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I went to the Netherlands recently and COVID was almost a non-issue. No masks, crowded cities. Their society still seems to be intact, without having to enforce
by xvector 5y ago
I went to the Netherlands recently and COVID was almost a non-issue. No masks, crowded cities. Their society still seems to be intact, without having to enforce this level of draconian ridiculousness.
It was disillusioning. This late in the pandemic, when everyone that wants a vaccine has received one, I really do think we are overreacting. Let's return to life as normal, keeping the positive developments like work from home around.
- hnhg 5y agoIt was largely the same situation in Belgium, Germany and the UK while I was there. Masks only seemed to be required while travelling, and even in that case the UK only had requirements for international travel. Vaccines have largely taken the burden off the healthcare systems, particularly ICU, and so the virus can run its course for now.
- kmonsen 5y agoIsn’t it the same all over U.S.? Even here in the Bay Area I only need to wear a mask on public transport. Everything else is optional.
- skrebbel 5y agoWho are "we" in your comment?
- throwaway4good 5y agoI also went to Netherlands recently; no masks, crowded cities ... And returning to Germany I had to quarantine for 10 days - sick with covid.
- Markoff 5y ago
- throwaway4good 5y agoHere people think that COVID-19 is different from the common cold, so they have setup rules that requires you to quarantine if you get it.
- FatalLogic 5y ago>I went to the Netherlands recently and COVID was almost a non-issue. But due to this 'draconian ridiculousness' described in the article, Covid has almost been a non-issue inside Taiwan for the last two years, unlike in the West. No lockdown. Few deaths. Economy has been booming.
- GekkePrutser 5y agoBut they still have to be super careful, they still have entry restrictions, quarantines, masks everywhere etc. At least in the Netherlands we're done with it, until a more dangerous variant comes along but then the whole world will have the same issue again too. Since being able to just walk into a shop or restaurant without having to watch out for distance, not having to wear masks, just being able to go out drinking as long as I want... It's even more clear how much I missed these things. Finally I feel alive again. Yeah it's totally worth a little bit of risk. I don't want to go around afraid or cautious for the rest of my life or even for years to come. Life is probably a little bit more dangerous now with covid but it's time to embrace it again. Perfect health and long life is never guaranteed.
- FatalLogic 4y agoIf someone said to you in February 2020, "Your country can start dealing with Covid right now and continue suffering from it for two years, or you can close the border and continue your normal life for two years while we develop vaccines and effective treatments for Covid", which option would you choose? That's what we're talking about.
- alephnan 5y ago> Let's return to life as normal And people in Asia aren’t telling the West how to live their life, so why is the West dictating how Asian countries should do theirs? When China didn’t tame the virus initially, they rightfully get blamed. When Taiwan and Japan did well, they get dwarfed by New Zealand, which has much less people, because its predominantly white. Now that the West has achieved herd immunity to brute force sacrifice, they want Asia to follow suit and remove strict measures. Why? So you can go on a summer vacation?
- xvector 5y ago> Why? So you can go on a summer vacation? Unironically, yes.