Coronavirus

Several textile factories in Bulgaria started producing only masks and protective suits as soon as the emergency was declared nearly two weeks ago. I'm hearing we don't have a shortage at the moment, at least.
 
Initial jobless claims in the US last week skyrocketed to 3.3 million, and analysts believe the number isn't higher only because authorities are overwhelmed by applications and haven't been able to process them all.

Here's a 20 year graph from the Wall Street Journal.

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Perun said:
I think it's a nice gesture, but it doesn't do anything. I doubt the people who clap today will be marching in solidarity during the next wage dispute or not whine next time public servants are on strike.
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Many of them might have even supported the austerity measures decimating the national health services in the different countries where these clapping initiatives are going strong.

It is a nice gesture though.
 
The Flash said:
It doesn't mean much, but it's meant to be a nice gesture. I don't see the point of criticizing something good simply because it's relatively unimportant.
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It's perceived as cynical and hypocritical by some of those people who are being applauded. In most western countries, health services and public services have been subject to severe austerity measures. It's been in the hand of the people to change this, because these are democracies. Now that people realise that these services are important, they clap. Nothing else, nothing more. Will the clapping increase payment or provide direly needed resources? That's the point here.
 
Yeah, people mean well by doing it. But the people it's aimed at typically don't respond positively to it.
 
Perun said:
It's perceived as cynical and hypocritical by some of those people who are being applauded. In most western countries, health services and public services have been subject to severe austerity measures. It's been in the hand of the people to change this, because these are democracies. Now that people realise that these services are important, they clap. Nothing else, nothing more. Will the clapping increase payment or provide direly needed resources? That's the point here.
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How do we know what the voting preferences of the people who are clapping are?

Also, I get the hypocrisy angle for those who voted for parties who support austerity measures, but the way party politics are, you may end up voting for someone who has a policy that you don't agree with because you like their other positions, or dislike other candidates. It happens all the time.
 
The Flash said:
How do we know what the voting preferences of the people who are clapping are
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We don't. But where was all this solidarity before the crisis, when doctors marched for higher salaries and public transport was on strike?
 
I think in part it comes down to people wanting to "do something" ... it is something they can do in a time where they are being told to do nothing. It is a gesture for sure, maybe not appreciated by all (but maybe by some) health care workers. Might give the people clapping a sense of doing something, at least symbolic. Why not even if it is essentially meaningless?
 
I'd rather see the governments approve more pay for emergency physicians or ramp up production of nasal swabs.

We can clap after this is fucking over.
 
bearfan said:
How is clapping preventing any of this ... and also I think @Black Wizard should get an award for coining the phrase "Forovian responses."
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The clapping itself is not what upsets me. What upsets me is that government has a limited window to convey information on a daily basis to the average person. If the politicians get up there and ramble on for an hour and a half, it becomes hard to sift through the crap and find the important stuff. They should be giving us updates on where we are and where we need to go. If someone watches a press briefing and takes away that "we need to clap" as the primary takeaway, that's not particularly good when what we need to do is encourage people to ramp up production of necessary medical goods, innovate solutions, donate their stashes of PPE to local hospitals, and stay home.
 
If your country does this clapping thing then you can choose not to stand at your window and clap. Nobody will notice. Nobody is harmed by people standing at their window to show their appreciation for medical staff. It's not worth being upset about.
 
Black Wizard said:
At 8pm today people in the UK are being asked to clap from their window, balcony or doorway to show appreciation for the country's medical staff, much like what has been done in Italy, Spain and Holland already. There's a hashtag #ClapForOurCarers on social media for it.
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Don't forget India! Five straight minutes of noise. Torture for people like me with sensitive hearing.
 
Dr. Eddies Wingman said:
I can imagine this initiative leading to some chanting of "If you all hate <insert rival of favourite football team here> clap your hands" ...
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If you hate Pompey and you know it clap your hands
If you hate Pompey and you know it clap your hands
If you hate Pompey and you know it
And you really want to show it
If you hate Pompey and you know it clap your hands

(With acknowledgement to Steve Harris for setting the bar for unsingable lyrics)
:D
 
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