Anyone live in a red state with increasing COVID-19 cases, what's it like?

[pete6032]

I live in a deep blue state where everyone is required under state law to wear masks and places like movie theaters, restaurants, gyms, etc have been closed since March. Two weeks ago restaurants opened for outdoor dining only, and non-essential retailers opened with strict capacity limits. Some big box stores like Home Depot, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's are limiting the number of people allowed inside while others don't appear to be enforcing the rule as strictly. I have been wearing a mask any time I've been out since April. It is near 100% compliance with people wearing masks and it's just part of my daily routine now. The rate of daily case growth is less than 1% for the past two weeks, and the positive test rate has been declining for two weeks. Next week limited indoor dining and gatherings of 50 or fewer will be allowed for the first time since March, although I don't think I will attempt indoor dining at this point. I am personally fine with outdoor dining but not indoor dining. Things are going very well in terms of stopping the spread.

I'm reading that cases are spiking in lots of states that reopened early, like GA, FL, TX. Anyone live there? What are people talking about, and how are people feeling? Etc.

 

[Wreckem]

People give me funny looks for wearing a mask in public.

When I got to the grocery store less than 10% are wearing masks.(Rockwall/Kaufman counties).

People for the most part aren’t taking it seriously. Talk about it being overblown. Their tunes always change when it hits close to home.

Early last week my mom was saying saying things about its over blown etc etc. Then the hospital she works at for new cases for the first time since April. Now she’s fearing the worst.

Restaurants can be at 75% capacity if they have the space. The state did yank liquor licenses from bars not following guideline.

 

[Jaskalas]

I know of restaurants in Indiana that were at full capacity for Father's Day.
Maybe 1/3rd of the people appear to have masks. Many people consider it an overreaction. Americans do not fear COVID. They will.

I suspect we will be joining the rest of the red states shortly, in having an exponential spike of COVID cases.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Red state with typical blue cities - but I'm out in the 'burbs.

Main city near me just said businesses are required to make sure that everyone that goes to their place of business wears a mask - which is dumb and retarded, it's basically saying that the shop owners are responsible for enforcing it.

Most people continue to wear masks however, even out here in the 'burbs. Personally I just have no real human contact outside of my family. I pickup groceries where they just put it in the trunk and I leave.

 

[HomerJS]

Red state with typical blue cities - but I'm out in the 'burbs.

Main city near me just said businesses are required to make sure that everyone that goes to their place of business wears a mask - which is dumb and retarded, it's basically saying that the shop owners are responsible for enforcing it.

Most people continue to wear masks however, even out here in the 'burbs. Personally I just have no real human contact outside of my family. I pickup groceries where they just put it in the trunk and I leave.

You have a better way of enforcing?

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

Masks are for morons.

Never wore one. Never will. I come and go as I please, no significant store closures though some clothing stores have closed their fitting rooms.

 

[MomentsofSanity]

Red state with typical blue cities - but I'm out in the 'burbs.

Main city near me just said businesses are required to make sure that everyone that goes to their place of business wears a mask - which is dumb and retarded, it's basically saying that the shop owners are responsible for enforcing it.

Most people continue to wear masks however, even out here in the 'burbs. Personally I just have no real human contact outside of my family. I pickup groceries where they just put it in the trunk and I leave.

Why is it dumb? Pretty sure shop owners are required to follow many rules as a condition of doing business. They want to open. They follow the conditions required to operate as laid out in their jurisdiction.

 

[vi edit]

Why is it dumb? Pretty sure shop owners are required to follow many rules as a condition of doing business. They want to open. They follow the conditions required to operate as laid out in their jurisdiction.

It's dumb because it should come from the top of the state down. Not some half ass measure and punting it to municipalities and store owners.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

it's basically saying that the shop owners are responsible for enforcing it.

Correct. Shop owners are the ONLY ones who should be responsible for it. Their property, their choice. If they do that, I go next door to one that doesn't.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

It's dumb because it should come from the top of the state down.

WRONG. Government has no business making that decision and Governors who do should be removed from office.

 

[vi edit]

WRONG. Government has no business making that decision and Governors who do should be removed from office.

Show me on the chart where the mask touched you.

 

[repoman0]

Masks are for morons.

Never wore one. Never will. I come and go as I please, no significant store closures though some clothing stores have closed their fitting rooms.

Proclaimed the chud, as he drowned in blood and mucous

 

[herm0016]

keeping it flattish will get us to heard immunity in the best way. its going to run its course, and until we have a vaccine our only way to get to some kind of stable point and herd immunity. we may have gone a bit too far on opening back up, but we did need to get it spreading a little bit more than it was in may in most places. places that have really gotten the curve down are more setup for a "second wave" than places that have a more consistent flat curve at some % being infected per time. I dont think we waited long enough inbetween "steps" of opening stuff up to fully see what is going on with R0.

but FFS just wear your Fing mask. GD people. it's not that hard. your "rights" are not being violated. its like the country is full of tantrum riddled toddlers.

 

[HomerJS]

keeping it flattish will get us to heard immunity in the best way. its going to run its course, and until we have a vaccine our only way to get to some kind of stable point and herd immunity. we may have gone a bit too far on opening back up, but we did need to get it spreading a little bit more than it was in may in most places. places that have really gotten the curve down are more setup for a "second wave" than places that have a more consistent flat curve at some % being infected per time. I dont think we waited long enough inbetween "steps" of opening stuff up to fully see what is going on with R0.

but FFS just wear your Fing mask. GD people. it's not that hard. your "rights" are not being violated. its like the country is full of tantrum riddled toddlers.

Right now the quickest way to kill this thing off would be to mandate mask wearing in public where you could come in contract with people. This thing would die off with nowhere to go. US does not have the leadership and/or will to make it mandatory.

 

[Muse]

I know of restaurants in Indiana that were at full capacity for Father's Day.
Maybe 1/3rd of the people appear to have masks. Many people consider it an overreaction. Americans do not fear COVID. They will.

I suspect we will be joining the rest of the red states shortly, in having an exponential spike of COVID cases.

California was doing very well early on. It varies by region. The governor's got his finger on the pulse. There's a 4 phase plan for opening up. I'm not sure any have hit phase 3 yet.

Confirmed cases have been increasing alarmingly. The last 2 weeks have seen 35% of the total confirmed cases since the beginning of the pandemic, i.e. 48,000 in last two weeks IIRC. The positive test rate was over 40% in March, fell to around 5% in the last month, has inched up a little. Authorities will tamp things down if infection rates appear to be going exponentially upward.

L.A. is the hottest area. One day last week (the only day I heard statistics for) they had around 2000 newly confirmed cases.

 

[herm0016]

Right now the quickest way to kill this thing off would be to mandate mask wearing in public where you could come in contract with people. This thing would die off with nowhere to go. US does not have the leadership and/or will to make it mandatory.

most seem to agree at this point, this will be endemic. there is no "killing it off" that point was passed a long time ago.

 

[Muse]

Masks are for morons.

Well, then, you better put one on or you are a complete phony. You clearly ARE a moron.

It's dumb because it should come from the top of the state down. Not some half ass measure and punting it to municipalities and store owners.

It so happens that conditions can vary tremendously from one municipality to another. Top down doesn't work any better for states than it does for the country. Some considerable control should be available at the local level. But if a local jurisdiction is blowing it, there should be a way for them to be brought in line from above.

WRONG. Government has no business making that decision and Governors who do should be removed from office.

Man, you would do well to get some help with your anger issues. They're out of control.

 

[woolfe9998]

Would have been a lot better if they had known the mask wearing was the most critical aspect of containment. We were told initially it was transmitted by touch and to wash our hands a lot. Mask wearing was optional. Then we find out it's primarily airborne with low chance of touch transmission.

To think, all those people who weren't wearing masks through March, when it first took hold.

 

[herm0016]

Would have been a lot better if they had known the mask wearing was the most critical aspect of containment. We were told initially it was transmitted by touch and to wash our hands a lot. Mask wearing was optional. Then we find out it's primarily airborne with low chance of touch transmission.

To think, all those people who weren't wearing masks through March, when it first took hold.

ITS NOT AIRBORNE.

its spread in droplets. even surface transmission is not a largest factor. its just very highly contagious. if it was actually airborne, your cloth mask would do absolutely nothing and would not be worth wasting your time with, unless its N99 + airborne may not mean what you think it means. it means the virus is able to survive in air, by itself and float around and infect you.

 

[vi edit]

Would have been a lot better if they had known the mask wearing was the most critical aspect of containment. We were told initially it was transmitted by touch and to wash our hands a lot. Mask wearing was optional. Then we find out it's primarily airborne with low chance of touch transmission.

To think, all those people who weren't wearing masks through March, when it first took hold.

That's a US problem. Not a "we don't know anything about this virus" problem. A lot of other countries are used to wearing masks and just did it reflexively. We have a mass community of adult toddlers that have a stance of "THE MASK IS LAVA!!!!" syndrome.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

Mask ain't nuthin' but a face diaper.

 

[vi edit]

Mask ain't nuthin' but a face diaper.

And do we allow non-potty trained kids in a pool without a diaper?

 

[Viper GTS]

There is potential for some good to come out of this if it becomes the societal norm that if you're sick, you wear a mask. I have taken it upon myself over the last few years to vote my coworkers off the island when they display signs of being sick (basically tell them "you are clearly sick, GTFO of here"). This needs to become the new norm - If you're sick you don't go to work. If you must be out and about then wear a mask. Everybody wins.

If everybody is already conditioned to do this then doing it during a pandemic to bring R0 down a little should be an easy ask.

Somewhat telling, IMO, that the people who most resist this have a lot of overlap with the group that thinks health care should not be a right and requiring employers to offer sick time is going to kill all the businesses.

Viper GTS

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

I would outlaw masks entirely. Except maybe for the O2 machine ones.

Face MUST be wholey and completely visible at all times when entering banks or other secure facilities.

 

[Muse]

Right now the quickest way to kill this thing off would be to mandate mask wearing in public where you could come in contract with people. This thing would die off with nowhere to go. US does not have the leadership and/or will to make it mandatory.

In my town it is mandatory to wear a mask when out in public within 30 feet of strangers. You must carry a mask with you. Inside public places, you have to wear your mask. I am 100% in favor of this. I went for a long 4 hour hike last week, to elevation 800 feet wearing an N95 (3M 9210 I bought online 2 years ago for the wildfires here... it fits incredibly well). Did not bother me a bit.