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Well...that’s a problem. The Oxford University team in charge of developing a coronavirus vaccine said a decline in the infection rate will make it increasingly difficult to prove whether it’s been successful, the Telegraph reported. “It’s a race against the virus disappearing, and against time,” Professor Adrian Hill, director of the university’s Jenner Institute, told the newspaper. “We said earlier in the year that there was an 80% chance of developing an effective vaccine by September. But at the moment, there’s a 50% chance that we get no result at all.” https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-24/oxford-university-vaccine-trials-run-into-hurdle-telegraph

I had a business until about 6 years ago. Before I went full time with it, I set aside 1 year of living expenses. It saved my ass several years later. Many industries don’t have the margins to do that for their entire company though.

I haven’t been hearing much on inflation. Deflation is what everyone is talking about. https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/05/03/coronavirus-us-deflation-falling-prices-new-economic-risk/3070084001/

Yeah, I’ve seen some of that recently. I wouldn’t mind it if masks prevented the wearer from getting it vs keeping someone from spreading it (what it really does). I’m hoping this data makes the rounds and governors and businesses start requiring it. I know, if given the choice, I would much rather wear a mask than have another lock down.

According to recent studies (and what happened in Hong Kong), if everyone wears a mask we can greatly reduce the infection rate. https://www.vox.com/2020/5/18/21262273/coronavirus-hong-kong-masks-deaths-new-york

Look at that man behind her in the photo. She just giving those old guys a reason to live. A national hero.

I’m sure that’s true, but it just started getting warm here in Charlotte about a week ago. It’s been really mild (70’s) since March.

Yay us! https://www.wral.com/coronavirus/covid-19-forecasters-slash-projections-for-nc-death-toll/19106241/ New modeling from a group of researchers at the University of Washington has significantly cut the number of COVID-19 deaths expected in North Carolina through August. Projections from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation now forecast more than 2,500 deaths from the disease through Aug. 4. That's down about 40 percent from the group's projection last week of 4,400 deaths. North Carolina saw one of the largest decreases in the forecast compared to other states. Arizona's forecast, on the other hand, increased by more than 3,000. But they wrote they also expected to see a bigger jump in cases due to rising mobility – a signal that people are social distancing less. "Yet such a surge has yet to materialize, suggesting that increases in human mobility alone may not fully capture risk of transmission," researchers wrote. The group is now trying to figure out how to incorporate other social distancing factors, like mask usage consistent with CDC recommendations, into the model.

States should just do drive in voting. Get your ballot in the mail, fill it out, drive to your polling station, present your ID and voter form through your car window, drive away.

Is it universal in China? I don’t know. I do know Hong Kong is one of the densest cities on earth and they are doing well. They are doing something right.

Interesting data out of Hong Kong. https://www.vox.com/2020/5/18/21262273/coronavirus-hong-kong-masks-deaths-new-york Universal masking at 80 [percent] adoption flattens the curve significantly more than maintaining a strict lockdown," researchers wrote in the study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, as of last week.

Buddy, calm down. The thing I read was from one of the big UK papers. They were quoting an official from the WHO. I know the WHO has been full of poo on some things, but I just thought it was interesting. They said many of these kids were testing negative for Covid. I can’t find the link, but I’ll keep searching. Also, I haven’t voted for a republican in 20 years.

Actually, now docs don’t believe that issue is caused by Covid. I’ll find the link, but basically they found that a number of kids with this disorder tested negative for Covid and Covid antibodies. They think this is the same autoimmune disorder (not Kawasaki) that has been around a long time and routinely impacts a small percentage of kids every year. If you’re wondering why the news isn’t reporting on this anymore, this is why.

I was called delusional yesterday for basically saying this same thing. We can keep these types of practices in place while also opening a lot of businesses. Yes, bars and restaurants are screwed, but we can let other people get back to work.

Ok? Keeping things shut down helps millions of people but also hurts millions of people. There is no perfect solution.

You don’t. There is no win win. Life is not always easy or fair. Keeping things shut down to help one person seriously hurts another.

Things will suck for many, but I’m not convinced of depression 2.0 yet. I was out today, and it’s clear many are starting to be ok with the risk. Stores have good protections in place, people are keeping their distance from each other, etc. By this fall, this will be normal for most. Yep, a ton of restaurants and other businesses will close. This is a big time recession. Unemployment will continue to be bad, but wage deflation (as bad as that sucks) will create employment opportunities in other areas. The “economy” is just human behavior. Let’s see how people deal with this in the long term.

There will be a second wave, but the political pressure to not close everything again during the most important shopping season of the year will be substantial. Office workers will continue working from home through the fall which will have a significant impact. Stores and restaurants will continue to operate with caution but I don’t think things will close again. This will save us from the worst of the economic fall out. I was talking to a friend today. He’s an executive at a huge global consulting firm. They predict 60% of office workers will work from home permanently. Even after covid is gone. Commercial real estate and all the small businesses that are supported by workers going out for breakfast and lunch are going to be destroyed. New types of businesses will emerge though.

True, but the US population has doubled since then. I’m sure Covid is worse if for no other reason than we have more elderly, obese and denser cities.

We’re soft and the media is always looking for ways to scare people.

Really sorry to hear that man. I don’t understand why t-mobile couldn’t keep people on. It’s not like people are cancelling their cell phone plans in mass.

Very true. In this case though, I think it makes more sense to put that money in unemployment than to just send checks to everyone. The money will go farther.

In what world is covering more skin a good thing?...lol

Agreed. Those who say “it’s just economics” or “it’s just money” are most likely not feeling any pain themselves. I’ll be ok. I have unemployment, a side business, significant savings, and the ability to make ends meet other ways. At least for a while. A ton of people are not in that position. They will lose their homes, cars, not be able to go to college, etc. Many will burn through all of their savings and retirement which will have a life long impact on their quality of life. Those who can afford to stay at home for long periods of time without a care need to check their privilege before looking down on others.