Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #77

[MimosaMornings]

Is anyone concerned about grocery prices? I cannot believe my grocery bill today (Sep) compared to Jan/Feb. There's just my husband and I. How are people feeding their families?

I’ve been concerned about the rising costs of groceries and other goods for a while. I never had to worry about buying Lysol, wipes, masks, gloves, etc. before the pandemic. Buying for family members on fixed income or no income now.
It’s a bit depressing.

 

[tresir2012]

This subject came up before but here are some more stories of Aussies trying to get home. In some of the cases they left Oz to visit dying relatives and now cannot get back. $35,000 for 4 plane seats being charged by some airlines.

These are the faces of desperate Australians who are stranded abroad and struggling to get home

 

[10ofRods]

I’ve been concerned about the rising costs of groceries and other goods for a while. I never had to worry about buying Lysol, wipes, masks, gloves, etc. before the pandemic. Buying for family members on fixed income or no income now.
It’s a bit depressing.

I don't know how people on fixed incomes are going to deal with the increased prices on many things. Rice and beans have doubled here. Potatoes, greens, bananas - all nearly doubled in price.

It seems to me that the last month has seen bigger jumps in pricing than earlier. I'm not seeing much about it in the news, though. Stock market is doing well (except the energy sector).

I wish we knew more about why there are gaps in our food/essential supplies as well.

 

[10ofRods]

it is always hard for me to retain such complex data--but the statement about the "bradykinis having been overlooked" struck me. My guess is the newest research will be addressing it more, and answering more questions.

Apparently, it is going to help with specific treatments for moderate to severe CoVid, including some drugs already on the market.

My fear is that with so much new research on CoVid, many doctors are not going to be up to date on treatments. The drugs thought to help with the bradykine storm are not all that common.

 

[SoCalDavidS]

Parts of the Strip and downtown Las Vegas were teeming with tourists Saturday night, many of them not wearing masks, sparking concerns that Nevada’s COVID-19 safety protocols are being ignored in crowded hot spots.

Large crowds were observed in front of the Fountains of Bellagio, the Forum Shops at Caesars and the Linq Promenade. Crowds were seen with many people in close proximity and many of them without masks on or worn under their chins, after Gov. Steve Sisolak mandated face coverings in June.

Many infectious disease experts had voiced concern that large gatherings over the holiday weekend could trigger a rise in infections, deaths and hospitalizations, such as those that followed the Memorial Day and Fourth of July holidays.

“I was expecting there to be way fewer people,” Clark said Sunday afternoon. “And I’m amazed at how many people are completely disregarding the masks and social distancing.”

Parts of Las Vegas Strip packed with visitors on Labor Day weekend

 

[mickey2942]

I could understand while people were busy hoarding. Do you think the hoarding is a continual practise?
Because things *should* have settled back into normal production and normal usage, once things calmed down a bit.
Obviously excepting the things that we need more of now. Like sanitisers and disinfectants.

But meat, dairy, baking goods (as Judge Joe said) being so erratic? What is happening with the farms? And are the meatworks still having virus outbreaks?

Here in Montana, they started a program to create more local meat processing.
Local processor, farm get pandemic grants

 

[Sundog]

There's even a lumber shortage.

IMO you need employees and an open pipeline to up your game.

Why is there a lumber shortage in the U.S.?

Interesting, it seems that the lumber industry did not anticipate that lock downs would result in so many home improvement projects, and also that they didn't anticipate a real estate boom during the coronavirus lock downs - and both were wrong. In fact, home improvement projects sky rocketed since people were stuck at home or working from home, and real estate has been booming as well. They anticipate that when winter comes, there won't be as much home building, and so things should even out. For now, though, the price of lumber is incredible, which must be really raising the price of new home construction. We have a friend who is a builder, and he can't build homes fast enough, even spec homes, but the cost of lumber is increasing the cost of housing enormously.

 

[Sundog]

If Amazon is slammed now - just imagine what it will be like later this year. I handle Amazon orders for multiple family members in various states. It has been wonderful until the past 3 weeks. Delivery delays go from a few days to weeks, deliveries missing and wrong items delivered.
So with that in mind, we are only doing presents for the children. The older family members can’t stand in the long line outside the post office - I ride past the building and see the people not wearing masks or social distancing. They don’t put masks on until they go in. Perhaps they think it’s ok to not wear masks outside chatting with strangers standing within arms length.

To avoid the post office but still use USPS, you can go online and request a pick up, but you have to have the right postage, etc. Or you can go at night or early morning before the post office opens, and use the kiosk if the package will fit into the wall bin. Just wear gloves to operate the kiosk. And get in and out, before someone else arrives with the same idea as you.

 

[tresir2012]

Apparently, it is going to help with specific treatments for moderate to severe CoVid, including some drugs already on the market.

My fear is that with so much new research on CoVid, many doctors are not going to be up to date on treatments. The drugs thought to help with the bradykine storm are not all that common.

I am not sure that list of drugs Jacobsen provided in his July report has even made it to any clinical trials, as he recommended. I haven't checked any but only remember zinc and Vitamin D from the list I posted.

 

[Satchie]

Interesting, it seems that the lumber industry did not anticipate that lock downs would result in so many home improvement projects, and also that they didn't anticipate a real estate boom during the coronavirus lock downs - and both were wrong. In fact, home improvement projects sky rocketed since people were stuck at home or working from home, and real estate has been booming as well. They anticipate that when winter comes, there won't be as much home building, and so things should even out. For now, though, the price of lumber is incredible, which must be really raising the price of new home construction. We have a friend who is a builder, and he can't build homes fast enough, even spec homes, but the cost of lumber is increasing the cost of housing enormously.

I'm very surprised people are building new homes and spec homes during the pandemic. I wonder if part of it is the extremely low interest rates, you can get loans and mortgages for almost free. Meanwhile the stock market is uncertain, so perhaps people continue turning to real estate as the way to build their personal wealth.

 

[MimosaMornings]

I'm very surprised people are building new homes and spec homes during the pandemic. I wonder if part of it is the extremely low interest rates, you can get loans and mortgages for almost free. Meanwhile the stock market is uncertain, so perhaps people continue turning to real estate as the way to build their personal wealth.

Wonder what cities or regions are experiencing the boom in home buying?

Curious with so many on unemployment.

I can’t imagine starting to build a home and suddenly losing my job half way thru the building process.

Buy rental property? Perhaps if you have deep pockets. I found out the hard way about relying on rental income during a pandemic.

 

[mickey2942]

Wonder what cities or regions are experiencing the boom in home buying?

Curious with so many on unemployment.

I can’t imagine starting to build a home and suddenly losing my job half way thru the building process.

Buy rental property? Perhaps if you have deep pockets. I found out the hard way about relying on rental income during a pandemic.

People are buying houses in Montana from out of state, unseen. Houses are selling in days. Surprised me. And there is a lot of construction going on here.

And then, this...predictable and sad.
Raging Campus Outbreaks Send Students Home Across the U.S.

 

[CSIDreamer]

I'm very surprised people are building new homes and spec homes during the pandemic. I wonder if part of it is the extremely low interest rates, you can get loans and mortgages for almost free. Meanwhile the stock market is uncertain, so perhaps people continue turning to real estate as the way to build their personal wealth.

I have a friend that lived in rural Maine. Her house sold for a tidy sum within days. People that can telecommute are buying out of the cities like crazy. Build your house on a nice home sale. Jmo

 

[Tillicum]

Wonder what cities or regions are experiencing the boom in home buying?

Curious with so many on unemployment.

I can’t imagine starting to build a home and suddenly losing my job half way thru the building process.

Buy rental property? Perhaps if you have deep pockets. I found out the hard way about relying on rental income during a pandemic.

West Central Ohio is booming, well above market value.

 

[MimosaMornings]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/loca...cd0902-e7ca-11ea-97e0-94d2e46e759b_story.html

“People are feeling overwhelmed and cramped in the pandemic,” she said, “and it’s pushing people to buy now because we don’t know what the fall is going to look like if the virus spreads and people get locked in their houses.”


https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/07/27/housing-inequality-coronavirus/

“The coronavirus pandemic is exacerbating inequities across America, especially in housing. This summer is one of the best times for home buyers and worst for many renters. Americans with money in the bank are buying bigger homes, while renters increasingly worry about eviction.”

 

[mickey2942]

West Central Ohio is booming, well above market value.

I think more rural areas, smaller towns are booming now. People can use telecommuting, and are leaving the cities due to virus, and crime issues.

 

[Trino]

NO. The pandemic isn't over. NO. The economy isn't going back to normal. Go Fund Me story about CNN's Houston, TX evictions.

An estimated 30 to 40 million Americans are at risk of being evicted in the next few months, according to the Aspen Institute, a public policy studies organization. The pandemic has knocked out millions of jobs and sent the unemployment rate surging upward. The pandemic also struck during a severe affordable housing crisis in the US, according to the institute.
As of the first week of September, the US economy is recovering, with another 1.4 million jobs added and a slight dip in the unemployment rate, but millions of Americans are still on uneven ground in a pandemic with no clear end in sight.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/07/us/israel-rodriguez-eviction--trnd/index.html

 

[Trino]

People are buying houses in Montana from out of state, unseen. Houses are selling in days. Surprised me. And there is a lot of construction going on here.

And then, this...predictable and sad.
Raging Campus Outbreaks Send Students Home Across the U.S.

IMO it is totally irresponsible to open any school right now. Check the stats. Cases are still high. People are sick/dying.

 

[tresir2012]

Whoah !!! What has been happening in Caerphilly ?

Caerphilly county to go under local lockdown

• 1 hour ago

• Coronavirus pandemic

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image captionPeople will not be able to enter or leave Caerphilly county without good reason
"The county borough of Caerphilly is to be placed under a local lockdown from 18:00 BST on Tuesday after a "rapid" rise in coronavirus cases.

People will not be able to leave or enter the borough without good reason, the Welsh Government said.

Face masks will be required for everyone over 11 in shops within the area.

Seeing others within extended households indoors will be banned, and no overnight stays will be allowed.

The Welsh Government said that at 55.4 cases per 100,000 population, Caerphilly county had the highest rate in Wales and one of the highest in the UK."
....

"A lot of these cases are in younger people and thankfully, at the moment, most of these are mild."

Coronavirus cases in Caerphilly
New positive tests by day

(graph can be viewed at link above)

Up to 6 September. Figures subject to change and revision
Source: Public Health Wales, 7th September"


FYI

Caerphilly County Borough - Wikipedia

Caerphilly County Borough/Population 2017 was 181,019

Caerphilly

 

[nhmemorymaker]

I'm very surprised people are building new homes and spec homes during the pandemic. I wonder if part of it is the extremely low interest rates, you can get loans and mortgages for almost free. Meanwhile the stock market is uncertain, so perhaps people continue turning to real estate as the way to build their personal wealth.

Wonder what cities or regions are experiencing the boom in home buying?

Curious with so many on unemployment.

I can’t imagine starting to build a home and suddenly losing my job half way thru the building process.

Buy rental property? Perhaps if you have deep pockets. I found out the hard way about relying on rental income during a pandemic.

Construction never stopped in my corner NE Florida... hotels, apartments, homes on Amelia Island. Lots of out-of-town buyers who have the money, are buying up houses fast.

Technically, we are a different county than Jacksonville, but are often considered the metro-Jacksonville market. Jacksonville is the largest city in the country, by area, and because of that area, lots of companies are coming in (Amazon building a second huge fulfillment center here).

And Jax is considered one of the top three affordable/units available cities.

The 3 U.S. Metros Where Homes Are Actually Affordable and Available.

I still believe the real estate markets will be taking a real nose dive--corporately with excess commercial real estate; less convention spending that keeps hotels alive; and for individuals more evictions and greater inability to cover mortgages....