Conavirus......

[iris lilies]

What do you propose to do with the people who won’t stop privately gathering?

The services are max 40 people in a big space meant to hold more than 200. Spread out. People have a less chance of catching it at church than in the private gatherings people keep having.

I find it strange that people keep hammering on public type stuff when the majority of cases are clearly coming from private gatherings, at least in my area. 2/3 of the recent cases are from private gatherings.

Tradd, I agree with you. All the politicians making all the laws and regulations in the world will not stop people gathering in their homes.

[JaneV2.0]

When a butterfly flaps its wings in Costa Rica...Everything we do can have unintended consequences. I'm not willing to give up a million people a year in this country in service to some hypothetical issue.

And don't forget about all the COVID-infected individuals who are still suffering its after-effects.

[Tammy]

What do you propose to do with the people who won’t stop privately gathering?

The services are max 40 people in a big space meant to hold more than 200. Spread out. People have a less chance of catching it at church than in the private gatherings people keep having.

I find it strange that people keep hammering on public type stuff when the majority of cases are clearly coming from private gatherings, at least in my area. 2/3 of the recent cases are from private gatherings.

We shouldn’t be gathering in private either. I don’t have a solution or proposal because 1. I’m not a politician or public health leader and 2. I’m too exhausted with my own covid recovery to run the world.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I'd suggest public health authorities encourage outdoor gatherings, I mean public health missives (here where winter is barely an issue) never even make the distinction between indoor and outdoor, they just say "all gatherings bad", and for at least 6 months all gatherings with people you don't live with were illegal (but noone was listening, nor could they really enforce it). But there is a real difference in transmission between outdoor distanced gatherings and indoor close proximity gatherings.

[jp1]

If the outbreaks in other small towns are anything like the two counties in western Kansas where my cousin-in-law lives and works we will know soon enough if herd immunity is actually a thing with covid. Both counties have exploding case numbers and are having to airlift anyone needing hospitalization to Denver. A bunch of the teachers at the school where my CIL teaches are obviously sick with it but haven’t been tested and are still coming to school. My cousin, her husband, has likely been exposed so he has to ‘quarantine’ which in western Kansas means he can only go to work. Or if you are a student it means you have to wear a face shield but you still participate in everything including team sports. And masks are entirely optional and not widely worn except in my CIL’s classroom where she won’t let anyone in without one.

I just hope my elderly aunt and uncle are staying far away from everyone, including my cousin and CIL.

[iris lilies]

I'd suggest public health authorities encourage outdoor gatherings, I mean public health missives (here where winter is barely an issue) never even make the distinction between indoor and outdoor, they just say "all gatherings bad", and for at least 6 months all gatherings with people you don't live with were illegal (but noone was listening, nor could they really enforce it). But there is a real difference in transmission between outdoor distanced gatherings and indoor close proximity gatherings.

encouraging outdoor activities is good! Here is St. Louis region we can go outdoors reliably until January hits. And then even in some of those January and February days we can be outside. Then by March it’s warmed up.


I was listening to NPR and one of the Shows interviewed a well-known cook, I think it was the Barefoot Contessa? Don’t remember for sure but someone who produces a lot of cookbooks. Anyway ...she said that the French and Italians eat outside all year and they wear jackets and scarves. She suggests we adopt that practice.


She talked about a friend of hers who had an outdoor dinner party where he provided electric foot warmers for everyone.

[Yppej]

The dictator of my state is pushing schools to open even in red aka high risk communities because he thinks masks and curfews solve everything. Now masks are mandated not just inside buildings but everywhere in public. Here are some of the illegal acts I have seen:

Convenience store worker, not allowed to smoke indoors, standing outside the building smoking. Pretty hard to smoke with a mask on.

Man sitting in his parked convertible with the top down not wearing a mask.

Last week before the law went into effect I went on a walk at lunchtime and did not encounter a single other pedestrian. I plan to do the same next week maskless.

The law is stupid and unenforceable.

[iris lilies]

The dictator of my state is pushing schools to open even in red aka high risk communities because he thinks masks and curfews solve everything. Now masks are mandated not just inside buildings but everywhere in public. Here are some of the illegal acts I have seen:

Convenience store worker, not allowed to smoke indoors, standing outside the building smoking. Pretty hard to smoke with a mask on.

Man sitting in his parked convertible with the top down not wearing a mask.

Last week before the law went into effect I went on a walk at lunchtime and did not encounter a single other pedestrian. I plan to do the same next week maskless.

The law is stupid and unenforceable.

I guess I am one of those Covid deniers because I refuse to wear a mask outdoors where I dont encounter other humans.

i dont know what our state or city mandate is because see above.

[llknp]

I guess I am one of those Covid deniers because I refuse to wear a mask outdoors where I dont encounter other humans.

i dont know what our state or city mandate is because see above.

I am with you on that. It makes no sense. I am appalled at the number of drivers wearing masks in their cars with no one else in the car! Common sense has left the building!

[rosarugosa]

I've been conscientious about wearing a mask and/or social distancing and doing the other recommended behaviors to reduce risk of transmission. I did notice that Charlie Baker said something about the updated mask guidance was in order to "keep it simple." Now I do not have any intention of wearing a mask outdoors if I am not around other people either, and my inference is that this would in fact be fine, but the updated guidance gives the authorities the right to fine someone who is not wearing a masking when they really should be. On our daily walk today, it seems like everyone else is interpreting it similarly.