COVID-19 Pandemic

[Soldier of Macedon]

Originally Posted by Carlin15

Eight of the deceased patients are from Skopje. The capital remains hardest hit by the Second Wave of the epidemic, that began due to mass violations of the social distancing rules during the Muslim month of Ramadan.

Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim population by country and they implemented strict measures during the same period. But these people in Macedonia seem to create their own rules.

[Soldier of Macedon]

The state of Oregon has a Democratic governor. The congressional district in which Lincoln county is located has a Democratic representative.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lincoln...s-mask-policy/

An Oregon county has decided to make people of color exempt from its mandatory mask policy, citing the potential for racial profiling.......the county wrote on its website that "People of color who have heightened concerns about racial profiling and harassment due to wearing face coverings in public" are exempt from the rule.......In Multnomah County to the north, there isn't an exception for people of color — but the county does point out the possibility of racial profiling, according to CBS affiliate KOIN. "Violence and discrimination are a daily experience for people who are Black, Indigenous and people of color," the county said on its website, according to KOIN. "Racism and racist reactions to Black, indigenous, and people of color wearing face coverings is a reality. And yet we know face coverings can help people stay healthy and save lives. Multnomah County does not tolerate discrimination or violence toward individuals because of their race, ethnicity or identity." According to census data, Lincoln County is more than 80% white.

So the message is, somebody potentially hurting your feelings is a more pressing issue than your health and safety.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/24/u...rnd/index.html

A mask mandate exemption for people of color meant to address racial profiling concerns has been removed after racist backlash, Oregon county officials said in a statement.......The locale, which is overwhelmingly White, had been one of the first places in the United States to exempt non-White residents if they fear harassment.......Lincoln County, home to nearly 50,000 residents, is almost 90% White and less than 1% Black, census data shows. But it's also home to the Siletz Reservation and a growing population of Latino residents......The county's exemption diverged from Oregon Gov. Kate Brown's mask guidance, which requires residents in seven counties to wear masks in indoor public spaces without exemptions for people of color. When the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended in April that all Americans wear masks in public, many Black and Latino Americans didn't feel comfortable following its advice. In their cases, wearing a mask could make others perceive them as criminal, activists and educators told CNN in April. "This (wearing a mask) seems like a reasonable response unless you just sort of take American society out of it," Trevor Logan, an economics professor at Ohio State University and a Black man, told CNN.......Initial data shows that Black Americans are dying at disproportionately higher rates than other ethnicities. The American Public Media Research Lab estimated that Black Americans' Covid-19 mortality rate is 2.3 times higher than the rate for White and Asian Americans.

Some who aren't informed on this situation would assume that the KKK forms 90% of the population in the north-west.

https://www.co.lincoln.or.us/hhs/pag...adership-62420

We are shocked and appalled at the volume of horrifically racist commentary we have received regarding this policy exception. The vitriol that county leadership, staff, and community partners, have been subjected to is unprecedented.......The expressions of racism regarding the exception has created a ripple of fear throughout our communities of color. The very policy meant to protect them, is now making them a target for further discrimination and harassment. Let us be very clear. The Directive and policy were meant to protect. Threats and racist statements turned it into a policy that now harms.....We would encourage you to think less about the possibility of your rights being violated and think instead of the heightened feelings of risk that people of color in your neighborhoods daily endure....The County also received several calls from leadership from our communities of color asking us to revise the policy – it was not providing them protection, but instead making them possible targets for more hate.

Why didn't they specify the content of some of those racist calls? Or were some people just calling to complain about the inconsistent application of the rules? In any case, it appears that 'feelings ahead of rights' is the sentiment. This is what you get when you combine the victim mentality of certain activists with the bigotry of low expectations by white leftists. Rather than encouraging minorities to be part of broader American society they instead encourage them to feel marginalised, then complain when there's a backlash against identity politics.

[Soldier of Macedon]

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavir...cases-12022900

Coronavirus: Melbourne back under lockdown after spike in COVID-19 cases

The state premier warned people breaking the rules could cost lives as he said Melbourne was "on the cusp of our second wave". Shoppers in Melbourne stripped supermarket shelves as the city went back under a strict lockdown and shut its state borders after a spike in coronavirus cases. Australia's second-largest city and the surrounding area of Mitchell Shire will remain locked down for six weeks to try to prevent a second wave, said Victoria's premier Daniel Andrews. The decision, which affects about 4.9 million people, means the busy border between Victoria, the state where Melbourne is located, and New South Wales has been closed for the first time in a century. "The rest of the country knows that the sacrifice that you're going through right now is not just for you and your own family, but it's for the broader Australian community," Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday during a live televised news conference. "I can imagine the frustration... we don't have control over the virus as such, but we do have control over how we respond."

Melbourne is under a stricter lockdown than before, with residents confined to their homes unless undertaking essential business, shopping for food and essential items, caregiving and exercise - similar to the UK's initial lockdown phase. There were long queues at supermarkets, some of which reintroduced purchasing limits on a number of items such as toilet paper, flour, eggs and pasta, to curb the panic buying. Social media users vented their frustration online. "Just got back from my two local Coles. All essential items stripped off the shelves this includes meat, milk and pantry staples. Well done to all the selfish people in #Melbourne," tweeted one user. Another wrote: "Do I go to the shops today, on the rest of Melbourne's last day before lockdown knowing every person & their dog will be panic buying everything in stock, or do I wait till tomorrow when it will be quieter, but more likely that there will be nothing left on the shelves?" On Tuesday, Victoria had the highest number of cases in Australia since the start of the pandemic, with 191 out of 199 new cases in the southeastern state. It was the largest one-day rise since early April and has concerned officials, despite the national number of cases so far standing at nearly 8,800 and 106 deaths - far below many other countries.

Mr Andrews said: "I know a lot of people aren't scared because this feels like something happening to other people in other parts of the world. "But you should be scared of this. I'm scared of this. We all should be. "Yesterday, we reached a grim new milestone, the most cases in a single day. Today, we surpassed it. "It's clear we are on the cusp of our second wave - and we cannot let this virus cut through our communities. "For every restriction that you break and all the health advice that you ignore - the consequence may be someone's life." He said there should be "no escaping to holiday homes... no fishing trips at Lakes Entrance. No four-hour hikes in the Grampians". Restaurants and cafes have been told to return to takeaway and delivery services only while beauty salons, and entertainment and cultural venues need to close and community sport must stop. All Year 11 and 12 students in the lockdown area will return to school, as well as special schools, but all younger children will have the school holidays extended by one week while the government gets "more advice from our health experts". Anyone trying to use any of the 55 roads, or several river and wilderness crossings, to pass over the state border with New South Wales without permission will face penalties, including fines of up to $11,000 (£6,000) and six months imprisonment.

Interesting how the article fails to mention some of the potential causes of the recent spike in cases, among which are the idiotic guards who were sleeping with infected persons in quarantine and the thousands of people who were protesting not long ago. Prior to those events, the daily cases had dwindled down to almost nothing. Sentiments shared with the guys in the below clips:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-K-Zn_ctSo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaggnxMMwFQ

[Karposh]

Originally Posted by Soldier of Macedon

...Interesting how the article fails to mention some of the potential causes of the recent spike in cases, among which are the idiotic guards who were sleeping with infected persons in quarantine...

SoM, try and see it from the guards' point of view...they were horny.

[Soldier of Macedon]

Originally Posted by Karposh

SoM, try and see it from the guards' point of view...they were horny.

Don't jest too soon my friend, because you may find yourselves in a similar situation once again.

[Karposh]

Originally Posted by Soldier of Macedon

Don't jest too soon my friend, because you may find yourselves in a similar situation once again.

Being from Victoria, you're probably too close to it so totally understand if it that wasn't funny. Have to say though, it's hilarious up here in the north.

[Soldier of Macedon]

Originally Posted by Karposh

Being from Victoria, you're probably too close to it so totally understand if it that wasn't funny. Have to say though, it's hilarious up here in the north.

I can see how you North Macedonians (no pun intended ) in Sydney would find the situation hilarious given the lack of oxygen in that part of the country. I suspect that those to our west, where there is too much air, also see the humour. We will take our revenge on both of you for your insolence in due course (and for closing your borders).

[Risto the Great]

To be fair though, I think the potty mouths of Victorians has a great deal to do with the high transference of infections over there. It's best they are left alone at this point. I say lock the state up for a good 10 years for things to settle. Perhaps they may even be able to elevate themselves from their lifestyles of peasantry thereafter.

[Soldier of Macedon]

LOL, you elitist bastard, you're the first types we're going after.

[Risto the Great]

Originally Posted by Soldier of Macedon

LOL, you elitist bastard, you're the first types we're going after.

Competition is healthy, and we're all humans after all. But I guess I am just trying to say Victorians are shit.