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China requires citizens to use a smartphone app that dictates if they should be quarantined.
As China encourages people to return to work despite the coronavirus outbreak, it has begun a bold mass experiment in using data to regulate citizens’ lives — by requiring them to use software on their smartphones that dictates whether they should be quarantined or allowed into subways, malls and other public spaces.
But a New York Times analysis of the software’s code found that the system does more than decide in real time whether someone poses a contagion risk. It also appears to share information with the police, setting a template for new forms of automated social control that could persist long after the epidemic subsides.
The Alipay Health Code, as China’s official news media has called the system, was first introduced in the eastern city of Hangzhou — a project by the local government with the help of Ant Financial, a sister company of the e-commerce giant Alibaba.
Neither the company nor Chinese officials have explained in detail how the system classifies people. That has caused fear and bewilderment among those who are ordered to isolate themselves and have no idea why.
Such surveillance creep would have historical precedent, said Maya Wang, a China researcher for Human Rights Watch. China has a record of using major events, including the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, to introduce new monitoring tools that outlast their original purpose, Ms. Wang said.
“The coronavirus outbreak is proving to be one of those landmarks in the history of the spread of mass surveillance in China,” she said.
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I see the claim:
"The Government's travel ban on people from coronavirus-hit mainland China is a political decision that isn't justified by public health considerations"I assume the complainant expects the ban to be lifted because it is unfair or inequitable or inappropriate or racist or something. Any excuse will do to gain the advantage he seeks - the consequences are not his concern.
It is almost certain that, as happens in politics, there are numerous approaches to parliamentarians to arrange exceptions to the ban, which they do readily - the consequences are not their concern. These measures are porous for sure.
This afternoon I heard from family in my Epping-Eastwood area (in Sydney) that our little local Ryde Hospital has an infected doctor and a precautionary stand down of staff with whom he associated - the virus strike is apolitical, random, unpredictable and ever present evidently.
How does the Ryde shift meister handle loss of a half dozen or more medical staff for a fortnight today? How does he handle it if the same thing happens tomorrow or the next day?
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This from a South African forum I read -
This morning at the post office, while I was in line, two people with masks entered."
TOTAL PANIC!
Then they said: "This is a robbery"...and we all calmed down...
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@reddog said in Coronavirus: should I be panicking yet?:
No one sane in Asia - including realists in the mainland - trust WHO. Look after yourself people.
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2nd confirmed case.
Woman who came back from Italy last week. Had a return flight to Palmie on Monday.
two kids at school on the Shore (that'll set the panic merchants off).
Husband showing signs of disease.
Effectively she picked up the disease in Italy and was in contact with people here for a week before being diagnosed - so a bit more of a risk than the first case
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@dogmeat said in Coronavirus: should I be panicking yet?:
2nd confirmed case.
Woman who came back from Italy last week. Had a return flight to Palmie on Monday.
two kids at school on the Shore (that'll set the panic merchants off).
Husband showing signs of disease.
Effectively she picked up the disease in Italy and was in contact with people here for a week before being diagnosed - so a bit more of a risk than the first case
This weekend I’m turning my triton into a Mad Max car .
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@Paekakboyz said in Coronavirus: should I be panicking yet?:
@jegga so it is you on those bloody VTNZ ads!
hmm now are you the rough bugger driving or the guy strapped to the back
No one drives my Ute but me .
Also no one else wants to.
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@dogmeat said in Coronavirus: should I be panicking yet?:
2nd confirmed case.
Woman who came back from Italy last week. Had a return flight to Palmie on Monday.
two kids at school on the Shore (that'll set the panic merchants off).
Husband showing signs of disease.
Effectively she picked up the disease in Italy and was in contact with people here for a week before being diagnosed - so a bit more of a risk than the first case
"*The woman also took two domestic flights - Air NZ flight 5103 Auckland to Palmerston North on March 2, and Air NZ 8114 Palmerston North to Auckland on the same day.
The Herald understands the woman travelled to Palmerston North for work but returned to Auckland after becoming too ill."*
How nice of her to be too ill for work that she had to go home - on a fucking plane with 50 other people that could now have the disease and be spreading it around Auckland.
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@jegga said in Coronavirus: should I be panicking yet?:
Let’s use this an excuse to permanently cage off and quarantine Palmerston North.
After a suitable amount of time has passed we can nuke it from orbit . It’s the only way to be sure .
Hang on, are you the mysterious woman @jegga ?
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@voodoo said in Coronavirus: should I be panicking yet?:
@jegga said in Coronavirus: should I be panicking yet?:
Let’s use this an excuse to permanently cage off and quarantine Palmerston North.
After a suitable amount of time has passed we can nuke it from orbit . It’s the only way to be sure .
Hang on, are you the mysterious woman @jegga ?
I only identified as her for the flights
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in case anyone is planning on travelling:
Travel Insurance
For new travel insurance policies purchased after 2 March 2020
If you purchase travel insurance after this date, you will not be covered for cancellation/delay or loss of deposits associated with coronavirus.
If you have an Annual Business Travel policy, these restrictions will apply to any travel bookings from 3 March 2020.
For travel insurance policies purchased before 2 March 2020
Most insurers placed restrictions on travel insurance cover for Hubei Province, China from 23 January 2020, extending to mainland China from 2 February. If you have incurred travel related loss or additional expenses because of the coronavirus outbreak on or around those dates, please get in touch so we can provide advice specific to your situation.
In either case, it's also important to note, there is no cover for ‘disinclination to travel’ (i.e. you postpone travel due to concerns about coming into contact with potentially infected travellers), irrespective of when the travel and travel insurance was arranged.
If you are currently planning international travel and you're concerned about cancellation or disruption, your travel agent or airline may be able to make alternative arrangements. Just be aware that with insurers now declaring coronavirus a 'known event', there could be direct implications for your travel insurance, as above.
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@taniwharugby said in Coronavirus: should I be panicking yet?:
in case anyone is planning on travelling:
Travel Insurance
For new travel insurance policies purchased after 2 March 2020
If you purchase travel insurance after this date, you will not be covered for cancellation/delay or loss of deposits associated with coronavirus.
If you have an Annual Business Travel policy, these restrictions will apply to any travel bookings from 3 March 2020.
For travel insurance policies purchased before 2 March 2020
Most insurers placed restrictions on travel insurance cover for Hubei Province, China from 23 January 2020, extending to mainland China from 2 February. If you have incurred travel related loss or additional expenses because of the coronavirus outbreak on or around those dates, please get in touch so we can provide advice specific to your situation.
In either case, it's also important to note, there is no cover for ‘disinclination to travel’ (i.e. you postpone travel due to concerns about coming into contact with potentially infected travellers), irrespective of when the travel and travel insurance was arranged.
If you are currently planning international travel and you're concerned about cancellation or disruption, your travel agent or airline may be able to make alternative arrangements. Just be aware that with insurers now declaring coronavirus a 'known event', there could be direct implications for your travel insurance, as above.
My brother is due to leave on his 4 week European honeymoon next week, travel and accommodation already paid.
Unfortunately there is a clause in his travel insurance stating that it doesn't cover claims in regards to pandemics.
I'd be hating to make that decision. As it all stands now I'd go..but unless the growth rate of new infections outside of China suddenly curbs it might not be a good option in a couple weeks time.
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@Rembrandt he should go an break his leg so he cant travel...
seriously though, that is odd (although guess it depends on the policy - manyo f those that come with your credit card are shite) but typically travel covers dont have the same blanket infectious disease exclusions as others...is that over the whole policy or only certain sections, for example:
Covered under SECTION 1: Medical and Dental Expense
Covered under SECTION 2: Additional Expenses
Not Covered under SECTION 3: Amendment and Cancellation Cost
Not Covered under SECTION 8: Travel Delay
Not Covered under SECTION 10: Missed Connection -
Corona's buzz score - which tracks whether American adults aware of the brand have heard positive or negative things about it - has tumbled to 51 from a high of 75 at the beginning of the year, YouGov said.
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@taniwharugby said in Coronavirus: should I be panicking yet?:
@Rembrandt he should go an break his leg so he cant travel...
seriously though, that is odd (although guess it depends on the policy - manyo f those that come with your credit card are shite) but typically travel covers dont have the same blanket infectious disease exclusions as others...is that over the whole policy or only certain sections, for example:
Covered under SECTION 1: Medical and Dental Expense
Covered under SECTION 2: Additional Expenses
Not Covered under SECTION 3: Amendment and Cancellation Cost
Not Covered under SECTION 8: Travel Delay
Not Covered under SECTION 10: Missed ConnectionI thought it odd too. His travel agent whom they booked it through has the opposite view and says everything is fine. I'm going to get him to send me a copy to have a read.
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This. Seems the timing of when you bought the policy is most important, and they're making things up on the run.
Coronavirus - Overall