COVID-19 Outbreak (Update: More than 2.9M cases and 132,313 deaths in US) (5 Viewers)

[Mr. Sparkle]

It's available. The hospitals are using it to test their employees. It was a same day result. The problem is that no one trusts it. Your body takes a while to develop the antibodies apparently, and if you don't really get sick you don't really show them. We know my wife has been exposed numerous times. We think my daughter has even had it. My wife tested negative for antibodies. It's not completely useless information of course. It's just incomplete.

My neighborhood urgent care/doc in the box also has the antibody test. (In and Out for those in NOLA). I am interested in it but waiting to see a few iterations before we go in to allow time for better tests.

 

[DaveXA]

Kidding aside, this is probably true but that will be the case no matter when we re-open.

"People will come to New Orleans" is not a reason not to re-open New Orleans if we have zero cases, adequate testing, and available medical resources.

Agreed. I tend to think it can be slowly reopened if done deliberately and smartly. Whether that actually happens, hard to say.

 

[St. Widge]

It's available. The hospitals are using it to test their employees. It was a same day result. The problem is that no one trusts it. Your body takes a while to develop the antibodies apparently, and if you don't really get sick you don't really show them. We know my wife has been exposed numerous times. We think my daughter has even had it. My wife tested negative for antibodies. It's not completely useless information of course. It's just incomplete.




Some variant of this is the truth.

Flattening the curve was always about making sure we could handle the rate of illness. It's not supposed to make everyone safe. The goal posts have definitely been moved as evidenced by the Stay Home Save Lives yard signs all over the neutral ground. That was never really the point of staying home.

But wasn't the point of flattening the curve to make sure we could handle the rate of illness so that the hospitals would not get overwhelmed which would result in even more people dying of COVID-19 as well as other illnesses? I mean, keeping hospitals from getting overwhelmed wasn't an end unto itself. It was a means to prevent even more deaths. So I don't see the issue with those signs. Saving lives, or at least not letting as many dies is the goal. So I don't see where the goal posts have been moved. Even the Governor didn't say that we had to get to zero. What he said is that there are parts of the state that have not flattened the curve so we need to keep the same order we have (which actually doesn't close all non-essential businesses. It just limits how they can do business.).

I'm not sure that it was necessary to extend for two weeks, but it wasn't done because he moved the goal posts. It was done because he didn't think we could get the ball through the goal posts from where we are.

 

[St. Widge]

My neighborhood urgent care/doc in the box also has the antibody test. (In and Out for those in NOLA). I am interested in it but waiting to see a few iterations before we go in to allow time for better tests.

My bigger concern is that we aren't even sure that having the antibodies actually stops you from getting it again even if we assume the tests are accurate.

 

[St. Widge]

I dunno - my contacts in North Louisiana assure me that 'cotdam New Orleans' is the reason the Governor's stay at home order is still in effect and have no desire to come here...

Like I said yesterday, my bigger concern long term is that people will not come to New Orleans no matter how open for business we are until this thing is over whether it is fear of the virus here, fear of traveling in general, or their lack of money because of a terrible economy. However, that won't stop the parts of the North Shore that have only reached a plateau from crossing the lake.

 

[Brennan77]

But wasn't the point of flattening the curve to make sure we could handle the rate of illness so that the hospitals would not get overwhelmed which would result in even more people dying of COVID-19 as well as other illnesses? I mean, keeping hospitals from getting overwhelmed wasn't an end unto itself. It was a means to prevent even more deaths. So I don't see the issue with those signs. Saving lives, or at least not letting as many dies is the goal. So I don't see where the goal posts have been moved. Even the Governor didn't say that we had to get to zero. What he said is that there are parts of the state that have not flattened the curve so we need to keep the same order we have (which actually doesn't close all non-essential businesses. It just limits how they can do business.).

I'm not sure that it was necessary to extend for two weeks, but it wasn't done because he moved the goal posts. It was done because he didn't think we could get the ball through the goal posts from where we are.

That's fair and I can go with that interpretation. As irritated as I am with the extension by the governor, I can follow along because I can make the argument for it along those terms, especially since it was so severe in this region.I'm not getting truly upset yet. But you don't have to look far even in this thread for examples of the confusion in expectations. I have the conversation with people I know almost every day. They expect to be protected and that is really not realistic.

The fact is that once the medical infrastructure is caught up and ready for another surge, which most signs are pointing to us being there or close to it, people will have to decide for themselves how they will live their lives. It may actually be a much broader psychological and philosophical and perhaps spiritual question.

 

[Get in the Carr]

My neighborhood urgent care/doc in the box also has the antibody test. (In and Out for those in NOLA). I am interested in it but waiting to see a few iterations before we go in to allow time for better tests.

My Wife works at a hospital and had the test. All employees had the test. Word around there is many who tested positive for Covid are testing negative for antibodies. Test came back same day when i have heard it takes a couple of days. I wouldn’t trust it right now. Even the negative results have a caveat that says it doesn’t mean you didn’t have it at one point.

 

[Bayouboy]

The post-virus economy has me concerned.....especially here in Louisiana where we depend so much on tourism. Even if we fully open, it will be months or longer until people feel safe enough to travel (New Orleans specifically because it was a hot spot early on). The economic ramifications will far outweigh the effect of the virus when its all said & done.

Country-wide, we are looking at a guaranteed recession.,,,,,but could this pandemic lead to an economic depression? Very possible. I hope not, but times could get tough in the coming months/year.

 

[travelingsaintsfan]

I went to Sam's Club in Pensacola early this morning during the senior hours. All of the employees and about 90% of the customers where wearing masks and we were also.

I don't see the attraction to head to New Orleans as soon as it opens up.

 

[St. Widge]

That's fair and I can go with that interpretation. As irritated as I am with the extension by the governor, I can follow along because I can make the argument for it along those terms, especially since it was so severe in this region.I'm not getting truly upset yet. But you don't have to look far even in this thread for examples of the confusion in expectations. I have the conversation with people I know almost every day. They expect to be protected and that is really not realistic.

The fact is that once the medical infrastructure is caught up and ready for another surge, which most signs are pointing to us being there or close to it, people will have to decide for themselves how they will live their lives. It may actually be a much broader psychological and philosophical and perhaps spiritual question.

Yeah, I don't disagree that some expect us to wait until the entire country is at zero cases which is unrealistic. And sure, at some point we are going to have to live with the fact that it will come down to whether people are willing to limit their activities for the benefit of others or their own self-preservation. Some will look to morality while others will look more to practicality and spirituality. Still others won't care either way and go on like nothing happened.

But, I would feel a whole lot better about opening up if people showed even the slightest ability to restrain themselves without being told to do so by the government. Sure many people will, but every time I have to go out, I see far too many people doing things that risk the lives of others and, in the long term, themselves. And, at the same time, people who are at higher risk, will have to be extra careful to not put themselves in situations that put themselves at risk because the reality is that at some point we do have to start opening and some people are not going to take fairly simple and minimally invasive precautions to avoid hurting others.

 

[St. Widge]

The post-virus economy has me concerned.....especially here in Louisiana where we depend so much on tourism. Even if we fully open, it will be months or longer until people feel safe enough to travel (New Orleans specifically because it was a hot spot early on). The economic ramifications will far outweigh the effect of the virus when its all said & done.

Country-wide, we are looking at a guaranteed recession.,,,,,but could this pandemic lead to an economic depression? Very possible. I hope not, but times could get tough in the coming months/year.

I do have major concerns about the New Orleans economy for the reasons you state. At the same point, it is an opportunity for us to move past an economy based more or less on tourism. It's not a good idea to be so focused on one sector and virus' like this could become the new reality and we will need to be prepared for that. The other good news is that given the issues with getting things from China, Taiwan, etc. during this situation, it may prompt U.S. companies to move some of their manufacturing capacity back to the U.S. and areas that are not as densely populated as the Northeast, and so not as subject to a quick viral spread, may look attractive to them. That and some companies in the Northeast may look to move to less densely populated locations.

 

[Brennan77]

Yeah, I don't disagree that some expect us to wait until the entire country is at zero cases which is unrealistic. And sure, at some point we are going to have to live with the fact that it will come down to whether people are willing to limit their activities for the benefit of others or their own self-preservation. Some will look to morality while others will look more to practicality and spirituality. Still others won't care either way and go on like nothing happened.

But, I would feel a whole lot better about opening up if people showed even the slightest ability to restrain themselves without being told to do so by the government. Sure many people will, but every time I have to go out, I see far too many people doing things that risk the lives of others and, in the long term, themselves.

I understand, but that can be applied to just about every action we take in life. So maybe going forward you make the decision to avoid certain areas or circumstances or activities because your judgement suggests it's not a good idea.

Also, fwiw, everyone I see in Nola is taking precaution, some of them to an obviously irrational extent.

 

[St. Widge]

I understand, but that can be applied to just about every action we take in life. So maybe going forward you make the decision to avoid certain areas or circumstances or activities because your judgement suggests it's not a good idea.

Also, fwiw, everyone I see in Nola is taking precaution, some of them to an obviously irrational extent.

No doubt at some point we are all having to take actions to protect ourselves and we can't always expect others to care.

But, I do wonder how much culture really plays a role in how cautious people are with this? I know you live Uptown (or The Channel) and so does Nolaswede and, based on what both of you have said, it sounds like people in that area are being very, if not overly cautious, but I'm not seeing the same thing in the Lakeview area and in Jefferson Parish along Vets. People seem much less cautious about this. I'm not sure why that is and it could just be anecdotal, but I find it interesting.

 

[Saint by the Bay]

No doubt at some point we are all having to take actions to protect ourselves and we can't always expect others to care.

But, I do wonder how much culture really plays a role in how cautious people are with this? I know you live Uptown (or The Channel) and so does Nolaswede and, based on what both of you have said, it sounds like people in that area are being very, if not overly cautious, but I'm not seeing the same thing in the Lakeview area and in Jefferson Parish along Vets. People seem much less cautious about this. I'm not sure why that is and it could just be anecdotal, but I find it interesting.

Like a lot of things, I'm finding the attitudes tend to run down socioeconomic lines. Poor and working-class seem to be taking this much less serious than middle and upper class. I noticed my wife's family and friends up in Arkansas are out at the creek, and have been the whole time. Around my neck of the woods, 75% of the people are staying home and have facemasks on when they don't.

My observations are purely anecdotal, but that's what I'm seeing.

 

[DaveXA]

Like a lot of things, I'm finding the attitudes tend to run down socioeconomic lines. Poor and working-class seem to be taking this much less serious than middle and upper class. I noticed my wife's family and friends up in Arkansas are out at the creek, and have been the whole time. Around my neck of the woods, 75% of the people are staying home and have facemasks on when they don't.

My observations are purely anecdotal, but that's what I'm seeing.

Lol, weird, it's completely the opposite here. At least in and around my neighborhood. But, it's somewhat limited cuz I really don't get out enough to have a solid line on how people are acting. Just what it looks like on the surface.