Random covid-19 observations

[Eric the .5b]

in those alternate realities where we never left Connecticut, and still had the same job setups we had back then, with Jeff commuting to one of the super-rich cities on the shore of Long Island Sound (and with commuter train stops to and from New York City), there's a pretty high chance Jeff and I might've had covid early on ... and one or both of us might've had the "deadly, or at least devastating," version of it.

One door opens, one biohazard door closes.

(Knocking on wood that neither of y'all catch it in Georgia.)

[Highway]

This is kind of a general random observation, but I think it ties into Covid: Seems like lots of stores and restaurants are closing earlier on Christmas Eve than they have been in the last decade. There's usually some posturing between stores with "We're the ones who are going to be OPEN for you on Christmas!" vs the "We're the ones who are letting our employees have the day off!" But everything I'm seeing today is closing at 4 PM or 7 PM (like the local fast food restaurants).

[Jennifer]

in those alternate realities where we never left Connecticut, and still had the same job setups we had back then, with Jeff commuting to one of the super-rich cities on the shore of Long Island Sound (and with commuter train stops to and from New York City), there's a pretty high chance Jeff and I might've had covid early on ... and one or both of us might've had the "deadly, or at least devastating," version of it.

One door opens, one biohazard door closes.

(Knocking on wood that neither of y'all catch it in Georgia.)

I'm half-joking but half-serious when I say: I have this almost superstitious fear that, after being careful and staying mostly at home all this time, NOW is when Jeff and I will catch it, with a vaccine and possible freedom visible on the (still admittedly distant) horizon. Like, if this were ordinary times I almost certainly would've gone out yesterday in search of some real-chocolate peppermint bark, or maybe even braved the crowds and expected some lengthy lines today ... but, instead I stayed home, and Jeff and I intend to "make do" with peppermint-crunch Junior Mints plus some cheap Palmer-brand peppermint bark I found, made of a substance which is legally not "chocolate" but a "chocolatey layer." (IIRC, the legal difference between "chocolate" and "chocolatey substance" per the FDA is, both contain cocoa powder but true "chocolate" also contains a certain minimum amount of cocoa butter, whereas "chocolatey substance" uses some other type of fat.)

Granted, where hardship/deprivation stories are concerned, "we couldn't find real-chocolate peppermint bark at any of the unusually limited number of stores we visited, so we made do with a couple boxes of cheap Palmer candy and limited-edition holiday Junior Mints instead" is pretty weak, even when you add "Also, this year I'm forgoing my traditional post-Christmas 'look for deep discounts on holiday candy and treats' ritual." Still, there are definite changes to my behavior and habits which are 100% due to covid avoidance, but I worry it all might not be enough before this is all over.

[Jennifer]

Currently trending on Twitter: Georgia broke it previous record for new cases, with 8,000 being reported.

[D.A. Ridgely]

Texas is blowing off the CDC recommended priority list for the vaccine, bumping me up from 1-C to 1-B, meaning there's a good chance I'll get the vaccination before the end of February. I do not object to this decision.

[Jennifer]

It's the day after Christmas, and here in north Georgia, the weather is gorgeous, sunny and bright and crisp, 45 degrees and not too humid. Jeff is working, so ordinarily I'd go out today, partly to enjoy the weather but mainly to look for cheap discounted holiday items. However, this year I am staying home (or at most, going for a brief outdoor walk), for covid-avoidance reasons: it's also a Saturday and I do NOT go to any place of business on weekends or after regular business hours these days, if I can avoid it.

[Aresen]

It's the day after Christmas, and here in north Georgia, the weather is gorgeous, sunny and bright and crisp, 45 degrees and not too humid. Jeff is working, so ordinarily I'd go out today, partly to enjoy the weather but mainly to look for cheap discounted holiday items. However, this year I am staying home (or at most, going for a brief outdoor walk), for covid-avoidance reasons: it's also a Saturday and I do NOT go to any place of business on weekends or after regular business hours these days, if I can avoid it.

The Boxing Day shopping frenzy is still happening here, but it is a little less frantic than usual.

[Jennifer]

This actually belongs in the "weather" thread, but since it builds on my last comment: I did eventually go outside for a walk, or at least tried to, wearing (for the first time since last winter) a thermal undershirt beneath a thick pullover sweater. But I did not wear matching thermal leggings beneath my jeans, and -- yikes, I've seriously lost my acclimation to chill, because I barely got a few steps beyond the confines of my apartment complex before deciding "screw this" and going right the hell back home where it was warm. (I also wore a wool hat and thickly, warmly lined leather jacket/coat over everything.)

I'd forgotten about that uncomfortably dry stinging "not-quite-pre-sneeze" feeling your nose gets in certain types of cold weather, until I experienced it today--the kind where you hold your own hand loosely over your face so your own breath helps warm your nose. Except -- I was wearing my usual two-ply covid face mask, and temperatures were still in the low forties, well above freezing. (I just checked weather -dot-com to make sure -- it's 40 now, though it's supposed to get all the way down to 26 tonight, because we're officially having colder-than-normal weather for this time of year.) No wind, either. But it was still colder than I could handle, dressed as I was with an incomplete set of winter accessories--the thermal undershirt, coat and wool hat were NOT enough.

I have officially become a southern-style Cold Wuss.

/sigh

[JD]

The only thing that surprises me about this is that they're admitting it now.

Russia said on Monday that its coronavirus death toll was more than three times higher than it had previously reported...

[Aresen]

The only thing that surprises me about this is that they're admitting it now.

Russia said on Monday that its coronavirus death toll was more than three times higher than it had previously reported...

Saw that story and was surprised the same way. Everyone thought so anyways, but the Russian authorities coming clean on something like that usually only happens when they've just shot the last batch.

[Hugh Akston]

The only thing that surprises me about this is that they're admitting it now.

Russia said on Monday that its coronavirus death toll was more than three times higher than it had previously reported...

Saw that story and was surprised the same way. Everyone thought so anyways, but the Russian authorities coming clean on something like that usually only happens when they've just shot the last batch.

The problem with blabbermouth doctors accidentally falling out of windows is that you eventually have a shortage of doctors.

[Aresen]

The problem with blabbermouth doctors accidentally falling out of windows is that you eventually have a shortage of doctors.

In Russia, neither the former nor the latter is surprising. Even so, I have my doubts when said doctors perish from falling out of ground floor windows.

[Shem]

The only thing that surprises me about this is that they're admitting it now.

Russia said on Monday that its coronavirus death toll was more than three times higher than it had previously reported...

Saw that story and was surprised the same way. Everyone thought so anyways, but the Russian authorities coming clean on something like that usually only happens when they've just shot the last batch.

The problem with blabbermouth doctors accidentally falling out of windows is that you eventually have a shortage of doctors.

It's also hard to get anyone to sell you supplies when you spend your time telling everyone all about how you don't actually need them as much as anyone else.

[Kolohe]

That’s a good point. It’s like “taxes? Bah, this piece of property is worth nothing, nada, zilch.”

but “a loan? this piece of property is super duper valuable”

[Aresen]

Louisiana congressman-elect dies of Covid

Rep.-elect Luke Letlow (R-La.) has died from the coronavirus, multiple sources confirmed Tuesday evening. He was 41.

I am curious what position he took on facemasks and what rallies he attended.

EDIT: Color me not surprised:


Luke Letlow’s maskless campaign events surface after he dies of COVID

[D.A. Ridgely]

Louisiana congressman-elect dies of Covid

Rep.-elect Luke Letlow (R-La.) has died from the coronavirus, multiple sources confirmed Tuesday evening. He was 41.

I am curious what position he took on facemasks and what rallies he attended.

EDIT: Color me not surprised:


Luke Letlow’s maskless campaign events surface after he dies of COVID

Yeah, but it's Louisiana. You can't eat gumbo and swill down Hurricanes on the campaign trail with a mask on, not even a Mardi Gras mask.

[Kolohe]

Louisiana congressman-elect dies of Covid

Rep.-elect Luke Letlow (R-La.) has died from the coronavirus, multiple sources confirmed Tuesday evening. He was 41.

I am curious what position he took on facemasks and what rallies he attended.

EDIT: Color me not surprised:


Luke Letlow’s maskless campaign events surface after he dies of COVID

It’s mixed. There’s also lots of pictures of him wearing a mask and speaking in groups that seem appropriately separated.

[JD]

Well, that was predictable.

A hospital in California is facing a coronavirus outbreak among its staff that might be tied to an inflatable costume worn on Christmas to cheer up patients.

The hospital is looking into whether the fan on an "air-powered costume" could have spread droplets after a staff member briefly wore it in the emergency department on Christmas Day.

[Pham Nuwen]

Well, that was predictable.

A hospital in California is facing a coronavirus outbreak among its staff that might be tied to an inflatable costume worn on Christmas to cheer up patients.

The hospital is looking into whether the fan on an "air-powered costume" could have spread droplets after a staff member briefly wore it in the emergency department on Christmas Day.

Our holiday party was our suspected superspreader.