How are you guys handling the Coronavirus chaos?

Oh @Tanya I do hope you DO NOT have it. Im sorry about your Sister. So far 10 of my family have tested + for covid. So Christmas is way up in the air. Just have to wait & see.

 

Its sure a tough decision.

 

We are waiting for my test results. But I know it will be positive. I am hoping that every one else is ok.

 

As much as I might agree (and also disagree on some points), I'm pretty sure this video is definitely not allowed. It's purely political.

 

I'm irritated that the Chamber canceled the local Christmas parade last week. Our town doesn't do Christmas parades, but this year the Chamber of Commerce decided sometime around Thanksgiving that we should do one because so many other parades and events have been canceled. I was so excited! They decided it would be perfectly fine to do a parade as long as everyone watched from their cars. I thought it was a wonderful idea and we were all set to go out with our goat carriage decked out in lights, and me in my elf suit and my husband dressed up as Santa. But then a week before the event the Chamber called it off. Apparently some higher-ups decided that they were too afraid of media backlash in case anyone got out of their cars to visit during the parade. They were just sure that someone would take a picture and post it on Facebook and maybe send it to the health department and accuse the Chamber of hosting a "super spreader" event while Pueblo County is under red level restrictions.

Honestly! Some of this stuff has gotten so mind-numbingly ridiculous it's hard to even know how to respond. The event would be outside so even if a few people did get out of their cars, it's not like they're hanging around in a crowded indoor space like, say, a grocery store or Walmart--which are still totally acceptable places for lots of people to congregate of course. The health department would not have cared. The only people who might have complained would be a few sourpusses on Facebook, and as far as I'm concerned the Chamber shouldn't be concerned about busybodies on the internet. If everyone would just mind their own business and quit trying to micromanage everyone else, the world would be a much happier place! There's no way an outdoor Christmas parade was ever going to make anybody sick. It's sad to me that so many people are afraid of what others may think or say.

I'm glad our saddle club took the "shove it!" approach last summer. When everyone else was canceling horse shows, gymkhanas, team sorting events, etc., our club was adding events right and left. We decided we didn't care if anyone complained, and if the health department showed up we were going to inform them that this was a political protest and that furthermore it was on private property. Thankfully no one showed up to bother us, and no one even complained on Facebook. Sometimes I think we spend way too much time worrying about what other people think only to discover that they aren't thinking about us at all. I doubt the Chamber would have gotten any complaints about the parade, but they backed down from the fear that someone could compain and to me that's just kind of sad.

 

The county seat in our county (small county seat) got around the parade problem as the State and local health departments said, "NO PARADES DUE TO (what else) COVID 19"! So, they had a procession. Those cannot be stopped, Constitutional rights,etc! So now, every town is having "Processions"!

Now the Health Dept. is crying foul and wants the organizers fined, plus anyone that participated. The different fire departments, Sheriff Dept., etc. were all part of that "procession", even a few local beauty queens and county fair princesses, etc. were in the "procession" as well as a judge in a car thanking the voters for electing him!
I guess I just find it pretty comical. The little local dictators are so mad they were flummoxed!

 

Yes Our Christmas parade was done in reverse. The parade participants were on the side of the street. 1 lane was open for people to drive through. The police made sure the cars kept moveing. They didnt care if you stopped for a picture..but you couldnt get out. I thought it was a great idea! All the parade participants stayed 6 ft apart. It went well. No wrecks...lol
To me...Facebook is a way for immature individuals to be rude, condescending, and lie without anyone to seeing them. Like Cowards. Sorry..but I dont do cowards. I dont do Facebook.
Yes..its hard to keep everyone happy in a serious situation with false information and stupidity abounds. So the rules are only there for protection...if thet are not followed..then dont complain about the consequences. Some are more mature and can help others. The others are on Facebook. I honestly believe...if something else would work...they would try it. Look at this crazy idea for a new vaccine. ?? ??

 

I have seen a lot of ads for *reverse* parades in our area. Seems to be going well and definitely helping with the stress and depression so many of us are dealing with.
I saw a story that made me cry. A family decorated their porch and has places for Santa pictures. The people sit outside and Mr. and Mrs. Clause are inside behind a plate glass window. Such thoughtfulness!
Things have not changed much except I got a summons for jury duty! I hope being 67 is enough to get excused. If I can't shop; I am not exposing myself to downtown!!!

 

@luvmyherd that is such a beautiful thought. People are getting creative.

Well for the first time this year I tested negative for the virus that shall not be named. I have been tested for anti bodies. I have a full load.

 

If you'd tested positive it would be a sign that either the tests are extremely faulty, or your immune system is severely compromised, or the vaccine they're touting as 95% effective is actually a giant dud. I'm glad you're negative. I had a feeling you would be.

 

@Damfino you dont know how exited I am. Going through this thing twice was aweful. And now my sister has it. The doc wants me to donate blood so that they can harvest the antibodies. I hate needles and Ibam so fobic of blood clinics. And having a rare blood group makes it even more daunting for me.
To every one else out there be careful and stay safe. Its getting ugly

 

It would be great if you could help out your sister with antibodies. Of course, if your blood types are different it might be a no-go. My Uncle Steve was out of the hospital one day after getting convalescent plasma, and so was friend's brother who got it this past summer. In fact, the friend's brother was the first in our county to receive convalescent plasma and he improved immediately and was able to leave the hospital next day. They've been using this therapy effectively for about 100 years now.

I was rather excited to recently read about Katalin Karikó, a woman from Hungary who moved to the U.S. in the 1980's and has been working on mRNA vaccines since then. I enjoy reading about successful women in STEM fields because they are very underrepresented, and so often it's the men who get the praise even if the women did all the work. It would be neat if these types of vaccines could be proven effective and safe. I will wait a good many years before I'm brave enough to try one myself, but I'm not going to poo-poo it just on principle. I'm not against vaccinations in general, nor am I against breakthroughs in medical science. However, until I'm old enough (and/or fat enough) to be in a "high risk" category for Covid, the vaccine seems both unnecessary and a little too experimental for my tastes. Also, I'm reasonably certain (given the apparent effectiveness of the vaccine) that natural immunity is also excellent protection.

 

@Damfino I am A+ and my sister is AB. So is my brother. I asked if I can help her this way and they actually dont know. So I approached my oncologist to see ifvthey can find out. My sister matched Chevani when she needed a marrow transplant. Maybe Vani also has anti bodies she can share with my sister.
Believe me, I will do anything for my kids and my sister.

 

My daughter and I do an annual Christmas shopping trip. This year we had a plan just before our latest lock down. We were going to go early before the stores got crowded and then have lunch at someplace with outdoor seating.
We almost cancelled altogether but decide to go this AM really early. All we did was Walmart and there were almost no people. Then we drove through the Downtown area to see decorations and got ElPollo Loco at the drive-through. Not as much fun as usual but I felt pretty safe.

 

If I remember my high school biology correctly, I believe your sister is a universal receiver, meaning she can take blood from any other blood type. Type O is the universal donor and type AB is the universal receiver.

 

@Damfino that is correct. Only God will make me understand Genetics one day. But all I pray for now is that somewhere in this my sister gets something that can keep her safe. I got the message from her fiance that she was admitted this morning.

 

Ok. So we are sitting with 1400 new virus cases a day being reported uncle Ramaphosa wants to talk to us again tonight. So here I am hoping we dont go back to level 3 lockdown again. It will kill what is left of our economy. And with the virus that shall not be named mutating what chance do we all have to NOT contract this thing?
Just an extra update note, my sister has been sent home with two inhalors and an oxygen tank. Also 2 antibiotics and basic flu medication.

 

Oh @Tanya ..I hope your own resistance has built up and your chance of catching the mutated virus is less. Some viruses work that way.
And your Sister, I hope she recovers completely. Sending you prayers.