Coronavirus in Massachusetts (Boston: tips, home, wages)

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by Cantabridgienne

The big spreader seems to be multiple-household get togethers. I don't see how limiting restaurants even further--without an industry-wide bailout, as other countries have done who have stricter rules--is going to help.

We're beyond the point of worrying about the economy. Shut it all down.


(Restaurants should never have been allowed anything but curbside pickup and delivery.)

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by msRB311

I think people have been cancelling their 'normal' Thanksgiving plans since August. And Christmas.

Yeah but that's not what they meant. Stay home, no guests/visitors.

[Cantabridgienne]

Originally Posted by redplum33

We're beyond the point of worrying about the economy. Shut it all down.


(Restaurants should never have been allowed anything but curbside pickup and delivery.)

No, not all of us have the luxury to not "worry" about earning a living. Are you unemployed?


Do you have data that indicates restaurants, particularly outdoor dining have been a major source of infection spread? I've not seen that.

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by msRB311

I think people have been cancelling their 'normal' Thanksgiving plans since August. And Christmas.

Yeah, but they are going with scaled down versions.

Our typical thanksgiving plans got scaled down to a 10 person dinner. Trying to convince my wife we shouldn't go is like "But we can't not go to Thanksgiving!!". Funny, but 2 weeks ago when my family had a bday party we couldn't go then.....


I'm fine with skipping the holidays completely this year.....

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

I'm fine with skipping the holidays completely this year.....

I'm actually looking forward to skipping Christmas and doing a very small Thanksgiving this year. We love our families and we'll gather in a larger group when we can - hopefully around Memorial Day.

One thing I'm realizing is that it seems many people, even in MA, don't have easy access to COVID-19 testing. We're doing a 5-person Thanksgiving this year with my Girlfriend's family in Vermont. We've been quarantining since last Thurs. and we're scheduled for COVID tests on Monday. I've had several conversations with friends in Southeastern MA and RI and they all seem to indicate that it's not easy to schedule a test without symptoms (with less than 2-3 weeks notice) or get into any of the free sites.

Both of our PCPs have encouraged testing without symptoms and our insurance covers it completely. The free sites nearby have a lot of availability and make it easy to schedule appointments. After not getting tested for much of July, August, September, we've begun doing it with regularity again before we see anyone we don't normally see and after we've done things like ride the T, going to a restaurant, being in a crowded grocery store, etc. Everyone should be able to do the same if they want to.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by Cantabridgienne

No, not all of us have the luxury to not "worry" about earning a living.

Seriously.


But not worrying about the economy at all shows a complete lack of knowledge of public policy formation. Most everything is a cost benefit analysis. From large scale construction projects (I was part of an analysis of a large dam construction project, on the cost side were losses such as lost agricultural land, archaeological sites, social costs such as family relocation, and yes, lost lives... we had to put value on the lives that were inevitably going to be lost during construction... that's part of the analysis), to highway regulations, to public health mandates. There is a reason we don't have a 20 mph speed limit and drive tanks. Sure, that would save lots of lives! But the added costs don't offset the public safety benefits.


The lack of awareness by some is seriously getting annoying. I met a woman about 10 days or so ago who was like (paraphrasing): "I hope you're not actually going into work" and "I hope you're maintaining distance from people not in your bubble". Listen lady, when you're paying my bills, you can have me not go to work. And yeah, often enough my work involves working relatively closely with people I don't know (I had contact with 30+ people this weekend as part of the job). And no, its not shut down and even after the spring directives from Baker it wasn't shut down as it was considered essential. So cork it, lady, unless you're going to start writing me checks. Some of us aren't independently wealthy, and a small percentage of people in this world have the luxury of working from home.

[charolastra00]

Originally Posted by lrfox

One thing I'm realizing is that it seems many people, even in MA, don't have easy access to COVID-19 testing. We're doing a 5-person Thanksgiving this year with my Girlfriend's family in Vermont. We've been quarantining since last Thurs. and we're scheduled for COVID tests on Monday. I've had several conversations with friends in Southeastern MA and RI and they all seem to indicate that it's not easy to schedule a test without symptoms (with less than 2-3 weeks notice) or get into any of the free sites.

This is very true. I'm hearing that the local stop the spread sites went from half hour waits to 4 hours over the past few weeks. And on /r/boston, Redditors were reporting that some sites that were supposed to be open until 7 or 8 were closing down at 4 due to hitting capacity. Not good.


We've even had people at work asking if they could pay for a spouse/partner or children to get tested at our site. We can sign up for testing the evening before, but some people are having a lot of trouble finding sites to get tested before Thanksgiving.

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

Yeah, but they are going with scaled down versions.

Our typical thanksgiving plans got scaled down to a 10 person dinner. Trying to convince my wife we shouldn't go is like "But we can't not go to Thanksgiving!!". Funny, but 2 weeks ago when my family had a bday party we couldn't go then.....


I'm fine with skipping the holidays completely this year.....

Yeah i've noticed people are skipping certain events then still going to others. Every year we do a mass for my grandmother which involves going out to church and then going to a restaurant. We do the same thing for my grandfather and the past few years it's felt like a bit much. My aunt tried to organize the event for my grandmother about 2 weeks ago and I was like, WTF? She is a nurse at a busy boston hospital on top of this. Everyone told her they weren't going. However I know someone who said no to that event had a large party not too long ago for a baby.

We are having my parents over for dinner and my aunt. I would have been fine to have done nothing, but apparently people can't handle doing nothing. My mom and aunt wear a mask indoors, I will probably keep the windows opens as much as i can. I'm guessing there are people having larger events than we are which isn't good, but I know they're going to happen.

[htfdcolt]

I think we should all understand by now--any setting that's indoors featuring non-family members without masks, is to be avoided!

[Cantabridgienne]

Originally Posted by timberline742

Seriously.




The lack of awareness by some is seriously getting annoying. I met a woman about 10 days or so ago who was like (paraphrasing): "I hope you're not actually going into work" and "I hope you're maintaining distance from people not in your bubble". Listen lady, when you're paying my bills, you can have me not go to work. And yeah, often enough my work involves working relatively closely with people I don't know (I had contact with 30+ people this weekend as part of the job). And no, its not shut down and even after the spring directives from Baker it wasn't shut down as it was considered essential. So cork it, lady, unless you're going to start writing me checks. Some of us aren't independently wealthy, and a small percentage of people in this world have the luxury of working from home.

And that same person is probably eating food cooked by/delivered by another person, watching tv or streaming content produced by people, using various items manufactured, sold and shipped by people. Who does she think does this, elves?