Topic: Hope everyone is ok...Wash your hands.

[saratogaWX]

I saw that Florida has issued shelter-in-place orders now.  Oddly enough, it classified religious gatherings as essential and exempted from the order.  Other states who were late in issuing orders found that religious gatherings spread the virus rapidly.  We in California have been doing services online only since March 17th -- it's not quite the same as in-person, but is a fair substitute to keep down the spread of the virus.

[ValentineWeather]

I think that's a mistake not including religious gatherings.  It looks rather hoaky allowing religion to be an exception.
Criticism deserved IMO. 

[Bunty]

Still not enough test kits in Oklahoma. Read the state had to purchase 11,000 kits last Thursday. Opening a drive thru testing site in Ardmore today. Only for those showing symptoms.


The Carter County Health Department will be conducting a regional testing drive-thru location on Thursday, April 2, 2020 at the Ardmore Convention Center located at 2401 N. Rockford Road, Ardmore, OK. The drive-thru times are 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, or while supplies last. The tests are free and people must meet all of the following criteria for testing:

Only 150 kits on site.

The Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostics Laboratory at OSU in Stillwater got certified by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to run tests for COVID-19 to determine results.  Formerly tests taken were being sent out of state to obtain results:   https://www.ocolly.com/news/osu-diagnostic-lab-joins-battle-against-covid-19/article_efb243ea-73a2-11ea-b894-cfa32a3305fe.html

[Aardvark]

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/health/2020/04/02/shelter-in-place-iowa-covid-19-benchmark-guidance-tool-waits-for-hospitalization-outbreaks/5111747002/

This is the benchmark, released today by someone who also is irritated, why Iowa isn't doing what everyone has figured out.  Essentially when more of the older population dies, then she will do something.

[galfert]

I'm not saying it is right or wrong...but I think that Florida is trying to stay out of legal trouble with the religious gatherings because of separation of church and state. I'm no legal expert. Just sharing what some other people are thinking.

Where I live in Florida even though the governor finally acted to place this shelter at home order, everyone I've spoken to was already sheltering in place and the roads have been empty for a long time. I've only seen it because of the bicycle rides I have been enjoying. 5 PM rush hour feels 3 AM.

[Aardvark]

I'm not saying it is right or wrong...but I think that Florida is trying to stay out of legal trouble with the religious gatherings because of separation of church and state. I'm no legal expert. Just sharing what some other people are thinking.

Where I live in Florida even though the governor finally acted to place this shelter at home order, everyone I've spoken to was already sheltering in place and the roads have been empty for a long time. I've only seen it because of the bicycle rides I have been enjoying. 5 PM rush hour feels 3 AM.

However, you still can have church services and those crowds will spread it further.   You know you can, like the rest of us, pray at home and frequently.

[ocala]

I'm not saying it is right or wrong...but I think that Florida is trying to stay out of legal trouble with the religious gatherings because of separation of church and state. I'm no legal expert. Just sharing what some other people are thinking.

Where I live in Florida even though the governor finally acted to place this shelter at home order, everyone I've spoken to was already sheltering in place and the roads have been empty for a long time. I've only seen it because of the bicycle rides I have been enjoying. 5 PM rush hour feels 3 AM.

However, you still can have church services and those crowds will spread it further.   You know you can, like the rest of us, pray at home and frequently.

Exactly!
Pray at home, your back yard, in the woods, online etc.
Church is just bricks and mortar for like minds.
What do these people not understand??
The ignorance in this country is really rearing it's ugly head.

[vreihen]

Oddly enough, it classified religious gatherings as essential and exempted from the order.  Other states who were late in issuing orders found that religious gatherings spread the virus rapidly.

Here in NY State, our very first case (that later evolved into a cluster and later a containment zone enforced by the National Guard) started at a religious gathering!

Without going into religious details, there is a similar high-density religious community near me that allegedly accounts for over half of our county's 2,000+ confirmed cases and 30 deaths.  The County Executive asked the Governor to declare this town as a cluster/hotspot, and enforce a quarantine on them as well.  The Governor refused to do anything beyond the ongoing "New York on PAUSE" stuff that applies across the state.....

[ValentineWeather]

I'm not saying it is right or wrong...but I think that Florida is trying to stay out of legal trouble with the religious gatherings because of separation of church and state. I'm no legal expert. Just sharing what some other people are thinking.

Where I live in Florida even though the governor finally acted to place this shelter at home order, everyone I've spoken to was already sheltering in place and the roads have been empty for a long time. I've only seen it because of the bicycle rides I have been enjoying. 5 PM rush hour feels 3 AM.

Bet you're right. We have no such order and the last thing you would see are church gatherings. In fact they were the first to cancel 5 weeks ago well before schools closed. So likely done to avoid multitudes of lawsuits.

[davidmc36]

....an unusual rash of mysterious cases of pneumonia back in January....

It just clicked in a week or so ago. My wife's sister and husband came back from Dominican through Florida and Up-State NY, then by car into Canada. Third or fourth week of January.

A few days later she got ALL the classic symptoms: dry painful cough, fever, aches, headache, tired, short of breath, really short of breath, lost smell and taste.......they said pneumonia????......Antibiotics did nothing. Went on for two weeks. A few days after her husband got sick with carbon copy very, very, light symptoms.

Never connected the dots at the time. She's very fortunate.

It's been three weeks since I had contact with their mother who had contact with her a week before that. So like two week gap from her recovery to contact with mother.

What if the contacts were a bit sooner.......I might be in the throes of it right now........or worse.

[ocala]

Reality check.
Lost my job today.
 

[Farmtalk]

Reality check.
Lost my job today.
 

Wow, I'm so sorry to hear that. Thoughts and prayers pal. Keep your head up!

[galfert]

Reality check.
Lost my job today.
 

Really sorry to hear that. What was your job? But keep that private if you want. Up to you if you want to share what you do as it never hurts to network with groups of people to see where the next job opportunity may come from.

[DRoberts]

Very sorry to hear, Ocala

[galfert]

I'm not saying it is right or wrong...but I think that Florida is trying to stay out of legal trouble with the religious gatherings because of separation of church and state. I'm no legal expert. Just sharing what some other people are thinking.

I'm speachless. Why is it always Florida???
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/apr/3/florida-county-declares-churches-essential-service/

A Florida county has aided a pastor who held worship in defiance of “safer-at-home” rules by declaring religious services to be “essential services” during the coronavirus pandemic.

[Bunty]

I'm not saying it is right or wrong...but I think that Florida is trying to stay out of legal trouble with the religious gatherings because of separation of church and state. I'm no legal expert. Just sharing what some other people are thinking.

I'm speachless. Why is it always Florida???
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/apr/3/florida-county-declares-churches-essential-service/

A Florida county has aided a pastor who held worship in defiance of “safer-at-home” rules by declaring religious services to be “essential services” during the coronavirus pandemic.

I wonder if the preacher will consider it quite essential for church attendees to wear masks and/or everybody to stay at least 6 ft. apart?  Will the choir have to sing?

[Bunty]

Great.  My county is offering FREE drive by curbside tests if certain conditions are met:

The Payne County Health Department has announced curbside COVID-19 testing will be available – by appointment only – beginning April 6 at the Payne County Health Department building, 1321 West 7th, Stillwater, while supplies are available.

The Payne County Health Department encourages those individuals 18 years and older who are experiencing a fever of 100.4 or higher, cough, or shortness of breath to contact the Payne County Health Department at 405-372-8200 to reserve an appointment. Testing is free and does not require insurance. Instructions for utilizing the curbside testing service will be provided at the time the appointment is made.

A physician’s order is not needed in order to be tested through the Health Department’s curbside testing option. However, PCHD does encourage established patients seeking testing to contact their primary care provider.

Please remember COVID-19 testing at the Payne County Health Department is being done curbside, by appointment only. Individuals are asked to remain in their vehicle at all times.

[Bushman]

Reality check.
Lost my job today.
 

Well that sucks.  I am sitting at home when I was supposed to get a lucrative contract overseas.  Wife (medical professional!) got notice that office is closed so we are sitting around waiting for spring.

[vreihen]

Can anyone fathom the evacuation repercussions if COVID-geddon lockdowns continue into the east coast hurricane season?????

[Jasiu]

Can anyone fathom the evacuation repercussions if COVID-geddon lockdowns continue into the east coast hurricane season?????

One would hope planning for that eventuality (the season is forecast to be active) is happening. But given that several of the coastal states that would be most affected are way behind the curve on their initial response, I doubt that's the case.

[ValentineWeather]

Think times are tough it could be much worse. Yellowstone 

On the positive side, this virus is making me want to prep more and changed my thinking about certain things.

[ValentineWeather]

 
Dr. Fauci is supposed to be THE virus expert.  Numero Uno.  And yet, prediction after prediction has failed, and now he tells us on the Sunday shows, models don't even work.

The man is a big pharm puppet and a clown.

[ocala]

Randy I look at from a mets point of view. All the models say this and the weather does something else.
This virus is no different. Since it's new to humans we can only speculate until we get more data.
There's really no play book to go by. Just seat of your pants.

[ValentineWeather]

I'm beginning to think we've been hoodwinked. Some areas have a flat curve because it's over.

This goes along with what health workers and others are saying here in Valentine and down in North Platte some talking back and forth on FB. 

Mysterious flu with negative influenza results causing pneumonia came though hitting the community hard .  Yes, we did have more than normal elderly deaths caused by pneumonia this year and several that barely pulled through. 



Funny how CDC comes out and wants every death considered COVID19 even without a positive result.

From CDC Website: Hospitals to List COVID-19 as Cause of Death Even if It's "Assumed to Have Caused Or Contributed to Death" - Lab Tests Not Required


https://medium.com/morozko-method/the-curve-is-already-flat-2de80eed1bd0

[saratogaWX]

Some areas may have a 'flat curve' due to insufficient testing availability.  In California, the test are ramping up slowly.  I hardly think that is 'being hoodwinked'.

What we do know based on the experiences:
1) the novel caronavirus can infect everyone since it's 'novel' -- our immune systems haven't seen it before, so we're susceptible.
2) some people can fight off the symptoms better than others who may have diminished immune systems due to chronic/pre-existing conditions or age.
3) people who feel no symptoms can be carriers/spreaders of the virus to others.
4) severe cases usually have pulmonary function collapse and need oxygen/ventilator support.  In some cases, the immune system becomes hyperactive while fighting the virus and causes organ disfunction/failure that can lead to death.

As a percentage of population, the USA is well behind testing numbers for other countries (as of 5-Apr-2020) .. until more testing is completed, we won't have a better picture.

Models are not 'cast in stone', but based on the available evidence at the time and offer guidance to the epidemiologists for their recommendations.  I, for one, respect the guidance by the medical professionals and treat others with an increasingly large grain-of-salt.