COVID-19 Updates

[Allen ★]

34 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

So, I just got back from Lowes.  This is so, going to rebound.  So many people standing on top of each other. Employees in large groups standing shoulder to shoulder.  Nobody wearing masks.   I don't think we have learned a damn thing. 

So y’all are taking the Georgia approach. 

[Randomguy]

42 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

I don't think we have learned a damn thing. 

Nope.

[maddmaxx ★]

1 hour ago, Razors Edge said:

CAnadians are known to be an unruly lot.  Down here in the civilized States, we keep our social distance and follow simple common sense guidelines

Wut?  Can I have some of what he's having?

[Prophet Zacharia]

2 hours ago, Allen said:

So y’all are taking the Georgia approach. 

It seems to be fairly ubiquitous at all Lowes locations. People I work will were appalled by the lack of social distancing at a local Lowes recently.  

[Dottleshead ★]

18 hours ago, Zephyr said:

I just want to say how nice it is...... with such a hot topic as this....., that this thread is 26 pages and over 1200 posts without resorting to name calling and general asshattery that would cause it to get locked.  For all of you contributing to this on a regular basis, thanks for always taking the high road.

If we had of started a betting pool when this started on when it would get locked, I would have lost 24 1/2 pages ago.  Thanks for proving me wrong

I feel the same.  But for me it's easy because I don't care who you have in office right now, the cat is out of the bag and all administrations are dealing with the same thing -- how to keep people safe and keep the economy churning.  I don't care what your politics are -- that's a tough problem to solve. So I''m OK with anybody's viewpoint.

Repost:

[Dottleshead ★]

41 minutes ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

It seems to be fairly ubiquitous at all Lowes locations. People I work will were appalled by the lack of social distancing at a local Lowes recently.  

My local Home Depot on the other hand, seems to be getting it right.

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

15 hours ago, Dottles said:

And yet it's not far from the truth.  Also, our economy is a fragile piece of shit.

This is a correct statement. Prior to COVID, the economy was propped up by consumer spending (70%). Take away that consumer spending and you have what we are living in now. I don’t see consumer spending rising to pre-COVID levels for a long time. The confidence that consumers once had is gone. Unemployment up to levels not seen in 75 years, small businesses gone, gig employment vanished. The indicators are not the Wall Street reports, they are the part of the population that is losing hope. Opening golf courses, bowling alleys and barber shops won’t fix that. 

[BR46]

18 minutes ago, Dottles said:

I feel the same.  But for me it's easy because I don't care who you have in office right now, the cat is out of the bag and all administrations are dealing with the same thing -- how to keep people safe and keep the economy churning.  I don't care what your politics are -- that's a tough problem to solve. So I''m OK with anybody's viewpoint.

Repost:

That's exactly where I stand 

[Kzoo]

Hey @MickinMD here is my chart for Michigan case numbers.  The orange line is actual cases with a 3 day smoothing factor and the blue line is actual cases with a 7 day smoothing.  Day 1 on the chart is March 23rd and Day 51 is May 10th (this past Sunday).  Todays reported cases was 370.  That's 10 more than the actual reported on March 23d.  We are on stay-at-home orders until May 28th.  It's obvious by the traffic patterns and the cars int he parking lot that fewer people are staying home.

 

[maddmaxx ★]

Is that number of cases or number of new cases.  For that matter is a recovery still a case with a different status or is it no longer a case.  Askin because not all places seem to be counting the same things the same way.

Question based on the axis lable (# of cases)

While I'm askin, what are the numbers on the lower line?  Day?  from some starting point?

[Kzoo]

3 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

Is that number of cases or number of new cases.  For that matter is a recovery still a case with a different status or is it no longer a case.  Askin because not all places seem to be counting the same things the same way.

Question based on the axis lable (# of cases)

While I'm askin, what are the numbers on the lower line?  Day?  from some starting point?

Sorry - Number of new cases.  Michigan reports recovered cases only once a week and I really question the accuracy of that.

Both start March 23rd.  The lower line orange is a 3 day smoothing average the blue is a 7 day smoothing average.  I didn't lay the actual daily count on there.  It's pretty much all over the map. 

This does not factor in number of tests.  I would like to see daily data on % positives but haven't found a good source yet for daily Michigan numbers.

Specific to west Michigan - our numbers are going up while the east side (Detroit hotspot) are going down.

[Wilbur ★]

Good news!  Greta Thunberg is going to be on an expert panel on CNN tomorrow to discuss Covid-19.   Everyone loves an expert. 

[12string]

Coupla things to keep in mind:

I keep seeing "We can safely go to WalMart but not church?!"  No, you can't SAFELY go to either.  But you HAVE to go to walmart to buy things like food.  It's a risk/reward situation

Don't get too comfy with the re-openings.  When we started locking down, there were about 4000 cases that were spreading the virus.  Now, there are well over 1 million.  Yeah, let's stay distant and wear masks, don't let them all out all over at once.

We had a near revolution yesterday.  Our state is under stay at home, essential travel only.  There have been a bunch of drive by birthday caravans.  Those aren't technically "essential".  And they have been turning into drive by, get out, have a party.  And we're coming up on graduations. So the State police and all the local departments issued a directive that they were not allowed.  That didn't go over well.  Our township followed up with an apology for being insensitive, said they wouldn't enforce it - as long as everyone stayed in their cars.  Today, a new order from the gov, in car activities like drive ins and parking lot church are OK now.

I was hoping to get a long weekend camping, campgrounds in PA are now allowed open.  However, non-essential travel in the county I want to camp in is not allowed.  So, campgrounds are open but you can't get to them

[maddmaxx ★]

The dentist called yesterday to reschedule womaxx's cleaning because he has reopened his office.  She wisely declined and said she'd wait another couple of months.  Mine comes up in June and I'm not at all enthusiastic about that date either.

[Allen ★]

5 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

The dentist called yesterday to reschedule womaxx's cleaning because he has reopened his office.  She wisely declined and said she'd wait another couple of months.  Mine comes up in June and I'm not at all enthusiastic about that date either.

My dentist opened back up a while ago. They have done away with the front desk and waiting room, wait in your car and they will call you in. I’m still going to put it off for a good bit. 

[12string]

I broke a tooth one week into this lockdown.  So far, it's been OK, but if it gets bad I may yank it out myself.  Or not, it's my last wisdom tooth

[Wilbur ★]

I called to book my aviation medical only to be told the Minister of Transport has denied medical submissions into August.  Call back in July.    

[Zephyr]

Just now, Wilbur said:

I called to book my aviation medical only to be told the Minister of Transport has denied medical submissions into August.  Call back in July.    

Being told the same thing with Dive Medicals.

[Prophet Zacharia]

I just learned a May 30 Kenny Chesney concert is still scheduled for our 50,000 + capacity football stadium. Nothing like 50,000 drunk people not bothering to social distance.

[Allen ★]

I no longer want a Tesla. Just saying. 

[Further]

23 minutes ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

I just learned a May 30 Kenny Chesney concert is still scheduled for our 50,000 + capacity football stadium. Nothing like 50,000 drunk people not bothering to social distance.

Gunna get ugly round here

[BR46]

Hold on to your hats it might get messy. The Wisconsin Supreme Court over turned the shutdown order today and with a half hour there were posting on Facebook that some taverns were open. People were begging the owner of the corner bar that I have been known to visit but they are not going to open until Friday so they can work on a  plan to do it safely. 

[dinneR ★]

25 minutes ago, BR46 said:

Hold on to your hats it might get messy. The Wisconsin Supreme Court over turned the shutdown order today and with a half hour there were posting on Facebook that some taverns were open. People were begging the owner of the corner bar that I have been known to visit but they are not going to open until Friday so they can work on a  plan to do it safely. 

The WI Supreme Court should be ashamed. First they pulled that election BS and made people show up at the polls and everyone one of them voted absentee, now this. They should have been forced to stand in line at the polls and now they should have to sit at a bar drinking a brandy old fashion next some coughing and sneezing drunk.

[Randomguy]

I just watched a fox 'news' clip, talk about a bunch of dummies.  They ALL were talking in incredulous tones about how Dr. Fauci "wasn't even elected to ANYTHING!", so how could he be credible and he was clearly taking the other side's agenda.  Geez, the guy is a fucking expert on disease and has been his whole professional life and served with 6 presidents of both parties, and these bozos at fox are acting like he is so far left that he makes AOC look like Reagan.  I haven't heard Dr. Fauci say anything political at all, not one thing.  Has anyone ever?

 Much of America fails the marshmallow test, they can only think of themselves and right now, "open everything up".  I am sad that there are so many incredibly short-sighted and stupid people out there, and that thinking people have to be lumped in with them.

 

[dinneR ★]

38 minutes ago, Randomguy said:

I just watched a fox 'news' clip, talk about a bunch of dummies.  They ALL were talking in incredulous tones about how Dr. Fauci "wasn't even elected to ANYTHING!", so how could he be credible and he was clearly taking the other side's agenda.  Geez, the guy is a fucking expert on disease and has been his whole professional life and served with 6 presidents of both parties, and these bozos at fox are acting like he is so far left that he makes AOC look like Reagan.  I haven't heard Dr. Fauci say anything political at all, not one thing.  Has anyone ever?

 Much of America fails the marshmallow test, they can only think of themselves and right now, "open everything up".  I am sad that there are so many incredibly short-sighted and stupid people out there, and that thinking people have to be lumped in with them.

 

His response yesterday:

As for his own humility, Fauci responded that he has "never made myself out to be the 'end-all' and only voice in this. I'm a scientist, a physician and a public health official. I give advice according to the best scientific evidence," adding that it is others' jobs to give economic advice.

[Dottleshead ★]

1 hour ago, Randomguy said:

Much of America fails the marshmallow test

Awesome.

[BR46]

7 hours ago, Randomguy said:

Much of America fails the marshmallow test,

Is the test multiple choice? 

[maddmaxx ★]

Opening up the economy could have been done carefully instead of by stampeding hoards of me firsters looking for a tan at the beaches and a drink at the corner bar.

In fact, much of the "opening up" has become more about "me first" rather than the needs of small business owners.  

We suck.

[BR46]

9 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

Opening up the economy could have been done carefully instead of by stampeding hoards of me firsters looking for a tan at the beaches and a drink at the corner bar.

In fact, much of the "opening up" has become more about "me first" rather than the needs of small business owners.  

We suck.

My hole complaints about the shutdown was the way it was handled by the government at the state level. The mom and pop store with 2 employees pretty much got shit on when the big box shop could do business as usual. 

What did your state do that didn't make sense?  The only thing I know about the state Michigan was what I seen on the 6 o clock news. 

[maddmaxx ★]

8 minutes ago, BR46 said:

My hole complaints about the shutdown was the way it was handled by the government at the state level. The mom and pop store with 2 employees pretty much got shit on when the big box shop could do business as usual. 

What did your state do that didn't make sense?  The only thing I know about the state Michigan was what I seen on the 6 o clock news. 

CT is just now beginning a slow staged opening for outside eating only at restaurants with spacing between tables and social distancing still required including masks although I'm not sure how that applies to those eating.  Nothing like bars, theaters, arenas, casinos is opening.  Mohegan Sun has said it will not be open before May 26th but that date has been rolling forward every two weeks since the beginning.  They have canceled or delayed concerts through August as far as I can tell.  Grocery stores are still limited capacity, masks for all.  I suspect that the virus has hit this state hard enough that many will not go to those locations opening up.  We have been helping keep our local restaurants open by ordering takeout more often than usual.

[donkpow]

4 minutes ago, BR46 said:

My hole complaints about the shutdown was the way it was handled by the government at the state level. The mom and pop store with 2 employees pretty much got shit on when the big box shop could do business as usual. 

What did your state do that didn't make sense?  The only thing I know about the state Michigan was what I seen on the 6 o clock news. 

The whole thing was more of a knee jerk reaction. The federal gov't threw out the shutdown order with state and local governments simply complying. Some stores in my area refused to close, small outfits. After a month or so, local health authorities issued direct and specific orders for those businesses to close. I think, in the beginning, people, in general, wanted for everyone to act safely, so they complied with the shutdown orders. You can't go back now and so, Oh, they shouldn't have closed or, Oh, wow, they should have closed Walmart, too. It was an unknown situation and impossible to tailor orders to specific communities. Walmart is better suited to support the population during a serious pandemic. We are seeing now that some places are having blow back against continued closings and we are seeing people don't recognize the hazard as it has been laid out for them by leadership.

[Razors Edge ★]

16 hours ago, 12string said:

However, non-essential travel in the county I want to camp in is not allowed.  So, campgrounds are open but you can't get to them

There's a loophole there.  See, you drive along in the area you CAN non-essentially drive.  As you cross into the verboten zone, you are now "actively" trying to get off the road and will stop at the safest place for you to be - the campground!

[Razors Edge ★]

10 hours ago, Randomguy said:

I just watched a fox 'news' clip, talk about a bunch of dummies.  They ALL were talking in incredulous tones about how Dr. Fauci "wasn't even elected to ANYTHING!", so how could he be credible and he was clearly taking the other side's agenda.  Geez, the guy is a fucking expert on disease and has been his whole professional life and served with 6 presidents of both parties, and these bozos at fox are acting like he is so far left that he makes AOC look like Reagan.  I haven't heard Dr. Fauci say anything political at all, not one thing.  Has anyone ever?

 Much of America fails the marshmallow test, they can only think of themselves and right now, "open everything up".  I am sad that there are so many incredibly short-sighted and stupid people out there, and that thinking people have to be lumped in with them.

 

Decades upon decades upon decades of "anti-intellectualism" in the America.  You can trust a doctor for medical advice or you can trust a politician for medical advice.  Clearly, the best option is where the doctors inform the politician and a united coherent approach is developed. 

[Bikeguy]

16 hours ago, maddmaxx said:

The dentist called yesterday to reschedule womaxx's cleaning because he has reopened his office.  She wisely declined and said she'd wait another couple of months.  Mine comes up in June and I'm not at all enthusiastic about that date either.

WoBG went to the dentist Tuesday.   Her girlfriend was "OMG you went to the dentist!"  WoBG's response to her,  OMG you went to Wal-Mart, or Kroger or Home Depot,...   

How many dozens of people do you cross paths with at the many essential 'open' locations...  LOTS.   How about the NY state license plate on the car that was parked next to me at Kroger when I came out of the store.  So much for staying home.

My appointment is in June,  I'll be there.

[maddmaxx ★]

2 minutes ago, Bikeguy said:

WoBG went to the dentist Tuesday.   Her girlfriend was "OMG you went to the dentist!"  WoBG's response to her,  OMG you went to Wal-Mart, or Kroger or Home Depot,...   

How many dozens of people do you cross paths with at the many essential 'open' locations...  LOTS.   How about the NY state license plate on the car that was parked next to me at Kroger when I came out of the store.  So much for staying home.

My appointment is in June,  I'll be there.

I don't encounter anyone, because I'm staying home except for absolutely essential trips for groceries and those I make to a small store with few customers who all seem willing to follow social distancing.  I simply cannot take the chance that the last patient the dental assistant saw infected her with the virus.  CT is not the safest place to make a mistake in these days and I'm just a couple of weeks shy of 74.

[Randomguy]

38 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

You can trust a doctor for medical advice or you can trust a politician for medical advice.  Clearly, the best option is where the doctors inform the politician and a united coherent approach is developed. 

That clearly isn't going to happen in some states.   Is it any wonder most people don't trust politicians?  It is pretty damn weird that some people perversely trust the one guy who has uniformly stupid ideas and can't put a coherent sentence together.

[Razors Edge ★]

13 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

I don't encounter anyone, because I'm staying home except for absolutely essential trips for groceries and those I make to a small store with few customers who all seem willing to follow social distancing.  I simply cannot take the chance that the last patient the dental assistant saw infected her with the virus.  CT is not the safest place to make a mistake in these days and I'm just a couple of weeks shy of 74.

I'm with you on this, but in a slightly different way.  I can wear a mask in public, social distance while in public, limit exposure time to others in public, and generally avoid being a vector of disease & pestilence.

In a dentist office setting, I can do NONE of those effectively, so while I need my regular "teeth cleaning & check-up", I definitely won't put the hygienist and the potentially the dentist at risk for something I can push off until later.  Generally, the dentist is making the choice and taking the risk relatively willingly, but the hygienist is likely an employee and has different options available regarding ability to take risks.

[bikeman564™]

47 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

Decades upon decades upon decades of "anti-intellectualism" in the America.  You can trust a doctor for medical advice or you can trust a politician for medical advice.  Clearly, the best option is where the doctors inform the politician and a united coherent approach is developed. 

I don't trust a doctor working for the government, and I don't trust a politician's medical advise. See where I'm going?

[maddmaxx ★]

1 minute ago, Razors Edge said:

I'm with you on this, but in a slightly different way.  I can wear a mask in public, social distance while in public, limit exposure time to others in public, and generally avoid being a vector of disease & pestilence.

In a dentist office setting, I can do NONE of those effectively, so while I need my regular "teeth cleaning & check-up", I definitely won't put the hygienist and the potentially the dentist at risk for something I can push off until later.  Generally, the dentist is making the choice and taking the risk relatively willingly, but the hygienist is likely an employee and has different options available regarding ability to take risks.

Either way, a 6 month tooth cleaning can wait for a couple of more months.  I do however have an eye appointment to check on my eye pressures (glaucoma) and to determine if I need eyedrops or something else.  I'm hesitant to go to that one too because there is physical contact and small rooms but there at least I would be able to keep the mask on.  However, transmission into the eyes is just as effective as into the mouth or nose so it's not danger free.

[Bikeguy]

I'm going to guess you wont' be going on a road trip to WI any time soon.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/05/14/wisconsin-stay-home-order-lifted-bars-reopen-supreme-court-coronavirus/5189137002/

 

[maddmaxx ★]

Just now, Bikeguy said:

I'm going to guess you wont' be going on a road trip to WI any time soon.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/05/14/wisconsin-stay-home-order-lifted-bars-reopen-supreme-court-coronavirus/5189137002/

 

In about a month, no one is going to want to go on a road trip to Wisconsin or Georgia or California's beach towns.

[dinneR ★]

Our state has done pretty well. The Governor has pissed off some by going too far and others by not going far enough.

He did say schools could reopen June 1 which is a little silly since the school year is essentially over. 

[Razors Edge ★]

2 minutes ago, bikeman564™ said:

I don't trust a doctor working for the government, and I don't trust a politician's medical advise. See where I'm going?

Yeah. But, I will say there are many, many non-government doctors (and scientists and researchers) out there.  Avoid the few with heavy Facebook or Youtube derived fame, and you'll probably see a consensus opinion.  I doubt it is far from someone like Fauci or Birx, but with a bit less spin to keep their jobs.  I don't think either has lied as they usually will just avoid a question or speak around it to avoid directly contradicting political decisions.

[Razors Edge ★]

1 minute ago, dennis said:

He did say schools could reopen June 1 which is a little silly since the school year is essentially over. 

Unless they revamp the school year - a la SUMMER SCHOOL!!!!

But realistically, schools and day cares HAVE TO OPEN as a first step towards getting 20+million folks back to work.  Child care is a huge requirement for much of the lower and middle class.  No one to watch the kids? No way to go to work (responsibly).

[Dirtyhip]

Covid is now impacting my family too.  My husband is losing some job benefits, and I am going to have a whole bunch more free time.    Both of our workplaces are facing budget problems.

I plan to use that time to exercise and make a better me.  Trying to stay positive.   

[Zephyr]

Our country has decided to extend the closure of the US border until closer to the end of June.  Even if everything was open down there, I couldnt get there.

We will do a four or five day back country canoe trip here instead.  Not the same but better than nothing

[dinneR ★]

7 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

Unless they revamp the school year - a la SUMMER SCHOOL!!!!

But realistically, schools and day cares HAVE TO OPEN as a first step towards getting 20+million folks back to work.  Child care is a huge requirement for much of the lower and middle class.  No one to watch the kids? No way to go to work (responsibly).

They are opening one school as a glorified daycare starting next week and running through the summer.

They are putting plans in place to continue distance learning. There is a good chance schools will not be open in the fall.

[maddmaxx ★]

5 minutes ago, Zephyr said:

Our country has decided to extend the closure of the US border until closer to the end of June.  Even if everything was open down there, I couldnt get there.

We will do a four or five day back country canoe trip here instead.  Not the same but better than nothing

Yours is not the only nation with it's borders closed to the US till we get our virus problems under control.

[Zephyr]

1 minute ago, dennis said:

They are opening one school as a glorified daycare starting next week and running through the summer

They are already doing that in some provinces here.  It took all of two days of them being open for a kid to be sent home with Covid like symptoms

[Razors Edge ★]

6 minutes ago, Zephyr said:

Our country has decided to extend the closure of the US border until closer to the end of June.  Even if everything was open down there, I couldnt get there.

No flights???  Or is it the roads between US & CAnada are closed to traffic?