The coronavirus

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  • pjl44pjl44 Posts: 10,061

    In BC we've been extremely lucky to have Dr. Bonnie Henry at the helm managing our response. She's a former military physician who left the forces and retrained in epidemiology/public health and she's excellent - smart, very knowledgeable, professional, calm and empathic. She has been giving briefings six days a week with detailed breakdowns of all cases in the province including how many have recovered, which is a hopeful statistic. She has also been providing information on our testing capacity, research into the virus and treatments, and clearly explaining the reasons for the restrictions that we have and which ones we don't - for instance, she has said that the science does not support the need to wear masks when people are exercising outside as long as you're not congregating in a group, so she encourages us to get outside and stay active.

    Our provincial minister of health has also done a good job working with her, and between them public policy has flowed from science. I think that the vast majority of the province has appreciated her leadership through this. On the weekend there was a protest on the grounds of our provincial legislature by a group protesting the restrictions. A whopping 8 people showed up, carrying earnest and overly wordy signs.... and they still all stood at least 2 metres apart. Although of course we all wish this was over, I think that demonstrates how few people actually think she's not on the right and necessary track. 
    Everything that you've posted seems to jibe with the most reasonable stuff I've read. Meanwhile, two neighboring towns near me are requiring people to wear masks even outside with the threat of a $300 fine hanging over it.

    My (I think) unpopular opinion is that a lot of Governors are getting higher marks than they deserve, only because people are contrasting their leadership to Trump. 
  • bbiggsbbiggs Posts: 6,959
    mfc2006 said:
    Well, it looks like I may be going back to the office on Monday. I have a call with my boss later today. I personally think this is way too early and will let them know that I can easily do my job from home and that I've been far more productive without having to sit through way too many meetings.

    I may offer a hybrid approach with me coming in 2 days/week and working home the rest of the week. We'll see how this goes. Ugh.
    Good luck, man.  This is going to start happening quite a bit I suspect.  The whole thing is a mess with very few good answers at this point.  So many people I know are chomping at the bit to get everything opened back up.  I understand the need to slowly open up certain parts of life in phases, but I know a lot of people that think a full on re-opening needs to take place.  We cannot just turn the light switch from off to on without repercussions.

  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 42,946
    The US Secretary of State assumed that the corona virus is man-made - and comes from a lab in China.
    State epidemiologist Anders Tegnell dismisses the statement as "rumors and myths".
    - I haven't seen any evidence pointing in that direction, he tells Aftonbladet.


    ZIP IT TEGNELL. LETS NOT GET A TRADE WAR ON OUR HANDS!

    Yeah, it ticks me off that some of these politicians/ heads of state etc. are turning the pandemic into international conflict.  Says a lot about the inherent nature of humans who are in power to be prone to conflict and war.  Makes a good argument for anarchy.
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni











  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 42,946
    mfc2006 said:
    Well, it looks like I may be going back to the office on Monday. I have a call with my boss later today. I personally think this is way too early and will let them know that I can easily do my job from home and that I've been far more productive without having to sit through way too many meetings.

    I may offer a hybrid approach with me coming in 2 days/week and working home the rest of the week. We'll see how this goes. Ugh.

    Oh man, I'm sorry to hear that.  I would insist on fellow workers distancing, and having hand sanitizer at the workplace.  I hope you can continue to work at home as many days as possible.  Maybe there is some way you can illustrate to them that you have been more productive working at home? 
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni











  • Meltdown99Meltdown99 None Of Your Business... Posts: 10,739
    Ontario is starting to re-open Friday May 8th.   Bout’ time.  
    Give Peas A Chance…
  • pjl44pjl44 Posts: 10,061
    Cuomo is going to sack out-of-state health care workers with NY state income tax. That seems like an extremely short-sighted move.

    https://www.pix11.com/news/coronavirus/health-workers-that-volunteered-to-come-to-ny-during-pandemic-have-to-pay-state-income-tax-cuomo
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 42,946
    Ontario is starting to re-open Friday May 8th.   Bout’ time.  

    Some careful "re-opening" is going to be necessary, but I wouldn't be to cavalier in speaking about an action that will likely lead to more deaths. 
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni











  • mfc2006mfc2006 HTOWN Posts: 37,484
    brianlux said:

    Oh man, I'm sorry to hear that.  I would insist on fellow workers distancing, and having hand sanitizer at the workplace.  I hope you can continue to work at home as many days as possible.  Maybe there is some way you can illustrate to them that you have been more productive working at home? 
    That's what I'm planning on doing during my meeting with them this afternoon. Fingers crossed....
    I LOVE MUSIC.
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  • bbiggsbbiggs Posts: 6,959
    pjl44 said:
    Cuomo is going to sack out-of-state health care workers with NY state income tax. That seems like an extremely short-sighted move.

    https://www.pix11.com/news/coronavirus/health-workers-that-volunteered-to-come-to-ny-during-pandemic-have-to-pay-state-income-tax-cuomo
    100% agreed. That’s nuts. 
  • dignindignin Posts: 9,420
    Absolutely!
    Would love to have Notley back here.
  • Indifference71Indifference71 Chicago Posts: 14,886
    bbiggs said:
    Good luck, man.  This is going to start happening quite a bit I suspect.  The whole thing is a mess with very few good answers at this point.  So many people I know are chomping at the bit to get everything opened back up.  I understand the need to slowly open up certain parts of life in phases, but I know a lot of people that think a full on re-opening needs to take place.  We cannot just turn the light switch from off to on without repercussions.

    Agreed that just opening up everything right away would be reckless but this 5 phase plan that our billionaire governor released yesterday is just overkill at this point.  There won't be many businesses left with this plan once they are allowed to re-open.  And meanwhile his wife just went to their Florida mansion while he gets up there everyday telling all of us to stay home and not take part in any unnecessary travel.  Just because he doesn't like Trump doesn't mean he isn't the typical scumbag politician.
  • bbiggsbbiggs Posts: 6,959
    Agreed that just opening up everything right away would be reckless but this 5 phase plan that our billionaire governor released yesterday is just overkill at this point.  There won't be many businesses left with this plan once they are allowed to re-open.  And meanwhile his wife just went to their Florida mansion while he gets up there everyday telling all of us to stay home and not take part in any unnecessary travel.  Just because he doesn't like Trump doesn't mean he isn't the typical scumbag politician.
    Agreed. Coming into this I didn’t like one thing Pritzker had done in this state; however, I felt he handled things well initially in regards to Covid by making swift decisions.  After revealing his 5 phase plan yesterday, I’m back where I started with him.  I’m strongly against turning on the light switch all at once, but like you said, his 5 phase plan is overkill and will decimate a state that’s already beyond broke, despite being one of the highest taxed states, and leads the country in resident outflow.  He is definitely your typical hypocrite politician.  “Do as I say, not as I do.”   
  • OnWis97OnWis97 St. Paul, MN Posts: 5,444
    bbiggs said:
    Agreed. Coming into this I didn’t like one thing Pritzker had done in this state; however, I felt he handled things well initially in regards to Covid by making swift decisions.  After revealing his 5 phase plan yesterday, I’m back where I started with him.  I’m strongly against turning on the light switch all at once, but like you said, his 5 phase plan is overkill and will decimate a state that’s already beyond broke, despite being one of the highest taxed states, and leads the country in resident outflow.  He is definitely your typical hypocrite politician.  “Do as I say, not as I do.”   
    Admittedly, I was not familiar with the five-phase plan...in a quick google, it looks like there's no timelime attached to it.  The destruction it could cause is probably difficult to determine for that reason.
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  • Jason PJason P Posts: 19,181
    What if there is never a vaccine?  Seems like everyone just assumes it will be on the shelves in the fall.
    Be Excellent To Each Other
    Party On, Dudes!
  • BentleyspopBentleyspop Craft Beer Brewery, Colorado Posts: 11,102
    Today I had to go to a local E.R. for work reasons.
    Only needed to go as far as the waiting area which was eerily empty and quiet. The nurses and support staff looked exhausted. The one senior staff member I talked to told me they foresee no dip in numbers for at least another 3 weeks.
    I made sure to thank them for their work.
  • Mike D88Mike D88 Tampa Posts: 739
    Republican-led state legislatures tend to be absolute loony bins.
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  • mfc2006mfc2006 HTOWN Posts: 37,484
    Yup....back in the office on Monday. It looks like there will be ample distance between all employees, but it still makes me a tad nervous. Ugh.
    I LOVE MUSIC.
    www.cluthelee.com
    www.cluthe.com
  • oftenreadingoftenreading Victoria, BC Posts: 12,848
    Jason P said:
    What if there is never a vaccine?  Seems like everyone just assumes it will be on the shelves in the fall.
    Might never be, in which case we likely get waves of this repeatedly until the population builds some level of natural immunity, assuming that happens. 

    If we get neither a vaccine nor natural immunity from prior exposure then we’re stuck with this until the science advances, kind of like how the world was before we had vaccines for most of the common infectious diseases. 
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • josevolutionjosevolution Posts: 30,660
    mfc2006 said:
    Well, it looks like I may be going back to the office on Monday. I have a call with my boss later today. I personally think this is way too early and will let them know that I can easily do my job from home and that I've been far more productive without having to sit through way too many meetings.

    I may offer a hybrid approach with me coming in 2 days/week and working home the rest of the week. We'll see how this goes. Ugh.
    That sounds like a solid approach I hope it works out! 
    jesus greets me looks just like me ....
  • cincybearcatcincybearcat Posts: 16,640
    mfc2006 said:
    Yup....back in the office on Monday. It looks like there will be ample distance between all employees, but it still makes me a tad nervous. Ugh.
    it can be done safely in many environments. Takes some planning and effort and of course compliance from employees (which is generally the hardest part).  
    hippiemom = goodness
  • oftenreadingoftenreading Victoria, BC Posts: 12,848
    mfc2006 said:
    Yup....back in the office on Monday. It looks like there will be ample distance between all employees, but it still makes me a tad nervous. Ugh.
    Good luck. I hope your employer takes this seriously. 

    I have been at work in my office, so to speak, through all of this so I’m used to it. We’re still doing our best to keep social distance and washing our hands and surfaces like mad. It’s darkly amusing at times to be in a meeting with seven or eight people in a very large meeting room and we’re all spread around the perimeter of the room, more than fifteen feet apart. We’re just kind of shouting at each other. 
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • Spiritual_ChaosSpiritual_Chaos Posts: 31,061
    Jason P said:
    What if there is never a vaccine?  Seems like everyone just assumes it will be on the shelves in the fall.

    Johan Giesecke also says it is not certain that a vaccine will be particularly effective.

    - Right now we do not know if you become immune after this disease, or if the immunity is sufficient and how long it lasts. But in all diseases it is better to have had the disease than the vaccine. The infection gives a more complete immunity than the vaccine.

    - If now the natural immunity is semi-poor, you should not expect that the vaccine will be much better.
    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
  • SpunkieSpunkie i come from downtown. Posts: 6,857
    edited May 2020
    BC's 'restart plan' will not allow concerts, conventions, live audience professional sports, and international tourism until there is at least 1 of:
    • wide distribution of a vaccine 
    • “community” immunity
    •  broad successful treatments

    https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/covid-19-provincial-support/bc-restart-plan?bcgovtm=20200506_GCPE_AM_COVID_9_NOTIFICATION_BCGOV_BCGOV_EN_BC__NOTIFICATION

    Post edited by Spunkie on
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    Animals were hiding behind the Coral 
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  • oftenreadingoftenreading Victoria, BC Posts: 12,848
    tish said:
    BC's 'restart plan' "will not allow concerts, conventions and other large gatherings until there is wide distribution of a vaccine."

    https://globalnews.ca/news/6911210/coronavirus-premier-plan-reopen/
    If we never get a vaccine, as mentioned above, I wonder what the timeline would be to rethink this. 
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • Jason PJason P Posts: 19,181
    Sorry, not trying to start a bummer thought with the potential of no vaccine ... I'm optimistic that the tens of thousands of very smart people throughout the planet working around the clock probably have several promising solutions cooking as we speak.


    Be Excellent To Each Other
    Party On, Dudes!
  • dignindignin Posts: 9,420

     But in all diseases it is better to have had the disease than the vaccine. The infection gives a more complete immunity than the vaccine.


    Not if it kills you. 
  • dignindignin Posts: 9,420
    Jason P said:
    Sorry, not trying to start a bummer thought with the potential of no vaccine ... I'm optimistic that the tens of thousands of very smart people throughout the planet working around the clock probably have several promising solutions cooking as we speak.


    No need to apologize, it's a very real possibility. Better to be clear eyed about all this.
  • oftenreadingoftenreading Victoria, BC Posts: 12,848
    dignin said:
    No need to apologize, it's a very real possibility. Better to be clear eyed about all this.
    Yes, I agree. Early on in this thread there was some objection to posting about projected numbers of cases, fatalities, etc. because it was viewed as unnecessarily pessimistic. We’re hip-deep in reality right now and we might as well be able to talk about it. 
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • SpunkieSpunkie i come from downtown. Posts: 6,857
    ^ I found government data and edited my post to reflect your vaccine/timeline inquiry.
    I was swimming in the Great Barrier Reef 
    Animals were hiding behind the Coral 
    Except for little Turtle
    I could swear he's trying to talk to me 
    Gurgle Gurgle
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