International COVID-19 Megathread

[palandio]

So, during the first wave in March-April-May, Slovakia was held as a good example of Doing Things That Work. Strict (but not too strict) measures enacted early on helped to flatten the curve fairly quickly and things returned to almost normal during the summer until, well, two weeks ago. We're now in the middle of a second wave, with a thousand or more new cases every day (in a country of 5.4 million, remember). And the government thought: we have 13 million tests in stock... why not test everyone? As in, literally every single person in the country (above the age of 10). The plan is that people will go to their local polling station, get tested (for free) and, within 30 minutes, get a certificate. The testing will be voluntary except it won't - people will need to stay qurantined at home for 10 days if they don't get tested and people going outside might be asked to show their certificate and be fined if they don't have it. People will also be able to get tested at private providers, if they pay for it themselves. The gov't expects that they'll open 5000 testing sites and will need some 20 to 40 thousand people - the testing will be done by volunteers and army medics, the organizing and bureaucracy by ordinary soldiers, police, civil defence and probably anyone who is available.

Right now as I'm writing this, the PM is speaking about the meeting of State Security Council about Operation Common Responsibility *eyeroll*. Today, the Army sent liaisons to local councils to arrange things. The testing will start in the hotspots in the north of the country and begin nationwide in two weeks.

This is either indisputably genius or criminally stupid; probably both.
[...]

Yes, why not try something new? It may result in failure, but looking around (outside of East Asia) failure is the new normal.

[Silent Hunter]

Well, that will cause Slovakia's infection numbers to spike something rotten. Give a great idea of spread though.

[Tender Branson]

Nearby Czech Republic reported 12.000 new cases today.

In US-terms, that would be 380.000 new daily cases.

There are now 40-90 people dying there every day, or in US-terms 1200-2800 per day.

https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-digest-czech-infections-breach-single-day-record/a-55344952

[CumbrianLefty]

UK government has basically declared war on both Gt Manchester and London. Sure that will end well.

[President Johnson]

While numbers in Germany are on the rise German Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) is now infected himself and going into quarantine.

Already yesterday, Berchtesgadener Land, a South-Eastern Bavarian county bordering Austria that is known for beautiful alpine landscape as well as the lake Königsee, went into a regional shutdown. People are only permitted to leave their homes for work, the supermarket and physical activities outside; latter only with members of their own household or alone. All non-essential businesses were closed, tourists needed to leave early. Their infection rate stands at a record of 262 per 100,000 in the past seven days. Counties with more than 50 infections per 100,000 in seven days are considered high-risk areas. There were just a handful in September, now they're all over the place. My home county stands at 49.6 at this point, dropped from 54.7 on Monday.

The Czech Republic is now undergoing a nationwide lockdown after more than 11,000 new infections within a single day were reported.

[Silent Hunter]

IIRC Czechia had a pretty mild first wave after closing its borders (a big deal for a Schengen country), then arguably relaxed too far.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Liege has 3000 infected people per 100.000 citizens each day

[President Johnson]

So, Germany has once again outdone itsself: Over 11,000 new cases in the last 24 hours. A daily record. On average, we have more than 50 infections within seven days per 100,000 nationwide.

My wife and I will be reducing our personal contacts to the closest family members, who themselves have done the same. Probably through the whole winter.

[Tender Branson]

Austria will ban faceshields with a new decree, because they are ineffective compared to masks.

[Mike88]

Daily cases surpassed 3,000 today and 3 municipalities in Porto district will enter in "semi-confinement". Between 30 October and 3 November it will also be forbidden to travel between municipalities unless for working reasons and emergencies.

[Silent Hunter]

I think we've learnt that suppressing an endemic disease in the long term is like going down to the beach and telling the tide not to come in.

[Omega21]

I think we've learnt that suppressing an endemic disease in the long term is like going down to the beach and telling the tide not to come in.

Yeah, great comparison.

It's like a freight train. No matter how hard you slam the breaks, as long as there's diesel, that thing's not stopping for anyone.

We just need to stick to certain measures to slow down the spread and make sure the healthcare system doesn't get overwhelmed, and that's the best we can do.

[Tender Branson]

3.300 new cases today.

In US-terms, more than 122.000

I think we need to close down the country again soon.

[Omega21]

3.300 new cases today.

In US-terms, more than 122.000

I think we need to close down the country again soon.

Where are you getting that number? I can't seem to find today's update...

[Tender Branson]

3.300 new cases today.

In US-terms, more than 122.000

I think we need to close down the country again soon.

Where are you getting that number? I can't seem to find today's update...

Wikipedia (D)

[President Johnson]

3.300 new cases today.

In US-terms, more than 122.000

I think we need to close down the country again soon.

Wow, that's an insane number. We "only" had 11,000 again. Some chair of a doctor's association (don't remember his name" today suggested we should have another lockdown if 20,000 per day cases are reached. We're at a point where contact tracing gets pretty difficult.

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

3.300 new cases today.

In US-terms, more than 122.000

I think we need to close down the country again soon.

Where are you getting that number? I can't seem to find today's update...

https://covid19-dashboard.ages.at/dashboard.html?l=en

Only 900 of 6500 beds are occupied, but their exponential growth of cases is quite bad.


Europe still has time, but soon even a full lock-downs won't be enough to keep hospitals from being overwhelming... while full lock-downs might break European Union for good...

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

Italy had 19,000 new cases today and 91 new deaths today.

It just feels so absurd and insane. I am just glad death rates seem much lower than in the spring, but it ain't saying so much.

[Omega21]

Italy had 19,000 new cases today and 91 new deaths today.

It just feels so absurd and insane. I am just glad death rates seem much lower than in the spring, but it ain't saying so much.

It actually is

https://www.corriere.it/cronache/20_ottobre_23/coronavirus-virologo-giorgio-palu-il-95percento-positivi-asintomatico-chiudere-tutto-no-basta-l-isteria-40778a62-156d-11eb-b371-ea3047c1855f.shtml

The only thing we can do is make sure the ICU and hospital beds are not at capacity. If we can do that, this thing is not as bad as it was and we need to live with it.

Stuff like not opening clubs, masks inside and in transit etc. should be enough to limit the infections to a level the healthcare system can cope with.

[Silent Hunter]

Anyway, so Wales' government have now decided that they are the judges of what are essentials and what isn't.

[Omega21]

Anyway, so Wales' government have now decided that they are the judges of what are essentials and what isn't.

I feel for the whole of UK...

From an outsider's perspective, it looks like an Orwellian country right now...

How the hell can someone "ban sex" between people inside their own home and not have a court strike it down?

Just before Easter, they tried to limit the gatherings inside homes here as well, luckily the court struck it down before the print was even dry.

[Tender Branson]

The situation in the neighbouring Czech Republic is nuts:

15.300 new daily infections yesterday (in US terms: 480.000 new daily cases)

126 dead yesterday (in US terms: 4.000 new deaths per day)

Austria had +3.600 new cases yesterday and 11 dead.

[Sir Mohamed]

The situation in the neighbouring Czech Republic is nuts:

15.300 new daily infections yesterday (in US terms: 480.000 new daily cases)

126 dead yesterday (in US terms: 4.000 new deaths per day)

Austria had +3.600 new cases yesterday and 11 dead.

I'm hardly familiar with demographics in terms of age in Austria and CZ, but you would have to assume the patients in CZ are much older on average. At least that was the reason Italy lost so many people in spring compared to others.

[CumbrianLefty]

Anyway, so Wales' government have now decided that they are the judges of what are essentials and what isn't.

Until recently, Drakeford had handled this pretty well. And even this latest move is well intentioned - a way of protecting smaller retaliers and helping them get through this "circuit breaker".

But it is still obvious nonsense, and almost certainly ultimately unenforceable.

[Tender Branson]

The situation in the neighbouring Czech Republic is nuts:

15.300 new daily infections yesterday (in US terms: 480.000 new daily cases)

126 dead yesterday (in US terms: 4.000 new deaths per day)

Austria had +3.600 new cases yesterday and 11 dead.

I'm hardly familiar with demographics in terms of age in Austria and CZ, but you would have to assume the patients in CZ are much older on average. At least that was the reason Italy lost so many people in spring compared to others.

Not sure about the CZ Rep., but here the dead were very old.

Of 900 deaths so far since March, only 5 or so were younger than 50.

Most were over 80.