Covid-19 Discussion (moderated)

What helped COVID spread was that during the first months of 2020, when cases first appeared in China of a new strain of SARS virus, and there were videos of people falling over and dying coming from China, national policy makers didn't react to that and close travel to China. On the contrary, they tried to "calm down" the worries of the people and said they would not close travel due to discrimination and financial incentives to keep travel flowing. The spread of COVID, looking back at it 4 years later, had nothing to do with not vaccinating or not wearing a mask. Since both of those countermeasures were proven later on to not guarantee non-transmission. And the third countermeasure, namely isolation and social distancing for months and years. I think with viruses like Covid, that countermeasure itself does more damage to human relationships and psyche, than getting sick from it ever would.

"What helped COVID spread was that during the first months of 2020 ..."
Many things helped Covid spread.
With science-denial and mask-denial and vaccination denial among them.
And if and when there's another pandemic there'll be the same and similiar denialism all over again.
But possibly there'll be better politicians in charge at that time than in the first year of Covid.
Or maybe those other politicians will get back in power. Disaster.

Again, you speak like the denialism was the main issue, when in fact the first people to sound alarm for COVID were the people that later on became against vaccination and social distancing. I stand by my belief that there is no viable way to stop the spread of highly contagious, prone to mutation, often asymptomatic viruses.
It was disturbing for me to witness firsthand the mass psychosis that happened during 2021 and 2022, when there was no real reason to it. I feel as if many people got conned, played with, their relationships and life prospects ruined by what happened. And I find it highly disturbing this can be done on a global scale by some unseen people in key positions of authority.

"Again, you speak like the denialism was the main issue"
That's your idea.
I didn't say that.
And 'the denialism' indicates that you are admitting to the denialism.
There were and are many issues.
But that's obvious.
2+2=4 doesn't mean 3+3=5 ...

Regarding mutations of viruses and the like - that's related to evolution.
A big percentage of mask-deniers vaccination-deniers Covid-deniers and flat earthers and the like are also evolution deniers.
Evolution denial is a biggy.
And relevant to Covid and the massive disinformation campaigns that helped the disease to spread.
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Stands.
I don't have time though - to back and forth with persons who want to pretend that factors aren't factors or make it about 'you and me'.
Covid and denialism are sensitive subjects heavily wrapped up with politics.
And the website and most clubs usually don't allow politics and related because the subjects are too sensitive to too many. And get Hot.
Its a chess site - not a politics site.
Adding: the opening poster had the courage to make this forum though and maintain it -
and deserves credit for that.
People do want to talk about Covid. Its still a very important subject - politics or no politics.

@playerafar I suppose you simply do not wish to talk with us. That is fine. I have laid down our personal experience as we saw and lived through it. Take it as you will.

'us'. An attempt to speak for everybody apparently.
With millions of members on the website.

The spread of the disease would have been much worse without the vaccinations and masks and lockdowns and social distancing.
Perhaps 50 million or more would have died - instead of 6.9 million.
As it was - without all the denialisms and apathy and disinformation - if not present - then perhaps the number of dead might have been less than half. 3 million or less.
Disinformation nowadays is made very much worse by the internet.

Yes, I can see how that would be disturbing if there were any credible evidence that it actually happened that way...

The spread of COVID has been nearly universal, I think most people had it at least once, I had it twice. You can make an argument that if more people got sick quicker, the hospitals would be overcrowded and more people would die, at least that was what they said in Germany. But if you look between the lines, hospitals in Germany have been always near-capacity in many areas. The overcrowding didn't start with the COVID pandemic. I agree with you on one thing, people should be mindful whether to go to social gatherings when a virus is going around and try not to get others sick if they know they are.

@DiogenesDue Alright, then I welcome you to lay down your own timeline of events, do some retrospection. It doesn't have to go into details.

This entire thread is an actual timeline of events. Go to town.

"The spread of COVID has been nearly universal"

That looks like another 2+2=4 statement or premise.
And Covid is a virus too and today is Thursday.
Its irrelevant to the facts of the massive Covid disinformation campaigns which are similiar to flat earthism and global warming denial and various other denialisms.

New Covid isolation guidelines from the CDC...enjoy.

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/the-cdc-has-dropped-its-5-day-covid-isolation-guidelines-heres-why--and-whats-changed-182024664.html

Its not covid but it IS worth knowing about. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/officials-investigate-rare-nervous-system-221512231.html

Yes, but now a certain group will take the phrase "don't know if it may cause" and pass that along as "may cause" and then to "can cause" until it finally makes the mental leap to "causes". Let's watch this word virus as it spreads.

Covid vaccines - like other vaccines - cause reactions.
With or without symptoms.
Vaccines would be no good if they didn't cause reactions.
That's the whole point about vaccines.
They cause reactions so that the vaccinated person gets to live.
But like seat belts and red lights at traffic intersections - vaccines don't Guarantee.
But vaccine Denialists can and will try to exploit that.
Denialism itself can be studied. Is studied.
Like here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denialism
Denialism tactics are dissected there.
Except perhaps for Projection - one of the main Tactics.

Hi George.
Want to talk about that by PM? You've got my permission to PM me.
I don't want to break 'advertising rules' by mentioning the name of a club.
Plus - you've only been a member of chess.com for a week.
How would you know I quit that club? You can PM the answer.
But the short answer is No. I don't miss it.

from Wikipedia slightly edited. For example removed numerical references:
and also edited to remove 'politics' ...
COVID-19
Main article: COVID-19 misinformation
 
'The term "COVID-19 denialism" or merely "COVID denialism" refers to the thinking of those who deny the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic, at least to the extent of denying the scientifically recognized COVID mortality data of the World Health Organization. The claims that the COVID-19 pandemic has been faked, exaggerated, or mischaracterized are pseudoscience. Some famous people have engaged in COVID-19 denialism.'

He knows, because he's the resurrection of someone who was here for a while and then left. Who were you GeorgeRaft11? Why come creeping back in in such a ham handed fashion...announcing yourself without announcing yourself? More to the point, why the two laughing/crying emojis? You can do better.