Hunker Down

[WZ JUNK]

I think that the best you can do is take an average of all the information you gather.  Look at the different sources and there background.  It is lot like the evening news.  You can not trust one network but rather gather the news from different sources.  Like most other things, we will not know more about the facts until some point in the distant future.  Regardless of the actual numbers, there is a big problem with this virus.

I am very conservative and tend to react on the side of caution.  We have not been out to eat in a resteraunt for months. Thankfully my wife likes to cook and she is very good at it.  We go to great links to distant ourselves from others and we use caution when we have contact with friends, family, and neighbors.   I have found that I do not need much from the outside world that can not be brought to me.  In my youth I spent long periods of time at sea and away from home.  I think this inconvience is much easier to deal with than that.  I am thankful that over the years I was able to attend many auto related events.  I really feel that in the future I will be able to do that again.  Missing out on car stuff for a year is disappointing, but not the end of the world.  I will not put my health or life at risk to participate in a car show, or race.

[Bruce Dorsi]

I have been tracking & logging stats for NJ, NY, & PA since the first week of March.  ....I use 3 different sources to verify what I log.

There is no doubt in my mind that what is reported by the media is not representative of actuality.

The other day the media reported that the USA had the highest single day increase in new cases.  ....The published figures showed NJ having an increase of 5000+ new cases in a 24 hour period.  ...REALLY?? ....NJ was averaging 200-300 new cases per day for the past few weeks.  ....There were drastically-above-average increases shown for NY & PA  that same day.  ....Amazingly, there were zero new cases posted the next day.  

A couple went for testing, provided all their information, and waited inline for 2 hours.  ...They left disgusted without being tested.   ....They got their results a few days later saying they both tested positive.

Other people have had clean swabs submitted and results came back positive.

There is no dispute that the virus exists.  ....Many deaths confirm this.  ....Take whichever precautions you feel necessary.

Analyzing the statistics shows that the situation has improved through better treatment along with a better understanding of the virus.

I could bore you with the statistics I have logged, but I will give you the short version for NJ.  ...Over 1.5 million tests.  ... 174,000+ positive cases.  ....Less than 11% of those positives required hospitalization.  ....20,400+  total (supposed) covid hospitalizations since March 5th.

Large increases of hospitalizations are being reported, but many are not covid related.  ...Elective surgeries, and previously postponed surgeries are now being done.

Someone has said , "This virus is so dangerous, you have to be tested to even know that you had it."

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Bruce:  same items out here in AZ.  I read similar things from Florida about test results and numbers.

A few number crunchers are Applying the "death certificate matching' numbers to earlier daily results from weeks ago when these folks actually died.  They keep the "new" daily death numbers current.  When that is done, the virus curve in AZ has dropped in recent weeks , not increased.  

More folks here are reading these different numbers  and asking more questions about honest daily number reporting. I wonder if it will do any good tho?

The only daily increase is positive virus results because of more testing.  There is a Huge push here for more testing. No charge.  No pre registration needed now.  The lines of cars  for testing is very long.

Many Citizens here are angry with the lock down.  Others are acting foolish like you see on TV, tossing fits about mask requirements.

I went to Costco the other day. I wore my face wrap  and had zero problems.  I can not wear the common face mask you see with ear loops to hold it on. The ear loops get under my hearing devices, then  pull them out of my ear canal. Or the ear loops rub on my hearing devices creating very annoying noise that is piped into my ears.  My hearing aids are known as BTE units.  Behind The Ear.

[58 Yeoman]

Tony, I've got the same problem with masks as you, but I'm wearing my N95 using only the top strap over my head. I take the bottom strap off. I have enough problems with wearing glasses and BTE aids.  We drove past the Peoria Civic Center yesterday where they are doing the covid tests. The line was REALLY long, weaving through the parking lot like a snake.

[Bruce Dorsi]

I don't like wearing a mask because of hypercapnia (elevated CO2 level from re-breathing).  ...Instead, I wear my flip-up clear face shield which I use for grinding.  ...It is actually more effective in blocking emissions since it is impervious - cloth isn't.

I have received a lot of "good idea" and "where can I get one?"  comments in stores & supermarkets.  ...Lots of people complain about how they feel after wearing a mask for an extended time.

I went to Harbor Freight 2 weeks ago. ....Twenty-something cashier freaked out because I wasn't wearing a mask, and he refused to wait on me despite that he was wearing a mask, was behind a Plexiglas barrier, and separated by a 30" table between us.  ...I explained my face shield complied with the face-covering requirement, but he literally ran away 15'.  ...A different cashier had no problem with my visor.

As for stat reporting based on a 24 hour period:

State #1 - ( 7/8/20 ) 1856 new cases  ( 7/9/20 )  0 new cases  ( 7/10/20 ) MINUS 1227 new cases

State #2 - ( 7/8/20 ) 4689 new cases  ( 7/9/20 )  0 new cases  ( 7/10/20 ) MINUS 2825 new cases

State #3 - ( 7/8/20 ) 5087 new cases  ( 7/9/20 )  0 new cases  ( 7/10/20 ) 0 new cases

How can you take them seriously?

[lofat46]

This is not verified and heard through a friend of somebody "that knows", but I think it is the case for most states, the way states are counting "new" cases.  If Joe Smith tests positive today he is added to a state's total for cases positive cases. If his follow up test or tests each show positive, each of those tests is counted by the state as a new case and added to the state's total. Why is that? Because states get a lot of federal money for each positive case.  So one person with a positive test can show as two more in the state's total, skewing the actual numbers. And why don't the states release the number that have recovered? At least I've never seen the number of recovered mentioned in Illinois. I went to the Illinois Department of Public Health web site and could not find a number or percentage of recovery listed anywhere on the site.

[purplepickup]

Because states get a lot of federal money for each positive case.  

That could very well account for Bruce's examples of people that never tested getting positive results. Corruption for $$

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Bruce: that is a funny story on the Harbor Freight employee.  Also illustrates the misunderstanding, ignorance of people out there..

I was in the local USPS office the other morning  about 5:45am..  an elderly lady was in there using the electronic postage machine. She had on a mask, gloves and a face shield.  I had my bandana around my neck , but not covering my face. She never looked at me as I dropped my box into the receiver bin door.

in recent weeks : I have been at the same USPS office during operation hours with more folks in there.  I've been on my Goldwing with my cycle gear on. I never open my helmet as i walk in.

The AZ governor is getting beat up by some city mayors for not requiring state wide mask use.  2 weeks ago he issued an order where all local governments could enforce the mask rules (something they asked for)  as they wanted.  Does not matter what the governor says or does:  he is wrong. LOL  Most of the cities in the Maricopa County area (AZ largest county) are requiring masks to be worn in public

Good to hear from you George.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

I did not think to post  this last week.  last friday I ran errands on the Goldwing in the morning.  Not 110*F yet.

One item I did was ride to the cemetery my mother is buried at.  I try to clean the headstone off every 2 months.

There was a large funeral happening.  Probably 40 - 50 cars there. People were gathered at the grave site. Others were standing various distances back in what looked like  family groups:  adults with children.  Many folks had masks on.

As I rode thru the cemetery there were about a dozen vehicles where folks were sitting at the grave sites in chairs, tables , etc.  People out here are trying to carry on with a daily routine.  It is fairly common for familys to spend time at this cemetery at a grave site.  I imagine it happens around the country.

[jaybee]

Well, two of my 3 drivers who tested positive for COVID are now sick. One who lives in Kansas seems to be making it but he's really uncomfortable and unwell. The other is from NC. His wife informed me he was rushed to ICU last night with heart failure. Sure hope he's OK.

Our offices have been mostly closed for months with the exception of managers rotating through a couple of days per week and a handful of employees who either choose to be there or have been instructed to work from the office because they can't be trusted to be productive from home. Normally I work in a satellite to the nearby home office. Two people have just tested positive there and larger scale return to the office has now been pushed back beyond Labor Day.

[WZ JUNK]

Some of you may be able to access this article through a news ap.    "Four Ways to Track the Spread of Coronavirus—and Why None of Them Is Perfect", an article that appeared in the Wall Street Journal.  It explains the good and the bad and why some of this information is confusing.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Well, two of my 3 drivers who tested positive for COVID are now sick. One who lives in Kansas seems to be making it but he's really uncomfortable and unwell. The other is from NC. His wife informed me he was rushed to ICU last night with heart failure. Sure hope he's OK.

Our offices have been mostly closed for months with the exception of managers rotating through a couple of days per week and a handful of employees who either choose to be there or have been instructed to work from the office because they can't be trusted to be productive from home. Normally I work in a satellite to the nearby home office. Two people have just tested positive there and larger scale return to the office has now been pushed back beyond Labor Day.

I hope your drivers recover.. This virus is very serious on some folks.  Others seem to be fine , which is the same with many illness in the world.

my wife's July  office return has been pushed back to August as a "review"  wait and see type of thing.  Her office personnel are also on rotating furlough week. 1 week per month a few of her office staff rotates off, because of low work volume. Kinda funny in a small way since my wife's office is currently the dinning room table.

Some where I read a comment from a medical person: that 2021 was likely to see masks in use most of the year in many places around the world unless an amazing quick acting vaccine happens soon.

:!:

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Been an interesting week..  I did not mention the Walmart near us changed back to flow control on the entrances to the store. They closed one main entrance back down. Altho they are not trying to control the flow inside the store.  Mask are required in the store.

Our medical examiner office in Maricopa County has activated their "surge plan" with body count getting at max capacity. They have ordered mobile refrigerated storage containers to be brought in.

This Stuff at the examiner's office  is in the news everywhere here. What is not reported is: the examiner's office has been under staffed, under funded for years. It can take over 2 months or longer  to receive a certified death certificate. It is common for  Toxicology test reports  take 4 to 6 weeks or longer. This stuff is not new.  The virus has brought the problems out of the shadows again.

Arizona is not special on this problem. It took 8 weeks in 2018 to receive the toxicology report on my son after his death in San Jose CA. He died in december, I received reports in february.

A friend of mine told me about a yelling incident inside a Circle K store here about masks. He was trying to get a large coffee.. A guy came in with no mask. 1 customer called the guy out and the yelling was "on" my buddy said.  My buddy just wanted to get out of there with his coffee before stuff started flying around.

[enjenjo]

I had to go into the Doctor monday. It's in a large medical complex. They are checking in the cars, and taking temperatures as you come off the street. You get checked in by cell phone from your car, and then call you to come in. When you do they do another temperature check, and take you directly to a treatment room. Everyone has to have a mask on.

[sirstude]

We have had the bit where we sit in our cars in the parking lot and they call us on our cell when we can come in for our appointment.  Now there is a new gadget that looks like a tablet with and outline of a head.  You stand so you face is in that outline and the gadget tells you if you are clear to enter.  Since I go a lot, they seem to have my time figured out and I get the call when I am a few blocks away.  
The Governor put a statewide mask order in place yesterday.  All indoor businesses must require mask use by all patrons.  Some of the exceptions are hard exercise, swimming and places where you are eating or drinking.  Outdoors where groups of 40 or more or where distance cannot be adhered to masks are required.