How Surreal Everything Has Become

[Ampdraw]

I still remember Y2K when everyone thought the world was going to end that night come 12:01, for months prior everyone was in a panic worried about it. I've never seen anything to even compare to this however.

I'm a Senior Engineer at a casino/hotel/resort that takes up 3 full city blocks wide by a whole bunch of stories tall, (no one ever seems to know the exact number of floors we have, then you have to count all the different roofs and multiple basements we work on and in, different "towers", subtracted by no actual "13th" floor, its a lot anyhow) and I'm considered must work critical personnel since it's all a living breathing machine that must be kept alive even when not in use, not to mention we wouldn't want a gas leak or steam boiler explosion, a building this big could take out half the city. They laid off all "nonessential" personnel a few weeks ago when ordered to shut down, but there was still a lot of people here just winding things down.

I've also been busy between still working and at home with a new to us 5th wheel that was in excellent shape, but needed a lot of things done to it "my way" so quarantine, shelter in place, stay home what ever you want to call it was how my past month at least now has been spent regardless of all this. Today was my first day out into the actual world other than just driving to and from work. Donned with my gloves and N95 mask (I figured my paint booth style respirator with the giant filters sticking out of it would be viewed as over kill) I headed out on a mission to Home Depot for some needed plumbing supplies. I pulled in, parked then took a look over by the door, nope, that wasn't happening, the spaced out line of people outside just to get in went the full length of the building then started wrapping around the entire parking lot, a quick calculation in my head estimated I'd be in that line 4 or more hours just to get in, that wasn't happening so I pulled out without even turning the truck off, unbelievable.

Everyone, 3000 employees are all laid off at work now, 2,994 I should say, there's only 6 of us still working, 2 on each shift, I got bumped to the 4PM-midnight swing shift. Its one weird feeling walking around a building this huge and spread out, a building usually full of thousands of people, all by myself, not a sign of human life anywhere. I'm also really bored as you can tell by this post, all there is to do is walk around every 2 hours to log boiler and chiller temperatures, keep an eye out for safety alarms going off anywhere. This is day one of this for me and I'm not liking it at all, usually I'm so busy I have to think three months out for what I'm going to do next.

Normally about this time of year we're taking time off work and we're heading back to our farm in Tennessee that will be our retirement compound full time in a few years. Like most people though we're stuck in place out here in Nevada. The area I'm in now was too close to California so it's been seeing a lot of cases of this virus here. The first case here was traced back to someone who got infected in the San Francisco area and its just been blowing up ever since. My county back in Tennessee still has zero cases so I didn't want to be the guy that changed that, even though we haven't had any symptoms and have been following recommended precautions.

In just what I experienced today, my first real first hand experience of all of it, it's more than obvious society, the human race as a whole, cannot go on like this. This just is not going to work for anyone to function like this. This virus is in the wild, it's not going anywhere, hopefully and I'm sure they will, a vaccine gets developed for it soon, that still has an "if" attached to it though. One thing is for sure, people are going to start losing their minds attempting to adapt to this new lifestyle and its going to turn out worse than a 100% infection rate would have. It's going to have to come down to sink or swim and stop avoiding the inevitable, you get infected and die from it then that's just how its going to be, but like I said, it's not going anywhere and life like it is now just isn't adaptable for human existence. I'm not going to go carefree through life and not do my part or expectations of what we "should all be doing right now", but its going to need to get figured out on a global level, this band aide we're putting on it to slow the spread isn't going to last long as the new normal for everyone to live like.

[Reverse_snowbird]

It is a bit of a shock to see the changes. We've been on 'stay at home' for three weeks.

Without adequate testing, your home in Tennessee might not be as 'covid19' free as you think. Only when people show up in the ER and are tested do they 'count'. Many coroners in small towns can't tell you the cause of death without a test which they do not have. So those deaths don't count as covid19.

It may be that everyone will need to be exposed eventually, but if the hospitals are overrun with covid19 patients, people will not be able to be treated for heart attacks, strokes, accidents, etc. because there are no beds.

In the meantime, 'stay at home' will hopefully give the scientists time to develop a treatment to lessen the effects, much like they have for the ordinary flu. At the very least, it will allow hospitals to treat all patients and get the PPEs manufactured to protect the doctors, nurses and other hospital workers.

[PatrickY]

Originally Posted by Ampdraw

(I figured my paint booth style respirator with the giant filters sticking out of it would be viewed as over kill)

DW FREAKED OUT on me when I put mine on to go to the store for milk (and beer).

As far as the county in TN with no cases of the virus, call me skeptical, but is the zero cases the result of ZERO TESTING?

My opinion - and I understand that there are some that NEED to get back out into the world to support their families, so don't get me wrong - but I don't care about "stay at home" or whatever - lift the rules if they want, we're not going out unless we need to until this stuff blows over … and then some.

[frank4711]

Testing will be the path back to work .... World War II is the last time in recent history we were tested at this level ... Americans (most) are exceptional ... my wife works at Publix grocery store and it is now recommended they wear mask ... yesterday a regular customer came in the store and handed the manager a bag full of homemade mask (over 100) she said been working on these they are for everyone ... they are all styles and sizes and so well made just amazing ... stories like this are happening all over the country ...

[BigH]

Originally Posted by Ampdraw

...

One thing is for sure, people are going to start losing their minds attempting to adapt to this new lifestyle and its going to turn out worse than a 100% infection rate would have. It's going to have to come down to sink or swim and stop avoiding the inevitable, you get infected and die from it then that's just how its going to be, but like I said, it's not going anywhere and life like it is now just isn't adaptable for human existence. I'm not going to go carefree through life and not do my part or expectations of what we "should all be doing right now", but its going to need to get figured out on a global level, this band aide we're putting on it to slow the spread isn't going to last long as the new normal for everyone to live like.

The reality of our current economical problem is that essential 'things' are running, its the non essential ones that we need to get back up to get the economy going full tilt again. We've had ~20,000 people die in 2 weeks in the US...are folks going to go into a restaurant if we went back to work next week? A shopping mall? A sporting event? (I couldn't care less about sporting events but they are huge economic influencers). Concerts? Plays? Casinos? The airline industry? There was a poll and it was something over 70% would not go to a sporting event until a vaccine was available... I don't have the answers but I'm certain enough changes are taking place in joe public's mind that things will be very different and these changes will make it difficult to get the economy back on track. Less than 30% of folks are willing to 'risk it' and that number will diminish after some new hotspots arose because of going back to the way things were before this runs its course.

Originally Posted by frank4711

Testing will be the path back to work .... World War II is the last time in recent history we were tested at this level ... Americans (most) are exceptional ... my wife works at Publix grocery store and it is now recommended they wear mask ... yesterday a regular customer came in the store and handed the manager a bag full of homemade mask (over 100) she said been working on these they are for everyone ... they are all styles and sizes and so well made just amazing ... stories like this are happening all over the country ...

I don't see how testing is going to put folks back to work? Testing only shows what has happened (in the past) and not nearly enough of this Corona virus event is behind us...

[badger5301]

I have seen the long lines of cars at drive thru testing areas (on tv) since this started. At least here, when the numbers are announced at the daily briefings there seems to be a big hype of the number of negative cases. To this day I have not understood why the negative test really mean anything. Who's to say those folks get their test, stop at the store on the way home and pick up the virus. Then they get their negative test results but in reality are positive.

[frank4711]

Originally Posted by BigH

The reality of our current economical problem is that essential 'things' are running, its the non essential ones that we need to get back up to get the economy going full tilt again. We've had ~20,000 people die in 2 weeks in the US...are folks going to go into a restaurant if we went back to work next week? A shopping mall? A sporting event? (I couldn't care less about sporting events but they are huge economic influencers). Concerts? Plays? Casinos? The airline industry? There was a poll and it was something over 70% would not go to a sporting event until a vaccine was available... I don't have the answers but I'm certain enough changes are taking place in joe public's mind that things will be very different and these changes will make it difficult to get the economy back on track. Less than 30% of folks are willing to 'risk it' and that number will diminish after some new hotspots arose because of going back to the way things were before this runs its course.




I don't see how testing is going to put folks back to work? Testing only shows what has happened (in the past) and not nearly enough of this Corona virus event is behind us...

Testing will tell us who is sick and who has immunity ... it will be about now and the next day ... we have already proven we are to dumb to pay any attention to history ....

[BigH]

Originally Posted by frank4711

Testing will tell us who is sick and who has immunity ... it will be about now and the next day ... we have already proven we are to dumb to pay any attention to history ....

South Korean studies would suggest immunity may not be a reality...

I don't see how testing puts people back to work with any meaningful numbers until a huge amount of the population has had the virus. There is no chance of isolating the virus with testing at this point, logistically impossible.

Zoom around on the US...
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashb...23467b48e9ecf6

[frank4711]

Originally Posted by BigH

South Korean studies would suggest immunity may not be a reality...

I don't see how testing puts people back to work with any meaningful numbers until a huge amount of the population has had the virus. There is no chance of isolating the virus with testing at this point, logistically impossible.

Zoom around on the US...
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashb...23467b48e9ecf6

South Korean studies are just history means nothing .... we learn more about the virus every day ... what we do with that knowledge will determine the fix and how that fix is done ... no magic bullet just relentless hard working exceptional Americans will fix this ... if they don't the tragic news will continue ... either way I stand ready

[BigH]

Originally Posted by frank4711

South Korean studies are just history means nothing .... we learn more about the virus every day ... what we do with that knowledge will determine the fix and how that fix is done ... no magic bullet just relentless hard working exceptional Americans will fix this ... if they don't the tragic news will continue ... either way I stand ready

Maybe its me Frank but your cryptic manner makes it difficult for me to understand any point you want to make on how you think testing is the path back to work at this point.

[BandJCarm]

I'm convinced no one has the answers yet. We have 25 deaths in the whole state. Walmart parking lots and Lowes parking lots are full nonstop. So is Kroger, etc. People are shopping in grocery stores every day, just because that's "essential", and crowded like rats. Every lake's launching ramps are so full there's nowhere to park. Yet churches can't meet, even in parking lots, on Easter!! People are begging for their rights to be taken away, all in the name of Safety.


You are right, it has to change. Soon. It does. Because if it isn't changed by the Leaders, it will be change by the people. I fear for my own life in this, but some things are worse than dying by virus. The land that gave me a chance for income, stability, ability to travel, to do what I want, is worth saving. No reason to take unnecessary risks. But there ARE such things as necessary risks.


Happy Easter to all.

[D W]

Originally Posted by BigH

South Korean studies would suggest immunity may not be a reality...

I don't see how testing puts people back to work with any meaningful numbers until a huge amount of the population has had the virus. There is no chance of isolating the virus with testing at this point, logistically impossible.

Zoom around on the US...
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashb...23467b48e9ecf6

There is also data out there that shows that South Korea's hasty testing may have had flaws and may have had only a 50% accuracy rate. Everyone lauded S. Korea's rapid quantity of tests, but never considered the quality.

[nomad297]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

I'm convinced no one has the answers yet. We have 25 deaths in the whole state. Walmart parking lots and Lowes parking lots are full nonstop. So is Kroger, etc. People are shopping in grocery stores every day, just because that's "essential", and crowded like rats. Every lake's launching ramps are so full there's nowhere to park. Yet churches can't meet, even in parking lots, on Easter!! People are begging for their rights to be taken away, all in the name of Safety.


You are right, it has to change. Soon. It does. Because if it isn't changed by the Leaders, it will be change by the people. I fear for my own life in this, but some things are worse than dying by virus. The land that gave me a chance for income, stability, ability to travel, to do what I want, is worth saving. No reason to take unnecessary risks. But there ARE such things as necessary risks.


Happy Easter to all.

Well said, and I agree with you.

Bruce

[badger5301]

Great post Bruce and Happy Easter.
Went to the store to get a few supplies and bird seed and when I pulled into the lot told my wife I'm out. The parking lot was almost full so I decided the birds were on their own for the time being. Life has to go on but at least we do have some choices we can make on our own.
You mentioned the boat ramps being full, around here that's about all we're allowed to use in our parks. As soon as it warms up a bit, that's where we'll be, self isolating on the water and hopefully catching some supper.

[BigH]

Originally Posted by D W

There is also data out there that shows that South Korea's hasty testing may have had flaws and may have had only a 50% accuracy rate. Everyone lauded S. Korea's rapid quantity of tests, but never considered the quality.

Absolutely. Also other countries are not reporting deaths the same. Here if a person with an underlying condition dies with Covid19 we attribute death to Corona virus. Some countries are labeling cause of death as whatever the preexisting conditions are with a positive test for Covid19.

The testing I was referring to was about a group of people who had the virus, appeared to recover, then showed positive again. Resurgence of initial infection probably but it could be recontamination. We don't know enough yet.

About testing... We have tested 22,500 per mil of New York's population, unfortunately I can't find numbers to break down South Korea but as a country that is the size of Tennessee they have tested 10,000 per mil.

One thing is for sure...our infection rate and daily deaths need no comparison.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

I'm convinced no one has the answers yet. We have 25 deaths in the whole state. Walmart parking lots and Lowes parking lots are full nonstop. So is Kroger, etc. People are shopping in grocery stores every day, just because that's "essential", and crowded like rats. Every lake's launching ramps are so full there's nowhere to park. Yet churches can't meet, even in parking lots, on Easter!! People are begging for their rights to be taken away, all in the name of Safety.


You are right, it has to change. Soon. It does. Because if it isn't changed by the Leaders, it will be change by the people. I fear for my own life in this, but some things are worse than dying by virus. The land that gave me a chance for income, stability, ability to travel, to do what I want, is worth saving. No reason to take unnecessary risks. But there ARE such things as necessary risks.


Happy Easter to all.

Some things to remember.

This Virus had it's origin on a different continent. It was brought here by a very small number of people who went out into the population and spread it from the points of entry.

If it had been identified early and travel was curtailed for only a month the chances of it spreading around the country would have almost nil.

This virus isn't like air pollution that spreads everywhere the wind blows, it's carried by people. The virus won't be whipped until either everyone is exposed and gains immunity ----------- or dies, as long as people travel with impunity.

Those who understand, and are experts in, the field of infectious diseases give advice. Those who have no clue what it takes to contain an outbreak are the ones in charge

Kind of like putting the baggage handlers in an airliner's cockpit and the pilots down loading bags.

I hope we survive this.

[frank4711]

Originally Posted by BigH

Maybe its me Frank but your cryptic manner makes it difficult for me to understand any point you want to make on how you think testing is the path back to work at this point.

... cryptic not really ------"no magic bullet just relentless hard working exceptional Americans will fix this ... if they don't the tragic news will continue ... either way I stand ready" and some testing

[nomad297]

Originally Posted by badger5301

Great post Bruce and Happy Easter.
Went to the store to get a few supplies and bird seed and when I pulled into the lot told my wife I'm out. The parking lot was almost full so I decided the birds were on their own for the time being. Life has to go on but at least we do have some choices we can make on our own.
You mentioned the boat ramps being full, around here that's about all we're allowed to use in our parks. As soon as it warms up a bit, that's where we'll be, self isolating on the water and hopefully catching some supper.

You need to give credit for that post to BandJCarm.

I just quoted his post and agreed with him.

Bruce

[BandJCarm]

Originally Posted by nomad297

You need to give credit for that post to BandJCarm.

I just quoted his post and agreed with him.

Bruce

Careful, Bruce. They'll come get ya for that. I'm not a popular voice, just a loud one. LOL!


I had all the answers to this back in early March. THEN I changed my mind, and had all the answers AGAIN.


Then I kept reading, and thinking, and observing other countries, etc., and I have come to a final conclusion.

I have no clue about any of this.

That's my conclusion.


One question I have is what kind of testing is being done in S. Korea, Sweden, etc? Is it the same tests we are using? Is it a radically different test than we're using?


How can we compare without knowing how they are doing it, what they are using????

[goduc]

It's going to be like this for a long time. We are not going to be able to turn it off like a light switch.
Mask wearing and lighter forms of SD are the only way until an antibody test is ready. Massive testing is the only way to ensure that enough people are safe so we can regain some of our normalcy.
With a 19% hospitalization rate we won't be running out to ball games and resturaunts anytime soon.