Corona Virus: It's a Marathon, Not a Sprint

[Max Peck]

Yeah, I would not be surprised to see incidents of skin cancer going up due to abuse of UV lights as "sanitizers". So in a way, COVID causes cancer!

Given the weird ways that SARS-CoV-2 messes with things at the cellular level, it wouldn't surprise me if at some point we find out that COVID-19 just straight-up causes cancer.

[Isgrimnur]

Well, we know that eating out can cause cancer.

[Stefan Stirzaker]

News around the world: The city of Melbourne (in Victoria) is instituting stage 4 restrictions immediately, this is after a sharp increase of clusters and community transmission from the start of July. This has seen them go from nearly 0 to 11500 (total since start, 6322 active) cases in a month and doubling the death toll. They have also declared a state of disaster to give police and others more powers to enforce these.

Restrictions include:
From 6:00pm tonight, Melbourne residents can only shop within 5km.

Only one person from each household is allowed out to get essential goods or services.

No more than 1 hour of exercise, done within 5km of home.

There will be a curfew between 8:00pm and 5:00am every day unless you meet exemptions (if you're at work, giving care or getting care).

All students across the state will return to home-based learning. Childcare will be closed.

Mask Mandatory outside the home.

[Blackhawk]

My son's school shows video of their new arrangements, including the spacing of seats, lunch seating, and so forth, combined with confirmation that masks won't be needed when there is social distancing, such as in classrooms. Someone needs to inform them that six feet is two yardsticks, not one.

[Unagi]

A lot of schools seem to be going with the new “4 feet” rule.

[Remus West]

News around the world: The city of Melbourne (in Victoria) is instituting stage 4 restrictions immediately, this is after a sharp increase of clusters and community transmission from the start of July. This has seen them go from nearly 0 to 11500 (total since start, 6322 active) cases in a month and doubling the death toll. They have also declared a state of disaster to give police and others more powers to enforce these.

Restrictions include:
From 6:00pm tonight, Melbourne residents can only shop within 5km.

Only one person from each household is allowed out to get essential goods or services.

No more than 1 hour of exercise, done within 5km of home.

There will be a curfew between 8:00pm and 5:00am every day unless you meet exemptions (if you're at work, giving care or getting care).

All students across the state will return to home-based learning. Childcare will be closed.

Mask Mandatory outside the home.

Are people there good about following these restrictions? I wish we were here.

[Moat_Man]

Did anybody else notice that China is starting to report cases again? They had 276 cases on July 30th and its been above 100 cases per day for the last week and a half. My main take away is that you can't stop it without a global response becuase even it you get under control it can bomerang back to you. That's not good for the rest of the world considering how poorly the US has done to control its own spread.

[LawBeefaroni]

Did anybody else notice that China is starting to report cases again? They had 276 cases on July 30th and its been above 100 cases per day for the last week and a half. My main take away is that you can't stop it without a global response becuase even it you get under control it can bomerang back to you. That's not good for the rest of the world considering how poorly the US has done to control its own spread.

It's kind of like how you can't control it here without a national response. The virus doesn't respect state borders any more than national ones.

[Smoove_B]

Until there's a vaccine (and a mass vaccination effort) this is what you can expect - at least in nations/regions that have it under control through NPIs (mask use, restrictions, closures, etc...). For those places, they can quickly intervene and try to stop another large scale outbreak - contact tracing, isolation and quarantine, plus whatever additional support is needed for those affected (housing, food, financial assistance).

In a place like the U.S. where it's still spreading wildly and out of control, hold on to your pants.

It's also the reason no one wants Americans to visit. I have to believe Mexico and Canada are most concerned at this point. We've been raging for ~5 months now and there's no end in sight, nor any indication that there's going to be a change in course.

EDIT: Case in point.

[Alefroth]

This awesome site was linked in that article-

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/ho ... 2.5/zoom:5

[Stefan Stirzaker]

News around the world: The city of Melbourne (in Victoria) is instituting stage 4 restrictions immediately, this is after a sharp increase of clusters and community transmission from the start of July. This has seen them go from nearly 0 to 11500 (total since start, 6322 active) cases in a month and doubling the death toll. They have also declared a state of disaster to give police and others more powers to enforce these.

Restrictions include:
From 6:00pm tonight, Melbourne residents can only shop within 5km.

Only one person from each household is allowed out to get essential goods or services.

No more than 1 hour of exercise, done within 5km of home.

There will be a curfew between 8:00pm and 5:00am every day unless you meet exemptions (if you're at work, giving care or getting care).

All students across the state will return to home-based learning. Childcare will be closed.

Mask Mandatory outside the home.

Are people there good about following these restrictions? I wish we were here.

Generally yes but we have our own covidiots. Recent door knock of those positive and supposed to be isolating found 1/4 not at home. Which is why it got so bad. We'll see how it goes for this stage

[Zaxxon]

And, my kids are now officially electing 100% virtual learning for the first semester.

[malchior]

Double post

[malchior]

The United States of Chaos. Birx basically admits pandemic is out of control and as many as 300K may die by end of the year. I don't think anyone knows anything at this point with that type of certainty. However, it seems plausibe if we continue to not take this seriously.

[Unagi]

When you look at the Worldwide New Cases Data, it doesn't look even remotely like this is being slowed down.

[Jolor]

Until there's a vaccine (and a mass vaccination effort) this is what you can expect - at least in nations/regions that have it under control through NPIs (mask use, restrictions, closures, etc...). For those places, they can quickly intervene and try to stop another large scale outbreak - contact tracing, isolation and quarantine, plus whatever additional support is needed for those affected (housing, food, financial assistance).

In a place like the U.S. where it's still spreading wildly and out of control, hold on to your pants.

It's also the reason no one wants Americans to visit. I have to believe Mexico and Canada are most concerned at this point. We've been raging for ~5 months now and there's no end in sight, nor any indication that there's going to be a change in course.

EDIT: Case in point.

And this would be why (per the article):

Creek is particularly concerned about the tiny isolated communities, such as Refuge Cove on Desolation Sound, where boaters stop for fuel and food. Many are home to First Nations people and have no medical facilities.

Canadian boaters recently got riled up after a large yacht from the U.S. stopped at one of the small outposts for supplies.

"They wandered the dock," says Creek bitterly. "Three or four adults and the rest were teenagers with no social distancing, no masks, and went through the store as if they were just shopping at Walmart."

[$iljanus]

Until there's a vaccine (and a mass vaccination effort) this is what you can expect - at least in nations/regions that have it under control through NPIs (mask use, restrictions, closures, etc...). For those places, they can quickly intervene and try to stop another large scale outbreak - contact tracing, isolation and quarantine, plus whatever additional support is needed for those affected (housing, food, financial assistance).

In a place like the U.S. where it's still spreading wildly and out of control, hold on to your pants.

It's also the reason no one wants Americans to visit. I have to believe Mexico and Canada are most concerned at this point. We've been raging for ~5 months now and there's no end in sight, nor any indication that there's going to be a change in course.

EDIT: Case in point.

And this would be why (per the article):

Creek is particularly concerned about the tiny isolated communities, such as Refuge Cove on Desolation Sound, where boaters stop for fuel and food. Many are home to First Nations people and have no medical facilities.

Canadian boaters recently got riled up after a large yacht from the U.S. stopped at one of the small outposts for supplies.

"They wandered the dock," says Creek bitterly. "Three or four adults and the rest were teenagers with no social distancing, no masks, and went through the store as if they were just shopping at Walmart."

We are truly living an apocalyptic movie complete with a plague boat spreading contagion from town to town.

[El Guapo]

Massachusetts just issued a new travel order yesterday. The core of it is if you come to Massachusetts from a non-lower risk state you need to fill out an online travel form and either produce a negative COVID test taken within the past 3 days (good luck with that), or quarantine for 14 days. If you do neither and don't fill out the form it's a fine of $500/day.

Also interested in the map of lower risk vs. non-lower risk states.



Godspeed, everyone not in the northeast.

Also, from what I've read from the NJ contingent here, you may be surprised that you are in a lower risk state.

[Punisher]

Massachusetts just issued a new travel order yesterday. The core of it is if you come to Massachusetts from a non-lower risk state you need to fill out an online travel form and either produce a negative COVID test taken within the past 3 days (good luck with that), or quarantine for 14 days. If you do neither and don't fill out the form it's a fine of $500/day.

Also interested in the map of lower risk vs. non-lower risk states.



Godspeed, everyone not in the northeast.

Also, from what I've read from the NJ contingent here, you may be surprised that you are in a lower risk state.

NJ here. Not really surprised. We do have knuckleheads of course, but in my area most people are following the mask/distancing rules.
Plus my son isn’t spending his days picking up bodies anymore.

[Isgrimnur]

So we’ve effectively quarantined off the Patriots and Bruins fans?

[LawBeefaroni]

Godspeed, everyone not in the northeast.

Or Hawaii!

[Kraken]

Massachusetts just issued a new travel order yesterday. The core of it is if you come to Massachusetts from a non-lower risk state you need to fill out an online travel form and either produce a negative COVID test taken within the past 3 days (good luck with that), or quarantine for 14 days. If you do neither and don't fill out the form it's a fine of $500/day.

Also interested in the map of lower risk vs. non-lower risk states.



Godspeed, everyone not in the northeast.

Also, from what I've read from the NJ contingent here, you may be surprised that you are in a lower risk state.

Applies primarily to air arrivals; nobody's checking drivers or trains. And one 17-year-old arrival was a bit miffed because she got the required negative test and nobody asked to see it (not linking because lazy). There are fines on the books, but no enforcement system.

As a Masshole, however, I encourage all of you to keep your filthy germy bodies far from here.

[ImLawBoy]

And, my kids are now officially electing 100% virtual learning for the first semester.

Yep. We made our official election yesterday. With a high risk person in the house, we just can't justify the risk. It helps that I am working from home and my wife isn't working (although she is a student herself with lots of work for her doctorate). It won't be fun, but we'll get by.

[Zaxxon]

It won't be fun, but we'll get by.

2020 official slogan.

[stessier]

So we’ve effectively quarantined off the Patriots and Bruins fans?

Not all of us - I'm totally in a state that's trying to kill me.

[Zaxxon]

Ed Yong, on fire again: How the Pandemic Defeated America

[Kraken]

Ed Yong, on fire again: How the Pandemic Defeated America

Good read. No new information there for those who've been paying attention, yet it's useful to see it presented as a narrative.

[RunningMn9]

We officially elected for the hybrid approach for my daughter. For however long that lasts.

As for NJ being lower-risk. I think we all agree with that except Smoove. He lives in a binary world - you are either no-risk or at-risk. Those are the only two states you can be in.

[El Guapo]

Massachusetts just issued a new travel order yesterday. The core of it is if you come to Massachusetts from a non-lower risk state you need to fill out an online travel form and either produce a negative COVID test taken within the past 3 days (good luck with that), or quarantine for 14 days. If you do neither and don't fill out the form it's a fine of $500/day.

Also interested in the map of lower risk vs. non-lower risk states.



Godspeed, everyone not in the northeast.

Also, from what I've read from the NJ contingent here, you may be surprised that you are in a lower risk state.

Applies primarily to air arrivals; nobody's checking drivers or trains. And one 17-year-old arrival was a bit miffed because she got the required negative test and nobody asked to see it (not linking because lazy). There are fines on the books, but no enforcement system.

As a Masshole, however, I encourage all of you to keep your filthy germy bodies far from here.

Around the War of 1812 New England came semi-close to secession. Maybe we should look into that again. I think we can invite NY / NJ this time, though.

[Unagi]

We officially elected for the hybrid approach for my daughter. For however long that lasts.

As for NJ being lower-risk. I think we all agree with that except Smoove. He lives in a binary world - you are either no-risk or at-risk. Those are the only two states you can be in.

I think it’s more like; either you are practicing safe-sex, or you are not.

[Smoove_B]

Nah. I fully acknowledge NJ overall is lower risk. My mentality is pretty straight forward - what am I willing to do right now that will intentionally increase my risk of exposure - no matter how small that increase is? Am I willing to eat outside at a restaurant right now, even though it's low risk? Nope. Would I congregate outdoors with others in a group? Nope. Would I spend more than 10 minutes inside a store at this point? Nope.

The virus is still around and all it will take is a scenario where the variable align (groups of people, close contact, prolonged period of time) for it to continue to propagate; that's what it does. If I don't need to put myself in situations where those variables exist, I won't. It sounds binary, but there are numerous considerations.

[LordMortis]

Would I spend more than 10 minutes inside a store at this point?

I grocery shop for one. I discovered that while WFH, I can hit my ALDI during the day and get a shop done in 20 minutes. I was elated, though I'd have to that 1 or 2 times a week to keep that kind of time, and I might. 10 minutes? That's going to 7-11 and getting an armful of stuff, knowing what you want ahead of time. Grocery shopping is what it is. I don't know how you and yours can possibly eat on 10 minutes or less in the store.

[Smoove_B]

I don't know how you and yours can possibly eat on 10 minutes or less in the store.

I've been doing online orders and curbside pickup at my local supermarket for ~5 months. I'm shopping for 4 or 5 adults and a teen; it's been a bit like a part time job, coordinating orders, pickup and delivery for 2-3 families, where three of the people are in their 70s. Other than a 5 minute visit to the pharmacy last month, I have not set foot inside a retail store (for anything) since March.

[Remus West]

Would I spend more than 10 minutes inside a store at this point?

I grocery shop for one. I discovered that while WFH, I can hit my ALDI during the day and get a shop done in 20 minutes. I was elated, though I'd have to that 1 or 2 times a week to keep that kind of time, and I might. 10 minutes? That's going to 7-11 and getting an armful of stuff, knowing what you want ahead of time. Grocery shopping is what it is. I don't know how you and yours can possibly eat on 10 minutes or less in the store.

https://www.instacart.com/

[LordMortis]

I have not built the mentality for having someone else do a picklist or ordering food from warehouses. Too many variables are voodoo for me. Which is strange because the moment ordering takeout online became a thing and I could enter my order and not ever talk to a person? I was all over that.... Well, until COVID. Since returning to work my carry out is way up. Since March, I have now eaten a Jet Pizza, a Little Ceasar's pizza, a McDonalds breakfast muffin, 2 Taco Bell box meals, Lee's Cheap Chicken Wednesday, and a few coneys from Kirbys.

[LawBeefaroni]

I go to the grocery for fast runs. The wife then gets Whole Foods deliveries throughout the week to fill in the gaps.


I have to figure out what I can do with all those space-age silver bubble wrap insulator bags from WFAMZN.

[coopasonic]

Nah. I fully acknowledge NJ overall is lower risk. My mentality is pretty straight forward - what am I willing to do right now that will intentionally increase my risk of exposure - no matter how small that increase is? Am I willing to eat outside at a restaurant right now, even though it's low risk? Nope. Would I congregate outdoors with others in a group? Nope. Would I spend more than 10 minutes inside a store at this point? Nope.

I was going to say something about asking you to talk to my wife (a healthcare worker in high-risk Texas) about some of her higher risk activities, but I still need her to go to work and buy groceries and talking to you might ruin that for me. She's not completely business as usual, but way too close to it for my comfort. To be fair sitting at home alone has always been my happy place and not so much hers.

[ImLawBoy]

I do a weekly grocery store run on Monday, and usually a supplementary run on Saturday to the local "urban market" (i.e., fancy convenience store with lots of good options but high prices). We go through a ton of produce and I'm kind of picky about it, so I want to select it myself. That gives me the opportunity to sub something out if it feels "off". That's important for something like eggplant, for example. I'm usually in among the Instacart shoppers, and having observed them, I don't feel comfortable that they'd get what I want.

These trips are my one real concession to breaking quarantine, particularly now that the CVS drive through is working again so I rarely have to go inside to get prescriptions. We've been ordering non-food supplies for delivery.

[Zaxxon]

We go through a ton of produce and I'm kind of picky about it, so I want to select it myself. That gives me the opportunity to sub something out if it feels "off". That's important for something like eggplant, for example. I'm usually in among the Instacart shoppers, and having observed them, I don't feel comfortable that they'd get what I want.

This has been the one weakness of our delivery orders, which are through Instacart via their Kroger integration. The typical Instacart shopper's interest in produce appears to be 'is that the type of produce I've been tasked with picking up?' If it vaguely resembles the item, it's good enough to be selected. We've had numerous items that had to go right into the trash, and a bunch more that were just not good.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

I've been going to the grocery store more often than I should (usually 2x a week). The one that I can walk to is usually pretty empty but has a crappy selection. The better one is more crowded. Fortunately, at least for the last two or three weeks, I haven't seen anyone not wearing a mask. But the person working the deli yesterday at the better grocery store wasn't covering her nose with the mask.