9 votes

Weekly coronavirus-related chat, questions, and minor updates - week of August 17

This thread is posted weekly, and is intended as a place for more-casual discussion of the coronavirus and questions/updates that may not warrant their own dedicated topics. Tell us about what the situation is like where you live!

12 comments

  1. spit-evil-olive-tips
    Link
    Fearing coronavirus, a Michigan college tracks its students with a flawed app. And students have no way to opt out.

    Fearing coronavirus, a Michigan college tracks its students with a flawed app. And students have no way to opt out.

    But less than two weeks before students began arriving on campus, the school announced it would require them to download and install a contact-tracing app called Aura, which it says will help it tackle any coronavirus outbreak on campus.

    There’s a catch. The app is designed to track students’ real-time locations around the clock, and there is no way to opt out.

    Worse, the app had at least two security vulnerabilities only discovered after the app was rolled out. One of the vulnerabilities allowed access to the app’s back-end servers. The other allowed us to infer a student’s COVID-19 test results.

    11 votes
  2. kfwyre
    Link
    Usual (and probably last) personal update: I'm going to stop detailing my specific situation here, as the details about when and how I start school is pretty identifying, and my ability to speak...

    Usual (and probably last) personal update:

    I'm going to stop detailing my specific situation here, as the details about when and how I start school is pretty identifying, and my ability to speak anonymously about my job here is very important to me, as it enables a level of honesty that I would not be able to have otherwise. I want to thank everybody here who has followed my updates, sent me messages, and given me support as I've navigated the idea of returning to the classroom as a teacher in the United States. I'm in a better situation than many in my country at the moment, for which I'm very grateful.

    I'm still nervous, I still don't have faith in leadership at any level to handle this as it should be handled (my district leadership is still attempting to bring us in for in-person in-service before school, for example, demonstrating a complete misunderstanding of how a remote model works and a complete disregard for the need to not aggregate people in the same rooms). All complaints aside though, my local district's hand has been forced in the direction of safety for the moment and is opening to students remotely, and that matters more than anything else. There is no telling what anything looks like past that point, as seemingly nobody is thinking or planning long-term at the moment, but at the very least I'm starting safely.

    I have a lot of work, fear, and uncertainty ahead of me, and I'm not even someone that has to worry about childcare. My heart goes out to all parents right now. This situation is most unfair to you. I am so sorry.

    10 votes
  3. [2]
    skybrian
    (edited )
    Link
    UNC-Chapel Hill goes to remote learning after 135 COVID-19 cases within week of starting classes […] Also: 8 days into semester, Notre Dame halts in-person classes as 146 students get coronavirus

    UNC-Chapel Hill goes to remote learning after 135 COVID-19 cases within week of starting classes

    The most recent "cluster" — defined as five or more cases in a single residential hall or dwelling — was found in Hinton James Residence Hall, UNC said Sunday. People in the cluster were being isolated and monitored, and dormitory residents have been provided with additional information for next steps, the university said.

    […]

    The university identified two clusters of the coronavirus Friday at student residences, Ehringhaus Community and Granville Towers. And Saturday, UNC announced another cluster at an off-campus fraternity house, Sigma Nu.

    Also: 8 days into semester, Notre Dame halts in-person classes as 146 students get coronavirus

    8 votes
  4. Deimos
    Link
    Axios had a fairly in-depth look yesterday at oleandrin, a new coronavirus "cure" that's being pushed by some of the people in the Trump administration inner circle, including HUD Secretary Ben...

    Axios had a fairly in-depth look yesterday at oleandrin, a new coronavirus "cure" that's being pushed by some of the people in the Trump administration inner circle, including HUD Secretary Ben Carson and Mike Lindell (CEO of MyPillow, big Trump donor): Trump eyes new unproven coronavirus "cure"

    They also had this analysis that I thought was interesting, comparing the US's cases and deaths since July 1 with the other ~80 countries in the world with "high-income economies": The U.S. is far behind other rich countries in coronavirus response

    7 votes
  5. Deimos
    Link
    Something interesting I don't think I had seen mentioned before: a large number of mink in farms in Utah have been infected and died, and over a million mink were culled in Europe as well.

    Something interesting I don't think I had seen mentioned before: a large number of mink in farms in Utah have been infected and died, and over a million mink were culled in Europe as well.

    7 votes
  6. skybrian
    Link
    Three out of four requests to leave Australia refused [...] [...]

    Three out of four requests to leave Australia refused

    The federal government is blocking three out of four applications for Australians to leave the country while the borders are closed, amid concerns they could spread coronavirus when they return home.

    MPs from across Sydney, including Liberal Dave Sharma in Wentworth in the eastern suburbs, independent Zali Steggall in Warringah, and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese and fellow Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek in the inner west, have been fielding numerous requests for assistance from residents stuck here because of the travel ban.

    [...]

    Ms Steggall's electorate office has been "inundated" by constituents needing to travel for important life events such as the birth of a child, the death of a parent, or to take up a job or scholarship. "This is not about going on holiday," she said.

    [...]

    Australians can apply for permission to travel on the grounds that the travel is part of the response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including the provision of aid; essential for the conduct of critical industries and business; for urgent medical treatment not available in Australia; on urgent and unavoidable personal business; on compassionate or humanitarian grounds; or if the travel is in the national interest.

    5 votes
  7. Omnicrola
    Link
    In the Hamptons, some hosts are paying for party guests to take rapid coronavirus tests at the door Pretty much a reflection of life in the US. The rich get what they want, the rest can fend for...

    In the Hamptons, some hosts are paying for party guests to take rapid coronavirus tests at the door

    Pretty much a reflection of life in the US. The rich get what they want, the rest can fend for themselves. Because if they where worthy of the same treatment, they would be rich.

    5 votes