Spreads so easily......

[Chuckanut]

I continue to be super impressed by guideline compliance in my city. People are super well behaved in stores, etc. Mandates have been in effect since a very bad summer, and they are observed at least in public.

+1 in my area.

Things have settled down. Wearing masks is the norm. We no longer have stories of foul mouthed people refusing to wear a mask, or mocking those who do. Nor do we have stories of masked-up people shaming others for minor mask wearing issues.

The compliance seems to be paying off. We never had a big post Thanksgiving spike, though there was a small increase in infections. It seems that the infection numbers are starting to creep down. The 7 Day Average is now below the 14 Day Average, for the first time in over a month.

Basically, it seems that people are hanging until they can get vaccinated. Nobody wants to be the last person to suffer and/or die from Covid. Nor do they want their loved ones to be among the last.

 

[audreyh1]

We feel like a pair of Mrs. Crachits. Most of our neighbors are 10+ years older than we are. We just keep getting shocked.

Walking home we noticed a neighbor talking to a contractor inside her garage, standing about 2 feet apart. No masks. That's another way folks in my neighborhood are potentially exposed - we seem to have a lot of contractors in the neighborhood these days working on all sorts of projects. Our county got into trouble with a very large outbreak this summer. We still have tons of cases even though we no longer look so bad compared to the rest of the US.

DH was floored this evening to see a picture posted on Facebook of a group of neighborhood ladies at their weekly breakfast, indoors at a local restaurant. 10 at table, sitting quite close together. Although I suppose all bets are off when eating as a group indoors anyway. I guess facing each other maskless while eating indoors, distancing doesn't really matter anymore anyway?

It's another world outside our 55+ neighborhood. General public, stores, etc., people are taking precautions and being very careful.

/rant off

 

[Alan]

Just watching a briefing by the British PM and scientists. A new strain of Covid is spreading up to 70% faster than the existing variants. In London and the South East of England infections and hospital admissions are doubling every 7 days. Consequently 31% of the population of England is now under a new Tier 4 of restrictions (stay at home) and the relaxation of rules over Christmas is now cancelled for that Tier. For the rest of England the relaxed rules for Christmas will only apply on Christmas Day, not over 5 days as planned.

As far as the scientists know at present, while the new variant spreads much more quickly, increasing the R number by 0.4, it does make the symptoms and health effects any worse than the old variant, and the vaccines will still protect against it.

The devolved government’s in Scotland, N. Ireland and Wales are expected to make statements on the new developments.

https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4857

 

[ivinsfan]

Just watching a briefing by the British PM and scientists. A new strain of Covid is spreading up to 70% faster than the existing variants. In London and the South East of England infections and hospital admissions are doubling every 7 days. Consequently 31% of the population of England is now under a new Tier 4 of restrictions (stay at home) and the relaxation of rules over Christmas is now cancelled for that Tier. For the rest of England the relaxed rules for Christmas will only apply on Christmas Day, not over 5 days as planned.

As far as the scientists know at present, while the new variant spreads much more quickly, increasing the R number by 0.4, it does make the symptoms and health effects any worse than the old variant, and the vaccines will still protect against it.

The devolved government’s in Scotland, N. Ireland and Wales are expected to make statements on the new developments.

https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4857

No expert on this, but it seems like this happened in MN..Steady, decently low numbers just suddenly exploded here and in our bordering states. Instead of a post Thanksgiving surge our numbers started dropping rapidly and are still dropping..

 

[harllee]

My nephew and his family (wife and 2 children) have just tested positive and are all very sick (sick enough that he asked us to put him and his family on our Church prayer list but they are not yet in the hospital). My nephew and his wife are both public school teachers (one middle school and one high school) and their schools had been meeting in person the last few weeks. There are now so many teachers at the schools sick with Covid that they are now having to go back virtual but there is some question whether there is enough teachers to even teach virtual. Looks like it was mistake to go back to in person classes.

 

[ivinsfan]

My nephew and his family (wife and 2 children) have just tested positive and are all very sick (sick enough that he asked us to put him and his family on our Church prayer list but they are not yet in the hospital). My nephew and his wife are both public school teachers (one middle school and one high school) and their schools had been meeting in person the last few weeks. There are now so many teachers at the schools sick with Covid that they are now having to go back virtual but there is some question whether there is enough teachers to even teach virtual. Looks like it was mistake to go back to in person classes.

Maybe but OTOH I know a teacher who got the virus at a big Halloween party, so I don't know if a given that having schools open is a problem. Sometimes the teacher isn't sick but they or a student in their classroom has a known exposure and they lockdown that teacher and classroom..

I'm not suggesting your family members went to a party....hope they improve quickly.

 

[CardsFan]

My nephew and his family (wife and 2 children) have just tested positive and are all very sick (sick enough that he asked us to put him and his family on our Church prayer list but they are not yet in the hospital). My nephew and his wife are both public school teachers (one middle school and one high school) and their schools had been meeting in person the last few weeks. There are now so many teachers at the schools sick with Covid that they are now having to go back virtual but there is some question whether there is enough teachers to even teach virtual. Looks like it was mistake to go back to in person classes.

Maybe but OTOH I know a teacher who got the virus at a big Halloween party, so I don't know if a given that having schools open is a problem. Sometimes the teacher isn't sick but they or a student in their classroom has a known exposure and they lockdown that teacher and classroom..

I'm not suggesting your family members went to a party....hope they improve quickly.

A neighbor of ours is a teacher. Earlier in the school year 6 of his peers came down with Covid. BUT, this happened while the kids were learning virtually. The only ones in the school were teachers and administrators.

 

[harllee]

Maybe but OTOH I know a teacher who got the virus at a big Halloween party, so I don't know if a given that having schools open is a problem. Sometimes the teacher isn't sick but they or a student in their classroom has a known exposure and they lockdown that teacher and classroom..

I'm not suggesting your family members went to a party....hope they improve quickly.

No my family did not go to any parties or Thanksgiving gatherings, they have been very careful. About one third of the teachers in my nephew's school have now tested positive so it is a safe bet he got it at school. They are going to virtual classes but so many teachers are sick they may not have enough teachers to do virtual classes.

 

[ivinsfan]

No my family did not go to any parties or Thanksgiving gatherings, they have been very careful. About one third of the teachers in my nephew's school have now tested positive so it is a safe bet he got it at school. They are going to virtual classes but so many teachers are sick they may not have enough teachers to do virtual classes.

I think HS are a bigger problem because there is so much mixing between kids and classrooms. And it seems a lot of HS kids could have it and not even know it.

Hopefully after the new year things will look better for virtual classes.

 

[harllee]

I think HS are a bigger problem because there is so much mixing between kids and classrooms. And it seems a lot of HS kids could have it and not even know it.

Hopefully after the new year things will look better for virtual classes.

Yes, my nephew teaches in middle school and his wife teaches in high school (both are math teachers, bless their hearts!). They had been having in person classes for about a month. Now they are too sick to even teach virtual classes. Both of their teenage daughters are pretty sick too so it is possible for teenagers to have pretty bad symptoms.

 

[ivinsfan]

Yes, my nephew teaches in middle school and his wife teaches in high school (both are math teachers, bless their hearts!). They had been having in person classes for about a month. Now they are too sick to even teach virtual classes. Both of their teenage daughters are pretty sick too so it is possible for teenagers to have pretty bad symptoms.

Hope they are feel better soon...My BIL has 3 adults son and two have gotten COVID the one that hasn't is a HS teacher..there is no rhyme or reason to it, that I can see.

 

[travelover]

DW talked to her 91 yo DM this AM. The family back in Michigan are planning on having a big Christmas get together including niece and nephew who got Covid at the super spreader wedding in Sturgis, SD. Prayers for MIL

 

[Christine]

My mum in her late seventies and with several serious medical issues got a visit from a neighbor also in his seventies. Who invited himself in for coffee. And my mum was too surprised to deny him. Turned out he had a cold and a running nose. And had been on a tour of the block visiting several old friends and neighbors.




Luckily her area has relatively few infected people - but still!

 

[audreyh1]

DW talked to her 91 yo DM this AM. The family back in Michigan are planning on having a big Christmas get together including niece and nephew who got Covid at the super spreader wedding in Sturgis, SD. Prayers for MIL

Well hopefully niece and nephew are no longer carriers. The rest of them - certainly someone could easily infect others!

 

[pb4uski]

A few days ago we got word that a friend who owns a cottage on the same pond where we summer had covid. Last night we got word that he died from it. Really nice man... and a decorated Marine vet.

We were not real close but did golf together a few times and would mingle at socials and say hi to each other when we were on our boat and saw him outside.

Damn covid!

 

[pacergal]

sorry to hear about your friend.

We have only been around our kids and grands since February. A total of 8 in our bubble.
So far, everyone is staying healthy.
DS is a teacher, has small classes and all wear masks.
DSiL is an arborist and is up in trees with not much people contact.

 

[Alan]

So sorry to hear this.

 

[Gumby]

My 36 year old nephew caught COVID, probably at work, about two weeks ago. When I spoke on the phone with my sister yesterday, she told me he was doing okay (bad cold/flu symptoms, gastrointestinal distress, but no breathing difficulties) and had been in quarantine for ten days in his bedroom. He emerged yesterday to spend Christmas with his wife and their 2 year old son. I am hopeful that he was no longer contagious by then. I think my sister is most upset that she has been unable see her only grandchild for a few weeks and that situation will continue for a few more weeks.

 

[retire-early]

An excellent video interview with South Korea's top virus expert

from Dec 17 that gives clear factual explanation.

The interview is conducted in Korean but has English subtitle.

Explains the current situation very well.

Worthwhile to view.

 

[tmm99]

Our province went into lockdown this morning. Knowing that the strain that's 7 times more transmissible is probably around us already, I've been wearier of going grocery shopping inside like I used to. We did a curbside today, which we hadn't done since the last lockdown (I think it was June?)

I will probably go inside grocery stores sometime, but I will make it really short.

 

[REWahoo]

Knowing that the strain that's 7 times more transmissible...

Can you post a link to confirm this? I've been unable to find any source that provides definitive information on the new strain's transmissibility, just reports saying "believed to spread more easily".

Thanks.

EDIT: I was able to find this: https://www.livescience.com/uk-variant-coronavirus-faq.html

Does it spread more easily?

Yes. Experts now think the new variant is between 50% and 74% more transmissible than other dominant strains, according to a study by the Center for Mathematical Modeling and Infectious Diseases (CMMID) that has not yet been peer-reviewed. The WHO estimates this would tack on 0.4 to the basic reproductive number R, which dictates how many people each infected person would spread the virus to.

 

[audreyh1]

Had a new fridge delivered today. The older one stopped cooling. We had them bring the fridge into the kitchen. And plug it in, but we took care of the rest of the install so they didn’t have to stay inside any longer. They also had to cart the old one out. Left the door open and had the fan running, fortunately most of our interaction was outside. We wore our N100 masks and eye protection. They wore masks.

 

[MarieIG]

Son #2 called us yesterday. He lives in Arizona, and was sick for about 10 days with Covid. He's feeling better now. Of course, he did not let us know when he was diagnosed.

 

[tmm99]

Can you post a link to confirm this? I've been unable to find any source that provides definitive information on the new strain's transmissibility, just reports saying "believed to spread more easily".

Thanks.

EDIT: I was able to find this: https://www.livescience.com/uk-variant-coronavirus-faq.html

Thank you for the link.

I could be wrong, but I think I read that off my phone app. I have BBC, NBC, CNBC, MSNBC, ABC, CNN, USAToday, NYTimes, CBC and CTV news installed. (I know that's too many. I just skip/hop around.) It was very early on. I haven't read more about it since so I thought the "7 times more transmissible" part was factual (although I thought to myself, "How could it be that contagious? Is it like gas? (there'd be no escaping that!)") If it's only 70% more transmissible, I will so go inside grocery stores!

 

[Kwirk]

...We wore our N100 masks and eye protection...

Nice!