Author Topic: Societal Impact of COVID-19  (Read 15896 times)

Offline Gnurglan

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #40 on: May 1, 2020, 05:18:29 pm »
I guess we can all agree that the world will be a very different place following the devastating effects of Covid-19, changes will be forced upon us, for better or worse. One of the things I often think about is the societal impact of Covid-19 and the changes we are most likely to see in the short, medium and longer term.

As a starter, here are some of mine...

Economy will take a huge hit, small businesses, charities, high street retail to close

Mass unemployment and years of austerity to follow

Rise in births, deaths (including suicides and mental health) and dissolution of marriages

Changes in working environment

Rise in vaccination take up

Less reliance on China for supply of goods

More funding for NHS and infrastructure

Change in peoples behaviour, more concern regarding health and hygiene

Change in political landscape

Reliance on the EU, delay in Brexit

As its a football forum, transfer fees, television rights, wages to drop

I agree the economy will take a hit. Mass unemployment is likely. From that some nasty things can emerge.

Less reliance on China is likely, but it will take a while to get jobs back. When those jobs are back we can expect prices to go up.

More funding for NHS and infrastructure... I'm not sure. We are likely to see more money go into healthcare, but with the economy taking a hit tax revenue will decrease. We can expect taxes to go up. With everyone heavily in debt I'm less convinced about infrastructure investment.

Reliance on the EU - no. I believe it's the opposite. Unfortunately, I can see this virus as the thing that breaks EU as we know it. EU have huge problems. Right now I believe more countries will seek to leave. It comes back to debt and mass unemployment. Someone has to pay for everything. As tempting as it may seem, it's simply not possible that Germany, Netherlands and perhaps two-tree more countries can pay for the rest. If we take France or Italy for example, they have some of the largest gold reserves in the world. They'll be asked to use it to pay their share. I don't see that as a good platform for countries working together. We saw during this crisis how everyone closed their borders and even 'stole' equipment destined for other countries. I see more nationalism, not more of working together as the more probable way forward. I don't like where that leads, but with mass unemployment that's where we're heading.

Football - wow. I think we'll see some strange things going forward. With companies struggeling we can expect sponsor money to decrease and that should be passed on to wages. Downsizing of everything. Except perhaps attendance. When this is over, I think a lot of people will take even more pleasure in going to the games. Sure, it could be that people get afraid and stay away too. At least to begin with. But I've found myself in real need for something good to watch. I have to watch new stuff, things I haven't seen before. That's what makes sports so great.


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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #41 on: May 1, 2020, 05:28:47 pm »
I agree the economy will take a hit. Mass unemployment is likely. From that some nasty things can emerge.

Less reliance on China is likely, but it will take a while to get jobs back. When those jobs are back we can expect prices to go up.

More funding for NHS and infrastructure... I'm not sure. We are likely to see more money go into healthcare, but with the economy taking a hit tax revenue will decrease. We can expect taxes to go up. With everyone heavily in debt I'm less convinced about infrastructure investment.

Reliance on the EU - no. I believe it's the opposite. Unfortunately, I can see this virus as the thing that breaks EU as we know it. EU have huge problems. Right now I believe more countries will seek to leave. It comes back to debt and mass unemployment. Someone has to pay for everything. As tempting as it may seem, it's simply not possible that Germany, Netherlands and perhaps two-tree more countries can pay for the rest. If we take France or Italy for example, they have some of the largest gold reserves in the world. They'll be asked to use it to pay their share. I don't see that as a good platform for countries working together. We saw during this crisis how everyone closed their borders and even 'stole' equipment destined for other countries. I see more nationalism, not more of working together as the more probable way forward. I don't like where that leads, but with mass unemployment that's where we're heading.

Football - wow. I think we'll see some strange things going forward. With companies struggeling we can expect sponsor money to decrease and that should be passed on to wages. Downsizing of everything. Except perhaps attendance. When this is over, I think a lot of people will take even more pleasure in going to the games. Sure, it could be that people get afraid and stay away too. At least to begin with. But I've found myself in real need for something good to watch. I have to watch new stuff, things I haven't seen before. That's what makes sports so great.



The problem with your football prediction is the same with leisure, arts and all sorts of things we do for pleasure such as bars, pubs and restaurants. Without a functioning economy  people not have the money for all this.

Also, with social distancing, how many businesses like restaurants will be viable any more. The dystopian nature of distancing will make eating out seem bizarre and you add in the fact that social media will allow fake news and fears to spread like wild fire means that all these things may vastly reduce.

I think that eating out, cinema and theatres will reduce vastly, especially cinema and theatres with technology replacing current venues.

Offline AndyInVA

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #42 on: May 1, 2020, 06:10:45 pm »
Also, with social distancing, how many businesses like restaurants will be viable any more. The dystopian nature of distancing will make eating out seem bizarre and you add in the fact that social media will allow fake news and fears to spread like wild fire means that all these things may vastly reduce.

where I live all the restaurants and meeting places of any nature are closed. however the restaurants are all doing a good trade in pick up or delivery service. it all seems odd to me that all these food kitchens must have people handling food and in theory some must potentially be asymptomatic. However no one seems to care.

I can see whenever restaurants open and again and maybe with some distancing involved, i just don't see people will care and will happily go along

Offline Jiminy Cricket

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #43 on: May 1, 2020, 07:21:39 pm »
Well, the lockdown has meant that I managed to persuade my bored parents to watch Breaking Bad. I think they started watching about 10 days ago - they are now at episode 32! ;D Totally hooked. It is normally an impossible task to get my dad watch a whole movie (unless it stars John Wayne). So, expanded horizons for at least two people. :)

Now, I'll have to come up with some other Netflix series for them. I am open to suggestions. ;)
Silly update - I know. Just talked with my locked-down parents. Six days on, and they have watched the final 30 episodes! They loved it.

El Camino and Better Call Saul, now, I guess. I've not even manged to get around to watching them.

I wonder what I'll manage to get them to watch by the end of this. ;D
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Offline Gnurglan

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #44 on: May 1, 2020, 07:49:11 pm »
The problem with your football prediction is the same with leisure, arts and all sorts of things we do for pleasure such as bars, pubs and restaurants. Without a functioning economy  people not have the money for all this.

Also, with social distancing, how many businesses like restaurants will be viable any more. The dystopian nature of distancing will make eating out seem bizarre and you add in the fact that social media will allow fake news and fears to spread like wild fire means that all these things may vastly reduce.

I think that eating out, cinema and theatres will reduce vastly, especially cinema and theatres with technology replacing current venues.

Sure, many businesses will be hurt. Plenty of restaurants will go under and initially fear will keep people away from football as well.

Looking half a year ahead, I reckon football could see lower ticket prices. Partly to get people to the game and partly necause people are likely to have less money. Maybe I'm too optimistic and people will prefer to watch games from home. I hope not. The case for going to the game would be people have missed it. I will certainly go to the games I normally would try and attend.

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Offline Buggy Eyes Alfredo

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #45 on: May 5, 2020, 11:52:19 pm »

Pakistan's virus-idled workers hired to plant trees

Officials say move will create more than 60,000 jobs as gov't aims to help those who lost jobs due to COVID-19 lockdown.


When construction worker Abdul Rahman lost his job to Pakistan's coronavirus lockdown, his choices looked stark - resort to begging on the streets or let his family go hungry.

But the government has now given him a better option: Join tens of thousands of other out-of-work labourers in planting billions of trees across the country to deal with climate change threats.

Since Pakistan locked down on March 23 to try to stem the spread of COVID-19, unemployed day labourers have been given new jobs as "jungle workers", planting saplings as part of the country's 10 Billion Tree Tsunami programme.

Such "green stimulus" efforts are an example of how funds that aim to help families and keep the economy running during pandemic shutdowns could also help nations prepare for the next big threat: climate change.

"Due to coronavirus, all the cities have shut down and there is no work. Most of us daily wagers couldn't earn a living," Rahman, a resident of Rawalpindi district in Punjab province, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

He now makes 500 rupees ($3) a day planting trees - about half of what he might have made on a good day, but enough to get by.

"All of us now have a way of earning daily wages again to feed our families," he said.

The ambitious five-year tree-planting programme, which Prime Minister Imran Khan launched in 2018, aims to counter rising temperatures, flooding, droughts and other extreme weather conditions in the country that scientists link to climate change.

Big risks
The Global Climate Risk Index 2020, issued by think-tank Germanwatch, ranked Pakistan fifth on a list of countries most affected by planetary heating over the last 20 years - even though the South Asian nation contributes only a fraction of global greenhouse gases.

As the coronavirus pandemic struck Pakistan, the 10 Billion Trees campaign was initially halted as part of social distancing orders put in place to slow the spread of the virus, which has infected more than 14,880 people in Pakistan, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

But earlier this month, the prime minister granted an exemption to allow the forestry agency to restart the programme and create more than 63,600 jobs, according to government officials.

A recent assessment by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics found that, due to the lockdown, up to 19 million people could be laid off, almost 70 perfect of them in the Punjab province.

Abdul Muqeet Khan, chief conservator of forests for Rawalpindi district, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation that the planting project is in "full swing".

Much of the work is happening on 15,000 acres (6,000 hectares) of land near the capital Islamabad, he said, as well as on other tracts of state-owned forest land around the country.

This year, the programme is employing triple the number of workers it did in its first year, said Malik Amin Aslam, climate change adviser to the prime minister.

Many of the new jobs are being created in rural areas, he said, with a focus on hiring women and unemployed daily workers - mainly young people - who were migrating home from locked-down cities.

The work, which pays between 500-800 rupees ($3-5) a day, includes setting up nurseries, planting saplings, and serving as forest protection guards or forest firefighters, he said.

All the workers have been told to wear masks and maintain the mandated two metres (six feet) of social distance between them, he added.

"This tragic crisis provided an opportunity and we grabbed it," Aslam told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a phone interview.

"Nurturing nature has come to the economic rescue of thousands of people."

Extended help
According to Germanwatch, Pakistan reported more than 150 extreme weather events between 1999 and 2018 - from floods to heatwaves - with total losses of $3.8bn.

Environmentalists have long pushed reforestation as a way to help, saying forests help prevent flooding, stabilise rainfall, provide cool spaces, absorb heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions and protect biodiversity.

According to green group WWF, Pakistan is a "forest poor" country where trees cover less than 6 percent of the total area.

With 7.5 billion rupees ($46m) in funding, the 10 Billion Trees project aims to scale up the success of an earlier Billion Tree Tsunami in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where the government has been planting trees since 2014.

About 30 million Indigenous saplings have been planted in Punjab since the start of the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami - including mulberry, acacia and moringa - said Shahid Rashid Awan, project director for Punjab province.

This year, the project hopes to hit 50 million trees, he said.

Planting season usually ends in May, Awan noted, but programme organisers plan to extend the initiative to the end of June, to keep workers employed for longer.

"We can absorb all the unemployed labourers and workers who have fled the cities and returned to their villages in the past few weeks. This is unskilled work," he said.

Recovering with dignity
Rab Nawaz, of WWF-Pakistan, said the government's move is "a very good idea to create green jobs and get people employed".

But he cautioned that planting trees is just one tool in the fight against climate change, saying there also needed to be an investment in improving the ability of farmers and city dwellers to adapt to the effects of a hotter planet.

"The government should be very selective on how it spends money, and focus on resilience," he urged.

For Aslam, the green jobs initiative is a way to help Pakistan's workers recover from the coronavirus crisis "with dignity and avoiding handouts".

"This has taught us the valuable lesson that when you invest in nature it not only pays you back, but also rescues you in a stressed economic situation," he said.


https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/04/pakistan-virus-idled-workers-hired-plant-trees-200429070109237.html

Offline Igor Biscuit please?

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #46 on: May 6, 2020, 06:43:54 pm »
Forgive me if I have put this in the wrong thread, but really need a favour.
The aviation industry in the UK is in big trouble and we desperately need this discussed in Parliament so have a petition for this to happen.
It is moving at a snails pace, I’ve sent it to everyone I know but we still need 13 odd thousand votes to get to 100,000.

My company have taken advantage of the furlough scheme and ripped up our contracts and offered to take us back on salaries of less than 60% if what we were earning. Those who refuse will only be entitled to statutory compulsory redundancy which is the government minimum.

If anyone is able, I would real appreciate your help to push this over the line. The tricky bit is to go into your junk mail and confirming your vote, it doesn’t register as a vote without doing this.
Thank you mods for allowing this petition. Please share or move my post to the appropriate one, if it has been placed in the wrong place.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/303081

Offline an tha

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #47 on: May 6, 2020, 06:52:36 pm »
Our childrens development and education are very near to the top of my list of concerns.

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #48 on: May 6, 2020, 06:55:25 pm »
Climate change: Could the coronavirus crisis spur a green recovery?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-52488134

Good article.



Encouraging numbers on the graph, however climate change is not as serious as coronavirus, it's a hell of a lot more serious.
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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #49 on: May 7, 2020, 12:12:08 am »
Silly update - I know. Just talked with my locked-down parents. Six days on, and they have watched the final 30 episodes! They loved it.

El Camino and Better Call Saul, now, I guess. I've not even manged to get around to watching them.

I wonder what I'll manage to get them to watch by the end of this. ;D

I’ve watched far more TV than I usually do - particularly when I’m usually fishing in May.

But I’m reminding myself, watching old re-runs of Who wants to be a millionaire, just how much I hated the notion, when the contestant uses 50/50, that what was left was “the correct answer and one random wrong answer”. Random my ass.

I know- that’s random!
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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #50 on: May 7, 2020, 06:10:06 am »
Silly update - I know. Just talked with my locked-down parents. Six days on, and they have watched the final 30 episodes! They loved it.

El Camino and Better Call Saul, now, I guess. I've not even manged to get around to watching them.

I wonder what I'll manage to get them to watch by the end of this. ;D
I’ve got good news for you. I found Better call Saul is really good. Much better than I expected. I wasn’t sure that his character in Breaking Bad could hold a spin off, but it’s really great with interesting characters and storylines and even some nice references back to Breaking Bad. I’ve watched the lot during lockdown.

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #51 on: May 7, 2020, 09:34:37 am »
Ive got a idea, how about all the countries of Europe forming some sort of Union, they all agree to put tariffs on countries like China etc to protect the living standards of the countries belonging to this Union.

That's a great idea mate. Someone should look into that.

If such a thing was created then you'd have to be an idiot not to be part of such a plan. It would put you at a massive disadvantage across the world if you weren't a member.
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Offline fowlermagic

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #52 on: May 7, 2020, 10:41:14 am »
In some ways we have a clean (er) slate to work from and while its a right old kick in the nads it is also an opportunity to get back on a better track somewhat. Hopefully we can improve on life as a whole but as someone said the world revolves around on greed & we have become lazier and lazier with every generation. The corporate world is dying for us to get back to spending the money we barely have as their shareholders are crying out for their dividends.  Perhaps I am harsh about saying we are lazier but in a generation or two we now would not dream of washing a nappy.  If I can bin my plates into a machine instead of hand washing the dishes feck yeah...it all leads to each generation just getting that bit softer and the first thing some folks did in some areas was rush out to their McNasty's once they reopen up again. Obesity levels will continue to rise, we will become more depended on credit cards to get us out of this hole and that clean slate where we could have worked from home more, get a handle on the environment issues etc suddenly lose focus as our chief concern may be just survival as everyone is hurting. Our pockets are not so deep which you can see in the drop off in charity donations.

There is too many pricks in charge to let us change our ways as why would they want us to stay at home more? Less money spent on cars, petrol, lunches at the local shopping center where you might buy a tshirt, pants, phone or whatever on your 30 min break. Someone mentioned we are going back to the work lines without the proper care and attention by our leaders who sit at home getting full pay, who would not dream of sharing a desk. The 2m safe distant rule will become 1m  & eventually will be 'ignored' in certain industries as the world does rotate around greed.
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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #53 on: May 7, 2020, 10:44:16 am »

Sad, but probably true.

It will be a massive shame if society misses the chance to enact massive positive change.

Back to normal would be a huge mistake.
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Offline jambutty

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #54 on: May 7, 2020, 12:57:46 pm »
If direct sunlight kills the virus, open air cafes and restaurants should open safely, no?
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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #55 on: May 7, 2020, 01:08:16 pm »
What about stadiums without roofs? All outdoor amenities could open if that was the case?
So bloody what? If you watch football to be absolutely miserable then go watch cricket.

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #56 on: May 7, 2020, 01:39:23 pm »
Nudist beaches shouldn't just be open, they should be encouraged.

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #57 on: May 7, 2020, 01:49:46 pm »
If direct sunlight kills the virus, open air cafes and restaurants should open safely, no?

No need for any restrictions, they can just inject bleach into every meal and drink.

Offline jambutty

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #58 on: May 7, 2020, 02:39:17 pm »
No need for any restrictions, they can just inject bleach into every meal and drink.

Dead clever dat.
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Offline Machae

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #59 on: May 7, 2020, 03:28:50 pm »
I assume this is just for the UK. Would be interesting to see how this correlates with these BaME groups in other countries

Coronavirus: Black Britons face 'twice the risk' of death, says ONS

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52574931

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #60 on: May 7, 2020, 03:36:55 pm »
Nudist beaches shouldn't just be open, they should be encouraged.

You've obviously never been to a nudist beach.  :o

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #61 on: May 7, 2020, 03:37:49 pm »
You've obviously never been to a nudist beach.  :o

Full of fat elderly people at a guess
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Offline Bend It Like Aurelio

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #62 on: May 7, 2020, 03:39:24 pm »
Full of fat elderly people at a guess

I would like to delete that memory please.

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #63 on: May 7, 2020, 04:16:52 pm »
You've obviously never been to a nudist beach.  :o

I have.... unfortunately. (Was just passing through, clothed).

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #64 on: May 8, 2020, 05:49:11 am »
In the future maybe we can have better care homes, with staff that are paid a fair wage.



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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #65 on: May 8, 2020, 10:05:13 am »
We. Are. Doomed

(well, the Yanks are!)


Offline Jiminy Cricket

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #66 on: May 9, 2020, 03:03:11 pm »
I’ve watched far more TV than I usually do - particularly when I’m usually fishing in May.

But I’m reminding myself, watching old re-runs of Who wants to be a millionaire, just how much I hated the notion, when the contestant uses 50/50, that what was left was “the correct answer and one random wrong answer”. Random my ass.

I know- that’s random!
I wonder if people will adjust and become used to not going out to the pub and get hammered, no foreign holidays, cutting their own hair, watch more telly, etc.? Obviously, some people seem to expect everything - they might end up being very disappointed. :)
I’ve got good news for you. I found Better call Saul is really good. Much better than I expected. I wasn’t sure that his character in Breaking Bad could hold a spin off, but it’s really great with interesting characters and storylines and even some nice references back to Breaking Bad. I’ve watched the lot during lockdown.
Well, I've not talked with parents since I made that post. They are probably half way through the whole series by now. :) I'll have to give Better Call Saul a watch. Thanks for the recommendation.
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Offline jambutty

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #67 on: May 10, 2020, 02:14:07 pm »
AFP
Tests show UVC lamps could light the way in virus fight
8 hrs ago


Could a new type of ultraviolet lamp be used in stations, airplanes and schools to kill dangerous viruses, becoming a gamechanger in the COVID-19 fight?

Researchers at Columbia University have been working on such uses for years, and the current pandemic could confirm the value of their efforts.

UVC lamps have long been used to kill bacteria, viruses and molds, notably in hospitals and in the food-processing industry. As the coronavirus pandemic knocks world economies on their heels, this technology is experiencing a boom.

a man wearing a suit and tie: David Brenner, director of the Center for Radiological Research at Columbia University in New York, is seen in an undated photo provided by the university's medical center© - David Brenner, director of the Center for Radiological Research at Columbia University in New York, is seen in an undated photo provided by the university's medical center
But UVC (for Ultraviolet-C) rays are dangerous, causing skin cancer and eye problems, and can be used only when no one is present.

The New York subway system, following the example of Chinese subways, plans to use ultraviolet lamps to disinfect its trains, but only during nighttime closures.

A team at Columbia's Center for Radiological Research is experimenting with so-called far-UVC, rays whose wavelength of 222 nanometers makes them safe for humans but still lethal to viruses, the center's director, David Brenner, told AFP.

At those frequencies, he explained, the rays cannot penetrate the surface of the skin nor of the eye.

That means they could be used in closed and crowded spaces where contamination risks run high, with potentially huge promise for use during the current pandemic.

In late April, President Donald Trump offered confusing remarks about somehow projecting ultraviolet rays into people's bodies to kill the coronavirus.

He appeared to be inspired by federal research on the effects of natural light on the virus -- but natural light has no UVC rays.

In 2013, the Columbia team began studying the effectiveness of far-UVC against drug-resistant bacteria. It next examined the rays' use against viruses, including the flu virus. Only recently did it turn its attention to the coronavirus.

"We were thinking, how can we apply what we are doing to the current situation," Brenner said.

But to test the impact of UVC on the extremely contagious coronavirus, the team had to move its equipment into a highly bio-secure laboratory at Columbia.

Experiments carried out starting "three-four weeks ago," Brenner said, have already made clear that UVC rays destroy the virus on surfaces within minutes.

The team next plans to test the lamps on viruses suspended in the air, as when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

In parallel, tests are being conducted to confirm that these rays are harmless to humans.

For 40 weeks now, the lab has exposed mice to far-UVC rays for "eight hours a day, five days a week, at intensities 20 times higher than we might think of using with humans."

The results?

After testing the rodents' eyes and skin, "we have found absolutely nothing; the mice are very happy -- and very cute as well," Brenner said.

The experiment is set to continue for 20 more weeks.

The findings cannot be fully validated by the scientific community until all remaining steps have been taken, even if the team has already submitted its preliminary results to the journal Nature.

- 'The world has changed' -

But the pressure to reopen the world's economies has become so enormous that factories are accelerating their production of ultraviolet lamps without waiting.

"We really need something in situations like offices, restaurants, airplanes, hospitals," Brenner said.

If UVC lamps have already been in commercial use for two or three years -- notably in the diamond industry, where they can be used to distinguish artificial from real gems -- potential clients are now legion, say companies producing them.

"We felt for a long time this is a great application for this technology," said John Yerger, the CEO of Eden Park Illumination, a small producer based in Champaign, Illinois.

But with the pandemic, "the world has changed a lot in the last three months," he added.

And the US Food and Drug Administration has relaxed its regulation of tools or agents that can be used for disinfection, encouraging manufacturers to find a solution.

"There will be thousands and thousands of these things (UVC lamps) for sure," Yerger said. "The question is, will it be millions?"

"What we are seeing is a tremendous amount of customer interest" to produce lamps for airlines, cruise ships, restaurants, movie theaters and schools, said Shinji Kameda, chief operations officer in the US for Ushio, a Japanese manufacturer.

Production of its 222-nanometer lamps, sold for $500 to $800 and already used in some Japanese hospitals, will be stepped up in October, he said.

In the meantime, Brenner said he has been losing sleep.

"I spend nights thinking -- if this far-UVC project had started one or two years earlier, maybe we could have prevented the COVID-19 crisis," he said.

"Not completely, but maybe we could have prevented it being a pandemic."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/health-news/tests-show-uvc-lamps-could-light-the-way-in-virus-fight/ar-BB13QOpt?ocid=msedgntp
Kill the humourless

Offline Black Bull Nova

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #68 on: May 12, 2020, 12:51:54 am »
I’ve got good news for you. I found Better call Saul is really good. Much better than I expected. I wasn’t sure that his character in Breaking Bad could hold a spin off, but it’s really great with interesting characters and storylines and even some nice references back to Breaking Bad. I’ve watched the lot during lockdown.

and the 2020 series is the best so far
aarf, aarf, aarf.

Offline Machae

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #69 on: May 12, 2020, 02:01:54 am »
Really rooting for Lalo Salamanca, great character

Offline kavah

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #70 on: May 13, 2020, 01:30:02 am »
Thomas Piketty's thoughts about the opportunities to build a fairer society post Covid.
And his sympathetic and optimistic views on Brexit

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/12/will-coronavirus-lead-to-fairer-societies-thomas-piketty-explores-the-prospect

Offline killer-heels

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #71 on: May 13, 2020, 08:50:09 am »
Whilst everyone has been focusing on the virus the likes of China, Russia and USA have intensified their dick swinging contests near each other. The Times reported some growing calls in China to invade Taiwan.


Offline OperationIvy

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #72 on: May 13, 2020, 12:39:35 pm »
Whilst everyone has been focusing on the virus the likes of China, Russia and USA have intensified their dick swinging contests near each other. The Times reported some growing calls in China to invade Taiwan.

Not to mention China's resumption of their illegal conquest of the South China Sea.

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #73 on: May 14, 2020, 12:55:54 am »
I do think we should be thinking about universal basic income as a future strategy to reduce inequality.
From the trial in Finland:

The world’s most robust study of universal basic income has concluded that it boosts recipients’ mental and financial well-being, as well as modestly improving employment

When surveyed, people who received universal basic income instead of regular unemployment benefits reported better financial well-being, mental health and cognitive functioning, as well as higher levels of confidence in the future.


https://www.newscientist.com/article/2242937-universal-basic-income-seems-to-improve-employment-and-well-being/

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #74 on: May 14, 2020, 01:37:18 pm »
This was written by a retired consultant pathologist and professor of pathology. It’s from the Spectator, so hardly a usual source of articles rubbishing the Government or the status quo. Which is why I’ve posted it here and not the conspiracy stuff thread:

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/ten-reasons-to-end-the-lockdown-now?fbclid=IwAR0pQe2yx67wwBitlB0TNoTPIKTqOnYEqcTPmiiGCeOJOj72QH0RtA-OzVc
"The first revolt is against the supreme tyranny of theology...as long as we have a master in heaven, we will be slaves on earth." Mikhail Bakunin

Offline killer-heels

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #75 on: May 14, 2020, 01:49:49 pm »
This was written by a retired consultant pathologist and professor of pathology. It’s from the Spectator, so hardly a usual source of articles rubbishing the Government or the status quo. Which is why I’ve posted it here and not the conspiracy stuff thread:

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/ten-reasons-to-end-the-lockdown-now?fbclid=IwAR0pQe2yx67wwBitlB0TNoTPIKTqOnYEqcTPmiiGCeOJOj72QH0RtA-OzVc

Seems like the stock right wing response. They give the same excuses for tax rises, ie raising them hurts the least well off.

Also I find it laughable the right wing commentators worrying about peoples mental health now. For years they would just tell people they were not tough enough.

Offline FlashGordon

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #76 on: May 14, 2020, 01:51:40 pm »
Seems like the stock right wing response. They give the same excuses for tax rises, ie raising them hurts the least well off.

Also I find it laughable the right wing commentators worrying about peoples mental health now. For years they would just tell people they were not tough enough.

Depends who's mental health is being infringed I suppose.
So bloody what? If you watch football to be absolutely miserable then go watch cricket.

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #77 on: May 14, 2020, 02:26:58 pm »
Seems like the stock right wing response. They give the same excuses for tax rises, ie raising them hurts the least well off.

Also I find it laughable the right wing commentators worrying about peoples mental health now. For years they would just tell people they were not tough enough.

On the contrary - the author is fundamentally questioning the Government’s approach in every regard.
"The first revolt is against the supreme tyranny of theology...as long as we have a master in heaven, we will be slaves on earth." Mikhail Bakunin

Offline killer-heels

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #78 on: May 14, 2020, 02:31:53 pm »
On the contrary - the author is fundamentally questioning the Government’s approach in every regard.

He is arguing that we ease the lockdown.

Offline Robinred

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Re: Societal Impact of COVID-19
« Reply #79 on: May 14, 2020, 02:40:51 pm »
He is arguing that we ease the lockdown.

“Ten reasons to END the lockdown now”. Did you read it?
"The first revolt is against the supreme tyranny of theology...as long as we have a master in heaven, we will be slaves on earth." Mikhail Bakunin