Coronavirus

[downer]

Yes, asking someone to put on their mask indoors is a bit like asking someone not to smoke inside. It could go wrong. It takes some judgment.

Tempting to carry a water pistol and squirt offenders in the face, but probably not a good idea.

[the_geneticist]

Yes, asking someone to put on their mask indoors is a bit like asking someone not to smoke inside. It could go wrong. It takes some judgment.

Tempting to carry a water pistol and squirt offenders in the face, but probably not a good idea.

Probably not a good idea.  I've contemplated if you could use one of those long-handled trash grabbers to snag folks by the nose if their mask isn't on their face properly.

[nebo113]

I went to a doctor's appointment today and had blood work done next door. In the blood place, one guy took off his mask to drink water and left it off. Just the two of us in the waiting room. About 30 seconds later, they called me back. I didn't want to start anything, but the whole thing really freaked me out.

I would not have hesitated saying "Mask please" in a doctor's office, if he were withing 6 feet of me.  And I'm hoping he wasn't drinking from a water fountain, as they should be disconnected.

[Caracal]

I went to a doctor's appointment today and had blood work done next door. In the blood place, one guy took off his mask to drink water and left it off. Just the two of us in the waiting room. About 30 seconds later, they called me back. I didn't want to start anything, but the whole thing really freaked me out.

I would not have hesitated saying "Mask please" in a doctor's office, if he were withing 6 feet of me.  And I'm hoping he wasn't drinking from a water fountain, as they should be disconnected.

Meh. That's one of those things where the risk is probably really small.

[apl68]

The number of active cases is our county is down, but we've had three more deaths in recent days.  Not people close to me, but people close to some who I know.

Our water fountains, and others around town, have been off for most of the year now.  Strange to think that it's been most of a year now since I've done something as mundane as drink from a water fountain.

[Harlow2]

Not liking the new information on the Pfizer vaccine and allergies. I worry that I'll have to wait even longer though I'm in an elevated risk group and CDC category 2.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I went to a doctor's appointment today and had blood work done next door. In the blood place, one guy took off his mask to drink water and left it off. Just the two of us in the waiting room. About 30 seconds later, they called me back. I didn't want to start anything, but the whole thing really freaked me out.

I would not have hesitated saying "Mask please" in a doctor's office, if he were withing 6 feet of me.  And I'm hoping he wasn't drinking from a water fountain, as they should be disconnected.

It was a water cooler with cups. I just got the hell out of there.

[pigou]

Not liking the new information on the Pfizer vaccine and allergies. I worry that I'll have to wait even longer though I'm in an elevated risk group and CDC category 2.

There'll be more data on this in the coming weeks -- but the thing to keep in mind is that we'll see for sure a few people having adverse reactions, including death, shortly after getting the vaccine... the question is whether that's more likely to happen than absent a vaccine.

[apl68]

Not liking the new information on the Pfizer vaccine and allergies. I worry that I'll have to wait even longer though I'm in an elevated risk group and CDC category 2.

There'll be more data on this in the coming weeks -- but the thing to keep in mind is that we'll see for sure a few people having adverse reactions, including death, shortly after getting the vaccine... the question is whether that's more likely to happen than absent a vaccine.

And as the number of people vaccinated grows, simple correlation will inevitably lead to people dying, getting sick, having all their hair fall out, turning orange, etc. shortly after vaccination purely by coincidence.  Which will not stop examples of each of these correlations appearing in the mainstream media, to say nothing of what we'll see in "alternate" outlets and on Facebook.

The vaccines that go into service in western nations are going to have been very, very extensively tested.  Let's all remain calm.

[Langue_doc]

Hawaii seems to be the only state enforcing restrictions. Go, Hawaii! I wish other states would do the same.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/12/states-coronavirus-travel-restrictions-quarantine-hawaii/617321/

[hmaria1609]

Maryland and Virginia have new restrictions starting Monday:
https://wtop.com/local/2020/12/upcoming-coronavirus-restrictions-in-maryland-virginia/
From WTOP Radio online (12/11/20)

Also, massive service cuts to Metro rail services are on the horizon:
https://wtop.com/tracking-metro-24-7/2020/12/metros-budget-cut-a-step-closer-to-approval/

[spork]

Maryland and Virginia have new restrictions starting Monday:
https://wtop.com/local/2020/12/upcoming-coronavirus-restrictions-in-maryland-virginia/
From WTOP Radio online (12/11/20)

Also, massive service cuts to Metro rail services are on the horizon:
https://wtop.com/tracking-metro-24-7/2020/12/metros-budget-cut-a-step-closer-to-approval/

My brother informed me that commuter rail service for the Boston metro area has been cut by 50%, partly because so many MBTA employees have Covid-19 and are not at work. Also ridership is only about 13% of normal.

[nebo113]

My (dumbass) BIL has covid, is recovering, and his physician says he does not need to retest.  He and my sister (who tested negative which is good or otherwise BIL would be dead), want to be around our 92 year old Mother at Christmas; she is with me.  I think he should be retested and not be near my mother until he tests negative.  Thoughts, please.

[onthefringe]

My (dumbass) BIL has covid, is recovering, and his physician says he does not need to retest.  He and my sister (who tested negative which is good or otherwise BIL would be dead), want to be around our 92 year old Mother at Christmas; she is with me.  I think he should be retested and not be near my mother until he tests negative.  Thoughts, please.

It's possible for people to test positive for a long time after recovery without being infective, so many places aren't requiring a negative test. People are presumed negative if they quarantine for 10 days after the positive test and have no fever and other symptoms are resolving.

Your sister should quarantine for 14 days after her last close contact with your BIL, regardless of her testing status. (So for up to 24 days after his positive test if they aren't isolating from one another at home).

In my world, they should not be visiting your 92 year old grandmother regardless, but especially since your sister tested negative which means she could still catch it before Christmas and be an asymptomatic carrier.

[Caracal]

My (dumbass) BIL has covid, is recovering, and his physician says he does not need to retest.  He and my sister (who tested negative which is good or otherwise BIL would be dead), want to be around our 92 year old Mother at Christmas; she is with me.  I think he should be retested and not be near my mother until he tests negative.  Thoughts, please.

It's possible for people to test positive for a long time after recovery without being infective, so many places aren't requiring a negative test. People are presumed negative if they quarantine for 10 days after the positive test and have no fever and other symptoms are resolving.

Your sister should quarantine for 14 days after her last close contact with your BIL, regardless of her testing status. (So for up to 24 days after his positive test if they aren't isolating from one another at home).

The CDC guidelines now are that that a person should quarantine for ten days after symptoms first appear and 24 hours after fever as long as other symptoms are improving. So whenever that date is for him-the guidance would be that she should isolate for 14 days after that. Presumably that would end before Christmas. If your sister has been staying home and plans to keep staying home till Christmas, that would actually be much lower risk for them to visit than if your brother in law hadn't ever tested positive.