Coronavirus 3

[Ozlsn]

Quote from Crikey:

"BAN HUGS, WEAR MASKS? As the ABC explains, current outbreak sources include the Stamford Plaza Hotel (total of 13 associated cases), a Keilor Downs family cluster (11 over nine households) and a family in Coburg (14 over multiple households). Meanwhile, there is currently no evidence of transmission amongst (overwhelmingly masked) crowds at the June 6 Black/Indigenous Lives Matter rally, although two protesters have since tested positive."

The Stamford Plaza is one of the quarantine sites - it appears that a contractor or worker has become infected, then passed that to other staff through poor social distancing.  There is investigation of what can be improved to prevent further transmission from quarantine.

Meanwhile travel to 6 local government areas has been advised against, and there is discussion of harder lockdown in those areas. I hope not - I lived in one of the affected areas for a long time, and my friends there are already stir crazy!

[CTRLZero]

We finally know someone who is diagnosed with COVID-19.  A friend of our daughter's, age mid-30s, came down with aches and pains two days after air travel to Tennessee.  Why he was traveling during a pandemic, we don't know.   Frustrating to think how this virus can spread through all these points of contact along the way.  Anyway, he is battling a high fever at present, but isn't bad enough to be hospitalized.  My daughter, who has been very good at quarantining herself, has certainly had the point reinforced that she needs to continue to stay safe.

Two time zones away, our county started out slow, but now upon phased reopening the infection rate has surged and a few more deaths have resulted.  I'm starting to go stir crazy, myself, but am hunkered down for the long term (though some days I get whiny, lol).  ?

[Smash!]

We finally know someone who is diagnosed with COVID-19.  A friend of our daughter's, age mid-30s, came down with aches and pains two days after air travel to Tennessee.  Why he was traveling during a pandemic, we don't know.   Frustrating to think how this virus can spread through all these points of contact along the way.  Anyway, he is battling a high fever at present, but isn't bad enough to be hospitalized.  My daughter, who has been very good at quarantining herself, has certainly had the point reinforced that she needs to continue to stay safe.
Two time zones away, our county started out slow, but now upon phased reopening the infection rate has surged and a few more deaths have resulted.  I'm starting to go stir crazy, myself, but am hunkered down for the long term (though some days I get whiny, lol).  [emoji2957]

I hope the friend of your daughter gets well soon! It’s so scary how easily the virus is spreading. And we still don’t know a lot about the long term effects this virus has.

Re the bolded: I feel you! I feel like a tiger in a cage. But the more careless the people around me get the more I try to go out only for essential reasons.

[CarrotCake]

I know it is still far away for you guys but over here we had a little celebration today:

First day since March 9th with no reported Covid deaths! ????

[clueliss]

I'm sharing this one as much for Quinn's quip as I am about the actual article - Texas Governor is now whining about disease spread.

 

[SassyPants]

47 minutes ago, clueliss said:

I'm sharing this one as much for Quinn's quip as I am about the actual article - Texas Governor is now whining about disease spread.

 

What an idiot. He played a political game to placate Trump, and now the citizens of TX are paying the price! 

[Emma]

I had to smile when he said “corralled”. So Texan a way of putting it.

[clueliss]

Two more Trumpers tested positive related to the Tulsa rally

 

[meep]

A little personal update: My nephew tested negatively for COVID-19 but my cousin tested positive, he is 29. I hope he is isolating himself from his wife and kids. He is not a rule-follower. 

[Cartmann99]

 Florida is in big trouble.

 

[GreyhoundFan]

 

[Dandruff]

5 hours ago, GreyhoundFan said:

Trump is making his message go viral like never before...

[JenniferJuniper]

49 minutes ago, Dandruff said:

Trump is making his message go viral like never before...

Pun intended?

I never knew I could hate someone this much.

[47of74]

Tug Fest Illinois is cancelled for this year. 

Quote

Tug Fest Illinois posted on its Facebook on Wednesday letting Quad Citians know the Port Byron Tug Fest will be canceled this summer.

In the post, safety amid COVID-19 was mentioned as the main concern.

Tug Fest Illinois said it looks forward to holding the next Port Byron Tug Fest on August 12th-14th, 2021.

I think you all can guess where my mind almost immediately went after seeing that headline. 

(If you guesses the gutter yer right!) 

[Dandruff]

2 hours ago, JenniferJuniper said:

Pun intended?

I never knew I could hate someone this much.

Pun intended.

Maybe non-Trump supporters should try coordinated prayer, just for the hell of it.

Oops, I did it again.

[Ozlsn]

So my state is currently at a tipping point again of a fresh lockdown with 33 new infections today and 163 active cases (I know this is nothing compared to what's happening elsewhere, but it's a rise from single figures last week). So far people are blaming the protests on 6th June, the schools going back, lack of information in relevant community languages (this one kind of annoys me a bit on several levels), people crowding into shopping centres the minute it was possible, family get togethers and of course Bill Gates And His Evil 5G Towers (OK, that one is more fringe but dear Lord I wish the idiot woman I know who keeps posting about it would buy a damn clue already).  Personally I have no idea but am avoiding crowds still. 

We are at least doing increased testing, and targeting the specific suburbs that are seeing higher rates of cases to get an idea of prevalence. It would help if people would follow the damn instructions and stay home until they have a negative result - seriously here, do not go from getting the test to your family BBQ, or shopping, or anywhere but home. Then stay there, sheesh. Why is this so hard??

Anyway. I hope we can contain this without a full lockdown, but I think outbreaks like this are likely to be part of the new normal for a while. Where I live currently has no cases, but the number is rising in my in laws area, and I wish like hell they'd stay home too. *sigh*

[nokidsmom]

Masks are mandatory here in IL but yesterday Mr. No was not happy when he went to a local store and one guy came in, no mask, said he forgot, made his quick pickup and out the door.  Owner was not amused but just got him out quickly.   Mr. No. came home and actually changed clothes and took a shower.  Probably overkill but he felt better.

Went to salon a couple of weeks ago, a calculated risk I decided to take.  Staff was masked up, set up for social distancing, sanitizing the workstations between clientsbut....one client was sitting getting her foils with her mask pulled down, talking about all uncomfortable it was, going on about the local protests and generally letting everyone in the place know where she stood on everything.  She finally shut up after her stylist was finished with the foils and the other lady she was talking to was done.    But I was wondering if I should have quarantined myself!   It's been 16 days and no problems but still.... the running into the occasional person who refuses to fully mask up at all times now gets me nervous.

 

[SassyPants]

23 minutes ago, nokidsmom said:

Masks are mandatory here in IL but yesterday Mr. No was not happy when he went to a local store and one guy came in, no mask, said he forgot, made his quick pickup and out the door.  Owner was not amused but just got him out quickly.   Mr. No. came home and actually changed clothes and took a shower.  Probably overkill but he felt better.

Went to salon a couple of weeks ago, a calculated risk I decided to take.  Staff was masked up, set up for social distancing, sanitizing the workstations between clientsbut....one client was sitting getting her foils with her mask pulled down, talking about all uncomfortable it was, going on about the local protests and generally letting everyone in the place know where she stood on everything.  She finally shut up after her stylist was finished with the foils and the other lady she was talking to was done.    But I was wondering if I should have quarantined myself!   It's been 16 days and no problems but still.... the running into the occasional person who refuses to fully mask up at all times now gets me nervous.

 

My thought is if people want the economy to slowly reopen, everyone, in every city, county, state in the US has to wear a mask when outside of their own home, and it has to be enforced. Period! 
 

Some people wearing a mask vs not is about the same approach as sometimes using BC. The sometimes approach can lead to pregnancy or in this case a viral illness-

[church_of_dog]

36 minutes ago, SassyPants said:

My thought is if people want the economy to slowly reopen, everyone, in every city, county, state in the US has to wear a mask when outside of their own home, and it has to be enforced. Period! 
 

Some people wearing a mask vs not is about the same approach as sometimes using BC. The sometimes approach can lead to pregnancy or in this case a viral illness-

When California's Governor issued a mandatory mask order recently (for indoor public spaces, and outdoors anytime you're unable to maintain six feet of distance) at least two of California's county sheriffs announced they will not be enforcing the order. 

I live in the one county in California that still doesn't have any confirmed cases, and it's now our tourist season, with folks from elsewhere in and out of our grocery store, hardware store, etc.  And since the Gov's order, I see fewer masks than I did before!   We don't need them just out "on the street" because our low population density makes it easy to not be physically near people.  But we do have a few stores, post office, etc.  The post office sign says mandatory masks but it's not being enforced.

Most folks here appear to think either that the whole thing is a hoax, or that because we don't have cases (yet) that means we're somehow exempt.  Sigh.

I cope by doing my grocery shopping at 8am when there are usually only 1-2 others in the store, and usually locals at that.  At the hardware store, as long as whatever I need isn't urgent, I just wait until there are no cars in front and zip in then.

But -- yesterday I had a medical appointment, my first time in our clinic since this all started.  They temp check and issue a mask before you enter, that's good.  Then the doctor comes in, masked but no gloves, and SHAKES MY HAND.  I couldn't figure out how to refuse fast enough, so shook his hand and then just hand sanitized soon as I got back to the car afterwards.

Then in the evening I was standing outside talking with the local well-driller who's about to do a job for me.  Another neighbor came up to talk to him, and (she obviously already knew him) actually hugged him!  This woman is a doctor's wife!  She turned to hug me but fortunately stopped and said "are you hugging?"  and I said "virtual hugs" and thanked her for thinking to ask.

So tl;dr people here are NOT taking it seriously, and those of us who are, are having to fight that.  I'm half hoping we have a confirmed case soon -- not wishing for anyone to get sick, but presuming we do have a few asymptomatic folks around -- because it might scare some folks out of their complacency and annoyance at "the liberal hoax".

/rant

Edited June 25, 2020 by church_of_dog
grammar

[SassyPants]

8 minutes ago, church_of_dog said:

When California's Governor issued a mandatory mask order recently (for indoor public spaces, and outdoors anytime you're unable to maintain six feet of distance) at least two of California's county sheriffs announced they will not be enforcing the order. 

I live in the one county in California that still doesn't have any confirmed cases, and it's now our tourist season, with folks from elsewhere in and out of our grocery store, hardware store, etc.  And since the Gov's order, I see fewer masks than I did before!   We don't need them just out "on the street" because our low population density makes it easy to not be physically near people.  But we do have a few stores, post office, etc.  The post office sign says mandatory masks but it's not being enforced.

Most folks here appear to think either that the whole thing is a hoax, or that because we don't have cases (yet) that means we're somehow exempt.  Sigh.

I cope by doing my grocery shopping at 8am when there is usually only 1-2 others in the store, and usually locals at that.  At the hardware stores, as long as whatever I need isn't urgent, I just wait until there are no cars in front and zip in then.

But -- yesterday I had a medical appointment, my first time in our clinic since this all started.  They temp check and issue a mask before you enter, that's good.  Then the doctor comes in, masked but no gloves, and SHAKES MY HAND.  I couldn't figure out how to refuse fast enough, so shook his hand and then just hand sanitized soon as I got back to the car afterwards.

Then in the evening I was standing outside talking with the local well-driller who's about to do a job for me.  Another neighbor came up to talk to him, and (she obviously already knew him) actually hugged him!  This woman is a doctor's wife!  She turned to hug me but fortunately stopped and said "are you hugging?"  and I said "virtual hugs" and thanked her for thinking to ask.

So tl;dr people here are NOT taking it seriously, and those of us who are, are having to fight that.  I'm half hoping we have a confirmed case soon -- not wishing for anyone to get sick, but presuming we do have a few asymptomatic folks around -- because it might scare some folks out of their complacency and annoyance at "the liberal hoax".

/rant

I’m also in CA in a county that has not been hit hard, but we do border a county that is heavily infected. Since we are a coastal, vacation community, the beaches have been closed for sitting, picnicking etc, but are open, for limited hours in the AM /PM for walking. People here are going nuts! Have you always lived up in the far North? 

Edited June 25, 2020 by SassyPants

[church_of_dog]

3 minutes ago, SassyPants said:

I’m also in CA in a county that has not been hit hard, but we do border a county that is heavily infected. Since we are a coastal, vacation community, the beaches have been closed for sitting, picnicking etc, but are open, for limited hours in the AM /PM for walking. People here are going nuts! Have you always lived up in the far North? 

I'm originally from the Bay Area but ended up in a forestry-related job which put me in small (tiny, actually) towns all over the north state, and I discovered I like those communities.  Been in this county for most of the last 30 years now.  (I now work at the library, not for the feds anymore).

Not sharing the politics of the majority of the town has never been a big issue for me before, but now people's actions regarding the virus are clearly breaking along political lines and it feels like a problem.  I just resigned as an election day pollworker, which I had done for the last decade, because of the combination of virus risk plus my evaporated tolerance for dealing with angry people...

[Alisamer]

My boss is being careful about wearing a mask, at the same time as complaining about things still being closed and masks being required. He's all on about "freedom" and how people should be trusted to decide for themselves and how they're not children. 

I think I did manage to make him think a little twice in a conversation yesterday, though. About masks I compared it to drunk driving - it's much less to protect the person doing it, more to protect everyone else they might affect.

Also when he was complaining about statues being pulled down (I did agree they should be officially removed and maybe put in a museum where they can be properly interpreted - but I think my reasoning is more "why are they still there in the first place" while his are "those are our history and heritage!" I didn't point out that he's from Boston so maybe Robert E. Lee really isn't that much HIS heritage...) he then went on about how the autonomous zone thing was terrible and like "seceding from the union" and should be treated like a declaration of war which they will lose - and I responded with "and once they lose they'll get some monuments put up of them!" It was the first time I've ever seen him speechless. 

[Dandruff]

1 hour ago, church_of_dog said:

So tl;dr people here are NOT taking it seriously, and those of us who are, are having to fight that.  I'm half hoping we have a confirmed case soon -- not wishing for anyone to get sick, but presuming we do have a few asymptomatic folks around -- because it might scare some folks out of their complacency and annoyance at "the liberal hoax".

I'm outside DC, in an area that has had thousands of confirmed cases.  Masks are mandatory in stores but I've seen employees recently who have pulled their masks down.  Some shoppers also, in a store I was at a few weeks ago.  I've noticed/heard from friends that different locations of the same store can range from fully compliant to don't really gaf - it's apparently a store management issue vs. a company issue - so I have a short list of places to avoid.  The people who are rebelling against "the liberal hoax" or whatever bs they're running on don't appear to be willing to change.

So, since I'm not getting any younger or less medically vulnerable, I continue to shop early every other week or so and be as careful with sanitizing, etc. as I was in April and May.  The process has become familiar but is still pretty draining.  I also continue to use Amazon but they don't have everything and some of the prices are really out there.

2 hours ago, SassyPants said:

My thought is if people want the economy to slowly reopen, everyone, in every city, county, state in the US has to wear a mask when outside of their own home, and it has to be enforced. Period!

ITA.

[ADoyle90815]

I'm in southern California and I just found out that my going back to work has been delayed again for at least another month. Fortunately, I'm still getting paid since I can't do my job from home.  I'm just glad I live in a county where most people seem to take this seriously and wear masks in public. Even then, some don't understand that the mask goes over the nose to be effective as that's what I tend to see. I still get mostly takeout although if I can, I would sit outside at a restaurant.

[Ozlsn]

North Texas family shaken after 18 relatives hospitalized after a family surprise birthday party.

That crisis, all began on May 30 when just a single relative, unknowingly infected with COVID-19, interacted with seven family members at a surprise birthday party who later tested positive. 

This is basically what's part of what has happened here too - one person has managed to infect 7 people, who have in turn gone on to infect other family members at other events. And possibly some workmates and community members too. China started isolating people who tested positive and putting them in quarantine away from their families in Wuhan - I don't think that would work here, but it did stop the intra-family transmission.