Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #67

[10ofRods]

Twitter is going to implode.

Maybe - I'm not seeing any explosion so far.

I think the mindset in Texas right is very, very sober. I think they're a bit scared. I know that individual Texas are very wary.

I also think the people who are yelling that they don't have to wear masks are scared, too. They've convinced themselves (barely) that they're fine and they really really hate if someone asks them to wear a mask. That's the only explosion I'm seeing.

If the person who points out that masks are needed is older, it makes them even more angry. It's part of '"divorcing" themselves from social responsibility for the elderly, the older, their own parents, etc.,etc.

This is also true for Twitter. CoVid is trumping politics, more and more. Which is good.

 

[Bravo]

Yes and Health Care Workers are advised to reuse their PPE
White House urges health care workers to reuse PPE amid growing shortages as COVID-19 pandemic worsens.

 

[SouthAussie]

What many find difficult, here, is that essentially everyone in a city of five million people will now be confined to their homes for the next six weeks, with checkpoints and enforcement (per BBC story, I linked to earlier.)

I certainly am doing my part to share this story as an example of what the alternative to doing nothing looks like. I've long wished that U.S. officials were much more open about our options - instead of closing down a few businesses for a couple weeks.

Sorry for quoting your post twice, but I just want to add that 5 million are not exactly confined to their homes. They are allowed out of their own homes and gardens for four reasons ...

Work or school
Exercise
To buy essential items
To administer care for another

 

[Tippy Lynn]

It seems as though the virus is beginning to spiral out of control in the US. How can things like school and Disney World consider opening up? Putting kids in this position is just wrong.

 

[MrX]

Sorry for quoting your post twice, but I just want to add that 5 million are not exactly confined to their homes. They are allowed out of their own homes and gardens for four reasons ...

Work or school
Exercise
To buy essential items
To administer care for another

Thank you for the clarification. What is considered "essential?" When we were locked up the list was relatively broad, so there were plenty of stores to visit in order to maintain human contact. I understand that your regulations are strenuously enforced, however?

 

[Lilibet]

Louisiana gains have been wiped out.

CNN)The gains the people of Louisiana made against Covid-19 in June have been wiped out over the past three weeks, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Wednesday.

"We have a statewide pandemic. It's no longer one or two regions," Edwards told reporters in Baton Rouge.

Edwards' announcement comes as the United States passed 3 million coronavirus cases.
Louisiana's health department reported 1,891 new cases Wednesday, 95% of which are from community spread, according to Edwards. Data from Johns Hopkins University shows the moving seven-day average of cases in the state hasn't been this high since early April.

US coronavirus: Louisiana governor says progress against virus has been wiped out in past three weeks - CNN

 

[SouthAussie]

Thank you for the clarification. What is considered "essential?" When we were locked up the list was relatively broad, so there were plenty of stores to visit in order to maintain human contact. I understand that your regulations are strenuously enforced, however?

Our essential items are grocery shops, liquor shops, petrol stations, hardware shops, take-away food pick-up, chemist shops, some clothing shops (the ones that stay open, many smaller ones don't).

It really isn't that bad. The rest of us lived through it earlier in the year for many weeks.

As I think I stated much earlier, I went for beach or park walks every day as well. Just had to remain within a 20km radius from my home ... and socially distance.

Today roadblocks/check points have gone up within Victoria to ensure that Melburnians are not travelling far from their homes. So, yes, it is enforced.

 

[Reasonable & Just]

Yes and Health Care Workers are advised to reuse their PPE
White House urges health care workers to reuse PPE amid growing shortages as COVID-19 pandemic worsens.

Again. This is where we are again. Failing us, but at least they look out for themselves with the daily rapid testing of everyone coming into the WH

 

[MsArk]

Arizona Is #1, Bahrain Is #4

View attachment 254934

There is no country in the world where confirmed coronavirus cases are growing as rapidly as they are in Arizona, Florida or South Carolina. The Sun Belt has become the global virus capital.

This chart ranks the countries with the most confirmed new cases over the past week, adjusted for population size, and treats each U.S. state as if it were a country. (Many states are larger in both landmass and population than some countries.)

My home state is on that list but you should read some of the comments from it’s citizens. It is truly like fighting a forrest fire with a garden hose. Our governor won’t give a mandatory mask order and even if he did, I doubt the majority would comply.

I just don’t it.

 

[MrX]

Our essential items are grocery shops, liquor shops, petrol stations, hardware shops, take-away food pick-up, chemist shops, some clothing shops (the ones that stay open, many smaller ones don't).

It really isn't that bad. The rest of us lived through it earlier in the year for many weeks.

As I think I stated much earlier, I went for beach or park walks every day as well. Just had to remain within a 20km radius from my home ... and socially distance.

I have co-workers that really haven't left home, except for essentials. since March. I was climbing the walls and know I can't do it again. People found a way to keep socializing, last time. This time it will require a larger circle of "friends," since I don't see us reopening if we close again. Hopefully Nevada stays open and doesn't ban people from AZ!

 

[Lilibet]

Today roadblocks/check points have gone up within Victoria to ensure that Melburnians are not travelling far from their homes.

My home state is on that list but you should read some of the comments from it’s citizens. It is truly like fighting a forrest fire with a garden hose. Our governor won’t give a mandatory mask order and even if he did, I doubt the majority would comply.

I just don’t it.

BBM

Can we imagine @MsArk if roadblocks and checkpoints went up anywhere in this country as they have in Victoria?!

 

[tresir2012]

I can't speak for your neighborhood, but people I talk to feel like nothing has improved since March. There is no vaccine, no cure and now we see things like airborne transmission and mutations. Every place that has done things "right" has ended up back at square one (see Australia.) In my corner of the world, we started out thinking all of this was overblown. We still think that, but we've also stopped caring - we see it as a choice between being confined to our homes for the rest of our lives, or taking our chances while trying to live with some semblance of normalcy.

I think that all the protests from the beginning of June have fueled these outbreaks and there is no stopping them now. It cannot be a coincidence either that Houston is suffering from such a large outbreak, after the massive funeral gathering in June. We can only hope for these cases to be less lethal but with the uptick in hospitalisations, it's unfortunately not looking like that. I hope that all that has been learnt treating patients since March can now help these states.

 

[Reasonable & Just]

It seems as though the virus is beginning to spiral out of control in the US. How can things like school and Disney World consider opening up? Putting kids in this position is just wrong.

I agree. Speaking for the schools - they are being threatened with funding loss by the president if they don't fully open. Fact-checking Trump's threat to cut off education funding if schools don't reopen - CNNPolitics

As this CNN fact-check points out, he has doesn't have as much power over that as he thinks, but he can do this:

But if Trump wanted, the source says, the Trump administration could issue an interim final rule to block funding enacted in the March CARES Act for schools that don't reopen. The law provided $13 billion for school districts to cover Covid-19 costs. But going that route to block the funding administratively would undoubtedly lead to a court battle.

Many school and political officials argue that additional federal funding is greatly needed to safely reopen schools as state budgets have been significantly reduced in the wake of the pandemic. Trump has the power to reject any aid package that has not already been passed.

However:
Senate Republicans are planning to unveil a stimulus bill that includes federal spending to reopen schools and childcare facilities which could be used for retrofitting classrooms, expanding busing so fewer kids would be on a bus together, paying for additional testing, technology for distance learning and PPE, according to multiple GOP aides.

While a price tag hasn't been settled on, it could be more than $30 billion for school districts -- which superintendents have called for -- to cover the costs of reopening and ensuring their schools can deal with measures to limit the spread of the virus.

 

[Reasonable & Just]

I think that all the protests from the beginning of June have fueled these outbreaks and there is no stopping them now. It cannot be a coincidence either that Houston is suffering from such a large outbreak, after the massive funeral gathering in June. We can only hope for these cases to be less lethal but with the uptick in hospitalisations, it's unfortunately not looking like that. I hope that all that has been learnt treating patients since March can now help these states.

As a reminder, the protests began much earlier in March/April, by people who did not want to wear masks, socially distance, or shut down temporarily. They were endorsed by the president (via Twitter). Every single protest since then has continued our downward slide, including those that began in June.

 

[Lilibet]

I have co-workers that really haven't left home, except for essentials. since March. I was climbing the walls and know I can't do it again. People found a way to keep socializing, last time. This time it will require a larger circle of "friends," since I don't see us reopening if we close again. Hopefully Nevada stays open and doesn't ban people from AZ!

I just have to ask why “climbing the walls” gives anyone the right to circumvent the safety mandates and put others at risk? Are people really so fragile that they can’t comply? This is tough for all of us, but we need to do what we have to do for the greater good, even if we don’t agree with the governor or mayor. What makes some think they’re so special? I don’t get it and it’s really discouraging.

 

[Victoria Chambers]

It seems as though the virus is beginning to spiral out of control in the US. How can things like school and Disney World consider opening up? Putting kids in this position is just wrong.

I think you are absolutely right! Until more is known the children should be left out of it. We know socialising is a major factor and although children are thought to have the virus without even realising, there is also a number of children, who after becoming infected have died horrific deaths after much suffering. Until it is deemed 100% safe to be within the classroom setting, anybody forced to school is an experiment in my eyes! X

 

[Bravo]

How in the he77 are schools suppose to put any measures in place in a matter of weeks. Today's presser left me with more questions than answers.

 

[tresir2012]

As a reminder, the protests began much earlier in March/April, by people who did not want to wear masks, socially distance, or shut down temporarily. They were endorsed by the president (via Twitter). Every single protest since then has continued our downward slide, including those that began in June.

Yes but those earlier ones were in cars, a lot of them, nowhere near as large and would have resulted in upticks in May, not the ones being seen now IMO.

 

[Lavender Moon]

This disease is terrifying. What is even more terrifying is the loosening of precautions I see around my neighborhood. Don't understand what people are thinking.

I feel as if I'm living in a sci-fi/horror film. I see very few people in my neighborhood wearing masks. We have a tiny mom-and-pop market near us. I never go there as most of the customers don't wear masks. I don't understand people's thinking either. A great part of it IMO is denial as has been addressed here many times.

 

[tresir2012]

How in the he77 are schools suppose to put any measures in place in a matter of weeks. Today's presser left me with more questions than answers.

It may not be necessary or even possible for the schools to go back if the parents are in lockdown IMO.