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

[Isgrimnur]

Why the hell does someone working from home need a printer?

[Smoove_B]

Is the thinking on outdoors safety without masks (eg, very rare unless you're in a crowd) changed with regards to Omicron? Cause I do note that a few countries (France, Italy, Spain) have instituted outdoor mask mandates. I'm wondering if that's more out of an abundance of caution, or if something specific has changed their thinking.

I think outdoors is much lower risk (even now), however it's just easier to message and less confusing for the general population. Am I outside? Wear a mask. Am I indoors at a public space? Wear a mask. None of the mental calculus that's necessary in some of the guidance we're giving here in the US. Indoors with an office door? Take it off. Indoors by yourself? No need. indoors and at least 6 feet from others? You're fine. More than 2.54 people per square foot? Wear a mask.

[Smoove_B]

Why the hell does someone working from home need a printer?

Some of us read/edit better in hard copy. It's definitely not economical to just purchase one for someone to use at home, but here we are.

[coopasonic]

Why the hell does someone working from home need a printer?

As someone who wishes he was allowed to print on occasion, I can only have so much information visible on my monitors at any moment. It's not a blocker, it's just inconvenient once in a while.

[Smoove_B]

Not a big deal...yet but I can't help but wonder if we're far from essential services shutting down for a week or two.

Oh, it's happening. Depending on the timing, a major snow/ice event could make things extra bad - roads can't be plowed or salted and power crews can't restore power. Make sure you have fuel for your generator...

[El Guapo]

This seems like a pretty big shift from prior understandings of the virus - what is basis for the new understanding? I've known for awhile that early views of the virus as just big droplets that fall to the ground quickly was out of date, and that at a minimum there were likely small droplets / particles that would take longer to fall to the ground. But like the possibility of getting sick in an empty room because someone was there an hour or more before who was sick seems like a major major change. Are there known cases of transmission along these lines, or is this more like "we can't rule out that people might get sick this way?"

There's strong evidence of indirect transmission occurring in a few observational studies that have been released. This goes back to the basic public health idea of the precautionary principle where in the absence of evidence that proves something is safe, let's assume there's a potential for harm and act accordingly until we can scientifically figure out what is or isn't problematic. As suspected, this is not a popular opinion, especially for businesses or schools.

The environmental conditions that encourage indirect spread haven't been quantified, but just going off what we know having people unmasked, indoors and with poor ventilation would be a problem *if* indirect spread was possible. And so if we assume it is (anecdotally it seems to be occurring) our recommendations run counter to what is currently being encouraged in various states, municipalities, schools and businesses.

I need to repeat - professionally speaking, things are insanely weird for me right now. I am in no way claiming superiority or saying that I look down on anyone, but to have your skills, knowledge and experiences widely ignored because "that would be too difficult" or "that's too much to ask" is while knowing people are going to get sick and some will die is...really uncomfortable.

If you believe/accept that this is an airborne pathogen, it's harder to convince someone that this is a "personal responsibility" issue - we all share the air. The burden shifts from telling individuals that they need to vaccinate themselves to the government/businesses need to make sure the air is safe for us to breathe. Very, very different plan of action.

As pointed out last month, if we still had feces in our drinking water, would we tell people to just personal responsibility their way into drinking it? You need to make sure you're not crapping in your own drinking water - don't worry about what I'm doing to this water over here, just worry about the water you're drinking right now. It sounds absurd - which is why we regulate drinking water to make sure it's safe for people to consume. Or we should be, anyway.

That's helpful - thanks.

[Octavious]

Not a big deal...yet but I can't help but wonder if we're far from essential services shutting down for a week or two.

Oh, it's happening. Depending on the timing, a major snow/ice event could make things extra bad - roads can't be plowed or salted and power crews can't restore power. Make sure you have fuel for your generator...

Supposed to snow Friday. It's no a huge storm though. The next month is going to be super interesting to see how much further everything falls apart.

[Jaymon]

we have refreshed our stock of non-perishables, once again prepped for an extended period of not being able to leave the house, or potentially grocery being unavailable. we have also increased our supply of first aid items. I can only image the horror of getting a broken bone right now, ER and urgent care sound like total nightmares.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

Why the hell does someone working from home need a printer?

When I started WFH last year, one of the first things I bought was a printer. Not sure I actually ever used if for work, though, although I did use it for some other things.

[Max Peck]

I think outdoors is much lower risk (even now), however it's just easier to message and less confusing for the general population. Am I outside? Wear a mask. Am I indoors at a public space? Wear a mask.

That's kind of where I'm at. I live in an apartment building, so I have to mask up to go outside. Once I'm out there, it's probably safe enough to remove the mask as long as I avoid crowds, but it's just easier to leave it on until I get back to the apartment. The one advantage to ear loops is that it's easy to remove and replace the mask, but any mask attached to ear loops can't be relied on to get the job done at this point.

Besides, whenever I think about how safe it's supposed to be out in the open air, my mind goes back to all those deer that are infected. They certainly didn't catch the virus by hanging out in bars, dining in at restaurants or attending high school football games.

[Octavious]

Why the hell does someone working from home need a printer?

When I started WFH last year, one of the first things I bought was a printer. Not sure I actually ever used if for work, though, although I did use it for some other things.

I got one because I couldn't print my daughters school stuff at work as I was home.

[YellowKing]

Why the hell does someone working from home need a printer?

I found out the hard way when my boss called me the other day and said "Print out your evaluation, sign it, and scan it back to me." Though to be fair that's the first time I've actually needed one in 2 years.

[Zaxxon]

Why the hell does someone working from home need a printer?

I found out the hard way when my boss called me the other day and said "Print out your evaluation, sign it, and scan it back to me." Though to be fair that's the first time I've actually needed one in 2 years.

This is where you print to PDF and apply the stamp of your signature that you previously scanned in.

[malchior]

Not a big deal...yet but I can't help but wonder if we're far from essential services shutting down for a week or two.

Oh, it's happening. Depending on the timing, a major snow/ice event could make things extra bad - roads can't be plowed or salted and power crews can't restore power. Make sure you have fuel for your generator...

Good call. I should at least get the big can filled just in case.

[LordMortis]

Why the hell does someone working from home need a printer?

I found out the hard way when my boss called me the other day and said "Print out your evaluation, sign it, and scan it back to me." Though to be fair that's the first time I've actually needed one in 2 years.

You'd need a scanner too then.

We looked at engaging some of the Docusign/Adobe Sign stuff. That shit's crazy expensive. No wonder their stocks went through the roof. We've gotten by with stamping global sign certs into Adobe DC Pro. Not everyone will recognize this but it works for us internally.

[malchior]

we have refreshed our stock of non-perishables, once again prepped for an extended period of not being able to leave the house, or potentially grocery being unavailable. we have also increased our supply of first aid items. I can only image the horror of getting a broken bone right now, ER and urgent care sound like total nightmares.

I'm good for anything but an extended power outage. If I went to generator eventually it'd be only good for absolute essentials but heating the whole house? Not possible without some not up to code mods.

[gilraen]

Why the hell does someone working from home need a printer?

I found out the hard way when my boss called me the other day and said "Print out your evaluation, sign it, and scan it back to me." Though to be fair that's the first time I've actually needed one in 2 years.

You'd need a scanner too then.

Nah, you can take a picture of the document with your phone and send them the screenshot

Changing gears...just saw this: No ICU beds left in Massachusetts. 'Cause that's just a normal "flu season", amirite?

[malchior]

FWIW I'm beginning to wonder if the alternative to the NJ 1/12 theory is that the emergency management folks knew this was probably a untenable situation and decided that panicking the population for sure was less bad than panicking the population maybe depending on whether things went sideways. I don't know anymore but my gut feeling is day over day I am just hearing/seeing more people getting sick even in my immediate orbit. This is markedly different.

[LawBeefaroni]

Why the hell does someone working from home need a printer?

I like having one but I use my own. I don't see making the office buy one. If it gets too costly I'll just ask them to buy some paper and toner.

For me, when I'm juggling multiple contract versions or doing a first pass on redlining, it's often easier (and more importantly to work, more efficient) to do it on hard copy.

[El Guapo]

There's just stuff that's much more pleasant to read and maintain in paper, like long transcripts and documents. I have a printer for that as well as assorted personal use. The problem I'm having is that I had to get a new printer recently (and a new work laptop) and the two aren't working as well together. I've asked OIT, but I vaguely recall them telling us early in the pandemic that we were basically on our own with regards to our home printers, and when I e-mailed them a couple times recently they essentially just straight up ignored my e-mails.

[Smoove_B]

FWIW I'm beginning to wonder if the alternative to the NJ 1/12 theory is that the emergency management folks knew this was probably a untenable situation and decided that panicking the population for sure was less bad than panicking the population maybe depending on whether things went sideways. I don't know anymore but my gut feeling is day over day I am just hearing/seeing more people getting sick even in my immediate orbit. This is markedly different.

It feels (to me) that higher ups (state and county level officials) are gambling on this being less serious *and* that the ~1 million people unvaccinated and ~2 million eligble for boosters but aren't can't possibly overwhelm our medical systems and/or cause social chaos when essential stores (pharmacies, gas stations, food stores) can't open. Sure, people are going to get sick but they're really leaning into this short-term, sporadic chaos that we'll just muscle through and magically it'll be the 3rd week in January and everything will be super.

That's the chatter I'm seeing - that this will all peak for us next week in NJ and we just need to push on through.

[Alefroth]

Why the hell does someone working from home need a printer?

For their emails.

[Smoove_B]

Here's some fun perspective on the math:

https://twitter.com/kurtpankau/status/1 ... 9404645377

So... there were over a million new COVID cases reported yesterday in the US, and I want to take a moment to marvel at just how gigantic that number is.

I have a degree in math, and big numbers are genuinely incomprehensible, so let's see if we can break that down.

...

Anywho. Let's come at this from another angle. There are just shy of 330 million of us in this country. That means that 1 out of every 330 people got diagnosed YESTERDAY.

...

Pick a day of the year. Any day.

Every person with that day as their birthday got diagnosed with COVID yesterday.

...

If you filled Dodger Stadium to its maximum seating capacity, it would take almost 18 of them to hold the number of people who got diagnosed YESTERDAY

[LawBeefaroni]

If you filled Dodger Stadium to its maximum seating capacity, it would take almost 18 of them to hold the number of people who got diagnosed YESTERDAY

It's more than everyone who attended an Arizona Diamondbacks home game in 2021.

[pr0ner]

Why the hell does someone working from home need a printer?

It's easier to mark up a print out of something than it is to do it all on a computer.

[Formix]

I have to admit, out of everything I have posted here, I did not see printers as getting the most response. Although I'm firmly on the side of "you don't need a printer that badly, tough it out." But I can also see the other side . . . now.

[Smoove_B]

People are passionate about printing!

More evidence the COVID response coordinator is completely out of touch:

https://twitter.com/NateWeixel/status/1 ... 0696343560

As prices of rapid tests rise, WH advisor Jeff Zients indicates admin won't do anything about the list price-- insurance is going to be covering these tests eventually, apparently regardless of price

Because everyone has insurance, so no problem!

[El Guapo]

Also, even if you do have insurance, you have to: (1) pay out of pocket to begin with; and (2) presumably fill out documentation later and receive reimbursement at some unknown point in the future (assuming that everything is processed correctly and you don't hit any bureaucratic snags).

So that's not really helping the people who can't get tests now because they're too expensive.

[Grifman]

My brother who got covid right before Christmas is fine now. He had I guess a slight case, like a weak flu. Took him about a week though before he started to feel normal.

[malchior]

Great news Grifman!

Insurance eligibility is great and all but why not actually talk about the root cause of the damn problem. The FDA approval process is broken. The whole rapid test price/supply fiasco falls squarely with them while the entirety of the rest of the advanced economies are throwing tests at people at low cost. It's infuriating when you dive beneath the covers.

[Smoove_B]

Yikes

https://twitter.com/JStein_WaPo/status/ ... 6445953030

Senior Biden official to CNN on potential for further covid relief aid

"No. There might be something small for restaurants. But the economy is booming, there are millions of open jobs, and we do not believe people should be sitting at home if they are vaccinated and boosted, as most adults are," the senior official said when asked if additional stimulus legislation was being taken seriously.

The official added, "So we are not going to write checks to incentivize people to sit at home, and we are not going to bail out businesses if the economy seems strong," leaving the possibility open "if something changes."

[Zaxxon]

Isg_trolley.gif

[malchior]

It's nice that we finally have a 80s style Republican administration again.

[Smoove_B]

I seriously had to verify that wasn't from January of 2021.

Here's an update for Daehawk:

https://twitter.com/BNODesk/status/1478914116555259904

Tennessee says it's no longer providing daily COVID-19 updates, despite a surge in cases and hospitalizations. It will issue weekly reports instead, with the first full update on January 19

[El Guapo]

Well, now one boy in my daughter's grade tested negative on Monday, came to school, then developed symptoms at some point that day (unclear whether it was in school or after school), and has now tested positive. Wasn't in school yesterday or today. Apparently he sits near my daughter in science class, but otherwise wouldn't have been in close contact, and everyone was masked.

So...we'll see I guess. The school has yet to have a confirmed in-school transfer case, though I'm sure that omicron will do its damndest.

Also now everyone will need to rapid test every Monday before the start of the school week, which I was hoping they would require.

[Grifman]

https://twitter.com/financialtimes/stat ... 30917?s=21

[Grifman]

It's nice that we finally have a 80s style Republican administration again.

What further relief is needed? Most of the relief was given to keep the economy afloat, and that is no longer an issue. I’m not clear as to why you and Smoove think more relief is needed.

[Grifman]

Yikes

https://twitter.com/JStein_WaPo/status/ ... 6445953030

Senior Biden official to CNN on potential for further covid relief aid

"No. There might be something small for restaurants. But the economy is booming, there are millions of open jobs, and we do not believe people should be sitting at home if they are vaccinated and boosted, as most adults are," the senior official said when asked if additional stimulus legislation was being taken seriously.

The official added, "So we are not going to write checks to incentivize people to sit at home, and we are not going to bail out businesses if the economy seems strong," leaving the possibility open "if something changes."

Sounds pretty accurate to me. What do you feel today s lacking?

[Zarathud]

Blame Manchin.

[Smoove_B]

Sounds pretty accurate to me. What do you feel today s lacking?

Compassion? Empathy?