It might help to remember it’s the disease that is causing it all, not places getting closed. Sweden’s economic numbers were worse than its neighbors, not better.
A report a pp posted showed it’s what people actually do that matter more, not what the laws are.
My observation is that public things are opening much slower than private businesses. The biggest water park here is a public facility (owned and run by a parks department) and will not open this summer. The entire place is one big chlorine pool, but not opening. A private water park, much much smaller, is opening and hiring extra people to tell people to wear masks when they aren’t in the pools.
City parks and rec still not opening in Denver.
I do not understand why it is okay for 20 people to be in a bar (even outside) and not okay for 20 people to play basketball or volleyball, or even 2 people to play tennis at a public facility.
I have a friend who has been isolating since March 14 when she returned from a foreign trip. She has others do errands for her, orders online, conducts her business online. Her son is now going to visit her with his GF and they will take a road trip to another state. She thinks it’s okay because she’s arranged for the end camping site, has a truck outfitted for survival (cooking, toilet, sleeping) and is depending on the US parks dept to make sure the park isn’t too crowded and no one comes near her. In her mind she’s still isolating (it’s just her son and his girlfriend, so it’s okay?), but in my mind she’s requiring everyone to do things her way. If the parks department suddenly decides to fill up campgrounds I don’t know if she’ll cancel her plans or decide to take the risk.
Wow… that’s not a wrinkle I would have imagined. Thanks for pointing it out.
That’s why it’s actual data we see after it happened that matter - seeing the drop in Sweden’s economy even though some news reports were showing open bars and restaurants. (I linked a BBC report earlier in the thread that had the percentage drop for a few things.) It’s all theory until we see what happened in reality. So far, I’m not surprised at all with reality considering what humans tend to do. In Sweden, many opted to not go out on their own. In the US, seems many are doing that too. Soon we’ll know if it happens more or if the beginning data doesn’t hold.
With schools, one needs to remember it’s not just about the kids. There are teachers and staff who will likely want to avoid the petri dish. Many teachers are close to retirement. Several cafeteria workers, janitors, aides, and other staff are older too. As with the general population, many have comorbidities. We have cancer survivors, diabetics, high blood pressure issues, and more among folks I know.
If schools want to reopen and the pandemic is still out there, they need to plan on hiring a lot of younger folks very quickly. When I was in 8th grade our shop teacher passed away from a car accident. It was pretty traumatic. How many adults are schools prepared to lose or have significant issues?
I just got back from a well known state park. It is in the 80’s and as I was walking out, streams of young people, teens and 20s, in groups of 20 were walking in looking to swim in the creek and the rock pool. No masks, no distancing.
I think it’s inevitable that almost any place that’s open anywhere over the holiday weekend, no matter the rules and regulations, is going to be swarmed with people not wearing masks. Too many people feel anything is ok now that it’s summer. And people will start group meals and entertainment. No enforcement will mean no compliance.
I would love to go eat out at one of my favorite outdoor San Diego restaurants, but I won’t. The same number of deaths are reported in the county every day. Yes, most of them are older with underlying conditions- as am I. And as one of our public health officials said, 50% of the county population has an underlying condition. I know how lucky we are to be able to stay at home.
However, I am very sad for our son who seldom leaves his little Seattle apartment and says the days are starting to merge into each other. He is just working from home and marking time until things open up safely again, which he knows is some time away, and he is very grateful for his governor, a Man of Science. He says there’s nothing I can do to help and he will be ok. 
Denver Public Schools itself doesn’t fund year-round meals; outside of the school year free meals are served through/at Denver Parks and Recreation centers. I believe that’s paid through a variety of public and additional funding raised separately.
In other words, unlike NYC, feeding families over the summer doesn’t come out of the DPS budget. At least that’s how I understand it.
@Creekland some kids have diabetes too 
@MaineLonghorn 80 is the new 60. Your Dad seems young to me. I guess I have been hanging out with 95 year olds a lot these past few years!
@roycroftmom “average age of 80” includes 70 year olds and 90 year olds. That group includes many people with many years of good life left.
I find there are two kinds of age discrimination:
One says that the elderly are basically ready to die anyway and expendable.
The other assumes excellent health in all young people when many young people have chronic medical challenges that put them at risk.
As someone who does pottery through parks and rec, I understand the dismay. The only explanation to your (completely reasonable!) question is consideration for the risks posed to the park and rec staffers.
I can tell you, in pottery (and all the art classes ) you’re in a fairly small space for a couple hours at a time, sharing equipment. I suppose rather than gauge the risk factors for the various different activities and leaving those open, and others closed, the city decided to close everything.
That’s at least what I speculate. Yes, it’s a bummer about tennis… we’ve been going to a nearby middle school where they clearly forgot to take the nets down and people have been playing at for months.
Did you see the situation on Boulder Creek? It was on the national news as it was 90 degrees on Monday and many flocked to the creek for sunning and tubing. I’m sure a good number of them were CU students or local high schoolers.
Yes, we have quite a few students with health issues of all sorts - including cancer, diabetes, and heart issues. Not as high of a percentage as teachers and staff though.
I was talking with one of my CPA partners (based in NY) that has a second home (condo) in Miami. She said that this Florida county is now allowing nail salons to be open. She said that before she could get her nails done, they took her temperature and had her read a 3-page document with 10 questions and sign it essentially saying that she will not sue the business if she gets exposed to CV-19. I wonder if this will be the new normal every time we frequent businesses?
@shuttlebus what state is allowing weddings up to 300? Some of us here are invited to these events in states in which we don’t reside. It would be helpful if you could tell us where.
I loved sunning on the big boulders along Boulder Creek when I was in college. It was a fav spot.
There was also a nude beach on a small lake/pond in Loveland, iirc, across from iBM. But the IBM suits used to come out at lunchtime and walk around and stare, which was creepy, so the creek was a better option.
@thumper1 Ohio
On the issue of churches reopening for in-person services, here part of what my daughter(priest) wrote today to her parishioners.
"Under both state and ecclesial authority, we now have the freedom to gather for in-person worship, pursuant to guidelines, but it is my belief that our Christian freedom would discourage this. Given what we are learning about the high risk of church gatherings in fostering infections and spread of COVID-19, I believe that the best use of our freedom is in service to our neighbor. As we wait and watch and learn about this virus and the re-opening of our society, it is my plan to suspend in-person worship in the building through the summer. The building will remain closed except for essential tasks through the end of the month. As the summer progresses, it is possible that smaller groups and meetings will be able to take place, pursuant to physical distancing guidelines and masking requirements.
Ultimately, the guidelines put forth, designed to keep everyone safe, also serve to divide and exclude based on age and health status, which is antithetical to what I understand church to be. By focusing on virtual worship, we ensure that everyone is in the same boat, and no one is forced to miss out on gathering in-person or weigh their comfort level of possible exposure versus the good of seeing their faith community in the flesh."
Oh man, you would have to be really into your nails (or unable to do it yourself) to put up with that hassle…
It IS lovely… was that water ever warm enough to be in it for longer than 10 seconds?
@MomofWildChild - Bravo to your daughter!
Yes, teachers will be exposed, and understandably some will choose to retire instead. Could we at least acknowledge that k-12 teaching is a job, like airline pilots or grocery clerks, that needs to be done in person? If a teacher isn’t able to do that now, a replacement needs to be found who is. I do not know anyone who thinks on line instruction is working in our public schools.