International COVID-19 Megathread

[Tender Branson]

Austrians need to wear masks when grocery shopping, starting Wednesday.

Does it mean you guys have no problems with obtaining them?

Asking cuz we sure have.

Apparently, 10 million masks are coming via Malaysia tomorrow and will be distributed to every supermarket, where they will be handed out for „a small fee“ at the entrance.

I’m not interested in this, so I smuggled a few worker (dust) masks out of our company today ...

Article:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-austria/austria-to-make-basic-face-masks-compulsory-in-supermarkets-idUSKBN21H16A

[JA]

Viktor Orban Takes Sole Command of Hungary With Pandemic Emergency Law

Hungary’s parliament handed Prime Minister Viktor Orban the right to rule by decree indefinitely, effectively putting the European Union democracy under his sole command for as long as he sees fit.

[...]

Hungary’s ruling party lawmakers overrode the objections of the opposition in a vote on Monday, handing Orban the right to bypass the assembly on any law. The Constitutional Court, which Orban has stacked with loyalists, will be the main body capable of reviewing government actions.

[...]

[Justice Minister Judit] Varga asked journalists not to “distort” facts, a crime the legislation makes punishable by as long as five years in jail for anyone deemed hampering the virus fight.

[...]

Orban’s track record indicates he may not give up the powers quickly. His anti-immigrant Fidesz party has continuously renewed a “state of emergency for mass immigration,” announced after the 2015 refugee crisis, even after the number of asylum seekers arriving to Hungary plunged.

https://twitter.com/b_judah/status/1244635908424548354?s=19
https://twitter.com/balazscseko/status/1244612142831198209?s=19

[Mike88]

Portugal update:

6,408 cases as of today, 446 more than yesterday. The number of deaths also grew to 140. Nonetheless, it was one of the lowest increase in % on new infections till date, 7.5%.

[Former President tack50]

Viktor Orban Takes Sole Command of Hungary With Pandemic Emergency Law

Hungary’s parliament handed Prime Minister Viktor Orban the right to rule by decree indefinitely, effectively putting the European Union democracy under his sole command for as long as he sees fit.

[...]

Hungary’s ruling party lawmakers overrode the objections of the opposition in a vote on Monday, handing Orban the right to bypass the assembly on any law. The Constitutional Court, which Orban has stacked with loyalists, will be the main body capable of reviewing government actions.

[...]

[Justice Minister Judit] Varga asked journalists not to “distort” facts, a crime the legislation makes punishable by as long as five years in jail for anyone deemed hampering the virus fight.

[...]

Orban’s track record indicates he may not give up the powers quickly. His anti-immigrant Fidesz party has continuously renewed a “state of emergency for mass immigration,” announced after the 2015 refugee crisis, even after the number of asylum seekers arriving to Hungary plunged.

https://twitter.com/b_judah/status/1244635908424548354?s=19
https://twitter.com/balazscseko/status/1244612142831198209?s=19

This is how I am picturing Orban right now

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Austrians need to wear masks when grocery shopping, starting Wednesday.

Does it mean you guys have no problems with obtaining them?

Asking cuz we sure have.

Apparently, 10 million masks are coming via Malaysia tomorrow and will be distributed to every supermarket, where they will be handed out for „a small fee“ at the entrance.

I’m not interested in this, so I smuggled a few worker (dust) masks out of our company today ...

Article:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-austria/austria-to-make-basic-face-masks-compulsory-in-supermarkets-idUSKBN21H16A

And we still have to rely on makeshift stuff.

[President Johnson]

Italy down to 5'200 cases today. Hope...

But still over 800 deaths in the last 24 hours

[Tender Branson]

Austrians need to wear masks when grocery shopping, starting Wednesday.

Does it mean you guys have no problems with obtaining them?

Asking cuz we sure have.

Apparently, 10 million masks are coming via Malaysia tomorrow and will be distributed to every supermarket, where they will be handed out for „a small fee“ at the entrance.

I’m not interested in this, so I smuggled a few worker (dust) masks out of our company today ...

Article:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-austria/austria-to-make-basic-face-masks-compulsory-in-supermarkets-idUSKBN21H16A

Looks like more restrictions will come here soon, such as only 1 or a few persons allowed entry into a supermarket - while others have to wait in line outside at a distance of 3 meters.

PS: Kurz also clarified that the masks handed out in front of supermarkets starting Wednesday will be free and that the supermarkets will have to pay for it.

[President Johnson]

Update, some good news: Third test of Angela Merkel has been negative. She's in self-quarantine for some days now, but working.

[Tender Branson]

Austrians need to wear masks when grocery shopping, starting Wednesday.

Does it mean you guys have no problems with obtaining them?

Asking cuz we sure have.

Apparently, 10 million masks are coming via Malaysia tomorrow and will be distributed to every supermarket, where they will be handed out for „a small fee“ at the entrance.

I’m not interested in this, so I smuggled a few worker (dust) masks out of our company today ...

Article:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-austria/austria-to-make-basic-face-masks-compulsory-in-supermarkets-idUSKBN21H16A

Looks like more restrictions will come here soon, such as only 1 or a few persons allowed entry into a supermarket - while others have to wait in line outside at a distance of 3 meters.

PS: Kurz also clarified that the masks handed out in front of supermarkets starting Wednesday will be free and that the supermarkets will have to pay for it.

Chancellor Kurz:

"We need to become more like the Asians and wear masks most of the time."

[Tender Branson]

Austrians need to wear masks when grocery shopping, starting Wednesday.

Does it mean you guys have no problems with obtaining them?

Asking cuz we sure have.

Apparently, 10 million masks are coming via Malaysia tomorrow and will be distributed to every supermarket, where they will be handed out for „a small fee“ at the entrance.

I’m not interested in this, so I smuggled a few worker (dust) masks out of our company today ...

Article:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-austria/austria-to-make-basic-face-masks-compulsory-in-supermarkets-idUSKBN21H16A

Looks like more restrictions will come here soon, such as only 1 or a few persons allowed entry into a supermarket - while others have to wait in line outside at a distance of 3 meters.

PS: Kurz also clarified that the masks handed out in front of supermarkets starting Wednesday will be free and that the supermarkets will have to pay for it.

Chancellor Kurz:

"We need to become more like the Asians and wear masks most of the time."

30 tons of masks have arrived in Vienna today:





Source: APA/ORF

https://wien.orf.at/stories/3041656

I think I will conduct my first grocery shopping with a mask on Wednesday ...

[Lechasseur]

Now in the UK they're talking about a 6 month lockdown...

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-52084517

[Bismarck]

Is the spread really slower in countries like Brazil, parts of Africa, and Malaysia orbare they just not testing? Also is Turkey an emerging hotspot?

[Meclazine for Israel]

OK,

Some good news for Europe and a stall in growth in the USA.

Latest growth numbers look very encouraging for an early end to this pandemic.

Let's just re-cap what a change in growth of Active Cases looks like compared to the time where we will experience a peak of 'Active Cases'.



In South Korea, after 2 weeks, the peak positive growth in 'Active Cases' was reached.

8-9 days later, the peak of 'Active Cases' was reached. Note that not all countries will have 9 days between those two milestones.

France, Japan and the UK have flatter curves, so that will be greater. The US has a very steep curve, so in NY at least, that should be less. But what you are looking at above is what the USA, Germany, Spain, UK, France, Italy and other European countries such as Belgium, The Netherlands and Switzerland will look like in 2 weeks time.

The thing most people are not aware of is that we are moving within a sci-fi mathematical formula that is completely predictable in nature. If you listen to people who don't know what is going on, they will freak out, and then spread that anxiety online. But if you look at the data in the correct context of what it actually is from a mathematical sense, you will have a better feeling about how this will play out.

Every day in South Korea, the fall in 'Active Cases' has been very predictable based on the behaviour of the curve on the previous day.

In terms of national growth curves still on the upslope of the bell curve:



Nearly all countries presented experienced a drop in growth of 'Active Cases' today.

Further analysis of this slow moving biological phenomenon over the next two days should make the situation even clearer.

If peak 'Active Cases' are 7-10 days after the peak in growth of 'Active Cases', then we should start seeing some countries reach their peak in the next week or fortnight.

Based on mortality statistics, the peak death rate will be roughly 7-10 days following that.

Will update growth of cases in other areas of the world tomorrow.

[brucejoel99]

Now in the UK they're talking about a 6 month lockdown...

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-52084517

And then the 2nd wave hits...

[Pulaski]

Most of the news coming out of Australia at the moment is positive.

The growth rate of new cases continues to trend downward, and today the federal government effectively nationalised private hospitals to increase capacity of emergency and ICU services:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-31/coronavirus-agreement-to-keep-private-hospitals-open/12106496

Experts are, for the moment, confident we will have enough ventilators to meet demand:

https://theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/mar/31/experts-confident-australia-will-have-enough-ventilators-to-meet-coronavirus-demand

And some modelling suggests that we may be able to push the peak back into late 2020:

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/coronavirus-may-not-peak-until-november-in-nsw-new-modelling-shows

(Note the last article refers to ICU demand potentially being 1349% of capacity - but that's pre-pandemic capacity. Experts believe we now have the ability to immediately increase capacity to 4400, and our target is 7500 ventilated intensive care beds by the end of April. Right now, every good or semi-good day we have is another crucial day to prepare).

[CumbrianLefty]

Now in the UK they're talking about a 6 month lockdown...

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-52084517

It was actually "6 months before things are back to normal" - not *quite* the same thing.

[Beezer]

Austrians need to wear masks when grocery shopping, starting Wednesday.

Does it mean you guys have no problems with obtaining them?

Asking cuz we sure have.

Apparently, 10 million masks are coming via Malaysia tomorrow and will be distributed to every supermarket, where they will be handed out for „a small fee“ at the entrance.

Just what I want. Some random dude handing out masks who's probably touched god knows how many hands (and coins?).

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Austrians need to wear masks when grocery shopping, starting Wednesday.

Does it mean you guys have no problems with obtaining them?

Asking cuz we sure have.

Apparently, 10 million masks are coming via Malaysia tomorrow and will be distributed to every supermarket, where they will be handed out for „a small fee“ at the entrance.

Just what I want. Some random dude handing out masks who's probably touched god knows how many hands (and coins?).

I'm pretty sure they would have to wear gloves or something.

[parochial boy]

Less than 700 cases in Switzerland today, the lowest number of new cases since the 18th of March, even despite testing having been ramped up to around 8'000 a day since then. Day to day numbers are still bouncing around, but there does seem to be some sign of a downward trend; and the authorities are starting to express some cautious optimism that we might be on the way to avoiding the sorts of scenarios that were feared. Not a single hospital is at capacity in terms of Intensive care beds, even in Ticino and Geneva; and there is now some hope that it might be possible to completely avoid that situation arising.

That said, when asked when the lockdowns might end Alain Berset and the OFSP chief Daniel Koch still basically said "It's still too early to make any sort of prediction". I kind of appreciate the honesty actually, unlike the authorities in other countries where people are pulling dates out of their hats and going "oh yeah, it'll be May/July/6 months/December 2023 etc...".

[Tender Branson]

Austria has agreed to transfer 6 French patients in ICUs for treatment in Salzburg to help out the French.

Tyrol is already treating 7 patients from Italy.

[President Johnson]

Now in the UK they're talking about a 6 month lockdown...

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-52084517

Lmao, that's practically impossible.

Today I read an interview on a major German newsite in which an expert said the same thing I do for a while: The lockdowns only postphone the larger problem. Even if numbers go down as a result, as soon as everything is reopened, it starts all over again. Our strategy should merely be to buy some time for figuring out how we can pass the next nine to twelve months before a vaccine is available and that will stop the pandemic through enough immunity.

[Tender Branson]

Cases hit 10.000 here today, but the rate of increase dropped to a record low 6% compared with yesterday.

Still, 20 more deaths yesterday ...

[Lechasseur]

Now in the UK they're talking about a 6 month lockdown...

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-52084517

Lmao, that's practically impossible.

Today I read an interview on a major German newsite in which an expert said the same thing I do for a while: The lockdowns only postphone the larger problem. Even if numbers go down as a result, as soon as everything is reopened, it starts all over again. Our strategy should merely be to buy some time for figuring out how we can pass the next nine to twelve months before a vaccine is available and that will stop the pandemic through enough immunity.

I absolutely agree

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

We have new restrictions in place:

- Only people above 65 can be out between 10.00 AM and 12.00 PM, and only for essentially business like buying groceries or medications.

- Only three people can be admitted to any store at one time (reasonable).

- People younger than 18 can only be outside if accompanied by an adult.

- You have to keep a distance of minimum two meters while outside, family or not.

- Hotels are to be closed down, which poses a problem with travellers who are stranded there when the borders were closed down and the lockdown began.


We currently have 2311 confirmed cases which, I'm afraid, may be higher, due to inadequate testing. 

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

The government is still determined to hold the presidential election in May, as scheluded, despite the majority of public opinion favoring a postponement. The opposition considers boycott if this goes ahead. Deputy Speaker of the Sejm Ryszard Terlecki actually threatened mayors who would refuse to organize voting precincts with dismissal and being replaced by government-appointed commissioners.

On the other hand Deputy Prime Minister Jarosław Gowin (of Solidarna Polska, one of PiS' satelite parties) broke the ranks and publicly favors postponing the election. PiS is on a hot spot here, because if he were to get sacked over this, they would likely lose their slender majority, so it's going to be interesting.

It's a no-win situation for PiS. If they postpone, they stand a good chance of losing a postponed election, with anger at misshandling the pandemic and recession fully hitting the electorate. If they go ahead with this, the opposition boycotts (I sure as hell am not going to vote under such scenario), Duda may be reelected with ridiculously low turnout, resulting in a massive political backlash, especially if people are going to die in result of going to the polls.

Holding the presidency is really a big deal for PiS. President is a largely powerless office, but Duda is useful as a rubber stamp for their legislative agenda. A President from the opposition could virtually stall PiS' agenda via veto power, to override which they simply have no votes.