Coronavirus in Massachusetts (home, schools, restaurants)

[bohemka]

Originally Posted by wolfgang239

They aren't injecting live virus, it is an mRNA vaccine.

Thanks for the clarification. I didn't read the fine print (and probably wouldn't understand it anyway).

[charolastra00]

Originally Posted by bohemka

I don't know the first thing about clinical trials, but as a layman, it strikes me as unethical that they'd inject people with mild strains of a life-threatening virus because they interact with other people in education and healthcare. Are those students and colleagues aware of the trials? Could that not go horribly sideways?

I mean this kindly, but you don't know the first thing about this vaccine if you think anyone is being injected with "mild strains."


The students and colleagues know they are at higher risk for contracting covid-19 by the mere fact that they chose to go to in-person school and they work in healthcare. I can't imagine why they'd need to know their teacher or nurse or receptionist is part of the trial. We should all be treating others as if the have it anyway.

[msRB311]

Do you think Baker needs to shut anything down at this point? I know we already have the 10pm curfew and there are lots of recommendations in place. I was thinking there would be a shutdown but it doesnt sound like there will be at this point.

It seems they think cases surged because of Halloween get togethers. I'm not sure on that one but if that's true I can only imagine what it will be like after Thanksgiving, Xmas and New Years. Yikes.

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by msRB311

Do you think Baker needs to shut anything down at this point? I know we already have the 10pm curfew and there are lots of recommendations in place.

What can he shut down? He's already asked people to stay home and not have gatherings. What more can he do? At this point, people aren't willing to give up what they don't want to give up or are just not really educated on what they should be doing.

I had a hell of a weekend because we had some in-office drama surrounding people who came into the manufacturing building and displayed symptoms. Upon interview "Oh, yeah my wife tested positive 3 days ago". They were in the building all 3 days. Actually, 3 separate individuals had family members at home who were positive but came to work anyway. HR/EHS had to go around and ID who was in contact and send them home. So we are VERY short-staffed this week and many more people than usually are working from home. People got comfortable, and I think it was a slap back to reality.

We DO have a mechanism in place to pay people to stay home if a household member has Covid. We lose a lot more money not building/shipping product, than by paying people to stay home as a precaution. It's been communicated often, and yet the person(s) didn't really understand and thought if they didn't come to work they wouldn't get paid.

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by msRB311

Do you think Baker needs to shut anything down at this point?

IMO, everything but essential places. Like it was in April or May or whenever that was. It feels like years ago.

And not under Baker's control, but I think the NFL needs to be shut down. There would be far less "small informal gatherings among family and friends".

[Shrewsburried]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

I had a hell of a weekend because we had some in-office drama surrounding people who came into the manufacturing building and displayed symptoms. Upon interview "Oh, yeah my wife tested positive 3 days ago". They were in the building all 3 days. Actually, 3 separate individuals had family members at home who were positive but came to work anyway. HR/EHS had to go around and ID who was in contact and send them home. So we are VERY short-staffed this week and many more people than usually are working from home. People got comfortable, and I think it was a slap back to reality.

Are these hourly employees? I don't understand why someone would behave this way unless a temp leave is financially disruptive.

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

What can he shut down? He's already asked people to stay home and not have gatherings. What more can he do? At this point, people aren't willing to give up what they don't want to give up or are just not really educated on what they should be doing.

I had a hell of a weekend because we had some in-office drama surrounding people who came into the manufacturing building and displayed symptoms. Upon interview "Oh, yeah my wife tested positive 3 days ago". They were in the building all 3 days. Actually, 3 separate individuals had family members at home who were positive but came to work anyway. HR/EHS had to go around and ID who was in contact and send them home. So we are VERY short-staffed this week and many more people than usually are working from home. People got comfortable, and I think it was a slap back to reality.

We DO have a mechanism in place to pay people to stay home if a household member has Covid. We lose a lot more money not building/shipping product, than by paying people to stay home as a precaution. It's been communicated often, and yet the person(s) didn't really understand and thought if they didn't come to work they wouldn't get paid.

I'm surprised so many people are even going into the office. Unless you have your own office or work with a very small group it seems risky especially if you're there for 8 hours. Anyhoo, I dont know what he could shut down exactly or if we even should, but to me it seems like more things have been opening up as we go into this second wave. I noticed my library is now open which just happened in the past few weeks. They're talking about getting kids back in school full time as well. Just seems odd when it seems things are getting worse. I am shocked every time I drive by a mall and see how crowded they are. A few times I've gone to homegoods or marshalls and it seems like the stores are just jammed with people. I usually just buy things online but I can't get over the crowds I see at the mall.

The thing that stinks is that it's so hard to pin point where it's coming from and spreading. As much as we say ok just stay home people aren't going to do that when everything is open.

There seems to be a lot of concern about restaurants and rightfully so, it's how many people make earn their living and they need to be employed. But then there's also a lot of judgment when people actually go to them. Not all restaurants can survive on take out and they are really losing out on alcohol sales. It just seems silly to me to order a martini to go for $15 when you can just go to the liquor store and make your own. I think take out drinks were kind of a fad at the beginning of this but I think it got old.

I was at my son's hockey game yesterday and a father came in with 3 kids and starting getting them dressed in an area they werent supposed to be in. They were asked to move by a staff member and the father goes, yeah yeah stupid rules and was clearly mad. The staff guy said something back to him that i didn't hear and the father stormed off with the kids saying, yeah it's a stupid concept. The staff guy goes stupid concept, stupid people. I started laughing and the guy was like, i mean how long have we been doing this for now?

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by msRB311

As much as we say ok just stay home people aren't going to do that when everything is open.

Exactly. Keeping everything open as if everything is normal only encourages people to behave as if everything is normal.

[msRB311]

I suppose it does. But it sends a mixed message to say stay home, but support local restaurants so people don't go out of business.

[jtolpin]

Im in the office, in my cube, but there are very few people in my area.