I’m not sure it was really secrecy. Many organizations mentioned the mayor’s office in some way (that was how I pieced it together), so I don’t think they were told the conversations were confidential. (Honestly, it was a relief to figure it out because something wasn’t adding it up and it was on the verge of scaring me spitless.)
It was just done in a personal way rather than a public way. I think it got much better results than if they had just made a public decree “We think all museums should close and here’s why.” It wasn’t really a duplicitous process, but more a collaborative one to try to avoid being heavy handed.
But, I think it did send mixed messages to people about how to best conduct themselves. And relied on people to have a certain amount of perception to determine the correct course of action. And it’s obviously not working for 100% of the public at large despite the 30 Days to Slow the Spread. Thankfully, the improvement in the models suggests enough of the public is getting it.
Unfortunately, I think think there are some blatant examples (NYC) where subtlety didn’t work. So someone (Cuomo) had to step in.
I think there are some places the officials still aren’t understanding the approach: “We are giving you the situation details so you can make the best decision” is being interpreted as “We’re not telling you what to do so whatever course you choose is equally ok.”
For instance, re-opening Georgia’s beaches seems premature. They haven’t peaked yet and the latest model predicts them to have 50% more deaths than Texas, despite Texas having seven times the population.
The new recommendation that everyone should wear a mask is being done NOT to protect the wearer as much as to protect everyone else. If everyone wears a mask, then anyone who may be shedding the virus but not yet know it will not cough/sneeze the virus onto surfaces, minimizing spread. Of course, a lot of people think the purpose of the mask is to protect the wearer…although, that isn’t as much the case. It DOES help, however, in that it helps minimize you touching your own contaminated hands to your face.
Anyhow, point being, yesterday, my wife sewed up herself a mask using some old fabric she had laying around. Here I am modeling it. Note that this mask is intended for herself not me. The floral patterns and all. But she’s making several more today, including one for me that doesn’t involve flowers. My DS20’s girlfriend requested my wife make one for her, her own mother, and her mother’s boyfriend.
I don’t like the idea of wearing masks. I hate them. But actually, this thing wasn’t too bad. I have a face mask in the garage that is meant for protecting your lungs when sawing/dealing with sawdust, etc. I tried to wear that, but it was horribly uncomfortable and difficult to breathe in. So that became a hard “no”.
I don’t know if this helps, but here is one way it is helping.
Detroit, which has been the main hot spot in Michigan, has had their hospitals overwhelmed with cases. I read this morning that Beaumont Hospitals have 1500 cases among their staff. Another hospital said 750 workers have it. At least 3 health care workers have died. (Okay…that’s not the part that’s meant to be encouraging…because it is also sad.)
In a few weeks time, however, we’ll have like 2250 health care workers who are now immune and can work with those who are coming down with it without fear. I imagine the same is happening all across the country. Our health care workers are, today, much like the soldiers of yesteryear who have defended this country. They are on the frontlines. But they will come out of this on the other side with the ability to better protect everyone else. We need them to be sick NOW (in a sense) so that if we have another uptick in cases, they are ready to go without further risk to themselves. It means more HUMAN resources are available next time…resources that this time around are being overwhelmed. It means that those health care workers who have not/did not contract coronavirus may be able to return to more normal non-COVID-related tasks, etc.
It may not be a LOT…but it is something.
And, related to this…I was thinking this morning about how we often have memorials in our country marking key moments in our history where people lost their lives. Pearl Harbor memorial, 9/11 memorial at the site of the two towers, the tomb of the unknown soldier, etc. And it makes me wonder what the memorial will be like for this. Will there be a day dedicated to the fearless healthcare workers where we celebrate their hardship and, in some cases, ultimate sacrifice to protect our people? Like a Veteran’s Day or a Memorial Day?
And I agree. These healthcare workers are warriors.
But isn’t it happening only in large cities. Which will absolutely help for the next go around. But my hospital -though it has 45 Covid patients now- has had very few sick staff members PTL .
So, with this philosophy in mind, is the opinion that once we can start relaxing some of these stay-at-home rules, it’s better for people to be getting this and getting immunity than staying at home for extended periods of time? Because that’s been my thought from the start, but I’ve had people thinking I’m crazy for even suggesting this. Obviously, right now, in the heat of all of it, that’s not a good idea. But I think having generally healthy people get this, fight it, and build immunity is a much better solution than staying locked up indefinitely.
I think it takes balance. Flattening the curve is definitely important. But there is definitely a benefit for those who are going to be dealing with the people infected with COVID to be immune to it.
People are going to get it, no doubt. And, despite all the push to get some kind of treatment/vaccine, the amount of time it will take means a LOT of people will get it. But we need the resources in place, medically speaking, to handle it. We’re buying time now to ramp up those resources. Ford, GM, and now even Tesla are all working to make ventilators, for example.
What is REALLY in short supply right now? Levity. We need more levity.
In all of this, the fact is, our family has, thus far, come away fairly unscathed. I don’t mean unscathed from illness (which we have), but unscathed by a significant change in normalcy.
Yes, things are different now. But all in all, other than the fact that my commute to work involves walking down the stairs to the basement rather than driving 30+ minutes, we’re living a somewhat normal life. Consolidating our shopping a bit. But we’re still watching the same TV, still planning and cooking meals, still working (at least for now). I still go out running a few times a week. (Actually, I’m running MORE now than before.) Saving money on gas. Getting projects done around the house. “Going” to church on-line. The biggest loss we’re experiencing really is Disney. But in the grand scheme of things, that’s nothing.
I know this isn’t the case for a lot of people. But I can’t help but recognize that I’m feeling quite blessed at the moment.
This strictly because they are looking to avoid the battle with these churches screaming about freedom of religion. Even though I firmly believe jusdicial review would go against churches, particularly under these pandemic circumstances.
And even if you are the type that believes the constitution allows you to do whatever you want, no matter what, these people are on a base level the opposite of what they claim. IMO, I don’t know how you call yourself a Christian when you clearly care nothing about your fellow man and only about the outward trappings of your religion. NYC is still having issues with groups of Hasidic Jews publicly flouting as well.
Where we are schools are out for the rest of this school year. That may help re: surging cases. All those kids returning to their petri dishes and then bringing it home to potentially vulnerable populations is bad. So maybe not having schools in will go some way towards allowing more cases, but now too many more cases?
It’s impossible. But people will have to go back to work.
Every morning, I literally stop and think about how blessed I feel. Our family is healthy. My husband and I are both still working. The kids are able to remote learn with little problem. We go out for daily walks to get fresh air, but stay away from other people. Without going out to eat and the kids’ various activities, we’re actually saving some money. We had already decided at the end of last year that we weren’t taking any kind of major vacation this year, so we’re not missing out on that. We are truly blessed.
I was not particularly on board with the masks for everyone, and very annoyed when Polis “recommended” everyone wear them while out. I’ve read a bunch of different articles on the potential efficacy in general, but also of differing fabrics. Most, if not all are regarding SARS or influenza. But long story short, numbers are all over the place.
I also think that this may make people think they are now protected and they will go out more. In relation to this, I’ve seen several posts online completely attributing Asian countries low numbers to the fact that many wear masks all the time. No, and potentially dangerous thinking.
Having to wear a mask makes me feel claustrophobic. In addition, it will not only not make me touch my face more, but also more than I do. 100% chance I’m going to adjust it every 2 minutes. Bad. I’m better off with my plastic gloves. Gloves make me hyper aware of where my hands go and to not touch my face.
This is the group NYC has also gone rounds with over the amount of unvaccinated students and staff in the schools which are Orthodox but are supported by public funds. Several were closed when there was a large measles outbreak in the communities, especially in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn last year, and the amount to which they had been providing false records if any records at all became painfully apparent.
Again, the point of the masks recommendations is NOT to protect you from others, but to protect others from you.
If you are shedding the virus (which has now been shown to be happen MOST early on, when you may not even realize you are sick) then your gloves are doing no one any good at all. You will breathe, talk, potentially cough or sneeze the virus out, which lands on the surfaces that others touch.
If EVERYONE is wearing masks, then it makes it VERY difficult for ANYONE to shed the virus without knowing it.
I made one of the surgeon general DIY bandana-and-rubber-band masks to wear to the grocery store yesterday. It really wasn’t too bad. Maybe 20% of people had some kind of mask on.
Doesn’t change the wildly varying stats of efficacy. It doesn’t change the claustrophobic feeling. It doesn’t change the fact that wearing the mask will likely put me much more at risk of contracting.
It doesn’t change anything in my comment. Especially concerning the gloves and their usefulness to me.
Yeah, I’ve been following those stories as well for quite awhile. I’m really bothered by the destruction of herd immunity. Regarding the yeshivas, this issue is probably compounded by the complete incompetence of the the DOE Chancellor.
Yes I also saw an article somewhere on a mainstream news site showing a graph of cell phone usage and how it shows who is social distancing more in what states (of the US).
My DS20’s girlfriend requested my wife make one for her, her own mother, and her mother’s boyfriend.
