COVID-19 Coronavirus Information and Discussion

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

Arizona hasn't been hit nearly as hard as some other states, but the school year has been shut down to the end, May 22nd, so I'm guessing that's the soonest we could start to see any kind of return to business

[Skeptrick]

My group at work have a pool as to when my office will be back to 'normal' work (right now we are teleworking, with this week being a mandatory week off (where we had to take a week of vacation time)). We have at least one more week of telework after this week for sure (and a further decision will be made next week), and likely some time where perhaps one person from my group (of 5) in the office each day. Most of our dates were around Memorial Day or after, I said right after Mem Day, so close to June 1. It has been quite crazy, and my job involves a lot of laboratory time which can't be done from home, so telework has been a struggle, but lots of things that I can do that were being put on the back burner. I do a lot of tech support on the phone as well (which has been pretty dead the last 2-3 weeks), but that will be insane once people get back to work and try to get their instrumentation back up and running. I am getting good at Power Point and doing voiceovers for web based training classes...

[dropforge]

Arizona hasn't been hit nearly as hard as some other states, but the school year has been shut down to the end, May 22nd, so I'm guessing that's the soonest we could start to see any kind of return to business

The Southwest will be back at it by late May/early June, at the latest. Maybe not a hundred percent, but over fifty.

[markwoll]

My perspective from No. VA is that June 10 has been adopted by the Chief Judge of the court as a potential restart date for in person court proceedings ( Trials ).
Until then it is all telephone/video conferencing and telework.
I'm in IT and we have been keeping very busy getting a fairly hidebound bunch into the 2020's. Good Times.
My wife and I have been trying to support local business as much as practical. But keeping our travels to a minimum.
Our biggest speculations have been which shows we have tickets for this summer will happen. Much hope.

[3LockBox]

Washington State is a mostly conservative state but Seattle is an entity unto itself and is very liberal. State policies begin and end in Seattle, by Seattle, for Seattle. And Gov. Jay Inslee bristles at the thought of being out lefted. If DJT says open for business by a certain date, WA will delay that by a couple of weeks. We're supposed to be working in conjunction with Oregon and California so it I guess it depends on what they do.

[Teddy Vengeance]

I teach medical and nursing students. A handful of my graduates are now treating COVID 19 patients in infectious disease departments in Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka.

One of my former nursing students is right on the front line in the infectious disease dept. at the main clinical hot spot in Fukuoka. She texted me to say that each day was utterly exhausting -- not because it is a New York, Wuhan, or Bergamo-like scenario, but because of the constant gravity and intensity of the situation. However, she also said that she had never felt so vital, so meaningful and purpose-driven, in her life before.

Big respect.

[Buddhabreath]

I teach medical and nursing students. A handful of my graduates are now treating COVID 19 patients in infectious disease departments in Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka.

One of my former nursing students is right on the front line in the infectious disease dept. at the main clinical hot spot in Fukuoka. She texted me to say that each day was utterly exhausting -- not because it is a New York, Wuhan, or Bergamo-like scenario, but because of the constant gravity and intensity of the situation. However, she also said that she had never felt so vital, so meaningful and purpose-driven, in her life before.

Big respect.

Wonderful. Thanks for sharing that, helps restore a bit of my faith in humanity.

[Sunlight Caller]

I think in the UK we have another minimum 6 weeks of this, we haven’t peaked yet, and London is ahead of the rest of the country.

My thoughts though .... Surely if there are still community cases out there, and there will be, as soon as we relax restrictions, the virus will start to spread again, and soon we will be under lockdown for a second wave.

There’s no immunity from a vaccine, no testing here to speak of, and no science yet saying how long those who have contracted Covid-19 have immunity for (I understand this will vary widely case to case). Therefore if we “go back to normal” i.e. airports back to capacity, open up sports and concert venues, crowded commuter trains and buses, full working offices, pubs, clubs, restaurants etc, we will tip back into chaos quickly.

This is surely why they are building Nightingale hospitals here (conference and sports arenas converted to accommodate thousands of Covid beds), simply to take the next wave pressure off the hospitals, who need to look after everybody else who are currently back of the queue or neglected.

Am I being too pessimistic, or simply realistic?

[thedunno]

In the Netherland the number of hospitalizatons are now dropping for over a week. More importantly the total number of people on the intensive care is dropping. I expect that by the end of April some measures will be turned back one by one, starting with the reopening of schools.

Till everything is fully back to normal? Not this year.

[walt]

I'm in NYC(Queens) and i have no idea when even small incremental steps to open things will happen.

[Trane]

Okay, so let's do an informal poll. Based on the information you have to date, when do you think that your state (or locality) will lift the stay-at-home?

I am in Virginia, but in Northern Virginia (where half the cases are in the state). I was looking at the data today, and we are still rising at a pretty steady pace. I am thinking we will peak around April 24 and realistically I think May 18 is going to be the lift date for all but Northern Virginia, which may ease slightly, but will be given a green light on June 1.

Three weeks after peak is waaaaaaay too early, my good man.

My thought too.
The US has been hit later than Europe, and outside some less-hit countries (Austria, Den) that are restarting this week, it looks like Mid-May will be the earliest when the schools will be reopening

In the Netherland the number of hospitalizatons are now dropping for over a week. More importantly the total number of people on the intensive care is dropping. I expect that by the end of April some measures will be turned back one by one, starting with the reopening of schools.
Till everything is fully back to normal? Not this year.

It looks like the NL is actually doing good (or better than most) in this crisis, though I'm not sure why.

well, hopefully by then of the year (if Africa escapes major contagion), but what do I know?

[hFx]

https://www.remote-tourism.com/about-the-project

[Poisoned Youth]

September. I'm in PA.

FWIW, we don't have enough data.

Three weeks after peak is waaaaaaay too early, my good man.

Agreed, but I suspect that the pressures will start to mount to start easing restrictions on a county-by-county basis in the month of May across various states. In Virginia, that wouldn't be where we live, but in these rural counties I can still see mid-May.

[thedunno]

It looks like the NL is actually doing good (or better than most) in this crisis, though I'm not sure why.

Are we? If you look at the statistics for corona deaths per million inhabitants we are at a 'proud' seventh spot, if you leave out the mini states Andorra, San Marino and st Maarten.
Maybe not that surprising for the densest populated country of Europe.

Germany is the country in western Europe that is doing a great job. A LOT of testing and a relatively low number of deaths.

[Top Cat]

I'm in Florida, and our Governor's decision making in all of this has made me lose complete confidence in his leadership and decision making.
While putting in place stay at home order which included all non essential business closings, he backtracked and allowed churches to still hold services. MOst churches are doing the right thing and holding online services because they realize the importance of social distancing.
However there are some who publicly challenged the virus to a fight between good and evil...these aren't some whacky off the grid churches but large churches, and have gone ahead and held services open to the public.

There is already talk about reopening the beaches so people can exercise, but no other beach activity or swimming would be allowed. Also they're pushing to reopen community pools.
The Sheriff of Pinellas County spoke to the media and said he was against any reopening at this time and compared the situation to having a virus and stop taking anti-biotics halfway through the treatment.
I agree, we're closer than we were before to lifting the stay at home, but to lift the orders too soon would mean everything we did to this point would be lost and we risk having to do multiple weeks of stay at home and business closing all over again.

I predict Florida will be one of the early ones and probably early to mid May the order will be lifted, perhaps with a few safeguards in place.
One of the many joys of living in a red state....

[Camelogue]

I have no idea when then "things" will open up here in PA. But I can't see it happening before mid June.

[proggy_jazzer]

...to lift the orders too soon would mean everything we did to this point would be lost and we risk having to do multiple weeks of stay at home and business closing all over again.

In my opinion, anyone who thinks this is NOT going to happen, and in many places in the USA, is dreaming. Here we are, several weeks into this, and we (meaning doctors and scientists who are working full-time to figure things out) still have NO IDEA how widespread it is. And yet there's already talk of moving things back to "normal". Ridiculous.

[ronmac]

Am I being too pessimistic, or simply realistic?

Realistic.

Agreed, but I suspect that the pressures will start to mount to start easing restrictions on a county-by-county basis in the month of May across various states. In Virginia, that wouldn't be where we live, but in these rural counties I can still see mid-May.

Those will be the wrong kind of pressures, IMHO. The economy can return. Dead people cannot.

I'm in Florida, and our Governor's decision making in all of this has made me lose complete confidence in his leadership and decision making.

Your governor is a fucking moron. The entire world knows it now.

I have no idea when then "things" will open up here in PA. But I can't see it happening before mid June.

Same here, neighbor. If I were to be more optimistic, I'd say July. But I really see this going longer, unless people suddenly get their collective heads out of their collective asses. That's why I stated September.

[Top Cat]

Realistic.



Those will be the wrong kind of pressures, IMHO. The economy can return. Dead people cannot.



Your governor is a fucking moron. The entire world knows it now.



Same here, neighbor. If I were to be more optimistic, I'd say July. But I really see this going longer, unless people suddenly get their collective heads out of their collective asses. That's why I stated September.

As of yesterday his approval rating has dropped 7 points. But that can be taken 2 ways, 1, enough isn't being done 2)he's putting too many restrictions in place.
Scary..I just got back from the 7am shopping hour at Publix for seniors..For the most part people are giving distance to one another, but a few who could care less and get too close cause THEY need something. Age and life experience does not always transfer into behaving well or being respectful of other people.
Had a vendor who was stocking a shelf and I gave plenty of distance as I walked by him, but then he was moving up further aisle and I could feel him breathing down my neck(not literally ). I walked fast with my cart and was able to keep MY distance from him.

Still missing certain items, but I don't think the trucks for restocking had arrived yet, and a lot of stuff for Easter dinner type food was gone. 6 small pkgs of Angel Soft(regular size) were left. I had enough at home from my Amazon order, so instead of hoarding some I left them for other people.
By now, if people are limited to 1 pkg per customer, we should've caught up with the demand by now, and supplies should be back to normal. I don't get it, it's going somewhere, anywhere but the shelves I guess.

MY niece who is a nurse made cloth face masks for the family, and it has a nice hepa filter you can insert(she even sent those). It was so nice to be able to breathe instead of the dust mask I've been wearing, which makes me gag...ugh!

[markwoll]

Agreed, but I suspect that the pressures will start to mount to start easing restrictions on a county-by-county basis in the month of May across various states. In Virginia, that wouldn't be where we live, but in these rural counties I can still see mid-May.

Do you really think that Southside has adopted many of the 'best practices'?
Except for places like Richmond and Roanoke and VA Beach and surroundings where there have been outbreaks.
Perhaps it just does not make the news 'up here'.

[thedunno]

This is an interesting article. Its in Dutch but google translate will help:

https://translate.google.nl/translat...l/&prev=search

The first article on the page. It tries to explain why some areas are hit hard and other areas, like African townships and refugee camps, are not.

[Rajaz]

All I can say is that the last concert I went to see which was Progstock in New Jersey (October 2019) will be THE LAST CONCERT I will ever see.

Every single report, reactivation plan and new way of life for that matter, points in that direction. If the world wants to reopen the economy there will be tons of restrictions and above all, to keep the distancing going on for a VERY LONG TIME.

I am happy with all the hundreds of concerts that I saw and most were great but I don't see this human activity coming back if ever in my lifetime. I feel bad for the artists who are rich anyway, but the live tours and greet packages were their source of income now will be added to the loss of CD sales.

But Rock will never die, even Voyager took snippets of rock into deep space for other intelligent lifeforms to hear it now that seeing it LIVE will be a thing of our past.

[Top Cat]

All I can say is that the last concert I went to see which was Progstock in New Jersey (October 2019) will be THE LAST CONCERT I will ever see.

Every single report, reactivation plan and new way of life for that matter, points in that direction. If the world wants to reopen the economy there will be tons of restrictions and above all, to keep the distancing going on for a VERY LONG TIME.

I am happy with all the hundreds of concerts that I saw and most were great but I don't see this human activity coming back if ever in my lifetime. I feel bad for the artists who are rich anyway, but the live tours and greet packages were their source of income now will be added to the loss of CD sales.

But Rock will never die, even Voyager took snippets of rock into deep space for other intelligent lifeforms to hear it now that seeing it LIVE will be a thing of our past.

For one thing, the world HAS TO Reopen the economy, and I don't understand this doomsday scenario regarding social activities like sports, concerts, etc never happening again?
We will get through this, the world has had repeated challenges over the decades, some like the plague were devastating, but the world got through it, life didn't stop, people didn't become hermits.
We've lived on the brink of nuclear annilation, mass diseases, floods, firestorms, several World Wars..for the US 911 which changed the way we live yes, but we didn't stop going to concerts or flying in airplanes.

If we look back to other generations and the amount of hell they've overcome, what we're going through with this is childsplay.(not undermining it's challenges and death). But when I think of what my parents went through, the Great Depression which lasted 10 years, the dust storms in the 30's, a hellish World War, we're gonna give in and not have concerts anymore??? surely we have more determination, drive and will than to just surrender over this event.

I don't know who or what media or scientific or scholastic group is suggesting such things, they need to get some backbone and not wimp out..I'm just boggled in my brain at what I've just read.
No offense dude, I like your comments, but man, don't give up so easily.

[markwoll]

Really. Never is a LONG time. This episode has been going on for less than 6 months.
And follows on the heels of many other outbreaks.

[ronmac]

Instead of "never," I would say "until a vaccine is developed and distributed."