I didn’t expect that much detail, that was good.
Wikipedia: Chinese wet markets carrying wildlife had previously been closed in 2003 when they were implicated as playing a central part in the 2003-2004 SARS outbreak, but had been reopened
Seems like the Chinese government doesn’t learn very fast either.
It actually was coronavirus related. They just chose to mourn on Qingming. It’s a fitting time.
Interesting read…
I thought that was a great article. Wet markets are not all bad and the vast majority do not deal with wild animals at all. People in the West are quick to point fingers and assign blame, but most of the time they just have no idea what they are talking about.
I feel a little chill when I see that. The darleks were scary as all fek when I was a kid, they still are a bit 
Back on topic, this quote from orbit’s article does not seem to get much public attention:
" There is a growing body of evidence that points to a different origin story for Covid-19. We now know that none of the animals tested at the Wuhan seafood market tested positive and about a third of the initial set of reported cases in people in Wuhan from early December 2019 had no connection to the seafood market, including the first reported case 3 4 . And we also now know, thanks to the leak of an official Chinese report to the South China Morning Post that the actual first known case of Covid-19 in Hubei was detected in mid-November, weeks before the cluster of cases connected to the Wuhan seafood market were reported5."
Solemn thoughts after my morning routines/chores. The BBC World Service Newshour hit me a little harder this day, I guess. I found another letter, this time from an Italian author. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/27/a-letter-to-the-uk-from-italy-this-is-what-we-know-about-your-future Something there really stuck with me, and I’m having a hard time shaking it. You will count all the things you do not need. I think its important to remind myself how lucky I am, though it’s hard not to be floored by everything… all the time, and to feel helpless in the face of it all.
I may not reply as much as I had these last few weeks, and that has nothing to do with anything but my own life. (Looks like I’m going back into work). I want to express my gratitude to everyone on this forum for being so welcoming. It’s truly been something to look forward to these last few weeks. Thanks for putting up with my less-then-sober-ass at times. (I need to count again but I think I’m close to 100 games a week right now, too).
Music helps me cope with emotions and this morning I had to rely on an ol' tear jerker: Kimya Dawson. If you need strength or hope: her music can give you some. I needed it today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRhOJe_7kuI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoHMCp0kv7o (trigger warning)
So I guess the answer I’ve been putting off is: yea, I’m worried. About all of it, ya know?
I know most of you here are happily spoused and this problem doesn’t apply, but dating will become even harder now. 
Oh, rest assured: cheating on one’s partner also hasn’t become any more easy. 
I was reading an article about how self-isolation has caused frictions in polyamorous relationships, because people can obviously isolate with one partner only (when not everyone in the same household), and the relationship dynamics are disrupted.
Yep, that is a problem actually. But the way I see it, when the lockdown is over it will be much easier than before, at least for a while. We’ll have to take advantage of that… might be the only thing to take advantage of, hoping that people won’t be afraid of the contagion even afterwards, anyway.
Meanwhile in Italy it’s forbidden to go to the supermarket without your gloves on. You can buy gloves at the supermarket. But they’re finished, because people stockpiled them. So if you don’t have gloves you can’t go to the supermarket to buy the gloves they don’t have anyway. Which, incredibly, makes sense.
Just to be fair, supermarkets are giving them for free at the entrance for now, but I don’t know how long that’ll last. Same problem with masks.
I know people will return to mingling (PG-13) overnight when the lockdown ends, but the reason for social isolation won’t disappear overnight, sadly. I know humanity goes on, but still. 
I’d want to go out for drinks with someone, but have to think twice, since my housemate is high risk.
I’ve not even touched a mask all this time. The whole thing will end and, because of the stockpiling by other people, I won’t have worn a mask even once. If we are to start getting out again, when the measures are over, I guess we’ll have to use some homemade ones, better than nothing.
Yes, homemade masks are already used here, given the situation. They even explained how to make them on the news. The president of my region asked the police to be understanding, so even a plain scarf is accepted.
I’ve not even touched a mask all this time.
Consider calling your nearby pharmacists, they might have re-stocked by now. Some of them brought along re-usable/washable masks which seems like a great solution for the “hoarding” problem. You buy one and you only need one 
You know what, I’ll shop some online right now, if I can. Good idea. 
Projections for the USA and Various European Countries
USA: https://covid19.healthdata.org/united-states-of-america
Italy: https://covid19.healthdata.org/italy
Spain: https://covid19.healthdata.org/spain
Germany: https://covid19.healthdata.org/germany
UK: https://covid19.healthdata.org/united-kingdom
Greece: https://covid19.healthdata.org/greece
Other countries (and sub-regions for some countries) can be selected in the drop-down menu
The Financial Times has great free coverage
They recently switched to plotting daily case/death rates (EDIT: now they are back to using a weekly average), which shows that some places (Italy, Spain, Germany) are showing deceleration (coming down from peak death/case rates).