Coronavirus in Massachusetts (Boston: law, shelter, county)

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by lrfox

“Lockdown” there doesn’t look that much different than what people are practicing here (in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville, anyway). Basically you stay home apart from essential shopping (groceries, pharmacy, etc.), you can also go out to walk a pet or go for a walk/hike in a park (just don’t linger or gather in a group). Public transit is still running even in “locked down” places in Italy and the Bay Area. It’s not even legally binding in CA. It may mean stricter enforcement of public gatherings and loitering (tickets/fines), and some clearer defining of what work is “essential,” but lockdown isn’t a drastic departure from where many of us already are.

Yeah. The main difference is all non-essential businesses are shut down. And I don't think loitering or any public gatherings will be tolerated at all.

Regarding Italy, it is stricter. I saw an interview with an American woman living in Milan and she said they need to fill out a gov't form detailing exactly where they're going and why.

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by CaseyB

I was scheduled to fly home yesterday and I cancelled my flight. Not because I'm afraid to fly, but because I think I'm better off here with my husband and daughter. Also, there's more food available here.

I think that was a wise decision.

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by redplum33

Regarding Italy, it is stricter. I saw an interview with an American woman living in Milan and she said they need to fill out a gov't form detailing exactly where they're going and why.

I saw a report where Chinese health officials were touring Italy and stated they need to do more. The fact that public transit is still running is a catalyst for more spread.

WHat do you do if you have no car and need food though? RIght now, scheduling an online grocery delivery has been impossible. ANyone laid off this week should consider working for food distribution.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by redplum33

Yeah. The main difference is all non-essential businesses are shut down. And I don't think loitering or any public gatherings will be tolerated at all.

Regarding Italy, it is stricter. I saw an interview with an American woman living in Milan and she said they need to fill out a gov't form detailing exactly where they're going and why.

I don't know what it's like where you are, but that's basically the case here already. Very few non-essential businesses are open. Even starbucks near me is closed (they were doing to-go until recently) until this is over. If we label it "lock down" or "shelter in place," a few more may close, but it's not going to be a big change. I think it's different in other parts of the region, but that's how we've been living for the past week.

It is a bit stricter, but not drastically in practice. The form is for non-essential travel outside. So if you're not walking to a grocery store/pharmacy, or walking your dog, you have to have one (or lie about where you're going). The big difference there is that it's legally required and you can be ticketed/fined if you violate. That's not the case in NYC or CA.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by OutdoorLover

This map is a day behind the latest data (> 13K), but here you can see the growth of confirmed cases accelerating, not what we want to see.

Technically, no, we don't want to see a growth in confirmed cases. But we do want a drastic increase in testing and we're starting to see that take place. We also know that there's a general consensus that confirmed cases are the tip of the iceberg right now (anywhere from 1/6 to 1/10 of actual cases) and that the reality is that there are a ton more out there already. With new testing (and also delayed incoming test results), we're going to see a dramatic increase in confirmed cases. Testing helps slow the spread for reasons we've already discussed at great length. So in a sense, the dramatic spike in confirmed cases is an indicator that we've turned a corner in testing. Which is a good thing. Hopefully in two/three weeks or so with quarantines, distancing, etc. we'll see the amount of new cases start to be outweighed by the "recovered." That'll be an indicator that we've turned the corner. but for now, the spike is to be expected.

[porterhouse]

Originally Posted by lrfox

Testing helps slow the spread for reasons we've already discussed at great length. So in a sense, the dramatic spike in confirmed cases is an indicator that we've turned a corner in testing. Which is a good thing. Hopefully in two/three weeks or so with quarantines, distancing, etc. we'll see the amount of new cases start to be outweighed by the "recovered." That'll be an indicator that we've turned the corner. but for now, the spike is to be expected.

Stop being sensible!

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

WHat do you do if you have no car and need food though? RIght now, scheduling an online grocery delivery has been impossible. ANyone laid off this week should consider working for food distribution.

Walk/bike to the store. It's why living in walkable areas is so ideal.


For those that don't, well, I don't know. Have friends / family help.



And re your last point, we're seeing why health care and food distribution are critical infrastructure, and why the latter shouldn't be dismissed as garbage gigs.

[Arya Stark]

Originally Posted by timberline742

Walk/bike to the store. It's why living in walkable areas is so ideal.

My town has a facebook group for people to make requests if they want. So if someone is already at the store they will post... anyone need anything... and so forth.

From the number of people asking it seems like people either don't need things or are hesitant to ask.

That'll be an indicator that we've turned the corner. but for now, the spike is to be expected.

I do think a spike is good news because a LOT of people probably have it. But for my money the thing to look at is the death rate. So far MA is doing pretty good. The confirmed cases statistic is kind of irrelevant as it is very likely it is only getting a small amount of the actual cases. (they only test people with symptoms).

[Ralph_Kirk]

A big difference between the US and most other countries is that control in the US is decentralized. Most people don't realize how decentralized it is, comparatively speaking.


We have cities in Texas that have introduced no controls whatsoever, not even suggested. A White House lockdown order would be met immediately by injunctions filed in federal courts from a dozen directions.



Nor will Trump want to have fingers pointed at him for government action that directly caused a recession. He'd much rather let governors pick up that check.


Since Trump is using the metaphor of being a "wartime president," he needs to start acting like one in terms of marshaling and coordinating manufacturers to meeting critical needs.


It's absurd to have states competing for scarce resources. Companies need a push to shift production lines toward critical needs. The federal government can do that just as it did during WWII. Free enterprise today won't take those risks otherwise.

[BostonMike7]

NY state just issued a stay-a-home order.