Is it time to talk about coronavirus? (1 Viewer)

[Bryan^H]

I find that many in the US have so isolated themselves and learn so little about the rest of the world that they continuously persist in the unfounded belief that they live in the “best country in the world”, whereas they are just living in a country like many others.
We live 30 minutes from the border. The lack of knowledge of many Americans is legendary — like crossing into Canada in July and August and asking for directions to the nearest ski hill.

Why would you make this post? Absurd, and untrue.

 

[Mark Booth]

This is not a political statement, but a factual one (or about to become factual, based on recent reporting). So the government and CDC are about to reverse their stance on people wearing masks. As in, wear them. That's not going to improve the public trust in messaging.

Meanwhile, Asia is saying "welcome America, to 2002".

It is RIDICULOUS that the CDC has been saying that healthy people shouldn't wear a mask. Stupidly ridiculous.

I wore a mask on flights to and from Seattle in early March. I was the ONLY person on the planes wearing a mask.

I wear a mask when I go to the grocery store. Lately, I'm NOT the only one wearing one in the grocery store.

The latest expert opinions are that the virus is spread by simple normal talking or breathing:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/02/health/aerosol-coronavirus-spread-white-house-letter/index.html

If EVERYONE was wearing a mask when in public (even one you made at home from a T-shirt) it would cut down on the spread. It's just common sense.

No way I'm going into ANY public place without a mask these days.

Mark

 

[Mark Booth]

Wait until the rate of deaths start hitting other areas of the country.

Those "other areas of the country" are the ones shown in red here:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/02/us/coronavirus-social-distancing.html

Using randomized cell phone data, researchers determined where people were largely staying at home (last week) and where they were out driving around anyway.

Stupid is as stupid does.

Mark

 

[Todd Erwin]

Governor Sisolak finally changed his phrasing of the emergency order he put in place for Nevada on 3/17 as Stay at Home last night, and activated the National Guard to assist in transporting essential items to where they are needed. It's about time. He also said that, for the time being, anyone who doesn't follow the emergency directive of assembling in groups over 10 people and/or practice social distancing will only be issued a warning rather than a fine or jail time. He's asking for cooperation, and I appreciate that. He also clarified that in regards to holding public gatherings, it is not a choice of less than 10 people or practicing social distancing. Public gatherings of more than 10 people are in non-compliance, period. There is no either/or, as some (including a pastor friend of mine) believed.

What drives me crazy, though, are the thousands of comments on Facebook in the press conference threads of people who still believe this is all a hoax. I get it, most of these people are scared and in denial, and many of those are secretly self-isolating. My thoughts, though, for those who blatantly disregard these warnings and continue to go out in public in larger groups and do not maintain safe social distancing, should be given one week (at least) of community service at their local hospital rather than jail time or a fine, and then once they've completed their sentence, look the public in the eye and admit this is all just a hoax.

 

[Mark Booth]

Now, for something quite entertaining....

However, it's also thick with irony because they are in a group, standing close together, singing, and NOT staying home.

Fun!



We're going to watch the entire film today.

Mark

 

[Mark Booth]

What drives me crazy, though, are the thousands of comments on Facebook in the press conference threads of people who still believe this is all a hoax. I get it, most of these people are scared and in denial, and many of those are secretly self-isolating. My thoughts, though, for those who blatantly disregard these warnings and continue to go out in public in larger groups and do not maintain safe social distancing, should be given one week (at least) of community service at their local hospital rather than jail time or a fine, and then once they've completed their sentence, look the public in the eye and admit this is all just a hoax.

You can't fix stupid!

Want to see stupid? Look at the New York Times map I linked a couple of messages up. Look for the red areas.

Mark

 

[Tino]

I find that many in the US have so isolated themselves and learn so little about the rest of the world that they continuously persist in the unfounded belief that they live in the “best country in the world”, whereas they are just living in a country like many others.
We live 30 minutes from the border. The lack of knowledge of many Americans is legendary — like crossing into Canada in July and August and asking for directions to the nearest ski hill.

Is this the kind of post of what it’s come down to? How very very sad.

 

[Tino]

I think that's basically gone at this point

I certainly hope so.

 

[SamT]

It is indeed more contagious than what we might have thought. Now I know 2 persons personally in real life that are hit by something that is similar to this. Not to mention that I have heard from friends and family many more cases of people who they know, like a second degree of separation.

 

[Carlo_M]

It's a totally understandable, but still sobering reaction that certain visual cues can generate from others.

Today I am totally asymptomatic and have adhered very strictly to safer-at-home orders in CA. I can't guarantee I don't have it, but I've gone out of my way to absolutely minimize my chances these past few weeks, including wearing gloves and masks (and disinfecting them regularly) when I go out.

But today I decided to hedge my bets in case I do get sick. I wanted to buy something that was a pain reliever and a fever reducer. Better to have that stuff on-hand versus having to go out when you're sick to get them.

So I went out to CVS with my gloves and mask on, and got a couple of bottles of that type of medicine. I'm pretty sure everyone who saw me pick up those items assumed I had COVID-19.

This is the new reality that we find ourselves in, unfortunately. No one was unkind and I didn't take anything personally. But you could just feel the wariness based on my mask, gloves and the bottles of nighttime cold/flu.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

...which is one of the reasons that some countries were insisting on masks for both the sick and the healthy. It reduces the stigma when everyone understands that everyone has to wear one. I think from a psychological point of view it helps as a visual cue; without the masks, it’s much easier to start drifting closer together and letting your guard down.

It seems worth wearing something because even if what they said earlier was completely true, that a regular mask won’t protect you from getting the virus, they also said that if you already had it, it would limit your ability to spread it. Since we don’t have a reliable method for the average person to find out if they do or don’t have it, to me the logical next step is to assume everyone might have it and wear masks to prevent the spread.

 

[Robert Crawford]

It's a totally understandable, but still sobering reaction that certain visual cues can generate from others.

Today I am totally asymptomatic and have adhered very strictly to safer-at-home orders in CA. I can't guarantee I don't have it, but I've gone out of my way to absolutely minimize my chances these past few weeks, including wearing gloves and masks (and disinfecting them regularly) when I go out.

But today I decided to hedge my bets in case I do get sick. I wanted to buy something that was a pain reliever and a fever reducer. Better to have that stuff on-hand versus having to go out when you're sick to get them.

So I went out to CVS with my gloves and mask on, and got a couple of bottles of that type of medicine. I'm pretty sure everyone who saw me pick up those items assumed I had COVID-19.

This is the new reality that we find ourselves in, unfortunately. No one was unkind and I didn't take anything personally. But you could just feel the wariness based on my mask, gloves and the bottles of nighttime cold/flu.

Hell, about half the people in my grocery store this morning were wearing masks. Even more were wearing gloves.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

If we weren’t out of such supplies in the NYC area, I would be too.

 

[SamT]

I want them to make an animation in the future where they show how this thing spreads. Like showing a bright red color animated into real images. It is fascinating and unbelievable to me that just by attending a concert rehearsal, 20 people got infected and nobody looked sick. Heard that on the news.

 

[Wayne_j]

Yup, my biggest question about masks and gloves are where can you actually get some.

 

[SamT]

I never used masks before. If we have to use them one day, it would be a huge thing for me.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Yup, my biggest question about masks and gloves are where can you actually get some.

Same here, I tried looking on the internet yesterday and it's a cesspool of out-of-stock conditions and price gouging.

 

[Wayne_j]

Meanwhile Texas finally has a stay at home order.

 

[Malcolm R]

Hopefully they don't tell everyone to start wearing masks without some plan to provide them free to the entire population, or we'll start seeing people with masks being mugged by those that cannot obtain one by regular means.

 

[Mark Booth]

I want them to make an animation in the future where they show how this thing spreads. Like showing a bright red color animated into real images. It is fascinating and unbelievable to me that just by attending a concert rehearsal, 20 people got infected and nobody looked sick. Heard that on the news.

If that's unbelievable, try this... It was 60 people that attended, 45 that are ill with 2 dead:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/01/us/washington-choir-practice-coronavirus-deaths/index.html

Mark