71–80 of 274 posts
That's horrible, and how can anyone find that ok. Per "Guns, Germs, and Steel", it's not even strategic, because diversification of existing strains should naturally select the least deadly, as well as spread antibodies across species boundaries.
The animals are killed anyway for their fur. What do you think mink farms are?
This is very alarming. It may already be happening in the wild as well. Unless a successful cure is found, it doesn't seem vaccination will be the end
What does it mean that the virus responds weakly to antibodies? Were these antibodies produced before against the unmutated virus? Or is it that humans have a harder time forming effective antibodies against this new variant.
It means the virus naturally developed a resistance being incubated in minks and everyone is afraid that it could lead to another pandemic wave where the sunk cost of already stuffing a vaccine early, could be useless. Country loses, corporation loses, citizens lose if that's the case. If they just cull the minks, only the minks lose.
Perhaps the gov will just buy them all and kill them?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
1. Yes. This is serious. Mutation is a big red reset button on the pandemic potentially. 2. No. Minks are kept in small cages with a very high density of biomass. This makes it a perfect incubator. Also ferrets have some similarities with humans in the upper respiratory system, making this more of a concern.
> Mutation is a big red reset button on the pandemic potentially. Only on the vaccination / immunity front - the biggest problem was that there initially were no tests or lab capacities for tests, plus a total collapse of PPE stockpiles and supply. That's ... at least decently solved.
We had issues in the election yesterday of poll workers not wearing masks. People just don't get it, and this behavior clearly isn't "fixed" as the winter surge is well under way.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
The issue is very much analogous. Lots of pigs getting culled (in many cases burned and/or buried alive on a grand scale) because they are infected with diseases that are dangerous to humans. Corona included. I just keep being surprised that there is consensus forming around mink but the hog issue, which is very similar and actually a bigger problem by numbers, is not really part of the mainstream debate. For some re…
Increasing the cost of food is anti-poor. Increasing the cost of luxury fabric, not so much. Until poverty and hunger are eliminated worldwide, it's going to be hard to make me care more about how animals are farmed in order that the most possible people can afford enough to eat. It's easy to not care about people not getting mink coats. Much harder to care about people having food taken out of their mouths by people…
If your goal was to make food more accessible to the poor then one way to go would be to stop this inefficient food production method and just consume the corn/soy protein directly. That would be healthier also. Consuming corn/soy directly would drive down the price of food because we would need less of it.
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Why do we have to compare it? Multiple things can be terrible and require changes.
The issue is very much analogous. Lots of pigs getting culled (in many cases burned and/or buried alive on a grand scale) because they are infected with diseases that are dangerous to humans. Corona included. I just keep being surprised that there is consensus forming around mink but the hog issue, which is very similar and actually a bigger problem by numbers, is not really part of the mainstream debate. For some re…
(numbers from quick, non-exhaustive googling)
Norway's Fur Farming Prohibition Act is set to take effect in 2025. May this neighboring scare hasten the demise of this abusive and unnecessary industry.
Is it that much worse than farming hogs? Most of that is done in cages too small to turn around or stand. Live transport and slaughter is also amazingly horrific.
Besides, pigs have been domesticat for a lot longer than foxes and minks.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
The issue is very much analogous. Lots of pigs getting culled (in many cases burned and/or buried alive on a grand scale) because they are infected with diseases that are dangerous to humans. Corona included. I just keep being surprised that there is consensus forming around mink but the hog issue, which is very similar and actually a bigger problem by numbers, is not really part of the mainstream debate. For some re…
A single hog being killed for 150000 kcal of sustenance is a lot more morally acceptable than 50 minks being killed for a single luxury coat. It's not cognitive dissonance to think this. (numbers from quick, non-exhaustive googling)