Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #101

[kath4557]

Can you imagine if they tried to do that here in the United States---- we would have a revolution!!!

oh God, it would start a civil war!

 

[KALI]

As a restaurant owner in California, I am Covid exhausted.
We are busy now.
My employees are exhausted because we're short handed.
I have about 20% of our crew being very disruptive and making crazy demands.
They are very aware that employees are hard to find right now.
Yes, we've increased their wages, we've even shut down our restaurant 3 days a week now to keep them happy but, they still want more.
This is California. I think because of lockdowns. I don't know what's going on in States that don't have these lockdowns.
Plus our Governor gave out lots of money to people.
What an unprecedented curse this virus has been and continues to be.
* I absolutely grieve for everyone who has lost loved ones because of this horrible disease.
What a curse upon this entire world.

we’ve been plateaued mostly this wave as well. Decreasing slowwwly for a while but As of now I think MA and most other NE states are increasing. Along with some of the other parts of the US.
I mean better than the last wave I guess right? (Ma is more vaxed and probably has more masks and mandates than other places)
We’ll see what winter /holidays bring.

 

[KALI]

As a restaurant owner in California, I am Covid exhausted.
We are busy now.
My employees are exhausted because we're short handed.
I have about 20% of our crew being very disruptive and making crazy demands.
They are very aware that employees are hard to find right now.
Yes, we've increased their wages, we've even shut down our restaurant 3 days a week now to keep them happy but, they still want more.
This is California. I think because of lockdowns. I don't know what's going on in States that don't have these lockdowns.
Plus our Governor gave out lots of money to people.
What an unprecedented curse this virus has been and continues to be.
* I absolutely grieve for everyone who has lost loved ones because of this horrible disease.
What a curse upon this entire world.

we’ve been plateaued mostly this wave as well. Decreasing slowwwly for a while but As of now I think MA and most other NE states are increasing. Along with some of the other parts of the US.
I mean better than the last wave I guess right? (Ma is more vaxed and probably has more masks and mandates than other places)
We’ll see what winter /holidays bring.

 

[mickey2942]

Australian nurse inserted needle, pretended to inject COVID-19 vaccine, police say | National Post

Why on Earth would someone do this?

@KALI, sorry things are going so rough for you. We never know when places are open here. The ones that are still open, that is...

It seems like there are tons of job openings here, for good wages. Yet, places have to close due to no staff. Where did all the workers go?

 

[CrimeAway]

Did you have protesters at your clinic? We have one protester who shows up for all our clinics. He used to show up with a billboard about his rights, but he has escalated to using a megaphone and spewing the most outrageous nonsense.

He doesn't show up for our flu clinics.

What on earth is wrong with some people???

I think we need schools and MSM to remind people of the effects of vaccine preventable illnesses.

Smallpox - Wikipedia

 

[zecats]

The screens may actually do more harm because they block ventilation. Those Anti-Covid Plastic Barriers Probably Don’t Help and May Make Things Worse

Do you think NJ will mandate masks in fall 2022? PA's mandate is up Jan 1 2022, I believe.

The screens are down now, but they were 3-sided, sat on top of the desks and were only about 2 feet in height from desk top. Plus every classroom had and still has at least one (and often two in larger classrooms) some sort of air purifying device that is turned on each morning and set to 8 hours on a timer.

Not sure about mask mandates next year. There is one now in NJ schools. Last year there was too, but at the end of school year with about 6 weeks to go, we were allowed to take them off by governor's statement (due to heat in many cases). The school where I work has AC, but most of us took off our masks. School was only in session for half day all last year (dismissal at 11:35) whereas now it's back to full time (dismissal 1:55pm).

I've mainly been subbing only once per week so far this school year, by choice.

 

[mickey2942]

What on earth is wrong with some people???

I think we need schools and MSM to remind people of the effects of vaccine preventable illnesses.

Smallpox - Wikipedia

I have wondered, if Covid was more "dangerous" or disfiguring, if people would be more inclined to get the vaccine. For example, if Covid was like smallpox, or polio...?

There seems to be some sort of misinformation, that Covid is flu, and only the weak and unhealthy would have severe consequences. Fat, old, disabled..."healthy people are better off to just get it".

I don't know. People are so strange now. It is a shot. Get it and move on.

 

[MrX]

As a restaurant owner in California, I am Covid exhausted.
We are busy now.
My employees are exhausted because we're short handed.
I have about 20% of our crew being very disruptive and making crazy demands.
They are very aware that employees are hard to find right now.
Yes, we've increased their wages, we've even shut down our restaurant 3 days a week now to keep them happy but, they still want more.
This is California. I think because of lockdowns. I don't know what's going on in States that don't have these lockdowns.
Plus our Governor gave out lots of money to people.
What an unprecedented curse this virus has been and continues to be.
* I absolutely grieve for everyone who has lost loved ones because of this horrible disease.
What a curse upon this entire world.

I've talked to some people who work and did work in restaurants and bars. Their stories are very consistent. They said that the break during lockdowns, and the freedom offered by stimulus and extra unemployment, made them realize how much they hated dealing with an increasingly rude and obnoxious public. They discovered that other jobs paid just as well without having to engage with adults that act like spoiled children.

Our lockdown was relatively short - lasting six weeks in April and May of 2020. After that, the State was pretty clear that there were very few agents enforcing violations and that it would take dozens of unique calls about the same offense in order to do a sight inspection. Some restaurants and bars were stricter than others - especially national chains. The local places that didn't enforce the rules have seem to have come through this unscathed. There is one particular diner that actually left condiments on the tables (rather than everyplace else that dispensed salt in individually wrapped packets.) They have kept their entire staff and done a gangbusters business throughout. I know of other restaurants that are dealing with the staff demands, that you describe, and it seems like there are different people working there every other day.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Ooooh, Boris must have read my ramble from the other night

Covid booster doses will be offered to over-40s

We are currently at 88% fully vaccinated, 80% double vaxxed, and 22% boostered so far (age 12+). It’s really important to keep the momentum going, at least through the winter months.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

I've talked to some people who work and did work in restaurants and bars. Their stories are very consistent. They said that the break during lockdowns, and the freedom offered by stimulus and extra unemployment, made them realize how much they hated dealing with an increasingly rude and obnoxious public. They discovered that other jobs paid just as well without having to engage with adults that act like spoiled children.

Our lockdown was relatively short - lasting six weeks in April and May of 2020. After that, the State was pretty clear that there were very few agents enforcing violations and that it would take dozens of unique calls about the same offense in order to do a sight inspection. Some restaurants and bars were stricter than others - especially national chains. The local places that didn't enforce the rules have seem to have come through this unscathed. There is one particular diner that actually left condiments on the tables (rather than everyplace else that dispensed salt in individually wrapped packets.) They have kept their entire staff and done a gangbusters business throughout. I know of other restaurants that are dealing with the staff demands, that you describe, and it seems like there are different people working there every other day.

The impact on our hospitality sector has been immense here. At my work place we are losing staff like flies- they are being tempted by delivery driving, or offered much higher wages by supermarkets, and as you say, no stress from customers. It is almost impossible to recruit without raising wages to a point where your margins would be seriously jeopardised. Tricky.

 

[MrX]

The impact on our hospitality sector has been immense here. At my work place we are losing staff like flies- they are being tempted by delivery driving, or offered much higher wages by supermarkets, and as you say, no stress from customers. It is almost impossible to recruit without raising wages to a point where your margins would be seriously jeopardised. Tricky.

It's becoming a vicious circle. Prices are rising to the point where people will stop eating out and then restaurants won't need employees. At first, I didn't mind because people were struggling, but at some point it will get ridiculous.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Boris, earlier today:

Turning to Covid, I want to update you on our progress,and, in particular, on these storm clouds that are gathering over the continent.

A new wave of Covid has steadily swept through central Europe and is now affecting our nearest neighbours in western Europe.

Our friends on the continent have been forced to respond with various degrees of new restrictions, from full lockdowns, to lockdowns for the unvaccinated, to restrictions on business opening hours and restrictions on social gatherings.

We don’t yet know the extent to which this new wave will wash up on our shores, but history shows we cannot afford to be complacent.

 

[MrX]

I have wondered, if Covid was more "dangerous" or disfiguring, if people would be more inclined to get the vaccine. For example, if Covid was like smallpox, or polio...?

There seems to be some sort of misinformation, that Covid is flu, and only the weak and unhealthy would have severe consequences. Fat, old, disabled..."healthy people are better off to just get it".

I don't know. People are so strange now. It is a shot. Get it and move on.

I think you are exactly right. If this was like Ebola, all of the anti-vax rage would be rechanneled into knocking people over in order to be first in line.

I remember when Freddie Freeman got Covid right before 2020 baseball season. He got really sick, to the point where was afraid of leaving his children Fatherless. Then he went on to win the MVP. Now we fast forward to Aaron Rodgers and it sounds like he would have thought he had a cold, if it wasn't for constant testing.

 

[jjenny]

I think you are exactly right. If this was like Ebola, all of the anti-vax rage would be rechanneled into knocking people over in order to be first in line.

I remember when Freddie Freeman got Covid right before 2020 baseball season. He got really sick, to the point where was afraid of leaving his children Fatherless. Then he went on to win the MVP. Now we fast forward to Aaron Rodgers and it sounds like he would have thought he had a cold, if it wasn't for constant testing.

Different people react differently to covid. I have an elderly relative with all kind of pre-existing conditions who was pretty much asymptomatic. Yet US loses over a 1000 pepole every day to covid, many of them are presumably much healthier than my relative. Rodgers somehow managed to get the monoclonal antibodies even though he presumably isn't at high risk for covid complications.

 

[mickey2942]

My adult "kids" were all working service industry jobs. My son pivoted from being a chef, to now driving a truck. He loves it. If it hadn't been for Covid, he would still be working in the kitchen.

My daughter hates people now. She is so done with first asking people to wear a mask, dealing with escalated people. It seemed like everyone went crazy for awhile. She has changed jobs to now working as tech support, so many people need immediate tech support for Zoom meetings, education classes.

Covid has been a huge game changer for many of my friends, many of them retired early. Others quit their jobs to stay home with kids or grandchildren.

 

[CrimeAway]

My adult "kids" were all working service industry jobs. My son pivoted from being a chef, to now driving a truck. He loves it. If it hadn't been for Covid, he would still be working in the kitchen.

My daughter hates people now. She is so done with first asking people to wear a mask, dealing with escalated people. It seemed like everyone went crazy for awhile. She has changed jobs to now working as tech support, so many people need immediate tech support for Zoom meetings, education classes.

Covid has been a huge game changer for many of my friends, many of them retired early. Others quit their jobs to stay home with kids or grandchildren.

I think that the pandemic has caused people to reassess their employment situations.

It's very hard working for little more than minimum wage, with no sick pay, health benefits, retirement options etc., while bearing the brunt of public frustration, and constant Covid infection risk.

The US offers few employment protections and benefits for many workers, compared to other OECD countries, and I think the pandemic has highlighted this issue.

Among 41 countries, only U.S. lacks paid parental leave

Countries Around The World Beat The U.S. On Paid Parental Leave

The World ‘Has Found a Way to Do This’: The U.S. Lags on Paid Leave

It's certainly not easy for small business owners, but I think that it's time US employees were afforded some of the same rights and benefits that the rest of the developed, and even developing world take for granted. JMO.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

My adult "kids" were all working service industry jobs. My son pivoted from being a chef, to now driving a truck. He loves it. If it hadn't been for Covid, he would still be working in the kitchen.

My daughter hates people now. She is so done with first asking people to wear a mask, dealing with escalated people. It seemed like everyone went crazy for awhile. She has changed jobs to now working as tech support, so many people need immediate tech support for Zoom meetings, education classes.

Covid has been a huge game changer for many of my friends, many of them retired early. Others quit their jobs to stay home with kids or grandchildren.

I see that here too, many people are re-assessing and making changes where they can. We had a kind of mass exodus at my work place of mostly women in their late 50s/60s who worked part time probably for pin money and company more than for financial need. Unsurprisingly, they decided that facing the public every day is a choice they could live without. It's a shame for our business to have lost so much experience, but I totally get it.

 

[GRT]

I see that here too, many people are re-assessing and making changes where they can. We had a kind of mass exodus at my work place of mostly women in their late 50s/60s who worked part time probably for pin money and company more than for financial need. Unsurprisingly, they decided that facing the public every day is a choice they could live without. It's a shame for our business to have lost so much experience, but I totally get it.

And, there's something else going on as well. While everyone is talking about the Great Resignation, very few are mentioning that applications for self-employed business licenses are at an all-time high.

They're becoming independent contractors and moving into the remote-work marketplace. Businesses are giving up brick-and-mortar offices in preference for remote offices with meetings via ZOOM and Teams.

Covid changed a lot of things, but for workers making the transition, it can be lucrative. I've worked remotely writing grants for years, but now the projects offer double or even triple the fees because competition has become fierce. The same thing is happening with other jobs that can be done remotely. Without the need to pay overhead for physical offices, the money is going to salary and wages.

Of course, there's an opposite downside in that office buildings aren't at capacity and local communities are going to see reduced revenue from commercial property taxes, so they'll shift that burden somewhere else.

It's just when people talk about the Great Resignation, I think they may be overlooking the fact that many of those former workers are moving onward and upward by shifting to online work as self-employed independent contractors.

In my community, they're also offering remote schooling at the elementary level, and that's a trend I think will also continue. One group of parents has formed a small magnet-type school and the parents take turns monitoring the children while they learn remotely. We'll see how that goes, but I think years from now, history will look back and point to the pandemic as a reason society made huge shifts. JMOO

 

[HongKongPhooey]

And, there's something else going on as well. While everyone is talking about the Great Resignation, very few are mentioning that applications for self-employed business licenses are at an all-time high.

They're becoming independent contractors and moving into the remote-work marketplace. Businesses are giving up brick-and-mortar offices in preference for remote offices with meetings via ZOOM and Teams.

Covid changed a lot of things, but for workers making the transition, it can be lucrative. I've worked remotely writing grants for years, but now the projects offer double or even triple the fees because competition has become fierce. The same thing is happening with other jobs that can be done remotely. Without the need to pay overhead for physical offices, the money is going to salary and wages.

Of course, there's an opposite downside in that office buildings aren't at capacity and local communities are going to see reduced revenue from commercial property taxes, so they'll shift that burden somewhere else.

It's just when people talk about the Great Resignation, I think they may be overlooking the fact that many of those former workers are moving onward and upward by shifting to online work as self-employed independent contractors.

In my community, they're also offering remote schooling at the elementary level, and that's a trend I think will also continue. One group of parents has formed a small magnet-type school and the parents take turns monitoring the children while they learn remotely. We'll see how that goes, but I think years from now, history will look back and point to the pandemic as a reason society made huge shifts. JMOO

Yes agree with you on this too. I myself am still wfh 3 days a week and many of my office based colleagues are too. Meanwhile, business owner is seeing oppprtunities, looking to rent what was previously office space and meeting rooms to franchises! A real shift in many ways.

 

[weepingangel]

Ahhhh we’re the top story on nbc news this morning.


New England Covid cases rise as delta hits the unvaccinated

more at link
New England is not out of the woods just yet.

Two-week Covid case counts are up in every state in the region except for Connecticut, according to data compiled by NBC News — a stark reminder that unvaccinated people continue to face a serious risk from the delta variant of the coronavirus even in areas with high vaccination rates.


Vermont and New Hampshire have had two of the largest increases in the U.S., respectively rising by 60 percent and 56 percent, the data showed. Covid-related deaths have held steady across New England over the last two weeks, going up only by 4 percent over the previous two weeks. However, deaths in Vermont went up by 52 percent — from 19 to 29 — according to the NBC News tally.