Global Pandemic Part V: Enjoy a Corona while flying Delta

[Bluer White]

Reports also say that the citizens of Ottawa are fed up by police inaction. Truckers have blown their horns all hours of the night, keeping residents and their children awake, desecrated statues of national heroes, harassed workers and volunteers at a soup kitchen and demanded food, harassed healthcare workers walking to their jobs, harassed mask wearers, and the list goes on. It's also been found that a great deal of the funds that have come in to support this movement have come in from the US - shocking, I know.

I appreciate the 'man on the scene' info above, VP.

 

[Vincent Vega]

I'm also not sure whether there really is "progress in Europe". Sweden has always gone its own way, but they have a great advantage of low population density, the Danish government took the approach of testing the hell out of their population and even though it doesn't seem to keep the numbers low, they now have no choice but to say no more restrictive measures, and BoJo has just reacted in a blind panic ever since "Partygate" proved to become a more serious problem and basically screamed open the floodgates.

The problem with Omicron as we can see in Europe is, it seems to overwhelm all systems. Whether a country is going a high testing route, a more restrictive route, or whatever, the numbers are going through the roof everywhere. But there are just so many forces at play in the various countries to really get a handle on it and pinpoint what's driving the numbers, but I think a few common themes are no (strict) lockdowns, a relative relaxedness about masks, distance etc. due to faith in vaccinations and tests, our continued low grasp of aerosols and indoor environments and, to which ever extent I'm not certain, people who just refuse all measures and/or deny the very existence of Covid.

 

[Bluer White]

The problem with Omicron as we can see in Europe is, it seems to overwhelm all systems. Whether a country is going a high testing route, a more restrictive route, or whatever, the numbers are going through the roof everywhere. But there are just so many forces at play in the various countries to really get a handle on it and pinpoint what's driving the numbers

Yeah VV, sounds a lot like Omicron in the U.S. Super contagious so it's already been in many, many households. It's peaked or peaking right now. Not to say it's been an easy ride for our healthcare professionals. It definitely hasn't.

Let's protect the most vulnerable (the most likely to be hospitalized), keep encouraging vaccines, and welcome a bit of natural immunity. That's progress.

 

[dazzledbylight]

Despite what FOX News is telling you, the protests in Ottawa are by no means an industry-wide phenomenon with wide support. According to the Canadian Trucking Alliance, the vaccination rate among Canadian truckers is approximately 85 percent, in line with the general population. When the protestors gathered last Saturday, there were reports of no more than a few hundred tractor trailers involved, and 400-ish private vehicles. Reports since last weekend say the protest has been "scaled-down" so I'm sure it's far fewer now.

Reports also say that the citizens of Ottawa are fed up by police inaction. Truckers have blown their horns all hours of the night, keeping residents and their children awake, desecrated statues of national heroes, harassed workers and volunteers at a soup kitchen and demanded food, harassed healthcare workers walking to their jobs, harassed mask wearers, and the list goes on. It's also been found that a great deal of the funds that have come in to support this movement have come in from the US - shocking, I know.

If FOX has led you to believe that this protest is going to change anything here, or influence anyone, I would suggest you stop listening to their propaganda and find some better sources. In fact, it seems like the already low tolerance for this protest has decreased a lot over the past few days and I wouldn't be surprised if police start making more of an effort to arrest and charge some of the protestors.

Hi there! How are you? How's Sarah?
I've been on a big long time (20 yr) Democratic voters site for 1 2/3 yrs that has bunch of Canadians amongst other Internationals.
Some one had just posted something saying the govt in Ottowa was paralyzed, while two others replied that that comment was somewhat overblown.
I just asked DAVE C about it on the other big thread.


I've also heard that Toronto has been handling it a lot better.

Good to hear the truckers have a 85% vaxx rate.
Right now in NYC the infection rate is getting closer to 3% again. (you guys have/are safe?)

If want to get a lively bunch of many liberal, and progressive (and some more centerist) Democratic voters take a look at Democratic Underground. It's an informative, and fun site.

Stay Safe!

 

[Bluer White]

If FOX has led you to believe that this protest is going to change anything here, or influence anyone, I would suggest you stop listening to their propaganda and find some better sources. In fact, it seems like the already low tolerance for this protest has decreased a lot over the past few days and I wouldn't be surprised if police start making more of an effort to arrest and charge some of the protestors.

This guy had a low tolerance for protesters, apparently.

Canadian man drives SUV through group of Freedom Convoy protesters, injuring 4
https://news.yahoo.com/canadian-man-drives-suv-group-193717323.html

"A 42yr old male is facing charges after driving through a group of protesters that were part of the Freedom Convoy at the Legislative grounds," the Winnipeg Police tweeted Saturday. "4 adult males were struck."

In an accompanying press release, police say the driver in a Jeep Patriot plowed through the crowd and then sped off at high speeds before being chased down by police and arrested after a brief struggle.

.....The Freedom Convoy is composed of truckers and other protesters who are demanding the Canadian government end federal COVID-19 mandates including vaccine requirements for cross-border travel.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

All I have to say about Canadian trucker protesters is

 

[dazzledbylight]

Some guy w help in Canada is taking, and receiving photos of various business trucks participating in the "Freedom Convoy" protest.
Bullying mobs from it (read elsewhere) are harassing people, including hurling racist insults at ambulances, and other Black personal support workers, a assaulting a man in a wheelchair, forcing people to remove their masks to get on the LRT, tearing off masks of seniors at a bus stop, and more..)


https://convoytraitors.ca/

omg Some convoyers went into a residential building in the area of the protestors - lit up firestarter bricks, then taped the inner lobby doors shut. VERY luckily a passerby was able to get in and put the fire out.

 

[Bluer White]

Mandates work. Our anger and frustrations should be directed at the unvaccinated. It is their fault we still are where we are.

Mask mandates for students are being eased up soon in New Jersey, Delaware, and Connecticut, following Virginia's lead. Positive momentum

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I'm very much in favor of making things easier for the vaccinated and much, much harder for the unvaccinated.

Biden should have required vaccines for air travel long ago.

 

[phanan]

I'm right there with you, but I don't think it would hold up in court, the way things have been going.

 

[Bluer White]

Some one had just posted something saying the govt in Ottawa was paralyzed, while two others replied that that comment was somewhat overblown.
I just asked DAVE C about it on the other big thread.

DaveC's take on the big picture of the protest(s) would be great, too, if he wants.

Another man on the scene report.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

I’d bet both are true, depending upon how your circumstances are impacted. That’s the perfect news piece to spin in two directions.

 

[DaveC]

i had no real opinion on the convoy until i saw pictures of them with nazi and confederate flags, parking their trucks all over the war memorial and pissing on the tomb of the unknown soldier in ottawa. that absolutely fucking infuriated me. fuck them all. they aren't truckers (the real truckers got vaccinated and are actually doing their jobs right now) and they're being funded by right wing americans. this is a massive astroturfing operation by the far right, nothing more.

a big chunk of them came to toronto on saturday and my fiancee and i were out on a date for her birthday that evening. the bar that we went to for drinks after dinner was a block away from where the toronto police had a roadblock set up to prevent the trucks from blocking the hospital access roads. the honking was absolutely unreal, and we only passed one small portion of it. one of the big rig trucks was blasting their horn which was basically as loud as a train horn. there were lots of smaller pickups in the mix too honking away. it was truly ear-splitting. the cops here in toronto handled it considerably better than ottawa did and had the trucks mostly cleared out of the area by 11pm, and they didn't come back the next day.

i can't fathom what it would be like to live near that for almost 2 weeks now - i really sympathize with the people who live in downtown ottawa. i have a friend who lives in a neighborhood that isn't downtown but it's not very far, and when his windows are open he's been able to hear the honking noise 24/7 even from his apartment several km's away. there are lots of people posting on reddit who live in the thick of it, and are clearly at or past their breaking point mentally and physically from sleep deprivation. the honkers have openly said that they don't care at all about the effect its having on the residents. once again, fuck them all.

i really don't understand what the authorities in ottawa are doing. the politicians seem to just think that if they ignore it and wait it out it'll go away, even though that's clearly not working, and the ottawa cops are apparently too scared (literally) to do anything about the occupation downtown. if that's the case then i know there are plenty of folks in the military who are livid about the war memorial desecration who would make quick work of this occupation. send them in if the cops are too chickenshit to do their jobs. lord knows if this was a leftist group occupying downtown ottawa like this, they'd have sent in the army a week ago with bayonets fixed and live rounds loaded.

 

[Irvine511]

What’s truly terrifying is not only the connectedness/coordination of the fascist right wing across the globe, but they fact that when they do this in DC, the “truckers” will be heavily armed.

 

[BEAL]

I think it's a given that this will spread to other countries.

FoxNews has been treating these criminals as patriots, liberators.

 

[Bluer White]

a big chunk of them came to toronto on saturday and my fiancee and i were out on a date for her birthday that evening. the bar that we went to for drinks after dinner was a block away from where the toronto police had a roadblock set up to prevent the trucks from blocking the hospital access roads. the honking was absolutely unreal, and we only passed one small portion of it. one of the big rig trucks was blasting their horn which was basically as loud as a train horn. there were lots of smaller pickups in the mix too honking away. it was truly ear-splitting. the cops here in toronto handled it considerably better than ottawa did and had the trucks mostly cleared out of the area by 11pm, and they didn't come back the next day.

i can't fathom what it would be like to live near that for almost 2 weeks now - i really sympathize with the people who live in downtown ottawa. i have a friend who lives in a neighborhood that isn't downtown but it's not very far, and when his windows are open he's been able to hear the honking noise 24/7 even from his apartment several km's away. there are lots of people posting on reddit who live in the thick of it, and are clearly at or past their breaking point mentally and physically from sleep deprivation. the honkers have openly said that they don't care at all about the effect its having on the residents.

Thanks for sharing your local experience DaveC.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i had no real opinion on the convoy until i saw pictures of them with nazi and confederate flags, parking their trucks all over the war memorial and pissing on the tomb of the unknown soldier in ottawa. that absolutely fucking infuriated me. fuck them all. they aren't truckers (the real truckers got vaccinated and are actually doing their jobs right now) and they're being funded by right wing americans. this is a massive astroturfing operation by the far right, nothing more.

a big chunk of them came to toronto on saturday and my fiancee and i were out on a date for her birthday that evening. the bar that we went to for drinks after dinner was a block away from where the toronto police had a roadblock set up to prevent the trucks from blocking the hospital access roads. the honking was absolutely unreal, and we only passed one small portion of it. one of the big rig trucks was blasting their horn which was basically as loud as a train horn. there were lots of smaller pickups in the mix too honking away. it was truly ear-splitting. the cops here in toronto handled it considerably better than ottawa did and had the trucks mostly cleared out of the area by 11pm, and they didn't come back the next day.

i can't fathom what it would be like to live near that for almost 2 weeks now - i really sympathize with the people who live in downtown ottawa. i have a friend who lives in a neighborhood that isn't downtown but it's not very far, and when his windows are open he's been able to hear the honking noise 24/7 even from his apartment several km's away. there are lots of people posting on reddit who live in the thick of it, and are clearly at or past their breaking point mentally and physically from sleep deprivation. the honkers have openly said that they don't care at all about the effect its having on the residents. once again, fuck them all.

i really don't understand what the authorities in ottawa are doing. the politicians seem to just think that if they ignore it and wait it out it'll go away, even though that's clearly not working, and the ottawa cops are apparently too scared (literally) to do anything about the occupation downtown. if that's the case then i know there are plenty of folks in the military who are livid about the war memorial desecration who would make quick work of this occupation. send them in if the cops are too chickenshit to do their jobs. lord knows if this was a leftist group occupying downtown ottawa like this, they'd have sent in the army a week ago with bayonets fixed and live rounds loaded.

having spent half a year living in a city occupied by national guard troops and riddled with security fencing and barbed wire that looked straight out of the demilitarized zone - you hosers have my full sympathy.

 

[dazzledbylight]

Thanks, Dave.

Nasty stuff.

 

[dazzledbylight]

having spent half a year living in a city occupied by national guard troops and riddled with security fencing and barbed wire that looked straight out of the demilitarized zone - you hosers have my full sympathy.

You'll have ours if those effers end up in DC.

 

[Bluer White]

If FOX has led you to believe that this protest is going to change anything here, or influence anyone, I would suggest you stop listening to their propaganda and find some better sources.

It seems as though Canada's strict covid restrictions have been easing up in many provinces, coincidentally, in the last week or so....

 

[VintagePunk]

It seems as though Canada's strict covid restrictions have been easing up in many provinces, coincidentally, in the last week or so....

When I said "here," I was speaking specifically of Ontario. It's not surprising that restrictions are starting to ease (or have been lifted altogether in some cases) in the areas they have so far, and they will ease gradually in Ontario too, over the next while. That has nothing to do with the protestors, we've had multiple cycles of restrictions and easing, as COVID waves have occurred.

 

[Bluer White]

It's healthy for the provinces and the states to lead the way back to normalcy.

The feds are usually well behind the curve.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

The feds are… how do you say… “conservative.”

 

[Bluer White]

The feds are… how do you say… “conservative.”

Yep. A federal republic, or 'representative' republic, is preferable. You got it Lucky

 

[LuckyNumber7]

I would caution the use of the term “feds” though. You can be mad at Joe Biden all you want, but there’s this lack of faith in civil service that is the slow demise of our country. The CDC is just doing their jobs (and at a lower rate than private industry).

 

[VintagePunk]

It's healthy for the provinces and the states to lead the way back to normalcy.

The feds are usually well behind the curve.

The status of each province as far as relaxing COVID measures is mostly up to the provinces, and that holds true in Ontario, as well. The exceptions would be things that are under the jurisdiction of the federal government like borders, travel, transportation, federal employees, etc. At this point, the reasons for restrictions and relaxing of restrictions depend on provincial governments and are largely political. I can speak best to Ontario's situation, but we have a Conservative premier who has generally waited way too long at the start of each wave to impose restrictions, and then he finally caves to public pressure and criticism and does impose them, but it seems that when it comes to reopening, he takes a more cautious approach. Some of that is due to healthcare capacity and healthcare worker burnout, among other things. Ontario is unique in Canada in that the south - southwest portion of the province is very densely populated, and without restrictions - or, by loosening them too rapidly - it would spread like wildfire and undo any good that the restrictions were intended to do in the first place. Anyway, the point being, the provincial governments have far more scope when it comes to imposing restrictions that impact our daily lives than the federal government does.

 

[Bluer White]

The status of each province as far as relaxing COVID measures is mostly up to the provinces, and that holds true in Ontario, as well. The exceptions would be things that are under the jurisdiction of the federal government like borders, travel, transportation, federal employees, etc. At this point, the reasons for restrictions and relaxing of restrictions depend on provincial governments and are largely political. I can speak best to Ontario's situation, but we have a Conservative premier who has generally waited way too long at the start of each wave to impose restrictions, and then he finally caves to public pressure and criticism and does impose them, but it seems that when it comes to reopening, he takes a more cautious approach. Some of that is due to healthcare capacity and healthcare worker burnout, among other things. Ontario is unique in Canada in that the south - southwest portion of the province is very densely populated, and without restrictions - or, by loosening them too rapidly - it would spread like wildfire and undo any good that the restrictions were intended to do in the first place. Anyway, the point being, the provincial governments have far more scope when it comes to imposing restrictions that impact our daily lives than the federal government does.

Thanks for giving insight on the Canadian system. Many similarities with the U.S.

There's been clear progress on both sides of our border in the last week or so. It's good.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Washington, DC is truly the most incompetent city on earth. Sorry, Detroit.

 

[DaveC]

Washington, DC is truly the most incompetent city on earth. Sorry, Detroit.

ottawa:

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

• we're letting the mask mandate expire at the end of the month (good decision)
• we're letting the vaccine requirement expire, uh, today (WTF?)
• we're NOT letting the mask mandate expire for schools - and this includes outdoors during recess (bad)
• but we're still keeping the vaccine mandate for schools for the fall (good)

the whole reasoning for getting rid of the mask mandate is, ya know, because we have a fucking vaccine mandate now. but we're getting rid of that because Mayor Mario Brothers Villain fell for the line that some people are simply taking their business to Arlington instead. NOBODY FROM DC IS GOING TO ARLINGTON ON PURPOSE.

like - there's a smart ramp down from COVID protections, and there are dumb ramp downs from COVID protections.

getting rid of the mask mandate with plummeting numbers = smart. getting rid of the vaccine mandate at the same time = dumb as fucking rocks.