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

[Barnacle_lady]

Up here they extended the rules until June 1st. Which means no events, no groupings and only go out when necessary. That makes me real sad.
And I have to go out soon because today heard my last working day will be April 9. My teamleader "expects" less work and from management level its a financial thing. And since I am a temp worker its easy to fire me.
I do get unemployment allowance but not sure what they expect from me now when its difficult to go on job interviews

[BlackCurtains]

Just saw this bit of stupid news: Since the beaches are closed now people are flocking to islands, most of which are protected. What is wrong with people?

[Ponyfan]

I just learned that my uncle that lives in Colorado is very sick quite possibly with the coronavirus. He has been tested but the result are not in yet.  He refused to follow any of the recommended guidelines. I'm not close to him but it's starting to hit close to home.


Ponyfan 

[BlackCurtains]

My dad just left the house to... wait for it... buy lottery tickets. Have I mentioned before that he is 71 and has one lung. I don't understand what is so hard about staying at home.

[Taffeta]

I just learned that my uncle that lives in Colorado is very sick quite possibly with the coronavirus. He has been tested but the result are not in yet.  He refused to follow any of the recommended guidelines. I'm not close to him but it's starting to hit close to home.


Ponyfan 

Wishing all the best to your uncle.

Remember that even people in the at risk category largely pull through.

My cousin's husband (a teacher) has apparently had the virus, but he is recovering from it (he did not need hospital). Thus far my cousin and the two kids are fine.  At least, the presumption is that it's the virus given the symptoms, he hasn't been tested but he had the fever, cough, etc. My Uncle and Aunt just came back from holiday in Norfolk golfing (sigh). Aunt has a thyroid problem, Uncle various other issues, both over 70. But they haven't seen their grandkids/daughter so hopefully are so far fine.  My aunt can drive so I doubt they were using public transport, hopefully they stay put now.

There's not a lot to add here in the UK since last night, tbh. The shutdown doesn't affect us at the moment because we were already doing the things we were told to do, and this area is quite small anyway. Or at least, you see people out jogging and dog walking, it's an urban village and overall has a few thousand people, but they're not right on top of each other. My neighbours had a yelling conversation across the road yesterday, when we came back from the walk, parents greeted them all cheerfully, all about five metres apart.

The only thing is that since last night the food sites have gone a bit nuts. BUT I utterly support that Morrisons has started time limiting slot reservation - Ie you can't reserve a booking slot now without an order for longer than an hour, which some people were doing weeks in advance. Asda also lets slots expire without an order within a certain number of hours. I have no idea about Sainsburys since we haven't yet managed to get in to their website ><.

Dad has a very strict set of diet requirements (ie he can't have anything that has high fat or saturates that are over 1.9% - he prefers it to be closer to 1 - so that means a lot of reading the details when doing online orders.

The biggest issue at the moment is medication but hopefully Dad's had his put through to the chemist here, rather than in town. That said, if I have to go into town, the bus pass restrictions are lifted here to allow pensioners to stagger their travel and make early shopping hours and that will probably also apply to disability passes like mine, so I will try and go to the town chemist early and then attempt (!) to walk home (the last time I did that successfully on my own was about 15 years ago, wish me luck )

The buses ran empty all day today. And that's interesting given that our bus route (despite being infrequent) is the one that goes to the most supermarkets. Seems like people round here have already got other plans in motion.

No new info from my area and not really spending much time on the news front at the moment. Local news is still reporting the stuff from yesterday. I know there will be a new hospital built in London apparently - which people think will probably have the peak of the epidemic (however it also has the biggest UK population so unsurprising).

Our numbers are still going up but not yet as rapidly as some of our near neighbours - I just don't know how accurate/time limited tests are, how many tests are now being done...so I'm not going to report the figures here.

Govt also says it has 3.5 million antibody tests hopefully to see if people have had the illness and recovered (esp health workers). Some part of their data mapping to track the spread and slow it by identifying more people who may have passed it on without knowing they had it...or something.

[lonewolf]

The comic book industry is in trouble:
https://comicbook.com/comics/2020/03/23/diamond-comics-stops-shipments-new-comics-coronavirus-marvel-dc-/

Diamond is the only supplier of comics and related items to pretty much the world, so this will affect everyone from the publishers to the mom and pop stores.

They had the first case in Shawnee county/Topeka today (glad I went there today), and the lockdown will start Thursday. And we're up to 98 cases in the state now. A good amount of the people who work where I do come from Topeka. We got the "permission slip" to be able to go to work during this last night. It's only a matter of time

[LadyMoondancer]

Latest US news on a federal level is Trump is champing at the bit to lift the social distancing restrictions within two weeks.  It's going to be a disaster if he does that.  His reasoning isn't based in science.  Basically, he's upset because he thinks the virus is making him look bad due to the stock market going down.  I just hope people listen to the doctors and scientists.

[banditpony]

Latest US news on a federal level is Trump is champing at the bit to lift the social distancing restrictions within two weeks.  It's going to be a disaster if he does that.  His reasoning isn't based in science.  Basically, he's upset because he thinks the virus is making him look bad due to the stock market going down.  I just hope people listen to the doctors and scientists.

Wait, what?
As in over ride states that have an order to "stay at home" (Or whatever each state calls it)? Because I didn't think there was a federal thing in place.

Is this not common sense --> the economy is going to take a hit. But if there is no precaution taken by the american public -- the economy will take a worse hit-- and hospitals will be overloaded.

Heaven help us. u_u;

[LadyMoondancer]

He won't override what the states are doing but he's raring to "restart the economy", by which he means encouraging healthy Americans to return to work and businesses to reopen. He wants everything back to normal by Easter.

Trump in a Fox News virtual town hall doubled down on his push to reopen businesses in a matter of weeks in order to reinvigorate an economy stunned by the growing pandemic.

“You can destroy a country this way, by closing it down, where it literally goes from being the most prosperous,” Trump said. “I would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter,” Trump later added.

source

This might sound crazy, but I think preventing the loss of human life is more important than being "the most prosperous."

[Taffeta]

Latest US news on a federal level is Trump is champing at the bit to lift the social distancing restrictions within two weeks.  It's going to be a disaster if he does that.  His reasoning isn't based in science.  Basically, he's upset because he thinks the virus is making him look bad due to the stock market going down.  I just hope people listen to the doctors and scientists.

Wait, what?
As in over ride states that have an order to "stay at home" (Or whatever each state calls it)? Because I didn't think there was a federal thing in place.

Is this not common sense --> the economy is going to take a hit. But if there is no precaution taken by the american public -- the economy will take a worse hit-- and hospitals will be overloaded.

Heaven help us. u_u;

On this note, we don't have that problem at the top at present, but two idiot things from the UK news today...

One - people having a barbeque in Coventry that the Police had to break up. A day after the lockdown order. Which was sent to EVERY mobile phone by text telling people to stay home. Yeah, it was sunny. So what?

And two - some people up north in pubs - the pubs are closed, but they were still hosting gatherings inside. I hope they lose their licences as that's a public health violation of epic proportions. How can they possibly know that nobody they've let in is going to spread the virus to other people?

Gah.

[banditpony]

He won't override what the states are doing but he's raring to "restart the economy", by which he means encouraging healthy Americans to return to work and businesses to reopen. He wants everything back to normal by Easter.

Trump in a Fox News virtual town hall doubled down on his push to reopen businesses in a matter of weeks in order to reinvigorate an economy stunned by the growing pandemic.

“You can destroy a country this way, by closing it down, where it literally goes from being the most prosperous,” Trump said. “I would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter,” Trump later added.

source

This might sound crazy, but I think preventing the loss of human life is more important than being "the most prosperous."

; Ah, maybe I did hear that nonsense. I think it was brought up during Ohio's press conference today. DeWine's response was yes, we all wish that the economy would be up and running, but health comes first. And that if we don't do social distancing/etc, then our economy will be worse.

I feel like I'm close to being checked out of news for awhile.

[Mareacooda]

My county no report outbreak most for our state down south and around capital... couple cases county near by...  Our Governor place official order today only essential which some businesses already put this force few who weren't have permits..  My husband place work already issue waive slip place employees vechiles if more issues arise ( company base out Candian) ... 
Alot friends with children luckily one parents working...
I check on few Seniors insure enough diet restricted food... They really nervous how virus unfolding and fear if they get that government will just let them die due their age...
I think our country so made up forest or farm lands not alot big cities that probably help plus we still experience end winter spells where southern state already grass...
Also State closed all islands on coast strictly residents only... (This when state have tourists come to check lighthouse puffins ect...
Boarder to Candian close only those trucking which help....My area gets flood alot with boarder Canadians who act like entiltle ( drives both local and deeper part Candians nutz)
I and my husband focus keep our livestock feed until pasture up..  With I happy some other farmers always help point out who has what...
Society needs working togather and keep each other safe...
Alot chatter going on how far government might go.. ( even violated constitutional rights) due people simple not respectful, greedy so forth...
I want thank u all posting helping others see what going area it helps see what is working so forth...

[Beth3346]

Latest US news on a federal level is Trump is champing at the bit to lift the social distancing restrictions within two weeks.  It's going to be a disaster if he does that.  His reasoning isn't based in science.  Basically, he's upset because he thinks the virus is making him look bad due to the stock market going down.  I just hope people listen to the doctors and scientists.

Wait, what?
As in over ride states that have an order to "stay at home" (Or whatever each state calls it)? Because I didn't think there was a federal thing in place.

Is this not common sense --> the economy is going to take a hit. But if there is no precaution taken by the american public -- the economy will take a worse hit-- and hospitals will be overloaded.

Heaven help us. u_u;

He can't override the states but he can withhold funding to try and coerce states into doing what he wants. I'm not sure if governors can force local governments to end the "stay at home" orders.  I know with the sanctuary cities Trump withheld funding. the governor here in Texas forced all of the cities to comply with an order saying they could not be sanctuary cities.

It is up to the people who know better to just keep staying home. But i'm worried about what will happen when school opens. I'm sure a lot of companies also want their employees back in the office. and stores will want to re-open. people will have to start going back out. i just don't see any realistic good outcome.

I know the economy can't slow down forever but it seems like there are other ways businesses can make money. They refuse to order businesses to make ventilators, masks and other necessary hospital equipment (i don't know anything about medicine). But if Trump did order businesses to produce these products it wouldn't be an act of charity. these companies would get paid.

I imagine that countless unnecessary deaths would also be bad for the economy and the election. personally if i have to choose between my job and millions of lives i would rather lose my job. how is that even a choice? it's just so disappointing that we don't have better national leadership. It seems like some governors are doing a good job. And not making this a partisan issue either.

It didn't have to be this way. We all deserve better.

[tikibirds]

It is up to the people who know better to just keep staying home.

The problem is, Americans don't know better and have a selfish personality thinking "Oh, I am healthy. Why should I stay home? The government can't tell me what to do"  The infection rate in the USA is going to surpass the infection rate here and EVERYTHING was shut down for almost TWO MONTHS - movement was strictly controlled.

[Taffeta]

The above could apply here too with the covert pub gatherings etc discovered yesterday. But at least here businesses have been called to arms and one company has shared it's ventilator IP so we will just have to see how it pans out.

Liberty is a great thing but should not be used at the expense of other people.