Belgian scientific base in Antarctica engulfed by Covid despite strict measures • Hacker News Board

Re: Belgian scientific base in Antarctica engulfed by Covid despite strict measures

#161

Post by jcranmer » Sat, Jan 01, 2022, 4:51 AM UTC

kevin_thibedeau wrote: post #117

JBiserkov wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Article IV of the Treaty states in part, “No acts or activities taking place while the present Treaty is in force shall constitute a basis for asserting, supporting or denying a claim to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica or create any rights of sovereignty in Antarctica.” https://www.asoc.org/advocacy/antarctic-governance/overview-...

The countries claiming a slice of the pie aren't signatories to that treaty.

Actually, they are. The original 12 signatories of the Antarctic Treaty are the 7 countries that have claimed Antarctic territory, the US and the USSR (who both expressly reserved the right to claim Antarctic territory), and Belgium, Japan, and South Africa.

Which is to say, most of the people who cared enough to sign the treaty already had existing claims they didn't want repudiated by the treaty (which is why Article IV, in its entirety, also says basically "this doesn't affect any existing claims").

Re: Belgian scientific base in Antarctica engulfed by Covid despite strict measures

#162

Post by wiseowise » Sat, Jan 01, 2022, 4:54 AM UTC

claytongulick wrote: post #140

tandymodel100 wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In all honesty I don't want people uneducated or conspiracy-minded enough to not take the vaccine treating me anyway even in a shortage situation.

You don't want people who have medical degrees and are experts in their field treating you? Because you have a better understanding of this than they do? That seems like a strange position to take. I would take a different position, like "what do these highly qualified health care workers understand that I don't?"

I believe my beliefs and choices are morally superior to yours, so that completely invalidates your merit! /s

Re: Belgian scientific base in Antarctica engulfed by Covid despite strict measures

#163

Post by sneak » Sat, Jan 01, 2022, 5:12 AM UTC

They didn't fare much better with alien shapeshifters, either.

Re: Belgian scientific base in Antarctica engulfed by Covid despite strict measures

#164

Post by jackson1442 » Sat, Jan 01, 2022, 5:18 AM UTC

DoreenMichele wrote: post #149

All staff members preparing to depart to the station had to undergo a PCR test in Belgium two hours before leaving for South Africa, take a PCR test five days after their arrival in Cape Town, where they also had to quarantine for ten days. Another test was required when leaving Cape Town for Antarctica and another PCR test had to be undergone five days after arrival. To me, that sounds like lots of testing, not stri…

the strict health measures are the quarantines and consequences of testing. what happens if someone tests positive?

Re: Belgian scientific base in Antarctica engulfed by Covid despite strict measures

#165

Post by normalaccess » Sat, Jan 01, 2022, 5:22 AM UTC

I wouldn’t be surprised if this is a false positive due to the CDC is now recommending against PCR tests as they can’t tell between corona or the flu. I hate to say it but I think some of the people who were saying the numbers were wrong might be right, we might have been counting the flu this whole time along with the coronavirus.

https://www.cdc.gov/csels/dls/locs/2021/07-21-2021-lab-alert...

Re: Belgian scientific base in Antarctica engulfed by Covid despite strict measures

#166

Post by CharlesW » Sat, Jan 01, 2022, 5:30 AM UTC

normalaccess wrote: post #165

I wouldn’t be surprised if this is a false positive due to the CDC is now recommending against PCR tests as they can’t tell between corona or the flu. I hate to say it but I think some of the people who were saying the numbers were wrong might be right, we might have been counting the flu this whole time along with the coronavirus. https://www.cdc.gov/csels/dls/locs/2021/07-21-2021-lab-alert...

> …the CDC is now recommending against PCR tests as they can’t tell between corona or the flu.

False: https://khn.org/news/article/fact-check-cdc-pcr-covid-test-d...

Re: Belgian scientific base in Antarctica engulfed by Covid despite strict measures

#167

Post by ajosh » Sat, Jan 01, 2022, 5:32 AM UTC

nradov wrote: post #158

TMWNN wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Every year there are doctors who graduate from medical school but are never allowed to practice medicine because they can't get matched to a residency program. Aren't 99% of unmatched, graduates of sketchy overseas medical schools?

Typically about 5% of medical school graduates don't get matched, although some of those do get in later. https://www.ama-assn.org/residents-students/match/if-you-re-... As for overseas medical schools, the National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation is supposed to ensure they meet the same standards as domestic schools. I haven't seen any real evidence that they're sketchy. https://sites.ed.gov…

Knowing a number of foreign medical grads, I'd have to agree that they are not, as a rule, skethcy.

Re: Belgian scientific base in Antarctica engulfed by Covid despite strict measures

#168

Post by DoreenMichele » Sat, Jan 01, 2022, 5:38 AM UTC

jackson1442 wrote: post #164

DoreenMichele wrote: post #149

All staff members preparing to depart to the station had to undergo a PCR test in Belgium two hours before leaving for South Africa, take a PCR test five days after their arrival in Cape Town, where they also had to quarantine for ten days. Another test was required when leaving Cape Town for Antarctica and another PCR test had to be undergone five days after arrival. To me, that sounds like lots of testing, not stri…

the strict health measures are the quarantines and consequences of testing. what happens if someone tests positive?

Seriously not impressed.

Just spitballing here but to me strict health measures would be something like:

1. Here is the antiviral prophylactic we expect you to take starting X days before you depart and continuing until X days after you arrive.

2. Here is the shower at the entrance to the base that you must use before entering the base proper.

3. Here are the OTC meds or other protocols we expect to keep coughs and such under control in common areas if you are having any issues.

4. Here are your instructions for how to do lung clearance in the shower to minimize coughing and such in common areas.

I'm sure I could come up with more if I really needed to. This is just off the cuff for the sake of conversation with an internet stranger, so not much effort or thought has gone into it.

Re: Belgian scientific base in Antarctica engulfed by Covid despite strict measures

#169

Post by belltaco » Sat, Jan 01, 2022, 5:41 AM UTC

normalaccess wrote: post #165

I wouldn’t be surprised if this is a false positive due to the CDC is now recommending against PCR tests as they can’t tell between corona or the flu. I hate to say it but I think some of the people who were saying the numbers were wrong might be right, we might have been counting the flu this whole time along with the coronavirus. https://www.cdc.gov/csels/dls/locs/2021/07-21-2021-lab-alert...

Please, not this misinformation and fake news on HN too. There's enough of it on Facebook and right wing circles.

Re: Belgian scientific base in Antarctica engulfed by Covid despite strict measures

#170

Post by Thorrez » Sat, Jan 01, 2022, 5:42 AM UTC

cmurf wrote: post #35

What's the quarantine situation? Shared bathrooms? High enough virus density in the quarantine room that a meal delivery person gets a blast through the door slot? Or some other source of virus escape?

The quarantine in Cape Town or in the base? The article is unclear, but it sounds like people don't quarantine at the base normally. This person did after testing positive 7 days after arrival, but by then it was too late.