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Comment by cpncrunch | Hacker News Reader

Here in BC we don't have such restrictive conditions, and yet we still have very few cases. Vancouver has about 76% of the population of SF, but has half the number of cases. Restricting people to be at home has no benefit, no logic behind it, but has significant repercussions on mental health.

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My understanding is that the Vancouver lockdown is largely identical to the California one, no? What is open there that isn't in CA? I know restaurants, theaters, large gatherings, etc... are all closed, which is the economic activity most of the "reopen" people are concerned about.

Edit to note: two responses "disagreeing" with me by pointing out that the BC lockdown is effectively the same thing as the California one from the perspective of economic impact. This is why I asked the question! People are being fooled into arguing with a strawman idea of "lockdown" that isn't what is actually implemented.

First, it's not a Vancouver lockdown (it's a BC thing), nor is it really a lockdown at all. Nobody is legally required to stay at home except for people who are under a specified health order. Here are the restrictions on life that are most commonly noticed:

1. Restaurants are closed except for take-out and delivery. 2. Personal services businesses are closed. 3. Large gatherings of all kinds are banned. 4. Schools are closed.

You can still go to your office if you wish to, so long as social distancing rules can be respected (staying 2m apart). This being said, the vast majority of businesses that can have their employees work remotely are doing so, simply out of a concern for their health and wellbeing. If you have to have employees in your workplace, then there are guidelines for making it as safe as possible.

There is also extensive testing. Anyone with symptoms can be tested promptly.

FWIW I'm not familiar with CA specifically, but that sounds like the same kind of lockdown we have here in NY.

Offices are voluntarily closed, as far as I can tell, not by fiat. While you're only supposed to be working at an office if you're an essential worker, the definition is somewhat loose.

No. We are allowed to drive. All workplaces are open except for places like restaurants, personal service businesses, gyms and theatres. Other businesses just have to ensure distancing.

We're allowed to drive in California too - its supposed be for "essential" travel only, but that is pretty broad. I'd estimate in the Bay Area, traffic is only down by 50% or so (though certain commute routes are more dramatically impacted).

I'm referring to SF's stay at home order:

https://sf.gov/stay-home-except-essential-needs

"Everyone is required to stay home except to get food, care for a relative or friend, get necessary health care, or go to an essential job... If you need to get into a car or on public transportation to go for a walk or run, you’re going too far."

Seriously? No benefit, no logic?

Correct. Driving somewhere doesnt increase risk, any more than walking near your home. In a large city you are probably better driving outside the city.

The lockdown restrictions are a faith based policy, not evidence based. There is no hard evidence that they will reduce total deaths over the full span of the pandemic.

I mean, his argument has very little logic. He's just using numbers to tell the story that he wants to hear. "Correlation doesn't imply causation"

What is the logic behind restricting driving? (See my other comment here as well).

That (1) driving is a pre-cursor to contact with others and (2) driving requires contact with others (gassing up, toll booths, parking attendants, snacks, LE and so on) and (3) driving could lead to accidents which might in turn lead to you ending up in the ER or requiring ambulance transport.

Walking or driving can be a precursor to contact, but as mentioned in my previous comment, if you live in a large city it is difficult to physically distance yourself when walking outside. You are probably better driving to a more remote location for exercise.

Generally there is sufficient distance from other people when gassing up, so that seems like a very low risk for a short period of time, compared to walking in a city.

You are also at risk of requiring ambulance transport if you do DIY work at home. So best just sit in a dark room because you don't want electricity workers to have to go to work, or Netflix employees to have to go into work, etc.

You can exercise just fine in an apartment.

If you think a pandemic is the time to start major DIY projects then you really don't get it. You're not alone in that, but that doesn't make it smart or right.

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