Best Posts in Forum: COVID-19

I voted FOR Brexit. Why? Because when the UK joined what is now the EU it was a Common Market (in name and actuality) - a grouping of countries to allow for easier trading. BUT, after we joined it became political and started making laws which affected the UK. The ruling classes are on big salaries and some are not elected. We were sold a lie and so changed our minds.

Btw, IMO other EU countries will follow and the EU will eventually fail - perhaps the UK had the sense to abandon ship first.

 

Any vaccine is not 100% guaranteed to prevent a person becoming ill from some sort of virus, with sympathy for those who have losted love ones
As for my feeling safer, having had my two injections for the Covid, I am very aware that I might still get the virus.
January 2020 when news was breaking of this Pandemic and the UK Government kindly placed the very first suspected cases coming back from abroad in my local hospital, my wife and I didnt feel very safe, the country was put on emergency alerts told not go out etc etc. But every day I took my wife to work at the hospital not knowing if she would fall victim to the disease while tending to patients and also infecting me.
We broke contact with my children and relatives and friends for weeks/ months to prevent the risk if we caught the virus from spreading.
As for this atitude of "Freedom to choose" movement going round, well you know what you can do with it. Rant over.

 

look, i am not trying to pick a fight with anyone. we are all entitled to our opinions. with regard to covid it is so difficult because of the inadequacy and inconsistency of information regarding this disease. i will say i will be 78 in september, i spent my while life working in healthcare and retired as a registered nurse when i was 71. i have seen death in every form from trauma to chronic disease. i agree with Rye's position on this as best as i can tell. should we fight back against covid? yes of course we should. but we have to keep an overall perspective on this and all other threats. father time will claim us all and there is nothing to prevent that. if its not covid then it will be something else. its true that those of us who are older are closer to that outcome, most likely, than Rye, but his point of view should be argued on its merits (or lack thereof). for me it is a simple fact that the strength of the US is its economy. that is where the money comes from for defense against all invaders, human or viral. if we shut down and destroy our economy then where do the resources come from to fight the next battle? the US just spent three trillion dollars in the hopes that grandma will die next week and not this week. its insane!! the people who wear masks are not all going to heaven and those who don't are not all going to hell. there are many experts on both sides of that question and many experts who have changed sides. but i know that we will lose if we all dig foxholes and throw grenades at each other. only the next disease will win.

 

I understand the stay at home order for seniors. Personally, I believe the risk is very low to contact the c-virus. I also know the risk is very high that with my issues I would die if I did get it. So I don’t mind another 2-4 weeks to test the outcomes. I have a family to shop for me and because of them I don’t want to die. I support those that want to go out now and hopefully no danger.

 

Taiwan has EIGHT known active covid cases, New Zealand, ONE. Sure, every country has a unique set of variables, but it's hard to argue that countries with a disciplined response such as these would be faring better if they just threw caution to the wind.

Both of my parents, in their 70s, were initially lax about current circumstances despite my own pleas to protect themselves. Both of them got the virus about six weeks ago. Thankfully, they were among the majority who don't get severe symptoms. They are now taking common sense precautions and happily doing so. Perspectives change when reality hits.

This situation is a mess in many ways and often with harmful tradeoffs, but it is real and one day in the not-so-distant future it shall pass.

At the very least, just wear a d*mn mask. We cover our faces when we cough and sneeze. Covering our faces when we might have a virus that could kill others and not even know we are carrying it is a simple courtesy and painless practice to follow.

 

Some good news for those who are vaccinated

 

Please be careful when you make travel plans, and make sure you are eligible to enter the Philippines on arrival.
Newspaper articles may not be the best source for such information.
The Dutch embassy in Manila sent me an email yesterday detailing the new rules:

Quote
Op 16 juli heeft de overheid aangekondigd dat per 1 augustus de regels voor toegang tot de Filipijnen aangepast zullen worden. Vanaf 1 augustus mogen naast mensen met de Filipijnse nationaliteit, hun buitenlandse partners en kinderen en houders van een diplomatiek visum ook mensen met een lange termijn immigratievisum het land binnen.

Dit houdt in dat houders van een immigratievisum ook weer het land in mogen. Immigratievisums vallen onder sectie 13 van de Filipijnse visum code (en worden aangeduid als 13A t/m 13G). Ook mensen met een RA7919 en EO324 visum worden gezien als immigranten.

Helaas vallen non-immigrant visums niet onder de versoepeling die op 1 augustus in gaat. Non-immigrant visums vallen onder sectie 9 van de Filipijnse visum code (het gaat hier om visum types 9A t/m 9D, 9F en 9G; houders van een 9E visum mogen wel het land in). Ook vallen speciale visums zoals SVEG, SIRV, SNIV, SEVOBU, SRRV en 47a2 visums niet onder de versoepeling.

Voor reizigers die voor zaken in de Filipijnen moeten zijn of als non-immigrant in de Filipijnen verblijven, is het mogelijk om op basis van uitzondering toegang te krijgen tot de Filipijnen. Deze toegang moet worden aangevraagd via het voor de sector verantwoordelijke departement of overheidsorganisatie. Voor de meeste bedrijven is dit het Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). De aanvraag moet worden ingediend bij DTI, of voor de sector relevante overheidsinstelling, door de werkgever of het uitnodigende Filipijnse bedrijf of organisatie.

De ambassade blijft zich, gezamenlijk met de EU en andere ambassades, inzetten om de toegang tot de Filipijnen weer mogelijk te maken zodat ook houders van andere type visums weer het land in kunnen komen.

Nederlandse Ambassade Manilla
/UnQuote

Translation:

On July 16, the government announced that from August 1, rules for access to the Philippines will be adjusted. From August 1, aside from people with Philippine nationality, their foreign partners and children and holders of a diplomatic visa, others will also be allowed to enter the country with a long-term immigration visa.

This means that holders of an immigration visa can also return to the country. Immigration visas are subject to section 13 of the Philippine Visa Code (and are designated as 13A through 13G). People with a RA7919 and EO324 visa are also seen as immigrants.

Unfortunately, non-immigrant visas are not covered by the easing that will take effect on August 1. Non-immigrant visas are subject to section 9 of the Philippine Visa Code (this concerns visa types 9A to 9D, 9F and 9G; holders of a 9E visa are allowed to enter the country). Also, special visas such as SVEG, SIRV, SNIV, SEVOBU, SRRV and 47a2 visas are not covered by the relaxation.

For travelers who need to be in the Philippines on business or who reside in the Philippines as a non-immigrant, it is possible to access the Philippines on an exceptional basis. This access must be requested through the department or government organization responsible for the sector. For most companies, this is the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The application must be made to DTI, or industry relevant government agency, by the employer or the inviting Philippine company or organization.

The embassy remains committed, together with the EU and other embassies, to restore access to the Philippines so that holders of other visa types can also return to the country.

Dutch Embassy Manila

My take from this:
1. If married to a Filipina: better make sure you have your 13a visa before traveling out of the country. The "1 year balikbayan stamp" probably won't work.
2. SRRV: no
3. Any tourist type visa: no way

 

The evidence you cite for other viruses (such as dengue, Zika, HIV and yellow fever) is based on IN VITRO studies and I assume you know the difference between IN VIVO and IN VITRO.

Furthermore: The drug you promote "has been shown to inhibit the replication of SARS-CoV-2 in cell cultures. [This means IN VITRO]. However, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies suggest that achieving the plasma concentrations necessary for the antiviral efficacy detected in vitro would require administration of doses up to 100-fold higher [this means IN VIVO] than those approved for use in humans."

Even the very well-respected Lancet says this drug "inhibits the replication of SARS-CoV-2 in vitro at concentrations not readily achievable with currently approved doses [this means IN VIVO]. There is limited evidence to support its clinical use in COVID-19 patients".

I hope you understand the significance of in vitro and in vivo and the concern relating to the one hundred fold safe-level usage in vivo. I am sure everyone here, without a single exception, would welcome the use of any SAFE drug to help the world in the fight against Covid-19 and if further (currently ongoing) studies prove it can be used safely in vivo with the desired effect then no-one is going to contradict you. If it proves safe and requires sticking an egg size piece up my rectum then I will accept it - no-one is disputing your desire to find a treatment but the evidence is definitely NOT there yet. When some evidence states a drug is effective (usually by in vitro studies) and other evidence states the dosage required is dangerous in vivo then science has to go with the safety aspect and not the effectiveness (even if it is 100% effective in vitro).

 

You are new here I see this is your 7th post to the forum.
Maybe you could introduce yourself by telling us a bit about yourself, like what's wrong with you.