Covid And The Rest of Us

[bavaria]

Who pays for that? The Canadian Government?

Good question. In Germany it is a mixture. Centogene, like DeCODE in Iceland, volunteered to cover much of the costs out of their own interests and research. So in Germany, there are facilities run by Centogene which are at no cost if one returns from travel. If one wants a certificate to travel, one has to pay. Then other facilities are run by the Bundeswehr (military) and the Red Cross jointly. And yet others are through the health care system.

From what I know from an AC exec, AC and Westjet were paying in an effort to convince the government to adopt testing and thus increase their own business. (They are still operating at a huge loss of course, but probably the cost offset some of that loss in the long run)

It also brings up an interesting point which you and Colleen were discussing about gap years. What happens when resources run low? The Bundeswehr does contact tracing in Germany, and helps run the testing sites. But mandatory service was dropped years ago, and most Germans opted during their service year to do humanitarian aid abroad, or work for a non-profit, or do this type of work.

I was also reviewing UNV ie United Nations Volunteers roles recently. With so many borders closed, they cannot find resources. They have so many open skilled roles, which need to be in country and are struggling to fill them... Imagine if all these university students who put off their studies could fill these roles? What a great opportunity lost right now on both sides.

 

[Jrb1979]

Who pays for that? The Canadian Government?

Apparently Air Canada is going to pay for the rapid tests. In the article it says they bought a bunch of tests already.

 

[bavaria]

Here from Amazon, although unfortunately not yet for @MommyinHonduras . 79 Euros for one kit, 189 for a family kit. I suppose that this is considered an option for people who need to fly and need a test, or just want one to be certain? The photo of the Centogene documents look the same as the ones we get at their test centres/online. (In Germany, in many urban areas, Amazon is same day and this says 12-24 hours from the time they get the sample to the results, and they pick up at your home)

https://www.amazon.de/CentoKit-19-C...Kit-Laboranalyse-schnellem/dp/B08BDGYHTH?th=1

• CentoKit-19: Fast & reliable sampling and sending set for the detection of an acute infection with SARS-CoV-2
  FROM HOME: Take samples comfortably and discreetly at home and order the test
  EASY TO USE: Take the test swab within 1 to 2 minutes, have it picked up by us at home and receive the laboratory result via our Corona portal
  FAST RESULTS: Thanks to our logistics tailored to the product and short analysis times, you will receive the test result within 12 to 24 hours of receipt of the sample via the secure online portal

 

[MommyinHonduras]

If it’s not too personal, could you explain a little what the exact problem is? Are you unable to get into the US or out of Honduras?,

It has been a series of things. From March 13th to end of July NO ONE could arrive to Roatan for any reason. Even some police tried to enter to work and were rejected because they tried to bypass the local restrictions at the time. My Passport expired in July. So now in order to fly I have to first fly to the city where the embassy is Tegucigalpa and request an emergency one which can only be done within 5 days of your exit flight. Mid September national flights have opened up to be able to do that. But now I can not take a month that I need to be there until after the holiday season, so thus January.

And on a side note, whenever you post @Karin1984 I have to check because it looks like you are posting promotional DLRP photos with a model (nope, just Karin!) And @MommyinHonduras, I hope that you don't mind but when you post I always place you in an AJ Cronin or Pearl Buck novel. (That is meant as a compliment, not that I think that you are born in the 1920's!)

I love that, I wish my life were more mysterious that it would look right on the front of a novel.

I would love to have some testing options like that. We can buy the rapid antibody tests here from about $7 each (SAFECARE COVID-19 Antibody IgG/IgM rapid test) but the PCR is around $200 in the private labs.

 

[bavaria]

No. We never had the need to be thankful

HEY! You always seem so thankful to the Canadians....

Also I think that people don't know that Sinterklaas is your big December holiday (we have Krampus in a tiny geographic region but we don't take the dayS off like you do for Sinterklaas. I've been in your land a few times on that date and it is very unusual to me)

 

[TLSnell1981]

Double post

 

[TLSnell1981]

HEY! You always seem so thankful to the Canadians....

Also I think that people don't know that Sinterklaas is your big December holiday (we have Krampus in a tiny geographic region but we don't take the dayS off like you do for Sinterklaas. I've been in your land a few times on that date and it is very unusual to me)

Krampus...what an upgrade from ashes and coal! Why would any child misbehave?

 

[Karin1984]

HEY! You always seem so thankful to the Canadians....

Also I think that people don't know that Sinterklaas is your big December holiday (we have Krampus in a tiny geographic region but we don't take the dayS off like you do for Sinterklaas. I've been in your land a few times on that date and it is very unusual to me)

Oh yes, we are thankful for Canadians, and Americans and other allies, only we don't celebrate it.
In my mind about 200 years ago it probably went like this: Someone suggests that we need a day to be thankful for all that we have received. And the Dutch person looks up from his work and says: "A day to be thankful? Are you insane, we have work to do! Get back to the field and plant those tulips! No time for such nonsense!"

We don't have anything that is close to a thanksgiving day and I do not remember other European countries having something similar, do they?

And yes, people do not know how important Sinterklaas is as a holiday in the Netherlands. It's big. Or that it comes with a daily news report on the kids news, an airing on national tv when he arrives and a parade / celebration in several cities. Santa Claus is his brother, but he got the short end of the stick in some respects ;-) Plus we have a lot more Sinterklaas-snacks and sweets than there are Christmas' snacks or food. The traditional turkey dinner you see at Christmas or Thanksgiving in other countries is not a thing here. A lot of people will either use a fondue set, or a (raclette) grill, to make dinner at the table, but you can chose whatever food you want.

Most people, especially when they have young kids, take off the day or leave early at least to prepare everything for the evening. On the 5th of December rush hour starts at least an hour earlier than on other days because everyone goes home early. When you celebrate with friends instead / in addition to your own family, you usually do on the weekend before or after the 5th.
It is totally acceptable for shops to close around 5 instead of 6 on this day. Or that stores where you normally work in uniform allow their staff to dress in their own clothes as it is considered a holiday, just without the official day off.

The only thing we do not have is a greeting, you do not wish someone 'Happy Sinterklaas'. 'Happy holidays' comes in around mid-December and is meant for both Christmas and New Year's Eve.

Krampus...what an upgrade from ashes and coal! why would any child misbehave. H

In the Netherlands at Sinterklaas, naughty kids will be beaten with a birch rod (strange translation from Dutch to English, it doesn't have to be from a birch tree any tree with strong flexible thin twigs will do) and taken into a bag back to Spain. Which was very frightening as a child, as an adult you think: "Free trip to Spain! Warm weather!"

 

[lanejudy]

Oh yes, we are thankful for Canadians, and Americans and other allies, only we don't celebrate it.

Off-topic but a small history lesson - both the Canadian and American Thanksgiving holidays originated to celebrate the harvest. There are many countries around the world with a harvest festival or celebration, whether or not it is considered a "national holiday." Several traditional Thanksgiving hymns are translated from Dutch or German works.

...now back to your COVID-19 discussion...

 

[Karin1984]

Too bad, obscure national holidays are more fun than Covid.

We just had another press conference. The Netherlands is back in lockdown, for at least the next 4 weeks, in 2 weeks we will get another update.

- Restaurant closed, take out still allowed.
- Hotels can stay open and serve food,also restaurants at the airport are exempt.
- Mask mandate inside, including students in highschool and colleges.
- No group sports allowed for adults. Going out for a run Is still fine.
- No more than 3 people visiting per day per household. Not more than 30 people inside in other spaces.
- Stores (except supermarkets) close at 20.00. No selling of alcohol or soft drugs after 20.00.
- No events, exception are farmers markets, conventions, (movie)theaters, etc.

Ah well, freedom was fun while it lasted. I am going back to editing my video of my DLP trip while binge watching Netflix. Probably going to give Enola Holmes another try. Or The Witcher. I could use some Henry Cavill tonight.

 

[tcufrog]

Maybe we need an obscure national holidays thread.

 

[MommyinHonduras]

Maybe we need an obscure national holidays thread.

Oh fun, if you start one put the link here so I can tag along.

 

[tcufrog]

Here ya go. https://www.disboards.com/threads/obscure-local-regional-national-holidays.3815698/

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Kinda ties into our earlier discussion about what measures a given area takes--my governor has had a lot of political back and forth that has limited her abilities (and there's pros and cons to that trust me)even a law put in place in June that limits her authority and gave control back to counties but she made a promise (which we know how that can go) last month that she wouldn't advocate for business closures and other restrictions in the future.

Well today she had her press conference and stated she

• "doesn't plan to have the state health department use its power to manage disease outbreaks by shutting down businesses or imposing other restrictions in local coronavirus hot spots."
• Further adding "although the state will work with local officials in areas with big outbreaks to help them check the spread of the virus, it won't dictate the steps they'll take."
• Then she mic dropped it really by saying "A much more effective way is to have the local buy-in," "The better way to do it rather than using the hammer is to continue to work closely with local officials, local public health officials."

Now all that being said control is still at the local level so it's possible my area could impose restrictions but there's no doubt that having the governor speak out speaks volumes. The governor also announced last month about a testing strategy

• "which will coordinate public and private testing efforts across Kansas and increase testing in areas with continued high community spread"
• "as well as "adding testing for non-symptomatic people in areas where the department believes the virus could be present, such as nursing homes, correctional facilities and schools, especially where contact tracing has been difficult".

Now in my county they've already been doing these things but it helps out by having it state-wide as well. Unfortunately right now $50 million dollars of Federal monies are held up at the moment in bidding issues with the several entities involved in the process. That money is supposed to be used for testing supplies.

The discussion regarding what measures should be used mirrors what was shared from Canada (that letter from some of the doctors about sweeping lockdowns and not being in favor of them), it mirrors more and more attention being done regarding medical experts coming more on board with less sweeping lockdowns in favor of other measures (in part due to compliance concerns but also "is this the right thing to do").

**Edited: Corrected a phrase

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

It has been a series of things. From March 13th to end of July NO ONE could arrive to Roatan for any reason. Even some police tried to enter to work and were rejected because they tried to bypass the local restrictions at the time. My Passport expired in July. So now in order to fly I have to first fly to the city where the embassy is Tegucigalpa and request an emergency one which can only be done within 5 days of your exit flight. Mid September national flights have opened up to be able to do that. But now I can not take a month that I need to be there until after the holiday season, so thus January.

Well hopefully all goes well for you! It seems like with all that's going on in your neck of the woods a trip would be much appreciated

When I got married I neglected to change my passport (which I had just gotten to go on my honeymoon) within the first year (which you can do for free if it's a name change) so I just kinda sat on that. 5 years into our marriage in 2018 we decided to go to Jamaica so I did do the name change at that time. However, since it had been more than a year since I had gotten married you basically are getting a new passport so now I have one that doesn't expire until 2028. I'm hoping by then we'll be going out of the country again lol (we should be getting out of the country in the next year or two though)

 

[MommyinHonduras]

@Mackenzie Click-Mickelson When two towns in Kansas make top 20 in a national poll, you know they are finally getting some good press, this has to help going forward, what you shared about political dynamics. https://livability.com/list/top-100-best-places-to-live/2020/10?page=1 Overland Park #7 and Lawrence #17. Lived in Kansas several years (Great Bend, Lawrence, Derby, Wichita, and Andover....yes we moved a lot) but grew up around Chicago. I would move back to Kansas and never to IL. Of course this in not covid related just a personal thought.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

@Mackenzie Click-Mickelson When two towns in Kansas make top 20 in a national poll, you know they are finally getting some good press, this has to help going forward, what you shared about political dynamics. https://livability.com/list/top-100-best-places-to-live/2020/10?page=1 Overland Park #7 and Lawrence #17. Lived in Kansas several years (Great Bend, Lawrence, Derby, Wichita, and Andover....yes we moved a lot) but grew up around Chicago. I would move back to Kansas and never to IL. Of course this in not covid related just a personal thought.

Oh yeah OP (Overland Park) has been on that list a lot in past years, I guess last year it was "booted off" per a local article from the other day but now we're back on it . It's def. a source of pride here (not in a boastful way I promise!).

My sister-in-law's boyfriend's family lives in Chicago so they go up there often enough but I actually have only been to O'Hare airport as part of a connection. I've been meaning to explore Chicago at some point though. My husband's district builds power plants and the current one (supposed to be completed by the end of 2022) he is working on is actually located just outside of Chicago so if he has to make a visit there I may just tag along

I lived in Lawrence when I went to KU (University of Kansas for those not familiar); it's the quirky city so close to the KC metro but yet so different at the same time.

I've lived in multiple cities in the KC Metro as many of us tend to do (crossing city lines all the time) I do love living here. But with COVID it adds that layer into it since KC metro is in two states it's keeping up with both states and keeping track of the different approaches and rules. We're all 1 metro with all the same germs so to speak but the counties (and in the case of Kansas City, MO the mayor) all have different rules and approaches.

You've def. had some journeys in your life and I do so love learning about DISers lives. Your stories (and others as well) have helped keep me grounded during this time, truly

 

[bavaria]

I've lived in multiple cities in the KC Metro as many of us tend to do (crossing city lines all the time) I do love living here.

KC is on my global list of 'biggest surprises'. It's been a few years since I was there, but the museums, galleries, and the WWI museum, plus the green spaces and heritage buildings were a huge surprise.

The only thing that sucks about KC is getting to KC, since you had the crazy idea to copy Tegel airport in Berlin! That one is definitely one of the worst due to the layout, and thankfully when BER opens 10 years overdue and billions over budget, I won't ever need to fly from there again.

And yes, agree about the stories. I hope that people reading @MommyinHonduras stories (like the passport situation, which is scary) understand how this is impacting people. Not everyone is working from home, ordering from Amazon and online take out food.

I've said before that I only post/comment about the places where I have spent time around the world, and Honduras is actually the one place discussed on this thread I've never had a chance to visit. I really appreciate the first hand accounts.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

KC is on my global list of 'biggest surprises'. It's been a few years since I was there, but the museums, galleries, and the WWI museum, plus the green spaces and heritage buildings were a huge surprise.

Absolutely! A lot of people are surprised at what the KC metro has to offer I don't really blame people, we're in the middle of the country with most people not having much of a reason to even think about it much less know about it lol.

You all here might find this cute but in May the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art (closed at that time due to COVID measures) took some penguins from the Kansas City Zoo there to 'explore'.

I present to you the short video of their escapades and apparently they had preferences in terms of art lol:

The only thing that sucks about KC is getting to KC, since you had the crazy idea to copy Tegel airport in Berlin! That one is definitely one of the worst due to the layout, and thankfully when BER opens 10 years overdue and billions over budget, I won't ever need to fly from there again.

Hey blame TWA for that. That airline was the one to design it telling us they would make us a hub only to up and leave us!

But you'll be happy to know after decades of the city trying a new airport was approved and is currently in the process of being built (though not without big scandal, corruption and more!)

A big thing is the locals here many of us don't want a new airport. We love the one we have, it's easy to get in and out of, love being able to be dropped off, walk in through security near your gate and boom there ya go. But it's not a good airport for connections for that reason, lack of food options, low restroom options past security and more. But I love being able to get in and out of security on average in about 5-10mins (most was like 20mins), compared to some other airports (looking at you MCO and LAX) it's heaven.

The new airport is going to be a single terminal but is supposed to still keep certain aspects of the old design that us locals love including the proximity to being dropped off and security. The airport is actually owned by the city and must get voter approval for certain decisions. Every time it was put up on the ballot voters in KCMO would reject it (I mean they really didn't want to have to pay for it) so really the only reason it got approved this time around is because it's being privately funded and some of the costs is simply being passed onto us travelers by way of increased fees and ticket pricing by the airlines. That part bites because that is the airport I use but I have no say in the decisions because I don't live in Kansas City, MO.

And yes, agree about the stories. I hope that people reading @MommyinHonduras stories (like the passport situation, which is scary) understand how this is impacting people. Not everyone is working from home, ordering from Amazon and online take out food.

So so true

I've said before that I only post/comment about the places where I have spent time around the world, and Honduras is actually the one place discussed on this thread I've never had a chance to visit. I really appreciate the first hand accounts.

Me too! I was discussing with my mom this thread simply because our local news rarely covers global things (that story I shared about extreme poverty I was actually shocked that it appeared on my local news). So much of the information shared by all of you posters scattered around the world!

 

[bavaria]

Love the penguins!

Nothing can beat BER airport for scandal and corruption. The myth of German efficiency is disproven when it comes to construction, especially in Berlin. The new 'showcase' airport is almost 10 years overdue now, although set to open in a few weeks. Twice I signed up to be a 'tester' but never go to do that (you are assigned a role as a certain passenger and have to test all sorts of things in the terminal) It sounds like you copied us too with the new airport.

I think that they are up to about 7 billion Euro over cost? I could be wrong. Meanwhile they have had to replace the fire system, and LCD screens, and people took jobs and moved houses to be near their workplace. Hotels were built, and they have one person working who has to daily go into rooms and flush toilets and let water run and turn on televisions to keep things working. (ten years!) Similar happened when they built 'the Squaire', the largest office/train/hotel complex in Germany in Frankfurt Airport. Two hotels couldn't open for about 5 years due to mould issues, and they are constantly replacing the elevators to the train platform, and the tiles on the floors.

Arriving at TXL is great - you land, and baggage claim is right there so it's really fast to get out. But no good public transport, just a bus to the main train station which is also awkwardly located.