Week of Mar 21: COVID-19 info, facts & updates

[KarentheUnicorn]

UK govt have promised (we'll see) to pay 80% of salaries of businesses that apply to them for help over this so they won't have to lay off staff and today made some similar provision for self-employed people (albeit it sounds complex as heck and still requires applying for UC I think in the short term as it won't actually pay out till June...)

Does the US's new stimulus package not do something similar for workers so they can stay in their jobs even if they're not able to work (rather than filing for unemployment)?

Trump is not the clearest at explaining anything but that was kind of what it sounded like he thought it was.

I'm not sure the senate bill will be any clearer but this is apparently what the senate passed.

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6819239-FINAL-FINAL-CARES-ACT.html



Post Merge: March 26, 2020, 05:48:24 PM

I think this article might explain better what is exactly in the bill

https://www.npr.org/2020/03/26/821457551/whats-inside-the-senate-s-2-trillion-coronavirus-aid-package

[Barnacle_lady]

Up here there was some confusion about the latest press conference. It basically said all events, groupings etc with no minimum are off until June 1st. But is made clear later that this doesn't apply (yet ) for the restaurants, gyms , schools and weddings. Thats until April 6 but coming Tuesday it will be clear if its going to be extended.
And "social distance" is getting popular, every one should be staying 1,5 m from each other. But families are allowed to be together. If someone violates by grouping too much they will be fined.

[banditpony]

Post Merge: March 26, 2020, 05:48:24 PM

I think this article might explain better what is exactly in the bill

https://www.npr.org/2020/03/26/821457551/whats-inside-the-senate-s-2-trillion-coronavirus-aid-package

and to add to that:

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[Beth3346]

I don't know if its because 2000 billion dollars is such an astronomical amount of money but the tiny portion that's going to keep people fed looks depressing. It's so depressing that in a country with so much children starve if they can't go to school.

And yeah it's getting impossible to talk about this without getting political. The response to coronavirus is ultimately decided by political leaders.

[lonewolf]

Ottawa KS (east of me) has a big problem:
https://www.ottawaherald.com/news/20200326/american-eagle-employee-tested-positive-for-coronavirus-marking-franklin-countys-second-confirmed-case?fbclid=IwAR2SVaIe_BNd8TfH35tsUmhDnFTlp8T1xnTSSa77KtsehgDH3pkcCOvRf6Q

I hope there's no one who works there who lives in my town.

But it get's worse. The M&M/Mars plant in Topeka got shut down due to a positive case. Someone I work with has a roommate who works there. 

[LadyMoondancer]

The numbers are really ramping up here in Washington state . . . from 2580 on March 25th to 3207 on March 26th.  627 new confirmed cases.  Shoutout to the health care workers!

Looking at the kind and generous acts that people are doing to help their neighbor does help mentally.  Something like this brings out the worst in some people, but the best in others. 

[Ponyfan]

The cases in my area are jumping up by at least 5 cases a day. I expect it to increase rapidly though once test results are confirmed. We had 2 cases connected to nursing home workers.

Where I live the schools and food bank are still providing lunch and breakfast for  anyone under the age of 18 for free even though school is closed.

Ponyfan

[lonewolf]

Welp. The first case reported in my county. Don't know where in the county the person lived.

[banditpony]

Ottawa KS (east of me) has a big problem:
https://www.ottawaherald.com/news/20200326/american-eagle-employee-tested-positive-for-coronavirus-marking-franklin-countys-second-confirmed-case?fbclid=IwAR2SVaIe_BNd8TfH35tsUmhDnFTlp8T1xnTSSa77KtsehgDH3pkcCOvRf6Q

I hope there's no one who works there who lives in my town.

You need to presume it's in your town already. Remember, there can be up to a 2 week lag for symptoms to start-- and even then a lag in testing results-- and most cases don't get reported because they are mild. (And mild could mean anything that from non symptomatic to just short of needing hospitalized). Also, sometimes smaller health depts might not report right away because people could be going to a place with a larger hospital to get tested.

[Ponyfan]

I'm not sure if this belongs in this thread or the other one but this made me smile despite not being a big Baby Shark fan.  The Baby Shark song has been rewritten to encourage kids to wash their hands.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L89nN03pBzI
 

Ponyfan

[KarentheUnicorn]

I'm not sure if this belongs in this thread or the other one but this made me smile despite not being a big Baby Shark fan.  The Baby Shark song has been rewritten to encourage kids to wash their hands.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L89nN03pBzI
 

Ponyfan

ahhhhhhhhh!!! Run's away, it's a EAR WORM! LOL!!!!!

[tailrustedtealeaf]

I'm not sure if this belongs in this thread or the other one but this made me smile despite not being a big Baby Shark fan.  The Baby Shark song has been rewritten to encourage kids to wash their hands.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L89nN03pBzI
 

Ponyfan

Cough into your elbow, doo doo doo doo doo...

[lonewolf]

My state is up to 202 now with over 3,000 negative tests, and a 4th death in the KC area.

[Ponyfan]

6 confirmed cases connected to the nursing home with another 3 waiting for test results.

Ponyfan

[toyjunky]

Southern California (Orange County area)

State:4,598 cases/93 deaths
County: 321 cases/3 deaths
City: 28 cases

As in many other places all non-essential businesses are closed, but the other essential businesses are still open. I have seen some long lines in the drive through lanes of some of the local restaurants including the Starbucks down the street (they have a tendency to back up the right turn lane because of where the entrance is).

Beaches and parks have closed their parking lots and many trails are now closed (this varies slightly on what area and type of park). Some parks still have their trails open for horses and residents on foot but are discouraging people outside the community by blocking off the parking lots.

What has changed in the last 24 hours:
Orange County finally has released the city by city counts for the cases. (other counties around us have already been releasing this info). Which is good to know, not going to change anything I'm doing per say but good to know. Particularly so I can use it to make a point to my dad (72 and has health issues) on why he needs to stay home.