Freedom!

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Octavious
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Freedom!

#1 Post by Octavious » Tue Aug 10, 2021 4:33 pm

So, with Covid-19 in retreat as a lethal force in ever greater areas of the globe, and normal life returning to more and more people every day, how are we all finding it?

I have to say that enjoying live music in a bustling pub, making plans to go to the other half's grandparent's 70th anniversary do, not having to worry about wearing those godawful masks whenever you go to the shops... has been bloody fantastic in recent weeks :-D.
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Jamiet99uk
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Re: Freedom!

#2 Post by Jamiet99uk » Tue Aug 10, 2021 7:20 pm

I missed my friends and am glad to have a social life again.

A couple of them did not make it, which is very sad.
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Re: Freedom!

#3 Post by gimix » Wed Aug 11, 2021 8:12 am

I'm afraid many of us suffered the same as you, Jamie. It is awful.
And, Octavious, I would like to share your optimistic view, but it is in retreat, not defated still: let's keep our guard up

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Re: Freedom!

#4 Post by Octavious » Wed Aug 11, 2021 9:55 am

I have to disagree, gimix. I don't think it will ever be defeated, in much the same way that previous coronaviruses never were. There's a small chance that a vaccine is developed that can prevent people catching the virus, rather than reducing the chances and cutting the impact as the current ones do, and an even smaller chance that the will will be there to vaccinate the global population if that happens. Realistically, though, defeat of the virus isn't on the cards. The closest thing to victory we will have is when we can lower our guard, which should be as soon as is practicable. Not everywhere is there yet, by any stretch of the imagination, but some are, and it is fantastic.
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Re: Freedom!

#5 Post by goldfinger0303 » Wed Aug 11, 2021 2:04 pm

Ironic this is posted as US case counts are exploding and talks of lockdown are rising.

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Re: Freedom!

#6 Post by Octavious » Wed Aug 11, 2021 2:37 pm

Is it ironic?

The Indian variant driven wave came first to India, then made its way to the UK and mainland Europe, and is currently making headway in the USA. The spread of this variant was inevitable, but the extra time that the USA has had to prepare for it has been of great benefit to that nation and should be celebrated. With high vaccination rates there should be no need of further draconian lockdowns that less well protected nations such as Australia are requiring.
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Re: Freedom!

#7 Post by Octavious » Wed Aug 11, 2021 2:39 pm

But we are in danger of turning this into a debate over covid policy when the intent is purely to celebrate the growing return to freedom that we are starting to see across the world.
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Trigfea63
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Re: Freedom!

#8 Post by Trigfea63 » Wed Aug 11, 2021 3:42 pm

"Freedom" means different things to different people. I would like to be "free" to go to the supermarket without having to worry I'll catch a dread disease.

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Re: Freedom!

#9 Post by Octavious » Wed Aug 11, 2021 4:32 pm

I'm not sure how your definition of freedom differs from anyone else's, Trig :-)
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Re: Freedom!

#10 Post by Sasanov » Wed Aug 11, 2021 9:04 pm

in fact, we should mark those unvaccinated
im thinking something big! a nice fat yellow star right on the arm!
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Re: Freedom!

#11 Post by bo_sox48 » Wed Aug 11, 2021 9:44 pm

what the fuck is wrong with you
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Octavious
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Re: Freedom!

#12 Post by Octavious » Wed Aug 11, 2021 11:05 pm

Sasanov wrote:
Wed Aug 11, 2021 9:04 pm
in fact, we should mark those unvaccinated
im thinking something big! a nice fat yellow star right on the arm!
There is a debate to be had over the treatment of people who don't, for whatever reason, wish to be vaccinated, but that's very much a debate for the politics thread. And even there comparisons with Nazi Germany will be neither accurate nor useful.
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Re: Freedom!

#13 Post by jmo1121109 » Wed Aug 11, 2021 11:14 pm

Sasanov wrote:
Wed Aug 11, 2021 9:04 pm
in fact, we should mark those unvaccinated
im thinking something big! a nice fat yellow star right on the arm!
You can go convince a mod to unsilence you from the forum now.
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Re: Freedom!

#14 Post by FriendBoy » Wed Aug 11, 2021 11:38 pm

Trigfea63 wrote:
Wed Aug 11, 2021 3:42 pm
"Freedom" means different things to different people. I would like to be "free" to go to the supermarket without having to worry I'll catch a dread disease.

"Dread disease" means different things to different people. I would like to be free to go to the supermarket. I'm not worried, and if you're vaccinated, you shouldn't be worried either, right?

I'm celebrating the return to freedom

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Re: Freedom!

#15 Post by Trigfea63 » Wed Aug 11, 2021 11:55 pm

I hope you're right, Friend.

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Re: Freedom!

#16 Post by Octavious » Thu Aug 12, 2021 8:47 pm

Out of curiosity, what exactly was it about what Sasanov said that earned him a silence?
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Re: Freedom!

#17 Post by ubercacher16 » Fri Aug 13, 2021 2:02 am

It seems so much as mentioning Nazi policy gets you shut up. :thinking:

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Re: Freedom!

#18 Post by JRoz » Fri Aug 13, 2021 2:42 am

I'm extremely fortunate to live in Western Australia. Beyond our initial lockdown, that lasted a couple of months, there's only been a few snap lockdowns that have lasted for a week or less. There is only 4 active cases in a state of over 2 million people, all in hotel quarantine. There has only been just over 1k overall cases and 9 deaths and no serious community infection since the start of the outbreak. Like has been as close to normal as possible for quite a while.

I really feel for everyone else who has gone through prolonged lockdowns/restrictions, caught COVID, and/or had people they've known who has died from it. It must be extremely difficult.
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Re: Freedom!

#19 Post by Randomizer » Sat Aug 14, 2021 2:16 am

“War is peace.
Freedom is slavery.
Ignorance is strength.”
― George Orwell, 1984

I'm living in a State (Arizona) of denial where the government's Covid-19 policy is driven by politics and not science. So I'm enslaved by the ignorant Trumpites whose policies make it unsafe to go outside in public without a mask even though I'm fully vaccinated. The spread on new cases is rising and I dread if I have to go to a hospital for a serious illness.

My friend was lucky to have his stroke during a down turn in cases. His wife's broken leg was serious (requiring surgery), but quickly handled and out before over crowding in the emergency room.
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Octavious
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Re: Freedom!

#20 Post by Octavious » Sat Aug 14, 2021 10:44 am

Eh? It's literally always been safe to go outside in public without a mask, regardless of whether or not you have a vaccination. Wearing a mask when you're not in an enclosed area or in a dense crowd of people does more harm than good because it dampens the mask and makes it less effective for when it might be useful.
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