[AlbertC]

Japan detects new COVID variant​

Jan 10, 2021

Japan on Sunday said four people who had arrived in Tokyo from Brazil were found to be infected with a new variant of the coronavirus.

The four passengers who landed at Tokyo's Haneda Airport on January 2 from Amazonas, Brazil tested positive after spending time in the airport in quarantine, the country's Health Ministry said.

Coronavirus digest: Japan detects new COVID variant | DW | 10.01.2021

Four people who arrived from Brazil were found to be infected by a different variant from the one found in the UK. Meanwhile, Pope Francis has hit out at people who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine. DW has more.

m.dw.com

Coronavirus: Sweden's new COVID lockdown law takes effect​

Sweden's government, which has long shunned strict curbs, now has the power to act more forcefully to halt the spread of the coronavirus. The new law could be used any day amid a surge in cases.

Sweden's new emergency lockdown law went into effect on Sunday, granting the government the power to impose coronavirus-related curbs for the first time.

The measure comes nearly a year after the Nordic country ruled out the same strict public health measures that were implemented throughout the rest of Europe.

Sweden's new lockdown law takes effect – DW – 01/10/2021

Sweden's government, which has long shunned strict curbs, now has the power to act more forcefully to halt the spread of the coronavirus. The new law could be used any day amid a surge in cases.

m.dw.com

 

[afransen]

How practical is it to impose a curfew when so many people still need to drive to their essential workplaces?

 

[Richard White]

How practical is it to impose a curfew when so many people still need to drive to their essential workplaces?

Therein lies the issue.

What really needs to be done is for 4 weeks close everything but grocery stores and pharmacies. Proper grocery stores only not the entirety of china town or little india.

 

[PinkLucy]

Just what defines a “proper” grocery store. Perhaps food store is a better term. I get meats, eggs and produce at farm stores. I get bread at my local bakery. Just because it isn’t Loblaws doesn’t make somehow less essential as a food supplier. Those small suppliers often have better controls than the larger vendors.

 

[Richard White]

Just what defines a “proper” grocery store. Perhaps food store is a better term. I get meats, eggs and produce at farm stores. I get bread at my local bakery. Just because it isn’t Loblaws doesn’t make somehow less essential as a food supplier. Those small suppliers often have better controls than the larger vendors.

I would define it as large-scale grocery akin to Metro, No-Frills, Sobeys, Loblaws and Longos.

There are thousands of small food stores in Toronto such as Kensington, Chinatown, Ethnic Stores etc.

You can either have a loose definition and keep thousands of stores open or you can centralize grocery shopping into a few large grocers.

For infection control purposes it's best to centralize things and limit spread as much as possible.

Don't get me wrong Lucy I agree with you somewhat. I also like going to local shops for food.

I go to Perolas in Kensington, I go to St Lawrence for fruits and vegetables and I prefer local bakeries wherever possible.

I also don't think going to dozens of different stores to do your shopping is the right thing to do if we are to control the spread of Covid-19. All it takes is one Corona Mona to act as a carrier and infect all the local stores they visit.

Yes it will suck and businesses will not survive but things need to change before things get alot worse.

 

[PinkLucy]

I would take the opposite approach. I would close big stores for in store shopping and leave them to do curb side and delivery. Studies in the US showed big box stores as a source of spread. People aren’t distancing, they are reaching around others etc

this would also help us not lose so many small businesses to bankruptcy

 

[Richard White]

I would take the opposite approach. I would close big stores for in store shopping and leave them to do curb side and delivery. Studies in the US showed big box stores as a source of spread. People aren’t distancing, they are reaching around others etc

this would also help us not lose so many small businesses to bankruptcy

Very true.

I also know people however who go to Ajax to buy groceries because they have a store with better meat.

Either way there is no good solution. Just because a store has grocery items doesn't mean it should stay open. There needs be proper distancing and unfortunately I know alot of places that are tiny with racks of fruits and vegetables alongside tiny aisles.

That's why I used Chinatown and Kensington as examples. They sell grocery but are often tightly packed and very small without much room for distancing.

 

[Northern Light]

Ok...........now this makes me mad.........

The number of vaccinations in Ontario yesterday actually fell, substantially, to under 10,000; a decline of around 1/3.

How absurd.

COVID-19 vaccines for Ontario

Learn about Ontario’s vaccination program to help protect us against COVID-19covid 19. How to book appointmentsFind a pharmacy

covid-19.ontario.ca

 

[gabe]

vaccinations down while cases are up. Not good Ontario.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1348287808268619776

 

[Richard White]

The problem is the lack of vaccine. You can't vaccinate people without supply.

 

[SunriseChampion]

Next step is probably to shut down construction and so on.

Please! I don't want to work anyway.

I'm not sure a curfew even really makes sense, unless we think it will stop late night social gatherings. Is there any evidence that this is what is driving infection?

None whatsoever.
But perhaps viruses only transmit at night. Same amount of evidence for that as there is for night-time social gatherings being major sources of transmission.
Like manufacturing facilities, for example. Oh wait, that's an essential component of our economy and not a social gathering. Nvm.

I think there is lots of gratuitous social gathering going on (particularly for younger people).

There is some, sure, but even my most cavalier mates have severely reduced their social circles.

 

[SunriseChampion]

Helicopters in the sky looking for cars.

Beautiful. Crime prevention at its finest.

"Police in helicoptah...."

 

[SunriseChampion]

I don't think a curfew would do a damn thing.

It won't.

I'm not out after work anyway and there's nowhere to go and nothing to do on weekends. It's just another reactionary piece of theatre for the ignorant and fearful masses.

 

[PinkLucy]

Ok...........now this makes me mad.........

The number of vaccinations in Ontario yesterday actually fell, substantially, to under 10,000; a decline of around 1/3.

How absurd.

COVID-19 vaccines for Ontario

Learn about Ontario’s vaccination program to help protect us against COVID-19covid 19. How to book appointmentsFind a pharmacy

covid-19.ontario.ca

I heard from someone who had a vaccination appointment for yesterday. It was canceled because the hospital decided they were only doing them Monday to Friday.

 

[SunriseChampion]

I heard from someone who had a vaccination appointment for yesterday. It was canceled because the hospital decided they were only doing them Monday to Friday.

My kind of people: I don't care about your deadlines, I'm not working weekends.

Though, on a serious note, why would a hospital decide to not vaccinate on weekends, given that hospitals are 24/7/365?