The Coronavirus Pandemic

[Wonko]

going back to the title of this thread. Canada's numbers are extremely low. Our tests are extremely low. It's as if we are intentionally trying to deflate our numbers

My brother in law has hall the symptoms. They're mild - they won't test him to confirm.
He's RCMP... an essential/critical service s defined by the Federal Gov't.

If they won't test him.. There are THOUSANDS they won't test. Meaning Thousands not accounted for in the numbers being issued.

Agreed. Same thing happening in the States too though. Numbers massively under reported everywhere I am sure.

[Auston'sWilly]

" Again, the predictions of such models, Birx said, don’t match the reality of what they’ve seen on the ground in Italy, South Korea and China. Birx said if you did the divisions according to the models, Italy should have 400,000 deaths. But she said, they’re not even close to that. Indeed, they are at 8,215 deaths and they appear to have started flattening their curve, with five successive days down below their peak on March 21.
Dr. Birx also corrected another concern, saying there were enough ICU beds and ventilators available. She said that while the cases may be concentrated now in heavily populated urban areas, there were other areas where it was not, and they can adjust to get equipment to where it needs to be.
But she made it very clear there is no way that 60% of Americans were all getting it within the next eight to twelve weeks.
Birx also pointed out the difference between the states, that while the virus right now tended to be concentrated in more heavily urban cities and states, that 19 out of 50 states tended to have a low incidence of cases. "

[blayze]

The numbers are under-reported in a lot of places for a lot of reasons. It could be a good thing - means more people are actually going to be immune and we might get out of this sooner.

The herd immunity strategy requires more than half the population to contract the virus before it becomes effective. Doesn't make any sense in the context of flattening the curve to alleviate strain on our hospitals. In one of the most colossal bonehead decisions during the COVID crisis, this herd immunity approach was actually the exact strategy the UK government pursued for a week (they held mass concerts, marathons, conferences that week), before they realized their grave mistake and went straight into lockdown. Now because of that one week they are completely ****ed and it is ironic their PM has contracted it himself.

The more people have it, the faster it spreads. That's how exponential growth works and I think it's a concept that many people who aren't educated in math fail to grasph. There's zero upside to more cases (and immunities) unless you're ok with millions dying in overcrowded hospitals in order to reach the point of saturation. Everyone looks at Canada's numbers and thinks we are low relative to the world. But our count today is where the US was on March 16th - only a week and a half ago.

[rataylor22]

" Again, the predictions of such models, Birx said, don’t match the reality of what they’ve seen on the ground in Italy, South Korea and China. Birx said if you did the divisions according to the models, Italy should have 400,000 deaths. But she said, they’re not even close to that. Indeed, they are at 8,215 deaths and they appear to have started flattening their curve, with five successive days down below their peak on March 21.
Dr. Birx also corrected another concern, saying there were enough ICU beds and ventilators available. She said that while the cases may be concentrated now in heavily populated urban areas, there were other areas where it was not, and they can adjust to get equipment to where it needs to be.
But she made it very clear there is no way that 60% of Americans were all getting it within the next eight to twelve weeks.
Birx also pointed out the difference between the states, that while the virus right now tended to be concentrated in more heavily urban cities and states, that 19 out of 50 states tended to have a low incidence of cases. "

https://twitter.com/mlipsitch/status...47447537115136

[lobo1969]

Alberta Health minister becoming unhinged, not a good look on someone that needs to keep it together in a health crisis:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmon...ners-1.5511288

[rataylor22]

Well.

There's a lot to be said about Shandro.

Not any of it is any good.

[doulos]

Alberta Health minister becoming unhinged, not a good look on someone that needs to keep it together in a health crisis:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmon...ners-1.5511288

Looking forward to absolutely no consequences for him.

[lobo1969]

Looking forward to absolutely no consequences for him.

What should not be glossed over is the fact that Shandro and his family (wife, sister) are part owners of a medical private insurance company that directly benefits from any efforts the UCP are doing to increase privatization of Alberta Health. MINISTER Shandro has directly enacted legislation that could/will personally pad his pocket. So this guy should definitely lose his portfolio and hopefully be drummed out of politics altogether. I don't like Premier Kenney at all but I'm a little perplexed the vetting of his choice for health minister didn't go deeper. Kenney may be ideological a$$hole but he isn't so stupid to let something like this to escape his notice. If so, then there is some serious rot in this young UCP government

[doulos]

What should not be glossed over is the fact that Shandro and his family (wife, sister) are part owners of a medical private insurance company that directly benefits from any efforts the UCP are doing to increase privatization of Alberta Health. MINISTER Shandro has directly enacted legislation that could/will personally pad his pocket. So this guy should definitely lose his portfolio and hopefully be drummed out of politics altogether. I don't like Premier Kenney at all but I'm a little perplexed the vetting of his choice for health minister didn't go deeper. Kenney may be ideological a$$hole but he isn't so stupid to let something like this to escape his notice. If so, then there is some serious rot in this young UCP government

It's actually a pretty incredible amount of corruption, but not surprising.

[Wonko]

When your base is willing to believe a rallying cry like, 'MAGA' or 'Wexit!' there is really no telling what your supporters are willing to overlook....

[rataylor22]

I just would like to point out that in the majority of his statements Kenney denounces the "Wexit" movement.

[Wonko]

I just would like to point out that in the majority of his statements Kenney denounces the "Wexit" movement.

Perhaps, but much of his base doesn't My social media was inundated with WEXIT petitions for months after the election.

It made no sense, and as I pointed out to many, almost half of the conservative seats were won east of Manitoba, but by all means separate from yourself. Good fun.

Hell, there is even a WEXIT political party in Alberta now.....

I can't make this stuff up...

[ericdaoust]

I still believe a lot of you get way too wrapped up in what everyone else thinks

[rataylor22]

Perhaps, but much of his base doesn't My social media was inundated with WEXIT petitions for months after the election.

It made no sense, and as I pointed out to many, almost half of the conservative seats were won east of Manitoba, but by all means separate from yourself. Good fun.

Hell, there is even a WEXIT political party in Alberta now.....

I can't make this stuff up...

Sure, but again just to point out, that would mean that the "Wexit" people of Alberta specifically don't align with the UCP

[Wonko]

Sure, but again just to point out, that would mean that the "Wexit" people of Alberta specifically don't align with the UCP

Ok Sure. Hehe. I suppose if we want to go down that road. Alberta's Freedom Conservative Party and the Alberta Independence Party and the Alberta Advantage Party and the Wexit Alberta Party and the United Conservative Party of Alberta really fall under one umbrella. They all vote the same way federally. They all pretty much run the same platform. The UCP just tries to sand off the rough edges in order to look more mainstream, but it knows it will get the votes from the 'deplorables' too. hehe.