Covid 19 - Updates from your zones

[Jitter]

Firstly, on the protests... I’m at loss for words. On would think it would be frustrating to protest against the laws of nature, but of course when someone doesn’t believe in science at all... I don’t want to go into the politics of this, partially because this is not the forum for that and partially because I probably wouldn’t be able to discuss it in polite terms, but [insert tactical facepalm meme]. I hope they have all put “pathogens don’t exist and I am not to get any treatment for any symptoms I may present with” notifications in their wallets.

Secondly, Crumpite! It’s great to hear from you! I’m very glad to learn you and yours are doing well! Do I recall correctly that you mentioned having had the Covid disease while you were in the hospital? Or did I misunderstand? Good to know you are safe and being cared for.

Róisín, all cheers to your husband. At least we have the online communities nowadays! I can only imagine what it has been like in the past. I am coping well with the distancing, largely thanks to all you guys!

[Róisín]

This is a good place to hang out while waiting for sanity to return to the world. At least an intelligent conversation is possible. And I still have plenty to do, today I have been hauling firewood, harvesting apples, maintaining the food garden and the poultry, catching up on the housework and looking after husband who is having a tough day after being quite active yesterday, (He is quite disabled but can still drive, which I can’t because my distance vision is failing; so when we have to go somewhere like the medical appointments and essential shopping that happened yesterday he does the driving, but his body pays for it the day after). Every time I need to stop and rest I can at least visit here and talk to interesting folk from all over the world. Small compensations in the generally unpleasant state of things.

[Grade E cat]

We've had people try to go on vacation over Easter week-end over here, since it's a school vacation period.

We've also had our own idiots claiming the pandemic was fake. The most memorable so far are the people who film the empty waiting rooms and general public reception areas of hospitals to prove they aren't actually taking in as many patients as the media is claiming. In normal times, those areas are for no-immediate-risk-of-life cases and people visiting patients, which hospitals have stopped taking in weeks ago. And Covid patients aren't exactly going to be in areas some random person coming from outside can wander into.

[wavewright62]

Our 4-week lockdown was due to end midnight this Wednesday and move to level 3, and there was lots of debate about extending or not. 
Pro: we are not down to zero yet and we are not okay with possible harm, especially if we move just before a holiday weekend
Con: we need to start parts of our economy again
A compromise was reached - we will move to Level 3 (still pretty restrictive) at midnight on 27 April, just at the end of the long weekend.  I think that was an excellent choice, and I'm pretty happy with Jacinda right now.

[Parker B.]

Well, first off, people down here in the NOLA (New Orleans Area of Louisiana) area really love their parties. (I don't care for them, but that's besides the point.)

This is of course a bad thing for preventing the spread of the Corona virus, and as a result, we've been badly hit by the virus. Much of the state is now shut down, and UNO has moved to online classes.

I'm getting a little anxious about not being able to go anywhere freely, but I'm staying home regardless, working on various projects.

[Jitter]

Wave, good for you! She’s been getting high praise lately, deservedly so I’m sure!

Parker, I’m sorry I can’t depicher what areas you mean as I either don’t know or have forgotten your country.

[Róisín]

Is NOLA maybe something to do with New Orleans/Louisiana?

[LooNEY_DAC]

Is NOLA maybe something to do with New Orleans/Louisiana?

To coin a phrase, the very same.

Well, first off, people down here in the NOLA area really love their parties. (I don't care for them, but that's besides the point.)

* LooNEY_DAC waves hi from Belle Chasse

[Parker B.]

Is NOLA maybe something to do with New Orleans/Louisiana?

Yes, I'm from the New Orleans area, in a small town called Metairie. My apologies, bit I seem to have picked up that particular language tick from living here for my whole life.

*Waves to LooNEY_DAC from Metairie*

[Jitter]

No worries

[Lenny]

All events have been cancelled until September and current isolation has been extended until 19 May (where they'll look at extending it again - which it probably will be, but they're being careful in judging).

What they have done is relaxed rules a little about sports for kids and professional athletes after the end of this month, and primary schools only are opening again 11 May.... partially. Classes being halved and school being half online and half at school. After school care is supposedly also opening up again. They're leaving implementation of this up to the schools themselves, so I imagine that quite a few will stay closed or have a higher balance of online classes. I imagine they're doing this mostly because parents trying to work at home are having a hell of a time. Housing and personal backyards etc. here are tiny and it's dealt with by doing a lot of things outside the house and having communal playgrounds and things. Since it's looking like this will last for several months still it's an attempt to lighten the load a bit.

What they've also done is relaxed the rules for visitors to the elderly - they're allowed to have one or two set visitors. Which is great, continued total isolation is really bad mentally and just having one person allowed to check in on you regularly lightens that up.

The extension of events means that yeeeah no wedding for me. We'll get married at a courthouse as soon as we possibly can (not that soon, maybe in two months time), and maybe just have a party next year sometime.

[Mélusine]

The extension of events means that yeeeah no wedding for me. We'll get married at a courthouse as soon as we possibly can (not that soon, maybe in two months time), and maybe just have a party next year sometime.

I'm sorry for both of you, Len You've been in my mind. Hopefully you'll get at least reunited soon...

Here all is a big mess. Our dear president and government seems to think that we should all wear mask in common spaces and transports for the reopening, but to date it's impossible to find some, and I highly doubt that "One mask for everybody" will be manageable before May 11th (Just for going to work and back, I need two masks per day...)
I still have no news about daycare's reopening, and I'm waiting to discover what impossible rules they're about to give to us. I fear that we will just have to work with absolutely no protection at all *Sighs*

[Lenny]

I'm sorry for both of you, Len You've been in my mind. Hopefully you'll get at least reunited soon...

I'm hoping so, too :'> But we're not counting on it. The safest way to get them into the country is to get them a proper visa, we could use wedding or seeing me as a reason to get in but there's no guidelines anywhere on what constitutes an "urgent family reason" so it's not worth being possibly turned back at the border. Visa will take about three months from now, if it's not delayed. *sighs*

Here all is a big mess. Our dear president and government seems to think that we should all wear mask in common spaces and transports for the reopening, but to date it's impossible to find some, and I highly doubt that "One mask for everybody" will be manageable before May 11th (Just for going to work and back, I need two masks per day...)
I still have no news about daycare's reopening, and I'm waiting to discover what impossible rules they're about to give to us. I fear that we will just have to work with absolutely no protection at all *Sighs*

Oooof... the only way I'd see that working with the mask shortage is to have people use reusable masks. And you'd probably have to make them yourself. Not as effective as proper PPE but most people wouldn't use PPE properly anyway (I know I personally would not be able to without a lot of work, I touch and fiddle with too many things unconsciously), it's better than nothing.

Daycares opening here again is something I'm worried about too, though they have only mentioned after-school care reopening. Hopefully it sticks to that for now. I can see it being possible but difficult to stay safe with a small group of 6-10 year olds, but completely impossible with toddlers and babies. Am hoping things work out reasonably for you over there :<

[Róisín]

Wavewright, I have a lot of time for your PM - very sensible woman, and brave with it.

Lenny, I hope so hard that you two are able to complete your nuptials. I know it is hard, but I can tell you from personal experience that adversity can deepen and strengthen a relationship, and it is always worth trying. Good luck to you both!

Mélusine, I hope your government gets itself sorted out - I would have thought that they might do as has happened here, where childcare workers are right up there with the essential workers. For one thing, somebody has to care for the kids of medics, nurses, teachers, police, delivery drivers and the folk who restock supermarkets, without all of whom society would grind to a messy halt!

If you wind up having to make your own masks, you may be better to use several layers of a breathable fabric, since what you are after, according to the advice of medical people around here, is a maze effect of layers in which droplets can be trapped. If you change and wash your masks after each outing, and dry them in sunlight that may help. And the social distancing is important too, as is hand washing and sanitising surfaces, since it seems the virus can survive for several hours on things like doorknobs, handrails and such surfaces. Good luck!

[Grade E cat]

Children of serveral categories of essential workers (health workers at least) are still being cared for here, but that only requires a fraction of the childcare workers, so a large majority of them are currently out of work nonetheless. What would be happening on May 11th would be that childcare would start being open to the general population again, so more would go back to work (schools are more or less in the same situation if I remember correctly). As for them being treated up there with essential workers in terms of protective material allocation... let's just say that our government isn't exactly known for being fully aware of the implications of working with a bunch children or teenagers.

In terms of making masks, I happen to own a handful of bandanas and a bunch of thin, but fairly extensible hair ties, so my mother and I have effectively have washable masks (there are plenty of tutorials to make them online).