That’s a high level of positives to move on to another level.
WA is at 6.7% and we are in Phase 0.5.
Going to Phase 3, as I understand it, will allow certain other businesses to open with capacity limits and other safety precautions.
Ex: Offices, salons, barber shops.
NOT childcare centers, schools, bars or restaurants.
It’s a relatively small step? into the next phase but perhaps will help address criticism re: it being unfair that X can be open but Y cannot be open.
Phase 4 seems far off, and Phase 5 requires a vaccine or effective treatment is widely available.
@fretfulmother, re: dentistry - listen to the podcast TWiV(This Week in Virology) #611 - a professor of dentistry and medicine discusses the mechanisms, risks and preventative measures needed. Scary stuff - I’ll be waiting quite a while.
I feel pretty safe outside, but I always have my mask with me and I get far away from anyone I see - at least 10 feet, but more often 20. I actually think consciously avoiding people is what is getting me down the most.
We saw friends of ours this weekend. They are all talking. Two have masks but aren’t wearing them. They might be six feet apart. We did not get closer than across the street and my husband put on his mask and started retreating when they tried to get closer. They want us to come to a brithday party in two weeks. Uh no.
In our county there have been a little over 1000 deaths, and somewhat over 200 are from nursing homes. So I don’t get to rest easy on that score. But if all the deaths in my community were in nursing homes, I might feel differently. I do think enclosed spaces are the biggest issue.
I agree that public shaming doesn’t work, people just tend to dig in their heels. What does work, IME, is pointedly putting on your mask when you see someone, and being friendly. I find the other person then usually feels obliged to follow suit.
Covid for Christmas? Apparently, it was traveling here in WA at last sine then.
It’s looking like covid can sneak into a community, be around for a low level, then all of a sudden emerge like Godzilla.
Thanks @“Cardinal Fang”
A lot of low population rural California counties have applied to the state to move to extended Stage 2 reopening, which includes opening stores and restaurants, but not bars. Each county has to attest that it has few cases and, few recent deaths, and that it is prepared to re-open under various metrics. I assume these applications will be granted.
Re-opening these rural counties seems prudent.
It actually makes a lot of sense. If you let people sit on the beach with their beach blankets, towels, and umbrellas than it encourages large crowds of people to gather on the beach in groups. It’s been shown that spending 15 minutes with someone infected with the virus increases the odds that you will get it.
Keep people moving by allowing them to walk on the beach makes sense. Allowing people to set up shop in big groups is asking for trouble. You give an inch and people will take a mile.
The other issue is that most beaches that have “opened” have closed their public bathrooms on the beach. The goal is to limit the amount of people on the beach not encourage the masses to flock there.
This is why listening to the experts and scientists is advantageous than listening to some people’s “common sense”.
Our Governor gave green light to phase 2 in a few rural counties, but can’t guarantee that restaurants can reopen here in the greater Seattle area on June 1st.
( No new deaths here in my county for the first time. )
I was wondering to think about 102 cases of that Kawasaki-like syndrome in New York City kids. For context, every month about 35 kids are diagnosed with cancer in New York City. So, for the relevant time period, more kids were getting this Kawasaki thing than cancer.
My relative had Kawasaki’s just before turning 2 years old. Fortunately, her pediatrician had just diagnosed one of his other patients with it. The children’s hospital had a world expert in Kawasaki’s who treated my relative. She is fortunate that she ended up with no lasting damage that we are aware of. She was tested for heart problems than and decades later. Some kids with Kawasaki’s do develop lifelong heart problems from it, especially if it’s not promptly and aggressively treated with baby aspirin and gamma globulin.
It’s not that easy to diagnose Kawasaki’s and can easily be missed, especially where it’s not common in the population. My relative’s main symptom was unrelenting fever that couldn’t be brought down (104). It was very scary!
The only behavior we can truly control is our own. Responding with kindness, or not, is a choice. Publicly shaming people is unkind, and directing their behavior isn’t your job.
Our state isn’t on a lockdown. Just because some people choose to stay at home, and apparently can afford to do so, doesn’t mean everyone else can or should. And people don’t owe anyone else an explanation for their behavior either. People who want to take on the role of self-appointed public educators should do so with grace and tact or leave the job to people who are more capable.
Our state is planning to start phase one of re-opening on May 20. They are getting their guidelines in print to disseminate by Monday. Many places have already indicated that they can’t get it all together in two days…and are delaying.
Our positive rate has been under 10% for a few days. In my opinion, the way they got there was testing thousands more people per week. I don’t think there are really less cases…but when you increase the denominator of the equation ten fold…the outcome looks different…in my opinion.
Went to Walmart - it’s been 10 days since I was there. Most people were wearing masks and social distancing. There were some disconcerting signs though - couples shopping together (both not wearing masks), and some men shopping not wearing masks. I got in and out pretty quickly. Store was busy even at 7am.
I disagree. I would be just as harsh with people who drive drunk.
I highly doubt others wouldn’t be, also. Why? Because a drunk driver could kill you , your husband, your kids, your parents, or your best friend.
These behaviors are equally as dangerous.
Let’s take the example of the people in Wisconsin who crowded into the bars the other night (probably last night, too.) Do you think they would respond to grace and tact? Do you think they would respond to kindly being educated? They are doing it because they are selfish people who don’t give a fill in the blank about anyone but themselves. It only takes a few infected people to infect thousands.
Because of their actions, Wisconsin is likely to be in a world of hurt in a few weeks.
This is a public health crisis. People’s lives are at stake. Enough with the what I want to do crap. Bunch of toddlers running around pretending they are adults. This crisis has shown me exactly what American’s true colors are. They aren’t pretty.
On the beach-at least 6 feet or more apart. Sitting or standing, it should make no difference. I saw a video of an elderly couple being told to get up and move by a policeman. No sitting. I like to find a rock and sit and watch wildlife. Wouldn’t be allowed.
Most cases are in nursing homes and prisons. If they could point to any person who got the virus at the beach, I would change my mind.
I believe the vast majority of those going out are using common sense, following recommended guidelines, and doing their best to protect themselves and others. Drunk driving is against the law; leaving your house is not. There will always be bad apples. Our prisons are full of them. There will always be people who do stupid things. Social media has many examples. Most people are good and want to do the right thing.
No they are not equally dangerous. The chances of a drunk driver getting into an accident are substantially higher the the chance of a single person not wearing a mask at a specific point in time. If you recall, our government, not 6 weeks ago, said that mask wearing wasn’t necessary and masks were ineffective. You are not the mask police. This is why these things end up never going into place in America because people try and tell others what to do. They turn into Barney Fife and then ugly arguments ensue in public and the whole thing is publicized on TV making our citizens all look like idiots.
The cops don’t want 5000 calls a day from the Fife patrol reporting people who don’t wear masks, or wear them incorrectly.