Flatten it straight up into the stratosphere :doomjak: |

Edit: after doing some cursory checking, this is equivalent to the surge that india experienced a while back, except its actually 3x worse since we have 3x fewer people

so that's cool. It's twice as bad in the UK as it is in the US, too

  • bottomfeeder [none/use name]
    ·
    3 years ago

    We're so far beyond COVID-zero that Queensland's Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said it baldly this week: infection with COVID-19 was required for the pandemic to evolve to be endemic — a constant presence in our lives.

    "Not only is the spread of this virus inevitable, it is necessary," he said on Thursday. "In order for us to go from the pandemic phase to an endemic phase, the virus has to be widespread."

    "If you don't fulfil this definition of a close contact then there is no need for you to be in that line," Mr Morrison said.
    "You should go home. Go to the beach, go and do what you want to do. Read a book in the park."

    :this-is-fine:

    • PlantsRstillCool [des/pair]
      ·
      3 years ago

      I keep seeing people casually talk about COVID becoming endemic as if that means COVID being over. Lmao no that just means we failed and have given up trying to do anything about it.

      Now that i think about it, i guess for healthy young people that is basically COVID being over. Sad they can't see beyond themselves

      • bottomfeeder [none/use name]
        ·
        3 years ago

        casually

        it's been the national agenda since forever. We're kicking the can down the road and we're running out of road

      • sooper_dooper_roofer [none/use name]
        ·
        3 years ago

        Now that i think about it, i guess for healthy young people that is basically COVID being over

        Not really because long haulers exist and reinfections cause cumulative damage lul

      • Ecoleo [he/him]
        ·
        3 years ago

        Covid isn't over for me as long as it can still kill my loved ones who are older, and give myself and others long term effects.

        But given less and less people care, there's less and less I can do to limit mine and their exposure. So it may be over soon whether we want it or not. Failed states; the whole West.

      • sooper_dooper_roofer [none/use name]
        ·
        3 years ago

        If it was a normal virus, then becoming endemic might be good

        But since it's a Ft. Detrick bioweapon, there's no reason to think that "it'll become less virulent so it doesn't kill its host" lul

        • ClimateChangeAnxiety [he/him, they/them]
          ·
          3 years ago

          I know you’re just doing a bit, but I’ve genuinely seen people say this and I’m always like, you do know the flu kills thousands every year right? And the fact that flu is endemic in animal populations is why we can’t fucking get rid of it.

          • bottomfeeder [none/use name]
            ·
            3 years ago

            Hundreds of thou. Anywhere from 2~700k depending on who you ask I think.

            Feeling pretty scared tbh

    • TheModerateTankie [any]
      ·
      3 years ago

      It's over guys, there's no way it's going to evolve to be more deadly, like it's already done several times. Letting the virus spread without taking measures to stop it hasn't worked to prevent devastating covid waves anywhere it's been tried, but this time is different.