Covid News Around the World One Year Later

[Aragorn243]

Sorry but I miss the old discussion. I remember how some of the only real news I was hearing was coming from here. I hear stuff on the news and don't know whether to accept it or not. Heard news Friday about Italy going into lockdown again.

Here it's still a mixed bag. Locally, our schools have for the most part been open since September with very few issues. My Rifle Team shot remotely at our home range but all other sports traveled as normal and competed as normal with the exception of wearing a mask. Some schools however never even opened and are still doing remote learning. And these schools are arguing it's unsafe, simply ignoring all the schools that are open with no problems. The remote learning isn't working and they know it isn't working. Kids are turning off their cameras so no one knows if they are there or not. How this is going to impact them in their futures is unknown but it isn't likely good. The vast majority of these schools are all in urban areas where the kids are at the highest risk for learning issues.

Rates of infection, hospitalization and deaths are all decreasing. We are now well below the excess death level which is something I predicted would happen. Covid killed off a lot of vulnerable people more rapidly than they would have died without it but since they are already gone, they aren't there to die now on schedule. The crossover from excess deaths to way below normal deaths began at the end of January.

Restrictions are slowly going away. Our governor is happy that the state is being bailed out by the federal government and of course he isn't spending the money on things most people believe it's for. Covid money is going to go towards infrastructure funding. We must still wear masks to shop. Many are also wearing them outdoors but we aren't. Sports are allowed to have spectators again although remaining pretty low at 20% capacity.

New York's governor Cuomo isn't happy about much of anything these days. He's been asked to resign, not because he killed thousands of the elderly in nursing homes but because he sexually harassed six women. So far he's ignoring these calls but they look like they are going to impeach him if he doesn't.

Michigan's governor is now also under investigation for her role in killing thousands of nursing home patients. The governors of New Jersey and Pennsylvania also need for this to happen.

Texas is now "fully open". No mandates from the state government at all. Some local municipalities can still maintain them I guess.

We lost our idiot health secretary. The new administration felt he did such a wonderful job in PA, they moved him up to the Federal level as an assistant health secretary. The real reason is he's a transsexual, has nothing to do with his qualifications which are limited. He's a pediatrician, a good one from all accounts but with Covid, he mishandled PA pretty bad. This is the guy that took his mother out of her nursing home and put her into a hotel room before he sent Covid patients back into the homes which killed thousands of them. Our governor replaced him with an actual woman who doesn't appear to be qualified either. She was his deputy chief of staff and isn't even a medical doctor. She's a bureaucrat. How this makes any sense is beyond me.

California's governor is in danger of being recalled. They have the needed signatures now, not sure what they are waiting on.

Vaccines are starting to make headway. My wife received the Johnson and Johnson yesterday. I should be getting mine before the end of April. Most of the elderly I have contact with have received at least the first phase of the Merke vaccine.

We ate in our favorite Chinese restaurant last evening for the first time in over a year. They are operating at about 50% capacity, every other table is blocked off. When we went in, there was a crowd waiting. They took our name and said it would be 15 minutes and they would text us. We walked to a neighboring store, just went in and we were texted. about 1 minute. Going in, they made us use hand sanitizer and took our temperatures with a forehead gun. This was a first. Not that we eat out often, we don't. I think this was the fourth time in the last year but the other three places didn't do this. As a buffet, they require you to wear a plastic glove or gloves. I only wear one as I don't touch anything with my other hand. They were using plastic plates, cups and utensils, another first. The rest were using their normal plates. You had to wear a mask with the exception of while you were at your table. They refilled drinks with pitchers.

My work has been impacted somewhat. I had two clients in the same household contract Covid at different times that resulted in postponement of the work for nearly a month. Neither of them had severe symptoms and both are considered high risk. I was able to reschedule other work for most of that time. I also had another elderly client pass away which led to the cancellation of a very small job. Material costs for construction are way up, there are shortages still of some items. Replacement window lead times are nearly back to normal now although those ordered long ago may still come later than ones ordered more recently. They can't figure that out.

Guns and ammo remained at panic levels for nearly the entire year but I think I am seeing this slow down. The last two shows I attended were not packed. I'm seeing more ads for ammo although it remains more than I want to spend. Walmart has a dozen long guns in its display case, nothing but a few boxes of shotgun sells for ammo however. All but 28 gauge disappears almost as soon as it's put out. I've managed to get a couple of boxes of 12 and 20 gauge there off and on. Sales of firearms were breaking monthly records right up till January but not sure if that has leveled off yet or not. Interest remains high, I just don't think it's at the panic level anymore. May quickly change with the new proposed regulations.

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