Bitcoin Forum

I would like to suggest can there be something like a little bit of instructions about the current corona virus placed in a visible place on the forum like the one we see during April fool's or some special time or events

Why do I think it's necessary
+ Ignorant about the pandemic: some people still think that this whole thing is just a flu or a ploy so they really don't pay attention to it. But with the forum high reputation coming into play can help instill more seriousness to it.
+ A reminder that the forum cares about the current situation: right now the slogan we see more this days is about safety at this strange time.  A slogan doesn't necessarily show ones amount of care but it's a good step in the right direction.

+ There is no negative side to it: it would not really cost the forum anything to do it but the impact no matter how little can just help enlighten few.


The slogan or write up doesn't have to be something enormous a simple
#stay at home, stay safe
# social distancing, wash your hands.
Or something drawing attention to the situation.


A very little gesture from the forum just to show they are in this together with the world would not be bad..

I don't think so because the forum is designed for Bitcoin discussions. All of health recommendations are responsibilities of health authorities. I am not surprised to know that all of us heard or read at least once (much more than once) about those basic preventive measures. So I don't think it is a must thing to do by the forum.

Knowledge - Attitude - Practice. There are people who can easily change attitude from knowledge they are exposed to but there are sort of people who hardly or never change attitude no matter many times they are exposed to information. For such people, we (the forum community) can not change their attitude, then practice.

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OP, if one has bad practice after exposing hundred of times, he or she will not be changed by a short phrases on the forum. It is not a slogan of the forum, I think you are wrong when calling it as a forum slogan.

IMO everyone is surely know about this pandemic. You will easily know it on everywhere, like in twitter, facebook, youtube, TV, and many more.
So, no need to make a slogan for this forum, I think no one doesn't know about this virus.

There are so much news related this pandemic, usually I get bored to see that

I think you wrong on this. For example my network provider whose business is not about health care still took it on them self to change there sign to something about the current situation.
I think there is no bad side to it. The situation is alarming and the smallest gesture is welcome at this point.
This is a large forum and reach a vast number of people. A sign or signal from here hold much value

I personally would prefer a big slogan or warning message not to create 50 new Covid-19 topics per day. Can't we get that instead theymos?  ;)

On a personal scale, one can always use his personal text (or signature) as a seamless manner to give some type of visibility to some simple, yet concise, sort of related message.

Specific forum backed instructions or recommendations could be a little bit tricky, lest some of those turn out to be void or counterproductive as time goes by, and developments and studies refine (or contradict i.e. to wear or not to wear a mask) what is already being said. Perhaps a link to an external good reliable source of information would do in any case.

A link also could to the job, just something, that could relate to the situation Officially from the forum and visible to all.
Signature or personal is part of the forum members individual contributions

I don't think we should leave the creating of awareness or informing the general public on precaution measure to help prevent the spread of the virus to just the medical professionals. In our little ways we should do anything humanly possible we can to educate the general public. I don't think the OP suggestion is bad that's why I loved the April fool stunt irrespective of it been a prank, it did pass a simple but clear message on how easily the virus can be spread/contacted if social distancing or self isolation isn't practice.

In my own little way I try to refresh my signature participants minds on the importance of staying indoors and washing their hands as frequently as possible also to avoid touching thier faces with their hands. It might not be as much as what others are doings in regards to charity donationa but it shows atleast I care. I even took it a step further by imputing some useful information as I did carry-out my April fool's signature campaign prank (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5236960.msg54133952#msg54133952). I give my support to the suggestion.

I hear this message on radio & during almost any TV news, I see it on gov press conferences, TV commercials, received it on my phone Emergency Alert System, received anonymous SMS with it, seen it on my city's walls and street ads, seen it on someone's t-shirt in a supermarket, my friends have started changing their profile photos with pics of them wearing masks, I received a message from Viber about it, even campaign managers sometimes post messages about it, I see it on almost any article I read ETC.

Isn't it just a little bit too much? I just feel like I'm starting to lose sanity, it's literally everywhere I look, anything I try to listen to or read contains this "wear mask, wash hands, don't go out" message.. I don't want BTCTalk to be another one on the list above. It's my only relief from this situation. Someone who reads a Bitcoin forum most likely did hear these tips enough times already..

It would not be something bogus just a small space above if you had seen it once it would not make it a burden to you. And it can also reduce numerous post about the pandemic by drawing people attention to it. And any further post about it can be seen as unnecessary.

You speaking from your own perspective or country there are developing countries that are delusional or ignorant about it. Even those educated, or those that knows about Bitcoin they would find it more legit come from a forum they believe in
 And mind you there are tons of people that feels this news agency are pawns for political means the corona virus has been frequently thought to be a ploy by China. So they may not pay attention to the news agency,
It's not going to blind any one if it's made possible. Rather strengthen what has already been known

IMHO, this wouldn't make any difference. Most, if not all of us members are already aware of COVID, what more could a simple slogan do?

Even if one's in place, Bitcointalk holds no responsibility over us.

At the same time, Bitcointalk is one of the very rare place where we can breathe a little without reminding us about COVID-19 (except the topics)
I know how the situation is dramatic unfortunately but if there are persons who still think it's the flu, it's their problem, not mine.

Everything is COVIDed currently, it's good to talk and think about something else to not get our mind overcharged with COVID19

China is a liar. They blamed on the US. Army delivered the virus in China. Then about a month later, they talked the virus firstly appeared in Italy. I am sorry but what China is talking about. We all know the virus first reported in China.

Honestly, if people have a device and connection to the Internet (it is right for people who use the forum), they obviously read hundreds of times about basic preventive methods on the virus. If people say Oh I have never read it after about four months, it is a lie.
I do not say all of us knew that "Washing your hands and maintaining healthy habits are very classic preventive measures" before the pandemic but now we all have known that well.

https://www.who.int/ should be a good place for information on the pandemic. I know there are right and wrong information or recommendations on the Internet but the forum can not provide an all in one guideline here. For a short warning, I think it is unnecessary because we all know it.

Face mask, by now there is no evidence that it helps to prevent or reduce virus infection, according to the latest research on it (but in the past, researches have same results).
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0843-2. There is no statistical difference (for Coronavirus, influenza virus, rhinovirus with droplets, aerosols) between with-mask and without-mask groups, in a good controlled condition, not in real life where we have so many negative biases on efficacy of face masks.

* The forum can not display the Figure 1 from that research on Nature, so if you are curious, please visit the link to see it.

I think it's best if we can see it occasionally like an ad on every OPs thread below it seems text ads has been there for quite sometime and I think that will work. Besides, if you look most of the most visited board in the forum we can see this threads relating to COVID-19 pandemic, hmmm just my two cents.

It will not reduce posts about the pandemic. The subject about BSV and CSW has been brought upon numerous times and yet his name is still everywhere on the forum. New users will always create these threads when their alts run out of topics to reply to. In fact, this may worsen the amount of topics and people would start creating ones asking "why do we have a new announcement about covid??"..

Politics have nothing to do with what is heard about China or whoever else the pandemic prevention information. The ads and notifications you see & hear about the virus are not even related to any politics - they're just pieces of information for prevention measures. As tranthidung said two replies above, anyone who has a TV, an internet connection or - in my case of receiving the EAS notification - just a mobile phone without even a SIM card or internet connection in it has heard of the virus and about the prevention measures for it.

Moreover, I'm not even sure what the hell is right or not anymore. Too much contradictory information. Have you thought for just a minute that maybe washing your hands too often may make things worse because constantly rubbing the protective layers of your skin may do damage to them? Have you thought that it may be safer not to wear a mask than wear it improperly? I'm not a doctor - I'm just thinking logically. Let's do a very quick rewind of what we've been told:

• The virus is just a flu. Later: it's not.
• Test as much as possible! Later: tests have been found to be contamined with the virus.
• Herd immunity is better! Later: Let's lock the country down..
• I said that China was OBVIOUSLY covering up numbers and I was told to "fuck off" by most and to shut my mouth up. Today, on the news: China has been hiding numbers big time..
• You'll call me a conspiracist with this point. I personally do not want to think & believe that 5G is in any way related to the pandemic, but take the 5G worldwide map (https://www.worldtimezone.com/5g.html) (archive (http://archive.fo/wip/bmLZM), archive backup (https://web.archive.org/web/20200407171950/https://www.worldtimezone.com/5g.html)) and put it right next to the COVID-19 Outbreak map (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:COVID-19_Outbreak_World_Map.svg) (archive (http://archive.fo/GdpsB), archive backup (http://)). It'd be no surprise to me if in a matter of time 5G will be officially linked to the pandemic.

I'd sincerely not advise anyone anything. Let the governments do their job. We may do it wrong, and we don't want to take responsibility for it.

I support this initiative. Maybe to create a separate section on the forum dedicated only for COVID talker, where they can open new Covid topics and discuss how much they want. Now threatening to be more invasive than "Lauda's xxxx something" topics.

Please do not create a new spam section for spammers. Moderators will not like it. :)

This is what I said above, even in perfect controlled condiitons, there is no statistical difference of face mask efficacy. In real life conditions, with improperly practice, it turns out to be terrible. Most people thought of face mask as a weapon to beat the virus and they feel safer by wearing it. I think what they feel is a placebo effect. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placebo)

I am fine with face mask but please don't overvalue it.

I agree with you that it is a task for governments and health ministries.

You can't discuss Bitcoin if you are sick or dead. :)

I get the impression that the anti-authority streak of many contributors here results in the forum having more than its share of participants who are covid19 deniers.

Just like it's important for the health of a geographic community to be well informed, it's important for the health of an online community to be well informed.  Due to conference and events its even possible for BCT members to transmit the virus to each other! ---- though, I agree that is much less of a concern. :)


That is a phenomenal piece of misinformation.  Because it's unethical to conduct a randomized-controlled test for live infections, all the studying in actual humans is extremely underpowered-- it's stuck with very few participants, poor compliance, testing too late when they're probably not very contagious, etc.  When you have an underpowed test the most common outcome is that the finding is not statistically significant.

It's like saying that "there is no evidence that parachutes improve survival when jumping out of planes" -- because virtually no one is jumping out of planes without them and some of the few that do survive.

So, instead we get stuff like natural experiments where an aircraft flies from NY to China with a person with swine flu (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3810906/) on it, and zero people on board with masks get sick while 47% of the unmasked "control group" people got sick. Was it due to the masks, or was it simply that people with masks were more careful in general? We can't be completely sure.  The purpose of having a randomized control trial is to eliminate issues like that, but we can't go around intentionally infecting people with swine flu.

The particular study you're linking too was frustrated by detecting extremely low levels of viruses in *all* samples. For example for coronavirus (OC43) they  only detected the virus in droplets in the breath of 3 of 10 parties with the virus and no mask, while they detected it in 0 of 11 with the virus and a mask. Yet we *know* these viruses spread via dropplets. Their problem was that they either weren't testing people while they were contagious-- e.g. because the most contagious period was before symptoms showed, as is believed to be the case for sars-cov-2-- or their measurement approach was just busted. But regardless, in every case the mask reduced the levels they detected.

The problem was that their test was so underpowered that even an infinity fold reduction in rate was not statistically significant.

If the same approach study had also tested a six foot thick lead lined concrete wall, it would have also concluded that there was no evidence that it prevented the spread of OC43!  No virus particles would have been detected on the other side of the wall, just like the mask.  It would have been nice if they did include that, because then we could go around saying that there is no evidence that a mask works less well than a six foot thick lead lined concrete wall, and we'd be just as technically correct. And while it would also be a stupid and misleading claim, it would probably be less misleading than the claim that masks are completely ineffective which you've extracted from that paper.

Here is the image you couldn't link:

https://people.xiph.org/~greg/temp/masks.png

I agreed that face masks reduce viral load, and I don't say face mask is completely useless but even in good controlled conditions, the efficacy is not much different but in real life, how many of people use face mask properly. Many people wear face mask improperly (touch/ adjust mask and face too often) as same as how they wash their hands.
Face touching: a frequent habit that has implications for hand hygiene (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25637115). People tend to touch their faces 23 times per hour, on average.

There are more outliers in without-mask group, both droplets and aerosols. If we exclude outliers, two groups are nearly the same. In the Supplementary Table 2 (https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10.1038%2Fs41591-020-0843-2/MediaObjects/41591_2020_843_MOESM1_ESM.pdf), there are not many statistically differences of viral load, and maybe (just maybe) they are false positives. The more hypotheses are tested, the higher odds for false positive. For example: if we test only one hypothesis, the chance of at least one false positive is 5% (if we choose the statistically significant threshold is at 95% or p-value = 0.05). However, if we test 2 hypotheses at the same time, the probability to have two true positives will be: 0.95*0.95 = 0.9025. It means, the probability of at least one false positive will be 1 - (0.95*0.95) = 0.0975 > 0.05. It will increase to about 10% (with 2 hypotheses), not only 5% (with only one hypothesis).

To reduce the probability of false positive, there are suggestions to apply stricter threshold of p-value to 0.005 ^[1] or 0.001 ^[2].
See:

• The Proposal to Lower P Value Thresholds to .005 (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2676503)
• Revised standards for statistical evidence (https://www.pnas.org/content/110/48/19313)

If we apply the threshold of p-value at 0.005, there is no statistically significance from the above research.

From the table, we can see results are very inconsistency between groups. Honestly, I think results satisfy both sides, support or not support and this probably is a reason why governments have very different recommendations on face masks. One can say "Governments recommend don't wear masks if you are not infected and leave them for health care workers because the lack of face mask supplies". That statement is not completely true. The perspective on it was there before the pandemic, based on scientific results, I guess.

As I said, I am fine with face mask, just don't think it as a magical stuff that can protect you from the virus and don't pay attention on how you wear it.

I used some misleading words above, so I am sorry but my opinion still remains:
     Even with minor statistically significance + many biases (bad practices, is.) ~ no difference in real life (not lab conditions).

I know the pandemic put all of us under uncertainty situation but I believe in science.

At the ends, within the uncertainty about face mask efficacy, we have to base on local government recommendations and personal choice to wear face masks or not. I am not in a position to make any recommendation here. :)

I don't support this because there is already too much information about this coronavirus on this forum, that we do not need another set of instructions. We are all in lock down and all day on tv and social media we see news and information only about this virus. If there is anything new , then maybe it is good to share but rest everyone knows the do and don't to prevent the coronavirus.

Yippee!

Another COVID19 thread.

https://media3.giphy.com/media/dEdmW17JnZhiU/giphy.gif?cid=19f5b51aaddeab2564e5c518f976a8db9f317a654a58eb2d&rid=giphy.gif

**Coughs & leaves thread**

If every in the world wore a mask of so so quality it would have lowered infection rates.

Simple test is stand 3ft in front of a glass window and sneeze with zero effort to block or deflect the sneeze.

You will see droplets on that glass window.

The stand in front of the glass window with this mask

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y79K1PodX58

a simple mask made from mens clean underwear. obviously not n95.
sneeze at the window form 3 feet away and I guarantee you the moisture droplets will be reduced greatly.

I made a mask based on the youtube video above in under 30 seconds and while I know it won't help germs entering my eyes nose or mouth it will protect people from my germs of a sneeze or cough or even when I am speaking.

If people are willing they could make youtube videos of the underwear mask they made and we could post them somewhere some place

While we did have a good laugh when the forum got the virus on April Fools, I think this reminder to be permanent in the "news" section won't make any difference at all. For one if you haven't notice is already most of the topics we currently have always have someone mentioning the COVID-19 virus in the topics. This alone already shows that most of the forum members we have in the forum are already aware of the COVID-19 virus. Second like what others said this is a Bitcoin discussion forum, making a COVID-19 related headline in the forum would just even make majority of the topics all related to COVID-19 since it will keep reminding members here about the ongoing pandemic.

Firstly, I want to say that I'm not the people who hate threads related to Corona pandemic. As long as the threads have the reasons to be created and the writers (OP) follow the forum rules, why not have them. But yes, shitty corona threads must be unacceptable.

Regarding this thread, I can understand why OP tried to give the suggestion to the forum. However, theymos already showed forum attention to the pandemic through the April fools recently. If the purpose is to remind all the members of this forum, I think it is more than enough. For more instruction, I guess all people should know where they must go/visit, it is who.int. (COVID-19 (https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019))

I believe we are all under the colors of Coronavirus pandemic only where even Bitcointalk is popping up in some Google searches if you use this very specific term: "pandemic". I think users here are already doing their best to play their part in spreading a lot of news about Corona (yes, there are threads about it where unnecessary discussions are being done) and theymos is also worried about the situation as well as careful too, which is why he actively participates in some serious and on-topic discussions, so he may consider your request and make a specific thread with the title being advertised in the News area.

We have much spam related to covid-19 in some boards, that's enough to make everyone aware lmao

It is here now, and until we (the world) have successfully defeated it, its origin isn't that important. That is a topic for a future discussion.
Trump calls it the Chinese virus. Chinese, American, Russian, or Italian, if your defence system is weak, chances are that it can kill you.

@OP
If people want to deny the existence of the virus, that's their decision. I don't think a message on this forum will change their mind. It's been global for a month now with many countries in lockdown.

An old colleague of mine from high school is a denier. He has a father who has high blood pressure and has suffered a cardiac arrest last year. But the guy hasn't changed anything regarding his lifestyle.

I'd rather be the 'idiot' wearing a mask, protecting, and washing himself more than what is normal than being the idiot who brought a disease back to those close to him.      

This is Bitcointalk not Coronavirustalk .

If people are still ignorant about it  , and ignoring the doctors , goverments , authorities etc , then a slogan here will change nothing.


A slogan won't show thank Bitcointalk cares . And I don't understand who you mean in this situation when you say the forum cares ? The administration ? Theymos etc ? Or you mean us forum members.

If you want to show that you care , stay home as much as you can , always keep a safe distance when u do go out, wash your hands often , wear a mask and gloves etc
I appreciate your intention OP , but a slogan is the least we need right now .

You have to be careful when pushing the mass media propaganda Some people believe that shutting down economies will, cause more death, destruction and disease than the virus. One simple way to slow the virus and help build herd immunity, would be to ban smoking and vaping, and to control the ingredients in processed foods.

You might end up with a lot of protests from that. Especially if they think you'll move to ban alcohol.

I think smokers are quite the minority these days... I haven't walked passed anyone smoking in a long time... You'll also end up with having to deal with their withdrawal symptoms like people getting the shakes.... It might make your immune system worse if you go cold turkey....

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Can I peer review or write a the warning message if you're after something comprehensive.

I agree. All should know how dangerous this virus is and could be in the future. All should also know how to protect their selves and their loved ones. A slogan could help I guess.

It depends from the IQ your community has.
Here i frequently see outside (while shopping for foods), people smoking or buying cigarettes, lines of people buying beers... And yes they smoke in public and near each others. 2 stupid 2 realise they are harming everyone...

The contribution form everyone has been amazing and thought provoking.

I agree that anyone at this time still not believing the gravity of the virus is just being ignorant.
Yes the signs are everywhere on the street, bill board but let's not forget that some of us are on lock down and movement are limited to things essence. So our devices are more closer to us this days than normal.

We all by now to that there is a virus, yes we all do. Take for example during exams,  everyone know is Xmas but you Still see TV signs, bill board showing it, this is not to say we are not aware it Xmas but to show how important that season is.

People has lost there love once or still waiting for others to return from the hospital. The sign can signify we are all in this together, and the importance of the season right now although it's negative.

The sign could be changing to those that think it bores them. It could show gratitude to healthcare workers, police or others risking their health at this point. Of which we have some on the forum, you can get inspired by seeing a forum you love remembering what you do.
At this time we have seen with closure and total luck down the most important thing to human is survival.

It's been months already? Still need a notice on what should people do?I really don't  think so, it's just like the law, ignorance is not an excuse anymore besides this pandemis virus already started last December and hit the whole world by March, and now it's April 2020, I think everyone is already aware and also everyone know what should they're doing and not.

And foremost Discussions in regards of this topic are already widespread across almost in every section of this forum. Anyways, it's not a bad idea.

Since lots of thread regarding COVID-19 has been creating so I believe everyone who active on the forum are well aware about it. And everyone should know as well what they should do. Anyway it's not bad to remind same thing always especially such as epidemic, repeating same thing would sit on the brain once a time and we might stay safe.

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Off topic, seems OP just need 9 merits to become Full member, so I have sent it. Congrats for your rank up.

Despite the fact that we have been taught for several months how to be safe from this virus, there is still a very large mass of people who do not believe in the seriousness of the pandemic. Based on this, we get new cases of infection, it seems that everything is moving in a spiral. It is naive to think that the virus will disappear at one point, so a daily repeat of the safety rules will not hurt, or maybe someone who has not heard or used the rules will begin to take their health more seriously.

I wouldn't like to forum to start displaying a few dozen warning about various happenings.

This is a bitcoin forum with a broken trust/promotion system.    Get your news from a more reliable source. 

I agree even there is a slogan for this forum it still depend on the people how will they handle the situation, in my country people are ignorant they don't listen, they go outside with no social distancing and interacting with people with no facemask.
I hope this pandemic will end soon, people are dying and starving because they cannot go to work.