Week of Mar 30: COVID-19 info, facts & updates

[Trinity]

In Australia, all the state borders are closed.

We are in lockdown. You may only leave your house to get food, do exercise, go to the doctor, or if your work or education cannot function online. You are also supposedly allowed to see your partner if you don't live together, you can do what you have to if you are separated and have joint custody over a child, and you can care for family members if they need you (e.g. bringing them food, but not staying for a visit).

[Aeryala]

They've tightened things up here in Ontario, most recently shortening the list of "essential" businesses that are allowed to stay open.  The provincial government also sent out emergency notices that people are to stay home unless it's absolutely necessary to go out.  Many of the stores that are still open are enforcing customer limits, with supervised lines, and some are now required to only do curbside pickups; the province-owned liquor store is doing a really impressive job of strictly keeping people apart and then sanitizing the cash counter after each person goes through - ironically it feels like the safest place to visit right now and also the least necessary.

The paint store where I work(ed) may actually stay open through this whole thing, as they sell products that could conceivably be used in health care construction projects.  This pandemic crisis is really showing the company's true colors.. They are now cutting all the part timer's (everyone who is not a manager) hours to almost none - not laying us off, so that we could collect unemployment benefits, but essentially forcing us to take an "optional" 8 week unpaid leave (during which they could call us back at any time, or alternatively refuse to take us back at the end - I've heard through the grapevine that it's being used to "cull the unloyal").  I have genuine fears that I will end up not being eligible for unemployment or the emergency benefit because of the way my employer is handling this, and also doubting whether I'll have a job at the end of the pandemic.  Time to hone my entreprenurial skills and start growing my own food.

[Ponybookworm]

Found a Youtube to go wi the others: I dreamed a dream
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XM5hc5eJyI

[Taffeta]

UK news today dominated by Scotland's Chief Medical Officer having broken her own (and national UK) guidelines not to go swanning off to holiday homes because of the lockdown, even though it's sunny weather.

For anyone not in the UK who isn't aware, each country has a devolved govt and their own first minister (except England who is stuck just with the central govt, but that's another matter) and their own medical officer, and so this is one of the most important figures in Scotland during this pandemic so it's a biiig....scandal.

And our health minister is threatening to take away our right to exercise because some idiots are not complying, even though most people are. Hopefully it's just a threat.

[Ponyfan]

Here's the latest where I live. 151 cases, 4 deaths, 21 people recovered.

Our golf courses are still open but I don't expect them to be for much longer because people are posting pics on social media of groups of people playing golf and not social distancing.

This pandemic crisis is really showing the company's true colors.. They are now cutting all the part timer's (everyone who is not a manager) hours to almost none - not laying us off, so that we could collect unemployment benefits, but essentially forcing us to take an "optional" 8 week unpaid leave (during which they could call us back at any time, or alternatively refuse to take us back at the end -

This is the same situation I am in. My work is on hiatus right now due to the virus.   I am not getting paid as long as they are "closed" (Although full time staff is still getting paid and they are in session.) yet I am still technically employed by them so I don't think I can file unemployment.  My boss sent out an email saying that we should try to find other methods of income but how are we supposed to do that when everything is closed?


Ponyfan   

[banditpony]

Here's the latest where I live. 151 cases, 4 deaths, 21 people recovered.

Our golf courses are still open but I don't expect them to be for much longer because people are posting pics on social media of groups of people playing golf and not social distancing.

This pandemic crisis is really showing the company's true colors.. They are now cutting all the part timer's (everyone who is not a manager) hours to almost none - not laying us off, so that we could collect unemployment benefits, but essentially forcing us to take an "optional" 8 week unpaid leave (during which they could call us back at any time, or alternatively refuse to take us back at the end -

This is the same situation I am in. My work is on hiatus right now due to the virus.   I am not getting paid as long as they are "closed" (Although full time staff is still getting paid and they are in session.) yet I am still technically employed by them so I don't think I can file unemployment.  My boss sent out an email saying that we should try to find other methods of income but how are we supposed to do that when everything is closed?

Hold on. You need to look into if you are eligible.

Under normal circumstances you wouldn't be if you still are an employee, but many states have changed their rules if you are getting no work due to coronavirus you CAN get state unemployment, as well as the extra $600 through the fed CARES act.. even those who use 1099 and are contractors. So you REALLY need to go to your state's coronavirus resource page and look that up.

Also, I dunno, up here there are a ton of job openings that were created.. mostly with grocery stores, amazon, and supply chain jobs.

[lonewolf]

Kansas is up to 747 and 22 deaths.

And a new reason to avoid the beach and ocean: https://www.yahoo.com/news/coronavirus-california-beaches-one-scientist-140029412.html

[Taffeta]

Our Queen did a speech in which she very tactfully emphasised how important it is to all pull together and do what we can for each other. In other words, stay home idiots.

Boris is in hospital for tests as he's still apparently sick with covid19.

On a personal note, strange sensation seeing all the temporary hospitals go up. I've been to conventions/fairs at two of them and the third...hosted UK ponycon a few years back.

Strange world we live in.

I am marathoning Red Dwarf. I am doing this for two reasons. One, I think being the last human marooned in deep space with very little company is a proper companion for social distancing, and two, there's a new feature length special airing on 9th April.

[Pokeyonekenobie]

The paint store where I work(ed) may actually stay open through this whole thing, as they sell products that could conceivably be used in health care construction projects.  This pandemic crisis is really showing the company's true colors.. They are now cutting all the part timer's (everyone who is not a manager) hours to almost none - not laying us off, so that we could collect unemployment benefits, but essentially forcing us to take an "optional" 8 week unpaid leave (during which they could call us back at any time, or alternatively refuse to take us back at the end - I've heard through the grapevine that it's being used to "cull the unloyal").  I have genuine fears that I will end up not being eligible for unemployment or the emergency benefit because of the way my employer is handling this, and also doubting whether I'll have a job at the end of the pandemic.  Time to hone my entreprenurial skills and start growing my own food.

That's really not cool of them.  Our management has already discussed that if we have to close down completely (right now we're not open to the public but still allowed to come in and work on things) then they will furlough the part timers so that they can apply for unemployment.  Then when we open back up, they'll just come back to work.  We're hoping that doesn't have to happen but it's good to know there's a plan in place.

[Beth3346]

We were able to move last week and are settling into our new home. Minus our dog Moose  

Its harder to get food and groceries delivered now that we're out in the burbs. I didn't envision coronavirus when we decided to move. Also my first amazon package was delivered to a field so that will be fun to deal with tomorrow.

Still working from home. We've all been asked to take a 10% pay cut which isn't too bad considering the possible alternatives. Though if this drags on too long I don't know what will happen.

There aren't as many cases out here as there are in Austin proper. I think there are 3 deaths in this county so far.

We went back to our old house to clean and get stuff that was left behind by the movers. It seems like anyone who is out on the road is driving like a maniac because no one is getting pulled over. It also just feels weird to be out of the house. I think i'm getting too used to being at home 24/7.

[Taffeta]

It's so weird how the mundane ends up consuming your life.

The good news - we get porridge in our delivery this afternoon.

The bad news - they've closed part of our road without warning so who knows if the delivery van can get here.

The reassuring news - Local medical teams believe they're equipped to cope here with a crisis on the level of Italy or Spain so long as people keep distancing (and mostly, in this area at least, they are. In our neighbourhood pretty much everyone seems to be keeping to the programme).

In this area there are lots of hospital politics (basically, since our hospital was buiilt, people on the other side of the county where the original hospital is have done all they can to try and get bits of it shut down. The trusts were merged so they could dump their debt on us as well and use our resources, and the current argument is we don't need an A & E  - despite being the more populous area - because the other hospital (12 miles + away from most people here) can handle it all. There are other things as well but I'll not go into them.

The hope is that this crisis will tell the idiots politicising the hospital situation that there's a reason we need two fully functional hospitals in a county area that covers 1200+ square miles. Other than those two main hospitals, the only other places are community hospitals which can't handle acute emergencies, so yeah. And we get a fair number of Welsh patients as well, because we're so close to the border.

So it's reassuring that they think they can cope, at the moment, and have supplies and such (this was from a member of staff at the hospital). But also hopeful that after it's over, our hospital will stop being attacked in the way it has been the last 20 years.

The other positive I think and the reason why people in this area especially are keeping to the distancing is that here, because of the constant attacks on our hospital, a lot of people are involved in activism to protect the hospital. Thus this is protecting the hospital and our NHS staff, so people here are willing to go the distance to help. The hospital is no more than a mile away, too, so there are doubtless many people living in this urban village who work there.

But the weather is to continue to be warm here this week.

[Zapper]

Half of my city's officially infected people have recovered and new infections aren't as jumpy anymore. 3 official deaths. It looks like we are slowly reaching stability.

Let's hope the sun won't make those numbers rise again. Already saw people stocking up on those coals... Basically, in Germany: once the first few sunrays appear, people start gathering for open-air barbecues <__< And that's of course the opposite of social distancing.

[Ponybookworm]

UK Government leaflet arrived today. Still not saying how often they class as "infrequent", probably due to their once-a-day guidelines on outside exercise (I can only assume you do the messages at the same time as your exercise).

Parents have been in touch & say the towns they visit (relatively small up here in North East Scotland) have big queues at the supermarkets. Dad can drive so they're mostly ok wi that. He says he wants to leave slots open for the "really bad" cases, like cancer patients & so on. Some of his neighbours are like that. I think he might help them out wi bags at the door & stuff due to his car.

[Taffeta]

I don't know if that's just a Scottish leaflet, I know Boris was apparently writing to all households but we haven't had anything here. Our post is already a bit weird though. Even in normal times they like to gather a bundle of stuff together before delivering it, and that has been accentuated...

Figures down today...fingers crossed it means something.

Boris still in hospital. As of tonight in ICU, which is a bit sobering whatever you think of the guy.

Local news reporting an interview with a local surgeon who says they have an action plan here to deal with a higher capacity and that they believe they can deal with it so long as people maintain distancing. Although we are midlands, we are not caught up in the surge in Brum and surrounds (yet, hopefully not at all).

One new death in our wider county area, up in the north towards the Welsh border in a community hospital.

[lonewolf]

Kansas is up to 845 and 25 deaths. No new cases in my county (officially anyway) yet.