When does everyone think we can travel to Europe again . All our friends in Europe have no idea , seems things are t getting any better with the covid. They shut down Fantasy Fest in Key West but they are having an unorganized
FF and all the bars and clubs have now opened.
The year of 2020 will be remembered .

Not until the virus is under control. The current administration in the US clearly have no strategy to control the virus.Once this changes then Europe will look at letting people in. This will change if we get a vaccine and or if there is an new administration in place with a better plan. id say middle of next year at best!

With the current daily increase in cases >3000, it won’t be anytime soon.

How are hospitalizations going in Amsterdam, here in Texas hospitalizations are going down . Still a lot of cases but not bad symptoms.

That 3000 seems like a lot this point of the virus . Consider Netherlands population 18m Texas population 30m
We are running about the same numbers around the 3k . We have been as low as 1200. These numbers seem bogus at times. We are ready to return to Amsterdam.

The death rate has been low with this new surge, but it’s starting to spike.

Worldometer - COVID-19-Netherlands

Here in Canada, we’re facing a bit of a surge too. Rumors swirling that there may be a new lockdown. Not many new deaths here either, though. Seems like the issue is mostly wanker millennials going clubbing or throwing big parties. It’s always those damn millennials! Get off my lawn!

I'm not sure when, but I am sure that folks from the USA will be the last allowed in anywhere.

I agree that the numbers being reported are generally useless and inaccurate.
They are test results, not individual patients.
I know a family of five here that had nearly 30 tests over time.
Tests are getting better, but only turn 4=5 days post-exposure.
It would be better to know the number of people with positive antibody tests.
Last month there were some small studies in San Francisco that showed 20-30%.
If that is true, then we are less than half-way to a significant slowing.

I don't expect to be able to travel overseas until this summer, and only if there is a vaccine,
and only if customs accepts some proof of vaccination to let you in.

I expect lockdowns to be more severe after the election regardless of who wins. Respiratory viruses are usually worse in the winter, and politicians are at their worst immediately after a contentious election.

Weasel

I don’t want to sound doom but CNN said Thursday that the life we are living right now is the new norm and we need to get used to it . Actually the US is doing better then lots of other countries . But it seems it is not good enough. Covid Act Now - America’s Covid warning system has some really good metrics for the U S . This thing might not ever leave till we reach herd.

The life in the US at the moment does not have to be the new norm. IF the virus was correctly managed then life would be different. Additionally a vaccine or an effective treatment in the next few months is highly probable.This would be a game changer bringing about a much better way of life over the next 12 months and beyond.

The bottom line in the states is that the virus needs to be managed better by the government and we need a vaccine or effective treatment.Hopefully this will all arrive in the next few months.

It has been said eventually all of us will get the virus . But CNN saying this is the new norm is sad they said a vaccine will only be 30% effective . Not much you can do to stop a virus hat has been politicized. We will probably e completely shut in after the election.

The Dutch are not exactly a glowing example of how to deal with it. They have made mistakes just like most every other country.

Yes the Dutch could have done better but this could be said about a lot of places.Clearly America has done the worst as the president is a selfish asshole!

There are no vaccine trials beyond stage three.
Two trials have been halted to investigate neurological side-effects (including the J+J partner based in the Netherlands)
Those side effects are widely seen in many vaccines. Trials will likely resume if this is what is going on.
At least five additional vaccine trials continue without reported complications. (possibly more, but the Chinese and Russians are not sharing data)
These are 30-60k healthy adult volunteers per trial.
None of these studies are large enough or old enough to completely measure effectiveness,
They are looking primarily for unexpected reactions, disasters, or total failures.
I don't know how CNN got the number you quoted.
CNN is full of shit...again.
The next phase is likely to be about a million healthy adult volunteers. No kids, no elderly, no pre-existing disease, no regilar use of medications. When those studies are complete, there will be SOME useful data on level and length of immunity. Not before.
Then, things will get interesting.
At that point, vaccines will be available to people that really need them--elderly, immunocompromised, chronically ill, heavily medicated. These people will have lots of issues. They always do.

VIruses mutate. Vaccines that are perfect today can be completely ineffective next year. Mutations don't always make the virus stronger. Some lead the virus to fade away. Why do you think that the famous plagues of history ended before completely wiping out humanity?

The response to this virus has been unprecidented. Genome sequenced in weeks. Testing for virus and antibody available in a few months. An amazing display of scientific power and (mostly) cooperation.
This will serve us well next time, when we may get something really bad like Denge or Rift Valley Fever.

The big failure here was allowing this to go from regional to global. The very reason the WHO exists is to NOT let this happen. They failed, and will have to do a much better job next time, if they are not replaced by something better.
Monitoring in China picked up the disease, but quarantines were not imposed. It broke out.
By the time borders were closed, it was too late.
Leaders that closed borders were labeled racist and attacked by political opponents.
Next time, will they act faster? They will need to.

Be very, very careful making health decisions based on politics or hatred of a politician. If we are lucky, in the very near future, we may be offered a chance to take a vaccination.
Chose wisely.

Weasel

Well written Weasel , our lockdown was frowned on badly but lord knows what could have been if we would have listened to some politicians
I understand they are closing Amsterdam down today . I don’t think the US south will shut down again people are just not wearing the masks.

I think a big part of the problem is that China is all about face. We know they knew about the virus well before it was on anyone else’s radar, so why didn’t they do anything? Why didn’t they warn us? Because it would’ve been an embarrassment to them. SARS was a huge embarrassment to the Chinese government and they never want that happening again. Of course, it ultimately backfired because not only did we find out about the virus when they failed to contain it, we found out that they knew well beforehand and could’ve saved a lot of lives if they’d warned us. We would’ve had a lot more prep time and possibly would’ve been able to stop the spread entirely before it went global. A lot of this really is on the Chinese government. They value power and face over human lives and are very willing to let people die to maintain said.

And another thing...
Get your fucking flu shot!
All this craziness over COVID is causing people to ignore their regular health issues, many of which are much more serious than a virus with a 99.9% survival rate.
Go to regular doctor appointments.
Get a mammogram. Get a chest x-ray.
Get your colon checked...professionally. The hot Bulgarian with the bag of sex toys does not count!

Weasel

And one more thing...
When I return, the first order of business will be a thorough exam.
I know an escort with a latex nurse outfit!

Weasel

Daily infection rates starting to fall

>8000 new cases per day, for 3 days, but now starting to fall.