Covid And The Rest of Us

[Jrb1979]

I'm not an expert on Eastern Europe. I do know that at least the Czech Republic ordered the Russian vaccine because they didn't get the European orders (not exactly sure what happened there).
My feeling is that for Eastern Europe might think they are on their own. They don't want to belong to what was the Soviet Union, but also know that they are not seen as important by Western countries. They are not rich = not important.


With 50% vaccinated, the figures of infections and deaths must be dropping. Are the thresholds for when to ease the measures very strict in Ontario?


Our health minister just tweeted we have reached our 7th million shot, and did 1 million shots in 1 week. Things are picking up here.
We have roughly 19 million people in NL, about 20% are younger than 18, and if we go by 70% of the adults willing to get the shot. We need a total of 10,6 million shots x 2 = 21,2 shots if we use vaccines that need 2 shots.

To be honest there hasn't been any announcement for what the thresholds need to be at. Our cases are still over 2500 a day and our ICUs are still full.

 

[NAB]

To be honest there hasn't been any announcement for what the thresholds need to be at. Our cases are still over 2500 a day and our ICUs are still full.

They want to see it under 1000 cases a day. But Toronto and Peel numbers are coming down but I think that is due to testing falling behind because the numbers went up today.

I think he didn’t want the long weekend to became a party if they opened up May 20th. Not really stopping the party people they are in the news all the time.

 

[Karin1984]

To be honest there hasn't been any announcement for what the thresholds need to be at. Our cases are still over 2500 a day and our ICUs are still full.

The different ways of handling things keep amazing me. We in NL are at 6500 cases a day and start talking about which countries are safe to travel to now, and what will probably be safe in the summer.

Our figures of last week, compared to the week before:
Infections: 53K then, 47K now, 12% decrease
Hospitalizations: 1.7K then, 1,4K now, 18% decrease
New ICU cases: 388 then, 304 now, 22% decrease
Deaths: 164 then, 128 now, 22% decrease

 

[ronandannette]

To be honest there hasn't been any announcement for what the thresholds need to be at. Our cases are still over 2500 a day and our ICUs are still full.

Same here in Alberta although the official benchmarks since the very beginning have never been tied to case numbers, always hospitalizations and ICU occupancy. Today there are 766 Covid patients in hospitals province-wide and 177 of them in ICU. On April 6, when our restrictions were tightened to their current state there were 328 hospitalizations with 76 of them taking ICU beds. By that measure, we've got a ways to go.

 

[Jrb1979]

Same here in Alberta although the official benchmarks since the very beginning have never been tied to case numbers, always hospitalizations and ICU occupancy. Today there are 766 Covid patients in hospitals province-wide and 177 of them in ICU. On April 6, when our restrictions were tightened to their current state there were 328 hospitalizations with 76 of them taking ICU beds. By that measure, we've got a ways to go.

Its the same here. The only thing they said is that June 2nd they will revisit if outdoor activities can resume

 

[fab1976]

The different ways of handling things keep amazing me. We in NL are at 6500 cases a day and start talking about which countries are safe to travel to now, and what will probably be safe in the summer.

Our figures of last week, compared to the week before:
Infections: 53K then, 47K now, 12% decrease
Hospitalizations: 1.7K then, 1,4K now, 18% decrease
New ICU cases: 388 then, 304 now, 22% decrease
Deaths: 164 then, 128 now, 22% decrease

It’s different from province to province how they are handling it here too. The mayors of the greater Toronto area cities keep asking the province to define what guidelines they want before considering reopening, but still nothing from the provincial level.

Toronto and Peel will be 6 months in lockdown on the 21st I think it is. I just want a haircut!

 

[ronandannette]

Its the same here. The only thing they said is that June 2nd they will revisit if outdoor activities can resume

All group activities and sports are shut down here but we haven’t yet had to address the golf issue. Courses aren’t open - it was still snowing here last weekend.

It’s different from province to province how they are handling it here too. The mayors of the greater Toronto area cities keep asking the province to define what guidelines they want before considering reopening, but still nothing from the provincial level.

Toronto and Peel will be 6 months in lockdown on the 21st I think it is. I just want a haircut!

Our salons and personal services just closed again last weekend. When a closure is announced in advance (we’ve typically gotten 5 or so days notice) some salons run 24 hour marathons to accommodate all the people trying to get one last cut in. Both DH and I went and each got an extra inch taken off just in case. I shudder when I remember how rough we looked last summer when they finally reopened after our initial lock-down.

 

[fab1976]

Our salons and personal services just closed again last weekend. When a closure is announced in advance (we’ve typically gotten 5 or so days notice) some salons run 24 hour marathons to accommodate all the people trying to get one last cut in. Both DH and I went and each got an extra inch taken off just in case. I shudder when I remember how rough we looked last summer when they finally reopened after our initial lock-down.

I haven’t gone since January of 2020! Same with DH. And let me tell you, he has never ever had a different hairstyle in the 24 years I’ve seen him lol. He is not bearded with long hair, it’s very very weird. My own hair, I’m embracing the greys for now. I’ve got the gray along the front hairline going on but otherwise it’s just wisps of grey which isn’t too bad. But the ends are sooooo dead. My son is 13 and my god his hair is thick, his was cut just before they shut down, in November. 6 months ago!

 

[ronandannette]

I haven’t gone since January of 2020! Same with DH. And let me tell you, he has never ever had a different hairstyle in the 24 years I’ve seen him lol. He is not bearded with long hair, it’s very very weird. My own hair, I’m embracing the greys for now. I’ve got the gray along the front hairline going on but otherwise it’s just wisps of grey which isn’t too bad. But the ends are sooooo dead. My son is 13 and my god his hair is thick, his was cut just before they shut down, in November. 6 months ago!

Why not? Completely Covid-related avoidance or does your normal style just not require regular trims? DH and I both have relatively short, precision cuts and they do not grow out gracefully.

 

[lisaviolet]

Why not? Completely Covid-related avoidance or does your normal style just not require regular trims? DH and I both have relatively short, precision cuts and they do not grow out gracefully.

I assume it is this -

Our salons have only been open for a very short time during the pandemic Annette, Toronto and Peel. Like a blink and you missed it. I got a cut in during that period, but doors closed moments after that. So one cut in almost a year and a half (well two if you include my DIY cut).

Ontario was awful, in comparison to the rest of the country, in keeping them closed down without any statistics backing it. It became so coveted when the rest of the cities and regions around Toronto were open that one had to prove that you were not travelling out of lockdown to get your hair cut. Just before we all shut down my niece, in another region that was open, told me, "Come up. I will get you into my hairdresser somehow!".

 

[Jrb1979]

I assume it is this -

Our salons have only been open for a very short time during the pandemic Annette, Toronto and Peel. Like a blink and you missed it. I got a cut in during that period, but doors closed moments after that. So one cut in almost a year and a half (well two if you include my DIY cut).

Ontario was awful, in comparison to the rest of the country, in keeping them closed down without any statistics backing it. It became so coveted when the rest of the cities and regions around Toronto were open that one had to prove that you were not travelling out of lockdown to get your hair cut. Just before we all shut down my niece, in another region that was open, told me, "Come up. I will get you into my hairdresser somehow!".

I think it's why they are so hesitant to reopen quickly. It's due to how high cases are in the GTA still. They are worried about a repeat of cases surging due to opening to soon. Once 70% are vaccinated in Ontario I believe things will change.

 

[fab1976]

Why not? Completely Covid-related avoidance or does your normal style just not require regular trims? DH and I both have relatively short, precision cuts and they do not grow out gracefully.

Yup, Lisaviolet got it right! I was hesitant in the summer, and then they closed again. I usually have my hair between my chin and shoulders, it’s well below my shoulders now! My husband had gone to the same barbershop for decades and they closed because of the pandemic . So he didn’t go because he didn’t know where to go. When they are allowed to open again though, he’s gotta find somewhere new!

 

[ronandannette]

I assume it is this -

Our salons have only been open for a very short time during the pandemic Annette, Toronto and Peel. Like a blink and you missed it. I got a cut in during that period, but doors closed moments after that. So one cut in almost a year and a half (well two if you include my DIY cut).

Ontario was awful, in comparison to the rest of the country, in keeping them closed down without any statistics backing it. It became so coveted when the rest of the cities and regions around Toronto were open that one had to prove that you were not travelling out of lockdown to get your hair cut. Just before we all shut down my niece, in another region that was open, told me, "Come up. I will get you into my hairdresser somehow!".

Yes, just so. In all Alberta's contact tracing efforts, there was never one single instance of transmission reported through salons. Not to say it didn't happen, but it certainly didn't happen in a major-enough way to identify hair cutting as a significantly risky type of contact. Quite the contrary actually. Ours have been on a roller-coaster ride of opened-and-closed since last March (currently closed) but always in a "throw everything at it but the kitchen sink" sort of approach - never because it was truly warranted based on the activity itself.

 

[Jrb1979]

Yes, just so. In all Alberta's contact tracing efforts, there was never one single instance of transmission reported through salons. Not to say it didn't happen, but it certainly didn't happen in a major-enough way to identify hair cutting as a significantly risky type of contact. Quite the contrary actually. Ours have been on a roller-coaster ride of opened-and-closed since last March (currently closed) but always in a "throw everything at it but the kitchen sink" sort of approach - never because it was truly warranted based on the activity itself.

I think it's been that way for most of Canada. I think a lot of it is due to majority of people not seeing a difference between businesses being open and having private gatherings.

 

[ronandannette]

I think it's been that way for most of Canada. I think a lot of it is due to majority of people not seeing a difference between businesses being open and having private gatherings.

Not sure exactly what you mean here but I've been to my salon regularly since Covid and a dinner party it ain't... Seriously though here in Alberta the sentiment might be a little bit different. We all LONG for freedom to gather, recreate and worship together normally but we DEMAND our ability to make a living be protected. Most of us (yes, there have been some notable exceptions) have grudgingly sucked up not being able to gather but it "gets real" when businesses are forced to close and people are put out of work.

 

[Jrb1979]

Not sure exactly what you mean here but I've been to my salon regularly since Covid and a dinner party it ain't... Seriously though here in Alberta the sentiment might be a little bit different. We all LONG for freedom to gather, recreate and worship together normally but we DEMAND our ability to make a living be protected. Most of us (yes, there have been some notable exceptions) have grudgingly sucked up not being able to gather but it "gets real" when businesses are forced to close.

What I mean is that back during the Christmas lockdown here in Ontario when businesses could stay open but people were told not to have gatherings many complained. The main thing I constantly heard was " it makes no sense, stores are open but I can't have family over for dinner".

 

[tlcdoula]

What I mean is that back during the Christmas lockdown here in Ontario when businesses could stay open but people were told not to have gatherings many complained. The main thing I constantly heard was " it makes no sense, stores are open but I can't have family over for dinner".

I hear the same thing in BC... It is hard for some to understand the protocol that is in place in businesses that is not used in your home. If you run into the store to grab groceries with your mask and sanitize your hands the chances are low. Sitting across the table from your uncle who is sick but doesn't know it with no mask very high chances.

We all want it over with, none of us enjoy the restrictions and masks etc. but I still hear from customers how hard it is to wear a mask while shopping. I always reply try 8-12 hrs a day in one.... ahhhhh

 

[ronandannette]

...We all want it over with, none of us enjoy the restrictions and masks etc. but I still hear from customers how hard it is to wear a mask while shopping. I always reply try 8-12 hrs a day in one.... ahhhhh

In an interesting and unexpected turn of events, our Chief Officer of Health has just declared that those claiming a medical/emotional exemption from mask wearing will require an official document certified by a medical or mental health professional. I didn’t even realize this was a problem that needed solving. I’ve rarely seen anybody in a store, restaurant or church without a mask. Up until now, exemptions have been on the honor-system. Now the document will have to be presented, which I guess then puts enforcement back on essential workers.

 

[tlcdoula]

In an interesting and unexpected turn of events, our Chief Officer of Health has just declared that those claiming a medical/emotional exemption from mask wearing will require an official document certified by a medical or mental health professional. I didn’t even realize this was a problem that needed solving. I’ve rarely seen anybody in a store, restaurant or church without a mask. Up until now, exemptions have been on the honor-system. Now the document will have to be presented, which I guess then puts enforcement back on essential workers.

Wow, Funny you mention that because last night was the first time I have ever had to deal with a lady who said she was exempt but the lady with her had a mask and refused to keep it above her nose. Then as they were checking out they were in line behind another lady who was medically exempt asking her if she wanted to go to a rally against masks etc. It was hard to not say anything...

It is so hard on all the workers to enforce these mandates. Most of them are young workers and it is stressful enough without having to have someone screaming at you because you are asking them to follow the rules.

 

[ronandannette]

Wow, Funny you mention that because last night was the first time I have ever had to deal with a lady who said she was exempt but the lady with her had a mask and refused to keep it above her nose. Then as they were checking out they were in line behind another lady who was medically exempt asking her if she wanted to go to a rally against masks etc. It was hard to not say anything...

It is so hard on all the workers to enforce these mandates. Most of them are young workers and it is stressful enough without having to have someone screaming at you because you are asking them to follow the rules.

Sorry for how it is. Just because I’ve never seen it doesn’t mean I don’t believe it happens.