COVID-19 Outbreak (Update: More than 2.9M cases and 132,313 deaths in US) (2 Viewers)

[DaveXA]

yes but not every state force nursing homes to accept recovering Covid19 patients who were still contagious

At a NY nursing home forced to take COVID-19 patients, 24 residents have died

“It’s reckless and careless,” said the granddaughter of a 96-year-old man whose family withdrew him from a Long Island nursing home.

www.nbcnews.com

The coronavirus patients began arriving the last week of March, transferred to the Gurwin Jewish Nursing and Rehabilitation Center under a New York state mandate requiring nursing homes to accept those recovering from COVID-19, even if they still might be contagious.

At the time, the Long Island nursing home had only one known resident who had contracted the virus, according to the facility’s president and CEO, Stuart Almer.


A month later, Gurwin is battling an outbreak that’s killed 24 residents — only three of whom were hospital transfers — and one staff member, who worked in housekeeping, Almer said. And the nursing home is still mandated to take in recovering hospital patients known to have the virus, potentially increasing its spread in the facility.

Yeah, I don't understand that policy at all. It's either ignorant or utter incompetence. I don't know who's behind the decision making. But whoever made that decision needs to be fired.

 

[Dago]

Yeah, I don't understand that policy at all. It's either ignorant or utter incompetence. I don't know who's behind the decision making. But whoever made that decision needs to be fired.

what I don't understand is why certain states are getting nitpicked to death (in most cases rightfully so) while Cuomo is getting a pass for this

this literally might be the worst single policy decision of any state and yet it has been pretty much ignored while everyone pats Cuomo on the back

 

[SoggyBottomBoy]

Regarding PPP: direct deposit hit our business account yesterday (wife checked statement). Oddly, Hancock Whitney didn't send an email notification as they said they would. They (HW) were much more accessible and helpful during this second wave of applications.

Regarding restaurants opening with fewer tables and outside seating, I've been hearing (from a discussion with our local mayor) that for many, it is not worth it, or even a net loss, to function at about 25% capacity. The takeout method is profitable and they are staying with that for the time being.

 

[B4YOU]

Heard furloughs are coming to some gov workers in New Orleans.

I suspect lots of state and local governments will furlough workers this fiscal year. LA is lucky that they can cut workers June-July and still get the federal $600 unemployment wages. A pay cut stinks but doable in a state with such low cost of living.

I am worried about the DC metro area and furloughs. We are still trending up for new cases. I could see an August/September furlough just when federal funds run out. Even if the area did July as a furlough, the federal funds won't even cover many peoples rent/mortgage.

 

[Loose Cannon]

Regarding PPP: direct deposit hit our business account yesterday (wife checked statement). Oddly, Hancock Whitney didn't send an email notification as they said they would. They (HW) were much more accessible and helpful during this second wave of applications.

Regarding restaurants opening with fewer tables and outside seating, I've been hearing (from a discussion with our local mayor) that for many, it is not worth it, or even a net loss, to function at about 25% capacity. The takeout method is profitable and they are staying with that for the time being.

Same thing happened to me with my bank. I was getting irritated because they weren't responding to me - and the money had been in my account for 3 days.

 

[St. Widge]

Regarding restaurants opening with fewer tables and outside seating, I've been hearing (from a discussion with our local mayor) that for many, it is not worth it, or even a net loss, to function at about 25% capacity. The takeout method is profitable and they are staying with that for the time being.

That makes sense to me. I know that restaurants run on very low profit margins for food. They really make most of their money on the markup on liquor sales. Working at 25% of capacity likely isn't enough customers to not lose money. They are probably making more money right now with cut down or no staff with only take out and delivery.

 

[B4YOU]

what I don't understand is why certain states are getting nitpicked to death (in most cases rightfully so) while Cuomo is getting a pass for this

this literally might be the worst single policy decision of any state and yet it has been pretty much ignored while everyone pats Cuomo on the back

It's the temporary boost leader get during a crisis combined with NY popularity/media effect. Leaders in the area during a crisis get revered. Look what 9/11 did for Rudy or Sandy for Christie.

The number of cases in the NY area speak to the effectiveness of those leaders. The subway system should have been closed and flights out of the area canceled well before NY hit 100k cases.

Hogan, Bowser, and to a lesser extent Northam have demonstrated how regional leadership can mitigate the effects.

 

[St. Widge]

It's the temporary boost leader get during a crisis combined with NY popularity/media effect. Leaders in the area during a crisis get revered. Look what 9/11 did for Rudy or Sandy for Christie.

Not in New Orleans. In New Orleans we take out the knives for our politicians as soon as a crisis hits.

Of course, that was clearly justifiable with Nagin, Jay Batt, etc. after Katrina. And, to some extent for LaToya Cantrell. Although I think a lot the Cantrell stuff is more based on her history of errors, ineffectiveness, and tax evasion, than anything specific in her handling of COVID. (Although I know some have specific issues with the COVID handling but I don't want to get into what was done right and what was done wrong.)

 

[Saint by the Bay]

Yeah, I don't understand that policy at all. It's either ignorant or utter incompetence. I don't know who's behind the decision making. But whoever made that decision needs to be fired.

I'm not a fan of the policy either, but my understanding is at the time it started the hospitals were overwhelmed and the idea was you couldn't allow nursing homes to force them out into an already overwhelmed hospital system. It was better to quarantine them in the nursing home. I'm not defending the decision, obviously it was a bad call, but that was the Department of Health's thought process.

I tend to not try and micro-analyze every decision a leader makes in a crisis. It's never going to be perfect. You'll have hits and misses. I judge more by competence, knowledge, messaging, intent, and overall win/loss. If a head coach is 12-4 you don't say he had a bad season. You understand it's hard to win games in the NFL and if you are winning most of them while keeping the confidence of players and fans you're doing good. A public crisis is much the same, except sadly lives are usually lost instead of games. Still, if you win/save more than you lose while keeping the confidence of the public and officials/first responders you're probably doing a pretty good job.

Probably a terrible analogy, but it's the best one I've got.

 

[Brennan77]

That makes sense to me. I know that restaurants run on very low profit margins for food. They really make most of their money on the markup on liquor sales. Working at 25% of capacity likely isn't enough customers to not lose money. They are probably making more money right now with cut down or no staff with only take out and delivery.

The takeout, while technically profitable, is nothing compared to actually running your restaurant. The numbers just aren't there. If you have a nice restaurant in a nice building, there's no way you can continue to make your financial obligations to your lease etc. One large restaurant I know who has kept up with take out is only doing it to keep appearances and keep a few people employed, specifically 5. They normally employ 100. This is not to mention the lack of alcohol sales and the supporting industry around that. A restaurant like that typically deals with 12-15 vendors for that alone. So that's another industry that is out of work.

Another more casual spot I keep communication with translates very easily to takeout as that was part of the business model anyway. The numbers aren't there either. It's only a fraction of usual without having a room full of people eating and drinking.

Unless you're chick fil a, the scale of take out compared to actually operating is not in any way similar. So no, with possible few exceptions, they aren't making more money. But you're right, 25% capacity is not likely to cut it for most places either.

 

[FootballLady]

Old Rail Brewery in Mandeville is selling growlers of their beer that you can get curbside.

 

[Mr. Sparkle]

Clearly I'm not very connected. I haven't gotten a single email or text about testing. And I know I signed up for the NOLA Ready text alerts long ago. But, I'm not surprised that they messed that up. But good to know that they are available.

I get 3 or 4 a day including the daily update of new cases/deaths every day around 12ish.

19 cases and 0 deaths today FWIW

 

[Saint by the Bay]

The takeout, while technically profitable, is nothing compared to actually running your restaurant. The numbers just aren't there. If you have a nice restaurant in a nice building, there's no way you can continue to make your financial obligations to your lease etc. One large restaurant I know who has kept up with take out is only doing it to keep appearances and keep a few people employed, specifically 5. They normally employ 100. This is not to mention the lack of alcohol sales and the supporting industry around that. A restaurant like that typically deals with 12-15 vendors for that alone. So that's another industry that is out of work.

Another more casual spot I keep communication with translates very easily to takeout as that was part of the business model anyway. The numbers aren't there either. It's only a fraction of usual without having a room full of people eating and drinking.

Unless you're chick fil a, the scale of take out compared to actually operating is not in any way similar. So no, with possible few exceptions, they aren't making more money. But you're right, 25% capacity is not likely to cut it for most places either.

Absolutely. One of my favorite places, which is family owned and operated, has had to go down to 4 days a week so they can make money to pay their bills doing other jobs the other 3. They have had take out available the whole time but say they have still seen a 75% drop in revenue (although tips per order are way up).

 

[nolaswede]

Thanks for the info. Hopefully that quite possible possibility actually happens sooner rather than later.....

Sounds like a Coach Payton quote

 

[St. Widge]

The takeout, while technically profitable, is nothing compared to actually running your restaurant. The numbers just aren't there. If you have a nice restaurant in a nice building, there's no way you can continue to make your financial obligations to your lease etc. One large restaurant I know who has kept up with take out is only doing it to keep appearances and keep a few people employed, specifically 5. They normally employ 100. This is not to mention the lack of alcohol sales and the supporting industry around that. A restaurant like that typically deals with 12-15 vendors for that alone. So that's another industry that is out of work.

Another more casual spot I keep communication with translates very easily to takeout as that was part of the business model anyway. The numbers aren't there either. It's only a fraction of usual without having a room full of people eating and drinking.

Unless you're chick fil a, the scale of take out compared to actually operating is not in any way similar. So no, with possible few exceptions, they aren't making more money. But you're right, 25% capacity is not likely to cut it for most places either.

Yeah, I didn't say that take out was enough for them to make a profit or even really stay in business, it's just that it's likely more money, or less lost money, on take out than opening at 25% capacity because of the increased staff and consumables cost of actually serving customers in the restaurant. I mean if it's a small restaurant the chef and his/her family can probably run the take out stuff by themselves and keep the menu limited.

And, honestly, the problem for restaurants is that even if they were open at full capacity, they are going to see very reduced numbers of customers because a majority of the population is taking this seriously and isn't going to be likely to want to sit in a crowded restaurant any time soon.

I saw the guy who runs the World Central Kitchen charity, Jose Andreas, on the Daily Social Distancing Show a couple days ago and he was talking about how restaurants are going to have to adjust in this new reality, including maybe selling the things they source from their contacts to the public to make money. Of course, that doesn't help restaurant staffs.

Edit: Maybe the confusion was in my wording. I wasn't saying that they make more money just doing take out than they normally do. I was saying that they probably make more money doing take out alone than they would operating at 25% capacity.

And based on what the Governor said last week, that is likely what he will allow in Phase One.