How are you guys handling the Coronavirus chaos?

Congrats! And are you a ff grams too? It is a slippery slope lol! We have two in vermont that we never get to see and now a nasty divorce w them so we will really never get to see the kids. But we have a six month old here. His dam and sire are police officer and nurse... so lil g comes here a few days a week. It is like being a ff grams and it is absolutely WONDERFUL!

 

I have 4 other grandmonsters. (3 boys and a girl) One is 16, he used to be in goat 4-H until his dad moved him to PA. (daughter moved to NC) his brother is 13, then up the road are 2, 12 and 10. So this will be #5. Wow, now I do feel old!

Sfgwife- your little guy is 6 months already??? Wow!

 

I was reading the Obituaries, yeah, pretty morbid, but, we live in a small population county (under 100,000, but the largest county, land wise in the state) so, unfortunately, I know alot of the folks that are in the obits, classmates (Yikes!) and their parents who are in their 80's.

Anyway, due to good old Covid19 and all the social distancing stuff, probably 75% are going to have a memorial service "later". That means, when Spring or Covid goes away or whatever, all these well meaning mourners are going to have outside memorial picnics etc. And then they will release helium balloons or those darn kite things with the little candle and the little wire brace in them. All will eventually fall in someones hay field. Then livestock, especially goats, may eat them in the hay next summer.

I am sending a letter to all the funeral homes and our local tv networks (ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX) asking them to suggest people plant trees or put names on park benches, etc. to honor the lost loved one, and to please not release balloons.

It sounds pretty trivial until you lose a best goat due to a perforated intestine from the string on the balloon tying the guts in a knot.

 

Ditto on the balloons! We found two Mylar balloons in the middle of nowhere while hiking in Death Valley. They can end up anywhere!

 

He is! It has flown by it seems! He got a tooth last wed and boy the drewl today! I say by fri the second will be peekin out from under that skin.

 

Awww what a cutie. They grow up so fast. Very nice pictures!

 

With all due respect, im going to have to disagree. Lets take Australia for example:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...c198b2-1cb7-11eb-ad53-4c1fda49907d_story.html

They did everything right while under a democratically run nation. 20 people infected today, and they haven't even hit 1,000 deaths. Just so you know, Texas, has 30,760 as of January 12, 2021 at 9:32 p.m.
Update* its 10:00 when i finished writing this: We are at 31,017

I cant believe I'm saying 1000 deaths like its not a lot, but compared to the US and England, they don't even compete.
The thing is, enough people didn't social distance, enough people didn't wear their mask. Enough people didn't follow official guidelines. Why? Beats me. Well, I know why, but I'd get this post deleted if i said it. We wouldn't be in this mess still if people wouldn't let their egos and personal opinions get in the way.

Its bad in the south. Especially in Texas. But I've been feeling bold lately and have been carrying disposables in my purse. When I see someone with out one I'll stop them, pull it out and say something like "hey I think you forgot something . Good thing i have extras huh" Its fun to see the dumbfounded look on their face.

I'm really tired of this... REALLY tired. I should be having the best years of my life in my teens. Out with friends, having fun right? But no, im stuck inside, trying to protect the elderly, but when I go out, the elderly are the ones refusing to wear a mask and throwing fits like toddlers. Completely selfish and a total disregard for human life. Grow up.

Anyways, I'm not sure if I've said anything about my dads friend but I'm pretty sure i have.
Recap:
He had a massive heart attack about 2 years ago, was pronounced dead, they brought him back to life, got surgery, now has 20% of his heart left. That's it.
He got Covid. Its looking real bad. He went to, I believe, Missouri because he got a puppy. Shoulda gotten it flown to him, but he's impulsive and a man, so they don't listen. Came back, tried to get into work, but at my dads work you have to get tested every time you enter the plant. he had it. I haven't asked how he's doing for about a week, but last time I checked, terrible.

Also more school ranting :/
Recap:
my usual school had an online program from August to November
Teachers got tired of it, made us go back
I went back for 3 days, and several panic attacks (not at school I would NEVER show emotion there lol) and intense arguments with kids who wouldn't wear their masks later, I switched to another school who had an online program
Was going very well, all A's one B, and they decide to shut their online program down... And wanted us to come back after winter break... After the holidays... While Covid cases are rising...
No thanks
first day back, 6 kids were infected from elementary-highschool. For a 1-A school, that's a lot. Second day back, a dozen. in a few days, the kids who went sick are gonna have more kids infected, and it will double again.

Now I'm finally on a homeschool program, with one of my friends from the original school. We help each other and stuff, and the work is very laid back and chill. Only thing is that I pretty much have had to start over all of my classes each time i switched schools. Don't ask me why. you would think they had my records...
anyways, that's stressful, but I've done it twice already, i can get it done QUICK the 3rd time. Hopefully.

I think im finally at a school for the rest of the year. So that's nice. Hopefully by they beginning of next year I can go back to normal school and hang out with my friends and make new ones.

I'm tired...

 

aww sfgwife, your grand baby is growin up soo quick! Omg, wasnt he born like yesterday lol Too cute.

 

Boy is he a cutie!

 

Sister has recovered somewhat. She got the vaccine. :-( Not doing her any better. She is still very ill. But should make it.

I wish you all well.

 

It's not a lot. In fact, it's hardly any. To be fair, 30,000 deaths in a population of almost 30 million is also not a lot. It's important to keep things in perspective.

It has little to do with politics so don't worry about getting censored. It's everything to do with culture and reality. It wouldn't matter who was in charge of the politics in this country because the outcome would have been the same. We are not a borderless island nation (or even island continent) that can be effectively closed off from the world. We also don't have a homogenous, unified culture that can be easily or effectively controlled. We have far and away more huge mega-cities than Australia, which are what fuels pandemics. Even the most locked-down cities and states in America (and in Europe) have gotten slammed by Covid because the practical reality of keeping people separated is beyond enforceability. If everything worked as well everywhere as it did in Australia, then Europe and certain states in the U.S. would have many success stories, but those places have gotten slammed too. Climate is also a huge factor that few people take into consideration. Australia's hot, arid climate works to their advantage with a virus like this. There's no one-size-fits-all approach that works for every situation. Sometimes saying, "This will work!" and then seeing the reality that it doesn't can be the most frustrating situation of all because it leads to despair.

I don't know about Australia, but in the U.S. the virus was everywhere before China even announced it in December. Labs have started testing blood samples taken in 2019 to see how far back they can find Covid antibodies. They've been shocked (not sure why) to discover Covid antibodies present in blood from a dozen different states taken in September 2019. That means it was already widespread all over the U.S. for months before anyone knew about it.

The best years of your life are not usually your teens. Thank goodness, because if that were the case we'd have nothing to look forward to after 20! I like to believe that the best years of my life are always the ones I'm living right now. My brother once wrote a song that said, "The grass is always greener on my side of the fence." I really like that attitude.

Don't worry about the elderly who aren't worrying about themselves. It's not your job to save them, nor your place to judge them. The sooner you realize you can't control other people, the happier you'll be in life (and this applies to all things, not just Covid). I have some elderly friends who regularly flout Covid rules, but I have to realize that they are in their last years. They want their time to count. They would rather risk dying of Covid having spent their last days with friends and family than to spend months withering away in isolation. It's ok. Everyone has to make those decisions for themselves and it's not my job to judge them or worry about them.

It's kind of like your dad's friend who went out and got the puppy. It was his risk to take. Was it worth it? Only he can be the judge of that. If he'd died in a car accident on the trip, no one would have said driving was an unnecessary risk even though it obviously was. It's just that driving is a risk we take for granted because we're so used to it and we no longer blame the risk as people did in the 1920's when cars were new. Hopefully he once more survives his dance with the Reaper, but if not hopefully he's at peace with the life he lived and the decisions he made.

 

Well, the vaccine isn't going to help her recover. It might in fact make her feel worse. It's not usually considered good protocol to vaccinate someone who has an active infection or is still recovering. I hope she feels better soon.

I talked to Phil's aunt and uncle yesterday. They're Covid-free now and are basking in the glow of their newly acquired antibodies. Hopefully your sister will be in the same place soon.

 

Hey @Nigerian dwarf goat ! I dont blame you for being upset. I agree people need to be less SELF centered long enough to put on a mask and have manners. There are always going to be those that think they are above all guidelines. But by useing your brain and keep your family & friends close. Being able to talk about your frustrations ..wont fix Covid..but it will help you and others get closer. Thats one thing that is helping people stop living for the money..and start realizing how precious family is. We are actually returning to being human..instead of taking everything & everyone for granted.
We arent just brains without hopes & dreams. So keep working with those close to you. And enjoy making memories. Sorry but school sucked even when we were packed in like sardines.

 

Again, I am going to have to disagree. These are humans lives we are talking about. 1000 families with an empty chair at dinner. Even worse, 30,000 deaths that could have been prevented. Yeah, a lot may have been old or had underlying conditions, but covid shortened their life. And the so many people with full lives ahead of them. The families of those 30,000 who are still grieving and hurting.

Yes culture has a lot to do with it, but usually people without masks are flaunting a certain someones merch. At least they are in Texas.

Well then id definitely love to be spending these years of my life out of the house, and preferably not in a global pandemic lol

Texas, alond with the rest of the south, has hot, arid climate didnt seem to help... Hitting over 100* didnt seem to do anything at all, but spread it because people just cant give up summer activities.

Sydney Australia has 5.23 million people- 5041 cases.
LA, which i would consider a mega city-3.967 million people -2.82 MILLION cases...
La has a smaller population than Sydney...

Ok, but the reality is that it did work. And I used Australia as an example, but many other countries like New Zealand, Iceland, Singapore etc. All democratically run, had similar systems work too. Yeah, smaller countries, but i think we could learn a little something. And with how things are going here, it could literally save lives. It really wont hurt to try at this point...

I definitely had it from like December and caught it like 3 other times from school by February. everybody but my dad got whatever was going around.

 

What's the point of being upset? It mostly just hurts yourself and doesn't change anything. Scolding other people and nagging them to wear masks will only make them dig in their heels and make them LESS inclined to actually do it. All we can do is be a good example to others. If you believe in mask-wearing, be a good mask wearer. Don't judge other people for not believing the same as you and for not following the "rules."

I don't believe in mask wearing. I don't think enough people do it properly, and I think many are actually making themselves sick from their own masks. But if it makes people feel better, and if it makes them feel like they're doing something to fight the virus, that's actually a good thing. Placebo medicine is actually very powerful for the psyche. It gives people a mental ability to feel like they have control. The problem is when they extend that control to other people.

Now me personally, I wear my mask every time I'm in public even though I actually believe it's unhealthy. I do it purely to make other people feel better--not because I believe in it. That is exactly the opposite of a selfish act. In fact, I'd go so far as to say it's a self-sacrificing act since I believe my mask increases my odds of getting sick (mostly because I'm an absolutely dreadful mask wearer who can't keep my hands off it for 2 seconds among other things).

 

If you got Covid four times in a row between December and February, then the vaccine is never going to work. Vaccination relies on the body's ability to produce antibodies that have some staying power. Fortunately it looks like Covid antibodies are pretty darn good! This is good news for natural immunity and for the vaccine!

 

Most people I see, in the rare occasion I go out in public, wear chin diapers.

 

its free, so its worth a "shot" heheheh i think im funny haha
And I was also sharing food with friends, nothing was being sanitized etc. I got a fever with the first time. The rest, I just had a stuffy nose and post nasal drip. so it may have just been once with either lingering symptoms, or even just colds.
My friend was tested in I believe February while she had the exact same thing, because she was having trouble breathing and her mom took her to an urgent care (that kid is always sick though) and surprisingly, she was negative. But COVID test have come a long way...

Also, i recall in the very end of February through march 2nd, the county show was held. EVERYBODY had a respiratory infection! My other friends gramma had a "nasty case of bronchitis"
Really is crazy.

 

... I'm curious. When a surgeon wears a mask in a surgery because the room needs to be completely sterile, you are saying that doesn't work? You are saying that the room would still be completely sterile if that surgeon didn't have a mask on? You dont think that they stop bacteria going in or out out?
The only reason they wouldn't work is because you aren't washing your reusable one often. Most people have decent hygiene..
And the only way you would get more sick is if you already had something you are breathing in and out that would make you more sick. And by then you should know and quarantine yourself.

And if you are constantly touching it, just wash your hands more often. Or simply ignore the urge to mess with it, the same way you ignore the urge to scratch a bug bite. Soon, you forget about it. I know its hard. My ADHD challenges me every day haha, but lately I've been forgetting I'm even wearing it when I get in the car.
You cant deny the scientific proof that masks work.

Then they arent wearing their mask. So it isnt going to work. It isnt rocket science. 2 loops behind the ears, over the breathing holes. Done.

I havent gotten sick since the mask mandate, but that might just be me. I usually get the flu or strep once a year and at least 2 colds. So far... nothing

Im really not trying to pick fights, i just dont understand how scientific facts are being purposely ignored.
Anyways, i like to hear others opinions, and im also very opinionated, so maybe we will just have to agree to disagree.

 

So, I was going to reply to you but then looked at the clock and realized I had to be at a saddle club meeting.

I understand. For individuals, it's hard to lose friends and family. It's something we all experience because every single human being on the planet dies. Most of us will, before the end of our lives, lose most of the people we love. But when you take numbers as a whole, you're not dealing with individual cases any more. It's sad on an individual basis that so many children die in swimming pools every year, but if you let sentiment run the day you'd end up banning all swimming pools outright in order to save the children. Nevermind that most children survive growing up in a world with swimming pools. Every single thing we do in life is a balance of risks. I'd say the 1/1000 odds of dying from Covid is not high enough to make me feel alarmed. The odds of dying in a car crash are actually 10 times that high--about 1/100--but it hasn't stopped me driving. The odds of dying of cancer: 1/7. The odds of dying of heart disease: 1/6. Covid looks pretty feeble compared to any of those other causes of death. The only reason people are alarmed is because it's new and because it's striking many people at once (also because it's new).

And I think that you should be out of the house. There's no reason for you to be stuck at home. Get out. Do things. It actually IS ok! At your age, the odds of dying from flu are actually higher than the odds of dying from Covid. (Older people--different story.) Yet you don't stop doing things with friends for fear of catching flu. Why? Because it's a boring old risk that we're all used to taking.

Texas is hot, but it's definitely not arid! I believe Houston got hit hardest in your state and really drove up the death numbers. Houston is probably the most humid place I've ever been. I've wondered all along whether Colorado's dry climate has helped us avoid a bad Covid outbreak. It probably also helps that we are the slimmest state in the U.S. and generally a younger demographic. Old age and obesity are major drivers of Covid deaths.

It's a very good point, but WHY didn't the exact same measures work in L.A. that worked in Sydney? California has some of the strictest lockdown rules in America and you can't blame L.A.'s politics like you can in Texas. There are other forces at work here that are perhaps beyond anyone's ability to control. I know we humans like to believe we can control things, but I'm convinced that a lot of things also come down to luck. When we have good luck we like to pat ourselves on the back for being amazing, but when we have bad luck we do our best to find somebody to blame. Yes, there are definitely some things we can control, but there are also some that we can't. Controlling people is one of the trickier ones in a country like the U.S. which is driven by an individualism ingrained in our culture. We can scold people all we like about it, but scolding people rarely ever changed anyone.

Hurt to try... what exactly? What hasn't been tried? And then you'll need convince me that whatever we're going to try won't hurt anyone.