csdf

Actually it sounds like it's a combination of Dubai people trying to get into Abu Dhabi, people getting mass tested in order to return to work, people getting tested in order to travel, and Sharjah enjoying it's own little special moment.

Millhouse

more tests = more cases = more fear

apparently AD isn't so bad and the restrictions are to keep the Dubai unwashed out.

Gavtek

That and to try and stop AD residents from going through to Dubai to take part in jizz-fest pool parties and bringing the virus (amongst other things) back with them.

Maxima

Wasn't that pool party at the V a one-off? Is Dubai really all that worse off than Abu Dhabi in terms of cases?
The field hospital is supposed to close soon and most of Dubai's main hospitals don't have patients.

Dubai locked down when it needed to for 3 weeks, something Abu Dhabi did not. And all of a sudden Dubai has become the unwashed one and Abu Dhabi residents (ironically expats) are proud on how they are better than Dubai

csdf

Nobody knows. If only they actually released some useful data, then people could make some useful decisions about what to do and not do.

Millhouse

If only we could monetise these exports.

https://www.thenational.ae/uae/trans...alia-1.1044487

Millhouse

If all fairness, what would we do with the data though? It's not like other places release much either. UK isn't doing it by area anymore either.

csdf

The UK data is quite finely detailed, to the local authority level: https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/#category=ltlas

For instance, if it turned out that rising infections in the last few days were being caused by, say, white expat families in Abu Dhabi, then I, as a member of said group of people, would probably use that information to moderate my activities and so risk of catching the virus. But if instead I could see that the majority of cases were coming from a major outbreak in Sharjah, then perhaps that would allow me to be a bit more relaxed in socialising with friends etc.

Millhouse

Had no idea. Actually thought the government said it would stop releasing that data?!


It could also allow people to throw stones at blue collar workers and legitimately scald the deliveroo drivers.

Gavtek

It's been like that there since the day they opened their doors. The one in JVC isn't much better by all accounts.

Maxima

During the early stages, some Saudi twitter accounts were active in blaming "expats" for bringing and spreading the disease

And you can imagine that if an area is shown as having less infections, people there would relax a bit too much

csdf

At this stage in the pandemic, there are two categories of people:
a) People who don't care, for any of a multitude of reasons. These people will do whatever they like within their flexible interpretation of the law. More data will make no difference to them.
b) People who do care. These people will continue to take actions designed to reduce their perceived personal risk. More data would be a benefit to them.

The issue of people criticising other people for unwarranted reasons is a much broader problem of xenophobia, racism and tribalism. It's not unique to covid19.

Millhouse

Not really. If the data showed that a certain group were a problem, people in (b) would no doubt behave differently towards them. The data would move unwarranted reasons to warranted reasons in the minds of many.

csdf

Yes, in this instance the difference in behaviour would be to avoid them, or take extra care when interacting with them. Which would help to reduce the spread of the virus, which is the point. But this conversation has moved from data on areas (which is realistic, though will never happen here), to data on specific groups of people (which is unrealistic, and won't happen anywhere).

scrubbedexpat141

I feel we've gone back to where we were just before lockdown, but with masks.

I'm trying not to touch stuff, washing hands a lot, finding many, many cuts on fingers thanks to sanitiser usage and generally just being a bit sensible about where I go and what I do but without restricting everything.

I played golf this morning and it was almost back to normal, just no rakes in bunkers (result).