Coronavirus

[Sssith]

We have a friend, who my wife works with, who has a cough and fever and went into urgent care to get checked.  Except that she did not get tested.  She had the impression that they don't have kits with which to test her.  Now it is completely possible that they legitimately don't think she is infected and that she has a common cold.  But you would imagine that if the test kits were readily available she would have been tested regardless.  Combine that with the fact that she is a elementary school teacher, who are at higher risk, as they have to deal with little kids who leak all over the place, and it is concerning.

[mn4nu]

It's all over the place.  The infected numbers are BS.  Everyone should plan on getting infected, or at least knowing someone who is infected.  Everything is getting shut down.  I would not be surprised to see the NCAA call off March Madness.  A bunch of conferences have already canceled conference tournaments.

[Sssith]

It's all good.  Holy Cross did not make the tournament.

I do feel bad as the Patriot League's winner is Boston University.  The first time that team has won the Patriot League and gets to go to the tournament.  Unless they can't because it is canceled.

Shit is going to get crazy for the next two months.

[Timinator]

1918 flu had 3 waves. Not too bad. Super deadly and then less. People in China are saying they see two variants already.

[mn4nu]

Well, no sports in America for the next month or so.  I've never seen anything like this. 

[syn]

des moines public schools just called out for 2-3 weeks. expect the same thing to happen up here. saint paul teacher's union picked a good (bad?) time to go on strike...

[Pixie]

Meanwhile, in Maine, other than the U of Maine and a few other Universities going all online, there's a general "ignore the whole thing" going on. Schools are business as usual, no businesses are doing anything different, etc.

I asked my boss if our company was working on a plan to deal with issues of sick employees and stuff, especially since we're largely a public-facing business and got a flat "Nope."

[Sssith]

Lovely.

My son is coming home today for Spring Break.  After the week it will be staying home for a month doing online classes.

Satellite photos show Iran is digging mass graves.

This is just not good.  The US response has been awful.  The extent of our inability to administer tests is surprising.  We need to get our shit together and our leadership is badly failing.

[mn4nu]

Trump is blaming Obama and everyone else for everything.  What a POS!

[Darkness]

Schools are business as usual,

Not even instituting more handwashing routines for the children?
I mean closing schools would be a crazy thing to do, given how little good it would do and how much harm it would do but, at least try to make them more sanitised places and instill the students the importance of cleanliness at this time.

[mn4nu]

All public schools in Omaha are closed today.  My 2 kids in middle and high school have spring break next week.  After that, I think they will go to online learning for a week or two at least.  My wife is a teacher in the same district they attend, and she said that's what administration was telling teachers to prepare for yesterday.  My oldest daughter comes home from college today for spring break.  Her school (in western Colorado) sent out an email saying that through 3 April all classes will be online and they will decide what to do past that over the next couple of weeks.  It wouldn't surprise me if they decide to go online for the rest of the semester.

I can't believe most of Maine isn't doing anything to prepare/mitigate yet.  Crazy.

[syn]

Our state epidemiologists are doing their best to convince people to keep the schools open at this point but there’s intense pressure to close them. My wife works for the state health department and they’re getting screamed at to order the schools closed. Explaining why (we should keep them open) is not well received, but they have the governors support at the moment.

edited for missing word. i hate typing on phones.

[Sssith]

I just listened to a pod cast with an expert and he was questioning the idea of closing schools (elementary through high school).  The idea being that younger kids are not as affected and that a large percentage of nurses, who will be needed at work, don't have alternatives for child care other than staying home.  At the very least it was an interesting take.  I will see if I can dig up the pod cast. 

[Timinator]

Notice all of a sudden trump has a blue hat and just says USA. Not red and no “great” anywhere

[syn]

...and the governor just ordered schools closed through the end of the month.