They are stealth. Keep an eye on your state leaders.
Arizona state leaders have quietly changed recommendations for school metrics as COVID-19 cases are rising. Changed in a bad way.
The original document from this summer states, “Schools should start preparing for virtual learning when one or more of the benchmarks are in the substantial spread category,” it stated.
The new recommendation on page six now states all three benchmarks should be in the red, “If a county has all three benchmarks in the red category, they should prepare to transition to virtual learning, and consult with their local health department.”
Thankfully these are not mandates but...serious?
It is kinda of hard to comprehend that as so many states are struggling so much that the restrictions on many are either low or gone. In my state, there isn't much of anything right now. One of my family members was put in a nursing home earlier this year and until recently the restrictions on things were very strict (no hugging, visits only outside, masks, and having to pass a series of questions to even get in). Now, as our state goes in the red again and death rates are climbing everyday, the nursing home stopped even enforcing even the masks. It's very hard to see someone you love in a nursing home (and through this not being able to hug or touch). But now, it makes you worry if so many inconsistent rules are going on even in the places that are supposed to stick to them. I don't see as many people wearing masks right now like in the grocery store. I don't understand why something so simple and basic is such a sticking defiant thing to do (wearing mask, social distance and basically just doing all you can to keep each other safe and protected).
The "newness" of Covid is wearing off and folks are reverting back to old habits. For many, it doesn't feel as urgent or scary as it did many months ago. Some places that already had major Covid spikes are in their later phases of reopening so restrictions in those places aren't as strict and individual businesses have more room in what they decide to enforce. And, of course, there are the anti-maskers spreading their misinformation on top of everything else.
I agree that more people should be wearing masks (and wearing them properly) until we're in a much better place with this pandemic.
@melmystery I agree about the newness for some people wearing off or they are just plain tired of doing precautions. It's just frustrating. I've dealt with health issues most of my life personally and with close family members. You do what you have to do to take care of yourself and those around you. The one thing I've always thought was that the majority of people care about others and pull together in times of crisis. I always believed that people are basically decent and caring and even if they are strangers most don't like to see others suffer (I know its a bit naive). The year and this administration has truly shaken that belief. My grandmother always taught me to go by two things: that you should always treat others how you want to be treated and that you have to keep going forward no matter what you go through in life. I've just never seen so many people be this insensitive and uncaring when so many people are suffering and scared.
I agree that it's frustrating that people won't take precautions and how much meanness and selfishness among portions of the population has come to light. I too was taught to treat others the way I want to be treated and it was a wake up call in my early adulthood to realize there are a lot of people who don't subscribe to this ethic.
Whenever I see these people in the stores without masks (or not wearing them properly), whenever I see anti-maskers spreading the idea that this virus is a hoax, whenever I see super spreader events in the news with no one taking even basic precautions, I think to myself that this is how civilizations end (through human arrogance, refusal to cooperate and help others, and refusal to accept basic facts necessary for survival). Hopefully it doesn't come to that, but when you add in the political situation since 2016 and all the stupidity that came out of that too, you have to wonder.
Utah has sent emergency alert messages telling people of the rapidly rising Covid cases and how the hospitals are being overwhelmed.
I have some news from over here in Melbourne, Australia.
We did it. We've survived the 2nd wave.
(I've tried very hard not to cry at that time when I first heard the news.)
Currently, we're having zero new cases and deaths for days now. There are 61 active cases, where 2 of them hospitialised but not in ICU.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-01/victoria-records-no-new-coronavirus-cases/12836364
The lockdown has been easing as a result of that, so a lot of people around the city are celebrating with donuts and bagels since they look like zeros (get it?). All of this is due to heavy lockdowns that occur, along with social distancing and masks. (At this time of writing, we're still doing social distencing and masks despite the easing of lockdowns.)
While I'm celebrating like everyone else in Melbourne, I have to admit I feel a bit muted because I'm very concern for my friends in the US in regards to the troubling development in both covid and politics. As a result of that, there are days where I have to stay home so I can hang out with some of my American friends online to show solidarity, as I've learnt during the lockdowns that having support from friends and family helps to ease a lot of pain. Even if it's just via by zoom.
A Stanford University regression analysis found that Trump's 18 rallies held from June to September, have likely caused 30,000 people to get covid-19 and 700 to die.
Since that study Donald Trump has held another three dozen rallies which, if the model is correct, would mean another 60,000 infected and 1400 deaths.
- Setting aside the fact that Donald Trump did not protect Americans from covid in all the ways that a country's leader is equipped and mandated to protect his people; while other countries have protected their people.
- Setting aside the fact that Donald Trump had the national intelligence back in January but blocked that information, while actually claiming to people that Covid was a hoax.
- Setting aside the fact that Trump started a trend among followers NOT to protect themselves from covid, on top of all that, Donald Trump additionally held mass gathering events with no social distancing and no masks that likely resulted in 2100 deaths.
The study was a statistical analysis done by University economists who created a statistical model that predicts the spread of covid in Based on their models, the researchers concluded that on average, the 18 events produced increases in confirmed cases of more than 250 per 100,000 residents. Extrapolating that figure to the 18 rallies, they concluded that the gatherings ultimately resulted in more than 30,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and that the rallies had “likely led to more than 700 deaths,” though those deaths would not necessarily have occurred solely among attendees.
They compared the 18 counties where Mr. Trump held rallies with as many as 200 counties with similar demographics and similar trajectories of confirmed Covid-19 cases before the rally date, and they found that on average, the 18 events produced increases in confirmed cases of more than 250 per 100,000 residents. This finding was extrapolated to the populations of those areas to produce 30,000 cases and 700 deaths.
In pandemic news, As many as 17 million minks are to be culled in Denmark after a mutated version of the coronavirus that can spread to humans was detected on mink farms.
The virus spread from humans to minks and now back again to humans, but mutated. This is bad news. They are worried .
Cases are spreading fast in Denmark, and five cases of the new virus strain were found on mink farms. Twelve people had become infected, the authorities said.
Prime Minister Frederiksen described the situation as "very, very serious".
She cited a government report which said the mutated virus had been found to weaken the body's ability to form antibodies, potentially making the current vaccines under development for Covid-19 ineffective.
"We have a great responsibility towards our own population, but with the mutation that has now been found, we have an even greater responsibility for the rest of the world as well," she told a news conference.
@lovendures Definitely not good and if animals continue to be raised in close quarters in inhumane conditions this is not the first Pandemic we will see in coming years.
Sadly, I read that too and what was funny was I said to myself "I'm going to read this article being posted in the forum by Lovendures" - bam here it was posted by you!
The article has nothing funny in it - just that I felt I knew you were going to post it.
@lovendures In my town we just passed a measure last week banning the sale of all animal fur. Aside from the obvious cruelty issues, the proponents cited the rise of this mink-to-human covid mutation in Denmark. We are the first town in the state to pass the measure and the proponents hope it will cause other towns to follow suit and eventually make it to the state level.
Also Nordstrom's announced in September that they are no longer selling animal fur and exotic animal skin as of the end of 2021. It amazed me that their stock price actually went up after this announcement, an indication of a coming trend. Nordstrom's is the first major department store to take this step.
I listened to this video of folks in a small town in the Ozarks of Missouri explain why the only medical nurse and practitioner are "hated" by the town and people do not wear masks. They see someone wearing one and say "democrat". This was truly so sad to hear how they feel. But, it's an eye opener on what many non-mask wearers are thinking. I would like to send lots of healing light to these people and pray they change their opinions.
https://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2020/10/31/rural-america-covid-spike-ozarks-missouri-orig.cnn
You know me well. :D
There has been a problem with minks and the virus for some time now but the transfer from humans to minks and back again with a mutation...that is scary. It is also horribly sad for the minks. Well, it is always sad for them isn't it?
When does it go into effect for your town? I would imagine things have been bought for the holiday season already.
Good for Nordstrom's.
@lovendures If approved by the MA attorney general, the ban would go into effect Oct. 28, 2021. My hope is that then more towns will follow suit and eventually the whole state.