Coronavirus General Discussion

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I Shrugged
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by I Shrugged » Tue May 04, 2021 11:06 am

flyingpylon wrote:
Tue May 04, 2021 10:56 am
The Liberals Who Can’t Quit Lockdown

"Progressive communities have been home to some of the fiercest battles over COVID-19 policies, and some liberal policy makers have left scientific evidence behind."
That is a great article. I don't know anyone like those people. But I think some are not too far off.
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by vnatale » Tue May 04, 2021 8:56 pm

flyingpylon wrote:
Tue May 04, 2021 10:56 am

The Liberals Who Can’t Quit Lockdown

"Progressive communities have been home to some of the fiercest battles over COVID-19 policies, and some liberal policy makers have left scientific evidence behind."


https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/04/nyre ... ction.html

Sudden Decision to Reopen Leaves New Yorkers Dizzy and Divided

New York, New Jersey and Connecticut will reopen in two weeks, and some residents are exhilarated, while others are dubious.
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by jalanlong » Wed May 05, 2021 10:23 am

I Shrugged wrote:
Tue May 04, 2021 11:06 am
flyingpylon wrote:
Tue May 04, 2021 10:56 am
The Liberals Who Can’t Quit Lockdown

"Progressive communities have been home to some of the fiercest battles over COVID-19 policies, and some liberal policy makers have left scientific evidence behind."
That is a great article. I don't know anyone like those people. But I think some are not too far off.
One of the more fascinating aspects of this last year is that there are 2 distinct groups of Americans who are living in 2 completely different manners, but yet each one tends to believe most people are living like they are.

For example: over the past year my wife and I have been living pretty normally. We go to restaurants, see family, took a trip to the beach over Christmas and even go to the movies even though not much is playing. My son still goes to his grandmothers every weekend. Our close friends and family are living pretty much the same way. Because we are all carrying on as normal, when we occasionally come across someone outside of our bubble who says they have not been to a restaurant in over a year or have not seen their family in a year, it is jarring to hear. I just stand there with my mouth open not believing what I am hearing.

On the other hand, those people are the same in reverse. They have been out very little (if at all) in the last year and in talking to them I can tell that they honestly think everyone else is the same. Around Christmas they indicated that "everyone" was staying at home for the holidays and not seeing any family. Much like Biden indicating that maybe we can have 4th of July get togethers or maybe schools can reopen in the fall, they seem to be living in a different reality than those of us who never stopped seeing family or who have been in school all year. And if you indicate you are doing those things already they look at you like their brain has short circuited. Very strange times!
Last edited by jalanlong on Wed May 05, 2021 11:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by flyingpylon » Wed May 05, 2021 10:53 am

jalanlong wrote:
Wed May 05, 2021 10:23 am
One of the more fascinating aspects of this last year is that there are 2 distinct groups of Americans who are living in 2 completely different manners, but yet each one tends to believe most people are living like they are.

For example: over the past year my wife and I have been living pretty normally. We go to restaurants, see family, took a trip to the beach over Christmas and even go to the movies even though not much is playing. Our close friends and family are living pretty much the same way. Because we are all carrying on as normal, when we occasionally come across someone outside of our bubble who says they have not been to a restaurant in over a year or have not seen their family in a year, it is jarring to hear. I just stand there with my mouth open not believing what I am hearing.

On the other hand, those people are the same in reverse. They have been out very little (if at all) in the last year and in talking to them I can tell that they honestly think everyone else is the same. Around Christmas they indicated that "everyone" was staying at home for the holidays and not seeing any family. Much like Biden indicating that maybe we can have 4th of July get togethers or maybe schools can reopen in the fall, they seem to be living in a different reality than those of us who never stopped seeing family or who have been in school all year. And if you indicate you are doing those things already they look at you like their brain has short circuited. Very strange times!
There's at least one more group: those that didn't do much of those things pre-covid so don't do them now, and are content to go about their business while ignoring the annoying people now at the extremes.
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by jalanlong » Wed May 05, 2021 12:40 pm

MangoMan wrote:
Wed May 05, 2021 10:53 am
jalanlong wrote:
Wed May 05, 2021 10:23 am
I Shrugged wrote:
Tue May 04, 2021 11:06 am
flyingpylon wrote:
Tue May 04, 2021 10:56 am
The Liberals Who Can’t Quit Lockdown

"Progressive communities have been home to some of the fiercest battles over COVID-19 policies, and some liberal policy makers have left scientific evidence behind."
That is a great article. I don't know anyone like those people. But I think some are not too far off.
One of the more fascinating aspects of this last year is that there are 2 distinct groups of Americans who are living in 2 completely different manners, but yet each one tends to believe most people are living like they are.

For example: over the past year my wife and I have been living pretty normally. We go to restaurants, see family, took a trip to the beach over Christmas and even go to the movies even though not much is playing. Our close friends and family are living pretty much the same way. Because we are all carrying on as normal, when we occasionally come across someone outside of our bubble who says they have not been to a restaurant in over a year or have not seen their family in a year, it is jarring to hear. I just stand there with my mouth open not believing what I am hearing.

On the other hand, those people are the same in reverse. They have been out very little (if at all) in the last year and in talking to them I can tell that they honestly think everyone else is the same. Around Christmas they indicated that "everyone" was staying at home for the holidays and not seeing any family. Much like Biden indicating that maybe we can have 4th of July get togethers or maybe schools can reopen in the fall, they seem to be living in a different reality than those of us who never stopped seeing family or who have been in school all year. And if you indicate you are doing those things already they look at you like their brain has short circuited. Very strange times!
I don't have a problem with people who still want to isolate. My issue is the continued restrictions on the people who don't.
On a micro level I agree. If someone wants to hike in the forest alone with a mask on never come out of their basement again then why should I care? However, there are a lot of those type of people right now and most of them believe that their precautions don't work unless everyone else does them too. So they are holding back the rest of society from fully moving on.

Last month there were 43,000 people at opening day for the decidedly mediocre Texas Rangers, despite Fauci, Biden and their followers calling it irresponsible and a superspreader event. That attendance shows an appetite among a lot of people to return to normal social events. But that is not going to happen as long as there is a sizeable and vocal group of people who believe the path back to normal life will take years and only when there is zero risk.

I love going to concerts. At my age I only have so many left (and so do the artists I listen to). It has already been over a year but there is really no end in sight. Whenever an artist I follow tries to announce a concert for maybe November of this year they are deluged with people browbeating them that it is "too soon" and "not safe yet." Inevitably they end up postponing until 2022. How many of their years and my years do we have to waste waiting for a segment of people to get over it. They don't have to go if they do not feel safe. But instead they are trying to pull the virtuous card by declaring that any return to normal behavior shows that you don't care about your fellow man. And that leaves everyone in limbo, afraid to be the first one that sticks their toe in the water and get doxxed.
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by Xan » Wed May 05, 2021 12:50 pm

janalong, how has your son done over the past year plus? Has it been as bad as you feared?
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by jalanlong » Wed May 05, 2021 1:06 pm

Xan wrote:
Wed May 05, 2021 12:50 pm
janalong, how has your son done over the past year plus? Has it been as bad as you feared?
Actually I am quite surprised that he adjusted to having to wear a mask for 7 hours a day pretty well. He wore a gaiter instead of an actual mask. This winter the school asked everyone to wear masks and preferably double masks! I ignored that request and nobody said anything. Of course school has not been nearly as much fun for him this year since kids cannot eat lunch together, play close together, sit close together and according to him teachers are forever yelling "6 feet!" at them. So he has tried to play "sick" a lot to get out of going. But given how bad it could have been, he has done as well as can be expected. Maybe it was a blessing for him to have to learn to adjust to strange expectations and rules in such a short time.

The worst part is the extra stuff that was taken away this year. Normally 5th graders go on a camping trip overnight. They cancelled that. No field trips to the symphony or museums. "Virtual" book fairs and open houses. Those sort of things usually broke up the school year and gave it some variety. So without them it makes the days seem very monotonous, especially since they are confined to the same classroom most of the day.
Last edited by jalanlong on Wed May 05, 2021 1:35 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by Cortopassi » Wed May 05, 2021 1:07 pm

My daughter and their pod in my basement are nearing the end -- they are all currently taking AP tests this week (at school) and there isn't much left after that.

It has been an exceptionally good experience for them. There's no doubt that these girls are self motivated and not procrastinators, so that helps a lot. I do hear bad stories of kids who normally excel having issues when doing it remotely.

I think they got to know each other much better than they ever would have just being more normal school friends, and I hope that translates to life long friendships.

This August, though, back at it normally for senior year!
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by Tortoise » Wed May 05, 2021 3:35 pm

Cortopassi wrote:
Wed May 05, 2021 1:07 pm
This August, though, back at it normally for senior year!
That's good. But hopefully they won't have to wear masks and maintain 6-foot separation, because if so, I wouldn't call that a "normal" high school experience. Better than remote classes or a basement pod, but definitely not normal.
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by flyingpylon » Wed May 05, 2021 3:49 pm

Tortoise wrote:
Wed May 05, 2021 3:35 pm
Cortopassi wrote:
Wed May 05, 2021 1:07 pm
This August, though, back at it normally for senior year!
That's good. But hopefully they won't have to wear masks and maintain 6-foot separation, because if so, I wouldn't call that a "normal" high school experience. Better than remote classes or a basement pod, but definitely not normal.
Great news... the CDC now says 3 feet! Because... science... or something.
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by jalanlong » Wed May 05, 2021 3:52 pm

Cortopassi wrote:
Wed May 05, 2021 1:07 pm
My daughter and their pod in my basement are nearing the end -- they are all currently taking AP tests this week (at school) and there isn't much left after that.

It has been an exceptionally good experience for them. There's no doubt that these girls are self motivated and not procrastinators, so that helps a lot. I do hear bad stories of kids who normally excel having issues when doing it remotely.

I think they got to know each other much better than they ever would have just being more normal school friends, and I hope that translates to life long friendships.

This August, though, back at it normally for senior year!
Have they definitively made that decision? My district hasn't. There will be in person of course but there is no indication that the online option is going away yet and no talk of masks, distancing, no field trips going away either. Right now there are still about 30% of parents who are choosing to keep their kids at home and do cyber learning. The district is going to have to deal with them if they decide to get rid of that avenue. But if they keep it then they may have to figure out a way to make it permanent because the longer you keep it the harder it will be to get rid of it.

Parents have not been able to step foot in the schools in my district all year. All teacher meetings are done via Zoom. If you need to take something to your child during the day you have to drop it off in a bin outside the door and they will come get it (wearing gloves of course). The anti-government rebel in me does not care for a governmental institution that is in charge of my kids but will not let me inside for any reason!
Last edited by jalanlong on Wed May 05, 2021 4:05 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by Tortoise » Wed May 05, 2021 3:55 pm

flyingpylon wrote:
Wed May 05, 2021 3:49 pm
Great news... the CDC now says 3 feet! Because... science... or something.
That is great news.

Hopefully they'll eventually whittle it down to an inch or two so that high school kids can at least awkwardly hover their hands over each other's shoulders when they're taking group photos.

Maybe the CDC will eventually let high school kids cut holes in their masks so they can see each other's faces better -- as long as they're still wearing the basic scaffolding of the mask to appropriately signal virtue to each other.
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by vnatale » Wed May 05, 2021 9:48 pm

Masks can help fill gap between vaccines and herd immunity: doctor

https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus ... story.html


In the book, Hashimoto picks up the much-maligned mask and shakes off the nonscientific issues that are bogging it down, such as political bent and concerns about individual rights. Then he resurrects it with evidence, showing its efficacy in preventing disease transmission, while recognizing how annoying and constraining masks can be.

“They’re uncomfortable. They stifle your breathing. They cover your face,” he said, noting that they can also impede communication, and that furthermore, “we have no sense as to which mask has the more filtering capacities.”

On the upside, Hashimoto said, they work. His book cites examples of mask-free gatherings that caused outbreaks, with some fatalities, and tells the story of the “immediate and remarkable” decline in infection rates after masking began among the 75,000 employees at Mass General Brigham, where he serves as the chief medical officer and leader of the Workplace Health and Wellness Division.

Either way, the goal is to break transmission chains, Hashimoto noted, and both vaccines and masks do that. Together, they form a potent viral antidote.
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by Tortoise » Fri May 07, 2021 11:37 am

From a charter school in Lakeland, FL:

reward.jpeg
reward.jpeg (40.61 KiB) Viewed 3647 times
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by Xan » Fri May 07, 2021 11:52 am

Tortoise wrote:
Fri May 07, 2021 11:37 am
From a charter school in Lakeland, FL:


reward.jpeg
The hell??? If you can offer a "mask break" that means you don't need to be wearing the mask which means you shouldn't be wearing the mask.
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by jalanlong » Fri May 07, 2021 4:51 pm

My son’s school district released results of a parent survey today. Keeping in mind this is Red State Texas. When asked if they would like a virtual school option next year, 56% of parents said yes. Of those 56%, 72% cited Covid as the primary reason with convenience and quality of education coming in far, far behind.

So to summarize, there are approximately 40% of parents in my school district who are still putting fear of Covid for their children above everything else including quality of learning.
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by Tortoise » Fri May 07, 2021 5:31 pm

Just out of curiosity, what percent of voters in your county are registered D vs. R?
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by flyingpylon » Fri May 07, 2021 6:01 pm

jalanlong wrote:
Fri May 07, 2021 4:51 pm
My son’s school district released results of a parent survey today. Keeping in mind this is Red State Texas. When asked if they would like a virtual school option next year, 56% of parents said yes. Of those 56%, 72% cited Covid as the primary reason with convenience and quality of education coming in far, far behind.

So to summarize, there are approximately 40% of parents in my school district who are still putting fear of Covid for their children above everything else including quality of learning.
Well, there are 40% of parents that answered the survey that way. Who knows what the real reasons are... could be covid.
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by jalanlong » Fri May 07, 2021 8:43 pm

Tortoise wrote:
Fri May 07, 2021 5:31 pm
Just out of curiosity, what percent of voters in your county are registered D vs. R?
It’s getting close to 50/50. Bush Jr got 70% of the county vote in his elections. But Romney dropped to 64% and Trump to 55% and 51%. An influx of Californians has changed the political landscape a lot.
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by I Shrugged » Fri May 07, 2021 9:00 pm

jalanlong wrote:
Fri May 07, 2021 8:43 pm
Tortoise wrote:
Fri May 07, 2021 5:31 pm
Just out of curiosity, what percent of voters in your county are registered D vs. R?
It’s getting close to 50/50. Bush Jr got 70% of the county vote in his elections. But Romney dropped to 64% and Trump to 55% and 51%. An influx of Californians has changed the political landscape a lot.
Wife and I will be there soon. Hope it helps. :)
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by vnatale » Sat May 08, 2021 9:22 am

https://www.insidehook.com/article/musi ... rk-concert

How to Avoid Being a Jerk at a Concert, According to Industry Professionals

It's been over a year since you've been to a show. Do you remember the etiquette?

Be respectful of the venue’s mask policy

Mask guidelines vary from state to state or whether you happen to be indoors or outdoors, so it can be tough to keep up with when you’re expected to wear one and when you’re free to go maskless. But if masks are required at the show, you have to comply and wear one. “Wear a mask if that’s the rule,” Deane says. “Just do it. It may be annoying and inconvenient, but if an organizer has a mask rule in place, it’s probably a function of their permission to operate. If patrons don’t comply with a rule like that, events will get shut down or organizers may have their ability to produce events in the future jeopardized. Don’t be that dude.”
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by SomeDude » Sat May 08, 2021 6:55 pm

In a positive sign i was in downtown st Petersburg today with the family for lunch and the Vietnamese place we went to was allowing customers and staff to wear masks if they wanted to. Only one busboy had one on. Not the hostess, bartender, wait staff or any customers.

I love FL. Almost all of the covid regime seems to be disappearing.
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by whatchamacallit » Sat May 08, 2021 9:17 pm

Restrictions do seem to be disappearing where I am at.

Seems like it is happening without any big announcement. Probably so it doesn't cause any stir from the critics.

Last few places I went you have more like 10% of the people wearing a mask. So the masked person is now the odd one out.
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by I Shrugged » Sun May 09, 2021 9:41 am

The supermarket has their sign up again, so I'm back to complying.
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Re: Coronavirus General Discussion

Post by vnatale » Sun May 09, 2021 11:38 am

whatchamacallit wrote:
Sat May 08, 2021 9:17 pm

Restrictions do seem to be disappearing where I am at.

Seems like it is happening without any big announcement. Probably so it doesn't cause any stir from the critics.

Last few places I went you have more like 10% of the people wearing a mask. So the masked person is now the odd one out.


I just came back from going to three places to buy vegetable / herb plants to plant today. Just about 100% compliance in mask wearing (everyone outdoors) for both people working at those places and among we customers.

The one dog (yellow labrador) I spent some time with at the 2nd place was NOT wearing a mask!
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
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