Has Covid-19 made you realise just how inherently selfish so many people are?

[Nicknamegoeshere]

It has me.
The world is a mess and most people only really care about themselves and their families.
Fed up to the back teeth of people trying to justify why they can't possibly do X, Y, and or Z.
Just be honest and say "Because I don't really care about passing this virus on, I'm not bothered about those more vulnerable than myself."

No, I've seen people get on and do their best for their families.

The Republic of Ireland currently has closed borders.

No it doesn’t.

Quite the opposite for me. I've seen the community organise itself to take food to people who are isolating or shielding, the school teachers have gone over and above. Everyone is wearing masks where I live. Lots of local businesses offering free food to the vulnerable. Someone set up a FB page to help local small businesses advertise takeaway services. Not everyone is selfish.

@TheKeatingFive

The Republic of Ireland currently has closed borders.

No it doesn’t.

Sorry I got that wrong.

Most of Europe did, however, close their borders during the first wave. Including to each other, regardless of normal non extraordinary circumstances of a pandemic Schengen zone travel.

Ireland did (and still does) have generally stricter restrictions than us though.

The Republic of Ireland Does NOT have closed borders.
What nonsense. Their quarantine is less restrictive than UK, (you can go out to exercise freely)
However, some bright spark over there wants to properly close the borders.

It is nonsense, it is a tiny economy compared to Australia, you cannot turn it into a solely contained domestic economy.

Sridhar enrages me btw.

Sheep, Ireland is a tiny country compared to this, pop and infrastructure wise, they have no ICU beds for any mistakes.
Australia is in summer now, we are in winter. The timing is quite significant for the spread or otherwise of infection.

Why on earth are you enraged by the calm intelligent positive expertise of Professor Sridhar?

One publication had it that 90% support border restriction in Ireland. Not sure how accurate one poll is, but it suggests the Irish have more sense than us. Containment is the fastest and least painful way out.

@Nettleskeins

Sheep, Ireland is a tiny country compared to this, pop and infrastructure wise, they have no ICU beds for any mistakes. Australia is in summer now, we are in winter. The timing is quite significant for the spread or otherwise of infection.

Professor Sridhar's article linked earlier explains the lessons we can learn from the many other varied countries who've taken effective containment measures.

Many East Asian and African countries, as well as Australia, New Zealand, and the Isle of Man.

Large countries, some densely populated, as well as small.

"Strong guidance to public on avoiding the virus."

But how is that going to solve the problem long term?? How is being incredibly unselfish :seeing no one, letting your children see no one, doing everything virtually - going to change things long term. You cannot suppress a virus like this except by closing borders indefinitely and or using Draconian surveillance and coercion powers...cos we is humans and we don't all follow isolation rules, for various reasons...as has already been evidenced...so it is ridiculous for the global health expert to not consult the behavioural psychologists and see the idiocy of recommending policies which cannot be time limited, by the nature of the virus itself and its infectiousness.
The African report was heartbreaking...suppression of virus at what cost...they didn't even think it was possible to stop it progressing to European levels.

The lessons we can learn is that the African countries are paying a much greater price in terms of the restrictions than the EU countries ever can, when their death rates from vivid are inevitably lower than their death rates from other things like hunger, measles, polio which Covid is taking medical oversight and global health resources from. How ingenuous her comparisons are, how blithe her exhortations.

Covid, not vivid

And thick and short sighted on top.

@PerveenMistry I don't think you've got a very good understanding of how much various things cost . My smartphone contract is £16 per month . I don't think that would get me very far if I was to lose my job . And in areas where public transport is a bit sketchy (so most places outside of big cities ) a car is necessary to get to work , particularly if you work shifts .

@ForBlueSkies Covid increasing in areas where there were a higher number of restaurants doing EOTHO and then reducing when the scheme ended isn't necessarily cause and effect though is it?

Presumably a higher number of restaurants in urban areas where people were also mixing in households and then numbers reducing when restrictions were bought in ? I doubt that the EOTHO scheme was the only reason for those things happening.

@Waxonwaxoff0

People who don't wear masks to protect strangers are selfish. People who don't want to lose their jobs and homes to protect strangers are not selfish. There's only so much you can ask people to sacrifice.

Yes I agree with this. If someone asked you to voluntarily quit your job and lose your entire income, to save the life of a stranger, most people wouldnt jump at the chance to be so altruistic. Of course it's not as direct as that but at the end of the day that's the end result for many people. I'm sure if you haven't been in that position it's easy to say "of course I would do anything to save lives" but if it came to it, I doubt many people would voluntarily disadvantage their family massively, to save a stranger.

@SheepandCow most of those things that helped Japan (excellent heath care, closing borders) are things that the general public have no say in. If we are debating whether people are selfish in not controlling the virus, this is irrelevant. "Sheila down the road isnt social distancing, how selfish, she should have closed borders instead" is the leap of logic we have come to and that doesnt make sense at all.

Also, @SheepandCow, there is nothing altruistic about a country closing its borders to the rest of the world unless it is doing it to protect the rest of the world, rather than to keep the diseased rabble out.

No I haven’t, the people I know tend to be very supportive of others.

I’ve certainly seen a selfish side to friends recently. Covid deniers who just want to go to the pub so talk about it all as a hoax, another friend said all vulnerable people should just ‘get in’ and let everyone else live their lives. It’s quite sad to think there is so little empathy for our fellow beings.

@Walkaround

Also, *@SheepandCow*, there is nothing altruistic about a country closing its borders to the rest of the world unless it is doing it to protect the rest of the world, rather than to keep the diseased rabble out.

Yes this. How is New Zealand (as an example) behaving in any way altruistically? They have shut up shop, even to their own residents who have to book managed isolation hotels before they can even get on a plane to return home ( and there are now no spaces until mid Jan or something). It seems to me to just encourage xenophobia amongst the people rather than altruism. Yes the public presumably supports it but that will only last till they or someone they love is refused permission to enter the country or leave for that matter. I don’t small (population size if not land size) blame island nations for closing borders but I am very glad we did not do that here.

"another friend said all vulnerable people should just ‘get in’ and let everyone else live their lives. It’s quite sad to think there is so little empathy for our fellow beings."

Is it better for us all to have to stay in rather than just some of us?

"Quite the opposite for me. I've seen the community organise itself to take food to people who are isolating or shielding"

Yes, but in the first lockdown, some people were volunteering for an excuse to get out of the house!

@Gwenhwyfar

"another friend said all vulnerable people should just ‘get in’ and let everyone else live their lives. It’s quite sad to think there is so little empathy for our fellow beings."

Is it better for us all to have to stay in rather than just some of us?

Wow, what short-sighted, self-centered thinking.

Perveen - answer the question though. Is it better for everyone to be stuck inside than just some people? And if so, why?

No, it's made me realise that many people have no capacity for critical or realistic thinking and will believe whatever is told to them, especially if it's presented as a sensational news story.

And the vigilante rule enforcers and informers have given me greater understanding as to how you can quite easily get people to turn on each other "for the greater good".