Coronavirus 4

[CTRLZero]

Local news:  There is a memory care facility currently 100% infected, both residents and staff alike.  Yikes!  
Also, an acquaintance of my daughter posted an apology on Facebook for holding a football viewing party—11 infected, a couple hospitalized, and one died.  If this makes our local news, and it very well might, I’ll post the article.  People are getting complacent.  Our cases, while still relatively low, are definitely creeping upwards.  

[Smash!]

Someone on Twitter found and posted the strategy paper regarding the pandemic from the Federal Council. They actively don’t want to contain the virus, just mitigate. The government should intervene as little as possible and let the virus spread at the capacity limit of hospitals (or above?). Oh and avoid a 2nd lockdown at all costs.
I‘m at loss for words. Every single (non) action our government took makes sense now. [emoji20]

[Ozlsn]

1 hour ago, Smash! said:

They actively don’t want to contain the virus, just mitigate. The government should intervene as little as possible and let the virus spread at the capacity limit of hospitals (or above?). Oh and avoid a 2nd lockdown at all costs.

I honestly don't even know what "mitigate" means in this scenario. I assume they mean try and stop it infecting aged care and other vulnerable people, but the more spread you have the more likely it is that transmission will occur into these locations. 

The really stupid thing to me is how exactly do they propose to keep spread at hospital capacity limit? Exponential spread is just that - and there is still no hard evidence that having had covid means you are immune. Not to mention that you're heading into winter and will undoubtedly have co-morbidity with flu. 

I hope they change course, or at least look at a semi-lockdown.

[Smash!]

2 minutes ago, Ozlsn said:

I honestly don't even know what "mitigate" means in this scenario. I assume they mean try and stop it infecting aged care and other vulnerable people, but the more spread you have the more likely it is that transmission will occur into these locations.

I interpret this as keep infecting as many people as you can without heading into a catastrophe ? 
It's insane, all the economic experts in the taskforce agree with the epidemiologists that it's important to keep the numbers low in order to keep the economy going. But in the Federal Council particular (economic) interests are more important for the member there  than the wellbeing on all levels of the people they're supposed to lead. 

19 minutes ago, Ozlsn said:

The really stupid thing to me is how exactly do they propose to keep spread at hospital capacity limit? Exponential spread is just that - and there is still no hard evidence that having had covid means you are immune. Not to mention that you're heading into winter and will undoubtedly have co-morbidity with flu. 

This was my interpretation of the paper, they didn't exactly say this but their actions speak for it. We still don't have a general home office order, just a recommendation. Imagine this, yesterday we had 9300 new cases, that makes 837 new cases per capita average of the last 14 days. Today we will likely reach 10'000 for the first time in the pandemic. And as you said, Fall has just started, the really cold and thus hard months are yet to come. And don't get me started about immunity! 

[clueliss]

I was in The boss’s office this afternoon when he got a call from plant manager about something,  and the call included the tidbit that someone in customer service tested positive .  Also that one of the engineers had, and that person had been in multiple places in production.  The first one resulted in all of customers service being sent home for two weeks.  The latter is causing internal tracing issues.  Meaning, they aren’t sure how wide that one goes.  HR then sent an email out with masking and social distance reminders as well as don’t come in if you are ill.  That email said four total this week with positive tests.  Boss said to take everything home tonight as a precaution (see that second issue with the contact tracing).  I had planned that anyway because mildly paranoid.  I also have stuff that needs to be done this weekend.  

[Smash!]

Today is the 2nd day in a row we surpassed 10'000 new cases a day. This week we're at 642.3 daily new cases per 100'000 people. Test positivity rate is 26%. They're discussing a plan which persons should be saved if there's not enough ICU beds anymore. I've been feeling sick in my stomach since I learned the new numbers yesterday. This is crazy and it will us bring deeper into a recession. The Federal Council prefers to listen to the biggest business lobbyist in Switzerland who want to spend as little money as possible on the pandemic instead of listening to their own scientists and economists who have been saying since March that a low infection number is best for the overall economy.
And I still have to go in everyday for work because students have to go and study on campus right? I'm feeling more and more anxious everyday to go to work. I can't call in sick because there's rumour of a big cut off (?) program next year and possible layoffs. Good thing is though I still have enough FFP2-masks that should protect me from aerosols as well.

Edited November 5, 2020 by Smash!

[FiveAcres]

So yesterday I went to agility class. It is a small class: three human students, five canine students, and the owner/instructor, with classes held in a large warehouse. We wear masks except for when we are actually running a dog and keep our distance even with masks. I've been doing agility in this class with my close friend (for thirty years) for four years. We are both liberals as is our instructor. The third student (D) is probably a Republican, so we don't talk politics around her. This is a very Republican area, so it seems somewhat miraculous when one encounters non-Republicans.

When I got to class I asked the instructor if D was coming since she usually arrives even before I do. "I'll tell you when we get inside."  It turned out that D was coughing and lethargic and her doctor had referred her to the hospital for an x-ray and a COVID test. She lives up in the mountains (9000 ft?) and is an older person so anything that diminishes your lung capacity is even more serious.

The last time we saw her was Friday, since we had a makeup on Friday instead of our regular Wednesday class, so if she is positive, we were squarely in her pre-symptomatic, possibly infectious stage !!! I reassured myself that I stayed as distant as feasible and we carried on as usual. At least the dogs were all good, and class wasn't as long as usual since we only four canine students, my two dogs and my friend's two dogs. Our instructor promised to let us know when D got her test result.

I got home planning to spend the rest of the day chilling in the recliner and watching Time Team episodes. I hadn't slept well Tuesday night, despite not watching election returns. I hear my cell phone go off and answer an unknown telephone number. It was an apologetic sounding fellow from Costco calling me to inform me that the pharmacist who administered my flu shot a week previous had tested positive for COVID 19. They were recommending that people contact their health care provider for information as to whether they get a test.

I spent the next hour figuring out how to get a COVID 19 test. I learned a New Thing! I installed an app on my phone and had my first telemedicine appointment. I was told there would be a doctor's order when I got to the testing site. My partner drove me to the testing site and we got there with fifteen minutes to spare before closing time. The doctor's order was there as promised and the test is very unpleasant, but not unbearable.

Fortunately, I have no symptoms. I was only in the same room with the pharmacist for a couple of minutes. However, two possible exposures in the space of a few days is disturbing. 

[clueliss]

Local daily case count here was 181, second highest even (highest was 204 back in early September when we were in the middle of college student return surge).  Note that we're just far enough out from the school district's decision to return elementary students to make me go 'hmmmmm' (because hi, predicted this).  We've got 3 elementary schools who have returned to distance learning (cases + hard to get subs) & the early childhood education department (headstart) of one school also on distance.  School Board meets Monday - agenda includes discussion of returning middle/high school - but hey - district 14 day case average has now gone over the magic number of 50 so while the district is all 'that's not the only factor' babbling - everyone here is of course wondering if what really happens is they roll elementary back home and keep middle/high school where they are. 

Me - I've rolled myself back to more work from home.  We had the one case in my department.  Last week there were something like 4 cases campus wide.  And then Monday we got another case notice (2nd shift production).  Sorry, ya'll, too close for my paranoid comfort here.  And hey, my sinus/allergy issues overlap with Covid some so I'm doing you a favor by being home.

[Alisamer]

3 hours ago, FiveAcres said:

I got home planning to spend the rest of the day chilling in the recliner and watching Time Team episodes.

Just popping in to say Time Team is also my go-to watching when I'm stressed. I'm glad there are so many of them to watch!  

So far, I have only the 5 or so people from my church that I know have it - but I've been avoiding Facebook the last several days (my faith in humanity is too frail to see how incredibly stupid some of the people I know actually are) so there may be more. I hope not. 

As much as I hope Covid will go away, and quickly, I'm almost glad it didn't die down dramatically this week suddenly, like so many conspiracy theorists in the US expected. 

[Ozlsn]

9 hours ago, Smash! said:

And I still have to go in everyday for work because students have to go and study on campus right?

This to be honest is the part I would be questioning. What do they need on campus that can't be accessed remotely? How many students and staff can be safely accommodated with appropriate distance? Lectures can be online, tutorials can be online. Practical classes need to be in person, but the ratios generally need to be much smaller. Libraries - granted there are some books and/or other reference material which isn't online, but the bulk of it is.  

Honestly if anyone should be responding to the science it's the universities.

[nokidsmom]

9 hours ago, FiveAcres said:

Fortunately, I have no symptoms. I was only in the same room with the pharmacist for a couple of minutes. However, two possible exposures in the space of a few days is disturbing. 

Gah, I can't imagine how annoying that must be.   I went to Costco for my flu shot in September and even then I wasn't totally comfortable but decided to do it while cases locally were still low.   I was planning on getting the shingles vaccine(s) but honestly with things seriously spiking in my state, I decided to hold off until spring.    I am also holding off on other health stuff.   Perhaps not a good idea as I am overdue for some things but I really do not want to get this.  

[clueliss]

Another school or two added to the distance learning list today.  And a new one day high of 222.  
 

and someone at work had an out of office message that said they went home sick.  And I’m like, what kind of sick.  

[FiveAcres]

14 hours ago, nokidsmom said:

Gah, I can't imagine how annoying that must be.   I went to Costco for my flu shot in September and even then I wasn't totally comfortable but decided to do it while cases locally were still low.   I was planning on getting the shingles vaccine(s) but honestly with things seriously spiking in my state, I decided to hold off until spring.    I am also holding off on other health stuff.   Perhaps not a good idea as I am overdue for some things but I really do not want to get this.  

Yes, I am kicking myself because I knew COVID 19 would start ramping back up and should have gotten my flu shot back in early September. Since my mother died I've gotten slack about getting my flu shot early. I was a lot more rigorous about getting it early because she was very frail in her last years and I was her primary caregiver. 

I know all about not wanting to get routine stuff done. Fortunately, I did the two most critical items this summer: my mammogram and my colonoscopy. Both were done during lulls. 

[FiveAcres]

We have a very small group of friends that have been celebrating major holidays, including Thanksgiving and Christmas, together for decades. We had been planning on having a Thanksgiving meal together if we could do so safely because Rufus knows what will be happening with the pandemic by Christmas.

The state of Colorado is now asking that people stay in their households for Thanksgiving. Since we are good doobies, who believe in science, we will undoubtedly comply. ?

Edited November 6, 2020 by FiveAcres
grammar

[clueliss]

Total cases where I work are up to 15.  Five have recovered.  A group I sometimes interact with downstairs is on the latest list (and today's okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay email weirdness was a few folks in that group with I'm out today email messages). 

Oh and the HR email says 'do your part to prevent the spread of Covid!" (me:  I am - it's called WFH and limiting the size of my bubble)

[clueliss]

I'm officially back on WFH.  Apparently they decided that salaried employees getting sick with the potential to infect hourly employees was too risky and to send as many of us back home to work as possible. 

I've sort of enjoyed work from home so YAY. 

[AmazonGrace]

Please stay safe!

 

[church_of_dog]

On 11/5/2020 at 3:03 PM, nokidsmom said:

Gah, I can't imagine how annoying that must be.   I went to Costco for my flu shot in September and even then I wasn't totally comfortable but decided to do it while cases locally were still low.   I was planning on getting the shingles vaccine(s) but honestly with things seriously spiking in my state, I decided to hold off until spring.    I am also holding off on other health stuff.   Perhaps not a good idea as I am overdue for some things but I really do not want to get this.  

I got the shingles shot this year -- early July and late October -- I was wary especially since I ended up getting it in a Rite Aid, where I try to spend as little time as possible (I probably could've gotten it somewhere smaller but I did it somewhat on a whim).

My rationale was that this is a good year to boost my immune system and also a good year to do all I can to not need regular medical care.  But I did have the thought about hoping I didn't get COVID from the pharmacist.

I got my first-ever flu shot this fall for the same reasons I listed above, but I did it at a Public Health drive-up event, outdoors, where it felt less risky.

My county was the very last in California to even have a case of COVID, and we have so few people and our lifestyle is so "naturally socially distanced" that I thought we might escape with just a few cases.  But most folks here are covidiots who refuse to wear masks and many businesses have stayed open in defiance of state orders (with the blessing of our sheriff ?) so I'm not at all surprised that we are now having a spike.  Just recently a high school student got it and now half the school is quarantined.  Fortunately no residents in either of our long-term care facilities has gotten it (yet).

 

Edited November 7, 2020 by church_of_dog

[FiveAcres]

Last night, I got email from the member of my agility class who was awaiting the results on her COVID-19 test, and she was negative. So that cuts down my potential exposures to one person last week.  Now for my own test to come back....

[FiveAcres]

My COVID-19 test is negative and I've let the two people who have been isolating since I took it know. This is turning out to be a VERY GOOD DAY.

[Cartmann99]

35 minutes ago, FiveAcres said:

My COVID-19 test is negative and I've let the two people who have been isolating since I took it know. This is turning out to be a VERY GOOD DAY.

Maybe you should buy a lottery ticket?

[Ozlsn]

Today I saw my friend who caught covid while pregnant and who ended up on a vent for about a week, and her technically still newborn (corrected age - they were prem) twins. OMG little babies, so cute and so tiny!!

And it was so nice to be able to visit, and cuddle them and talk - and I really hope her interstate siblings are able to come and meet them soon. Her mother will be able to visit from tomorrow now the restrictions are lifting with travel. 

At the other end of the spectrum I watched the live stream of the funeral for a friend's mother who passed away much too young of natural causes. None of my family could attend in person due to number and travel restrictions, but I am glad that we have the technology to at least attend virtually. 

I am cautiously optimistic that we may be able to not wear masks unless at indoor venues over summer - our numbers are steady at this stage. How opening up will affect things we don't know - but if we can keep the quarantine procedures going and manage clusters quickly it might be ok. I hope.

[PreciousPantsofDoom]

Our numbers, previously low, have been steadily going up.  I've been getting increasingly annoyed to discover friends and family getting more and more lax about precautions.  People who were completely freaked out back in March/April are now saying dumbass things like, "well,  they can't expect us not to socialize forever"  Um, no, not forever,  and they didn't cut off your phone and Internet so you can still socializè! 

 One friend is counting her "household" as her and her husband, plus all 4 of her husband's siblings/spouses and kids, none of whom live with them.  On top of that she is interpreting her"safe six" to mean 6 random outside contacts at a time.  She had people from her husband's workplace (he works at a hospital and they should all know better!) over to her house (she said that her husband is already in their"bubble " at work, so if they have caught something she would get it anyway, even if they were not over for dinner. )  She's also back to eating in restaurants with a whole other cast of characters (oh, that was with 3 nurses who I knew are careful so it was ok and that lunch was to celebrate somebody's birthday, so I HAD to go,  etc etc.) Anyway, NOT getting together with her anytime soon.  

My BIL/SIL are doing similar shit.  They send us pics of our niece.  There always seems to be somebody in the background of the pics who is visiting in their house.  Mostly its my SIL's  parents or her sister which was allowed, but also random friends. What the hell are they thinking with an 8 month old baby?

Yesterday there was a big announcement that the numbers were going up so much that there is now a Provincial order that says you cannot have anybody into your household, not even family or close friends. No safe six, just the people who normally live with you.  Was all over the news etc.  This morning SIL/BIL invited us to come over to see our niece.  (We told them no,  would love to see her, but can't and sent a link to the health order.  They said they "forgot. "  

I just cannot with how stupid otherwise intelligent people are acting. 

[clueliss]

St Louis hospital rates are at critical levels.  I saw something earlier that said they’ve ordered a stay at home order for the area.  

[Cartmann99]