Good luck and be careful.
My friends who "summer" in the Hamptons (and are originally from LI) went out there in April and stayed, and said it's very crowded already, and also said that the reopening rules are not being well observed. She said everyone is very on edge at all times, she has witnessed multiple confrontations (verbal and physical). She said restaurants in particular are not observing/enforcing social distancing rules. I was surprised that she is seeing so much resistance in what amounts to an extension of metro NYC.
Take it from a former NYC/LI native who is seeing daily increases in SoCal, and who has 5 friends in NYC/LI who have all lost an elderly relative to COVID - too soon.
Someone I know who works for a Federal agency has been working from home, but needed to go in to pick up something. She was wearing a mask. She said all of the guards and cleaning staff were wearing masks and gloves, but a couple of suited executives entered the elevator with my friend and shot her a big smile -- i.e., no mask. She almost said something to them, but looked away and couldn't wait to exit the elevator.
What the hell is wrong with people?
I think a better question is "What the hell is wrong with Donald Trump?" He is encouraging exactly that type of behavior. I believe that Donald Trump has to be possessed by evil spirits who want the worst for the human race, not the best.
My son just signed a lease on an apartment ... move-in date, August 1. His school is planning for in-person, his team had a meeting last night to talk about what the season might look like, but the town where the school is doubled its positive cases in the past week. I understand that my kid needs to move forward, just in case, but I hate the idea that he may move in five and a half weeks to a state run by a governor who hasn't done a single things to stop the spread. He has said that if it goes to distance learning, he'd rather be there and on his own than sitting around our house, feeling disengaged. I get that, but it's college; of COURSE these kids are going to hang out. I wish there was centralized leadership (like, say, a real president) who was putting out consistent information and action across the country. The wishy-washy-ness and lack of consistency is making it impossible to feel like the sane one while everyone around you is going back to "normal life." Over the weekend, my in-laws attended a multi-state baseball/softball tournament to watch my niece and nephew play. Hundreds of people. I know my husband's siblings think "shelter in place" is dumb; they are living normal life, they are letting their kids live normal lives. My husband and I feel like the tinfoil hat people. Then we hear from friends who have tested positive and fought the illness and we realize no ... we're doing the right thing. The nationwide selfishness and ignorance is driving us crazy.
@saibh "My husband and I feel like the tinfoil hat people. Then we hear from friends who have tested positive and fought the illness and we realize no ... we're doing the right thing. The nationwide selfishness and ignorance is driving us crazy."
We feel the same way you described. Just in my neighborhood we are surrounded by risky people. The neighbors across the street flew to Florida - mom and daughter (who works in an ER) and are back. Time will tell if they are OK . My husband has not been anywhere other than work which is down to 40 people in a big building. Our dog ran across to chase a rabbit. My husband chased him in to their yard where 20 people are celebrating. My husband was shocked and didn't react fast enough to the husband standing up extending his hand, shaking and wishing him a happy father's day. My husband was surprised and dismayed needless to say. WTH?
Opposite us is another family whose daughter is an LPN at an assisted living facility who lives with her parents. There is at least 2 cases of COVID at her workplace, she is staying in a hotel but visits with Dad unmasked, He is undergoing Chemo. again - what are people thinking?
And to top it all off the neighbor behind us 3 year old was just tested for COVID because the teacher in his daycare classroom tested positive. The 2nd teacher in his school. Ohio has a low RO and has done a good job of keeping it flat. This false sense of it security that says its OK to go back to normal is going to destroy all the measures we have taken since March. It is driving us crazy.
The European Union is discussing how to reopen its external borders to outside travelers by July 1st, but visitors from the United States may still be barred from entering. This is according to the NY Times, who reviewed two draft lists compiled by the E.U. of acceptable travelers. Both lists exclude the U.S. and other countries that were deemed too risky because of the spread of the Coronavirus. Countries on the E.U. draft lists have been selected as safe based on a combination of epidemiological criteria.
I feel like we're all on the USS Caine with mad Commander Queeg at the helm.
It's up to us to save ourselves.
@saibh I’m with you. I have my 2 younger kids going back To college in a few weeks. One at a college in CT the other in DE. Both schools are trying but I don’t hear the “how” will this actually work. They still live together. Not sure about testing. It just goes on and on. I also understand they need to go and live their life but as what risk? The colleges are losing massive amounts of money. I pray this is not the driving motivation but I know better. I just pray that all involved, kids, teachers, staff remain aware, safe and healthy. Lots of anxiety. Peace ☮️
The European Union is discussing how to reopen its external borders to outside travelers by July 1st, but visitors from the United States may still be barred from entering. This is according to the NY Times, who reviewed two draft lists compiled by the E.U. of acceptable travelers. Both lists exclude the U.S. and other countries that were deemed too risky because of the spread of the Coronavirus. Countries on the E.U. draft lists have been selected as safe based on a combination of epidemiological criteria.
I feel like we're all on the USS Caine with mad Commander Queeg at the helm.
It's up to us to save ourselves.
I think it is also vice versa, that we are not allowed from Europe to fly to the US.
When I think of your POTUS and Covid, I always have Emperor Nero playing the fiddle while Rome is Rome is burning in my head.
I really hope that we will master it soon, but I fear it will take 2 - 3 waves ..
Stay Safe??
I would like to apologize on behalf of the sane, considerate and thoughtful people who live in Arizona. They do exist. They have caring and smart college aged students too.
I don't usually describe myself as "mad". I sure was last night. My state leadership is sacrificing lives to satisfy Trump. They have now opened the door to a killer virus ( you choose whether that is Trump or Covid-19, at this point I can't even tell anymore) and said: "Welcome, make yourself at home and stay awhile."
My daughter's college was supposed to start on campus on 10/5 with a revised academic year. Until there is an effective vaccine I do not see how any college can 100% keep the kids safe. It takes exactly ONE kid who does not know they have the virus to become a Super Spreader. Now some kids are getting strokes or inflammatory artery disease from Covid. We are talking potentially lifetime disabilities. Sure, statistically they may represent a small number but try telling that to yourself if it happens to befall YOUR child. No way I'm letting my daughter go on campus with this kind of downside.
I reached out to the Dean and strongly urged they give kids the choice of going on campus or stay with remote learning. I told her if she did not offer this hybrid model the college would stand to lose a lot of attendees due to the risk involved. She got back to me very quickly stating that, while most people prefer on campus life to open in the Fall, that they recognize the risk and have arranged for most classes to go remote, as well. Not Science Lab classes. Not Film Production classes or Theater classes where hands on is vital. But MOST classes, she stated, you will have the option of EITHER remote or on campus. This was smart of her...now the college can capture most/all of their yearly Admissions and cater to the risk averse crowd (like me!) and the more cavalier crowd...By early 2021 we may have a workable vaccine ...so to not wait until that comes out seems short-sighted to me. That being said, plenty of colleges will be opening up in the Fall. Are they not concerned with their own potential liability if they are not concerned about the kids?? I don't get it...