Latest / The Group Chat / Ep. 9 The Hantavirus Files

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Ep. 9 The Hantavirus Files · The Group Chat

• Brandon: you Carson: All right, what's up y'all? Paulina, welcome back from New York. How was your trip? Brandon: New York City. Paulina: Hey, trip was amazing. Did not want to come back. I was hoping to stay a couple of days more. We had a problem with our check-in ⁓ on our app. So I was just low key hoping that we can check in and we have like a flight another day or next two days. Yeah, but thanks. ⁓ Everything was great. And I missed you guys, to be honest. I was like, ⁓ Carson: Have a well. ⁓ Mr. Two. Brandon: We missed you too. Carson: Definitely missed you. Paulina: I'm happy that you guys didn't replace me, know, completely. Brandon: Did they have a? Nah, not gonna happen. Carson: No, we would never. Paulina: At least for now. Carson: Nah dude, you're irreplaceable. Brandon: I just thought about something. Is ICE still in the airport? Paulina: I haven't seen ICE at the airport. So, at least in JSA or New York, at least there, so... yeah. Brandon: Okay. Carson: They weren't in Salt Lake. Brandon: Okay. All right. Carson: Now they were pretty, pretty chill in Salt Lake when I went, I went back in at the end of March, Salt Lake City, and I just more or less breezed through. They don't even ask questions anymore. They're just like, they look at you and there's nothing, I guess if nothing flags, they're just like, right, peace out and get out of here. I don't want to see your mug anymore. Paulina: Interesting. mean, I had I got pulled aside because I had ⁓ Yeah, I had visa things like for me. It's a whole different story But no, it was very quick and like they asked me questions, you know, like they checked my passport asked if everything lined up with with what I put my visa and like the application and everything and And that's about it. And they're like really nice super friendly ⁓ Carson: Oooooh! Paulina: there's like, we just want to know if everything checks out, if everything is correct, where are you going to be staying? What do you do? And that's about it. Like, have a lovely... Yeah, exactly. They're like, have a lovely trip, you know, and that's it. To like, go pick up your luggage, have fun. Like, all right, cool. No, so it wasn't, it wasn't bad. Yeah, no, I was expecting that like, I would... Carson: How many piercings do you have? Blah, blah, blah. Brandon: Yeah. Wish your blood tight. Carson: What's your sign? There you go. Nice. Brandon: Yeah, the usual questions. Paulina: you know, be stopped because I had the whole process of like the visa application. You guys know about it. So it was a little bit of like a tricky thing, but I wasn't stressed. It was a whole thing of like my paperwork, you know, like the work papers that I had and a whole long story when I played for the ESTA and then actual visa. And it was a bit of like a confusing thing, but ⁓ Carson: Why was it tricky? don't remember. What was the trick about? ⁓ because you're Russian spy. Paulina: Yes, obviously. Yeah, so they just wanted to check, you know? ⁓ No, but everything was fine. There was no problems, no issues. Super friendly, like I said, which like I didn't expect that because there was a lot of... Brandon: Thank Paulina: You know, things that are going around and people are like, ⁓ my God, when you get pulled by like, don't know, immigration, it's like the worst thing ever. That was not my experience at all. Like literally in and out of that room within like five minutes, very basic questions. And I think also like if you're, if you're not nervous, if you have your story straight of like, if you're not like making things up on the spot, or like something that is overly prepared, you know, that you look like you're lying. It shouldn't be a problem. Yeah. So yeah, Carson: Sweet, glad you had a great time in New York. It's been a long time since I was in New York City, but I think we were there five days. It was May, good time of year. It's pretty much the same time of year as you. And yeah, the food, all the food, all the good restaurants. Paulina: Yeah. Brandon: Good food, good people. Paulina: the best pizza. Carson: Yeah, definitely some of the best pizza, if not the best pizza. What about, what were people, go ahead. Paulina: for sure. That's what we're known for, the pizza and the bagels. Carson: Yeah. Bacon and cheese. What about the Hanta virus? people talking about it? Paulina: that as well. Brandon: You Paulina: honestly, I didn't hear that much about it when I was there. ⁓ I mean, I was informed about it a little bit because I checked the news. so I knew that like there have been some cases, I think in like New Jersey at that moment and so on, but I feel like not a lot of people should have cared about it. Which I don't think, you know, like it would affect them because I mean, in New York, you sort of just learn to live with rats. So I think at this point, we're sort of immune. Like we have rats at every station. Now, funny enough, actually, I didn't see any rats at the subway stations, which shocked me. I was like, where did all the rats go? Like I saw one rat and that was in Central Park. Carson: Yeah. Paulina: And that's it. Brandon: You Carson: They're eating the cats, they're eating the rats. ⁓ Paulina: So I was surprised, but I feel like New Yorkers are gonna be immune to this virus. They're gonna be like, like, you live for rats all the time. Rats, like cockroaches, like pigeons, whatever. Brandon: Over. Carson: Probably. Brandon: Everything. Paulina: the staple animals of New York City. Carson: Yeah, Brandon: infestations. Paulina: the holy trio. Carson: Is this true? I swear that you didn't see any rats. think like anytime I'm in any subway station anywhere there's So it's bizarre. Paulina: Yeah. Yeah. So what about this virus? What about in Spain? Carson: What about it? Well, I'm in the Canary Islands and... Brandon: They're out there with Carson. Paulina: haha Carson: I'm a little sick, but I don't think it's the hunt. No, I've had no close contact with rats or rat looking people. So no, we actually, I've only talked to some of my students about it and what did he say? So nothing really that they're not really afraid of it. They're actually kind of making jokes about it, but. Nothing. Nobody's taking it very seriously. Nobody's, nobody's not worried. Actually, ⁓ one of the students did say they're only worried that it might affect summer plans. They're not so worried about the health, the health implications, but more about like, I just don't want it to fuck up my summer. And I'm like, I'm with you on that, man. Cause I know I'm going to beat this virus. Like I will beat it upside the head. Like I'll beat it like a redheaded stepchild, but if it messes with my summer plans. Brandon: ⁓ of course. Carson: And I can say that everybody, because I am a Redhead Stepchild, thank you very much. So, it's true, it's true. We got a trip planned to Italy and man, I swear. But no, for that matter, by boat, yes. We're gonna take a long detour to South America. Paulina: You guys going by Bugs? Brandon: Yeah, definitely go by board. Stay away from all cruise ships. Paulina: Yeah, it's wild. Like, it's wild that like we're going through this once again. Like, well, we're not going through it yet, but there is this possibility that there is this possibility because I feel like the possibility is still out there. Like, not gonna lie. A part of me feels like same thing happened with COVID where like when COVID first started, Carson: Well, hold, hold, hold. Brandon: Yeah. Yeah, pump the brakes. Paulina: A lot of people are like, sort of, ⁓ nothing's gonna happen, everything's gonna be okay, they're gonna close the schools for like a week and that's it. And then it was like, years, you know? Brandon: No, it was even before all of that because the first COVID cases where it started getting big was back in like December, back in China. And then it kept little by little spreading. You're really paying attention to it. then eventually go from December into March, actually in February. The first cases here in Spain ⁓ started in the first cases in Murcia, sorry, came from the end of February from people that were in Madrid. Carson: That's a fear. Paulina: Yeah. Carson: Jaina. True. Brandon: And then they came to Murcia and then that's how it started spreading around here. Carson: Hmm. Brandon: And then two weeks later, school was shut down. Paulina: Yeah. Carson: That was a wild time. No, that's definitely the fear. Although what I've seen, what I've read, and I think you two probably have read it as well, it's just, at least it's not airborne in the sense that it's not as contagious. It is possible that respiratory droplets can spread it, but it seems like at this point, at least this version of the virus is not as contagious, it's not as spreadable. So we're less likely to spread it. But the fact that it is spreadable human to human makes it different from the what are they, the old world, huntiviruses. So. Brandon: Yeah, it's an old world and new world. Paulina: Yeah. Yeah. And that's the scary thing that it's like you can still spread it like by human, so to say human contact, because I think that they also mentioned that it was like spreadable by some sort of fluids and whatever. if that's the case, like, and the scary thing is that it's, you don't notice the symptoms. I think it's like, it has the period of like, Carson: Right. Mm-hmm. Brandon: Incubation. Paulina: two eight weeks or something like that. So it's like, you know, we just came back from New York and for now everything is fine and dandy, but maybe next week, who knows? mean, knock on wood, but exactly. Brandon: Yeah, our next month. Carson: Yeah, that is my only kind of hold out and don't panic yet, but be prepared in case more people are infected. And we just don't know that right now. So that at least would buy us time to develop a vaccine. If we had to rush a vaccine like we did last time with COVID, we would have a little bit time between waves of those infected. So it could be potentially easier to manage. Paulina: Yeah. Brandon: Yeah. Carson: Although it sounds like it might be more deadly. I haven't really looked into the numbers, but 40 % mortality if you get like some serious, what is it? The pulmonary is the HPS, whatever, or something like that. So that's what makes this different from other hantiviruses in like Africa and Asia and whatever. The Americas attack your loans. Brandon: Yeah. Yeah. Paulina: Yeah. Yeah. Brandon: Yeah, the Asian and European version is the kind of like a light one. Then the one from them. Yeah. then you have the exactly. But the one that. But that's it. The one the people that have died had the one from, like you said, the Andes version, which goes to your lungs. And I think it was what three people that were on the cruise on the was the boat. Carson: Hunt a light. Just a little bit of kidney failure, you You can live with one, so... Paulina: Little bit of masha. Carson: Yeah. Yeah, they've died. Brandon: the Monday Monday is HV Monday. Yes or whatever. Like three people have passed away so far. Carson: Yeah Paulina: Yeah, it's it's fucked to be honest like the mortality rate of it like, know 40 percent like That's that's crazy You know Carson: that. Brandon: Yeah, it's high, so high. Carson: But I think I don't know if it's 40 % of all infected it's 40 % who develop the later severe case where they're they're having the HPS because I don't think everybody who has a virus gets to that point where they're having the lung issue. It's just the ones who do get to that point at that point maybe at least that's how understand it 40 % of those people who develop the serious symptoms the most serious symptoms they end up dying. So but it still sounds pretty fucking terrible. Brandon: Yeah, could be. Paulina: Yeah, probably. Yeah, of course. mean, with COVID, mean, it was also scary because obviously the the infection rate, like, you know, it spread much faster and like much more easily. the mortality rate, like, I don't think it was that high. I don't know what it is. I don't know the percentages, but definitely not 40. Carson: ⁓ yeah. Super spreaders. Brandon: It was, no, no, it was really low. think it was like maybe like 3 % or something or maybe, I don't know. Paulina: Yeah, and then like you would get people that would go to hospitals, know, they had to be hospitalized hospitalized There you go. Um but the They would still like come out of the hospital and like they would be so to say okay, right? mean we're talking about the younger people would be fine generally but the older people, you know 50 plus 60 plus That's that's where you generally saw the issues, you know Carson: Yeah. Brandon: people with health issues. Paulina: Yeah, that as well. Carson: Yeah, pre-existing or comorbidities or whatever we call them, yeah. Risk factors. It's, what were you gonna say? Paulina: conditions. Yeah. Yeah. So. So Carson, how does it feel like you're like much closer to your virus than we are, you know, at least in this moment, like how is it, how does it feel like, you know, that this whole thing was happening right next door, so to say. Carson: Ugh. Brandon: Mmm. Carson: Yeah, a little odd, a little like my, guess my first reaction was, okay, I guess nobody cares about the Canary Islands. Like who cares if they get it or they're in the middle of the ocean. They're away from everybody. It's instead of giving it, sending it to the peninsula, the mainland Spain. No, but in the end, like I said, the people I've talked to here aren't too concerned. I mean, granted. I interact mostly with teenagers on a weekly basis and my boss, but boss didn't bring it up. didn't, I think I asked her and she said, no, I'm not worried about her. don't really know. haven't followed up with, followed up on it or anything, but. Hmm I guess it makes sense. There's a smaller population. It's something Spain can still control. And I guess they realized that they could isolate it better and it made more sense. Also, it's still with the boat sailing around. They need to obviously to stop somewhere soon. And so there was probably a strategic decision to be made. And I guess that's why they made it. No, I wouldn't say I'm afraid. All good. Paulina: They put Canary Islands in lockdown. They're like, everybody on a lockdown, Canary Islands. Carson: Nobody is. It's not a thing yet. Paulina: No, but it's still less of a population. Yeah. Carson: That's not a thing yet. Brandon: All the passengers have already out though. I don't think anyone has left in the Canary Islands. Like they've already sent out all the passengers that were on the boat to, there were some people from Canada, some from I think maybe France, and then the ones that are Spanish, they're already in, they've been sent to the peninsula. I think one person is still, actually has it and they're still in the hospital. Carson: Mm-hmm. Brandon: So yeah, so the people are, I think. If we have a problem, it's going to start showing up now. Now that everyone is going back to wherever they were originally from to their home country. So that's where we're going to start seeing if if things are going to pop off or not. Probably one in the next, I don't know, maybe a few weeks. Paulina: Yeah, for sure. Carson: Yeah, I hope things don't pop off. Usually popping off can mean a good thing, but in this case, that's not the type of popping off I want to see. Paulina: Hehehehe Brandon: We don't want any popping off. Carson: Also, ⁓ I would, I'm a bit curious now that we're talking about it. What's, what exactly is being done in the country of origin? What measures are they taking? Have they done any investigations? Has, does anybody know? Have we, ⁓ I haven't looked it, but ⁓ What's, what exactly is being done in the country of origin? What measures are they taking? Have they done any investigations? Has, does anybody know? Have we, ⁓ I haven't looked it, but ⁓ Paulina: No, man. No, man. Brandon: I don't think I've seen anything about it besides the fact that, yeah, that it originated there and then that's it. I don't think I've seen anything about it besides the fact that, yeah, that it originated there and then that's it. Carson: It's Argentina, right? It's Argentina, right? Well, because where are those people going? Who are those people coming in contact with? Are they still traveling? Are they banned from travel? People in that region, in the country? Well, because where are those people going? Who are those people coming in contact with? Are they still traveling? Are they banned from travel? People in that region, in the country? And how is this just now happening? Because I think nobody can help but look back to COVID. And we still have questions. We don't have a lot of closure about the origin story of COVID. The US government potentially keeping that under wraps about the whole lab leak theory, which may be more than just a theory, seems like. You know, there's something to still possibly investigate there, which is bewildering, but nobody, not to, not to speak to conspiracy, but there is always a chance that somebody's taking advantage of a situation and taking advantage of biology as well. Brandon: Of Paulina: My question is, I don't know if you guys will have the answer, but how did this virus exactly start? Like because it starts with rats, no? Like technically it's because of an animal. ⁓ We had plagues before because of rats. ⁓ But this whole idea, sorry? Carson: Ratatata. That's just being stupid. The more we say rats, it's just making me think of all things rats. Ratatouille, you know, like... ⁓ the... Ratatatata. Brandon: you You Paulina: ⁓ But it makes me think of... It makes me think of like, what the hell were they doing with those rats? that... Or like, what type of sanitation did they have on these cruise ships? Because I don't think it's necessarily just from the people like from, you know, so to say, the Andes. But there had to be something that happened on the cruise ship. Carson: Sorry, I'm the worst. I'm the worst type of human. ⁓ Cough Paulina: I don't want to point fingers and blame people, but it makes me think of like, it's a sanitation thing. It's more about how clean food was or the rooms or whatever that it caused this virus to actually start. mean, the carrier is a rat. ⁓ What the heck were rats doing on a cruise ship in the first place? I don't know. Brandon: Alright. Yeah. Rats are everywhere. Carson: Yeah. So I, I read that sometimes in the sanitation process when cleaning, when spraying, just maybe even as a preventative measure, not, not knowing, Hey, okay, rats were here. So we have to spray this blah, blah. But if they are cleaning, at least in one of the articles, I think that you shared Paulina that that aerosolizes the, the the viral agents or the, you know, to make the virus airborne to an extent, or it spreads it more easily. So then it can bind two different things in the area, whether it's a can of soda or food that's open food or something. And then it just takes somebody eating it or putting it close to their face if it's contagious enough or spreadable enough, I guess, for lack of better words, I'm not the expert obviously, but. Brandon: Yeah. or food or just a surface. Carson: I think it's not even direct. doesn't have to be like the rat peed on this, the rat walked on this, the rat barst on this thing. It can be through it's some kind of indirect mechanism like that where we're like, we were trying to do the right thing and clean up, but our cleaning up spread the shit around and you're sick. Bye. Have a nice death. Paulina: That's it. Brandon: Yeah. Paulina: That's what I was thinking. Do you have to like, for example, like, because the first thing that I, you know, when I heard about this, my, my first thought was like, what the hell are people doing eating rat shit? I mean, that's, that's crazy thing, obviously sanitation, right? Like people don't eat that. Like that's, but you know, you never know. Like you're on a cruise ship, you're having fun, but maybe something, you know, you touch, ⁓ you place a burger in the wrong place or rat was walking there and it Carson: What? Paulina: It happens. ⁓ that sort of, yeah, like that sort of went through my mind, you know, I'm like, maybe there was something that happened in the kitchen. ⁓ It is possible, but also the thing that you're saying more probable, I would hope, I would hope that that's the case. Carson: Hey, those chocolate sprinkles aren't chocolate sprinkles. Brandon: You Carson: Which is possible I suppose. At least it makes for a good story. It makes for a good cover-up. If there is any kind of covering up. Not to say there is. But... Brandon: Okay. Paulina: Yeah. Brandon: Alright, but not. Always. All right. So I have a question. So does that mean I don't know it has it been confirmed or I don't know. Maybe I missed this. Is it for certain from the ship, the cruise ship, or is it possible that someone had that contact before they actually got on the cruise and then they got just spread when they were on the cruise ship when you're all on a boat together for a week or two weeks, whatever. Or maybe that's when it started spreading and someone actually contracted the virus before. Paulina: Yeah. Carson: I don't know if that's been ruled out. Brandon: Yeah, I don't know. Paulina: don't know. ⁓ Carson: Considering also the incubation period. Yeah, it could be in fact somebody who was visiting the area depending on who was where and when. They should be able to narrow that down. They should be able to track that since, we're always being tracked anyway. So come on. Like don't sit here and tell me you can't tell me exactly where these people were every second. Brandon: incubation is so long. Paulina: Yeah. Brandon: Yeah, to know exactly. Paulina: Yeah, I'm trying to see it. I'm looking at the article a little bit as well right now. But I don't think it mentions in the article. It just says that it was on the cruise ship. I don't think, I don't think they ruled it out. if it was like a person that was already infected or I don't know. I don't think it says anything about it. Brandon: ⁓ at some point we'll figure out maybe we'll figure something they'll say something you never know. Paulina: Maybe. Yeah, yeah. I mean, as Carson mentioned before, it's not like we have all the clarity with COVID either, right? Like there's... Brandon: ⁓ that'd never come out. Paulina: I feel like there's just so many different layers to it that... you just don't know what to believe right like there are so many different theories that it's like well which one is it actually true like there are so many wild ones as well ⁓ it's like okay which one is which one is the truth right what is the truth here Brandon: Yeah. We'll never know. What's his name? Dr. Fauci. He's been coming up a lot recently. I don't know, just because now you have this whole new virus that everyone's talking about. And so they're going back to his whole role in everything with COVID or is actually, I don't know, maybe there's some type of trial or something for him. Cause I think ⁓ whatever he did, I think there were things he did incorrectly. And I think he might be going on trial for some of what happened with COVID. I'm not sure. Paulina: Yeah, do you guys think that this goes into conspiracy theories, but do you guys think that any of these like viruses, I mean, like COVID, there are so many people that are saying that it was planned, that it was, you know, you know, to lower the population, whatever. Like, I mean, that's for me, that's a crazy thought. But at the same time, with the amount of information we're getting about it, right, like Carson: Yeah. Paulina: the different theories and the little true confirmed information that we can really trust. It's hard not to think that, I would say. Carson: Well, something I saw, I don't know if one of you sent it to me, was RFK? No, you didn't. It's popped up on my feed somewhere. RFK said, however recently, that there is still the idea or an argument that COVID was a biological weapon and that, I almost said segune, but according to him. According to him, that countries do this and even the United States does this. This is, know, where you read our disclaimer and you hear like, we don't know shit. All right. Um, but the statistics tell us the science tells us that the people most affected by COVID were whites and blacks and that the least affected people were one, um, denomination of Jews and I don't know if denomination is right word, but then also Asian people. And so having the lab in Wuhan on Chinese soil where they're developing these vaccines, testing, you know, developing more viral viruses. And then the idea is to develop vaccines, right? It's a plan for the end of the world by creating the end of the world or whatever you want to, however you want to phrase it. It's just like, it smells bad. It smells funny and people are not stupid. And so they're going to make connections where there are connections to be made. So one can only think that there was you know, there was foul play. And so it wouldn't be completely unfounded to think that a country is capable of producing some kind of biological weapon and then testing it just to see how effective it is. Brandon: you Carson: not only to see how effective the weapon is, but to see how effective ⁓ and how prepared world governments are in dealing with it. Brandon: Thank Yeah, what's the reaction? Paulina: Yeah. Carson: I mean, what if, what if COVID happened and then at the same time, another virus as deadly or, completely different came out at the same time, how would we have dealt with that? How many more people would have died? And then you couple that with some kind of military incursion. You couple that with some type of invasion. I mean, the world's in chaos. And so it could be a multi-pronged, multi-step type of attack in the future, in a future scenario, if a country deemed that to be the best strategy. Paulina: Yeah. Carson: And is a strategy. And humans are capable of some pretty evil things. Paulina: I mean, isn't there like a vault or something like that with different types of viruses, like old viruses that are like put in freezers? Carson: Well, yeah, I think of the CDC. Paulina: Am I? Or am I going crazy? I, read that, like, and there is also like the book by, I don't remember his name, I think called like Demon in the Freezer. Um, and it's about smallpox and like how smallpox, you know, like could also be used like as a weapon. was it smallpox? I don't remember now. Or anthrax or something. I don't remember. Yeah. Um. Brandon: No, no, yeah. I'm think where it is. Carson: But yeah, for sure. Smallpox is bad enough. We don't have to update any. That would fuck some people up. Brandon: ⁓ yeah. Paulina: So, know, it wouldn't, as Carson said, like, I don't think it's surprising. I don't blame people for making those connections, if their connection is to be made, right? Because there is something that, you know, in our little human brains, we like to question things, right? And if we have the chance to connect A and B, will connect A and B. I'm not so into this conspiracy theory, but I also understand why people go into that depth and why people believe it. ⁓ I don't know. I don't know if it was planned ⁓ or if it just happened. I don't think, as Brandon said earlier, we'll have the answer. I would like to be sort of positive and think that it happened, was unfortunate, whatever. But that's being optimistic. Carson: Yeah, I think the whole conspiracy theory label itself is so messed up and how really anything that you believe could be possible if it's not proven to be fact. Well, that's technically a conspiracy, but then we're so quick to judge somebody who has conspiracy theories. ⁓ your theories are just theories. Well, just because it hasn't been proven yet doesn't mean it couldn't still be possible. Brandon: Yeah. Carson: And so I think it is important to air it out and to share it with friends to talk about it because you're not the only one thinking this. We all think this. we, order to investigate something, have to, enough of us have to say, yeah, we should investigate that. We should figure out what's going on there. It can be something innocent or it could be something like a virus that kills a lot of people. Brandon: Is that good? That's the thing. have to have that interest. We have to think about things and actually do research and talk about it. We can't just sit around and accept whatever is said as, oh, they said this, so that's it. That's the answer. Well, no, actually think about does that make sense? Do your own research. Can't trust everything that we see or read or especially now with social media. Carson: sure. That stigma behind conspiracy theories like you just don't like that what we're saying could be true. You don't want to agree with that. Well, I don't want to agree with it either. I don't even want to think it. But if it's possible, well, then somebody could have acted on that. Somebody has an interest. Somebody has a financial interest. Somebody's in power. Somebody wants to stay in power and they're not popular with their people. Well, there's some incentive. Paulina: Yeah, sure. Carson: We can think of crazy ways that people in power have let corruption drive their actions and steer them into, well, I don't need to give a history lesson, but ⁓ you know. Paulina: No, for sure. And what about this hantavirus? Do you guys think that it's another one of those, you know, possible conspiracy theories that, you know, biological weapon or whatever? Or do you guys think that this is something that, ⁓ shit, it just happened? Because I mean, yeah, the mortality rate's pretty high. I mean, like 40%, but how it spreads? Like, I don't know if that's the best way, you know, like to... put as a biological weapon. But I mean, we're in the very early stages. Like this is very early to say, but from what we have seen so far, only a couple of people infected here and there for this moment, at this moment, because we don't know what's gonna happen in eight weeks. It makes me think that it's not really a biological webinar, that it's not really, wasn't really planned. But it's early to say. Carson: Hopefully not. Probably not. I mean, you can go from absolutely not to, know, most likely yes. I don't really subscribe to the idea yet that there is a larger conspiracy at play, but I don't rule it out either. Brandon: Exactly. There's always a possibility. Paulina: Yeah. Carson: And I guess time will tell. But then, know, what you're saying is that, this whole incubation period, I don't really think if they're trying to use it as a weapon, it would be like this. Why I counter that argument with when you are trying to not get caught, you will try any creative way you can. That's obfuscation. That's hiding your tracks. That's like making sure that, ⁓ there's no way this is going to point back to me. Brandon: Exactly, that's like that's the objective Paulina: Mm-hmm. Carson: So you can get pretty creative with that shit. And I mean, we're talking about smart people. These are smart, powerful people who would be in charge of doing something like this. And if, if not one particular government, I don't want to get into the conspiracy conversation too much, but it can't help, but think about it. It can't help, but think about it. It's compelling. It's addictive to go down that rabbit hole, but it may not be wise. You don't want to spend too much time on that, but at the same time. Paulina: Yeah. but it's... No, I see your report. . Carson: Maybe that's what they're banking on. It's just us being, ⁓ it's just crazy conspiracy. I'm crazy for thinking this. Which in the end might not be so crazy. Paulina: And what about do you guys think Maybe this is a crazy question, but if There is another pandemic right Do you guys think that the world is ready for it something like you know Looking at how the is right now right or like you know the outbreaks and whatever Carson: He wasn't ready. No. ⁓ Brandon: you Paulina: ⁓ and you know the rate which is 40 percent right like do you guys think that our i don't know medical system and the staff and government in general do you think that we're ready to have another pandemic i mean that's that's a shitty question i don't think we're ever ready to have another pandemic and we shouldn't but Brandon: you Carson: No, I know where you're going with this. know. I get you. Brandon, go ahead. Brandon: But specifically here with the virus, like we said, it's like 30, 40 % mortality rate. Much, much higher than what we have at COVID. I think no matter what, we're not going to be prepared for it, especially with that high mortality rate. But also you think that there's also no, there's no vaccine. So in the end, whether it was against your choice or not, well, there was a vaccine, COVID vaccine, but here there's not anything like. This virus has been around for, I think we saw in the article or video, it's been around for like thousands of years. They've been doing the research and in the last what, 30 years or so, it's still not a vaccine for it. So if it were to take off, I already said before, if it was gonna pop off, well, we're not prepared. But maybe not so many people are gonna get hit like with COVID because it doesn't spread as easily, but those that do, well, mortality rate, would it been that high? Carson: No. Cough Paulina: Yeah. Carson: Right, but then we don't know how difficult it might be to make a creative vaccine seeing as they still haven't created a vaccine. I actually don't know about the old world, how the viruses, if there are some vaccines. I want to say there are for some of the old world, but for the new world, like the one in the Western US, which is the sea nomad, how funny is that? That is called sea nomad. That's just wild. Brandon: Yeah, I saw that. I was reading about that. was like, did I hit it like translate or something? Like what happened? Carson: I know, same here. So they're just chalking that up to Hispanic descent right away. Anyways, a little odd there. And so I don't know if that xenobityl virus has a vaccine, which might tell you that it's not so easy. Maybe they haven't cracked the code yet, or maybe they haven't had enough funding to even try. So. Brandon: Send only. Paulina: Yeah, I think that the funding aspect is also there because with COVID, mean, there wasn't really before there wasn't really a need for that specific strain, right? Because obviously COVID it's like, you know, there are larger different types of strains of it and whatever. ⁓ But for the one that we got hit with in 2019, well, Here was 2020, but when it started, there was no vaccine up until, you know, like later that year because they started to do all the research even more and funding and whatever to see who's going to get the vaccine first, right? Who's going to come up with the best one? Who's going to come up with this type of vaccine? And I remember even exactly. Right. I remember like people were asking, which vaccine did you get? Right. Like because there are like different levels. This one was This one was better. This one was this, you know, and it's like, ⁓ if you got this one, you don't have the 5G, you know, you get like 3G. All those jokes. Yeah. Yeah. Pfizer. Brandon: Yeah. Carson: Yeah, I don't even remember. Brandon: Yeah, yeah, was it Johnson and Johnson Johnson and Johnson modern Carson: Your shit's buffering, I'm modern, I think is what I got, at least for the first one. Brandon: Pfizer, yeah, Pfizer, but those other. I don't even remember. I had two different ones. Paulina: Yeah. Yeah, I think I had... why is her in the dark now? Yeah. Carson: You had the cocktail, COVID cocktail. Brandon: I think most teachers, that's what we had. We didn't have a choice. Carson: Yeah, they said you get out or you don't work. Paulina: Yeah. So. Brandon: Exactly. Carson: That's yeah, that whole control thing that was really upsetting for me too. I remember having to at some point waited out the requirements for travel or something like that. was, you had to get a booster. At some point you had to get a booster to travel. At some point later on they dropped that requirement. It's like, thank God. But I was at that point, was not a, I was not, I hate to keep saying conspiracy theorists. I was not too skeptical. Paulina: them. Yeah. Carson: But I was somewhat, I was more skeptical and I was less interested or felt like I was in need of getting the booster. I didn't think I was at risk. I only did the legal requirement because I had, you know, we all had to. And at first it seemed safe. Bless you. Paulina: Thank Brandon: Bless you. Paulina: Thank Carson: But yeah. Paulina: No, it's true. You have to get a booster in order to travel or like the second one, because I remember I wanted to come visit Tony. I don't remember when it was exactly. And in Poland, like the waves were slightly different than here in Spain. That's also the interesting thing that. Brandon: Yeah. Paulina: every country had its own sort of wave, right? Like saying they had it during this time. In Poland, for example, the cases were lower during that time. So when things in Poland started to open up, here they put up the restrictions. So if I actually wanted to travel, when they started to open the borders a little bit, ⁓ I would need to get a booster, not because of Polish restrictions, because of Spanish restrictions. Brandon: Yeah, exactly. Carson: Right, you had to check where you were going as well as where you were leaving. That's what it was. Paulina: It was I was getting frustrated because for me when I was I had I think I had two or three. don't remember now. I think I definitely definitely two I don't know if I got like a third shot as well because I think that was like later on like a optional or something ⁓ But I was definitely getting frustrated because I felt horrible after the vaccines and I'm talking about like fever ⁓ in bed for like two days or three days straight that like I couldn't move like my muscles felt so sore, ⁓ headaches, like there was one point that felt like I was going to vomit ⁓ and then when I actually had COVID because I think I also had COVID like twice, one time it was pretty bad like also like muscle aches, like pretty bad for like the normal cases because I know people were in hospitals. and many people died, but pretty bad in the regular sense. I had muscle pain, a fever. ⁓ But then there was another time where I was decent. A bit of a sniffle, feeling a bit tired and that's it. But I never got to that point that I don't know, I had to be in a hospital or... that I couldn't move completely or that I lost my taste or sense of smell, nothing, none of that. But there were times where I just didn't feel well. So for me, the vaccines were much worse than the actual time that I had COVID, which maybe that shows that the vaccine, so to say, worked because maybe if I never had gotten the vaccines, it could have been a lot worse. Brandon: Okay. Would have been worse. Carson: I just remembered now why I was skeptical of the boosters because I thought, wait, I need to top it off. Is it just not effective? It made me think this vaccine can't be really good if I need to get more and more and more of it. Like have they just decided they need to get rid of all the overproduction they made too much and In order to justify spending so much money on it, they need to just give it to people. For me, it seemed a little cheesy, a little fake. Like at this point, really, you really like that doesn't build trust. For me, I lost trust at that point. Brandon: Yeah, missing information. Paulina: Yes, but ⁓ I'm also thinking about that when you're a kid, ⁓ you also get sometimes like a vaccine and then a booster. ⁓ I don't remember. I mean, when you're like a little kid, maybe I'm going crazy, but I remember. Yeah, like what? Carson: Yeah, something's off. Can't remember when. I remember getting different vaccines. I remember getting all the hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, those were different. You got the measles, mumps, and rubella. You got the tetanus shot. ⁓ Those I guess are the main ones. There's gotta be one or two more, but chicken pox. Brandon: That's right. Paulina: And then when you're a teenager, example, yeah, when you're a teenager, you also get for HPV viruses. And I think those are also like round up three that you need to get it before you're 18 or something like that. I have them. Yeah. So for me, like, I understand where you're coming from, but also like, try to keep that in mind. I'm like, yeah, there are other vaccines that sometimes you have to get more of them. Not common. Brandon: ⁓ yeah. Carson: ⁓ Maybe there was one or two, yeah. Brandon: Yeah, no, they were doing them at school. Carson: Okay, okay, that one. Yeah, that one sounds familiar. Good point. Paulina: because it's not common. But then you also think about flu shots. I don't think I ever got a flu shot to be honest. Carson: Hmm. Good point. I forgot about that. Brandon: Nah, I don't do I don't do flu shot. Carson: I don't fuck with that. Paulina: but there are people that go every year, right? So. Carson: True, they're believers. Paulina: I also never really had bad flus. For me, it never really affected me to that point. So never really. Carson: I get sick once or twice a year, but Brandon: I I had a flu once. Carson: nothing crazy. never really get fevers. I'm sick right now, but it's the same shit, different day. Headaches, body aches, maybe a little cold, maybe a little hot. A lot of mucus. Lots of mucus. It's just, there's a certain rhythm, you know, when you, when you start talking and the rhythm catches you and you just, you start, you hear... nothing crazy. never really get fevers. I'm sick right now, but it's the same shit, different day. Headaches, body aches, maybe a little cold, maybe a little hot. A lot of mucus. Lots of mucus. It's just, there's a certain rhythm, you know, when you, when you start talking and the rhythm catches you and you just, you start, you hear... Paulina: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Brandon: I was waiting for it. I was waiting for Trump to come out. I was waiting for it. I was waiting for Trump to come out. It is like, why not? It is like, why not? Carson: You hear the invisible music and you just want to get on your Trump train. You hear the invisible music and you just want to get on your Trump train. Paulina: Just go with it. Just go with it. Brandon: So let's let's go Danny. So let's Carson: Tony. Paulina: ⁓ man. Carson: a Paulina: What are your memories ⁓ with like, when we had the pandemic? Like, what do you guys remember? Like we said that we're not ready for another pandemic. I don't think we are either. But ⁓ what you guys think when you like during COVID and like lockdown and all of that? Like how did you guys spend it? I mean, we're all here, thankfully, right? We all survived it. ⁓ Some weren't as fortunate. So I want to know a little bit about your experience in that case. Brandon: Just here, work, lots of work because at school, let's see, you all weren't there, but we went home on Friday. And on Monday, we started online classes, like our normal timetable and everything. Like it was nonstop from like nine until three. And then after that, we would have meetings to see what worked, what wasn't working, how are the students and how we were doing. And then it was like, They were very long days. We probably finished about maybe five or six every single day. And it was just like way too many hours on the computer. It was bad for the students, it bad for us. And we did that. It started in middle of March and we did it until June, beginning of June. And in June we went back to school because the students were getting ready for the selectivity. And so the B2 students, went and we were helping prepare them. Carson: Shoo. Brandon: had our class with our mask on and everything. But yeah, it was intense. Carson: Well. Sounds rough. Brandon: Work-wise, Carson: And just expecting kids to be able to concentrate the same way online. Not just kids, anybody. It's way different. Wow. Brandon: It was impossible. Yeah, to actually learn to actually do anything. was, it was impossible. Carson: Yeah. ⁓ in my experience, well, yeah, I had to do some online work like you, but at this point, the only online work I really had to do was for, so I was doing the auxiliary program, the language assistant program, and that was pretty much obsolete at this point. They didn't give me any work to do online. I was getting whatever monthly payment I was getting, which wasn't, wasn't much, but I don't We'll say 800. And so I also had a job at a school in Morsia, a private school, where I was doing a little bit of language assistant and also I had my own classes. So it was a total of, I don't know, we'll say five, five hours a week. And so I did some assignments, some online assignments, pretty much I posted assignments and then the students would submit, but it didn't have, you know, full classes with all the students. was more just post something, give them something to do. And then grade their homework. So it was really easy going. My work situation at that point was easy breezy, beautiful cover girl. And I know what you're thinking. This guy's a fool. Um, and it's true. Uh, so aside from that, it was, yes, it was tough not being able to go to the gym, my happy place, but I did get like the eight liter jugs of water. would do bent over rows. I would do curls. I would do pushups. I would do plyometrics. We were the house at the beach house, so we had the big terrace at the front, the side, the back. were pretty much, we were in a, we were well off in the sense that we didn't have neighbors. We were pretty much alone. couldn't go to the beach, which sucked. ⁓ Brandon: Huh. Paulina: You had all the toilet paper, right? What? Carson: Yes, and a bidet, so don't worry. And a bidet. Gotta have the bidet. America, get on board. And so, aside from the hardships of having to have only one person take the dog, not being able to walk around freely. Paulina: Okay. Brandon: Okay Paulina: Hmm. Carson: It was a period for my wife and I to get a lot closer because I had just moved to Spain in 2019 in October. And of course this hit, COVID hit here in March 2020. So we were isolated together. We had each other. We had time to get to know each other better. And as a newly married couple, yeah, that's the thing. Test the waters. See what saying this will get you. Brandon: Okay. Carson: See what doing this will get you. But no, we laugh now and we do reflect and we say how, well, we survived COVID together, isolation in the house together. We were just moved in together basically. And if we could do that, we could do anything. And I know, I remember during this time there were a lot of make it or break it moments. A lot of people got divorced. A lot of people broke up with their partners. And so we made it. And so it was positive moment for us. Brandon: Exactly. ⁓ without a doubt. Carson: But yeah, was an experience, man. I would not like to relive it. Not for the sake of being in the same house as my wife. That's not at all what I'm saying. I'm saying for this, you know what I mean. Being confined to four walls is what I'm saying. That's pretty rough. We are not animals in cages. We should not be stuck in cages. Paulina, what's yours? Brandon: We got you. Paulina: Yeah. It's so interesting. Carson: Your take, what was your take? Paulina: It's so interesting that people in Spain had a very different experience. Because I think Spain was definitely one of the countries that got hit the most. Like I think it was Spain and Italy. Like I would like watch TV. I was at my parents' house. I was watching TV and there's like ⁓ on top of bodies. Like it's sad to say that, but like literally on TV you would just see like don't have place. We don't have more. Cause like, like there are Brandon: Yeah. Paulina: people just like left out on the streets and waited, so to say, to be picked up type of thing. And it's like, it's so scary and it's so like dehumanizing. in Poland, we lived a completely different life. Like, of course, still many people died. But was at my parents' house because I was living in the south of Poland. ⁓ I just came back from Spain funny enough in February because I was visiting my partner in February, like beginning of February, came back and I was already thinking, ⁓ during spring break I'm gonna go to Spain again. And ⁓ had I think like two weeks ⁓ or two more weeks until like spring semester started. ⁓ And we literally went for one day and then the next day we get a message from like the school administration that it's like that the school is closed for for a week. So I was like, I'm going to go visit my parents up in the north. So I took my cat and thank goodness I took my cat because sometimes I would leave him with my roommates. But I took my cat, I took like a whole bunch of clothes. I'm like, I'm gonna go there for a week. And then while I was on the train, I started reading. It's like COVID, blah, blah, cases, first cases in Poland, this, that, the other. And I'm like, what is happening? Like, this is such a weird reality. I started to see people with like masks on the train. And I was like, what is happening? And then I got to my parents' house and I didn't leave my parents' house from, I think, the last week of February? No, was March, sorry. The first week of March until end of May. So was there for two months, stuck at my parents' house because the trains were working as they normally would. They put limits on how many trains could go, ⁓ restrictions, whatever. And I was stuck there with my sister who was pregnant at the time. So it was a madhouse, like was like, you know, two adults, like my, like my parents, me trying to do my like online work, because I was working at an academy at that time, like part time. So some of the classes were moved online. Some of the students didn't want to do online classes. And I was still in university. So I had to like record projects, you know, like do like speeches and whatever, send it. And I'm like, how am going to be doing this while my pregnant sister is right next to me? know, so like stuck in the four walls type of thing. But then literally in June, they started opening things. They put the restriction down because we had less cases and things started to be open. So people started to go out, you know, including myself, because I was like, ⁓ my God, like, I'm so tired of being inside. Of course, I, you know, try to be a little bit Brandon: Right. Paulina: away from people because I have my parents are a little bit older. ⁓ My sister was pregnant. So I try to sort of not be as touchy feely with people. But yeah, but you still wanted to go out and like have a beer, know? Exactly. Brandon: Give me my space. And be social. Paulina: So was very difficult time, but Tony was telling me completely different stories. He was here literally in his four walls. was like, we can't go outside. I'm like, what do you mean you can't go? Yeah. Brandon: Yeah, no, it was really strict here. Like the police were out and everything. Like you couldn't go out that stop you and ask you where you're going. It was it was rough. Paulina: Yeah. Yeah. In Poland, like, during certain waves, was like that as well. ⁓ But generally, I feel like there are some restrictions, for example, like you couldn't go, like only one person could walk the dog or something that Carson was saying. ⁓ They still have those restrictions. But then, like I said, during the summer, things started to open up, like everything was fine. And then another, obviously, another wave is going to hit if people started to go out. And I didn't return back to university. I went for, I think, one semester and a little bit of, like, I don't know, one or two days of the other semester. And then... I don't think we even returned to in-person classes because of COVID. So my university experience from a master's degree was mainly online. Yeah. Brandon: That's how it is. Carson: The fear was real. People were really... and they still are. You still see people wearing masks. Driving. That's the wildest thing to see and people still... I still catch it. Even in the US I caught it. People driving, windows up, masks on. ⁓ boy. Brandon: Definitely. Paulina: Yeah. I mean... Carson: psychological impact. Paulina: I'm not really surprised, right? Because it does, especially if you have lost someone close, ⁓ it definitely leaves like a mark on you, right? It definitely does something to you psychologically. ⁓ And now with this new virus, right? This Hanta virus, we were in New York literally, like I said, like last week, and you go to Chinatown and people are with masks. Brandon: Yeah. Paulina: But at the same time, mean, like Chinese people generally wear masks very often, you from what I have seen, right? Like the videos of you look online, like reels or whatever, and they're always wearing masks. I mean, for various reasons, also pollution or whatever. But in New York City, you go to Chinatown and there's so many of them wearing masks. I'm like, do they know something that we don't know? Brandon: Yeah. Carson: We released another virus. Paulina: I still got to worry about the patterns, right? Sorry? Carson: like we released another virus but we're gonna protect ourselves. Paulina: I started to panic a little bit, right? Because it's like you see people wearing masks and you're like, what is happening? Like, should I be like worried? Brandon: I remember when COVID started, we went to, it was the end of February, like the last weekend, and we took my niece to Madrid to see Disney on ice. So obviously like with Madrid being the big city, the capital, like people there were already wearing masks. So like you said, you're on the Metro and you see people wearing masks and it's kind of like, what is this? Like what's going on exactly? And then of course what happened was the people, someone from that event brought the... brought COVID back to Murcia from the Disney on Ice. It wasn't me though. No, no, it wasn't me. No, I didn't get COVID until a year later. Paulina: It was you, Brandon. It was you. Or maybe you're asymptomatic. Brandon: Maybe. We'll never know. Carson: You Paulina: I'm just messing with you. But yeah. Carson: So. So there are some real fears and we hopefully don't have to go through something similar or potentially worse than COVID anytime soon. But we have to also remember that throughout history there have been outbreaks, have been pandemics, there have been epidemics. We've lost large percentages of our population, of the human population due to plagues and so be it, so name it. So we... You know, yes, there are things we can do better in terms of prevention as well as vaccines and dealing with the problem as it it arises instead of having so many people have to die before before we get it together. So we'll see if we are on. On the bright side of history on this one, we made it through the first pandemic in our lifetimes, and hopefully this one is not going to become. Any bigger, hopefully it doesn't pop off. Paulina: Doesn't pop off yet, Now this one... No, not really. Carson: We don't want this one to pop off. Not this. Don't be popping off, please. I'm trying go to Italy. I'm trying to get my grub on. I'm trying to eat. I'm trying to eat that good stuff. Paulina: you Brandon: Definitely. Can't mess up the summer plans. Carson: know, summer is sacred, summer is smart time. Paulina: Yeah. After summer? Maybe. Maybe. Alright. We pressed the button. Brandon: September 1st? Carson: Press the button. Global enablation. Brandon: Ha ha! Paulina: I mean, it's true, right? Like summer is, ⁓ we don't want another pandemic during the summer. Definitely not ever, let's put it there, ever, but things happen. And what type of control do we have over it? We don't have control except for, know, keeping our distance and whatever precautions that they tell us to take. But at the same time, like that's... Carson: Cough Paulina: That's like a droplet, right? In an ocean. Like you can't, that's the least we can do. And that's it. Carson: Yeah. So all you dirty people out there, wash your hands. Don't breathe on others. If you think you're sick with some kind of hanta virus, COVID, just mask it up. Mask it up or just don't go to work. Like it's just not worth it. There more important things than a paycheck. And if your job doesn't let you take a day off, tell them, I prefer to live. Brandon: With anything, with anything. Paulina: post-credit. Carson: and I prefer to live well and I'm gonna get better at home where I'm comfortable and I'm not gonna stress myself out or get other people sick. No matter what kind of virus it is, I think there more important things like your health. Paulina: for sure. So people, yeah, stay clean. Brandon: Definitely. Carson: Stay fresh. Wash your hands. Clean your ass. Well, I've... Show nasty hands. We're not calling you nasty, we're just saying don't be nasty. Like keep yourself from being nasty. Because right now you're perfect. Stay that way. Maybe not perfect, but... All right. We're gonna just cut that last part out. We got a little... Paulina: Freshly cleaned. Brandon: Wash your hands. Paulina: You're nasty. You're gonna wash your hands. Brandon: Yeah. Yeah. Try to be, try to be. Paulina: No, we should just end it here. Carson: Yeah, we'll just end it here. So again, everybody, thank you for watching. As always, we appreciate you. We're just three friends catching up, talking about the things that matter to us, hopefully sharing some perspective that you think is interesting, or maybe you have the same feelings. so we'll catch you on the next one. Or different feelings, right? Share it in the comments. Let us know. Absolutely. Paulina: different fields. Brandon: All feelings are welcome. Carson: We don't have to agree with your opinion, but if you share it, then we can have a conversation. And that's what this is all about. So please like, share, subscribe, all that good stuff, and we'll catch you on the next one. Thanks everybody. Paulina: Thanks Brandon: go wash your hands. Paulina: Thank Carson: Wash your hands and your waists.