Random thoughts that are pointless and too dumb to say anywhere else thread: 2020

[tmwiese55]

So all the colleges are shutting down, while all their students are traveling...

 

Seems a bit counterproductive. Imagine the number of students getting infected on spring break. If they stayed home, would there be as much reason to shut down campuses?

 

I think that's the point. They know those people are all gonna travel so bringing them all back together would be a recipe for mass spreading. Yea, if you could somehow make them not travel but how are you going to enforce that? Especially as a big chunk of people walking around telling everyone it's just like the flu, no big deal. Plus, young people are unlikely themselves to be at risk. It's them getting it and spreading it to others more at risk that would be the problem.

[hawing]

Hawing, I heard UW Madison is shutting down. How does that affect you?

Hahaha, I just had to post about this 90 minutes before that announcement went out.

 

Thanks for asking. UW-Madison is not shutting down fully. They're suspending in-person instruction from the end of spring break (the first day back would have been Monday 3/23) until at least April 10. The dorms will be closed to most residents during that time. (Some such as international students may be allowed to stay.) They'll decide in early April whether to extend the disruptions past April 10.

 

So every service provider on campus now has to decide what services, if any, to provide during that time. That includes the campus libraries, but doesn't include my specific library because mine is part of a separate state agency. Typically my building could only close or reduce operations with the governor's approval.

 

I had already planned for short staffing during spring break, but an additional two weeks would be difficult if we have to maintain our normal spring semester schedule. The closing of the dorms affects about half of my group of student employees (and I don't think I can require the non-dormsters to return to Madison sooner than April 10.) So I'm hoping we can continue spring break hours past spring break - but again, that's up to the governor or his designee.

 

We'll be getting plenty of calls soon enough from people wondering if we closed down or what. I'd like to go take a nap now.

[adambr2]

As a parent of 3 young children one thing that makes me sleep much easier these days is the very minimal effect of the virus on children. There's enough to worry about these days and at least not really having to worry about children catching this moreso than anything else is a big weight off.

[MrTPlush]

So all the colleges are shutting down, while all their students are traveling...

 

Seems a bit counterproductive. Imagine the number of students getting infected on spring break. If they stayed home, would there be as much reason to shut down campuses?

 

I think that's the point. They know those people are all gonna travel so bringing them all back together would be a recipe for mass spreading. Yea, if you could somehow make them not travel but how are you going to enforce that? Especially as a big chunk of people walking around telling everyone it's just like the flu, no big deal. Plus, young people are unlikely themselves to be at risk. It's them getting it and spreading it to others more at risk that would be the problem.

 

Yup, it is no coincidence most are shutting down so there is a 2 week (14 day or so) gap before kids would come back. Basically assures no one would get the coronavirus over break and then bring it back to spread at the school.

[Patrick425]

I'm aware of the popular coronavirus tracking map put out there by John Hopkins U. However, is anyone aware of any site that has stats in regards to the breakdown of positive vs. negative results for all tests given so far. Possibly doesn't exist since I'm hearing that the government does not even have clear data on just the total number of tests administered to date (which seems crazy).

[MrTPlush]

I'm aware of the popular coronavirus tracking map put out there by John Hopkins U. However, is anyone aware of any site that has stats in regards to the breakdown of positive vs. negative results for all tests given so far. Possibly doesn't exist since I'm hearing that the government does not even have clear data on just the total number of tests administered to date (which seems crazy).

 

Just looked at what you are describing...believe it was the CDC website. It is outdated by a few days.

[PeaveyFury]

Anyone else looking into travel cancellations and the policies of airlines/hotels? It appears that American is offering vouchers and Hilton is offering full refunds, but Hyatt and other hotel chains aren't offering any relief on non-refundable rates as of yet, unless you were going to Italy or China, etc. Is everyone likely to fall in-line with full refundability within the next few days?

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Anyone else looking into travel cancellations and the policies of airlines/hotels? It appears that American is offering vouchers and Hilton is offering full refunds, but Hyatt and other hotel chains aren't offering any relief on non-refundable rates as of yet, unless you were going to Italy or China, etc. Is everyone likely to fall in-line with full refundability within the next few days?

 

I have a flight on American 3/23, returning 3/30. I'm 98% sure I'm not going regardless. It was a web special purchased with miles, so I'm praying for an announcement between now and then they will waive the reinstatement on the miles. Otherwise, I'll just be eating it, which sucks. 4 people RT on miles is a lot of miles.

[Patrick425]

I'm aware of the popular coronavirus tracking map put out there by John Hopkins U. However, is anyone aware of any site that has stats in regards to the breakdown of positive vs. negative results for all tests given so far. Possibly doesn't exist since I'm hearing that the government does not even have clear data on just the total number of tests administered to date (which seems crazy).

 

Just looked at what you are describing...believe it was the CDC website. It is outdated by a few days.

 

 

Is this what you are talking about? Still does not provide a breakdown of the results of each test.

 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/testing-in-us.html

 

Edit: Although I guess you could take the number of US cases on the JH site (1,323) and divide by number of tests on the CDC site (11,079) and come up with a rough estimate of percentage of positive results (approx 12%). Not sure if that is entirely accurate though.

[nodakfan17]

I don’t travel much, but have seen a few articles suggesting travel insurance doesn’t cover pandemic. Then what the heck does it cover? I thought it was supposed to protect individuals who saved up to take a ‘trip of a lifetime’ from this exact situation.

[LouisEly]

I don’t travel much, but have seen a few articles suggesting travel insurance doesn’t cover pandemic. Then what the heck does it cover? I thought it was supposed to protect individuals who saved up to take a ‘trip of a lifetime’ from this exact situation.

You actually have to be sick and/or be a high-risk person and have doctor's orders not to travel. Or be hospitalized, have a funeral for an immediate family member, be ordered by your employer not to travel, etc. You have to be legitimately unable to travel.

 

Travel insurance doesn't cover fear, and that's what this is right now - fear. If proper precautions are taken and you are a low risk person (relatively young, healthy, no underlying health conditions), the risk to you is low and the effects of the virus are minimal.

 

As others have said, the risk isn't to most people, it's spreading it to the small population of high-risk people.

[stoutdude04]

I think part of the issue is...everything is closed, so whatever you are traveling for may not be happening. I sure would like my insurance to cover that.

[PeaveyFury]

And the other issues is that when travel is restricted because you're advised not to travel because you're high risk or ordered not to by a governmental travel ban, it seems more than fair to expect that occurance to be covered by insurance.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I don’t travel much, but have seen a few articles suggesting travel insurance doesn’t cover pandemic. Then what the heck does it cover? I thought it was supposed to protect individuals who saved up to take a ‘trip of a lifetime’ from this exact situation.

You actually have to be sick and/or be a high-risk person and have doctor's orders not to travel. Or be hospitalized, have a funeral for an immediate family member, be ordered by your employer not to travel, etc. You have to be legitimately unable to travel.

 

Travel insurance doesn't cover fear, and that's what this is right now - fear. If proper precautions are taken and you are a low risk person (relatively young, healthy, no underlying health conditions), the risk to you is low and the effects of the virus are minimal.

 

As others have said, the risk isn't to most people, it's spreading it to the small population of high-risk people.

 

I disagree with this a lot. I have a really high threshold for bowing to this sort of thing. I've traveled despite warnings through numerous situations like this and "terror alerts" a few summers ago when people were abandoning Europe at a feverish pace. Yes, it's unlikely that a member of the low-risk population will die but that doesn't say anything about the 70 year old on your flight, the numerous people you come in contact with, or the fact that once you come back home your kids go back to school, and you go back to work, and you spread this thing like wildfire. That you can carry it for weeks and never experience real symptoms is pretty scary.

 

This will sound harsh, but I believe that right now, until we know more about this thing, traveling is really selfish and irresponsible. I'm bummed my spring break vacation is over but I am risking exposing local schools to this needlessly.

 

The airlines are bending a lot of their policies to issue refunds and waive fees. There are two sides of stupidity here; those buying 16 packs of Charmin and those pretending this isn't serious - not that you were doing that.

 

Edit: So maybe we don't really disagree, but I think there's more to this than just fear.

[GAME05]

Had training this week and we practiced handcuffing foam batons because we weren't supposed to touch each other. It was recognized by all that if we're going to be passing the foam batons between each other, we may as well just go hands-on because there's no difference.

 

I joked to the boss' boss' boss that we'll have to shut down all festivals in State Parks, who responded "We're looking into that and it'll probably happen."

[Samurai Bucky]

I heard that there were people that bought up as much of the toilet paper supply as they could. They were spotted in Germantown trying to sell it. It is believed they were from some of the inner sections of Milwaukee.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I heard that there were people that bought up as much of the toilet paper supply as they could. They were spotted in Germantown trying to sell it. It is believed they were from some of the inner sections of Milwaukee.

 

Whether or not this is true it's laughably stupid. If I run out I will wipe my rear with a cloth and machine wash the cloth. My kids were in cloth diapers and we survived basically that way for a long time.

[stoutdude04]

I heard that there were people that bought up as much of the toilet paper supply as they could. They were spotted in Germantown trying to sell it. It is believed they were from some of the inner sections of Milwaukee.

 

Whether or not this is true it's laughably stupid. If I run out I will wipe my rear with a cloth and machine wash the cloth. My kids were in cloth diapers and we survived basically that way for a long time.

 

Or just jump in the shower or something. My wife and I were low on TP earlier this week and we kinda kept putting it off. She went out last night to get some and she bought the last rolls in town from a local Kwik Trip. She got 6 rolls. The lady working said people have been coming from Madison(about 30-45 min) because there is none there.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I heard that there were people that bought up as much of the toilet paper supply as they could. They were spotted in Germantown trying to sell it. It is believed they were from some of the inner sections of Milwaukee.

 

Whether or not this is true it's laughably stupid. If I run out I will wipe my rear with a cloth and machine wash the cloth. My kids were in cloth diapers and we survived basically that way for a long time.

 

Or just jump in the shower or something. My wife and I were low on TP earlier this week and we kinda kept putting it off. She went out last night to get some and she bought the last rolls in town from a local Kwik Trip. She got 6 rolls. The lady working said people have been coming from Madison(about 30-45 min) because there is none there.

 

Well, at least your neighbor Karen has 400 rolls she binge-bought/hoarded on Tuesday in her closet all ready to go.

 

The lesson in all this - people can be pretty terrible.

[stoutdude04]

 

Well, at least your neighbor Karen has 400 rolls she binge-bought/hoarded on Tuesday in her closet all ready to go.

 

The lesson in all this - people can be pretty terrible.

 

Ha. I am actually concerned for my neighbor. She is an elderly lady that lives by herself(husband just passed). This entire situation just stinks.

[wallus]

 

Well, at least your neighbor Karen has 400 rolls she binge-bought/hoarded on Tuesday in her closet all ready to go.

 

The lesson in all this - people can be pretty terrible.

 

Ha. I am actually concerned for my neighbor. She is an elderly lady that lives by herself(husband just passed). This entire situation just stinks.

 

If you guys or that lady get short, shoot me a text and I can spare a few rolls.

[JosephC]

I already want to puke whenever I hear the term "social distancing."

[nodakfan17]

I always have a about year’s worth of paper products on hand because I’m pretty frugal and stock up when Target runs their ‘Free $15 Gift Card with $50 Purchase of Household Products deal.’ That being said, I have no idea why people want to be able to wipe their butts for 5 years when they probably only have enough food to last 2 weeks. Mob mentality, I guess?

[PeaveyFury]

That being said, I have no idea why people want to be able to wipe their butts for 5 years when they probably only have enough food to last 2 weeks. Mob mentality, I guess?

 

Such a good point. Quarantine is 14 days, not a year. I hope these people enjoy storing the 700 roles of TP in their garage for the next several months.

 

The TP thing in general is silly too. Do you own a shower and a washcloth? Problem solved, if you run out.

[MrTPlush]

I think the concept is not leaving your house, period. I don’t think it is about the 14 day period. Of course are people hoarding 2 months of TP actually not leaving their house? I doubt it. Flattering to think Americans care about having to quarantine. Probably hundreds with COVID-19 symptoms walking around because they don’t care. People are pretty selfish.

 

The media is why it is a problem though. Make a news story about one store running out of TP and everyone panics to go get some before their store has the same fate. My small town has a full aisle of TP and the store is like any other day of the year.