How COVID-19 is affecting society

[Aribeth Zelin]

I'm thinking about ordering a few masks from my teepublic site to check quality. and coffee filters are what my mom uses

 

[Kara Spengler]

No masks allowed: stores turn customers away in US culture war

Shops around the US make headlines for denying entry to those wearing masks as protesters argue against preventative measures in the name of freedom

www.theguardian.com

Hopefully someone is recording what stores do this so people can also choose not to patronize them even when they have to go back on that policy.

 

[Kara Spengler]

The Administration now seems to be channeling religious populism, following the lead of people like Erdogan in Turkey and Orbán in Hungary. Combined with his stuff about Henry Ford and good bloodlines yesterday, he's really getting into scary territory.

OK, he can't actually do very much, but watching the President of the US stumbling round as he tries to sound like a fascist strongman is truly worrying.

The thing that made the pronouncement before her is a murderer. Pretty much everything one of those institutions does can be done remotely or the members can do themselves. Meanwhile ppl that defied orders to go to a church are dying. To say nothing that the orange thing refused to get involved earlier but now wants to micromanage the opening?

 

[Kara Spengler]

Moderna unveiled encouraging coronavirus vaccine results. Then top execs dumped nearly $30 million of stock

They were encouraging but there was another piece of news. We bought 300 million potential doses of another unproven vaccine.

 

[Beebo Brink]

Actually, you can. Their supplies are getting better.

I've just ordered a pack of 5 cloth masks, 3-layered, that can supposedly be washed multiple times. If the quality matches the product description, we'll order more next time. This is a staple item from now on, so even if it takes trial-and-error to find a good source, it will be worth the effort/expense.

I have to say that if nothing else, I'm impressed with the company's ingenuity. Their main products are bed linens and comforters, so they're in a good position to branch out to cloth masks. (If they're really clever, they can probably use scraps from the bed linen production to turn into masks.) U.S. company which eases my mind about distant distribution channels.

 

[bubblesort]

In my area, a little glove and mask shop popped up a few weeks ago. They are selling simple surgical masks for $2 each. They aren't N95, they are just the the blue, non-woven poly stuff, which is still better than cloth. In the before times, I'd say $2 a mask is highway robbery, but now it doesn't seem too outrageous.

The shop is tiny, though. Kinda makes me worry about spending too much time in there. The more time you spend in a small place with another person, the more likely you are to contract corona. 5-10 minutes in a small shop with 1-2 other people is usually safe, though.

 

[Kara Spengler]

I've just ordered a pack of 5 cloth masks, 3-layered, that can supposedly be washed multiple times. If the quality matches the product description, we'll order more next time. This is a staple item from now on, so even if it takes trial-and-error to find a good source, it will be worth the effort/expense.

I have to say that if nothing else, I'm impressed with the company's ingenuity. Their main products are bed linens and comforters, so they're in a good position to branch out to cloth masks. (If they're really clever, they can probably use scraps from the bed linen production to turn into masks.) U.S. company which eases my mind about distant distribution channels.

The ones we ordered are pretty basic. However right now we just need something to go out in our apartment building and right now we are just tying scarfs around our noses and mouths.

 

[Romana]

Actually, you can. Their supplies are getting better. We have 6 cloth masks coming in a few days. Also some filtered cloth masks (the kind with vents for exercising) coming about the same time, the second was a long trip from china, I like it but if it never arrives I wanted to have something. This way we can cycle between what ones we are using and washing.

Are these the ones you mean? Because my brother warned me off these for the reasons the article is saying.

What is a mask valve, and why are cities banning them?

Valves will keep you more comfortable, but endanger those around you.

www.fastcompany.com

 

[Shiloh Lyric]

It's like that all over the US as well. Hell, my county supervisors all voted to defy California's governor's orders and open everything up for business, and Trump just threatened the governors of all 50 states to open up all churches post haste - or else!

The "second wave" is going to be a bitch.

Interesting thing here in PA...some people were rumbling against Governor Wolf when it came to opening churches. Only Governor Wolf NEVER ordered churches closed. It's been up to the individual churches/denominations on whether or not to hold in-person services. Lancaster County moves to Phase Yellow for re-opening on 6/4, but some local churches are doing a 'soft opening' this weekend. Every other pew marked off, masks required except while seated, social distancing, etc. I wished them luck on FB. I think it's foolish and if I WERE still a member of a church, there's no way I'd be going. Just hope they don't sing or talk a lot while sitting in pews unmasked. Apparently, "social distancing" doesn't work as well inside with a lot of talking/singing, etc.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

A friend of mine works for a large non-profit in Kentucky that provides residential care for children with complex medical needs who can't be accommodated at home.

Before the lockdown started, the facility took the very painful decision that that the facilities had to go into strict quarantine with all family visits suspended indefinitely -- there was no alternative, since an outbreak in the facility would be unthinkable.

This mean the director had to phone every family to explain to them why they would no longer be able to have in-person visits with their children, many of whom are suffering from terminal illnesses and may not survive the epidemic, until the facility's medical directors agreed it was safe to reopen -- the children who live there are among the most vulnerable members of the population there are.

The director was apparently in tears throughout every call, not only because of the news she had to give to each family but because they were weeping too, thanking her and the staff for doing all they could to protect their children, even though this meant they might never be able to hug or kiss their child again, and she's still badly shaken up by the experience.

My friend's views on people who complain about not being able to attend church during all this are unrepeatable.

 

[Kara Spengler]

Are these the ones you mean? Because my brother warned me off these for the reasons the article is saying.

What is a mask valve, and why are cities banning them?

Valves will keep you more comfortable, but endanger those around you.

www.fastcompany.com

Not the same as what is pictured, it is two valves but the valves have a filter behind them. The valves were not why we got them, it is because they were the only ones we could find that did not loop over the ears. A loop means it can interfere with her hearing aid. Given even scarfs and stuff are allowed this seemed to be at least as good as that, although not designed for viruses.

 

[Beebo Brink]

The valves were not why we got them, it is because they were the only ones we could find that did not loop over the ears. A loop means it can interfere with her hearing aid.

Try turmerry.com, the site I just ordered from. They offer both ear and headloop masks.

 

[Kara Spengler]

A friend of mine works for a large non-profit in Kentucky that provides residential care for children with complex medical needs who can't be accommodated at home.

Before the lockdown started, the facility took the very painful decision that that the facilities had to go into strict quarantine with all family visits suspended indefinitely -- there was no alternative, since an outbreak in the facility would be unthinkable.

This mean the director had to phone every family to explain to them why they would no longer be able to have in-person visits with their children, many of whom are suffering from terminal illnesses and may not survive the epidemic, until the facility's medical directors agreed it was safe to reopen -- the children who live there are among the most vulnerable members of the population there are.

The director was apparently in tears throughout every call, not only because of the news she had to give to each family but because they were weeping too, thanking her and the staff for doing all they could to protect their children, even though this meant they might never be able to hug or kiss their child again, and she's still badly shaken up by the experience.

My friend's views on people who complain about not being able to attend church during all this are unrepeatable.

Churches being considered essential services is completely frustrating too. Most things a church does can either be done remotely or by yourself. When I was going to pagan stuff any of us could have led the Circle.

 

[Free]

 

[Clara D.]

Churches being considered essential services is completely frustrating too. Most things a church does can either be done remotely or by yourself. When I was going to pagan stuff any of us could have led the Circle.

Church always struck me as counterproductive to the concept of an "omnipresent" deity.

 

[Romana]

Those look like Cadbury's eggs, the proper British ones. Count me in! Nom nom nom

 

[Romana]

 

[Sid]

Interesting thing here in PA...some people were rumbling against Governor Wolf when it came to opening churches. Only Governor Wolf NEVER ordered churches closed. It's been up to the individual churches/denominations on whether or not to hold in-person services. Lancaster County moves to Phase Yellow for re-opening on 6/4, but some local churches are doing a 'soft opening' this weekend. Every other pew marked off, masks required except while seated, social distancing, etc. I wished them luck on FB. I think it's foolish and if I WERE still a member of a church, there's no way I'd be going. Just hope they don't sing or talk a lot while sitting in pews unmasked. Apparently, "social distancing" doesn't work as well inside with a lot of talking/singing, etc.

I hope that churches will be smart enough NOT to sing during their services/masses.
Singing makes relatively a lot of air turbulence, with lots of tiny moisture particles, ideal to swirl around viruses well beyond the six foot mark.
If someone is infected in the group, may the Force be with them. There will be a lot who will make the Corona statistics then.

This is exactly how before the lockdown was in place, part of the bible belt in our country planted the seeds to became a corona hot spot and a few choirs in my province lost several members to Covid-19 by infecting each other during their last repetition before lockdown.
Churches are still voluntary closed here, but will start to open up somewhere next month with max 30 people and of course enough distancing.

 

[Jolene Benoir]

I hope that churches will be smart enough NOT to sing during their services/masses.
Singing makes relatively a lot of air turbulence, with lots of tiny moisture particles, ideal to swirl around viruses well beyond the six foot mark.
If someone is infected in the group, may the Force be with them. There will be a lot who will make the Corona statistics then.

You're kidding, right? I'm sure that many will indeed be smart enough to do so but the ones that are/were defiant about the quarantine share no desire to not further spread the disease.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

Even if they're not singing, it's still not safe

Coronavirus cluster traced to German church

Places of worship in Germany opened their doors again at the start of May. But now a new COVID-19 cluster has been linked to one religious service.

www.dw.com

A cluster of 40 coronavirus infections in the city of Frankfurt am Main and the surrounding area have been linked back to a Baptist church service that took place on May 10, reported German news outlet der Tagesspiegel on Saturday.

"The vast majority of them are not especially ill," said the newspaper, citing Rene Gottschalk, the Frankfurt health authority's chief. "According to our current information, only one person has been hospitalized," added Gottschalk.

Read more: Coronavirus — Germans go back to church, but no singing allowed

The state of Hesse, where the church is based, banned religious ceremonies and gatherings from mid-March as part of restrictions implemented nationwide to slow the spread of the coronavirus. But Hesse permitted religious ceremonies to resume from May 1 as long as social distancing and other hygiene measures are implemented, meaning the church broke no rules in holding the service.

That's 40 infections after one single church service in Germany, where the lock-down is still very much in force in other respects, and the authorities take the crisis seriously and are doing a far, far better job of protecting their citizens than is the US.