Texas to open 100%

[mom2rtk]

My brother, who lives in Texas, age 77 died last week from Covid. He should have been eligible for a vaccine but that didn't happen. It happened very quickly, feeling okay with it, then it got worse and within 2 days his oxygen fell to 49%, then hospital and respirator within 24 hours, then death....24 hours later. He had no other comorbid conditions. Very scary news to lift the mandate completely.

@ThistleMae, I'm so sorry your loss.

 

[Sandiz08]

Some grocery stores will not be requiring customers to wear face masks. Quite a few of them will only be requiring their employees to wear them.

 

[Kae]

All I'm saying is that the Federal Government should have more power to put regulations in place due to ease of travel. Nothing about making inter-state travel more difficult.

Nope.

 

[BrianL]

I don't know, it seems either way we have some extreme points of view. Those of us living in the time of this pandemic haven't been through anything like this in our lifetimes. I think it's extreme to say, masks be damned, people die from all sorts of things...beware of the government. We are all struggling to figure this out. We don't want to lose people we love, or see them having long lasting physical problems from Covid. I don't think the government always handles things the best way, but aren't we all trying to figure out how to manage this without losing our freedoms? I believe the experts and the public in general have the best of intentions. Using caution seems wise to me. I do understand there is a cost for the restrictions and that some folks may not be able to recover economically. There isn't an easy answer. I believe we are all trying to do the best for the country and no one wants the government to be the decider of all things, at least I don't think so.

I agree. I don't know why it has to be so extreme. There's the camp that want's everything open no matter what and the camp that doesn't leave their house. Me, I'm in the middle. I do think there should be some mandated restrictions, masks and capacity restrictions and such, but I feel we can operate relatively safely with that stuff in place and just by generally paying attention and being cautious. It's also not one size fits all for all areas of the country becuase of varying population densities, but that should be assessed as needed. I just really wish there was a place for those of us in the middle, as I really think most of us are - our voices just get drowned out by the impassioned extremes.

 

[mrs. magoo]

Its weird to read this. My kids school has been in person since school started in August, and masks have never been required there. We've had sports, including football and wrestling, and none of those have required masks for the participants either. We have had very few cases reported in our district even with all of that.

Can I ask is your school a large school meaning more than 800 kids in attendance everyday? My kid did not get to play football in the fall but it going to play this spring. He is currently finishing up a shortened basketball season and lacrosse will start April 19th. This is in NY. They are also required to wear a mask while playing and in school at all times except for eating lunch. My college daughters are also required to wear a mask while playing lacrosse and must wear a mask during all classes and while walking across campus. It is so interesting for me to hear of how other states have done things differently.

 

[DeeBee3]

Can I ask is your school a large school meaning more than 800 kids in attendance everyday? My kid did not get to play football in the fall but it going to play this spring. He is currently finishing up a shortened basketball season and lacrosse will start April 19th. This is in NY. They are also required to wear a mask while playing and in school at all times except for eating lunch. My college daughters are also required to wear a mask while playing lacrosse and must wear a mask during all classes and while walking across campus. It is so interesting for me to hear of how other states have done things differently.

I'm in NY too - Hudson valley. Kids still are hybrid 2 days a week. Starting 4 days a week soon. Masks in school, etc. It is very interesting to see how different states and different districts handle this. I know there are a few places in NY where schools were open more days.

 

[angelmav]

I'm not mocking anything. I just know there could be other reasons for actions that you're prescribing a root cause to. Jumping to conclusions isn't healthy for anyone.

Regarding the rules in Italy, have they changed from below? The current rules don't have limitations you mention but I obviously haven't lived them so they may have changed.

http://www.italia.it/en/useful-info/covid-19-updates-information-for-tourists.html

Every region has its own rules and it varies depending on the severity of your region at any given time. So no, what you posted is not correct. There is currently a 40 page translated document that spells out the rules as they apply today. I’m not sure I can post that, but if you want to PM me I’d be happy to email you a copy.

The mask in car and adults not both being able to sit in the front were around the spring/summer last year, but we have changed literally every week so people are naturally afraid of breaking the rules. Or they ignore them completely, we have that crowd too. I’m not a local so try really hard to toe the line. We have only gone out together twice since then, once my spouse had to sit in the back, otherwise we don’t leave our compound I mean house.


They have already announced our region goes from Yellow to Orange on Monday so people will be rushing out to do whatever this weekend. That’s our reality.

 

[AvidDisReader]

Let us all remember that all our government leaders told us the regulations were put in place UNTIL we had sufficient hospital beds, ventilators, and vaccines to combat the virus. It was never supposed to be until the virus was eradicated. All the original reasons have now been met, so now we need to let go and give people back their civil liberties. Is this to say Covid is not dangerous, yes it is. So is smoking, but this is allowed. And if you want to compare deaths, there have literally been Millions die of smoke related deaths, so why is it so hard that we are unable to let people make up their own minds on what precautions they want to undertake when it comes to COVID?

 

[dez1978]

You really are a piece of work.

We have had multiple times where the mandates included wearing a mask while traveling in your car, and also included not being allowed to have a second adult sitting next to you in the same vehicle. My spouse whom I reside with has had to sit in the back seat.

Our suicide rates have spiked, and 80% of Italians surveyed stated they needed to seek Psychological help to cope with this. But continue to mock this.

Ok, this is absolutely ridiculous. How on earth can they tell you who can ride in your personal vehicle? I can only imagine how awful that really must be, and that would screw with ppl mental health a lot!

 

[dez1978]

I agree. I don't know why it has to be so extreme. There's the camp that want's everything open no matter what and the camp that doesn't leave their house. Me, I'm in the middle. I do think there should be some mandated restrictions, masks and capacity restrictions and such, but I feel we can operate relatively safely with that stuff in place and just by generally paying attention and being cautious. It's also not one size fits all for all areas of the country becuase of varying population densities, but that should be assessed as needed. I just really wish there was a place for those of us in the middle, as I really think most of us are - our voices just get drowned out by the impassioned extremes.

OMG! so much this. For everything. The middle gets forgotten bc the extremes yell the loudest

 

[dez1978]

Can I ask is your school a large school meaning more than 800 kids in attendance everyday? My kid did not get to play football in the fall but it going to play this spring. He is currently finishing up a shortened basketball season and lacrosse will start April 19th. This is in NY. They are also required to wear a mask while playing and in school at all times except for eating lunch. My college daughters are also required to wear a mask while playing lacrosse and must wear a mask during all classes and while walking across campus. It is so interesting for me to hear of how other states have done things differently.

no, we are in a relatively small district. But our state has never even had a statewide mask mandate. it's been left up to counties and cities if they want one. To be honest though, wrestling tournaments... The paper sent out ahead of time said masks were required for everyone but ACTIVE wrestlers. In reality, very few ppl actually wore them after they were in the door. They did attempt to restrict spectator attendance to 2 per wrestler, but that was never enforced either.

 

[angelmav]

Ok, this is absolutely ridiculous. How on earth can they tell you who can ride in your personal vehicle? I can only imagine how awful that really must be, and that would screw with ppl mental health a lot!

No, they were saying you could not have two people sitting side by side in your vehicle. That provision has come up a couple of times. Since we never leave the house as a family we largely ignore it as I’m the one that has to go to the office once a week where I also get the mail and groceries. We also had a glove mandate for awhile too and latex gloves were sold out everywhere so people were recycling them, wearing winter gloves, etc. That was the earlier days though.

The problem is also confusion with the rules. As I mentioned, the mandate is 40 translated pages (38 in Italian). Here is provision 1, article 1 to give you some idea: It is mandatory to carry face masks all the time, as well as to wear them in all closed places other than private houses, and in all open places. People will argue with you that a closed place is also a vehicle. I just have mine at the ready and almost never have a passenger. It’s also why I have to mask up to take out our bio which is at the end of a country lane because I’m in open space off the property.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

In response to this the California governor recommended that people wear double masks I certainly hope stores don't try to enforce that one. I personally don't think the government should ever have made a mask mandate (of course the legalities and "enforceability" of such a thing is another debate). It should be up to the private businesses and institutions (like schools) to require it.

In general, I don't think the masks do much. I wear them to be polite in certain situations and when I'm required to, but I don't wear them outside in general. I certainly am not going to wear two!

They’re not going to require it. It’s a recommendation that came from health experts. And truthfully, it’s not any harder to wear two masks than it is to wear one.

I won’t get in to a debate, but when worn correctly (and that’s the big part), they do help.

 

[MillauFr]

In response to this the California governor recommended that people wear double masks

I want to see him do a press conference from the French Laundry showing how he wears two masks while enjoying the 20 course tasting menu and $1000 bottles of wine. Maybe he could invite a Texas Senator and put him right next to the fire place so he stays toasty warm. Wouldn't want him to suffer from the cold.

He could have the NY Governor be the server. Half of the items that they ordered would be removed from the bill in order to hide the damage.

 

[angelmav]

They’re not going to require it. It’s a recommendation that came from health experts. And truthfully, it’s not any harder to wear two masks than it is to wear one.

I won’t get in to a debate, but when worn correctly (and that’s the big part), they do help.

Ive tried it. Yes it is much worse to breath through, gets very hot.If you have an N95 mask on your face and a cotton mask cover, it is certainly not pleasant. Not as bad as being in military MOPP gear, but still not pleasant.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Ive tried it. Yes it is much worse to breath through, gets very hot.If you have an N95 mask on your face and a cotton mask cover, it is certainly not pleasant. Not as bad as being in military MOPP gear, but still not pleasant.

You’re not supposed to double over an N95. It’s N95 OR a surgical with cloth covering or 2 cloth coverings. And only recommended indoors. I too have done it and it was no different.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I want to see him do a press conference from the French Laundry showing how he wears two masks while enjoying the 20 course tasting menu and $1000 bottles of wine. Maybe he could invite a Texas Senator and put him right next to the fire place so he stays toasty warm. Wouldn't want him to suffer from the cold.

Yeah, I’m wholly over the “do as I say, not as I do” attitude of our elected leaders.

 

[mrs. magoo]

I'm in NY too - Hudson valley. Kids still are hybrid 2 days a week. Starting 4 days a week soon. Masks in school, etc. It is very interesting to see how different states and different districts handle this. I know there are a few places in NY where schools were open more days.

Yes even within my own county schools are doing things differently. My son is hybrid 2 days in person 3 at home but my daughter student taught in the fall and they were in person all 5 days of the week( a much smaller district). I am just happy that the kids are at least getting to play somewhat of a sports schedule. It has created so much extra stress on them though with the overlaps. We have a couple of districts that are looking to come back in person 5 days a week. It will be interesting to see what happens. I teach in a city school and we just brought the kids back to in person 2 days a week 2 weeks ago. Some special education kids have been back since January 4th for 4 days a week.(this is the population I teach)

 

[angelmav]

You’re not supposed to double over an N95. It’s N95 OR a surgical with cloth covering or 2 cloth coverings. And only recommended indoors. I too have done it and it was no different.

its double the layers, how could it be ‘no different’? I’ve only done it to make the other half happy since I’m the one out in the wild. Sorry, using a KN95 which is not as thick as the facial layer. Still makes it very hot and more restricted to breathe.

Also, as I was saying, going back to orange and of course people are recommending to go wild this weekend ahead of the new status...

 

[mrs. magoo]

no, we are in a relatively small district. But our state has never even had a statewide mask mandate. it's been left up to counties and cities if they want one. To be honest though, wrestling tournaments... The paper sent out ahead of time said masks were required for everyone but ACTIVE wrestlers. In reality, very few ppl actually wore them after they were in the door. They did attempt to restrict spectator attendance to 2 per wrestler, but that was never enforced either.

Interesting, we have a 2 spectator rule that is strictly enforced and names and contacts must be given for contact tracing purposes. We gave up our passes to my son's friends for his last league game last night. We watched the stream it was so fun to hear the kids chanting and cheering for their friends. Some semblance of normal to an otherwise absolutely crazy school year. On the sidelines and in the stands everyone wears masks and must be 6 feet apart from each other. Some of the gyms that are too small do not all spectators at all.