How are you dealing with Covid-19 (Novel Coronavirus) ?

[Lisak1]

Isn't that interesting @CometKeith - the same "science" that had us needing to be on lockdown for another 150 days last Friday has suddenly revealed that we are OK to go to the hair salon. Amazing. Many businesses are saying they are opening this weekend - losing the Memorial Day weekend is just another nail in their coffin. And maybe there's something wrong with me, but reading the words "Pritzker says he will allow... " just rubs me the wrong way. Almost as much as the words "essential" and "non-essential" worker.

There are rumors flying that Pritzker withdrew his EO today because the legislature has plans to simply pass all of this into law before Friday. So another end around by our "public servants". I had a feeling that was coming.

You should go get an antibody test if you think you had it. We need more people getting tested to reduce our percentage of positives so it's a win-win either way. I encourage everyone I know to get tested for that very reason. I won't comment further on how ridiculous that metric is.

 

[CometKeith]

Isn't that interesting @CometKeith - the same "science" that had us needing to be on lockdown for another 150 days last Friday has suddenly revealed that we are OK to go to the hair salon. Amazing. Many businesses are saying they are opening this weekend - losing the Memorial Day weekend is just another nail in their coffin. And maybe there's something wrong with me, but reading the words "Pritzker says he will allow... " just rubs me the wrong way. Almost as much as the words "essential" and "non-essential" worker.

There are rumors flying that Pritzker withdrew his EO today because the legislature has plans to simply pass all of this into law before Friday. So another end around by our "public servants". I had a feeling that was coming.

You should go get an antibody test if you think you had it. We need more people getting tested to reduce our percentage of positives so it's a win-win either way. I encourage everyone I know to get tested for that very reason. I won't comment further on how ridiculous that metric is.

Thank you. I would love to get one so I could go volunteer but have heard most of them are unreliable.

 

[Lisak1]

but have heard most of them are unreliable.

I've heard the same.

 

[Tula]

Today I shopped at Trader Joes. There was a line outside to get in as they limit the number of people inside. Spots were marked on the side walk, indicating 6 foot spacing. They had shade tents up and a cooler of cold water bottles for people waiting. The line moved quickly and once inside the store was immaculate. Check out was ordery and at every other register. I was super impressed!

Contrast this with a Sunday trip to Walmart...no social distancing and almost no customers wore masks. I won't be returning to Walmart anytime soon.

 

[j.w]

We've made it to phase two in our county so things are moving along. Barbers are open which makes my hubby happy!

 

[CometKeith]

Chicago made it to phase 3 last week despite everything else going on. I finally was able to get a haircut the week before and a lot of the restaurants near us are open and spacing outdoor tables. It’s nice to see people out again! Kudos to Illinoisans for doing things right so we can reopen the state and hopefully stay open! No lallapaloza this year or taste of Chicago but I don’t think people really thought they would happen this year.

 

[Lisak1]

I'm glad you can be so optimistic @CometKeith . I see restaurants that are operating at 25% capacity, hanging on by the skin of their teeth. Could your business survive if you were only allowed to operate at that level? Could you keep all your employees? Pay your taxes? But the City got their pound of flesh - all those restaurants had to pay for an outdoor seating permit, even if they could only put three tables on the sidewalk. Great support for small business. And those are the ones that weren't destroyed by the rioting and looting while the Mayor said "let them have their space".

Also great to see our governor out protesting in a large crowd, while the rest of us are told large group activities are dangerous and irresponsible. All the "experts" putting the stamp of approval on protests of thousands of people, but reminding us to continue social distancing. I hope people are starting to see through the smoke and mirrors.

I'll make a prediction - we'll get shut down again. Just in time to make things interesting in November.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

Today I shopped at Trader Joes. There was a line outside to get in as they limit the number of people inside. Spots were marked on the side walk, indicating 6 foot spacing. They had shade tents up and a cooler of cold water bottles for people waiting. The line moved quickly and once inside the store was immaculate. Check out was ordery and at every other register. I was super impressed!

Contrast this with a Sunday trip to Walmart...no social distancing and almost no customers wore masks. I won't be returning to Walmart anytime soon.

And by contrast, the Walmart in our town is absolutely doing the best job of cleaning, disinfecting & trying to provide a safe shopping environment (much better than either of the other, smaller, grocery stores) Every employee is in a mask (or face shield if they can't wear a mask), most in gloves (all cashiers). One way aisles (although based on the number of people I see shopping the 'wrong direction' I certainly understand why we have so many traffic accidents in this area! lol) Shopping carts disinfected & staged for customers. Touch-free hand sanitizer & wipes at the entrance door. Belts & credit card pads disinfected in between every customer.
I'd say that well over 50% of the shoppers are wearing masks, but I am going early & during the week, so that might be different at a busier time of day? Most seem to be aware of maintaining 'social distance' of at least 6'. Now if they could just learn to read the 'Shop this direction' and 'Do Not Enter' signs...

 

[Tula]

That's fantastic your area Walmart is doing such a good job ! We were there on Sunday around 4:30 and they were announcing over the loud speaker they were closing at 5 and to make your way to the registers. Maybe the fact it was a week end and close to closing had something to do with it. The thing that bothered me is almost no customers wore masks or respected social distancing. All the store employees wore masks .

 

[waynefrcan]

Well I can say that Canada has handled the problem very well. USA probably the worst case of handling the crisis. Wish you all the best but the best future for USA covid will happen hopefully after this November. Tough it out best you can.

 

[addy1]

We have too many people that believe that they will not get it, masks are not necessary, let the vulnerable hide from the world since they are the ones that will die. Refuse to not gather, refuse to wear masks, refuse to listen to reason and the rest will pay the price. Screaming that their freedom is being taken away.
We are getting resurgence of cases. Luckily we live in a county that has not been hit as hard as the more populated counties.

Therefore my husband and I will stay separate from the general population as much as we can. We have the outlook that anybody can be a carrier and we will keep our distance.

Well I can say that Canada has handled the problem very well. USA probably the worst case of handling the crisis. Wish you all the best but the best future for USA covid will happen hopefully after this November. Tough it out best you can.

 

[Lisak1]

I think you can believe both - I believe I could indeed get the virus, but I also believe our rights are being stripped away. Both can be true at the same time. We have a governor in IL who could care less what his constitutional rights are as far as executive orders.

From this week's Chicago Tribune: The CDC wants states to report "probable" cases of COVID. Why? We've ramped up testing to the point that our governor is offering tests to anyone who wants one. What would be the point of including what amounts to guessing?

But how anyone can continue to take the word of public health officials seriously after the last two weeks is beyond me. All these governors attending and encouraging others to attend protests and hearing things like this from "leading epidemiologists":

"[A]s public health advocates, we do not condemn these gatherings as risky for COVID-19 transmission. We support them as vital to the national public health and to the threatened health specifically of Black people in the United States. We can show that support by facilitating safest protesting practices without detracting from demonstrators’ ability to gather and demand change. This should not be confused with a permissive stance on all gatherings, particularly protests against stay-home orders. Those actions not only oppose public health interventions, but are also rooted in white nationalism and run contrary to respect for Black lives."

So we can figure out how to safely PROTEST, but we cannot safely go to work, school, church, the park, the beaches... makes zero sense. And "public health advocates" are deciding that protests opposing stay at home orders are rooted in white nationalism? The desire to work to support your family is now a tenet of white nationalism?

I could go on but I won't. I think we have a much bigger issue in this country than a virus is all I'm saying.

 

[Tula]

@Lisak1 I believe you are a teacher? Have you had any updates from your school district on what school re-openings will look like?

 

[j.w]

Protesters in Seattle 50 miles from us have taken over an area for themselves and cops have abandoned their precinct station and left. Some protesters wearing face masks, some not, sleeping on the streets or perhaps in the abandoned cop station. How is all this gonna help w/the virus situation here? Hope it does not start getting worse again w/people dying and spreading it all over again.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/seattle-protesters-release-list-of-demands

 

[Lisak1]

I do work in a school - no, no updates. As it stands right now, we will not be able to re-open on time, regardless of the data, stats, numbers, whatever. Our governor is requiring 28 days between phases, instead of 14 like every other state. So we COULD end phase 3 by June, which means end of Phase 4 would not happen until end of July, which means phase Five end of August - which is three weeks past our scheduled start date. There’s talk of modifying schedules and whatnot, but nothing definitive.