COVID-19 Thread [V2.0]

[pacopete4]

Having the babies on the way for us have made us cautious of having anyone come to our place down here by Milwaukee. My wife's virtual baby shower was last weekend and her sister was on her way from Wausau to be her one support person for it. She called about 20-minutes from our place and was crying because her boyfriend that she lives with tested positive. She had to turn around and quarantine herself. Talk about lucky for us on that one.

[MrTPlush]

I have already avoided going to a baby shower and I forced the other half not to go to someone's bridal shower because the family hosting it is the exact kind of people doing reckless things weekly not following safety guidelines. Of course that wedding is slowly approaching at the start of December. Hopefully they are forced to call it off because they are way too careless and dumb to voluntarily do it. I have already told me other half I am not going to it...complete insanity in my opinion. I don't think I can get her to not go though.

[TURBO]

Trick or treating, another stupid idea in the middle of a Pandemic when numbers continue to rise. We are not participating this year.

 

Of course, I don't have any small kids at home to complicate the issue, so it is pretty easy to turn off the porch light and let the neighbors contribute to the insanity. I just can't bring myself to be part of that.

[TURBO]

My wife's side of the family (her siblings) are being 100% reckless. Makes no sense since both have health issues... My sister in law just flew to Atlanta a couple weeks ago to visit a friend. They went to shows, out to eat at restaurants, all the tourists things as if nothing is going on. This week, they are in Branson being tourists, same thing, shows, restaurants, etc... They also want us to meet them in the Dells for a weekend in November. They just don't get it.

 

They will be applying pressure to us to have a Christmas gathering, but it ain't going to happen.

 

My side of the family is being careful, so not having a Christmas celebration will suck, but everyone involved understands. My parents are both in their 70's, and my Mom just got through radiation treatments, so she is totally at risk. Hoping to have a Christmas in July instead, however, even that is not guaranteed at this point.

[danzig6767]

My daughter and I went skydiving last weekend. We drove together and hugged a few times before/after finishing the skydive.

 

She then calls me a few days later and says that the husband who lives under her in the duplex tested positive after having a cold like symptoms, but his wife later tested negative. Kinda odd, makes me wonder if either test was inaccurate.

 

Well, both my daughter and I have felt zero symptoms, but were we supposed to get tested anyways given she is also friends with that couple living below her? Not sure on this stuff.

 

We did cancel plans to go out to eat for both mine and my sister's birthday. Beyond that, i don't know.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Trick or treating, another stupid idea in the middle of a Pandemic when numbers continue to rise.

 

It's about as low risk of an activity as you can get. Sit around outside at a card table with a bowl of candy while kids grab it and move along. Nobody is getting Covid by grabbing a Snickers and walking around the block. The simple solution is not participating if you are worried/at risk.

 

There is no reason for mass cancellations of a voluntary neighborhood activity. I'm sorry but this stuff is just getting silly. We can't continue to cancel every thing that brings to joy to everyone for multiple years while waiting for a vaccine that we were once told might be ready last month.

 

I have a really hard time believing that a Covid outbreak anywhere will have its roots in ToT.

[LouisEly]

On the news this morning they suggested using a long tube to deliver candy to the kids. Not a dumb idea, get 6+ feet of PVC pipe and slide the candy down to them.

[homer]

My daughter and I went skydiving last weekend. We drove together and hugged a few times before/after finishing the skydive.

 

She then calls me a few days later and says that the husband who lives under her in the duplex tested positive after having a cold like symptoms, but his wife later tested negative. Kinda odd, makes me wonder if either test was inaccurate.

 

Well, both my daughter and I have felt zero symptoms, but were we supposed to get tested anyways given she is also friends with that couple living below her? Not sure on this stuff.

 

We did cancel plans to go out to eat for both mine and my sister's birthday. Beyond that, i don't know.

 

 

I would get tested just in case.

[homer]

On the news this morning they suggested using a long tube to deliver candy to the kids. Not a dumb idea, get 6+ feet of PVC pipe and slide the candy down to them.

 

That actually sounds kind of fun.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I think the tube is kind of fun and makes light of the circumstances. If this sort of thing makes people comfortable enough to participate then it's better than the alternative, but I can't help but laugh at it. Most people are not isolating anymore. They're exposed every day at work, the store, their kids going to sports. I live next to a school, I see what these kids are doing at 3:05 every day, once the masks come off.

 

Also, just sounds like the end of that tube will be a saliva and booger hand reservoir more than just an open bowl of candy.

 

If you're in a risk group just shut the light off. Otherwise I just don't see why ToT can't happen. It's not presenting a risk that isn't already being taken by most people. I'm venturing to guess that most participants are exactly what I am describing, people who are already participating in a bunch of activities. I think calling it "insanity" is a huge stretch.

[TURBO]

Anything that promotes contact and socialization is insanity. I stand by my opinion on trick or treating.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Anything that promotes contact and socialization is insanity. I stand by my opinion on trick or treating.

 

A grocery store "promotes contact." Your Utopia sounds like a breeding ground for depression. It sounds like you are content to lock yourself inside for an unlimited amount of time. Sounds a bit more insane to me than people who think that's a bit of overkill.

 

Look, it shouldn't surprise anyone that a guy in his 50s thinks Trick or Treat isn't necessary. I on the other hand think that 8 months into this, it's time to get on with life. Cancelling ToT isn't going to make Covid go away.

 

All these measures at this point are like ants scrambling with granules of sand to stop some kid with a garden hose. It's time to live again. It's probably not the right year for drunken costume parties (which will also happen anyway) but ToT can be done safely and like most of the exaggerations throughout this thing, will probably go off just fine.

 

Sorry I just think the idea is a joke. Bars are open everyday and most kids are playing football but we're going to ax ToT and save lives?

 

We are not going to distance and mask this thing away. We had our shot and blew it half a year ago. How many things that make life worth living are we just going to keep kicking down the road until things magically get better? We need a vaccine. It's the only out at this point.

[bani1717]

Speaking of travel, good news on flying. I know you were talking more about being in WI itself, but somewhat relevant. Hopefully this holds true and gets back up by other studies.

 

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/risk-covid-19-exposure-planes-virtually-nonexistent-masked/story?id=73616599

 

I'd get on a plane tomorrow. The problem is what you do once you're there and if the destination will even let you in. I had a trip to New Mexico for November I just cancelled due to their quarantine. I officially killed one to Japan for March, as there is just no way we go from banned to leisurely in five months.

 

I took a trip to Disney World last month with my family. Planes are relatively safe (air circulation and enforced mask requirements). I also firmly believe that Disney World is one of the safest places to be "in a crowd" based on the enforced mask requirements and other safety measures they take seriously. To my knowledge there have not been any outbreaks tied to Disney World. All in all the only potentially questionable aspects were the time spent in the airport itself and indoor dining at Disney. The former involved higher mask compliance than expected, and the latter involves temperature checks and other safety measures, so still safer than your average experience with indoor activities.

 

I still wouldnt necessarily recommend a trip to Disney World right now, but that's moreso due to the fact that so many aspects of the normal experience have been scaled back than due to safety.

 

I literally felt safer going to Disney World for a week than I would feel working out at my gym (where I know mask compliance is very low). I actually can't believe my gym hasn't had an outbreak yet.

[adambr2]

Anything that promotes contact and socialization is insanity. I stand by my opinion on trick or treating.

 

A grocery store "promotes contact." Your Utopia sounds like a breeding ground for depression. It sounds like you are content to lock yourself inside for an unlimited amount of time. Sounds a bit more insane to me than people who think that's a bit of overkill.

 

Look, it shouldn't surprise anyone that a guy in his 50s thinks Trick or Treat isn't necessary. I on the other hand think that 8 months into this, it's time to get on with life. Cancelling ToT isn't going to make Covid go away.

 

All these measures at this point are like ants scrambling with granules of sand to stop some kid with a garden hose. It's time to live again. It's probably not the right year for drunken costume parties (which will also happen anyway) but ToT can be done safely and like most of the exaggerations throughout this thing, will probably go off just fine.

 

Sorry I just think the idea is a joke. Bars are open everyday and most kids are playing football but we're going to ax ToT and save lives?

 

We are not going to distance and mask this thing away. We had our shot and blew it half a year ago. How many things that make life worth living are we just going to keep kicking down the road until things magically get better? We need a vaccine. It's the only out at this point.

 

I agree with all these points.

 

At some point, you have to start weighing saving lives against quality of life. If your life expectancy is 25 more years, and you spend 22 of them hunkered down avoiding any sort of unnecessary contact with civilization to increase your survival chances by a miniscule amount, what sort of life is that? I realize that timeline is probably an exaggeration, but the point is the same.

 

My grandmother died at 94 this month, she had 5 children. All were at her bedside -- except one, her only son. He's 70, and despite being in good physical health for his age with no underlying conditions, he refused to travel to be with her because of COVID-19. This was his mother. He was not there when she passed, and he was not at the funeral. I respect his decision, but I hope for his sake he does not regret it some day.

 

I can't make these decisions for everyone, but I was there at the funeral. I am 38, so I have ...maybe 50 years remaining? I'm not going to spend them in hiding. I do wear masks, I do take precautions, and I do stay home more than I used to. I do try to find "fun" activities that are also "safe". And I do weigh all my social decisions on whether the risk is worth the experience, but I'm not going to put my life on hold.

 

Coronavirus is bad, but this also isn't the bubonic plague, and shouldn't be treated as such.

 

COVID or no COVID, none of us is getting off this earth alive.

[homer]

There's a difference between staying in a bunker and going out and being responsible for your health and the health of those around you. Wear a mask, stay 6 feet apart, keep your interactions short, and stay outdoors as much as you can when you do interact with other people. The "gotta live your life!" people need to realize that it's not about them. This isn't like going on a free solo climb of El Capitan where the only one you are putting at risk is yourself. You have to think of other people too.

[tmwiese55]

Generally agree with Snapper points here. We have to be aware and take everything seriously but there is a middle ground to be able to get out and still live and do stuff. While being cautious while you do them. With how much people are back to work/school etc micro analyzing tiny things like ToT is probably a blip on the radar. Similar to at the beginning with taking nets out of basketball hoops.

 

Remember a few weeks ago when I was called a conspiracy theorist and this was made up, in spite of report after report on the topic. This is relevant to the recent vaccine undermining talk, this type of thing can't happen with the vaccine. It has to be political free and left to the scientists on the best route.

https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-pandemics-public-health-new-york-e321f4c9098b4db4dd6b1eda76a5179e

[Machu Peach]

Remember a few weeks ago when I was called a conspiracy theorist and this was made up, in spite of report after report on the topic. This is relevant to the recent vaccine undermining talk, this type of thing can't happen with the vaccine. It has to be political free and left to the scientists on the best route.

https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-pandemics-public-health-new-york-e321f4c9098b4db4dd6b1eda76a5179e

 

If you'd like to go through the issues I had with your statements a few weeks ago I'd be happy to do that, though that's probably best left to PMs. To summarize, I thought your statement "CDC has been corrupted by politics now, eliminate them from the convo. It will be crazy the stories we hear once those people are allowed to speak freely." was a good example of "trust[ing] the science" only when it supports your preconceived beliefs.

 

It also appears you're confused on CDC's role in the vaccine approval process. FDA, not CDC, approves new vaccines.

[tmwiese55]

I get your point but that's not what i'm saying. And I wasn't saying to not trust their studies. I was saying to not hold the back and forth in their communications against the science, the comms are getting all messed up right now by politics. I'm saying to trust the science, keep the politics out, and there is plenty of evidence the politics has been interfering with what they're being allowed to say, or they get scolded and then change what they say. This makes them look bad. I don't see how that's controversial at all and its supported by tons of info. It's not a preconceived notion I had this is happening, it's been reported over and over and this today shows how/why. I guess if your take is all this info is made up, then we'll just agree to disagree on the topic. I appreciate your contributions here.

 

I get that CDC isn't involved and its a different group. I'm saying what has been happening there can't happen with the vaccine as well or the problem you and I both fear of people not trusting the vaccine is going to be higher than it needs to be. Reports like I just showed, and the dozens that have happened the whole time, if they come out saying the same thing is happening with the vaccine will undermine the public confidence. They need to stay out of it so there isn't people involved leaking info that we've been pressured to do this this and this, etc. And of course, the media can't grasp at straws type BS either to get clicks if it's not happening.

[Machu Peach]

The statement that I had/have issue with, "CDC has been corrupted by politics now, eliminate them from the convo. It will be crazy the stories we hear once those people are allowed to speak freely." is significantly different than what you're saying now. I do think statements like that are conspiracy theory level nonsense.

 

I don't necessarily completely agree with what you're saying now, but I wouldn't describe it as conspiracy theory level nonsense.

[tmwiese55]

So those reports are all made up, ok we'll disagree. I had no preconceived notion on the topic, my notion is literally these reports. My crazy conspiracy is simply that I believe the dozens of reports by countless reputable media outlets on this over the last few months, and this one yesterday seemed to be pretty clear. And that I think it shouldn't be happening. And I don't want it to happen with the vaccine. Even if the science actually never gets compromised in anyway, having stuff like this happen undermines the public perception, which I don't want and helps lead to the mass not listening we have going on now. If that's crazy nonsense conspiracy to you so be it. I don't know how you'd disagree with me that if it's happening it shouldn't and that you wouldn't want it in the vaccine process. So it comes to whether you believe the countless reports, I do, you don't. Like I said, agree to disagree. Perhaps your possible preconceived notion on media bias is a factor too to consider. Essentially your saying that either sources in the CDC are lying in these leaks or that the media itself is literally making it up.

 

Yes that opening statement was too broad and could be read to be the actual research etc was compromised, and was clarified right away. What's missed was that I think it was in response to someone saying how we can't believe the science people because of the contradictions they keep making, they say one thing then roll it back, then say another, then eventually say it etc. I was saying don't hold that against the science in general, because they're dealing with this in there now.

[AKCheesehead]

A family member just passed after contracting it from family. No way can I handle the thought of picking it up and bringing it to my parents for Christmas. So my decision about holiday travel is settled.

[Machu Peach]

I'm not making the claims you're ascribing to me. I did not say "the reports are made up." You can quote me if you feel I did.

 

I've previously mentioned I've worked for the Feds and still have many friends at CDC. Reporters aren't the only ones with 'sources'.

 

I feel I've made my point. You can have the last word. Message me if you need to continue for some reason.

[jerichoholicninja]

Anything that promotes contact and socialization is insanity. I stand by my opinion on trick or treating.

 

A grocery store "promotes contact." Your Utopia sounds like a breeding ground for depression. It sounds like you are content to lock yourself inside for an unlimited amount of time. Sounds a bit more insane to me than people who think that's a bit of overkill.

 

Look, it shouldn't surprise anyone that a guy in his 50s thinks Trick or Treat isn't necessary. I on the other hand think that 8 months into this, it's time to get on with life. Cancelling ToT isn't going to make Covid go away.

 

All these measures at this point are like ants scrambling with granules of sand to stop some kid with a garden hose. It's time to live again. It's probably not the right year for drunken costume parties (which will also happen anyway) but ToT can be done safely and like most of the exaggerations throughout this thing, will probably go off just fine.

 

Sorry I just think the idea is a joke. Bars are open everyday and most kids are playing football but we're going to ax ToT and save lives?

 

We are not going to distance and mask this thing away. We had our shot and blew it half a year ago. How many things that make life worth living are we just going to keep kicking down the road until things magically get better? We need a vaccine. It's the only out at this point.

 

[sarcasm]Why do you want grandma to die?[/sarcasm]

 

But seriously, this is where I and a whole lot of other people are too. But if you say this you're called a hoaxer, or a Trumper, don't believe science, or a whole bunch of other irrelevant nonsense.

[PeaveyFury]

But seriously, this is where I and a whole lot of other people are too.

 

Just to be clear, though, even though this is 'where you are at', it doesn't mean that it's the correct/socially responsible place to be. Let's call a spade a spade- people are indeed sick of the restrictions, and a lot are making choices that are directly causing the spike we're seeing right now.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

But seriously, this is where I and a whole lot of other people are too.

 

Just to be clear, though, even though this is 'where you are at', it doesn't mean that it's the correct/socially responsible place to be. Let's call a spade a spade- people are indeed sick of the restrictions, and a lot are making choices that are directly causing the spike we're seeing right now.

 

Yes and no. If you are tossing your hat in the air and going out to the bar like the old days, sure. If you are holding and attending weddings where everyone dances and gets drunk, sure. Refuse to wear a mask just because you're sick of it? Yes.

 

Trick or treat? Playing soccer at the park? Meh. There has to be some middle ground. Everyone lock down and watch Netflix isn't a feasible plan for 8 months.

 

I don't have any numbers on this, but weddings seem to be an enormous culprit, which is frustrating because there is absolutely nothing urgent about holding a wedding. It can be done any time. But nearly everyone I know personally who got this has traced it back to a wedding.