Cyprus-Forum.com

[erolz66]

As for surveillance here where I am have yet to see a modern tech form that comes close to the millennia old 'village gossip network' for effectiveness

[Londonrake]

As for surveillance here where I am have yet to see a modern tech form that comes close to the millennia old 'village gossip network' for effectiveness

Normally we have a middle aged Cypriot spinster lady from the village come here to cut our hair regularly. She seems to know absolutely everything about what’s been going on or coming up. Ask how a particular person’s getting on and you invariably get the Full Monty. There’s nothing the likes of the CIA/FSB could teach her about intelligence gathering.

[CrookedRiverGuy]

An eye on other islands:

Faeroe Islands reports zero active cases. It took them 7 weeks to drop from their summit to get to where they are now. At the most they had 112 active cases March 22 (with only 50000 inhabitants that number should compare to 2000 'Cyprus cases'). However, Cyprus never reached more than one third (692 cases on April 24th)

Iceland on the other had 1096 active cases on April 6th. Yesterday, less than 5 weeks later, they are down to 18 infections. Iceland's population is approximately one third of Cyprus.

Could we hope to get rid of this ugliness by mid-June?

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[erolz66]

Could we hope to get rid of this ugliness by mid-June?

I certainly think it is worth trying, given the situation specific to Cyprus, vs just giving up and waiting for a 'herd immunity' that we do know even know exists yet. Certainly over here it looks like we may have manged to remove the virus from population. Of course as 'good' as that is the next pressure between virus control and 'economy' will be if when and how we open up to travel to and from this (hopefully) virus free 'bubble'. Hopefully we can create a single virus free bubble island wide.

[cyprusgrump]

An interesting article I've just read in The Lancet...

The invisible pandemic

A sample...

These facts have led me to the following conclusions. Everyone will be exposed to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, and most people will become infected. COVID-19 is spreading like wildfire in all countries, but we do not see it—it almost always spreads from younger people with no or weak symptoms to other people who will also have mild symptoms. This is the real pandemic, but it goes on beneath the surface, and is probably at its peak now in many European countries. There is very little we can do to prevent this spread: a lockdown might delay severe cases for a while, but once restrictions are eased, cases will reappear. I expect that when we count the number of deaths from COVID-19 in each country in 1 year from now, the figures will be similar, regardless of measures taken.

[erolz66]

An interesting article I've just read in The Lancet...

The invisible pandemic

A sample...

These facts have led me to the following conclusions. Everyone will be exposed to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, and most people will become infected. COVID-19 is spreading like wildfire in all countries, but we do not see it—it almost always spreads from younger people with no or weak symptoms to other people who will also have mild symptoms. This is the real pandemic, but it goes on beneath the surface, and is probably at its peak now in many European countries. There is very little we can do to prevent this spread: a lockdown might delay severe cases for a while, but once restrictions are eased, cases will reappear. I expect that when we count the number of deaths from COVID-19 in each country in 1 year from now, the figures will be similar, regardless of measures taken.

I think this is also highly likely the case, but I still see reason to try and delay in the initial phase. Such has given Cyprus options that I do not think it would have without the efforts to slow infection. I also think it is pretty obvious that delay will save some lives even given the above quote. We are learning all the time how to better treat covid-19 and better protect those giving treatment. Discovering better methods, like non invasive breathing assistance early rather than invasive and damaging assistance later. We are discovering which existing drugs do work and do not work in terms of treatment and other things besides. So whilst I tend to agree with the over all assessment in the quote above I am not convinced that it is definite that delay now will not save lives over all. In the case of Cyprus I think this is more true and in the case of part of Cyprus I am in more true again.

[Kikapu]

An interesting article I've just read in The Lancet...

The invisible pandemic

A sample...

These facts have led me to the following conclusions. Everyone will be exposed to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, and most people will become infected. COVID-19 is spreading like wildfire in all countries, but we do not see it—it almost always spreads from younger people with no or weak symptoms to other people who will also have mild symptoms. This is the real pandemic, but it goes on beneath the surface, and is probably at its peak now in many European countries. There is very little we can do to prevent this spread: a lockdown might delay severe cases for a while, but once restrictions are eased, cases will reappear. I expect that when we count the number of deaths from COVID-19 in each country in 1 year from now, the figures will be similar, regardless of measures taken.

That may all be true and I expect it to be mostly true, so the question is, who wants to volunteer to die now without a lockdown or die later with a lockdown?

I believe that human beings always try to survive as long as possible even if it's futile in the end, but they do not walk into death all singing Kumbaya!

[Paphitis]

Interesting interview from Sweden's former Chief epidemiologist and current advisor Johan Giesecke.

He seems to think countries that have strict isolation have not got it wrong but have painted themselves into a corner and it will be interesting to see how they extract themselves from their entrapment. He believes Chy-na Virus is here to say.

As for Australia and NZ which have done very well, he acknowledged they can even nearly eliminate Chy-na Virus but what happens after that he asks. Will Australia and NZ keep their borders closed for 30 years? So the insinuation here is that Chy-na Virus could be very protracted.

he seems to think Herd Immunity is the only way to go. He also say's that about 99% of people will get it. The reason is that most carriers won't even know they have it and will spread it. That means most cases will have no symptoms at all, or very mild symptoms that they will go under the radar.

[Get Real!]

An interesting article I've just read in The Lancet...

The invisible pandemic

A sample...

These facts have led me to the following conclusions. Everyone will be exposed to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, and most people will become infected. COVID-19 is spreading like wildfire in all countries, but we do not see it—it almost always spreads from younger people with no or weak symptoms to other people who will also have mild symptoms. This is the real pandemic, but it goes on beneath the surface, and is probably at its peak now in many European countries. There is very little we can do to prevent this spread: a lockdown might delay severe cases for a while, but once restrictions are eased, cases will reappear. I expect that when we count the number of deaths from COVID-19 in each country in 1 year from now, the figures will be similar, regardless of measures taken.

I for one couldn’t care less how many articles or videos are out there downplaying the virus, because at the end of the day it’s a Russian roulette I’d rather not be playing!

The virus has the potential to kill or trash your lungs and that’s all I need to know!

Today I made this lady upset; one of my wife’s colleagues rung to have her laptop issues sorted, and when I said that I’ll fix it but we’ll have to abide by social distancing rules when she comes, she responded with a...

“Oh that’s all bullshit… I’ve seen all these videos on Youtube..”

...and I said to her, well if that’s gonna be your attitude then I’d rather you take your business elsewhere!

[Kikapu]

Too much praise is given to the Swedes for not having the lockdown, but by and large, they are practicing the 2m rules and their economy is not much better than others since they are part of the global trade. On top of that, they have more cases and deaths than their neighbour countries who does have lockdowns. Swedes by nature are distant people with themselves than most neighbouring countries from no handshakes to kisses on the cheeks when greeting each other. The Swiss kiss the cheeks 3 times, which is one more than most.

As an American, the USA is the last place I would want to be at the moment as long as the coronavirus is loose. I feel very safe in Switzerland as people are very practical and responsible. I cancelled a dinner party at my place with home cooking by me for 20 people two weeks ago for today, which was planned back in February. It was well accepted by everyone as being the right thing to do. Normally I would be cleaning up at this time, but instead, I’m here with you.

What about the local economy Kikapu? All the small businesses that will tread water as opposed to go under?

Their statistics are not dire in Sweden, and much better than many countries with a full lock down. You mention Switzerland which has 3500 cases per million of population compared to Sweden which has 2500 cases per million.

Switzerland isn't far behind the USA with 4000 cases per million. So Switzerland isn't that different to the USA. So how safe do you really feel when the statistics are like this? I ask because most of the USA isn't that bad when you take New York out of the equation.

However, that isn't what I am getting at. I am talking about civil liberties here. The USA seems to be one of a select few countries that is trying to safeguard these freedoms more than most. That is something to look up to. That's because the day will come when we have to either live with Chy-na Virus like we live with cancer, flu, Asthma, allergies, and mental illness or they will actually find a vaccine for it and eliminate it from the map altogether. One of these things will occur.

But life, either way will still need to continue even if we do not eliminate Chy-na Virus. So what kind of world do we want if that is is going to happen? Do we continue to impose these restrictions indefinitely? I certainly hope not!

And why the over reaction when there are more people dieing from road accidents, suicide, and other infectious diseases?

No one wants to destroy small businesses or the larger ones. Without survival of the population from this virus, there won't be many businesses left to talk about. How many businesses were destroyed along with lives during times of wars? No one wants the virus to dictate their lives, but certain necessary measures needs to be taken to make sure most of us come out of this so that we can re-build the economy. This isn't the first time such challenges that has faced us in the history of mankind.

Switzerland is in the center of Europe which has a great economy and employs thousands of day workers who travel in from neighbouring countries. Most of the cases began from those coming in to work before closing down the borders and then locking down the country itself, but nowhere to the severity of Cyprus lockdown. In the beginning we had sky high cases per million, but that has been greatly reduced due to the lockdown and the 2m Social Distancing. Our cases and deaths now are in the low double digits and getting lower each day.

As stated before, easing the lockdowns are now happening, but it is not getting back to normality as long as the 2m SD is in effect. In many cases, the 2m SD will also destroy many parts of the economy. We can't get away from that, because now most people believe that they need to help themselves by practicing 2m SD.