COVID-19 Non Political Thread

[a700hitter]

The goal of the flattening of the curve by social distancing and quarantining was to prevent the medical facilities and resources from being overrun. It was meant to buy time, build hospital capacity and stock resources. There is no vaccine, and waiting for one is not an option. It takes a year and a half to develop a vaccine. By that time, 50 million people would be unemployed and there would be death and devastation everywhere. They are experimenting with treatments to reduce the death rate, but they still don't have a cure. The only option is to start moving forward by taking safety precautions and dealing with flare ups as they occur until they hit on a medication treatment or a vaccine.

[SoxHop]

The goal of the flattening of the curve by social distancing and quarantining was to prevent the medical facilities and resources from being overrun. It was meant to buy time, build hospital capacity and stock resources. There is no vaccine, and waiting for one is not an option. It takes a year and a half to develop a vaccine. By that time, 50 million people would be unemployed and there would be death and devastation everywhere. They are experimenting with treatments to reduce the death rate, but they still don't have a cure. The only option is to start moving forward by taking safety precautions and dealing with flare ups as they occur until they hit on a medication treatment or a vaccine.

I think we are still figuring out how to open the country. It needs to be done. But looking at a 2 percent death rate and some rate where people are close to death but going to make it might now be a gamble right now we should take. Let's give it a week and re-assess.

[jad]

I get what you are saying, but I would rather send those yahoos back to work where their employers will hopeful put safety protocols in place than to have them roaming around the neighborhood without taking any precautions. I see many people in my community going out without masks and socializing at their homes. This isn't behavior that will slow the spread. Frankly, as a retired person whose spouse has a medical condition, I'd feel more safe if these dopes went back to work where there employers would slap gloves and a mask on them. I used to be able to avoid lines and crowds by doing my shopping from 11 am to 3 pm Monday thru Friday. Now, that is impossible.

Can't really argue with that theory. Maybe it will keep them from picking up their dumb-ass AK-47s and standing on the capitol steps yelling at whatever camera they find as well. But it's risky: look what happened to the Smithfield packing plants. I just don't trust large employers, who use unskilled or semi-skilled laborers to take anything other than minimal precautions. And workers there know full well that if they take time off, they will be fired. As for shopping--I agree. I haven't been to a store in two weeks, as people still seem to be using that as an excuse to let them socialize.

[jacksonianmarch]

Large employers change their safety recs based on supply of ppe. If you don’t have ppe, but the plant is still open, then you’re forcing people to work in a condition that’s rife for spread. Ppe is scarce across the country, so the likelihood that a large company will get access before a hospital is unlikely

[Thunder]

The goal of the flattening of the curve by social distancing and quarantining was to prevent the medical facilities and resources from being overrun. It was meant to buy time, build hospital capacity and stock resources. There is no vaccine, and waiting for one is not an option. It takes a year and a half to develop a vaccine. By that time, 50 million people would be unemployed and there would be death and devastation everywhere. They are experimenting with treatments to reduce the death rate, but they still don't have a cure. The only option is to start moving forward by taking safety precautions and dealing with flare ups as they occur until they hit on a medication treatment or a vaccine.

This is true, but I feel like it's too early to open back up. Washington state is targeting May 18. Where we are right now, I don't think that would be good. It would certainly help if we didn't have so many people out in the streets protesting

[notin]

I get what you are saying, but I would rather send those yahoos back to work where their employers will hopeful put safety protocols in place than to have them roaming around the neighborhood without taking any precautions. I see many people in my community going out without masks and socializing at their homes. This isn't behavior that will slow the spread. Frankly, as a retired person whose spouse has a medical condition, I'd feel more safe if these dopes went back to work where there employers would slap gloves and a mask on them. I used to be able to avoid lines and crowds by doing my shopping from 11 am to 3 pm Monday thru Friday. Now, that is impossible.

A lot of those safety protocols just aren’t practical at every job. And more important, as many employers are part of a global economy, if your customers abroad are still shut down, so, effectively, are you.

And personal safety aside, the “shelter in place” is only part of the issue. Many people don’t have a job to go to with or without protection. The stock market started plummeting before everyone was stuck at home...

[Kimmi]

The goal of the flattening of the curve by social distancing and quarantining was to prevent the medical facilities and resources from being overrun. It was meant to buy time, build hospital capacity and stock resources. There is no vaccine, and waiting for one is not an option. It takes a year and a half to develop a vaccine. By that time, 50 million people would be unemployed and there would be death and devastation everywhere. They are experimenting with treatments to reduce the death rate, but they still don't have a cure. The only option is to start moving forward by taking safety precautions and dealing with flare ups as they occur until they hit on a medication treatment or a vaccine.

I think that is the plan. It has to be done gradually and safely though, and people have to be willing to re-quarantine should the need arise. We cannot get careless or we'll find ourselves right back in the same situation.

I don't think we're at the point in most states to start re-opening. I'm thinking more along the lines of about June 1.

[Bellhorn04]

A lot of those safety protocols just aren’t practical at every job. And more important, as many employers are part of a global economy, if your customers abroad are still shut down, so, effectively, are you.

And personal safety aside, the “shelter in place” is only part of the issue. Many people don’t have a job to go to with or without protection. The stock market started plummeting before everyone was stuck at home...

Not sure what your point about the stock market is. The Dow Jones average bottomed out on March 23 at 18,592. Since then it has been going back up, and closed Friday at 24,242. Presumably based on optimism about the economy re-starting.

[Kimmi]

Large employers change their safety recs based on supply of ppe. If you don’t have ppe, but the plant is still open, then you’re forcing people to work in a condition that’s rife for spread. Ppe is scarce across the country, so the likelihood that a large company will get access before a hospital is unlikely

While we likely won't have a vaccine or a cure for a while, the test for antibodies seems like it would be something that would help greatly in our ability to reopen the country.

[Kimmi]

This is true, but I feel like it's too early to open back up. Washington state is targeting May 18. Where we are right now, I don't think that would be good. It would certainly help if we didn't have so many people out in the streets protesting

I really don't like that people are in the streets protesting. I am not condoning it in any way. That said, you and I are fortunate that we have roofs over our heads and we don't have to worry about where our next meals are coming from. I am still working and still have my regular income coming in. I don't have to worry about paying my bills.

I can't imagine the amount of stress I'd be under if I lost my job and had to deal with what many Americans are dealing with right now. Things are 1000 times worse for many Americans than they are for you and me, and I think most of us on this board. Have you seen pictures of the lines of cars of people waiting to get a free meal?

My point is, I can understand why some people are protesting. Some are legitimately scared about their welfare. Some are just being jerks. Again, I don't condone it in either case, but I understand it for the former group.

[Kimmi]

A lot of those safety protocols just aren’t practical at every job. And more important, as many employers are part of a global economy, if your customers abroad are still shut down, so, effectively, are you.

And personal safety aside, the “shelter in place” is only part of the issue. Many people don’t have a job to go to with or without protection. The stock market started plummeting before everyone was stuck at home...

But those people don't have jobs because we are shut down. Once we start reopening, jobs will start becoming available.

[Thunder]

I really don't like that people are in the streets protesting. I am not condoning it in any way. That said, you and I are fortunate that we have roofs over our heads and we don't have to worry about where our next meals are coming from. I am still working and still have my regular income coming in. I don't have to worry about paying my bills.

I can't imagine the amount of stress I'd be under if I lost my job and had to deal with what many Americans are dealing with right now. Things are 1000 times worse for many Americans than they are for you and me, and I think most of us on this board. Have you seen pictures of the lines of cars of people waiting to get a free meal?

My point is, I can understand why some people are protesting. Some are legitimately scared about their welfare. Some are just being jerks. Again, I don't condone it in either case, but I understand it for the former group.

That's a good point. It hasn't cost my family any income yet. I still live at home when I'm not in school, and both of my parents are retired. I'm scheduled to begin an internship June 1st, and as of now that is still on, but I am not worried about losing any potential income. Some rival accounting firms have announced that they will put their interns through some 2 week online quantitative software training program, while still paying them the full amount they are owed in one lump sum instead of hourly over the span of 10 weeks. Then they take the best performers and offer them full time jobs. That sort of thing appeals to me as a last resort. I don't know if my firm would do that. They are much smaller and could get away with having us all be in the office by then, assuming we get tested regularly

[Thunder]

But those people don't have jobs because we are shut down. Once we start reopening, jobs will start becoming available.

And many of the jobs that have been lost will be regained. A large chunk of the unemployed are only temporarily unemployed, and I think that is an important distinction to make

[notin]

But those people don't have jobs because we are shut down. Once we start reopening, jobs will start becoming available.

Maybe.

A lot of jobs depend on foreign customers, and as long as those countries are shut down, so are those companies and jobs. They’re simply out of control of the governors and more heavily dependent on the rest of the world....

[notin]

And many of the jobs that have been lost will be regained. A large chunk of the unemployed are only temporarily unemployed, and I think that is an important distinction to make

Also, a lot of companies are dependent on foreign manufacturing. And if their overseas plants are in countries that are shut down, they may not have the revenue to bring workers back on payroll...