BoatBanter.com - View Single Post - The coronavirus pandemic is spreading from cities to rural communities

Mr. Luddite[_4_]

On 5/18/2020 5:49 PM, wrote:
On Mon, 18 May 2020 15:51:00 -0400,
wrote:

On Mon, 18 May 2020 14:55:19 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 18 May 2020 13:22:31 -0400,
wrote:

On Mon, 18 May 2020 12:27:58 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 5/18/2020 11:54 AM, wrote:

Bad news for some areas that have done well so far.

From the Wall Street Journal:

The coronavirus pandemic is spreading from cities to rural communities
that have a higher share of older, at-risk residents, a trend that has
implications for the stress it may put on local health-care systems as
well as the push by many governors to ease economic restrictions and
reopen for business.

A Wall Street Journal analysis of data compiled by Johns Hopkins
University shows in the two-week period between April 20 and May 4,
newly confirmed Covid-19 cases in nonmetropolitan areas outpaced those
in metro areas by 30%.

The virus’s spread to nonmetropolitan areas, where resources for
testing and medical care tend to be in short supply, could present new
dilemmas for state officials charged with determining when and how
much to relax stay-at-home rules. ...

https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-is-spreading-faster-in-rural-communities-with-aging-populations-11589601660

Our very rural town has recently experienced an uptick in confirmed cases.

I don't know how to think. I understand the reasons to take the
recommended precautions, social distancing, isolation, wearing
masks, etc. with full realization that I am not qualified to
judge as to how effective they are.

I also understand that if this goes too much longer we may face an
economic hit that could take a decade or more to recover from.

One thing that really ****es me off though. In the once or twice
visits a week I make to a local convenience type store to pick up a few
necessary items, I've noticed that most older folks are wearing
masks and gloves but the younger people ... mostly teenagers
don't bother with either. They congregate around the store
and the Dunkin' Donuts within taking no obvious heed to the
warnings and recommendations.

I am not arguing that masks and gloves solve anything. I don't
know if they do or not. But those who wear them at least are
demonstrating that they are *aware* of the precautions that are
recommended and are trying to comply. The younger generation
isn't.

===

I call it "Age Related Immortality Syndrome." I had it at one time,
and with a bit of luck, survived to know better. There's no known
cure other than lessons learned the hard way.

Some of us, old or young, are just suffering from Covid fatigue. You
can only tell scary stories for so long before people get tired of it.
Drop a plastic bubble over nursing homes and assisted living
facilities if that is appropriate but it is getting harder to convince
healthy people this is a threat worth losing your job, your business
and your way of life over.
If Covid is going to kill me, kill me and get it over with. Just stop
****ing with me.

===

Since neither you or I are at risk for losing our jobs, we are in the
enviable position of only worrying about our way of life. That's a
real thing of course, and a year lost at this point of our lives is
never going to come back. We were suposed to be cruising Italy and
the Greek Islands right now and then taking the trawler north for the
summer. Neither of those is happening of course but I'm resigned to
it. I'd just like to get our deposit money back from the cruise ship
company before they go bankrupt. With any luck we'll be able to take
a road trip north in June or July.

I am not planning any trips soon and it is going to be a real long
time before I get on a plane again but I am not sitting at home
looking out the window. It turns out, just about everything I do is
essential. With my FIL I am actually out more than I used to be and he
doesn't seem worried at all. (Less than me).
My concern for those who are out of work is because of my kids and my
family in Maryland. They are cutting my SIL's hours and he might get
laid off (Michigan). My Niece is in trouble in Maryland with her
marina. My next door neighbor works for Hertz, need I say more.
I also have other friends and neighbors here who are in trouble. The
only ones who are busy are the ones in the trades. HVAC, plumbing,
roofing and landscape still goes on, no matter what. The 2 bar owners
are worried they may not only lose their business, they might lose
their house. The servers say they would rather be laid off than lose
out on unemployment to get their pittance of a salary, even if he was
willing to get PPP to pay them. Nobody is making up the tips that end
up being the bulk of their income. One girl said she may have to go
back to nursing, the job she quit to be a barmaid, except nurses are
being laid off too.

Meanwhile the stock market is up big time today on encouraging news
about a possible Covid vaccine. Let's hope it pans out while we've
still got a few good years left.

I seem to be doing OK. Even that XOM you guys warned me about is up
$10 from what I paid for it. If it gets back to 70 I will be a happy
guy. I might even buy a car ;-)

Something newer than a 1998 model? :-)

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