Sundiata nor Greater Miami Shores.

[Grenartia]

What you should be asking is what has Trump done?

The answer is yes

*** Greater Sundiata Shores: DEAT ***

Impersonating other players isn't nice. You are neither Sundiata nor Greater Miami Shores.

To be fair, how can anyone impersonate two separate nations at once?

[Kiu Ghesik]

Sun

What have you done

That's not Sun. I believe one of my colleagues is about to deal with Rojava's malicious impersonation puppet.

EDIT: Yup, he DEAT.

Oof.

Tbh it doesn't really feel like something Sun would do in retrospect.

[Rusozak]

Housing is assigned on ability to pay. I didn't make these rules I just play the game.

and it seems like our leaders didnt think about the wave of homelessness or other issues they would create. Newsom said he may shut down the entire state again. Nothing whatsoever is being done to help small business.

No solution is perfect, but homelessness and economic hardship are problems that can be fixed. The dead will still be dead.

[Picairn]

No solution is perfect, but homelessness and economic hardship are problems that can be fixed. The dead will still be dead.

Perhaps we should try other strategies before doing lockdowns again. Mass testing, track-and-trace program, enforced self-isolation, universal mask mandate, etc. are better options than lockdown. We should only apply lockdowns as a final solution. https://theconversation.com/is-lockdown ... ons-145555

[Sundiata]

What you should be asking is what has Trump done?

The answer is yes

*** Greater Sundiata Shores: DEAT ***

Impersonating other players isn't nice. You are neither Sundiata nor Greater Miami Shores.

I know that this isn't my call to make but I think that might have been a bit too harsh. Is that person permanently banned? I don't think that they deserved that, they were only joking.

EDIT: Posted my request here.

[Rusozak]

No solution is perfect, but homelessness and economic hardship are problems that can be fixed. The dead will still be dead.

Perhaps we should try other strategies before doing lockdowns again. Mass testing, track-and-trace program, enforced self-isolation, universal mask mandate, etc. are better options than lockdown. We should only apply lockdowns as a final solution. https://theconversation.com/is-lockdown ... ons-145555

Those measures have failed. An unacceptable number of people have already made it clear that they will not tolerate any mandatory infringements on personal privacy and freedom like what you listed. So everyone has to suffer with lockdowns. This whole situation is punishment for people being selfish and reckless. We're past the point of asking nicely and individually managing everyone is a logistical nightmare at best and impossible at worst.

[Austria-Bohemia-Hungary]

Perhaps we should try other strategies before doing lockdowns again. Mass testing, track-and-trace program, enforced self-isolation, universal mask mandate, etc. are better options than lockdown. We should only apply lockdowns as a final solution. https://theconversation.com/is-lockdown ... ons-145555

Those measures have failed.

They have failed because the central administration of the United States failed to even try them, preferring instead to score cheap points against the PRC instead of rationally dealing with COVID19.

[Rusozak]

Those measures have failed.

They have failed because the central administration of the United States failed to even try them, preferring instead to score cheap points against the PRC instead of rationally dealing with COVID19.

But many state and local authorities have tried it, and it came down to a realization that they can't really force any of those things on people who refuse to comply. With no serious punishment for noncompliance, like say, internment camps, nothing will happen.

[Austria-Bohemia-Hungary]

They have failed because the central administration of the United States failed to even try them, preferring instead to score cheap points against the PRC instead of rationally dealing with COVID19.

But many state and local authorities have tried it, and it came down to a realization that they can't really force any of those things on people who refuse to comply. With no serious punishment for noncompliance, like say, internment camps, nothing will happen.

Yes, track and trace and lockdowns do not work when half the country is in lalaland and believes those things to be Marxism-Leninism, and keeps the free flow of people, contagions and disease open.

[Picairn]

But many state and local authorities have tried it, and it came down to a realization that they can't really force any of those things on people who refuse to comply. With no serious punishment for noncompliance, like say, internment camps, nothing will happen.

I don't think internment camps would be humane punishment. Best they can do is enforced self-isolation, but no herding people into camps, please.

[Rusozak]

But many state and local authorities have tried it, and it came down to a realization that they can't really force any of those things on people who refuse to comply. With no serious punishment for noncompliance, like say, internment camps, nothing will happen.

I don't think internment camps would be humane punishment. Best they can do is enforced self-isolation, but no herding people into camps, please.

How do you suppose we enforce isolation on so many people who refuse to comply? House arrest collars? It would be costly and even the time it would take for police to respond could be enough for someone who is infected to wreak havoc.

[Senkaku]

But many state and local authorities have tried it, and it came down to a realization that they can't really force any of those things on people who refuse to comply. With no serious punishment for noncompliance, like say, internment camps, nothing will happen.

I don't think internment camps would be humane punishment. Best they can do is enforced self-isolation, but no herding people into camps, please.

The Indonesians may have been onto something making anti-maskers and the like help dig mass graves.

[Austria-Bohemia-Hungary]

I don't think internment camps would be humane punishment. Best they can do is enforced self-isolation, but no herding people into camps, please.

How do you suppose we enforce isolation on so many people who refuse to comply?

You could've started at the airports... screen anybody coming from PRC or Italy or Europe... shut down interstate travel if necessary. But that was in Feb-March and POTUS was very busy golfing and rallying. So now it's too late. Y'all fucked and herd immunity is coming whether you like it or not.

[Nobel Hobos 2]

How do you suppose we enforce isolation on so many people who refuse to comply?

You could've started at the airports... screen anybody coming from PRC or Italy or Europe... shut down interstate travel if necessary. But that was in Feb-March and POTUS was very busy golfing and rallying. So now it's too late. Y'all fucked and herd immunity is coming whether you like it or not.

Not even that is certain. Herd immunity might never happen if natural immunity "wears off" too soon.

That's a nightmare scenario, also assuming none of the vaccines work, because if natural immunity was going to wear off in 4 years or so, it wouldn't do that for everyone, there would be a bell curve (some much sooner, some much later). Re-infections (people who had it good, presumably had antibodies because they got better, then caught it again) are extremely rare. Also losing natural immunity is uncommon among diseases.

Don't worry. There will be several vaccines that all work. No need to wait for herd immunity.

[Glorious Hong Kong]

Singapore studies COVID-19 pregnancy puzzle after baby born with antibodies

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Doctors are studying the impact of COVID-19 on pregnant women and their unborn babies in Singapore, where an infant delivered by an infected mother earlier this month had antibodies against the virus but did not carry the disease.
FILE PHOTO: TraceTogether tokens are distributed to residents at Jalan Besar Community Club, as the government speeds up contact tracing efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Singapore September 14, 2020. REUTERS/Edgar Su

The ongoing study among the city-state’s public hospitals adds to international efforts to better understand whether the infection or antibodies can be transferred during pregnancy, and if the latter offers an effective shield against the virus.

The World Health Organisation says while some pregnant women have an increased risk of developing severe COVID-19, it is not yet known whether an infected pregnant woman can pass the virus to her foetus or baby during pregnancy or delivery.

A Singaporean woman, infected with the coronavirus in March when she was pregnant, told local newspaper the Straits Times that doctors said her infant son had antibodies against the virus but was born without the infection.

“It is still unknown whether the presence of these antibodies in a newborn baby confers a degree of protection against COVID-19 infection, much less the duration of protection,” said Tan Hak Koon, chairman of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology division at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

KK is one of the hospitals involved in the study of infected pregnant women in Singapore, details of which surfaced after the case of the baby born with antibodies was made public.

The National University Hospital, another hospital involved, said the study looks at the effects of COVID-19 on pregnant women, their foetus and outcomes after delivery.

Doctors in China reported the detection and decline over time of COVID-19 antibodies in babies born to women with the coronavirus disease, according to an article published in October in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.

While there is evidence that transmission during pregnancy is rare, a small study in Italy suggested that it is possible, according to research published in the Nature journal in October. bit.ly/2Vu22vH

Other studies have shown COVID-19 antibodies can be passed to a child via breastfeeding, while KK’s Tan said there was evidence they could pass during pregnancy through the placenta to the baby.

Paul Tambyah, one of city-state’s leading disease experts, said it was encouraging that antibodies were present in the Singapore baby months after the mother’s infection, adding to broader evidence that they offer some protection from the virus.

“Worldwide there have been millions of people infected, including probably thousands of pregnant women, with very few reports of infections in very young babies. This suggests that there might be some protection from maternal antibodies and breast feeding,” said Tambyah, President of the Asia Pacific Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection.

This is good news for newborns if true.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian government has now made it mandatory for 1.7 million foreign workers to undergo screening due to the high rate of infectivity among the foreign migrant population

Govt issues requirements for mandatory Covid-19 tests on migrant workers

Published 30 Nov 2020, 8:14 pm
Modified 30 Nov 2020, 9:19 pm
2

COVID-19 | Putrajaya has instructed employers to prepare two types of quarantine centres for their migrant workers who are tested positive for Covid-19 and placed under mandatory quarantine.

This is part of the requirement under the mandatory ruling on Covid-19 screening for 1.7 million migrant workers, which comes into effect tomorrow.

At a press conference today, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the employers are required to prepare a quarantine station (QS) and a quarantine and low-risk treatment centre (PKRC).

"Tomorrow, (the government) will kick off Covid-19 screening for migrant workers of factories identified by the Human Resources Ministry.

"For this purpose, the companies involved are required to prepare appropriate quarantine stations and quarantine and low-risk treatment centres," he said, adding that the cost of running both quarantine centres would have to be borne by the employers.

Ismail Sabri said employers would also need to provide food, accommodation and transportation for their workers.

"Workers who are found to be Covid-19 positive after conducting the antigen rapid tests (RTK-Ag), but display no symptoms, will be sent to the dormitory prepared by the employers that segregate them from their colleagues who have been cleared.

"In case there is no suitable hostel, they must be placed at a PKRC, which is (also to be) prepared by the employers.

"Workers with mild Covid-19 symptoms will be moved to a PKRC, while only those with severe illness will be sent to a hospital," he added.

The migrant workers will be allowed to return to work upon being released from a home surveillance order (HSO) or when discharged from a health facility with a legitimate document.

Workers will be given a different quarantine wristband in order to distinguish them from those under HSO, he said.

Putrajaya originally made it compulsory for migrant workers in the construction industry and those working as security personnel to take the Covid-19 swab test.

The recent outbreak at other factories prompted the government to further expand the compulsory Covid-19 test ruling to all sectors.

Pharmaniaga Bhd will be responsible for the roll-out the coronavirus vaccine in Malaysia, which is expected to be made available by the end of the first quarter of 2021. The National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) is responsible for approving the vaccine for distribution.

Pharmaniaga geared up for Covid-19 distribution

Bernama
Published 30 Nov 2020, 10:46 pm
1

COVID-19 | Pharmaniaga Bhd has set up a task force and is all geared up to distribute the Covid-19 vaccine, which is expected to be available at the end of the first quarter next year.

In a statement today, the company said this is in line with the recent announcement by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin of the government signing an agreement to purchase Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine for 6.4 million Malaysians.

The announcement has led the way for the government to have more such arrangements with other vaccine manufacturers.

Pharmaniaga group managing director Zulkarnain Md Eusope said the company’s core competency lies in its pharmaceutical-grade logistic services and internationally recognised halal drug manufacturing facility.

He said the company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Pharmaniaga Logistics Sdn Bhd, has 26 solid years of vaccine logistics and distribution experience covering both the -20⁰C and 2-8⁰C constant temperature requirements, and it would give utmost priority to the compliance of the temperature requirements of the upcoming Covid-19 vaccine to ensure its continued quality, safety and efficacy.

“Vaccine transportation is not like any other drug, as any temperature breach out of the allowed range will impact its efficacy. In order to manage this especially with the delivery challenge to remote locations in Sabah and Sarawak, Pharmaniaga has perfected the transportation medium, and the process complies with the Good Distribution Practice (GDP) requirements.

“Each of the boxes will be sealed together with a temperature monitoring device which allows the customer to verify the temperature compliance. On top of that, the delivery vehicles are equipped with Internet of things devices which allow us to monitor the vehicle’s movement, arrival time as well as temperature.

“We note that Pfizer’s vaccine requires an ultra-cold temperature of -70⁰C, thus the frozen pre-filled syringes will be delivered in thermal shippers which are filled with dry ice to maintain ultra-cold temperatures,” he said.

Elaborating further, Zulkarnain cited that there are other Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers such as Moderna Inc whose vaccines require -20⁰C temperature compliance.

“The majority of other vaccine manufacturers have announced the standard temperature requirement of 2-8⁰C. This brings about the need for the high volume of vaccines to be managed in compliance with the GDP requirements and specifications set by vaccine manufacturers,” he said.

Zulkarnain said Pharmaniaga’s warehouses in Bukit Raja in Shah Alam, Juru, Kota Kinabalu, and Kuching have cold chain facilities with an environmental monitoring system and back-up power to ensure the vaccines are safe for use.

In addition, all these warehouses have been licensed to handle cold chain products by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency, and the facilities are continuously enhanced.

“We note the possibility that hospitals’ stores will have a major constraint if a big volume of Covid-19 vaccines arrive beyond their storage capacity. On this aspect, Pharmaniaga is looking at the just-in-time-based delivery system to ensure smooth and orderly vaccination and stock replenishment,” he said.

Pharmaniaga will continue to support the nation during these trying times by delivering its best efforts and quality services to achieve a great vision for the country, he added.

- Bernama

Malaysia has already signed off on a preliminary agreement that would allow about 30% of the population to be vaccinated. Adults will have priority, followed by adolescents and children from late 2021. The beginning of the end of the pandemic draws near.

To top it all off, my home state of Sarawak has recorded zero local transmissions for six days in a row now and restrictions in my hometown have been eased once again. My home state continues to screen and quarantine travelers into the state, both domestic and international, at all ports of entry. Cases are rising in West Malaysia, however, and the pandemic, while somewhat less severe than before, persists in Sabah, where the third wave originated (among illegal migrants). The Klang Valley (the KL metropolitan capital area) is bearing the brunt of infections once again.

[Nobel Hobos 2]

I don't think internment camps would be humane punishment. Best they can do is enforced self-isolation, but no herding people into camps, please.

The Indonesians may have been onto something making anti-maskers and the like help dig mass graves.

"The Indonesians may have been onto something ..." is not usually followed by a good idea.

That sounds like a "good idea by accident". Post an ad for jobs digging graves for people who died of covid, with a low wage. Anyone even kind of afraid of covid won't apply. Give them all masks to wear. Any still wearing the mask after five minutes of digging, get let go with half a day's pay. Why? The other mugs can't sue if they didn't follow the recommended safety precautions.

[New Visayan Islands]

Data for PH as of December 1st, 1600 PHT/0300 EST.

Detailed update. Also:

• "Hey kids! Wanna risk catching The Coof?"
• Even Pope Francis isn't taking any chances with The Coof.
• Because one barrier to travel is the cost of an rt-PCR test.
• "No swab?" No problem!
• "I'll get my Coof Shot for Christmas..."

[Glorious Hong Kong]

"I'll get my Coof Shot for Christmas..."

This is terrific! The first several million vaccinations around mid-December should hopefully mitigate the worst of the U.S. third wave and post-Thanksgiving spike to a certain extent. Finally, there is light at the end of a long and dark tunnel. This would be a first.

Meanwhile...

The World Health Organization (WHO) insisted Monday it was doing everything possible to find the animal origins of the virus, despite the fact it hasn't yet sent a full team of experts to China to probe the matter.

Observers have voiced concern the agency has bowed to Chinese pressure and dragged its feet over the investigation, but WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hit back and urged critics to stop "politicizing" the issue.

Make of this what you will. I've said my piece about the WHO.