NON_POLITICAL China Coronavirus THREAD

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Spacehead

Lifer
Jun 2, 2002
13,201
10,063
136
Rumor going around the office a guy on our floor has symptoms and called out yesterday. His wife works in a nursing home that had an outbreak last week and she's pending results but also had symptoms late last week. This guy has been at work Monday and Tuesday, using the employee restrooms and coming into our breakroom to use the microwave. Everyone is freaking out here.

It's crazy that people who have been exposed continue to come to work until they themselves have symptoms. If there was an outbreak at my wife's employer, then she has symptoms, I don't think I'd come in knowing I'd most likely been exposed, most likely contracted, and could potentially expose my entire workplace. The problem is I'd have to use my time, and unless I get tested and results came back quickly who knows how many hours I'd burn. Lose lose situation I guess.
Might depend on which state your in but couldn't you sign up for unemployment for the time you're off? I know, you'll probably never see the money till you're back to work. And i guess that helps no one if they're in a paycheck-to-paycheck situation.
Just looked... in Pa. "you may be eligible for UC" if you have to quarantine.


Yes, but there's also plenty that won't qualify just because they didn't have a job to be unemployed from before the COVID ordeal... Or people that still technically had a job, but didn't want to take the risk of getting it from being old, weakened immune system, etc...

Unemployment was sincerely the dumbest route to have gone.
In Pa... didn't have a job before all this happened? Nooo problem. Here's a bunch of money!!!

 

ultimatebob

Lifer
Jul 1, 2001
25,135
2,445
126
$600 was in addition to the state benefit. So say if state unemployment benefit was $400 a week. That's $1,000 per week or about $4,000 a month. Times that by 2 if's two working household with both unemployed and you're talking $2,000 a week or $8,000 a month. That's pretty decent in most of the country.

Also, remember that for the "phase 1" stimulus, they didn't really want people looking for new jobs. They just wanted people to stay home and not get sick! I know that in Connecticut (my wife helped someone apply), you were not even required to say that you were looking for a new job to apply for unemployment back in April.

For "phase 2", I think that they're looking to reopen the economy more, so they want to unemployment benefit to be enough to survive on but not enough to be happy. I think that the goal on the GOP side is 70% of median income, which is only $31,000 a year per person in the US.

Going from a $600 bonus to nothing overnight was just piss poor planning from our government, though.
 
Nov 8, 2012
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Also, remember that for the "phase 1" stimulus, they didn't really want people looking for new jobs. They just wanted people to stay home and not get sick! I know that in Connecticut (my wife helped someone apply), you were not even required to say that you were looking for a new job to apply for unemployment back in April.

For "phase 2", I think that they're looking to reopen the economy more, so they want to unemployment benefit to be enough to survive on but not enough to be happy. I think that the goal on the GOP side is 70% of median income, which is only $31,000 a year per person in the US.

Going from a $600 bonus to nothing overnight was just piss poor planning from our government, though.

Like Ponyo said though, 2 people unemployed can essentially be a $96,000 in pay for the year.

That's not piss-poor planning, that is pure stupidity.
 

MrSquished

Lifer
Jan 14, 2013
21,004
19,442
136
A maxed out 96k a year for a family of four in multiple cities around the country is still not some luxurious salary. And what are you going to do, screw over the single unemployed people because a couple that are both unemployed might make out?

If they can index the benefits to something else like cost of living per area or previous salary sure. But from what I've read the systems in place can't handle that kind of micro managing right now. They are not even handling the current load properly.
 
Nov 8, 2012
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A maxed out 96k a year for a family of four in multiple cities around the country is still not some luxurious salary. And what are you going to do, screw over the single unemployed people because a couple that are both unemployed might make out?

If they can index the benefits to something else like cost of living per area or previous salary sure. But from what I've read the systems in place can't handle that kind of micro managing right now. They are not even handling the current load properly.

$96k is more than what 80% of the country makes.

You can cherry-pick HCOL cities all you want, the entire concept is simply pure retardation. There are really very few cities (SF, NY, etc.) that $96k isn't luxury living.

And I'm not saying don't give people support - I'm simply saying doing so at a state unemployment level is just 100% dumb.
 
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thestrangebrew1

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2011
3,430
382
126
God I scheduled myself to get tested again. I've had a cough all year, but this week seems worse. I don't usually have allergies last this late in the year, but I ran out of allergy meds this week and didn't start taking them till last night. Cough has subsided for the most part, but I just found out today that 2 of my friends were exposed by a family member and I was with my friends over the weekend. Coupled with what's going on in my work building I think I'm psyching myself out lol.
 

ultimatebob

Lifer
Jul 1, 2001
25,135
2,445
126
A maxed out 96k a year for a family of four in multiple cities around the country is still not some luxurious salary. And what are you going to do, screw over the single unemployed people because a couple that are both unemployed might make out?

If they can index the benefits to something else like cost of living per area or previous salary sure. But from what I've read the systems in place can't handle that kind of micro managing right now. They are not even handling the current load properly.

He's right, you know... $96K a year in a place like San Francisco or Manhattan where a studio apartment is over $2,000 a month in rent isn't exactly a high income.

That said, that's why they should be a bit smarter this second round and tie the unemployment bonuses to the actual cost of living.
 

Spacehead

Lifer
Jun 2, 2002
13,201
10,063
136
My sister had her hours cut from 40 to 32-35(i think) for about a month. Everyone at her company did so they signed everyone up for UC. She said she was getting like $50/week from the state & the extra $600! o_O
 
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K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
45,892
32,677
136
Given the jobs beat this morning I think it's hard to square "UI boost too generous for people to go to work" with people actually going back to work.

That said it's apparent the recovery is stalling out. More of an L shape than a V.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
52,834
5,713
126
Just got back yesterday from being in the hospital for 2 straight nights for the delivery of our 2nd son.

It was interesting being in the hospital for 2 nights with covid being a thing. The very first nurse we had was probably in her late 20's or early 30's and one of the first things she told us was about wearing masks in the room. She was fine with us not wearing masks because she knows that all women giving birth are tested prior and she knew my wife was negative. When I told her I had tested negative that same day she was even cooler with it. She also told us that some of the older nurses may be a bit different about it and want us to wear them.

Pretty much every nurse/doctor that came in was fine with us not wearing them while they were in the room, or at least they never said anything, other than the lady who gave our son a bath. She just asked that we wear them if we are near her watching the baby so obviously we did that. But even when some other doctors came in and were close to me I would just put mine on real quick while they are there. I mean it really is not a big deal at all.

If we left the room we had to put a mask on to walk around the hospital. I was not allowed to leave the premise for 2 days but I asked multiple nurses if I could leave and go get food at a drive through and they said pretty much everyone at security would be fine with that depending on who is there. But they were now giving meals to the 1 guest allowed with the woman giving birth as well so every meal was provided, although not the best food lol. It was strange the 2nd day there because I can't remember a day ever in my life where I literally did not step outside. Not even to take the trash out or something during the quarantine, or to get the mail. That was literally a day I did not go outside. My wife didn't leave the room the entire stay until we were discharged.

Not being allowed to have visitors at all was also very nice. This being our second child, I remember how exhausting it was having all of this family and friends come visit us. There was never any down time. So not having to deal with any of that was great. And when I would walk around the hospital to get snacks or something, it was empty. I rarely saw anyone else other than nurses.

All in all I felt super comfortable there during this strange time. Back in March and then April when this all went down and got real bad, we were super concerned about having to be in a hospital in August because we didn't know what was going to be going on at that time. Thankfully MD has handled this pretty well comparatively. If we were giving birth in one of the hot spots right now it would have been way more stressful and uncomfortable.
 

ultimatebob

Lifer
Jul 1, 2001
25,135
2,445
126
Given the jobs beat this morning I think it's hard to square "UI boost too generous for people to go to work" with people actually going back to work.

That said it's apparent the recovery is stalling out. More of an L shape than a V.

Those unemployment numbers actually didn't look half bad, all things considered.

Maybe this is going to me more like a "K" shaped recovery. The wealthy recover quickly, but the poor folks end off worse.
 

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
45,892
32,677
136
Those unemployment numbers actually didn't look half bad, all things considered.

Maybe this is going to me more like a "K" shaped recovery. The wealthy recover quickly, but the poor folks end off worse.

I think we're seeing resistance of what is possible with the virus still rampaging though the county. It might continue to improve but at a lower pace. Or if things go to shit in the fall again reverse.

A K recovery is a likely outcome especially as government support ends before the physical or economic threat does.
 
Nov 8, 2012
20,828
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I think we're seeing resistance of what is possible with the virus still rampaging though the county. It might continue to improve but at a lower pace. Or if things go to shit in the fall again reverse.

A K recovery is a likely outcome especially as government support ends before the physical or economic threat does.

Regardless, evictions are going to be off the charts.... And no amount of kicking the can down the road of saying "No evictions until December" is going to help someone that is behind 3 months on paying.
 

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
45,892
32,677
136
Regardless, evictions are going to be off the charts.... And no amount of kicking the can down the road of saying "No evictions until December" is going to help someone that is behind 3 months on paying.

Which is what you want to avoid because it's really disastrous to plunge potentially tens of millions into homelessness. So spending more money until things recover is the least bad option.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
94,667
14,929
126
Just got back yesterday from being in the hospital for 2 straight nights for the delivery of our 2nd son.

It was interesting being in the hospital for 2 nights with covid being a thing. The very first nurse we had was probably in her late 20's or early 30's and one of the first things she told us was about wearing masks in the room. She was fine with us not wearing masks because she knows that all women giving birth are tested prior and she knew my wife was negative. When I told her I had tested negative that same day she was even cooler with it. She also told us that some of the older nurses may be a bit different about it and want us to wear them.

Pretty much every nurse/doctor that came in was fine with us not wearing them while they were in the room, or at least they never said anything, other than the lady who gave our son a bath. She just asked that we wear them if we are near her watching the baby so obviously we did that. But even when some other doctors came in and were close to me I would just put mine on real quick while they are there. I mean it really is not a big deal at all.

If we left the room we had to put a mask on to walk around the hospital. I was not allowed to leave the premise for 2 days but I asked multiple nurses if I could leave and go get food at a drive through and they said pretty much everyone at security would be fine with that depending on who is there. But they were now giving meals to the 1 guest allowed with the woman giving birth as well so every meal was provided, although not the best food lol. It was strange the 2nd day there because I can't remember a day ever in my life where I literally did not step outside. Not even to take the trash out or something during the quarantine, or to get the mail. That was literally a day I did not go outside. My wife didn't leave the room the entire stay until we were discharged.

Not being allowed to have visitors at all was also very nice. This being our second child, I remember how exhausting it was having all of this family and friends come visit us. There was never any down time. So not having to deal with any of that was great. And when I would walk around the hospital to get snacks or something, it was empty. I rarely saw anyone else other than nurses.

All in all I felt super comfortable there during this strange time. Back in March and then April when this all went down and got real bad, we were super concerned about having to be in a hospital in August because we didn't know what was going to be going on at that time. Thankfully MD has handled this pretty well comparatively. If we were giving birth in one of the hot spots right now it would have been way more stressful and uncomfortable.

So is the kid named Covid? :awe:

conglats.
 
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Grey_Beard

Golden Member
Sep 23, 2014
1,825
2,007
136
Like Ponyo said though, 2 people unemployed can essentially be a $96,000 in pay for the year.

That's not piss-poor planning, that is pure stupidity.

Dude, how many meet this example? Nothing like trying to make a point for .01% of claims and say how unjust. Maybe you can find a job that pays that much. This is a complete gaslighting. Keep trying though.
 
Nov 8, 2012
20,828
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Dude, how many meet this example? Nothing like trying to make a point for .01% of claims and say how unjust. Maybe you can find a job that pays that much. This is a complete gaslighting. Keep trying though.

gas lighting is perhaps the stupidest term ever concocted in recent times.

It essentially translates to: "You stated a fact that makes me butt-hurt, so I find it offensive and thus you're provoking my anger".
 

[DHT]Osiris

Lifer
Dec 15, 2015
14,004
12,069
146
gas lighting is perhaps the stupidest term ever concocted in recent times.

It essentially translates to: "You stated a fact that makes me butt-hurt, so I find it offensive and thus you're provoking my anger".
False. Gaslighting is a psychological term for attempting to get someone to question reality, generally to gain an upper hand over the person for some reason. This can be done through 'facts' if sufficiently twisted, but usually it's just through outright lies and manipulation.
 
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K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
45,892
32,677
136
Cuomo says NYS schools can open. Given the low state positivity rate seems like the correct call for now.
 

Grey_Beard

Golden Member
Sep 23, 2014
1,825
2,007
136
Regardless, evictions are going to be off the charts.... And no amount of kicking the can down the road of saying "No evictions until December" is going to help someone that is behind 3 months on paying.

But you think the additional dollars are not good. Are you dizzy yet? You must love waffle fries. You either have the evictions or you have the UI. Until the economic situation starts on the right direction, those are the only choices.

One thing not being discussed right now is State government layoffs. If States do not get some dollars to plug budget deficits, there will be an other wave of unemployment as States purge staff.

I am not sure the employment number make sense. We have had 50 million jobless claims, could be more as there are those who have not gotten approved given some State’s pathetic unemployment systems, and we have had slightly more than 9 million jobs created. The unemployment at just over 10% should be higher. Was tRump not the one who constantly criticized the prior administration’s numbers? Maybe he is cooking the books.
 
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Grey_Beard

Golden Member
Sep 23, 2014
1,825
2,007
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gas lighting is perhaps the stupidest term ever concocted in recent times.

It essentially translates to: "You stated a fact that makes me butt-hurt, so I find it offensive and thus you're provoking my anger".

Says the Gaslighter-In-Cheif of AT.
 

Grey_Beard

Golden Member
Sep 23, 2014
1,825
2,007
136
gas lighting is perhaps the stupidest term ever concocted in recent times.

It essentially translates to: "You stated a fact that makes me butt-hurt, so I find it offensive and thus you're provoking my anger".

False. Gaslighting is a psychological term for attempting to get someone to question reality, generally to gain an upper hand over the person for some reason. This can be done through 'facts' if sufficiently twisted, but usually it's just through outright lies and manipulation.

Here is a good outline of the term. Applies here perfectly.

 

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
45,892
32,677
136
Convalescent plasma continues to look like a solid treatment for early disease

Sounds like the gov is going to make a deal with Eli Lilly to expand their capability to produce monoclonal antibody therapy, probably by buying a huge chunk of production up front like they did from Regeneron.

Also bodes well for hyperimmune globulin products slated for later this year.

 
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