facebook is FULL of people posting get togethers, group meals, group selfies

[Hilltopmom]

16 hours ago, JanOH said:

Just as an addition to the discussion about schools and colleges.  Ohio's governor announced yesterday that they are NOT seeing spread in the classroom and as a result have changed the quarantine requirements for classrooms.  

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/politics/government/2020/12/30/ohio-students-exposed-covid-19-class-wont-have-quarantine/4091652001/

My understanding that if masked and distanced, no quarantine will be required in classrooms at all.  This doesn't apply to extracurricular activities.   

Hmmm. The teacher across the hall from me (& several other students) caught it from one of her students. Kids take off masks eat in the rooms- breakfast, lunch, snack, water. No cafeteria this year to stay in cohorts. Masked at all other times. Desks 6 feet apart. It’s airborne. 6 feet isn’t enough when we are breathing the same air all day.

Schools keep saying it’s not spreading at school but it’s not true. It’s probably spreading much more in the community but it IS happening at school.

Edited January 1, 2021 by Hilltopmom

[MercyA]

3 hours ago, RootAnn said:

Driven by data, safety factor built-in, logistics considered, lots of moving parts, long-term planning... Yes, seems like a great project for the right engineer.

I nominate my husband. 😉❤️

Edited January 1, 2021 by MercyA

[Bootsie]

In Austria, children went back to school in May and June, had summer break and then started back to school in September.  They did not find that schools were contributing to spread and outbreaks.  At least in some parts of the country, masks were not required in the classroom.  Of the families I know, the kids played outside without masks, then put them on to walk into the classroom and could take them off once they were seated at their desk. 

How easy is it for children to get tested in most parts of the US?  I have known two families in the last few weeks that have had pediatricians refuse to test their children.  One was a six-month old whose father was ill and tested positive and other family members were beginning to show symptoms.  The other was a 14-year old who had exposure through school sports and was sent home to quarantine  several days later her brother was not feeling well.  The pediatrician would not test her unless she began to show symptoms herself.  His reasoning was if she was positive then the entire family would have to quarantine for two weeks--I thought that would have been the PURPOSE of testing her, to see if she was an asymptomatic carrier spreading to the rest of her family.   

[RootAnn]

Testing availability varies greatly by area. In my state, as long as you can find an opening, anyone can get tested at no cost to them even without symptoms. But there are only limited slots & spaces sometimes fill 10+ days in advance locally, so you have to drive a distance. Even then, you might be looking at a week lead time to get tested. If you want one faster, your local doc might have more specific requirements.

[Pawz4me]

9 minutes ago, Bootsie said:

 

How easy is it for children to get tested in most parts of the US?

I know of three kids who've been tested due to known exposure to another child who had a positive diagnosis. All of them were tested by their pediatricians, and nobody mentioned any problem at all getting them tested.

[Bootsie]

3 minutes ago, RootAnn said:

Testing availability varies greatly by area. In my state, as long as you can find an opening, anyone can get tested at no cost to them even without symptoms. But there are only limited slots & spaces sometimes fill 10+ days in advance locally, so you have to drive a distance. Even then, you might be looking at a week lead time to get tested. If you want one faster, your local doc might have more specific requirements.

Do you know if these sites will test children also?  Where I am in Texas, it has been fairly easy for adults to get tested.  There have been several drive up sites where no appointment is needed, but I don't know that they will test children at those sites.  

But, the more I see, the more I really wonder about all of the data that is being used.  By 9:00pm last night (December 31), my county had reported 777 probable cases (with 616 confirmed) for January 2 and several deaths occurring for January 2.  

[lewelma]

4 hours ago, RootAnn said:

Driven by data, safety factor built-in, logistics considered, lots of moving parts, long-term planning... Yes, seems like a great project for the right engineer.

Logistics is the field you need.  After a few muck ups with the quarantine facility, NZ brought into the military to run the facilities because of their expertise in logistics. 

The data driven part for us is due to our leadership.  For most of our daily covid press conferences, the Prime Minister and stood side by side on stage with the Director General of Health. And both the epidemiological modeller and the chief science adviser just won NZ's highest honor for service to country.

[RootAnn]

7 minutes ago, Bootsie said:

Do you know if these sites will test children also?  

They will but the child has to go through the same process as the adult  (setting up an account to fill out the mandatory screening online so they have to use a separate email). So, in practice, not as easy as it is in theory.

[Danae]

47 minutes ago, Bootsie said:

  The pediatrician would not test her unless she began to show symptoms herself.  His reasoning was if she was positive then the entire family would have to quarantine for two weeks--I thought that would have been the PURPOSE of testing her, to see if she was an asymptomatic carrier spreading to the rest of her family.   

Good Lord.  That pediatrician is either an idiot or actively hostile to measures to protect public health.

[Tenaj]

Regarding the testing of children.  My youngest grandchild was sick back in the early fall.  Pediatrician declined having him tested because numbers in our area were low and he doesn't go to daycare.  Then in December both the baby (he's 1 yr now) and his mom were sick and pediatrician sent them both for testing (negative).  My 3yo granddaughter was also tested about the same time (negative) Sent by her pediatrician (a different ped than my grandson)  Our local children's hospital has drive thru testing daily now from what I understand. 

Edited January 1, 2021 by JanOH
Spelling

[Not_a_Number]

3 hours ago, Hilltopmom said:

Hmmm. The teacher across the hall from me (& several other students) caught it from one of her students. Kids take off masks eat in the rooms- breakfast, lunch, snack, water. No cafeteria this year to stay in cohorts. Masked at all other times. Desks 6 feet apart. It’s airborne. 6 feet isn’t enough when we are breathing the same air all day.

Schools keep saying it’s not spreading at school but it’s not true. It’s probably spreading much more in the community but it IS happening at school.

Interesting. Thanks for the first-hand experience. 

I really want more data from that study, I have to say. I'd love to know how many COVID-positive kids they were following, and how they knew they were COVID-positive, and how many of them were sufficiently early in their infections and were likely to be contagious. 

I do think schools are less of a source of spread than we thought initially. Right now, school seems like a better bet than a family gathering, at least. But it still doesn't seem great. 

Edited January 1, 2021 by Not_a_Number

[saraha]

Ok, I have to put this somewhere, and thought here would be an ok place to vent. So. My dh has 14 first cousins, (well more but this only pertains to them)on both sides of the river. Every year the 15 of them and their spouses get together over the holidays. This year, they decide to get together tomorrow at a restaurant over the river that said it would seat up to 30! We bowed out right away, as did another couple as 2 in their household have active fevers. Now this gets tangled up quickly, as there are sibling groups in the 15 and the couple with the fevers share a sibling (and spent Christmas day together) with another couple.

Now get this, among the couples who rsvp'd yes (7 so far) one is a minister (whose sibling's family have 2 fevers and spent Christmas together), one is a teacher in a Christian school that does not require masks for anyone, one is a lawyer in whose office my dd is supposed to start after the holidays, and one is THE DIRECTOR OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH for our county.

Guess whose county is third in the state for positives/population...

In the meantime, one of kids of one couple, texted a bunch of teenagers of the other couples (including mine)and wants them all to come over while the parents are away. Nope.

[Starr]

Well, well, that's exciting. 

 

[saraha]

I just can't even. 🙄 Here he is quoted by a tv station

XXX says residents there are abiding by the mask mandates for the most part, but there have been spreads within families, especially after Thanksgiving.

"I just think it's just probably family events and getting together and doing their normal thing and just spread throughout the community that way," XXX said. "You probably can't deny the fact that we've had an increase and we've had a major holiday that circles that -- you know -- centers around family getting together. So, it was inevitable, I think, locally and nationally."

My county doesn't have a hospital and those patients are being treated in either of our two neighboring counties.

"Rural America probably tends to be a little bit more relaxed on some of the guidelines, but yet -- but that's where the families lie and a good portion of the people get together,"

Edited January 1, 2021 by saraha

[Frances]

19 minutes ago, saraha said:

I just can't even. 🙄 Here he is quoted by a tv station

XXX says residents there are abiding by the mask mandates for the most part, but there have been spreads within families, especially after Thanksgiving.

"I just think it's just probably family events and getting together and doing their normal thing and just spread throughout the community that way," Arn said. "You probably can't deny the fact that we've had an increase and we've had a major holiday that circles that -- you know -- centers around family getting together. So, it was inevitable, I think, locally and nationally."

My county doesn't have a hospital and those patients are being treated in either of our two neighboring counties.

"Rural America probably tends to be a little bit more relaxed on some of the guidelines, but yet -- but that's where the families lie and a good portion of the people get together,"

It’s hard to know for sure, but it sounds like from what you quoted that he’s one of those that just thinks spread is inevitable because people are going to do what they want to do, like attend large family gatherings. In contrast, my state made PSAs and commercials about limiting family gatherings for the holidays.

Edited January 1, 2021 by Frances

[saraha]

1 minute ago, Frances said:

It’s hard to know for sure, but it sounds like from what you quoted that he’s one of those that just thinks spread is inevitable because people are going to do what they want to do, like attend large family gatherings.

I would like to think that, but we have heard plenty about what he thinks about this.

[Frances]

Just now, saraha said:

I would like to think that, but we have heard plenty about what he thinks about this.

So at work he claims to take it seriously and comes out strongly against gatherings, but then attends them himself? His statement just sounded pretty weak compared to what I’ve heard in my state from public health officials and the Governor.

[saraha]

Nope, not really two faced about it at all. At work he does the bare minimum to comply.

As far as I have heard, he hasn't strayed into conspiracy theory territory, but he definitely lets family know that he thinks the whole thing is over blown, that the state government is overstepping, and as long as they have the party where he probably won't run into/be photographed by a county resident, it's all good.

Edited January 2, 2021 by saraha

[saraha]

He went as far as to put the word out unofficially when mask mandates went out that people should not bother reporting businesses because he was not planning to investigate. Oh, and have I mentioned he is NOT a doctor. He is a civil engineer.

I know I sound a little too wrapped up in what dh's family does, but really, this was the last straw. The thought that less than two weeks after everyone spent the holidays with their families etc. They are all going to meet up. Not everyone in this group is in everyone else's everyday contact bubble.

Edited January 2, 2021 by saraha

[Bootsie]

3 hours ago, Danae said:

Good Lord.  That pediatrician is either an idiot or actively hostile to measures to protect public health.

Yeah, it didn't make any sense to me.  Are there any reporting requirements, paperwork, cleaning requirements or anything else that would cause a hassle for the pediatrician that he was wanting to avoid if she tested positive?  I really don't understand why he would be so concerned that the rest of the family would have to quarantine (the parents are working from home anyway); it would be a bummer for the other kids in the family but there isn't anything obvious that would make it terribly difficult for this family to quarantine. 

[saraha]

Ugh, and its hard for me to deal with because most of us live within 10 miles of each other, and dh's two siblings and parents live in less than a two mile radius of our house and we share responsibilities at dh's parents farm and with his mom. I just really really needed to vent about this so I don't drive my dh crazy over decisions he is not actually involved in making. I just have to figure out how this will affect us going forward as far as farm/house/mil sitting.

Sorry for hijacking the thread. Vent over.

Edited January 2, 2021 by saraha

[lulalu]

On 12/27/2020 at 2:58 PM, busymama7 said:

No.  You aren't.  I hate that too.  Avoiding people feels so incredibly yucky and not at all a normal human experience.  I am living a covid long hauler life right now and I do believe in needing to take precautions and all of that. But I am *deeply* concerned about the impact on young children from only seeing masked people and being taught/influenced not to get close to people.  My children say something almost *every* time they watch a movie about people being closer than 6 feet.  I do wonder and am concerned about the fall out from that psychologically for children.  Especially children but honestly I'm not sure it won't affect adults too. 

Yes! My husband and I had bad cases (not hospitalized thankfully, first major disease going around in 20 years she didn't need to go in). And we have some effects still lingering. It was awful. 

But this year I know more people who have committed suicide than in all my other years of life combined. People I know, not friends cousin's husband kind of thing. I spent months locked inside with my son bouncing off the walls. The damage done to him is worse than my physical stuff. 

What kind of world are we leaving our children, grand children and great grand children? Call me a conspiracy theorist, but really this has effects that we can't even imagine. 

[Happy2BaMom]

24 minutes ago, lulalu said:

Yes! My husband and I had bad cases (not hospitalized thankfully, first major disease going around in 20 years she didn't need to go in). And we have some effects still lingering. It was awful. 

But this year I know more people who have committed suicide than in all my other years of life combined. People I know, not friends cousin's husband kind of thing. I spent months locked inside with my son bouncing off the walls. The damage done to him is worse than my physical stuff. 

What kind of world are we leaving our children, grand children and great grand children? Call me a conspiracy theorist, but really this has effects that we can't even imagine. 

It would be interesting to know what long-term effects the last pandemic had on American society.

[lulalu]

18 minutes ago, kand said:

 

I agree this is a crummy situation, but unfortunately we can’t wave our hands and have it disappear. The best we could have done was not allow it to get as out of control as we have. There was a recent look at studies of suicide rates this year that was at least encouraging that the rate doesn’t seem to be up overall. It actually dropped in some places. That doesn’t mean there aren’t very likely some suicides that were influenced by pandemic-related factors and may not otherwise have happened, but it seems the number of those was offset by the drops in suicide rate in some other populations. Suicide has been increasing at a horrible rate over the past decade such that we need to be looking at solutions that go far beyond anything to do with this crummy pandemic 😔. 

I am not in the states. Measures for curbing the virus were taken much more strictly where I am at. So much so that people couldn't even leave their apartments for months. Death by domestic abuse was so high this year too. In two months what is normally met in a year was already exceeded. Isolation has really been damaging for the people around me. And really COVID numbers still rose and hospitals still filled up here. So what did extreme lock downs accomplish? 

[Not_a_Number]

2 minutes ago, kand said:

I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were in one of the countries with ultra strict lockdowns. Do you mind sharing which one? Or what the death rate per 100,000 has been where you are? I think we’re finding that those kind of lockdown measures for months on end aren’t the ideal way to go about it. It’s hard to imagine they wouldn’t lead to lower disease rates though. I think there are a few countries that might be good to look to as guides of how to strike a middle ground. Japan, for one.

I don't think any of the countries that have done really well actually did lengthy lockdowns. It seemed to work better to do well at contact tracing and possibly do sharp and early lockdowns to get numbers really small.

Lockdowns are a REALLY blunt instrument. They don't work by themselves. 

[lulalu]

4 minutes ago, kand said:

I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were in one of the countries with ultra strict lockdowns. Do you mind sharing which one? Or what the death rate per 100,000 has been where you are? I think we’re finding that those kind of lockdown measures for months on end aren’t the ideal way to go about it. It’s hard to imagine they wouldn’t lead to lower disease rates though. I think there are a few countries that might be good to look to as guides of how to strike a middle ground. Japan, for one.

I don't like to list where I live for safety reasons. 

I don't know what the numbers are. We are in one of the most densely populated cities in the world. It has been so hard. 

[Frances]

17 hours ago, Thatboyofmine said:

This is why so many people are still refusing to take it seriously.   Because many of TPTB, because enough doctors and nurses, because the director of the board of health (!!!) are NOT practicing what they preach.  And some are, in fact, flaunting it.   

While this might be part of it, I think more of it is driven by elected officials not taking it seriously and thinking they know more than the experts. Current and former leaders participated in protests in my state today, urging people to purposely infect others and go for herd immunity that way, rather than through vaccines. And of course demanding that everything open up.

https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2021/01/protest-against-coronavirus-restrictions-underway-in-salem.html

Edited to add that they also encouraged people to defend with guns any businesses that choose to defy the mandates.

Edited January 2, 2021 by Frances

[SKL]

6 hours ago, lulalu said:

Yes! My husband and I had bad cases (not hospitalized thankfully, first major disease going around in 20 years she didn't need to go in). And we have some effects still lingering. It was awful. 

But this year I know more people who have committed suicide than in all my other years of life combined. People I know, not friends cousin's husband kind of thing. I spent months locked inside with my son bouncing off the walls. The damage done to him is worse than my physical stuff. 

What kind of world are we leaving our children, grand children and great grand children? Call me a conspiracy theorist, but really this has effects that we can't even imagine. 

My sister knows 2 people personally who shot & killed themselves in front of family recently.  This is not normal.  Tell their spouses and children that statistically back in May, the suicide numbers weren't up.  😕

[Happy2BaMom]

7 hours ago, Frances said:

While this might be part of it, I think more of it is driven by elected officials not taking it seriously and thinking they know more than the experts. Current and former leaders participated in protests in my state today, urging people to purposely infect others and go for herd immunity that way, rather than through vaccines. And of course demanding that everything open up.

https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2021/01/protest-against-coronavirus-restrictions-underway-in-salem.html

All I can say is that the (many) pictures of that event absolutely confirmed my assumptions about the demographics of the group.

[ktgrok]

My friend's brother - the cop who hosted over a dozen people on Christmas eve including people from across the country - tested positive December 26th. Says he was told not to bother having those exposed tested unless they had symptoms. They did not quarantine (he did) and his kids are going back to school today. 

[RootAnn]

On 12/31/2020 at 8:03 AM, RootAnn said:

One of my friends' families just got back from vacation, one just left on vacation, and another acquaintance is leaving tomorrow.

And the family that left on vacation on the 31st got back yesterday. One of them felt ill on New Years Day. The rest of them kept up all their activities & just left that one in bed. That one tested covid positive yesterday. So, who knows how many Patient Zero exposed while they traveled or how many the rest of the family may have exposed on their travels & while doing their vacation activities. They drove so many hours in the car together. I hope they will all quarantine for awhile.

[ktgrok]

6 minutes ago, RootAnn said:

And the family that left on vacation on the 31st got back yesterday. One of them felt ill on New Years Day. The rest of them kept up all their activities & just left that one in bed. That one tested covid positive yesterday. So, who knows how many Patient Zero exposed while they traveled or how many the rest of the family may have exposed on their travels & while doing their vacation activities. They drove so many hours in the car together. I hope they will all quarantine for awhile.

What is wrong with people???? Between my friend's brother being positive and his wife and kids going out and about like no big deal, possibly spreading it, and this story. Are people that dumb? Uninformed? Uncaring? Do they just not know that if you were exposed to a person with Covid, or Covid symptoms, you have to quarantine???

[RootAnn]

I offered to pickup their grocery order but my friend did a "big grocery run" yesterday. So, I would assume they don't know.

[ktgrok]

19 minutes ago, RootAnn said:

I offered to pickup their grocery order but my friend did a "big grocery run" yesterday. So, I would assume they don't know.

That out leadership can't get out the basic message of who needs to quarantine or isolate, for how long, is an utter and complete failure. 

For anyone else wondering or wanting to share the info this is what the CDC says. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/quarantine.html

[Tenaj]

2 hours ago, ktgrok said:

What is wrong with people???? Between my friend's brother being positive and his wife and kids going out and about like no big deal, possibly spreading it, and this story. Are people that dumb? Uninformed? Uncaring? Do they just not know that if you were exposed to a person with Covid, or Covid symptoms, you have to quarantine???

They either don't understand or don't care. 

I was standing in a parking lot yesterday talking to an acquaintance.  Our sons play basketball together.  She casually mentions that her dh was sick for 16 days with what they assumed is Covid over Christmas/New Years (no test).  I asked if any one else got it.  She answered that she was sick for several days starting about 5 days ago.  (Can you see me taking a giant step back to increase our already more than 6 feet of separation?). 

Then I realize that her son is in the gym practicing basketball  with my two sons!  I ask about him.  Well, he was sick Thursday and Friday and Saturday but he's ok now and went to in-person school Monday.  Then she continues that with her dh it was was really up and down so she wouldn't be surprised if he's (son) sick again tomorrow!  

I made a quick exit to my car!  I felt like crying.  Our school just went back after being shut down for a month and I can just see it beginning all over again.

[ktgrok]

WHY is this so confusing?

[MercyA]

On 1/2/2021 at 6:52 AM, Happy2BaMom said:

All I can say is that the (many) pictures of that event absolutely confirmed my assumptions about the demographics of the group.

Putting aside the absolute idiocy of protesting efforts to keep people safe from a deadly illness (This is America! We don't have to care about other people, d#mn it!), why in the world are they walking around with assault rifles? And why aren't people upset by it? Can you imagine if the protestors were black?

Edited January 5, 2021 by MercyA

[MercyA]

1 minute ago, ktgrok said:

WHY is this so confusing?

Because people want to do what they want to do, and they don't want anyone telling them not to.

[Corraleno]

2 hours ago, ktgrok said:

What is wrong with people???? Between my friend's brother being positive and his wife and kids going out and about like no big deal, possibly spreading it, and this story. Are people that dumb? Uninformed? Uncaring? Do they just not know that if you were exposed to a person with Covid, or Covid symptoms, you have to quarantine???

I think in most cases the issue isn't that they are unaware of CDC guidelines, it's that their preferred news sources and the people they follow on social media are all telling them that the CDC guidelines are politically motivated BS and totally unnecessary, that case and death numbers are hugely exaggerated, that "it affects virtually nobody," and that the sooner everyone gets it and gets it over with, the better.

[kbutton]

On 1/1/2021 at 6:42 PM, Thatboyofmine said:

This is why so many people are still refusing to take it seriously.   Because many of TPTB, because enough doctors and nurses, because the director of the board of health (!!!) are NOT practicing what they preach.  And some are, in fact, flaunting it.   

And why my son is going to take an extra year to graduate from high school. He was supposed to do part-time vocational classes. The school had a stellar reopening plan and a decent step up plan from there, but I knew people would not be honest or would interpret guidelines however they felt like it, so he's not attending this year. Our church isn't even following their own published guidelines, so we don't attend anything there either. 

I told my son when people ask why he took an extra year to finish school, his answer should be, "People lie." 

[RootAnn]

There are a lot of people in my area that believe Covid-19 is "just like the flu" and if you don't feel sick, it is ok to go out & do your normal things with or without a mask depending on your beliefs & if there are mask recommendations (because here, they aren't "mandates"). Many don't read anything about this illness because they don't "believe in it," think it is overblown, or are sick of reading/hearing about Covid-19.

[Happy2BaMom]

1 hour ago, MercyA said:

Putting aside the absolute idiocy of protesting efforts to keep people safe from a deadly illness (This is America! We don't have to care about other people, d#mn it!), why in the world are they walking around with assault rifles? And why aren't people upset by it? Can you imagine if the protestors were black?

Perhaps they are planning on shooting the Covid virus?

Americans are not upset by angry white men walking around with assault rifles.

Black men don't/won't carry assault rifles in public, because they already know what will happen to them if they do.

Edited January 5, 2021 by Happy2BaMom

[ktgrok]

1 hour ago, Corraleno said:

I think in most cases the issue isn't that they are unaware of CDC guidelines, it's that their preferred news sources and the people they follow on social media are all telling them that the CDC guidelines are politically motivated BS and totally unnecessary, that case and death numbers are hugely exaggerated, that "it affects virtually nobody," and that the sooner everyone gets it and gets it over with, the better.

In the case of my friend's brother, his wife's grandfather died of Covid, and they still are not taking precautions. 

[SpecialClassical]

16 minutes ago, Happy2BaMom said:

Perhaps they are planning on shooting the Covid virus?

Americans are not upset by angry white men walking around with assault rifles.

Black men don't/won't carry assault rifles in public, because they already know what will happen to them if they do.

Frankly, this isn’t true. Plenty of Americans don’t like seeing groups of people walking around with big guns, especially at a rally that has nothing to do with gun rights.  I live in Michigan, and we thought it was stupid, unnecessary,and inflammatory  for militia members to do so at protests. However, when a group of black men from our state who advocate for their right to uphold the second amendment held an event *for that purpose* at the capital, we were fine with it,(displaying guns) and I’m happy to report they were perfectly safe at their event.  

[Happy2BaMom]

1 minute ago, SpecialClassical said:

Frankly, this isn’t true. Plenty of Americans don’t like seeing groups of people walking around with big guns, especially at a rally that has nothing to do with gun rights.  I live in Michigan, and we thought it was stupid, unnecessary,and inflammatory  for militia members to do so at protests. However, when a group of black men from our state who advocate for their right to uphold the second amendment held an event *for that purpose* at the capital, we were fine with it,(displaying guns) and I’m happy to report they were perfectly safe at their event.  

My response was meant to be tongue-in-cheek.

Although I am wondering.....if so many Americans don't like seeing people walking around with big guns, then why have so many states passed legislation allowing just that?

[SpecialClassical]

19 minutes ago, Happy2BaMom said:

My response was meant to be tongue-in-cheek.

Although I am wondering.....if so many Americans don't like seeing people walking around with big guns, then why have so many states passed legislation allowing just that?

It’s how they are used, I suppose. Many people don’t understand the difference between kinds of guns and their uses and react to how they look.  As a side note,  I read an article on The Hill today advocating background checks as the first policy the Biden administration tackle. A main reason listed was that a very high number of Americans agree with the need for such a policy.  I found that very encouraging.  
 

Oh, and I wasn’t responding to your comment about shooting the virus. 😂 Just the comments below that. 

Edited January 5, 2021 by SpecialClassical
Clarity

[Janeway]

I honestly think this falls in to the "you do you and I'll do me" category. You are not doing those things and great for you. But for some reason, you feel all this anger at people who are not doing what you do. I think media has led people to think they can constantly be in each others' business, full of hate and anger. This is not a good thing. The entire country has been raging for months now. People just need to take a step back and be comfortable enough with their own choices that they are not so concerned with other's choices. 

[kokotg]

Well, here's just one reason why other people's choices about this stuff absolutely affect me. DH (high school teacher) just got an e-mail today letting him know that because the federal act that covered COVID leave wasn't extended, if he needs to be out for covid related reasons, including a quarantine, he'll have to use his regular sick leave. He has 10 days of sick leave a year, so one quarantine because of a close contact would wipe that out. If he got quarantined again, he'd lose 10 days of pay. Over the break, there have been at least two parties in my neighborhood thrown by people who send their kids to school in our district. One of those kids brings covid to school because their parents couldn't skip the annual party this year and their teacher could go two weeks without pay because of it. Selfish actions have consequences for other people; that's why I'm bothered by them. 

[Corraleno]

2 minutes ago, Janeway said:

I honestly think this falls in to the "you do you and I'll do me" category. You are not doing those things and great for you. But for some reason, you feel all this anger at people who are not doing what you do. I think media has led people to think they can constantly be in each others' business, full of hate and anger. This is not a good thing. The entire country has been raging for months now. People just need to take a step back and be comfortable enough with their own choices that they are not so concerned with other's choices. 

In LA County, the hospitals are so overwhelmed that ambulances are waiting up to 8 hours to transfer patients. One hospital had 19 ambulances queued up in the parking lot at once, some waiting for hours, which left them unable to respond to other 911 calls. Hospitals are setting up cots in the parking lot so ambulances can at least unload patients and answer other calls when there are no beds left. LA County EMS has issued a directive not to transport any patient who cannot be resuscitated in the field, and they are rationing oxygen. Covid isn't just killing people who catch it — hospital overwhelm is leading to the deaths from heart attacks, gunshot wounds, car accidents, because they cannot even get a bed, or sometimes even get an ambulance.

How do you not recognize that "other people's choices" have a direct impact on you, and on me, and on everyone in this thread that you are accusing of being "full of hate and anger"? How do you not recognize the effect of those choices on the mental and physical health of the healthcare providers who are overwhelmed and suffering PTSD from having to make so many life and death decisions and watch so many patients die? How can you know that 360K Americans have died of this disease, with projections of half a million dead by April, and blithely say "you do you and I'll do me"???

[Pawz4me]

8 minutes ago, Janeway said:

I honestly think this falls in to the "you do you and I'll do me" category. You are not doing those things and great for you. But for some reason, you feel all this anger at people who are not doing what you do. I think media has led people to think they can constantly be in each others' business, full of hate and anger. This is not a good thing. The entire country has been raging for months now. People just need to take a step back and be comfortable enough with their own choices that they are not so concerned with other's choices. 

Ehh.

I don't drive drunk and endanger everyone on the road around me, and I get righteously angry at those who do. Because I--or someone I love--may be endangered by drunk drivers, I think that gives me the right to feel anger.

I feel the same regarding Covid behaviors. There is no "you do you" in either of these scenarios that doesn't affect innocent people.