Covid-19 General Thread (READ OP BEFORE POSTING)

[Joe Neglia]

Instead of re-opening the old thread, I feel it's best to start fresh on this. BEFORE posting, please read this post in its entirety.

We have relaxed our general policy regarding government for this thread in Off-Topic, and only in this thread. This does not mean a free-for-all, though. When discussing anything government-related in this thread, you MUST stay on-topic (no references or allusions to anything regarding those governments that do not pertain STRICTLY to the current pandemic crisis). Again, discussing the actions and decisions of our various governments (local, state, federal and those outside of the US) is being allowed within this thread so long as they strictly pertain to the pandemic crisis and shutdown. Bringing up things about those entities that do not directly pertain to the Covid crisis is still not allowed. Alluding to previous gaffes, mistakes, stupidity, scandals, relatives, etc is a No-Go. . Keep things focused and on-topic.

This is not a thread to wildly air grievances. Keep things to facts, what's happening (in your personal sphere and worldwide). This is, as I've stated before, a very trying time for all of us. I know you all are just as stretched out from everything that is happening as I am and I know the frustration that permeates the current climate. I strongly urge anyone about to post in this thread to take a moment and read over your post a time or two before posting it. If it sounds a bit much, it probably is. Try to stay as calm as you can when composing, no matter how much anger you justifiably feel. We aren't here to fight each other, we're here to keep each other standing up.

WHAT THE ABOVE MEANS:

1. Posting news articles RELATED TO COVID-19 that are not gaslighting or trolling is fine
2. Discussing the actions of the government - local, state or national - SO LONG AS IT DIRECTLY RELATES TO THE PANDEMIC, is fine.
3. This is NOT a thread to take shots. Keep it civil. Trump will be referred to as Trump, President Trump, Donald, POTUS, etc. He is NOT to be referred to as Drump, Don-Don, The Orange Goblin, Dumbass Donny, The Asshole, Numbnuts McGee, The Idiot, The Crazy Idiot, Loser, Super-Loser, The Moron, etc.
4. ABSOLUTELY nothing regarding Trump or anyone else involved in the government that DOES NOT DIRECTLY PERTAIN TO THE PANDEMIC.

Failure to heed these will result in suspensions and/or bans.

We are admittedly playing all this by ear; this is not a situation any of us - you, me or anyone else on this board - have dealt with before. We may have to adjust parts of the rules of this thread if things present themselves beyond what we laid out.

I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for understanding. Please stay safe.

[eJm]

So I guess first some positive news;

Our country of Ireland is expected to announce later today we’ll be starting on Stage 1 of a 5 step plan spread over 3 week intervals to opening up the country from Monday. Basically meaning homeware stores, garden centres, farmers' markets, bicycle shops and motor garages, electrical and IT stores and opticians can reopen on a very limited social distancing basis. Anything outdoor or sports related can also open as long as it follows social distancing too.

We could also be meeting up to 4 people outside our family outside as long as we follow social distancing rules.

It does NOT mean people can leave beyond 5km outside of getting shopping and such but if I lived near those places within that distance or they can deliver to you, it’ll be easier now.

The concern, of course, is people seeing it as being lax but for all the stories you hear about people having parties or BBQs or other such things, we Irish mostly seem to be compliant. They’re expected to do some kind of televised announcement so all they have to do is make that stuff clear and stick the landing on this so people understand fully and we’re good.

[Jedi-El of Tomorrow]

Kansas was supposed to begin Stage 2 of reopening on Monday, but it's been pushed back. So now if everything goes smoothly, and cases aren't continuing to go up triple digits every day, the state will reopen at the beginning of July.

[Dragonfly]

My best friend's wife has it - asymptomatic. Took her eight days to get the test results.

[A Sentient Tumbleweed]

Here in NJ, Gov. Murphy is allowing non-essential businesses to open up again as of Saturday I believe, with the caveat of only allowing online/phone ordering and curbside pickup for non-essential stores.

Things are still bad here as far as numbers go, but everything's steadily going down: new infections, new hospitalizations, and overall deaths. And more and more people are recovering and leaving the hospital (due to improved health). We apparently hit our peak in late April.

For anyone in NJ unemployed and looking for work, it also sounds like the state is going to be interested in hiring a LOT of people to work for their contact tracing program.

[Alysia: Old Media Enthusiast]

Still nothing new to report. 27 cases total, all cured.

The province will be opening up a lot of shops next week. I don't plan to go anywhere yet, since I'd rather wait until the mania dies down and it can be less worrisome.

[eJm]

According to various sources, the Irish Government has signed off on Stage 1 of the easing of restrictions.

Please don’t f*** this up.

[Dr. T is an alien]

I have serious mixed feelings about states opening up right now.

On one hand, since there isn’t any more appreciable government relief to help average Americans, economies need to open up to ensure that there isn’t a massive wave of homelessness as millions currently lack the ability to pay rent/mortgages. Even worse, if you rent your home you still face the very real prospect of losing your residence even if you yourself do not miss any rent payments because your landlord’s rental business went under because too many others could not.

Conversely, excluding some select areas testing is nowhere near where it needs to be. No one can logically trust that any single individual they interact with has a true clean bill of health because most can’t prove that currently. Even if someone does present with symptoms they still cannot get a confirmatory test except for very select circumstances. That does not even begin to touch the utter lack of contact tracing to limit the damage when any one person does get infected.

It’s that second paragraph that not only makes me concerned for the opening of the various states; it also makes me nervous that doing so won’t even adequately accomplish the goals for doing so. Yes, there are select individuals who cannot wait to patronize the establishments they did before all of this. Unfortunately, while they number in the millions they are still in the minority. They are a sizable minority, but a minority nonetheless. So many local businesses are going to falter as falter due to voluntary withholding of patronage by millions of concerned citizens.

Even if no one else gets sick (which is, of course, a fantasy unto itself), there is untold suffering coming. Many millions will continue to lose their jobs. Many will lose their homes. Millions will lose their life savings. Millions have already lost their health insurance and they will be getting company. Many parts of the country will lose access to health care when the sheer volume of uninsured Americans cause local heath care providers to go out of business.

These are the reasons why my mental health has taken a tumble, and that does not even take into consideration that I have to start going back to work on Monday. At least we are massively changing the way we do business to reduce the odds of employees and clients contaminate one another. I cannot begin to comprehend the plight of workers where it is now back to business as usual.

[Deleted]

So some barber in my city has been cutting hair against the order and SHOCKER...they have tested positive for Covid

[El Pollo Guerrera]

Here in Canada: 73818 confirmed cases, 5499 deaths.

Here in BC: 2392 cases, 135 deaths.

Talked to a nurse on Monday, she said that there were 2 confirmed cases at our local hospital (in my small town of 10000) and 9 at our nearest neighbor (another small town of about 20000).

Stay safe, people!

[James Fabiano]

May 15, 2020 2:03:33 GMT -5 A Sentient Tumbleweed said:

Here in NJ, Gov. Murphy is allowing non-essential businesses to open up again as of Saturday I believe, with the caveat of only allowing online/phone ordering and curbside pickup for non-essential stores.

Things are still bad here as far as numbers go, but everything's steadily going down: new infections, new hospitalizations, and overall deaths. And more and more people are recovering and leaving the hospital (due to improved health). We apparently hit our peak in late April.

For anyone in NJ unemployed and looking for work, it also sounds like the state is going to be interested in hiring a LOT of people to work for their contact tracing program.

With the parks being reinstated (along with national chains like Walgreen's picking up normal hours), steady-to-going down is a really good sign, so far. But...we need more, and there needs to be happy mediums with reopening.

Okay, goodbye for real this time ;-)

[Bluebird]

May 15, 2020 10:15:04 GMT -5 El Pollo Guerrera said:

Here in Canada: 73818 confirmed cases, 5499 deaths.

Here in BC: 2392 cases, 135 deaths.

Talked to a nurse on Monday, she said that there were 2 confirmed cases at our local hospital (in my small town of 10000) and 9 at our nearest neighbor (another small town of about 20000).

Stay safe, people!

Weird glitch misreported Ontario’s cases yesterday as 258 (corrected as 345 cases). 341 new cases today.

[1 Free Moon-Down with Burger]

I’m definitely rooting for a lot of these reopenings to be successful. There’s no reason to hope they fail.

We can do this thing

[Dr. T is an alien]

Just got back from a trip to Lowe’s. My wife cut the trip short because she could tell I was over it completely. Over half of the well over 100 people there had no masks on. I had to leave before I lost my shit on someone.

Is it really such a damned burden to have the courtesy to one’s fellow man to wear one at this time? Is it really that unmanly in your eyes? What makes you so smurfing special that you don’t have to give a single shit about anyone else’s concerns?

The most infuriating part of it is that I guarantee that a number of the maskless have spouted the “it’s a Chinese bioweapon” conspiracy theory. If you were one who said that, what if you were right? Why wouldn’t you wear a mask under those circumstances? That is utter lunacy to not wear a mask if you believe that.

[Bub (BLM)]

May 15, 2020 9:05:11 GMT -5 Dr. T is an alien said:

I have serious mixed feelings about states opening up right now.

On one hand, since there isn’t any more appreciable government relief to help average Americans, economies need to open up to ensure that there isn’t a massive wave of homelessness as millions currently lack the ability to pay rent/mortgages. Even worse, if you rent your home you still face the very real prospect of losing your residence even if you yourself do not miss any rent payments because your landlord’s rental business went under because too many others could not.

Conversely, excluding some select areas testing is nowhere near where it needs to be. No one can logically trust that any single individual they interact with has a true clean bill of health because most can’t prove that currently. Even if someone does present with symptoms they still cannot get a confirmatory test except for very select circumstances. That does not even begin to touch the utter lack of contact tracing to limit the damage when any one person does get infected.

It’s that second paragraph that not only makes me concerned for the opening of the various states; it also makes me nervous that doing so won’t even adequately accomplish the goals for doing so. Yes, there are select individuals who cannot wait to patronize the establishments they did before all of this. Unfortunately, while they number in the millions they are still in the minority. They are a sizable minority, but a minority nonetheless. So many local businesses are going to falter as falter due to voluntary withholding of patronage by millions of concerned citizens.

Even if no one else gets sick (which is, of course, a fantasy unto itself), there is untold suffering coming. Many millions will continue to lose their jobs. Many will lose their homes. Millions will lose their life savings. Millions have already lost their health insurance and they will be getting company. Many parts of the country will lose access to health care when the sheer volume of uninsured Americans cause local heath care providers to go out of business.

These are the reasons why my mental health has taken a tumble, and that does not even take into consideration that I have to start going back to work on Monday. At least we are massively changing the way we do business to reduce the odds of employees and clients contaminate one another. I cannot begin to comprehend the plight of workers where it is now back to business as usual.

Everything you outlined is exactly why this country is failing it's people right now. Our entire lives we've heard "ask not what your country can do for you, but what can you do for your country". Roles have now reversed, and we are asking "what can our country do for us?". Unfortunately, the answer seems to be doing the bare minimum while continuing to make this all about politics rather than putting that shit aside to take care of our people.

The virus doesn't care who you vote for or what god you believe in, it'll kill you dead regardless. I can't understand why people twice my age can't figure this out.

[Deleted]

May 15, 2020 13:02:02 GMT -5 1 Free Moon-Down with Burger said:

I’m definitely rooting for a lot of these reopenings to be successful. There’s no reason to hope they fail.

We can do this thing

Agreed. I hope the states that are opening early are proven correct. That would be a much better outcome than the alternative.

[xCompackx]

So, I have breathing difficulties to where I can't wear a mask over my nose (deviated septum, if you're curious). In fact, even to get the work excuse for a face shield required me to wear a mask in the hospital and I had a panic attack because I had a hard time breathing.

All this to say, I'm becoming more anxious when going to the store. I don't expect anything to happen and I'm not like, afraid to get groceries, but there's at least one store here I can't shop at without a mask on, and I'm always kind of expecting somebody to try saying something. I dunno, just offering another perspective on the mask subject.

[Limity (BLM)]

www.yahoo.com/huffpost/steve-austin-face-mask-coronavirus-213357018.html

[A Sentient Tumbleweed]

"Shut up dude" - Stone Cold Steve Austin

[eJm]

May 15, 2020 15:24:17 GMT -5 xCompackx said:

So, I have breathing difficulties to where I can't wear a mask over my nose (deviated septum, if you're curious). In fact, even to get the work excuse for a face shield required me to wear a mask in the hospital and I had a panic attack because I had a hard time breathing.

All this to say, I'm becoming more anxious when going to the store. I don't expect anything to happen and I'm not like, afraid to get groceries, but there's at least one store here I can't shop at without a mask on, and I'm always kind of expecting somebody to try saying something. I dunno, just offering another perspective on the mask subject.

If it helps, not for your country but something I hope takes a bit, even though our government has said masks should be worn if needed, they made it clear to not judge people who don't because of conditions such as yours as well as people with Autism that may not be comfortable with wearing one.

So yeah, there are people who understand where you're coming from.