Covid And The Rest of Us

[lisaviolet]

For the record, the Hudson’s Bay company hasn’t been owned by Canadians for awhile.

And my upset with Hudson's Bay Company is their abysmal ownership of Lord & Taylor.

A Canadian crying when a vintage Canadian company - owned by an American - shuts down an American flagship NYC landmark, when she lives in Toronto.

The most glorious NYC Christmas windows gone forever.

When they put a few geese in ours here and act like it is a masterpiece.

 

[lisaviolet]

Resistance is futile.
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I ain't touching your cookies missy. I feel like I would start having Dougie dreams.

 

[ronandannette]

Resistance is futile.
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And by the Dark Side, I of course meant you. I can't even guess what you put in the cookies...

 

[ronandannette]

I ain't touching your cookies missy. I feel like I would start having Dougie dreams.

(Apologies to all the other participants of this thread for going completely OT for just a minute)

Oh Lisa, I feel like we just need a group hug here:

 

[MommyinHonduras]

So new regulation here, if you are outside your home, you must have a mask on at all times. The police are going to enforce this and first offence is L200 which is about $8 or a days wage here if you have a job, 6 hours of community service, and if you can not pay, 24 hours in jail.

 

[ronandannette]

So new regulation here, if you are outside your home, you must have a mask on at all times. The police are going to enforce this and first offence is L200 which is about $8 or a days wage here if you have a job, 6 hours of community service, and if you can not pay, 24 hours in jail.

Is there much resistance to mask requirements there? I can say I'd be very discouraged if masks became mandatory outdoors and when in private vehicles or alone in one's office. I don't believe for a minute masks are of any benefit in those circumstances but that said, I would comply with the requirements, just as I do with whatever is required here. {{sigh}}

 

[bavaria]

I am easily open to every form of outside activity. Time, and common sense, has easily taken me there. I do not wear a mask outside, unless on the ferry where it is mandated. Or once on a narrow construction walk.

I have seen an upswing of people wearing masks outside here. But the percentage is still probably way under 10%, wearing them. Most are out and about without them. Can I ask where your friend lives? Is is possible she lives in a driving culture/environment? Because that would indeed skew anyone's perception of mask usage.

_______

Indoors (public including friends and family), I am still very cautious.

She lives in Ottawa, but is very fearful and reminds me of the poster from Winnipeg who was posting here awhile back in regards to her health concerns and fears re risk etc.

The rules for outside would normally make sense in a 'normal' weekend when the pedestrian zone is packed with shoppers and like a very busy day at WDW. But in the 'corona times', there isn't the crowds. The food market (outdoors) most vendors for months requested that one wear masks, or required them, to do transactions. But the rule is only right now for a few days so no big deal.

Some places in southern Italy etc also implemented such rules in the evenings in areas which are crowded but I didn't see that much compliance. In Munich the local police and 'extra' city officials are giving out warnings or issuing fines. Yesterday a very kind (non-German) fruit stand owner I patronize shouted out at some students going by. He called them over in English (I think they may have been American foreign students) and tried to nicely explain the new rule and that the police had been by and was fining people 250 Euro for not wearing a mask. He was very kind, but their reaction was shall we say quite unlike what one normally hears here and more like what one sees on the news re 'freedom' in America.

On the note of freedom, the demonstations/protests are back on track. The vegans were out yesterday doing another very interesting artistic demo in Marienplatz, which was totally and sadly empty. So are the Friday environmental demos back, all are social distanced and no fear that we have given up our 'rights' as the leaders are very conscious of finding a balance which still falls within the Basic Law.

 

[bavaria]

I saw the second test centre at München airport. One is on T2 landside and the other in the central area landside. Both very convenient and well signaged.

Feedback from my test subject was lack of German efficiency as results took more than 10 hours on a Sunday. My response was 'Ausländer!' (Inside joke but pointing out even free to foreigners)

 

[MommyinHonduras]

Is there much resistance to mask requirements there? I can say I'd be very discouraged if masks became mandatory outdoors and when in private vehicles or alone in one's office. I don't believe for a minute masks are of any benefit in those circumstances but that said, I would comply with the requirements, just as I do with whatever is required here. {{sigh}}

All the places of business require them to enter and I have seen no one inside without one. As we can be out only certain days that is my experience. But everyone walking outside is not wearing but most are. Even when walking by themselves. I do not wear one in my car but see others wearing them alone in their car. To make it required this late seems overdone, but here we are. I will continue to follow the laws no matter how absurd that do not require any amoral action on my part, but now it requires a law change to repeal or change it so is it permanent then? Grrrr

ARTICLE 5.- The definition of mask or mouth cover is any material that covers the nose and mouth, either homemade, artisanal or industrial manufacture.
ARTICLE 6.- Failure to comply with the measures established in this Law will be supervised and sanctioned by the Secretary of State in the Security Office through the National Police, and agreements may be established with local authorities for the execution of community work.
People who do not use or refuse to use masks or mouth covers in the terms established in this Law will be subject to a fine of two hundred Lempiras (L. 200.00) or the obligation to perform community work for six hours, the first time and is will provide him with a mask by the Government, through the authority that detains him, in case of recidivism, detention for twelve (12) hours, in cases of habitual recidivism, they will lose the right, if applicable, to enjoy the benefits of the social programs, fiscal incentives or of another order promoted by the Government of the Republic.

 

[ronandannette]

All the places of business require them to enter and I have seen no one inside without one. As we can be out only certain days that is my experience. But everyone walking outside is not wearing but most are. Even when walking by themselves. I do not wear one in my car but see others wearing them alone in their car. To make it required this late seems overdone, but here we are. I will continue to follow the laws no matter how absurd that do not require any amoral action on my part, but now it requires a law change to repeal or change it so is it permanent then? Grrrr

ARTICLE 5.- The definition of mask or mouth cover is any material that covers the nose and mouth, either homemade, artisanal or industrial manufacture.
ARTICLE 6.- Failure to comply with the measures established in this Law will be supervised and sanctioned by the Secretary of State in the Security Office through the National Police, and agreements may be established with local authorities for the execution of community work.
People who do not use or refuse to use masks or mouth covers in the terms established in this Law will be subject to a fine of two hundred Lempiras (L. 200.00) or the obligation to perform community work for six hours, the first time and is will provide him with a mask by the Government, through the authority that detains him, in case of recidivism, detention for twelve (12) hours, in cases of habitual recidivism, they will lose the right, if applicable, to enjoy the benefits of the social programs, fiscal incentives or of another order promoted by the Government of the Republic.

Yes, we have purposed to do the same, all the while praying things don’t get too onerous. The larger economic and social impacts of restrictions are one thing, the daily, small (and ever evolving) burdens are another and frankly, it’s the latter that are really causing the most immediate stress in most of us.

When our mask mandate came in (August 4) it was pretty clearly defined and since it seemingly afforded greater freedom in some ways, we ungrudgingly complied. Shortly after though, places and people started adding. Adding expectations of who must mask and even what kind of masks. Adding their own entitlement to “police” others when they have no authority to do so. Adding unnecessary requirements - like my workplace that instituted a mask mandate inside our private and locked-down building, even on top of already stringent distancing measures. That one hurt - it’s a daily test of my patience to sit alone in my own office with the door closed and a mask on.

There is some talk now of masking when outdoors, which is currently not required. It’s really a practical impossibility here where our temperatures will soon drop to double-digits below zero and will freeze masks to one’s face within minutes. We can only hope logic will prevail. We are also “lucky” I guess that all the current restrictions are administered under local, provincial and federal “States of Medical Emergency” which means all that is needed to repeal them is an official declaration that the emergency has ended.

 

[ronandannette]

A very compelling appeal from qualified medical professionals:
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/health/me...tter-to-doug-ford/ar-BB19zc7Q?ocid=spartanntp

 

[Pea-n-Me]

A very compelling appeal from qualified medical professionals:
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/health/me...tter-to-doug-ford/ar-BB19zc7Q?ocid=spartanntp

Common sense! Refreshing!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

And in other news - I had to call in about library books that were weirdly marked overdue in my account, when I knew I had returned them. Apparently "they are being held in quarantine and they will not be released for three days." Verbatim.

Our library system decided to keep doing that. Ever since they started with taking back items, reopening several locations with drive-thru, adding curbside pick up and now full opening (though hours are limited and all locations closed on Fridays, some closed on Sunday) they have kept up a 3 day quarantine on items returned. Ours tells us they may be listed as overdue and fines may show on your account but they will remove the fines (if assessed) and the items will drop off. IME this usually takes 3-5 days total, just depends on the day I return my items and if the library will be open on that day. I know we don't think transmission is high between surfaces but if they want to do that at least it's not truly hurting anything here from the library's standpoint.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Politicans admit that some lockdown measures in march were overdone, but then we didnt know so much. ( example closing all stores).

This seems to be a big issue here in the U.S.

It doesn't seem like largely we've even had discussions or research on what methods worked in the Spring and what methods were probably not needed or what methods ended up doing more harm than good. I remember posting many many months ago wondering if we would learn from this. Well if no one actually cares to find out guess we won't

It seems like many want full lockdowns (if you believe their comments here on the DIS, on Facebook, Twitter, and how the news covers it) but it doesn't seem like many have that opinion with anything to back it up because there doesn't appear to be any effort to figure out what worked and didn't work. There's def. a perception that a lockdown is what is needed, schools shouldn't be open, restaurants shouldn't be open, bars shouldn't be open, gatherings shouldn't be allowed, stores closed again and so on. I find a lot of people in general fall back on "we must trust science" but where are the scientific findings for backing up each of these things I mentioned and more? That isn't to say we don't know some things but I'm more speaking about the total lockdown approach with stay at home orders, all but deemed essential businesses closed, activities severely curtailed, schools closed and more.

Not only that but there are at least a few of us who hold the opinion that the lockdowns were done incorrectly as in the timing. Lockdowns done for places that were not truly at the point of needing it. Many want a nationalized approach but that is not how the virus behaves. It didn't just show up in the same force in all 50 states everywhere at the same time. But our lockdowns were started roughly at the same time and ended roughly at the same time though some went into June.

I don't disagree with restrictions I just want our politicians to go over things that didn't work, be bold enough to admit what didn't work. Going over activities and assigning a risk level only goes so far here.

 

[Karin1984]

That is a lot of pressure on the shopkeepers.

Okay, update, the opposition didn't like that the government said that it was up to the shopkeepers. So very very very likely we will get a national mask mandate for indoors public spaces. They are now working on the exact rules.

And apparently we also close to have a test that gives a result in 45 minutes.

 

[MommyinHonduras]

First US airport to get on board with testing. Now if they had flights to Honduras I would be happier.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-new...h86-nrE-Zqh6wYovgesmo_I0sRYVAcdHbNFFmI7hx7i8A

 

[Jrb1979]

A very compelling appeal from qualified medical professionals:
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/health/me...tter-to-doug-ford/ar-BB19zc7Q?ocid=spartanntp

I agree with it. We don't need to lockdown again. What we should be doing is finding away to get to the under 40 crowd. That's where the cases are now. A wedding in Durham had 8 cases traced back to it. There is probably more but people won't say who all was there.

 

[NFLDERS]

Tic Toc is being introduced as a medium to reach out to younger adults here.

 

[ronandannette]

Tic Toc is being introduced as a medium to reach out to younger adults here.

No thanks.

 

[TLSnell1981]

No thanks.