News Worldwide impact of the novel coronavirus (covid-19)

[Freida]

it was a plot to bring down the president and this resurgence is also a plot to keep him from campaigning. I

Yep --and the election is rigged and its all a master plan and blah blah

Does the whole world care about our politics enough to let a virus kill their people? Apparently so. Protecting others by wearing a mask is compassionate, not political. Yikes!

This is the thing that is upsetting me most. You must wear a shirt and shoes into businesses and no one has an issue but add a mask to it and suddenly its a "the government will control you" thing

They totally miss the whole "wearing a mask can save someone else's life" part.
I saw an opinion page the other day that said that between the hot summer and the pandemic and the depression and the police revolt and the fact that we are al armed is going to lead to a very interesting summer. I think that the pandemic was only postponed, not stopped.

apparently all Americans have to do to vacation in Canada right now is tell the border guards they're going to Alaska.

Hubby and I have been talking for years about retiring to Canada -- and as the American experiment starts to fail? Yep -- I've started really researching. I want to live somewhere with way less drama -- and kinder people.

 

[blackemerald1]

One of our States, Victoria (Aust) has reported a significant and sustained uptick in infections. But they say double digits... like 18 or idk 30 new cases in 24 hours.

Community transmissions are the culprit for over half & the rest are from o/seas travellers who are quarantined but sick & a smattering of other cases that they say are clusters they already knew about. One government health officer for Victoria stated that they now have returned to the same infection rate as they had in April. So they've called in the defence force to do high volume testing for the areas the government has identified has being hot spots & appropriately deal with people in quarantine in the hotels where they were put.

And the rest of the States and Territories Health Officers are now asking their residents to not travel to Victoria or accept bookings from Victorian residents for upcoming school holidays.

Apart from that Australia is ticking along quite well. Economy is tanking, airline's are laying off thousands of employees & businesses are going to the wall but all is otherwise normal? :wtf:

 

[DharmaGirl]

We are all making sacrifices because of Covid. When they ask if you have the list of symptoms, they aren't asking if you're having your normal for you migraines, or chronic pain, they are just checking for symptoms of Covid. I get that everyone is getting a bit tired of having to change their lives because of a virus that has the potential to kill hundreds of thousands more if we don't adjust our behaviors. The fact is if you don't, you will end up with a worse situation.

That's why so many states have record high Covid infections now. We stopped doing the things needed to keep it in check, and we are seeing the result of that. It's hard. I get it. I keep buying masks because I keep losing them. I don't go out. It does make my isolation worse, but it is not forever. Or it may be forever and those that protect themselves and others will not get sick. Or maybe we all will get it. We can't know and there is no sense worrying about what could happen. Just every day do things to stay healthy and stop the spread. That's pretty much all anyone can do.

 

[blackemerald1]

It's interesting that one of the slogans being shunted through media here is, 'If you're sick - stay home'. They're talking about covid19 of course.

Hmm.. well I know that some people have no sick leave left & idk for one reason or another must go to work. That's a big problem and should be addressed. We'll never get on top of it if we don't work out how to answer that problem.

But, for me, perhaps that slogan shouldn't just apply to covid19 .

Honestly influenza and any other community transmissible disease should get the same message. I cannot count how many times I've turned up to work with a cold & ignorantly spread it far and wide. And my co-workers did the same. Being sick & still turning up at work, wow....well that was expected!

Not anymore.

Some good news - a saliva test is being introduced at the end of this month. Authorities here say that it won't necessarily replace the previous test but it will speed up the taking of tests & reduce the amount of ppe that testers will need to use.

 

[ladee]

The governor of Texas announced yesterday morning that things would still move forward to opening. Later in the day with the new number twice what they were the first go around, with infected people, he has now decided to slow things down again.

We now do not have enough hospital beds for all the people coming in infected.

Houston, where things were overrun with people protesting and the funeral, is now a hot spot in our nation.

I am seeing a lot more people wearing masks than the first time. I wear a mask every time I leave the house and am going to be around people. I hate it. It's hot here and I sweat and can't breathe. But I don't hate it enough to NOT wear one. I've not stopped wearing one even when 'the powers that be' were sending out confusing messages about a slowdown.

This is going to be around for a very long time. And unfortunately, for the spoiled Americans that feel their 'rights' are being infringed upon, are putting the rest of us at risk. What about OUR rights. But that will be an ongoing debate forever.

It's about common sense and self-accountability. I can't be stressed to the limit every time I have to leave the house. I only go to the grocery store and the library. There was testing at the library yesterday. The front part of it was blocked off for testing, yet the same people being tested walked around to the other entrance, and came into the main building without masks on. We just can't fix stupid.

And there was a long line at the testing site.

One thing I have noticed is those not wearing masks will not look anyone in the eye. We are a friendly state and say Hi or at least nod to others. Not making eye contact is strange. But the whole world is strange right now.

Common sense and respect for others have gone out the window. I will soon be 70 and have health problems that come with age. I rarely see someone older withOUT a mask on. But we are surrounded by people who could care less.

So I follow safety protocol and try my best to keep myself safe. I posted a picture yesterday on FB with the heading,' I have finally got my safety animal'. It was a skunk on a leash. I'm thinking about getting one at least the people without a mask will stay away from me.

 

[DharmaGirl]

Common sense and respect for others have gone out the window

Amen to that! Where I'm moving, my mom and I are the only ones wearing masks. Really? Now we all have to wear masks here and we'll see if that makes any difference at all. It is uncomfortable, so is getting Covid with no ICU bed.

This is going to be around for a very long time. And unfortunately, for the spoiled Americans that feel their 'rights' are being infringed upon, are putting the rest of us at risk. What about OUR rights. But that will be an ongoing debate forever.

I truly don't believe anyone has the right to run around getting others sick with this virus that we know so little about. This isn't normal times. If it were, we wouldn't have to make sacrifices!

It's about common sense and self-accountability.

Again, I agree. Just got off topic and had to redo. We all have to sacrifice or you risk killing people. But I guess in America you have the freedom to do just that.

 

[whiteraven]

They totally miss the whole "wearing a mask can save someone else's life" part.

I think THE problem is that people don't believe the seriousness of the virus. They think all the precautions are stupid. And I honestly don't think we are going to be able to change how those people think.

Hubby and I have been talking for years about retiring to Canada -- and as the American experiment starts to fail? Yep -- I've started really researching. I want to live somewhere with way less drama -- and kinder people.

You know, my dad - who was generally an *ssh*le - started telling us when we were very young that as soon as we could, we should move to Canada. LOL

a saliva test is being introduced at the end of this month.

I really look forward to the day when the testing because routine, "easy," and the guidelines for managing care are clear.

The governor of Texas announced yesterday morning that things would still move forward to opening.

I can't believe how very stupid government officials are being in the States.

And unfortunately, for the spoiled Americans that feel their 'rights' are being infringed upon, are putting the rest of us at risk.

This is one case where I think we should have no rights. I think there should be a specific amendment - if that's what it takes - to the constitution to address this and situations like this that does not allow people to put others at risk of death. It would be a problem, I know. And there are a lot of others ways that the current amendments could be amended. But interpretations of The Constitution likely end up killing more people than they help.

 

[Sideways]

We now do not have enough hospital beds for all the people coming in infected.

This is one of the milestones that I find particularly stressful. Because it isn't just covid cases that need hospital beds, ICU beds, or ventilators. When we run out of those things, it impacts all sorts of people with conditions that need those resources.

Hopefully things turn around for Texas soon, and the US more broadly. The good news is that multiple vaccines are being tested around the world. There will be an end point to this.

 

[DharmaGirl]

I'm glad I'm moving to the middle of no where. I really, really am. I'll have my homestead and go to town occasionally, talk to you folks, and work on projects. That's a selfish way to look at things too, but running away is my best tool.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

It's interesting that one of the slogans being shunted through media here is, 'If you're sick - stay home'. They're talking about covid19 of course.

Hmm.. well I know that some people have no sick leave left & idk for one reason or another must go to work. That's a big problem and should be addressed. We'll never get on top of it if we don't work out how to answer that problem.

But, for me, perhaps that slogan shouldn't just apply to covid19 .

Honestly influenza and any other community transmissible disease should get the same message. I cannot count how many times I've turned up to work with a cold & ignorantly spread it far and wide. And my co-workers did the same. Being sick & still turning up at work, wow....well that was expected!

Not anymore.

Some good news - a saliva test is being introduced at the end of this month. Authorities here say that it won't necessarily replace the previous test but it will speed up the taking of tests & reduce the amount of ppe that testers will need to use.

My job gave us 3 weeks (I believe. Can't remember the amount of hours off the top of my head right now) of extra leave for Covid-19 to be used if you have Covid-19 or are impacted directly (such as child care when daycares are closed, have to care for someone sick, etc) but when I asked my sup about other illnesses, I was told that, that would fall under normal sick leave. But, we are told that if we are sick with anything in anyway, stay home. And going back into the office, we will have this "Know before you go" check list that requires a fever check and a bunch of "do you feel sick" questions and if you have a temp above 100.1 or answer yes to any of the questions, you will not be allowed to go to work. And we are told that if you are ill, with anything, to isolate for 2 weeks but if it's not Covid then we can only call out for 2 days in a row with normal sick leave and if it is Covid, you can use that new leave but it has to be approved by your sup and no one ever said how many days in a row you can call out with that special leave. And, yeah, if you have no sick leave left, then what? I think companies need to restructure their entire attendance polices. I understand that people will take advantage of it but if you are truly ill, many times it's go to work or loose your job. My company at least gave us extra leave for Covid. Most aren't doing that. So what are they supposed to do? Get fired and not be able to find a job and end up with the huge amount of homeless population that we are about to have?

 

[ladee]

One of the hot spots being Houston, they are at 97% capacity already in their hospitals ICU's. A huge surge from two weeks ago. They are making plans to open a convention center with only 100 extra ICU beds if necessary. It is also being made public that this setup ICU is accepting volunteer medical help. With nothing provided except laundry facilities, food and place to live.

I find this so disturbing that the front line medical personnel is expected to drop from exhaustion with no reimbursement. I may not have my facts straight, but that is what I read. Twelve-hour shifts for 7 days then 7days off. They may be getting paid but will have no insurance, etc. I can only imagine the conversations these people are having at people's blatant disregard to what is going on in our State and Country!!

The Houston area alone has almost 5 million residents. One major hospital and I don't remember how many smaller hospitals, maybe 200+. I live less than 60 miles to the west of Houston. We only have two small hospitals in our area.

They are cancelling all elective surgeries for the time being. As @Sideways said, there are people that need those beds for other serious reasons.

They can say what that want. No one was even close to prepared for what we are experiencing. And how many people are sick at home and probably don't even know they may have Covid?? People here on the forum have talked about being sick and being at home!!

But by all means, let's let the selfish ones protest wearing a mask. I have lived a long life and have never seen the blatant disregard for human life as I have seen with this virus. It does concern me that I am of the 'disposable community' because of my age. Not for me so much as other older people who have no one to help them. I am still very able to care for myself but do worry about those that have no one.

This is about humanity. Not just a virus. And that I find to be the most disturbing and fear making thing about all of this.

 

[blackemerald1]

I'm glad I'm moving to the middle of no where. I really, really am. I

^Having only recently moved in to somewhere from living in the middle of no where... I'm now wondering if I did the right thing! So I do understand exactly what you mean.

This is about humanity. Not just a virus. And that I find to be the most disturbing and fear making thing about all of this

^It is about humanity I completely agree. The worst of our traits and the best. Always the two are clashing it seems.