The Spreading (And Potentially Deadly) Coronavirus Epidemic....

[fcgamer | 4,719]

Well just discovered that my county in Pennsylvania has the second highest rate in Pennsylvania, looks like I'm fucked.

[Mega Tank | 955]

2 minutes ago, fcgamer said:

Well just discovered that my county in Pennsylvania has the second highest rate in Pennsylvania, looks like I'm fucked.

I thought you live in Taiwan...

If you are talking about your family in the US, then I hope all will be well.

[fcgamer | 4,719]

18 minutes ago, Mega Tank said:

I thought you live in Taiwan...

If you are talking about your family in the US, then I hope all will be well.

Thanks Mega Tank.

Yeah I live in Taiwan, but my parents live there and are both elderly (66 years old), and they live with my brother, who has autism, and despite being brilliant, is terrible socially, hindering him in some essentials such as passing an interview to get a job.

I don't want to think of worst case scenarios, but if something were to happen, I'm honestly not sure what we'd do, it's the stuff of nightmares to think about.

[captmorgandrinker | 1,649]

19 hours ago, fcgamer said:

Thanks Mega Tank.

Yeah I live in Taiwan, but my parents live there and are both elderly (66 years old), and they live with my brother, who has autism, and despite being brilliant, is terrible socially, hindering him in some essentials such as passing an interview to get a job.

I don't want to think of worst case scenarios, but if something were to happen, I'm honestly not sure what we'd do, it's the stuff of nightmares to think about.

If it helps, plenty of elderly have recovered from it as well.  Luckily it doesn't seem to be the instant death sentence that was originally thought for that group.

[Strange | 1,700]

Updates:

My test came back positive this morning so there’s that. I’m aching less than I was, but I’m still congested and I’ve got chest pain. I got winded while cooking dinner the other night, I had to stop and sit down to catch my breath. Overall I do feel as though I’m getting better, minus the chest/breathing stuff.

I spoke to my parents seem to have made a speedy recovery (they’ll still quarantine as much as needed). Turns out I got it worse than they did, lol.

[arch_8ngel | 1,597]

My immediate family's tests came back negative -- though it was a self-administered nasal swab at a Walgreen's drive-thru window, so we're still actively monitoring for symptoms and maintaining quarantine a few extra days to be sure.

Interestingly, my sister's kid's test came back negative, despite she and her husband both being symptomatic and testing positive (my sister has had worse symptoms than her husband, but so far nothing severe -- treatable fever of 103, and lethargy)

 

[fcgamer | 4,719]

Stopped off at the food vendor near mine for some fried food goodness, look what I saw: all these mother fuckers don't wear their fucking masks!!! Then they have the nerve to point the finger at the foreigners for this virus?!?!  As uncomfortable as it is, I'm wearing my mask, and I didn't even support Biden... Fucking eh!

edit: Reading back on it, the above post was a tad bit vulgar, but I guess it just demonstrates my frustrations. I'm an American that was politically in the "no mask" camp I guess you could say, but I'm dutifully wearing a mask for the well-being of everyone, whilst so many of the locals are taking the piss when it comes to the virus, yet the dual citizenship people and those formerly studying/working abroad are the ones truly putting the nation I'm living in at risk. It's so frustrating.

Edited January 4, 2021 by fcgamer

[avatar! | 1,807]

One year ago to the day...

[Tulpa | 3,488]

https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus/ny-covid-antimasker-chuck-stacey-coronavirus-oxygen-videos-not-flu-20210105-mnoegx3htzh6nct5inp42u7oim-story.html?fbclid=IwAR25gzuzo-wKfalbMpVGGJ7ZPkcpxSjI3cVSQYA8FG1Ushwu1POZ0I38UJY

Anti-masker now on oxygen battling coronavirus pleads with nonbelievers to listen up

[GPX | 1,369]

On 1/3/2021 at 2:08 AM, fcgamer said:

Stopped off at the food vendor near mine for some fried food goodness, look what I saw: all these mother fuckers don't wear their fucking masks!!! Then they have the nerve to point the finger at the foreigners for this virus?!?!  As uncomfortable as it is, I'm wearing my mask, and I didn't even support Biden... Fucking eh!

edit: Reading back on it, the above post was a tad bit vulgar, but I guess it just demonstrates my frustrations. I'm an American that was politically in the "no mask" camp I guess you could say, but I'm dutifully wearing a mask for the well-being of everyone, whilst so many of the locals are taking the piss when it comes to the virus, yet the dual citizenship people and those formerly studying/working abroad are the ones truly putting the nation I'm living in at risk. It's so frustrating.

At least they appear to be social distancing. I just checked out Taiwan’s number of cases, some of the best in the world! You’re very lucky to live there at the moment! The situation is nowhere near as drastic as compared with a lot of the Western countries, so probably the rules can be a bit more lax over there.

[BriGuy82 | 762]

That second dose of the Pfizer vaccine put me on my ass the next day. Low grade fever,body aches, chills, night sweats. I feel better now though. 

[TrekMD | 1,379]

I've heard about development of symptoms from several people.  I'm due for the second dose on the 26th.  We'll see how it goes for me.  Feel better, @BriGuy82!

[bag | 58]

 

Figured I'd post since I go the vaccine too.

I had no symptoms after first shot. Worked my shift, then surfed over head waves right after I got off.

Got my 2nd on Thursday, worked that night and the next 2. Not even a sore arm. Some of my co-workers said they had dead arms. Only ones with the feverish symptoms in my unit have been the ones who had covid already. Will be interesting to see how the Moderna ones do.

[Tenjikuronin | 1,716]

Don't do this:

[trj22487 | 350]

I was in the local movies/music store in town last night when this guy who looked to be about 50 years old stepped into the store while reading the store hours on the door and loudly exclaimed for every person in the entire place, "CLOSED 9PM DAILY?!?!? ARE YOU FREAKIN KIDDING ME?!?!? WHATEVER HAPPENED TO MIDNIGHT?!?!?"

That must have been some coma he just came out of

[TrekMD | 1,379]

I got the second dose on Thursday.  I only had soreness on the injection site and that was it.  My office manager, though, did get fever and symptoms like she was having a viral infection.

[Tanooki | 4,930]

2 hours ago, trj22487 said:

I was in the local movies/music store in town last night when this guy who looked to be about 50 years old stepped into the store while reading the store hours on the door and loudly exclaimed for every person in the entire place, "CLOSED 9PM DAILY?!?!? ARE YOU FREAKIN KIDDING ME?!?!? WHATEVER HAPPENED TO MIDNIGHT?!?!?"

That must have been some coma he just came out of

Yeah clearly after this long, but he also does have a point.  It's getting pretty tiresome having various stores unannounced closed on random days, changing hours, cutting hours.  It's just screwing people who need a pay check or looking for something they need.

[fcgamer | 4,719]

Well one rotten apple did possibly spoil the batch here in Taiwan.

An idiot, selfish asshole Taiwanense man in his 60s just returned from the United States to Taiwan a few weeks back, after "visiting relatives". Now why the fuck he had to visit his cousins or uncle or whatever during a pandemic, I have no idea. I haven't been visiting my family, I even told them not to even think about visiting me, before Taiwan closed its borders to foreigners. Oh wait, yeah I do know why his visit couldn't wait, he's a selfish asshole that's why!

Inevitably he came back with the disease, infected a doctor with the disease. The doctor infected his family, some nurses, now there's an infection cluster that has grown to 15 people, and quite likely will increase drastically as some of the people involved went to a day market, worked at a fast food restaurant, etc.

If things end up get stupid here after a year of precautions and normal living, I think that someone needs to take that bastard out and flog him.

 

 

[fcgamer | 4,719]

Let's throw some shit in a suit in the mix too, sadly this is in the city I live in too. This guy can honestly go f*ck himself, that's how pissed off others' selfish acts are making me.

https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202101250006

[avatar! | 1,807]

[fcgamer | 4,719]

This sort of shit pisses me off.

I don't think anyone should be traveling at this time, and then assholes like this are traveling left and right. It's not necessary, and it just puts everyone else at risk.

[YOURTURN | 1,256]

To be honest, @fcgamer I am going to politely step away from everything you said. 

Because atop of what I was put through in 2020 alone, both offline and online, I am living with this reality:

CALIFORNIA (as of 2/9/21):
CASES: 3.43 million (My county: 73,759)
DEATHS: 44,440 (My county: 678)

According to what I see Taiwan had 928 cases, with 848 recoveries and 9 deaths. Where I live there are no confirmed recoveries, and as @avatar! noted a variant strain means the following for me:

- Year #8 = Me trying to start a small business in Japan (as a means to have a life) not happening... Again.
- Year #9 = Me trying to feel comfortable building a "permanent" collection will continue to be a challenge.
- Year #16 = Me also getting people to understand how difficult it is to be an Aspie continue to be a challenge.

Yeah... When it comes to people, my 2020 had better examples of what it means to be a "selfish asshole". But I guess your examples are real definitions because they happened in Taiwan, and mine are not because hey did it to me.

And I only say that because you accused me of being "political" over a COVID-related issue that was happening in the state I lived in. Meaning that it had an actual impact on my already complicated life.

Hence why I am stepping away from what you are saying. And not because you remind me of my friend who was highly intelligent, but had a bad habit of putting his temper before any facts that should be discussed.

So yeah... I am going to stop right there because stress can result in a compromised immune system. 

[OptOut | 8,881]

1 hour ago, FenrirZero said:

Hence why I am stepping away from what you are saying. And not because you remind me of my friend who was highly intelligent, but had a bad habit of putting his temper before any facts that should be discussed.

Wait, who said anything about FCgamer being highly intelligent?

[fcgamer | 4,719]

2 hours ago, FenrirZero said:

To be honest, @fcgamer I am going to politely step away from everything you said. 

Because atop of what I was put through in 2020 alone, both offline and online, I am living with this reality:

CALIFORNIA (as of 2/9/21):
CASES: 3.43 million (My county: 73,759)
DEATHS: 44,440 (My county: 678)

According to what I see Taiwan had 928 cases, with 848 recoveries and 9 deaths. Where I live there are no confirmed recoveries, and as @avatar! noted a variant strain means the following for me:

- Year #8 = Me trying to start a small business in Japan (as a means to have a life) not happening... Again.
- Year #9 = Me trying to feel comfortable building a "permanent" collection will continue to be a challenge.
- Year #16 = Me also getting people to understand how difficult it is to be an Aspie continue to be a challenge.

Yeah... When it comes to people, my 2020 had better examples of what it means to be a "selfish asshole". But I guess your examples are real definitions because they happened in Taiwan, and mine are not because hey did it to me.

And I only say that because you accused me of being "political" over a COVID-related issue that was happening in the state I lived in. Meaning that it had an actual impact on my already complicated life.

Hence why I am stepping away from what you are saying. And not because you remind me of my friend who was highly intelligent, but had a bad habit of putting his temper before any facts that should be discussed.

So yeah... I am going to stop right there because stress can result in a compromised immune system. 

I'm just as confused as many probably are by your post, but having a brother that is also on the spectrum (high-functioning autistic), I can only make the guess that at some point in this thread or another thread I said something that you didn't like, which I personally don't remember. Alright though, that's fine, I can give it a pass as I see this trait sometimes in my brother and what not.

Regarding those years though, I honestly have no idea what you mean by "year #8", etc. However, regarding the whole business thing, I could say the same. Similarly, there are many other things in my own personal life that are just somewhat forced to be on hold right now, again due to Covid-19.

See, here's the thing. Well I'll mention two things, as they are things that I sometimes think should be addressed here.

#1: Contrary to popular belief, and contrary to whatever some other folks might choose to do, VGS, and any other forums are forums for me. We laugh, we fight, we debate, we cry, we have a good time - the whole thing. There are times when things might get a bit rowdy, but at the end of the day I think that despite everyone having his or her own experiences in life, we all try to be more or less respectful to each other. So I personally don't hold or take grudges across threads, or even across time. There's no reason for it, imo, especially when we are mostly just strangers chatting about a common hobby we share.

#2: I do however find it very inappropriate to be trying to compare or state which brand of assholes smells the worst, yet I'll politely point out that it seems that's what you are doing with the part I bolded and italicized.

See, we have a pandemic going on, so it's confusing to me why people are traveling abroad during this time. It's for school, or to visit relatives, etc. But take this girl for example. So she's studying abroad during a pandemic, in a country where covid-19 is running rampant. Then she comes back a few months later. This puts everyone on the plane at risk, the pilot at risk, the airport staff at risk, the quarantine staff, any doctors* if she has covid-19, etc.

She then stays here only for a few months, before going out yet again, during a pandemic. That to me is being really selfish, putting the whole island's population at risk, just so you can travel as if a pandemic weren't occuring.

For context, my family isn't even allowed into the country to visit me, as a result of the guy mentioned below. Similarly, if a person who holds a passport here wants to come back due to the situation being better, despite the risk being put on others, I totally get that - and even have a friend that did that. I don't think it's fair, but at least then stay put here once you arrive.

Going back and forth between countries for short durations of time, yeah that's not particularly necessary travel and is just being selfish, and taking the piss when there's a pandemic.**

*A situation recently happened where someone brought the UK variant into Taiwan due to a situation like this, and it infected a local doctor and ultimately some local people as well, due to another person being selfish.

**To take it a step further, a lot of media outlets then are referring to the majority of cases being brought into the country as "imported cases" from "foreigners". This just adds a whole other level of animosity to the mix since most of these "foreigners" are people holding Taiwanense + other country's citizenship. Ultimately what happens is many locals blame true foreigners for the problems, or try to limit some services to us, then we point out that it's not even us who are causing the problem, it just is a divide and conquer technique to cause resentments on both sides, and imo, it's not necessary.

 

Edited February 9, 2021 by fcgamer

[fcgamer | 4,719]

On another note, if one wants to discuss Taiwan's number of cases, deaths, and recoveries compared to other countries, it essentially books down to the following:

#1: Previous Experience

Taiwan went through the sars scare back in 2002 or whenever, so leaders knew to take action from the start because...

 

#2: The WHO

The WHO didn't help Taiwan during sars, so why would that change now? Taiwan therefore had to do its own research, and if you remember correctly, at the beginning the WHO was more concerned about covering things up and making China look good. That leads us to...

 

#3:  Borders

Sure, Taiwan is an island, so it's easier to restrict access for people; however, three points to keep in mind: A, a lot of Taiwanense hold dual citizenship, which has been the Achilles heel recently, and B, Taiwan is very close to the epicenter of the initial outbreak, with a large portion of Taiwanense working in China, and C, England is also an island of roughly the same size, and their ultimate situation is quite different than what happened thus far here in Taiwan.

I seem to recall that Trump was initially receiving a lot of flak when he was trying to restrict / control the borders, but ultimately, everyone country everywhere should have closed the borders from the start to stop the spread. 

 

#4: Hospitals

By heavily controlling the borders, Taiwan was able to keep the hospital's from getting overly crowded with covid-19 patients, so it of course led to more recoveries, etc, they successfully kept the curve flattened from the start.