Coronavirus?

[Anon Inn]

Remember when our biggest worry was whether or not to use doilies?.

 

[gillumhouse]

My COUNTY decided taking temp a wearing masks was a requirement to enter the Polls to vote (everyone received the opportunity to vote absentee - I am a Poll worker). The temp requirement set off bells for me. I have a right to vote and THEY have no right to take my temp.
I contacted my State Secretary of State Office, e-mailed one of my US Senators, 2 statewide radio news people, called a County Commissioner twice (he gave me his number - fool), and messaged a candidate.
Today it was in the newspaper that on the advice of the County Prosecutor, BOTH of those requirements to enter the polls to vote have been rescinded. If you take a stand and do it sensibly, you CAN get changes when Rights are being violated.

 

[Morticia]

My COUNTY decided taking temp a wearing masks was a requirement to enter the Polls to vote (everyone received the opportunity to vote absentee - I am a Poll worker). The temp requirement set off bells for me. I have a right to vote and THEY have no right to take my temp.
I contacted my State Secretary of State Office, e-mailed one of my US Senators, 2 statewide radio news people, called a County Commissioner twice (he gave me his number - fool), and messaged a candidate.
Today it was in the newspaper that on the advice of the County Prosecutor, BOTH of those requirements to enter the polls to vote have been rescinded. If you take a stand and do it sensibly, you CAN get changes when Rights are being violated..

There is no reason any locality with a low transmission rate should do anything at all other than business as usual. It’s fortunate to live in a place that is unaffected.
Now, if an individual wants to exercise their civic responsibilities to the community by wearing a mask and keeping their distance from other people they should do just that. For some people it will mean voting by mail if they feel unsafe in their community.
We’re all doing the best we can.

 

[gillumhouse]

My COUNTY decided taking temp a wearing masks was a requirement to enter the Polls to vote (everyone received the opportunity to vote absentee - I am a Poll worker). The temp requirement set off bells for me. I have a right to vote and THEY have no right to take my temp.
I contacted my State Secretary of State Office, e-mailed one of my US Senators, 2 statewide radio news people, called a County Commissioner twice (he gave me his number - fool), and messaged a candidate.
Today it was in the newspaper that on the advice of the County Prosecutor, BOTH of those requirements to enter the polls to vote have been rescinded. If you take a stand and do it sensibly, you CAN get changes when Rights are being violated..

There is no reason any locality with a low transmission rate should do anything at all other than business as usual. It’s fortunate to live in a place that is unaffected.
Now, if an individual wants to exercise their civic responsibilities to the community by wearing a mask and keeping their distance from other people they should do just that. For some people it will mean voting by mail if they feel unsafe in their community.
We’re all doing the best we can.
.

Exactly, it was the taking the temp that got my shorts in a knot.

 

[user 26]

I hear your frustration and, believe me, my family has experienced severe financial hardship. A family restaurant may fail and it's heartbreaking. If the town will allow them to place tables outside along the edge of their building, they may be able to have some outdoor seating. But there isn't much space. They have filed a request to use some of the parking spaces. It's a small place, always 'packed' with people. To be successful, it has to be busy.
But I also am grieving for losing ANOTHER friend. I am in Massachusetts. My friend was in Delaware. Saw him last Spring when he did a few bike rides down on Cape Cod and one day rode up to Scituate to see me, about 40 miles. Fit. Life-long non smoker, no diabetes, no 'underlying health conditions'. He was 65, apparently a vulnerable age. He contracted the virus and became sick in mid March. We don't know how he caught it but hoped he would be one of those who recover and move on. But his condition suddenly worsened and he died on Monday.
I am beyond sad. I'm seeing no winners anywhere.

 

[Morticia]

I hear your frustration and, believe me, my family has experienced severe financial hardship. A family restaurant may fail and it's heartbreaking. If the town will allow them to place tables outside along the edge of their building, they may be able to have some outdoor seating. But there isn't much space. They have filed a request to use some of the parking spaces. It's a small place, always 'packed' with people. To be successful, it has to be busy.
But I also am grieving for losing ANOTHER friend. I am in Massachusetts. My friend was in Delaware. Saw him last Spring when he did a few bike rides down on Cape Cod and one day rode up to Scituate to see me, about 40 miles. Fit. Life-long non smoker, no diabetes, no 'underlying health conditions'. He was 65, apparently a vulnerable age. He contracted the virus and became sick in mid March. We don't know how he caught it but hoped he would be one of those who recover and move on. But his condition suddenly worsened and he died on Monday.
I am beyond sad. I'm seeing no winners anywhere..

I completely understand this. One member of my writing group died early on. It was a shock. Mostly because we had not had anyone die locally and he was such a pistol it’s hard to imagine him gone.
My town is working on closing streets for pedestrian traffic and restaurant tables. But, we are still closed because our hospitalization numbers are going up quickly.
Supposedly we can reopen to locals on Monday, but restaurants can only do outdoor dining or take away.
Some restaurants have ripped out shrubbery to make room for tables. We’ve added tables outside to help guests feel comfortable. But, until our area starts lowering, instead of increasing, hospital rates, we’re taking our time.
Hugs. I know it’s hard to lose a friend and not be able to do anything but send a card. And also difficult to watch family struggle. Several long-standing restaurants have closed citing the inability to make ends meet at 50% sales. And that’s WHEN they can reopen. Right now lodging is bleeding money.

 

[Arks]

Another sad story, seashanty. The really depressing thing, to me, is how few people, as a percent of the population, have had "it" and developed immunity (we assume). Arkansas is seeing about 150 new cases/day. Some days more, some less, but about 150. At that rate I calculate it will take 38 years for 70% to have had the virus, the percentage at which they say "herd immunity" develops.
If they CAN'T develop a vaccine, that's what we're facing. Basically, the old and sick need to be very careful, and everyone younger and healthier would need to "take one for the team," AKA sacrifice themselves and get sick and hope they recover. A very sad situation for humanity, and it's economy.

 

[Arks]

Much off topic but related to a pandemic, how about a book recommendation: Ken Follett's trilogy of novels about Middle Ages England. The second book, which I'm reading now on my Kindle, deals with England during the "Black Death" that killed 50% of Europe's population in the1350's. It took 200 years for Europe's population to return to pre-plague numbers.
I've been reading these books for a couple of months. The first one, The Pillars of the Earth, is set in 1100's England about the building of a cathedral, the second book, World Without End, is set in the same town a couple of hundred years later, and the third one, A Column of Fire, is set in the same town 200 years after that.
The connections between the plague and what we're facing now are amazing. The book was written in 2007 but it deals with the same arguments we hear now, over the wearing of masks and so many other things we've been facing today. Highly recommended reading.

 

[Tom]

My COUNTY decided taking temp a wearing masks was a requirement to enter the Polls to vote (everyone received the opportunity to vote absentee - I am a Poll worker). The temp requirement set off bells for me. I have a right to vote and THEY have no right to take my temp.
I contacted my State Secretary of State Office, e-mailed one of my US Senators, 2 statewide radio news people, called a County Commissioner twice (he gave me his number - fool), and messaged a candidate.
Today it was in the newspaper that on the advice of the County Prosecutor, BOTH of those requirements to enter the polls to vote have been rescinded. If you take a stand and do it sensibly, you CAN get changes when Rights are being violated..

Good for you! ... and exactly what they should have expected from you, given the history.

 

[gillumhouse]

My COUNTY decided taking temp a wearing masks was a requirement to enter the Polls to vote (everyone received the opportunity to vote absentee - I am a Poll worker). The temp requirement set off bells for me. I have a right to vote and THEY have no right to take my temp.
I contacted my State Secretary of State Office, e-mailed one of my US Senators, 2 statewide radio news people, called a County Commissioner twice (he gave me his number - fool), and messaged a candidate.
Today it was in the newspaper that on the advice of the County Prosecutor, BOTH of those requirements to enter the polls to vote have been rescinded. If you take a stand and do it sensibly, you CAN get changes when Rights are being violated..

Good for you! ... and exactly what they should have expected from you, given the history.
.

Very few of the voters wore masks. Instead of the normal 167 precincts, the County had 7 Polling places open on Election Day (with Early Voting for 2 weeks prior and anyone who wanted to vote absentee could request an absentee ballot just because of the virus) due to difficulty getting Poll Workers (usually us old folks).
We had 14 Precincts at my location. Knowing that in advance, I took lunch bags and numbered them for each precinct and had 3 different colors of thread for stringing poll slips. We closed the Polls at 7:30 and by 8:00 ALL those in line at 7:30 had voted. I filled out some forms, the supply commissioners filled out others and we were pulling out to take the ballot thumb drive & ballot box to the courthouse at 8:45. We had almost 900 voters. WV has had VERY few COVID cases. People are LIVING again.

 

[Anon Inn]

Much off topic but related to a pandemic, how about a book recommendation: Ken Follett's trilogy of novels about Middle Ages England. The second book, which I'm reading now on my Kindle, deals with England during the "Black Death" that killed 50% of Europe's population in the1350's. It took 200 years for Europe's population to return to pre-plague numbers.
I've been reading these books for a couple of months. The first one, The Pillars of the Earth, is set in 1100's England about the building of a cathedral, the second book, World Without End, is set in the same town a couple of hundred years later, and the third one, A Column of Fire, is set in the same town 200 years after that.
The connections between the plague and what we're facing now are amazing. The book was written in 2007 but it deals with the same arguments we hear now, over the wearing of masks and so many other things we've been facing today. Highly recommended reading..

I loved The Pillars of the Earth. I'll look for World Without End when the library re-opens. Thanks for the recommendation!

 

[Anon Inn]

I hear your frustration and, believe me, my family has experienced severe financial hardship. A family restaurant may fail and it's heartbreaking. If the town will allow them to place tables outside along the edge of their building, they may be able to have some outdoor seating. But there isn't much space. They have filed a request to use some of the parking spaces. It's a small place, always 'packed' with people. To be successful, it has to be busy.
But I also am grieving for losing ANOTHER friend. I am in Massachusetts. My friend was in Delaware. Saw him last Spring when he did a few bike rides down on Cape Cod and one day rode up to Scituate to see me, about 40 miles. Fit. Life-long non smoker, no diabetes, no 'underlying health conditions'. He was 65, apparently a vulnerable age. He contracted the virus and became sick in mid March. We don't know how he caught it but hoped he would be one of those who recover and move on. But his condition suddenly worsened and he died on Monday.
I am beyond sad. I'm seeing no winners anywhere..

Hugs.
So sorry for the loss of your friend.