Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #105

[Betty P]

I feel sorry for the whole lot of them--teachers, students, parents, and vulnerable family members.

JMO, there's too much pressure on the schools from the business community who want people showing up for work at all costs.

 

[MimosaMornings]

I know that last night JCPS (Louisville) was moved to: no school today and e learning until at least Friday. Last night. Can you imagine making alternate plans, as a working single parent, for a week with basically no warning?

Nothing until last night? Geez.
Wonder why they didn’t give a heads up? Maybe the numbers were lower than other school districts?
The County school district started before New Years Day warning of teacher/sub/bus driver shortages due to the increasing daily positivity rate. Local news coverage too.
Things are going to be bad when you go from 12.7% positivity rate in mid December to 37.5% on January 6th.
The hospitals exploded 3 days after Christmas. I was astounded at the crowd in the ED.

 

[mickey2942]

JMO, there's too much pressure on the schools from the business community who want people showing up for work at all costs.

It is not just teachers. Every single person working with the public is at risk. Medical professionals, DMV, store personnel. Whatever your job is...no one signed up for potential to DIE from a transmissable disease at work, or expose vulnerable family members.

Great quit? Yes. If I could quit my job today, I would be out of here.

 

[CSIDreamer]

JMO, there's too much pressure on the schools from the business community who want people showing up for work at all costs.

Businesses need to stay open, too. People need to be paid.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

I feel sorry for the whole lot of them--teachers, students, parents, and vulnerable family members.

Me too. And as someone who works in HR, it has been the most stressful working two years of my life. Writing policies to keep people safe whilst keeping the business afloat financially, offering potentially life and death guidance to vulnerable people, working while I've been ill to get people paid. There's usually another viewpoint to the one people think they see. No one has it easy, IMO.

 

[Skigh]

Me too. And as someone who works in HR, it has been the most stressful working two years of my life. Writing policies to keep people safe whilst keeping the business afloat financially, offering potentially life and death guidance to vulnerable people, working while I've been ill to get people paid. There's usually another viewpoint to the one people think they see. No one has it easy, IMO.

I would support this 100%.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

It is not just teachers. Every single person working with the public is at risk. Medical professionals, DMV, store personnel. Whatever your job is...no one signed up for potential to DIE from a transmissable disease at work, or expose vulnerable family members.

Great quit? Yes. If I could quit my job today, I would be out of here.

So would I. Whether that would be be best long term option for our retirement would be debatable, but I would take the chance if I could.

We have lost a lot of experienced colleagues who have done just that. Its a shame for businesses, but I could totally understand it. Why work for a little pin money, facing these risks?

 

[MimosaMornings]

So would I. Whether that would be be best long term option for our retirement would be debatable, but I would take the chance if I could.

We have lost a lot of experienced colleagues who have done just that. Its a shame for businesses, but I could totally understand it. Why work for a little pin money, facing these risks?

Even at full retirement age of 67.5 years (which is years away) my social security check would only be enough to pay my mortgage and utility bills after my medical insurance deductions.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

Even at full retirement age of 67.5 years (which is years away) my social security check would only be enough to pay my mortgage and utility bills after my medical insurance deductions.

It will be much the same for me, except mine wouldnt cover the mortgage (no medical on the plus side). We'll all be working forever

 

[mickey2942]

Even at full retirement age of 67.5 years (which is years away) my social security check would only be enough to pay my mortgage and utility bills after my medical insurance deductions.

I am not even counting on Social Security. That is an upside down pyramid, waiting for collapse. Right about when the tail end boomers go to collect, in 10 or 15 years.

 

[Lilibet]

A large group of our population is living in denial of reality, and suffering delusions there are exceptional and cannot get sick or this virus is not even real.

I’m about to turn 76 and I have NEVER seen such widespread denial of reality and delusional beliefs ever! It’s as if people are “possessed” by an evil entity.

 

[tabitha111]

Had to pick up a few things...I am doing a mixology course for fun- something to keep me busy LOL...so to the ABC store for curbside pickup (in VA they sell spirits in state run ABC stores) that was fine, but I had to go into another store- a small specialty store.

I kept thinking about CG's trip to Harris Teeter and was super anxious the whole time...and of course, hardly anyone in a mask except perhaps 3 of us. Wasn't too crowded and I was in and out in a flash. But....but....don't these unmasked folks watch the news?? or talk to thier neighbors? some had kids with them- don't they know what's going on in the schools (most are virtual in our area) or daycares (a few are closed).....

Someone posted on Next Door that they went to Patient First the other day for a toothache (that's an urgent care center) and there were 100 people in front of him!!

I guess no one is changing their minds at this point...so buckle up, it's going to be a bumpy ride.

 

[WichitaFalls]

I do believe you've won the "most creative" award for a fantastic way to spend a COVID day. Well done Tabitha!

 

[Lilibet]

I feel sorry for the whole lot of them--teachers, students, parents, and vulnerable family members.

Me too. My husband is a retired teacher, our daughter was a student, we were parents of a student and now we are vulnerable family members. We get how hard this virus surge is hitting everyone.

JMO, there's too much pressure on the schools from the business community who want people showing up for work at all costs.

Exactly! As always, society in general tends to view teachers as glorified baby sitters who only work nine months a year. They will be blamed for not wanting to do their “easy” jobs in a dangerous environment. I have friends who teach online. There is nothing easy about remote teaching either. If anything, it’s harder. But at least it keeps more people safe.

Businesses need to stay open, too. People need to be paid.

It’s very true that businesses need to stay open, especially ones that provide essential services. And workers definitely need to be paid. But teachers should not have to endanger themselves and their families so the economy can stay afloat. I don’t see a viable solution, but the health of the economy should not rest on the backs of teachers…without giving them “hazard pay,” and we all know that’s not going to happen! Nor would they necessarily want it.

This virus is wreaking havoc in so many areas….families, jobs, healthcare, social contact (especially for children and vulnerable elderly), mental health, and on and on. Not to mention the delusion and selfishness of covid deniers and minimizers. No one is equipped to solve these problems.

 

[Lilibet]

Gaslighting is invited in and given a cup of coffee.

That line made me laugh, even though it’s gallows humor about the horror we have been living through.

 

[Lilibet]

I do believe you've won the "most creative" award for a fantastic way to spend a COVID day. Well done Tabitha!

Can we expect cocktails at 6:00 pm served by Tabitha? I’m on the verge of convincing myself that covid is killed by Long Island Iced Tea. I think being delusional must be catching.

 

[SouthAussie]

I agree. I'm rather shocked. The Australian citizens have been more than compliant with all the restrictions they've been under. I can't believe they are giving Djokovic a pass (and I'm a HUGE tennis fan). The rules were clear that he needed to be vaccinated. All the other players seem to be complying. It boggles the mind.

I wonder how the 2 other tennis players who left Australia, after having their visas revoked for the exact same reason, feel about Djokovic getting a judicial pass.

Australian Border Force cancels tennis player Renata Voráčová's visa ahead of Australian Open

Tennis Australia apparently referred the international players to our Smart Traveller website for their entry requirements. I took a look through those requirements the other day ... nowhere does it say that if a person has had covid they get an (Aussie) medical exemption from needing the vaccine.

It does say that if a person has had a major medical illness that prevents them from getting the vaccines, they may be considered. But then Djokovic didn't have a major medical illness, did he?
He was publicly photographed during his 'covid infection' of 16th Dec (3 weeks prior to him entering Australia), out and about, unmasked, no doubt spreading covid all around.

He should have been vaccinated long before then, if he intended to play tennis in the Australian Open.

imo

 

[Arkay]

I am a retired teacher as well. I'm grateful I retired shortly before Covid because teaching remotely is inefficient in every way.
Even my many friends who are college professors are finding it difficult. Though their students are adults, and they can teach asynchronously, many students are not showing up to do remote work.

I taught English to 8th graders for 25 years. My B.A. and M. A. are both in my subject. I graded essays nights and weekends for all that time, plus lesson planning and parent contact and all of it. We hate to be considered babysitters with an easy job. Yet I do understand parental frustration because they need to work.

IMO teachers are essential workers, but because so many children are unvaccinated it’s truly dangerous work now.

To me the only sane solution is in fact mandatory vaccination for everyone eligible. Just as my students could not be admitted to school without the vaccines required at that time.

On another note, seeing how “No Vac” Djokovic had the judge rule in his favor is bewildering IMO. When the judge listed all that “No Vac” had done, and inquired as to what else he could have done, of course I immediately thought “he could have gotten vaccinated.” So simple and would have avoided this entire contretemps.

 

[Chelly]

So now Savana Guthrie (newscaster) on the Today show has Covid. She says it's "just a little sniffle" source: watching Today show this Monday morning.
Seems like everyone is getting Covid! I want to be one of the 100 left in the world that doesn't get it

.....and I want to join you.

 

[LadyL]

meanwhile in Canada ...

3 Ontario nurses disciplined for social media posts related to pandemic launch $1M libel suit