Texas

[Starport Seven-Five]

It is my understanding that the goal was always to "flatten the curve", meaning that the virus is so virulent that the experts knew that the majority would eventually catch it. The lock down and stay at home was to give the hospitals and medical field the time to prepare. I believe anyone who had expectations that we could stop this virus weren't listening or have a political agenda.

While I agree that has been the strategy, it does bring up the question why that is our expectation when many other nations have stopped (or greatly reduced) the spread in the same time we have been flattening it. Shouldn't we consider this a failure?

 

[AustinTink]

Just returned from our evening walk. I saw three people in masks today. Making progress! It has been zero for weeks.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Shouldn't we consider this a failure?

Yes

 

[Planogirl]

I saw a survey where supposedly 89% of respondents said they wore masks. They did not explain location or methodology of survey. There is no way that even half that many wear masks in our area. Must be nice if true elsewhere.

 

[HMcH]

While I agree that has been the strategy, it does bring up the question why that is our expectation when many other nations have stopped (or greatly reduced) the spread in the same time we have been flattening it. Shouldn't we consider this a failure?

I guess to answer your question would require me to determine by what metric we determine success or failure. I personally would base it more on fatalities than simply infection rate. Given current numbers given by the WHO, the US is doing relatively well as far as fatalities are concerned when compared to the EU or Europe as a whole.

Country - Cases Per 1 Million - Deaths per 1 Million

US - 7038 - 365 (Notably the US has a higher infection rate)
UK - 4509 - 633 (Much higher mortality rate)
Spain - 5285 - 606
Italy - 3960 - 573
France - 2376 - 454
Sweden - 6171 - 516
Ireland - 5413 - 350 (Much lower total cases, comparable mortality)

I could go on. Now I'll readily admit that any numbers can be smudge or outright lied about, see China's WHO numbers. China - 59 - 3 lol.

Numbers sourced from: https://covid19.who.int/

 

[Dan Murphy]

I saw a survey where supposedly 89% of respondents said they wore masks. They did not explain location or methodology of survey. There is no way that even half that many wear masks in our area. Must be nice if true elsewhere.

Here is the rule in Illinois, most people do follow the rule....

Under the latest extension of Illinois’ stay-at-home order, residents will be required to wear masks in stores and other places where social distancing is not possible.

Beginning May 1, Illinois residents will be required to wear a mask or face covering in public places and in situations where they are unable to keep their distance from others. The new mandate is part of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s extension of the stay-at-home order.

Many suburbs already implemented the mask requirement before the governor announced the new policy. The order now applies to all residents and businesses throughout the state.

 

[Planogirl]

I like that Dan. In Texas it's just a suggestion except for a few counties. The first time Dallas cracked down our county just to the north balked at closing anything. Many Dallas residents simply came to our county and a few others to avoid restrictions.

I see something similar happening with masks. This piecemeal approach is a problem.

 

[gotomu212]

As a north Texan who lurks these forums and rarely ventures into the Community Board, I'm surprised to find some borderline cultural and political posts in here.

That said, the question is can we force the genie back into the bottle. It is my understanding that the goal was always to "flatten the curve", meaning that the virus is so virulent that the experts knew that the majority would eventually catch it. The lock down and stay at home was to give the hospitals and medical field the time to prepare. I believe anyone who had expectations that we could stop this virus weren't listening or have a political agenda. We have seen a rapid increase in positive cases, and the Governor is allowing the local municipalities to deal with it as they see fit. Near me both Dallas and Fort Worth have mandated masks within businesses. I'd hope that Denton and Collin follow suite. Wearing a mask while shopping or in close quarters indoors but not wearing one while walking around the neighborhood and able to distance is a perfectly acceptable and informed decision.

When radicals on both sides get too loud, it's a sign they are desperate to be heard. People are scared right now, but no one knows all the answers. I try not to judge others because their answers may be slightly different than mine.

I think “flatten the curve“ was badly communicated and misunderstood from the beginning. My understanding, from the medical community, was that it absolutely was to give hospitals and social structures time to prepare but also to give us time to better understand the virus (how it circulates, why it acts so differently within the community, treatment options). Additionally the idea was we would flatten the curve, that cases would dramatically fall off, and then slowly increase cases in “bunny hops” or ”roller coasters” but with a handle on growth and the ability to isolate hotspots.

They did not think the time to prepare would only be 60 days before new and potentially higher surges and peaks occurred. New cases did not dramatically fall as predicted and more stabilized at slightly lower numbers than peak. We reopened in some areas where new case numbers were actually higher than daily cases when the shutdown started so not when flattened but when ”slowly growing”. Finally Ive heard directly from Texas doctors that they are caught off guard or surprised at how quickly these new cases are growing. The expected slow reopening, and controlled growth didn’t happen and instead it’s taken off much more aggressively than they planned.

So from their perspective we did not succeed in flattening the curve before abandoning that approach. Additionally our lockdown was never a true isolation for most of the country and while activity definitely decreased substantially, there was still a significant number moving about and sustaining high spread.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

And now we have Saharan dust blowing through starting tomorrow. I can already feel it in my eyes today.

https://www.kxan.com/weather/weathe...vE97wq-5qIMfy6Jip_2snPSyi1CZg6gF4afuPb--X6zj0

I'm just saying....have any of you seen the news story a few weeks ago about how Tut's final sarcophagus was removed from his tomb? I've watched enough end of the world and Sy-Fy movies to know this is not going to end well.....

I saw a survey where supposedly 89% of respondents said they wore masks. They did not explain location or methodology of survey. There is no way that even half that many wear masks in our area. Must be nice if true elsewhere.

I bought a single serve bag of M&Ms when I was at Publix the other day. Told myself that I could eat one M&M (in the car on the way home) for each person without a mask at the store.

I emptied the bag before I got home.

So many people of all ages, not wearing masks, in a state where our numbers are growing daily. I know the masks are NOT the end all of this situation, but why wouldn't you do anything you could to lessen the chances??? No, it might not affect you as much, but think about your neighbors, your community. (Then again, our society is not about others, it's all about gimme gimme what can I get. I shouldn't be surprised at all about the selfishness of non-masked people.) I struggle so bad with wearing them (after about 20-25 minutes, it gets harder to breathe, and I have to go sit down without the mask and breathe for about 10 minutes to get my breath back. So, I try to limit my trips to places to that time frame; being at the hospital with DD the other day was rough; I was lightheaded and started having hot flashes (which are starting back up anyways, thanks menopause) and a bit of cold sweats.

ETA: missed the word NOT

 

[MGMmjl]

A friend from Texas shared this story, and I noticed it was on our local news this morning:

https://www.wsfa.com/2020/06/26/birthday-party-leaves-texas-family-with-coronavirus/

 

[aggiedog]

to HMch, flattening the curve was the first step. I know there will continue to be cases because the only way to prevent them completely is complete isolation of every living human. That isn't possible for even the minimal standards of life - no power plants, no hospitals? There should be a follow up to flattening the curve that involved continued public health strategies to limit and contain new infections. That requires the government present clear and concise instructions - wear masks, wash hands, enforce large public gathering bans, have contact tracing teams and a willingness to enforce quarantine on those that are contagious, etc. It requires the government (federal and state) to do something akin to the English WW2 "Keep Calm and Carry On" program - acknowledging that this all completely sucks, but is necessary for the health and safety of fellow Americans. It also requires the general public to participate in then - actually self isolate if at risk of infections, wear masks, comply with public safety rules. Daily life would actually be possible, in a somewhat modified fashion, if everyone would just all participate in basic public health measures.

In Texas, we've been told, by the highest authority we have, that masks are not only not necessary, but you can't be made to wear them (at least as late as 2 weeks ago) and that old people should be ok dying for the economy. There is very little in the way of comprehensive public health education happening. There is little to no enforced quarantine or contact tracing. Instead, it has been a rapidly escalating opening to business as usual - movie theaters, bars, shopping, restaurants - which gives the impression that everything is fine.

Add the federal government's disdain for science based facts, so that even those trying to present useful information are less believable.

So, instead of managing the disease, our government is just letting the chips fall where they may. Abbot put out a statement telling people to "be more responsible." There is a LOT more to long term management of this than that pat statement.

 

[CarolAnn856]

Interesting article about the effectiveness of masks. In a nutshell, the contact tracing being done in WA seems to indicate that wearing a mask is very effective. At protests where most wore masks, there was minimal or no spread. However, at social gatherings without masks, the virus continued to spread.

https://www.npr.org/sections/corona...-tell-about-cluster-spread-of-the-coronavirus

 

[Searc]

It's almost as if tact, couth, class, diplomacy and etiquette all had one thing in common. But sadly, it's that they are extinct in certain self-centered segments of society.

Really, it's just very sad that common sense isn't very common anymore.

Or being a decent human being.

 

[Searc]

A friend from Texas shared this story, and I noticed it was on our local news this morning:

https://www.wsfa.com/2020/06/26/birthday-party-leaves-texas-family-with-coronavirus/

"Hoax!! It won't happen to me, because I'm *fill in the blank*"...until it does.

Stupid actions sometimes have deadly consequences.

 

[Searc]

The TX Gov has ordered all bars to close and restaurants are reduced to 50% capacity, starting at 12pm today.

He still won't require masks, though.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/26/tex...-pausing-plans-as-coronavirus-cases-rise.html

 

[ohiomom28]

I'll be cutting my own hair also. I watched a video where you gather it all up in a ponytail on your forehead like a unicorn to do an angled cut. We shall see.

Someone I know at work did this and she has a mullet now.

 

[tcufrog]

Colleyville has announced that they won't enforce Tarrant County's mask ordinance.

 

[RamblingMad]

Stages are not uniform from state to state.

Stages don’t seem to be based on anything but time. We’re sick of being closed. Open the bars in two weeks.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Stages don’t seem to be based on anything but time.

Here in Illinois we are working with a combination of time and results of the current stage. Seems to be working well so far. Hope we keep doing well and keep going in the right direction. Slow seems to be a good method.

 

[RamblingMad]

Here in Illinois we are working with a combination of time and results of the current stage. Seems to be working well so far. Hope we keep doing well and keep going in the right direction. Slow seems to be a good method.

I agree. AZ hasn’t received the memo.