Corona Virus

[Rusty Edge]

Found out today that one of the nieces was exposed at work from a co-worker with whom she had close contact recently.
This is relevant to me because we were together at a family birthday dinner yesterday. 9 People there in total. I might have declined the invitation, but it's my wife's family, and she ditched the last birthday dinner out of an abundance of caution with a headache and sent me. This time she felt obligated. Keeping peace in the family and being cautious about coronavirus don't seem to be compatible.

The niece is prone to allergies and it's the season for leaf mold. She had a headache and sniffles.

I'll keep you posted.

PS- helicopter again last night.

[Buster's Uncle]

Utah's cases are skyrocketing and here at work, probably a third of those that actually come into the office are in quarantine. 


They are putting up even more stern signs....

Bleepin' national security.  Their bots freak when a foolish member posts commie hooey here, but they don't bother to enforce quarantine there as the security issue it is. 

…

As far as 19 crows in my own family, both Momma's brothers married into white trash, and both sets of trash have had some crows go around.  -Nobody's died or tracked it in here.  I don't get out even as much as I used to, so I don't hear/see much local events - but nobody much has got it in Buster's Daddy's congregation, for what that's worth...

[Geo]

I'd say we're surpassing American levels of infection rates now. 4000+ new cases/day now (on average last week). One of the federal experts fears now we're going to have days of 10000+ cases this week.
Except for work, groceries, fysiotherapie, and neighbours when the need arises, I don't meet other people.
More and more regions are putting stricter measures th3 the federal ones in effect.

To put things in perspective: 1 out of 1000 Belgians has now (officially) died of Covid19. Around 1 out of 100 has at some point contracted the disease.

[Rusty Edge]

 Yeah, you've got us beat. Today was a new high at about 3,86something.

There was a local news story tonight about a 52 year old woman with no underlying conditions who survived Covid and 5 weeks on a ventilator. Unfortunately there was so much damage to her lungs that she needs a double transplant ASAP. This is the thing that I don't think most people get. It's not merely a 1-4% chance of dying. It's the misery and expense of the hospitalization and lasting complications that are cause for concern.

[Rusty Edge]

Found out today that one of the nieces was exposed at work from a co-worker with whom she had close contact recently.
This is relevant to me because we were together at a family birthday dinner yesterday. 9 People there in total. I might have declined the invitation, but it's my wife's family, and she ditched the last birthday dinner out of an abundance of caution with a headache and sent me. This time she felt obligated. Keeping peace in the family and being cautious about coronavirus don't seem to be compatible.

The niece is prone to allergies and it's the season for leaf mold. She had a headache and sniffles.

I'll keep you posted.

PS- helicopter again last night.

Okay. The niece tested negative.  We still don't seem to have any symptoms, so we ran some errands today.

[Geo]

I was wrong. About 1 out of 50/60 Belgians has (had) it now. The predicted 10000+/day cases had happened last Tuesday.
And those are just the ones of whom it was established through a test.
Curfew comes in effect this Monday night, between midnight and 5AM, horeca is closing down for a month. One's allowed ONE close contact with a person outside the family.

And my vacation trip for December got canceled.

[Bearu]

The USA possessed more than 80,000 new cases per day a few days ago. When will the number of new cases exceed 100,000 cases per day? When will the death rate proportionally increase? 2020 represents an interesting year for epidemiological history.

[Geo]

Well, the US population is a bit more then 8 times Belgian population...
At current prognoses of infection cases increase, all of the country's intensive care beds will be fully occupied in 2 weeks.
This weekend Autumn school vacation starts. Normally, it is for a week. It is now extended to Armistice Day (November 11th).
The school system asked for an extension because too many teachers fall out due to being infected or having to go in quarantaine.


In the French speaking part of the country, night curfew is now between 10pm-6am (it is now the heaviest infected region of the whole European Union). I reckon later this week this will be extended to my part of the country as well. In my municipality more then 1% of the population was infected these last 2 weeks. And again, those are only the tested cases. Estimations are that at least 3 times that many people have the diseasel, but show no symptoms.
My employer distributed a paper to its employees to be allowed outdoors at night for commuting reasons.


And my hobby club event late November got cancelled. 

[E_T]

The US (current) government has given up on attempting to reduce the spread. And once the new one gets in place and actually doing work, it will be too late.   I wonder if we can charge the outgoing President (once the election is actually finalized and he has been removed) with Crimes Against Humanity??

As an American Citizen to the rest of ya'll, I'm sorry that we have done so much to facilitate the spread...

[Geo]

Belgium as a whole is now the heaviest infected country in the EU. Tsechia used to hold the 'title', but no longer.
The state government just announced a new set of measures starting this Friday evening. In general, culture -en sport events close, save some exceptions like libraries and professional sport (without spectators).
At work I overheard a conversation between two people of middle management. I think they were saying 2-3 employees fell out on a daily base since last week. There are about five hundred employees at my plant. At this rate I estimate its my turn around Christmas (I give myself an extension because I have a two week vacation early December).
Today I went for groceries after work. The store is located on my usual commuting route. It was closed today for desinfection, a note on the door stating it was for preventing a possible quarantaine. Incidently, this shop is located in a community with one of the highest incidence percentages in the country.
I went to one of the same brand in my home town, and ended up talking a bit with an employee who got infected during the first wave and spent time sick at home and as much as possible separate from the rest of his family.
Sobering, but it did kinda reassure me I shouldn't have contracted Covid19 yet.

[Buster's Uncle]

Buster's Great Uncle, the one who married into trash and didn't die of cancer a couple years ago, has come down with the Crows.  He is 84, but a much younger 84 than most.  I'll try to mention whether he dies or what, as developments develop.

[Geo]

I assume I haven't met him?

[Buster's Uncle]

I think you have not.  The one you met died of cancer.  -Think him, but stretched a little taller than me.

[Geo]

And... as of next Monday we're in lockdown until roughly mid-december.
Non-essential movements will not be forbidden, but are essentially useless since everything except food stores are closed and close contacts with more then one other person per family are forbidden. Guess that means night curfew is off.
Will make policemen on night shifts' work easier.


I think I'll take a fresh nose while still possible. :/

[E_T]

the Phiser(sp) Vaccine appears to have a 90% efficacy.  Would require two injections, ~21 days apart.  Still has a few more weeks of Stage 3 trials before final approval.
No word on the other contenders for Vaccine.