What's YOUR pandemic situation?

Originally Posted by bobjob

The infection and death rates per 1000 individuals in the US has been lower than that of the UK most of the year, I believe..... Raw figures mean little and they need context to appreciate the bigger picture.

True, average age, obesity rates, smoking/nonsmoking etc. The US shows a disproportionate impact compared to world population, but not that much different then many western counties and better than some. Even Germany has it worse in deaths per million in over the last seven days. It will probably take years to assess why, to the extent that can be answered.

P.S. It is interesting that Canada, right next door to the US has a per capita death rate less then half of the US. And winter stars early up there. Mexico is doing a bit better then the US, but just barely.

[bobjob]

Even now as infection rates and deaths soar in the UK it's still likely some will fail to take the pandemic as seriously as it deserves to be taken.

My wife went to the grocery store earlier today and told me it seemed almost as busy on the highway as it usually is. We citizens have been ordered to stay at home other than for very specific reasons but it's looking like that edict is only partially being obeyed.

As Ron White tells it, you can't fix stupid....

[The_Klabautermann]

I live in a rural area of P.A. - a town of around 4,000 and several hundred. Pre-pandemic, I could walk through town and not run into anyone. There's just not a lot of people out, that are here. Foot traffic is almost negligible, most traffic is vehicular. So when the initial lock-down came back in 2020, not much of a difference in my life. The only noticeable changes were of walking through the bank's drive through for transactions, adhering to any store/business protocols (whoop dee doo - my Chronic Fatigue is more restrictive than a mask), not being able to eat at restaurants (not like I ate out much to begin with). I was already doing most of my purchasing online by this time - exceptions were groceries and any clothing aside from shoes, because I generally go to thrift stores to get my clothes...I like to try them on (which I couldn't do except shirts), but even those minor inconveniences weren't a big issue. I could work around those or just hold off.

I don't work...so no effect there.

I am a misanthropic curmudegon who has been an introverted hermit, so I have a Ph D. in social distancing.

I know only two people who are 'front line' people - the natal soul's mother (an R.N. at the local hospital) and someone who knew him for a long time and helped to raise him (she's 11 years older - so 51 to this body's 40). She works at a grocery store as a cashier. Those would be the only people that, if something were to happen to them, would directly impact me in some way. Both are now vaccinated, and I plan to get my vaccine when I'm up - right now I'm the low man on the totem pole (last in line).

I think, because what little getting out I was able to do was cut off, despite being socially avoidant, I got kind of squirrely in my own way. I've got experience being 'home bound' if only because of my surgery in 2019 where I really could not leave the house. I had that surgery in February, and by Mid-April, I was beginning to bounce off the walls. But with this, I figured...I have previous experience in being hunkered down so...eh...*shrugs*.

I decided to invest in myself teaching myself to make my favorite alcoholic drink - 'Old Fashioned', and simply threw myself into my creative endeavors to help me feel 'expansion' and not 'contraction' through being 'holed up'. It's relatively easy for me to get lost in my mind for ideas for creative manifestation, so it was a healthy form of escapism - because I was able to come up with a style for my apartment and make refinements to my clothing style/wardrobe, get ideas for organizing and making improvements, and so on.

I really cannot say that I've been effected by this just because of how my life has been beforehand. It's been more of a 'bump' or 'wrinkle'. My other surgery was postponed, but I understand that - and hopefully will be able to get it this year.

It just seems like to me, the pandemic happened 'out there', to another world, while I just kind of sat and watched things happen.

[bobjob]

With a snowbirding home in the US I watch a little more closely than most Brits what's going on in my home state. I'm pretty shocked how laid back and unlocked the situation is. As far as I can make out folk in the US aren't any better protected or less infected than here in the UK but lock-down is still solid in the UK whereas it's all-but disappeared in the US.

Am I right?

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by bobjob

With a snowbirding home in the US I watch a little more closely than most Brits what's going on in my home state. I'm pretty shocked how laid back and unlocked the situation is. As far as I can make out folk in the US aren't any better protected or less infected than here in the UK but lock-down is still solid in the UK whereas it's all-but disappeared in the US.

Am I right?

You might be right.

Time will tell.



In Arizona, we have been having mask burning protests.

[bobjob]

Originally Posted by BigJohn

You might be right.

Time will tell.
In Arizona, we have been having mask burning protests.

That's concerning because one of our specialists told us only yesterday that she anticipates the need for physical precautions for some time to come - wearing masks and maintaining social distancing.

Although vaccination is about 90% effective infection spread will continue and looks set to be a long-term issue, especially while so many have yet to be vaccinated. Vaccinating the world while still taking the basic precautions may be the only way to eventually slow infection spread to manageable levels. If so then this subject will remain a hot button issue for a very long time. We may still be churning it and grumbling about who's doing what and who's failing to do what in 12 months time - that's a depressing prospect.

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by bobjob

That's concerning because one of our specialists told us only yesterday that she anticipates the need for physical precautions for some time to come - wearing masks and maintaining social distancing.

Although vaccination is about 90% effective infection spread will continue and looks set to be a long-term issue, especially while so many have yet to be vaccinated. Vaccinating the world while still taking the basic precautions may be the only way to eventually slow infection spread to manageable levels. If so then this subject will remain a hot button issue for a very long time. We may still be churning it and grumbling about who's doing what and who's failing to do what in 12 months time - that's a depressing prospect.

I got my 2 shots. I thought I was going to get pneumonia after I got the first shot. I had an appointment so I would be the first person vaccinated that day. I got there about 1 hour early only to find an already formed long line. Was repeatedly told 'first come, first served'. I had to wait outside in the cold for about 2 hours. That day was one of our coldest days.

The event could have been better organized. People that are handicapped/disabled, probably could not go there for their shot.

More and more people are not wearing masks.

[bobjob]

I don't know if any of our North American members live in Florida but the news coverage we saw today would have given me great cause for concern if I were a Floridian or even a snowbird visitor there.

So now, in the UK we are below 40 deaths today. A far cry from the hundreds and hundreds a few short weeks ago.
And as of today, lockdown restrictions are eased. So it's a case of "watch this space" to see whether another "wave" emerges ..

[KaleHenly]

At the moment it is not too complicated, as it was earlier. But, anyway, there were so many different aspects to work with. And the time to have a world without pandemics is wishable for everybody!