1. #7051
    The Fool on the Hill bowie's Avatar
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  2. #7052
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    This is a little off topic, but been wondering if wearing a face mask in public all day will lead to health problems in the long run, considering the amount of carbon dioxide being inhaled.

  3. #7053
    The Fool on the Hill bowie's Avatar
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    http://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-07-mask-pose-health.html

    Does wearing a mask pose any health risks?


    by The Associated Press

    No, not for most people. Babies and toddlers should not wear masks because they could suffocate. The same goes for anyone who has trouble removing a mask without help.

    Others can wear masks without risking their health, according to experts, despite false rumors to the contrary.

    In areas where COVID-19 is spreading, health experts agree that wearing masks or other face coverings in public helps reduce the risk of spreading the virus when people can't socially distance by staying 6 feet apart.

    The coronavirus mainly spreads through droplets that are emitted when people talk, laugh, sing, cough and sneeze. Masks lower the likelihood of those droplets reaching other people. Even if you don't have symptoms, you could be carrying the virus and could spread it.

    When it's humid outside, it could feel like it's harder to breathe if you're not used to wearing a mask, said Benjamin Neuman, a professor of biology at Texas A&M University-Texarkana. But he said masks don't meaningfully decrease oxygen in the body.

    "The body is quite good at adjusting to keep oxygen levels where they need to be," he said.

    There's also no evidence that the use of masks causes fungal or bacterial infections, according to Davidson Hamer, an infectious disease expert at Boston University. Disposable face masks are meant to be used once, then thrown in the garbage. With cloth masks, it's a good idea to wash them regularly.

  4. #7054
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    Second Wave fears...


    The further easing of coronavirus restrictions in England - due to come in this weekend - has been postponed for at least two weeks, amid concerns over an increase in coronavirus cases.

    Casinos and bowling alleys will remain shut, with Boris Johnson saying it was time to "squeeze the brake pedal".
    Wedding receptions of up to 30 people were meant to be allowed as part of the changes but cannot yet happen.
    Face coverings will be mandatory in more indoor settings, such as cinemas.
    And people attending places of worship will also be among those required to wear face coverings, in a change that will be applied from next weekend.
    The rethink follows new restrictions for people in parts of northern England, after a spike in virus cases.
    At a press conference in Downing Street, the prime minister said progress against coronavirus continues, with the daily and weekly number of deaths falling, but warned that some European countries are "struggling" to control it. The UK must be ready to "react", he said.
    Highlighting the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, he added: "The prevalence of the virus in the community, in England, is likely to be rising for the first time since May."

  5. #7055
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    Yikes. Watching the senate select subcommittee on on coronavirus. Brutal stuff.
    But damn, still a Fauci fanboy.

  6. #7056
    Thailand Expat OhOh's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bowie View Post
    FYI Nam is ranked #24
    The No.1 best in the world.

    The COVID-2019 Thread-520863-jpg

  7. #7057
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    It seems the supply of retards is endless.

    Popular youth conservative group Turning Point USA deleted a tweet mocking the use of face masks after co-founder Bill Montgomery died of complications from coronavirus.
    Montgomery, who founded TP USA in 2012 with then-teenager Charlie Kirk, died on Tuesday at the age of 80, two of his friends confirmed to Politico.
    Kirk honored Montgomery in a tweet on Tuesday.
    “An American hero died today,” he wrote. “Bill Montgomery passed away at 80. He believed in me. He poured his heart & soul & time into me. He took a risk on me and without Bill Montgomery, there is no @TPUSA. He touched the lives of thousands of young Americans and I will miss him greatly.”
    Curiously, TP USA shared a meme mocking face masks seven hours after Kirk tweeted about the death of Montgomery. The since-deleted meme includes a photo of a blissful Nicolas Cage with the text, “Me not wearing a mask while a leftist screams at me from their car across the parking lot at Whole Foods.” The organization captioned the meme with “LOL!” and a #BigGovSucks hashtag.
    TP USA Deletes Anti-Mask Tweet After Co-Founder Dies of COVID-19

  8. #7058
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Meanwhile, 18,000,000 is closing in and we might break 300,000 new cases today.

  9. #7059
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    US Govenment issues Pandemic Response Update.



  10. #7060
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    Oh, those crazy conservatives! As anti-mask billboards go up in Spokane, area officials urge people to follow recommendations | The Spokesman-Review

    A conservative group has put up a pair of anti-mask billboards in the Spokane area that advocate against following public health recommendations, leading health officials and experts to argue media literacy is key to combating misinformation.
    The John Birch Society, a far-right group that pushes for limited government, paid for two billboards reading “Freedom is the Cure” and showing a disgusted-looking woman throwing away a mask. The billboards can be found at North Market Street and East Garnet Avenue near the Bemiss neighborhood and on East Sprague Avenue near the Spokane Valley Public Library.
    Director of the Edward R. Murrow Center for Media & Health Promotion Research Erica Austin, who researches media literacy and health promotion, said public health officials are working to reach people who consider wearing a mask an issue of freedom and to help reframe the debate about their usage.
    “They’re doing everything they can to try to persuade people to do things that will preserve their freedom, to keep them healthy so they can do things they would like to do,” Austin said. “There are a lot of things right now that we don’t feel safe to do because we don’t feel safe from the virus.”
    But the organizers behind the billboard view current public health recommendations as government overreach.
    Caleb Collier, a former Spokane Valley City Councilman and longtime associate of state Rep. Matt Shea, is the executive field coordinator for the John Birch Society in 11 Western states. Collier said he got the idea for the billboards after reading the John Birch Society magazine the New American.
    One of their recent issues, titled “Freedom is the Cure,” inspired Collier to host rallies against COVID-19 public health recommendations that he considers “unconstitutional government edicts.” In Spokane, the rallies drew about 2,000 people, Collier said.
    “I can do something with this tagline ‘Freedom is the Cure,’ so I worked with some fellow patriots,” Collier said. “It doesn’t make sense statistics-wise to close down the entire economy for a virus that, when you look at the statistics, it’s killing about the same number of people as the flu.”
    According to the Center for Disease Control, there are serious differences between the flu and COVID-19 in terms of how long the illnesses last, their long-term effects and how deadly they are. While the flu kills between 12,000 and 61,000 Americans annually, according to the Centers for Disease and Prevention, COVID-19 has killed 150,000 people in the United States in five months, despite the implementation of drastic social distancing measures.
    After the rallies, Collier raised funds through “a grassroots effort” to put up the billboards and gave the money to the John Birch Society. He declined to say who else gave to the effort.
    For Collier, the billboards express opposition to the amount of power Gov. Jay Inslee and public health officials are exerting over the community, he said.
    Collier also said he does not believe studies that say wearing masks help prevent the spread of COVID-19, instead citing alternative studies that are “on my side on this subject.”
    The CDC, however, has said it appears the virus is transmitted by respiratory droplets, and that “cloth face coverings are recommended as a simple barrier to help prevent respiratory droplets from traveling into the air and onto other people when the person wearing the cloth face covering coughs, sneezes, talks, or raises their voice.”
    Spokane Regional Health District Health Officer Dr. Bob Lutz called masking “a prosocial activity that benefits everyone.”
    “People have unfortunately kind of taken this as a constitutional liberty that is being challenged,” Lutz said. “Nobody … gives you a constitutional right to harm somebody. That’s essentially what not wearing a mask is, especially with as much spread in our area.”
    Austin said that billboards like the John Birch Society’s are just a small piece of the large amount of misinformation that has been circulating about COVID-19 and public health as a whole.
    “There’s so much information out there right now, and some of it of course is misinformation,” Austin said. “For people in the public health community, it’s kind of like whack-a-mole to get good information out there.”
    Individuals should take the time to really dig in to the source of the information they are taking in, Austin said. The first thing a consumer should ask is “Where is this information coming from?” and “What is the source?,” Austin said.
    “In this case, one thing that was very helpful is the source was prominently displayed on the billboard,” Austin said.
    Next, Austin said, people should evaluate how trustworthy that source is.
    “If they’re citing information on their website, can you track back to its original source?” Austin said. “If this is a source you don’t know a lot about, it helps to verify the information with other sources. It’s really important to cross-check information.”
    In this case, Austin said, the billboards were sponsored by a political organization, the John Birch Society, and “they have a viewpoint.”
    “Some people have a viewpoint and they have a right to those views, but they don’t necessarily have a right to their own facts,” Austin said. “To some extent, people want to believe what they want to believe and some of the messages we have to get across in public health are difficult messages and people don’t want to accept them.”
    Collier said he would also encourage the public “to start questioning the status quo to investigate using alternative media, to question what is being said through largely the mainstream media.”
    One thing that Collier said was concerning to him was the “scrubbing” of doctors disagreeing with public health recommendations from social media platforms.
    “These are free speech platforms,” Collier said.
    Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, all privately owned companies, removed videos by a group called America’s Frontline Doctors who claimed that masks and shutdowns are not necessary to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, despite many scientific studies producing evidence to the contrary.
    The social media companies said the videos were “in violation of our COVID-19 misinformation policy,” according to the Washington Post.
    The danger with a message like “Freedom is the cure,” Austin said, is that it is vague and that the source will be forgotten if it’s repeated enough.
    “Messages like that are so catchy (that) if they’re repeated very often, you forget what the source was, so it can sow some doubt,” Austin said.
    Misinformation that comes from a specific viewpoint can be combated when someone from the community that harbors that falsehood corrects it, Austin said.
    For example, Austin noted, many conservatives were opposed to wearing a mask until President Donald Trump appeared publicly wearing a mask and called mask wearing “patriotic.”
    But that message might not reach everyone, Austin cautioned.
    “You also have to realize that there are going to be some people that as soon as they see Trump anything it’s going to turn them off,” Austin said. “You have to target your message.”
    Ultimately, Austin said it’s important to consider why an organization might be spreading any given message.
    “You always want to consider what’s their motivation for putting up that message,” Austin said.
    “Is it because they’re really trying to do something for my benefit? Or because they want something out of it?”
    Despite some lingering distrust of masks, Lutz said he’s encouraged by a recent survey in Spokane County that found more than 90% of people were wearing face coverings in retail venues.
    “Unfortunately, a lot of visibility is given to a very vocal, outspoken minority that does not believe in science, does not believe data. It does sort of chip away at the credibility of the work we’re doing,” Lutz said. “But, you know, again, the majority of people support the recommendations.”
    You Make Your Own Luck

  11. #7061
    Thailand Expat OhOh's Avatar
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    Bubble indemnity: Big Pharma firms will NOT be held accountable for side effects of Covid vaccine


    "A senior executive for pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has confirmed that his company cannot face legal action for any potential side effects caused by its Covid vaccine. Those affected will have no legal recourse. AstraZeneca is one of 25 pharmaceutical companies worldwide already testing their Covid vaccines on humans, in preparation for injecting hundreds of millions of people. These are flush times for Britain’s largest pharmaceutical company, worth something in the order of £70 million. They have just reported bumper profits of $12.6 billion in the last six months alone.

    But despite its healthy balance sheet, AstraZeneca is unwilling to be held responsible for any potential side effects of its ‘hopeful’ vaccine candidate. In other words, the company is completely protected, or indemnified, against lawsuits from people who are injected with their vaccine and experience negative effects, regardless of how severe or long-lasting they are.


    The firm’s lawyers have demanded that clauses to that effect be put in their contracts with the countries AstraZeneca has agreed to supply with its Covid vaccine. The company says that, without such guarantees of indemnity, they would not be incentivised to produce the drug.

    And it seems most of the countries have ceded to this demand.


    Done in the national interest?


    Ruud Dobber, a senior AstraZeneca executive, told Reuters “In the contracts we have in place, we are asking for indemnification. For most countries it is acceptable to take that risk on their shoulders because it is in their national interest’’. For “national interest,” read “government interest.” Whether what is happening is good for the actual people of vaccinated countries is, to put it very mildly, an open question.


    Dobber refused to name the countries which have placed orders for the firm’s vaccine, although many major western democracies are likely to be on the list. The UK government has been on a vaccine spending spree, buying 250 million doses from various Big Pharma outfits. America, meanwhile, is way ahead of the curve here – they have a special legal framework in which no pharmaceutical companies face lawsuits for side effects of vaccines in case of ‘public health emergencies’. This legislation, known as the PREP Act, was the product of a massive lobbying effort from the US pharmaceutical industry, and was introduced despite vigorous opposition from consumer groups. Unless the vaccine maker intentionally murders or injures you – willful misconduct – you cannot sue them.

    As senior EU officials told Reuters this week, they are locking horns with the vaccine manufacturers over price, payment timelines and, above all, liability. That no one wants to be stuck with liability is hardly surprising. Pump a population full of an experimental vaccine to ‘immunise’ them against a disease that is harmless to most people, and then be held accountable for the consequences? I don’t think so. Big Pharma executives do not earn the seven-figure salaries they do for falling into traps like that.


    Dobber also added: “This is a unique situation where we as a company simply cannot take the risk if in ... four years the vaccine is showing side effects.” Oh… okay then. So who does take on the responsibility then? The WHO? Pull the other one. Politicians? Don’t make me laugh. No one? Gotcha.


    Who pays?


    Because there is a virtual guarantee that in a major vaccination programme some people will be harmed or even killed by the vaccine, some countries have set up special public funds to pay compensation to those affected. The WHO supports this model of taxpayer-funded damages for vaccine claimants.

    The US has such a fund, as do many European countries including the UK, Germany, Sweden and Italy. It might be worth looking up the relevant system in your own country if you are worried about taking the vaccine. One thing is certain though: when it comes to Covid-19, private capital have decided that they want nothing to do with the long-term consequences of their vaccinations.


    https://www.rt.com/news/496801-pharm...accine-effect/
    A tray full of GOLD is not worth a moment in time.

  12. #7062
    Thailand Expat jabir's Avatar
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    It's only natural for pharmas not to be accountable, vaccine trials are being fast tracked, so there's no way they would accept liability for side effects that may take years to exhibit.

  13. #7063
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by thailazer View Post
    Oh, those crazy conservatives! As anti-mask billboards go up in Spokane, area officials urge people to follow recommendations | The Spokesman-Review

    A conservative group has put up a pair of anti-mask billboards in the Spokane area that advocate against following public health recommendations, leading health officials and experts to argue media literacy is key to combating misinformation.
    The John Birch Society, a far-right group that pushes for limited government, paid for two billboards reading “Freedom is the Cure” and showing a disgusted-looking woman throwing away a mask. The billboards can be found at North Market Street and East Garnet Avenue near the Bemiss neighborhood and on East Sprague Avenue near the Spokane Valley Public Library.
    Slap this up next to them.

    The COVID-2019 Thread-grbbnk-jpg

  14. #7064
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jabir View Post
    It's only natural for pharmas not to be accountable, vaccine trials are being fast tracked, so there's no way they would accept liability for side effects that may take years to exhibit.
    Spot on.

    If we want vaccines quickly, then we have to absolve the manufacturers from the implied risk.

  15. #7065
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    P.S. HooHoo

    The US has such a fund, as do many European countries including the UK, Germany, Sweden and Italy. It might be worth looking up the relevant system in your own country if you are worried about taking the vaccine. One thing is certain though: when it comes to Covid-19, private capital have decided that they want nothing to do with the long-term consequences of their vaccinations.

    https://www.rt.com/news/496801-pharm...accine-effect/
    As I understand it, the comrades have been using their vaccine for a while now. There is no way they can have properly tested it for long- or even medium- term risks.

    How come you aren't whinging about the Russians?


    (Rhetorical question, obviously, Mr. Tankie).

  16. #7066
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    I see the European champions, the UK, are out of the medals in the World championship for Covid deaths. Mexico has moved up into the bronze position...

  17. #7067
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Talking about our Soviet friends....

    Russia expects to start mass anti-coronavirus vaccinations, across the country, by October, the country’s Health Minister Mikhail Murashko has said, Russia Today reports.

    Murashko announced on Saturday that clinical trials of a vaccine developed by the Moscow-based Gamalei Institute have been completed and that the health ministry is aiming to begin a public vaccination program in October.
    Russia preparing mass vaccination against Covid-19 for October, as clinical trials completed – Public Radio of Armenia
    Last edited by harrybarracuda; 02-08-2020 at 02:32 AM.

  18. #7068
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    ^
    thats a good result, the quicker we get to the end of this the better.

  19. #7069
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Iceman123 View Post
    ^
    thats a good result, the quicker we get to the end of this the better.
    Have you ever heard of Thalidomide?

  20. #7070
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    Quote Originally Posted by harrybarracuda View Post
    Have you ever heard of Thalidomide
    Of course I have, but I probably wouldn’t recommend it for the treatment of COVID-19.

  21. #7071
    Thailand Expat jabir's Avatar
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    If they nicked the basic research from the US/Europe and developed it from there, I'd think about considering a jab, otherwise advice to comrades is take your chances with isolation.

  22. #7072
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    Quote Originally Posted by harrybarracuda View Post
    Have you ever heard of Thalidomide?
    'arry again did not disappointed. What's the connection to the infamous German drug causing the newborn babies be born without limbs? Whataboutism?

  23. #7073
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    Quote Originally Posted by jabir View Post
    If they nicked the basic research from the US/Europe and developed it from there, I'd think about considering a jab
    A good and clever logic, then ask 'arry about Thalidomide. Not only used in EU but in USA as well...

  24. #7074
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    Quote Originally Posted by Klondyke View Post
    'arry again did not disappointed. What's the connection to the infamous German drug causing the newborn babies be born without limbs? Whataboutism?
    Quote Originally Posted by Klondyke View Post
    A good and clever logic, then ask 'arry about Thalidomide. Not only used in EU but in USA as well...
    Worked a charm in tests on animals, sadly not enough testing was done. Harry was spot on in this case. What does that make you K?


    Thalidomide had passed safety tests performed on animals. In some tests, dosages of over 600 times the normal human dosage had no effect at all on rodents. On further investigation it was found that more extensive tests into the drug had not been carried out.Jan 31, 2005

  25. #7075
    Hangin' Around cyrille's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Klondyke View Post
    Whataboutism?
    Suggesting that previous errors in similar circumstances should not be forgotten is not 'whataboutism'.

    Whataboutism would be 'Malaria kills people too - what's special about COVID19?'

    In other words...the kind of pointless bollocks you spend your day posting.

    Except that the language in my example at least makes sense.

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