Thank you. Those figures are around what I’ve seen, too. I can understand some will be hesitant.
If you ever come to Texas, look me up. You seem like you would be a fascinating person to talk to.
That leaves 5% for infection via undetermined community spread. I personally believe that's about right for Canada as well. The odds of contracting Covid from a random, brief encounter seem very low provided social distancing, hand-hygiene and now masking, is in place. One thing that has never been determined, or at least never been highly publicized, is definitive data on how or even if Covid is efficiently transferred from surfaces.
I doubt we'll ever see the day that proof of vaccination is required for mundane activities like getting haircuts. School and travel perhaps, as those areas are overseen by bureaucracy and already has such requirements in place. Private enterprise would have a hard time vetting credentials which, inevitably would be prone to fakery by those who were so motivated.
Very sobering as we sit here in the midst of a very strong social safety net (relatively speaking). And here's something interesting to ponder: It feels like there are "gradients" of what a population will endure and the collective pathos of a nation is directly related to the historical realities of their situations. In brutal and deeply oppressive regimes such as the one you're describing, the idea of limiting mobility and having to wear a mask is not even a petty annoyance. Who among us in the western world would would knuckle under to having our children starve without full-on uprising? 
I'd take a shot from Russia before one that comes out of China. And as it happens, that may not be an issue because China has blatantly flaunted agreements with Canada on a joint-venture vaccine and are now withholding supply from us. Double-dealt by China...what a shock.
I think it's obvious that NZ, like every other place on the planet has continued to have asymptomatic carriers and undiagnosed cases. The virus was not eradicated, simply undetected, as I believe it is and will continue to be everywhere.
Excuse me for the assumption - listing 95% made it seem that way. Personally, I'd be skeptical of any claim that there are no cases of undetermined origin.
Yep. The "cure" is worse than the disease.
I'm glad that my comment has provoked discussion. There are no easy answers, and while most of Europe has seemed to do well with opening up borders, etc, cases are rising (but not deaths)
It seems that we have some similar experiences. What worries me is that we are seeing the results only after a few months of shut down, and the economic impact will continue for years in these countries. How long will it take for the hoards of Chinese to return to Kenya and Tanzania for migration for instance? Even with countries like the Seychelles, Maldives, etc open, the number of people travelling there is low as the usual feeder markets are not or cannot travel right now. (And those are trips usually planned long in advance)
You're very kind. I'm just an ordinary person, who was blessed to be able to travel in the last many years almost continuously. I didn't sleep much or stay still very much in those years. I definitely travel off the beaten path, and I talk to ordinary people. My circle of contacts is very broad and diverse, so I am able to hear different information than what appears in the daily news. I would rather sit in the dark and discuss the rapidly changing lifestyle of the Masai with a chief who has changed his views on the education of women, female mutilation, the end of the nomadic lifestyle, and polygamy than go to sleep or read a book. I've had the opportunity to meet people all over the globe where tourists rarely go, so that influences my thoughts as I know that we are here privileged by an accident of birth to be living in 'wealthy' countries.
I agree with a lot of what you have posted. No one knows really how to take the next step after getting their case numbers low. I honestly many countries are afraid to reopen borders in fear they will have to go back to where it all started.
Today there are all sorts of alarmist headlines about German cases being back to May number of daily cases. But hospitalizations and deaths have been flat for months, and are still flat. Average age of diagnosis is more than 20 years younger than before, so the same trend we see in Canada, most of Europe, etc ie younger people diagnosed, but deaths not increasing. Hot spots in food production, just like in other places.
I wish your graphic included the column for number of tests. The percentage of positive results are something that's of interest to me. I looked at it quickly this morning via another source and it appears that Florida's rate of positive tests is about 8% while, for instance, the rate of positive tests here in Alberta where I live is about 1%.
I wonder why that is? Of course our population is exponentially smaller but the numbers are relative when you look at percentages instead of total numbers.
Click on the link and slide the graph overI wish your graphic included the column for number of tests. The percentage of positive results are something that's of interest to me. I looked at it quickly this morning via another source and it appears that Florida's rate of positive tests is about 8% while, for instance, the rate of positive tests here in Alberta where I live is about 1%.
