Does the local or state public health authority require masks?
It’s reasonable to be angry if a restaurant doesn’t follow public health rules that they are required to follow, and the answer is not “If you’re concerned about food safety, don’t go to restaurants.” I should expect, and do expect, that any food service facility is following the rules.
If I discovered that a restaurant left perishable food out for six hours, I assume you would not say, “If you’re concerned about food safety don’t go to restaurants.” Instead I imagine you would say something like, “You’re right to be mad, don’t go to that restaurant, tell others not to go to it, consider snitching.”
On the other hand, if state or local authorities don’t require masks, then the complainer should find another restaurant that operates according to her desires.
For those of you who might be interested in a mitochondrial angle, “In this article, we provide a novel hypothesis to describe how an increase in cellular adenosine triphosphate (c-ATP) can potentially improve the efficiency of innate and adaptive immune systems to either prevent or fight off COVID-19.” https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306987720304874?via%3Dihub
Nitrous Oxide: “clinical trials have been designed to examine the effects of inhaled nitric oxide in COVID-19 subjects. We discuss here additional lifestyle factors such as mouth breathing which may affect the antiviral response against SARS-CoV-2 by bypassing the filtering effect of the nose and by decreasing NO levels in the airways. Simple devices that promote nasal breathing during sleep may help” https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1286457920300800?via%3Dihub
I think with a bit of planning, courts and law firms could reopen fairly safely…
medical and dental practices are trickier, although where I live both will see patients who are in pain/need medical care.
Would you advocate then, wider scale re-opening dentist and doctors’ offices knowing that likely a fair percentage of the patients and staff may be infected?
Same with entertainment – would you want concerts, etc., reopen?
The last “social” thing I did was attend a fund raiser for a local arts organization. It was held at a crowded microbrewery. First days of March. My husband came down with COVID shortly after that… don’t know if that’s where he was infected or not, but I myself will likely stay away from any group events for a long time…
@twoinanddone Or they can just switch restaurants to order from - far easier. Pick places that align with views. If folks care about masks and other safety measures, support places that are using them. If they don’t want masks or other safety measures, go elsewhere.
If there isn’t a place that matches what you are looking for, then you have to figure something else out.
I already filled out a survey our local grocery store has telling them in my notes that if they stop being safety conscious I’ll shop elsewhere including online if I have to (no perishables at that point), but I prefer trying to keep local places in business. That preference stops if they stop caring about my health.
Around here at places I go everyone is using masks. I like it that way. Of course, I’m only going to the grocery store once every 1-2 weeks, have had a couple of trips to the post office for things that had to be mailed for my mom’s estate, and take out food so I don’t have a lot of experience. I have no desire to go to any sort of big box place. I rarely go to them even pre-pandemic.
But if any restaurant or grocery store were to stop enforcing safety measures as long as we’re in a hot state, I’d modify to fit my safety desires by picking elsewhere or stopping “whatever.”
We’ve already permanently crossed off ever returning to a restaurant that chose to open up indoor seating against our state policy. They definitely don’t care about my safety and well being so our dollars will support other places even post pandemic.
I like your answer better than mine. We were typing at the same time.
I’ve heard inside info from kids who work in a couple of restaurants and changed where we eat accordingly too (all pre pandemic). I don’t feel I can report the restaurants on hearsay, but when they aren’t being safe with food like picking things up that fell on the floor and putting it back on a plate to serve - that just isn’t anywhere I want to eat. What else are they doing?
Law firms are open, but with so many segments of the economy NOT open, there is no business in many practice groups. Lawyers in the employment advice area and those counseling on complying with virus regulations have plenty of work, but not those in the corporate, transaction or litigation areas.
I think it is up to dentists and doctors- depending on practice areas- to determine what safeguards they can put in place for their patients. Just like salons.
This is why I would never patronize a restaurant chain that opened in violation of public health rules. Even after covid is contained and it’s safe to go to sit-down restaurants, why would I ever want to go to one that bragged that they didn’t care about public health and would reopen in defiance of the law? What else are they doing? “Come to Fang’s Restaurant, where we don’t care about public health” is an odd marketing scheme.
It’s swim-at-your-own-risk. We live in the boonies. Small pool, no lifeguards, no changing area, just one port-o-potty out in the trees. It’s been this way since the place was built in the early 1970s. If there is an emergency, someone will need to run home and call from there (five or ten minutes away). The swim-at-your-own risk sign covers liability issues. It would for COVID as well, but I still don’t think the pool should open. No one is going to social distance.
@Tigerle That is a good idea in theory, but it won’t work here. There are no life guard stands, having a lifeguard in the area would mean one less person allowed in the pool (everyone staying six feet apart means maybe six people could be in the pool area as it is). Also, we’d have to approve a budget for that, which means waiting until the next Board meeting to vote (middle of the summer). Red tape and practicality issues bog it all down.
We are in an extremely rural location and it is rustic up here. (Which is what a lot of people from out of state like about it.)
Until there’s a widely available vaccine, or we reach that 70% herd immunity, I think many businesses won’t be fully reopening. Or they will be a shadow of their former selves. Those law firms - and all businesses really - will have to adapt in the meantime. Or push for greater financial government support, which won’t happen.
Health care services that are open are losing business because many people do not want to go there for anything other than the greatest emergencies or COVID-19. It is unlikely that non-emergency non-COVID-19 health care business will be back to normal until a vaccine. Of course, that goes even more for concerts and other entertainment that depends on mass presence.
Which is exactly what I’ve been saying. It’s not the shutdown that’s killing business. It’s the virus. Because even if we reopen shut down businesses, there will still be major impact from the virus that’s going to keep these businesses from growing. From even being where they were at the beginning of the year.
I have tentative retainer check at the orthodontist in July. I’m due for a dental cleaning (office is open for emergencies only). I will need new contacts in about a month — overdue for an eye exam. I’d like to have a mole removed.
Re: health care providers. I was supposed to have an elective surgery on 3/31 that was cancelled. I tore a tendon in my hip in February and wanted to wait until May to have the surgery, but the surgeon told me that was too long to wait, scar tissue and other issues would lead to a less than optimal result. Our governor authorized elective procedures on May 1st. Last Wednesday - the 7th- the provider called me to see if I wanted to have surgery Friday, the 9th. I declined. I wasn’t sure what had changed that surgery was now okay other than the hospitals need revenue.
On the 10th, I got a huge packet of information that was sent out on 7th with instructions for self quarantining, where to get my COVID test, all the restrictions I would need to follow to have my surgery that was still to be scheduled. There’s no way I could have gotten everything done in basically one day - especially the 7 days of quarantine they wanted.
I just randomly went on Amazon and searched “Clorox wipes.” They had 3-packs available, arrival would be this Saturday. It said there were only 7 remaining. I hit the “Buy Now” button. I immediately got my order confirmation. I refreshed the window to see if there were any left…nope, all gone. I bought a 3-pack of Lysol wipes on Amazon last week as well. Those I purchased while checking Amazon at 1:15 a.m. There’s no rhyme or reason to availability.
@sabaray Interesting about the 7-day quarantine needed for elective surgery.
This is another example how even with re-opening, medical businesses (and of course others) will experience major restrictions which will, in turn, lower their incomes, growth potential, hiring capability. It’s the virus, not the shutdowns.
Per the CDC: MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccinations in children are down 60%. Once children are out and about again, look for the rate of those diseases to go up. People are being too cautious in seeking medical services. It’s a complicated risk benefit calculation. But for me, the benefits of continuing with getting exams and treatments outweigh the potential risks in getting COVID 19 in my doctor’s office.
There was an article on CNBC about the rate of tuberculosis skyrocketing for the same reason. The worldwide death toll from that is expected to be extremely high as well.
I cannot find the link now. In the last few days I read about drive-up immunizations as a way to solve this problem. I cannot remember who/where.
When I get frustrated, I try to remind myself that people are working to solve problems, we just may not being hearing about the progress being made or the good ideas being implemented.
