Chat about Novel Coronavirus - 2019-nCoV - COVID-19

China has only approved domestic vaccines, which aren't massively useful against omicron. Also the super-old are very skeptical about the government AND western medicine, even more so than in HK, so getting them vaccinated (even with the shitty vaccines we have here) is a huge ask. In fact, when vaccines were launched here, the over 60s weren't allowed to be vaccinated as it was deemed too risky. I wouldn't want to be in charge right now as the options are death rates like HK's if they can't control the outbreak or controlling the outbreak by locking 25m people into their homes (and destroying the economy). So stupid as they could have vaccinated EVERYONE with effective vaccines (and done a lot of public education) in the last 2 years and just didn't - so we have unvaccinated old people spitting at testing sites and people spraying bleach into the air.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-61404082

This is just...incredible

Yep. I'm on day 41 and have been feeling "better" in the last week or so as I've had access to more food and have been allowed out of my apartment once a day for covid tests. Now I feel embarrassed to have felt hopeful.

Presumably there will be some kind of exodus now? If you can leave, leave etc?

Yes, for sure. It's hard to leave (ridiculously limited flights, extra testing requirements to enter the airport, very hard to actually get to the airport) but I know very few foreigners that aren't planning to leave, on top of the ones who were already leaving.

Oh man I'm just catching up on this also via your bathroom flood. Hope you can hold out till you get out. Wishing you all the best. There is little coverage of this over here atm.

Cheers - at least I know that I can leave at some point. Yesterday the government banned chinese citizens from leaving the country for "unnecessary" (decided by the government) reasons, which is being massively criticised (and blocked) on social media. The WHO statement the other day also got blocked. Sigh. Someone in my apartment block just posted in our group chat asking if anyone had any spare food as he's down to his last potato.

It finally ended up getting me. Gutted, because in general I don't feel any worse than I would if I had a bit of a cold. In normal circumstances I'd just get on with it.
But because I'm not a dick, I've got to close my business which I'm the only member of staff of, let loads of customers down, and sit being bored for a week. And then deal with a week of not making any money. Arseholes.

Good luck. Hope your neighbour got some food. Take care

Sucks, hope your customers & bank account are going to be OK with it.

It spreads super easily, got it from my husband who got it playing in a small pub (after they dropped the mask rule, sigh...) so I think you are doing the right thing.

Yeah, we can manage. Only opened up a couple of years ago, just as the first lockdown hit... so it's been an uphill battle from the beginning. We'll handle it :)

I'm triple jabbed, been pretty careful over the last 2 years, started relaxing a bit recently... went to see Tool at the O2 on Tuesday so I'm saying that was probably the culprit.

I thought all that compulsory self isolation stuff had ended?

Only so no one has to pay you for it, if you're not a prick and can manage to afford it then you should still not spread it about.

Yeah. I could carry on if I wanted to but if I got an elderly or vulnerable customer sick, or worse, I'd feel a right dickhead. Going to play it by ear until early next week and make a judgement then.

A mate of mine was at the office the other day when the CEO walked in with his kid (10 years old or so). Apparently when the kid was asked whether he had a day off school he replied he had covid so had to be at home for a week. Cue rapid intervention from HR and ushering the pair of them out. Mind boggles.

I got Covid about more than a week ago, wife was also ill, she had it got at work, still our son stays negative, but we try to separate. I never was ill that long (now headache, cold/warm sweaty feeling, ears, coughing), and now a week later still the same.

I hope I do get fit until July, we go to France and I wanted to go out for a ride too, namely Mount Ventoux. I am not sure now if this will be possible =(

You've got time. Don't rush back into it, I eased myself back into riding after catching it and within a week to ten days felt well enough to up the length and duration of rides, so ride when you feel well enough but don't overdo it.

People equals plague carriers :(

Hope you won't get any long COVID nastiness. Tool is awesome!

But it makes it a very expensive concert for you! :)

That sounds good! Yesterday’s PCR value was already little bit above 30, so by law ,free‘ again, still coughing, but feeling better already. Tomorrow a slow family ride, and let’s see how it gets better hopefully soon.

ride when you feel well enough but don't overdo it.

Really wise advice this. Rushing back to sport post Covid is really no fun. If there is one theme I've noticed from people successfully regaining lost fitness it's listening to your body and taking things real easy at first.

I think it applies irrespective of illness. I have had a fairly heavy chest infection for a week and felt well enough to do my Weds group ride this week. Big mistake, been in bed at 8pm the last two nights as I've been on my arse as my body responded very badly to so much exercise. Feeling better today but avoiding much more than a long walk until I feel like things are semi-normal.

Holiday admin what a ball ache…
VeriFLY
PCR fit to fly
Paperwork
Locator forms

I self isolated for a week too

VeriFLY

Just read the Ts&Cs to see just what you're giving away by signing up to that.

(The alternative, obviously, is just not going on the trip.)

Feeling a lot better this morning. Still testing positive, but the line is much fainter and takes much longer to appear.
Optimistically hoping to head back to work tomorrow, but will obviously go back to masking up and some extra precautions for a few days too.

Day 47 in lockdown in Shanghai. According to the news, we're opening up! In my building, this means that we are now allowed to go downstairs to throw out our rubbish - until now we haven't been allowed to do that, we've had to leave everything outside the front door of our apartments and a volunteer collected it all. Such progress, so freedom.

Last night I sneaked out of my building and walked around the block in the dead of night, being careful to avoid junctions where I know there are checkpoints. I thought it would make me feel better to be out and about. Spoiler alert: it did not. I saw some of the new test centres that have been set up - portacabins where we will have to go for tests every 48 hours to be allowed entrance to offices, public transport and shops.

My district, like many other districts, is going for zero covid by making us show a negative antigen test before we're allowed to take a PCR test. A friend of mine has positive antigen test results so is hiding out in her apartment and not answering when the loudspeakers start up telling people to come downstairs for tests. Zero covid has been redefined at least three times that I can think of. We will achieve it, in the same way that a square peg eventually fits a round hole if you hammer the fuck out of it.