Danny B

Can you see it OK? My original upload of that image was much larger but it was edited by a mod and now I need a magnifying glass to see it.

Original article is here for anyone having issues reading it

dave_j

I mentioned before that we should understand that there was once only one victim of this virus and evidence is that C19 is extremely contagious.
What this means to those who think logically is that each individual testing positive today has the same potential for spreading C19 as did patient zero.
Another thought concerns the US with it's 3M cases. There are about 300M people living in the US suggesting that today only 1% of available virus fodder has yet been infected. Now those who like to scare people suggest that there are 10X more cases than actually reported meaning that there are actually 30M cases out there... but this still only represents 10% of fodder available.
Now that evidence is accumulating that C19 is widespread and unrestrained throughout the US and that the US health system is already straining to cope, unless something is done, and I see no evidence of will to achieve it, we can expect to witness an exponential rise in cases in the near future until such time as all suitable C19 victims have been used up and this could very well induce panic within, what is a very fragile society.
The southern canadian border is the last bastion to isolate Canada from the US C19 menace, let's hope it holds.

Shard

I saw it yes. Also saw a recent Twitter post. Using my mobile.

Shard

The way around this is for the police to identify those who don't wear masks and then provide their details to the healthcare system. Anyone being treated for Covid pays out of pocket (in the US insurance exemption).

It doesn't need to be applied to every single person, merely the threat of it will shift public behavior. A bit like random breathalyzers.

All this assuming that masks are mandatory in the first place.

scrubbedexpat091

It's very patchwork in Canada in regards to masks, some places its mandatory by government order, and in other places its not. BC for example has not made masks mandatory.

I wonder if charging people for healthcare in that situation would be legal in Canada, would almost certainly lead to a lawsuit I would imagine.

Shard

Should be a way around it. If you're not provincially registered from out of country you're not covered right? In any case, mere signalling of the government stance would focus the minds of the entitled minority.

bats

It's illegal to charge for any healthcare that is provided under The Canada Health Act..

dbd33

More importantly, it's wrong to tie medical care to behaviour; didn't wear a seatbelt/mask/helmet/condom, smoked, drank, well that was stupid but it's not the place of the healthcare system to deal with the morality of any of that.

Shard

Why is it wrong in the case of an infectious disease. Say the disease had a much higher transmission rate, but some individuals asserted their right to not safeguard others, why not seek to modify that behavior by threatening to withhold care?

dbd33

There is already legal sanction for, for example, knowingly spreading HIV. The courts put people in jail.

It's not the place of medical professionals to decide that people should, or should not, be treated for moral reasons. It's impractical and a lunatic path leading to people not being treated if they haven't been to church for a month of Sundays. What if I have a tape worm caught from eating a poorly cooked pig and the doctor is a Muslim, should he or she withhold treatment? Nah, universal healthcare means treating everyone regardless of whether or not other people think they shouldn't have injured themselves.

bats

Exactly so. Healthcare shouldn't be judgemental.

Shard

I disagree with you both. Sometimes judgements need to be made for the greater good. It would not be the healthcare system making the judgement, but the police and likely, the judicial system. In any case, the mere imposition is such a protocol would send a clear signal to violators that their action is deemed wrong by society.

I don't see why healthcare workers need to be put at mortal risk by people who willfully transmit an infectious disease. It's very different from the examples you cite.

BristolUK

Anyone been spending cash?
I have the same bunch of $20 bills I got as cashback with groceries in March.

Former Lancastrian

The odd time but only for very small purchases. Anything over $20 is on the debit card.

dbd33

People buy eggs with cash. I put the cash in the car wash machine.