Novel Coronavirus

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

BC doesn't have a sudden surge. Where I live, Vancouver Island we've had more of a little trickle than a surge and the recovery rate is high. We are on a moderate sized island in a catchment area of 795,000 people - only 3 deaths of 85-90 yr olds - that includes a few small islands - tourism has been cut off - I see no reason that every place has to act the same under different circumstances.

Keep tourism cut off for awhile but start opening things up for locals. Locals will rally to support businesses - to be hometown tourists. They will spring at the chance, after this.

 

[Ritafee]

i do think that they are slowly trying to make people realize this isn’t a short term issue though

 

[Lastpointe]

BC doesn't have a sudden surge. Where I live, Vancouver Island we've had more of a little trickle than a surge and the recovery rate is high. We are on a moderate sized island in a catchment area of 795,000 people - only 3 deaths of 85-90 yr olds - that includes a few small islands - tourism has been cut off - I see no reason that every place has to act the same under different circumstances.

Keep tourism cut off for awhile but start opening things up for locals. Locals will rally to support businesses - to be hometown tourists. They will spring at the chance, after this.

I expect we will start to see changes happening in different areas at different times. Partly because health care is a provincial thing. But no one wants to relax too quickly

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

I expect we will start to see changes happening in different areas at different times. Partly because health care is a provincial thing. But no one wants to relax too quickly

If the cases here don't go up at all, or barely...and the death rate doesn't increase...I see no reason why we should have to wait 18 months in this catchment area to fully relax things for locals. Limit the long term damage wherever it can be limited. The fewer people and places the fallout harms in the long run, the better. The only thing is we still need to be very careful about who travels in or out and back to this island catchment area.

 

[Northwind]

I was concerned about being in BC at the beginning because it looked like we were going to be slammed. I'm glad we haven't and that the measures seem to be helping. While I am looking forward to having restrictions lifted, I don't want to see them lifted too quickly. That could undo all the good that has been done. This is too big a sacrifice on many levels including (especially?) economic, lose all that we've gained.

 

[Ritafee]

And keep an eye on what the government is doing.

I spy with my little eye that they are 'holding on' to their 'highly class-ified' position on the 'food chain' in spite of the more than obvious reasons that they should be stepping down and repenting for having led us down this 'garden path' in the first place.

 

[Lastpointe]

I have been disappointed to see stupid tickets being given out. Walking a dog “in” a park rather than “through” a park. Cars visiting and wishing happy birthday caused a ticket. Man kicking a ball with his son.
for the most part people are being careful. I often feel that these bi law ticket givers, like parking ticket folks are wanna be cops. Given a bigger level of power and some abuse it

not everyone will cooperate. It if the majority do we should be ok. Giving out tickets for minor issues just erodes trust

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

I was concerned about being in BC at the beginning because it looked like we were going to be slammed. I'm glad we haven't and that the measures seem to be helping. While I am looking forward to having restrictions lifted, I don't want to see them lifted too quickly. That could undo all the good that has been done. This is too big a sacrifice on many levels including (especially?) economic, lose all that we've gained.

Not if there are no cases to be spreading. We have 79 cases and 795,000 people here. 3 people 80-90 have died (while sad for their families look at it realistically. The life expectancy is 80.5) There are no cruise ships coming in, no Washington State ferries, and the BC Ferries have been limited, health checks are being done and sailings cut way down and certain routes limited to transport of goods. If we continue to limit that travel until things settle down elsewhere I don't see why we have to be under the same provincial restrictions as mainlanders.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

I have been disappointed to see stupid tickets being given out. Walking a dog “in” a park rather than “through” a park. Cars visiting and wishing happy birthday caused a ticket. Man kicking a ball with his son.
for the most part people are being careful. I often feel that these bi law ticket givers, like parking ticket folks are wanna be cops. Given a bigger level of power and some abuse it

not everyone will cooperate. It if the majority do we should be ok. Giving out tickets for minor issues just erodes trust

So far Henry has resisted that approach. For that I am grateful.

 

[Northwind]

Not if there are no cases to be spreading

There is no or little spread right now. That could change if restrictions are lifted too quickly.

We have 79 cases and 795,000 people here. 3 people 80-90 have died (while sad for their families look at it realistically. The life expectancy is 80.5)

Again, those stats are skewed by the fact that several care homes were slammed by the virus. They need to be considered with caution.

If we continue to limit that travel until things settle down elsewhere I don't see why we have to be under the same provincial restrictions as mainlanders.

We aren't special. We're part of the province and that needs to be considered.

I was just watching Mayor Kennedy Stewart of Vancouver give his update. He outlined three scenarios based on dates things could return to normal. Dates were end of May, end of August and end of December. He outlined the financial impact of each scenario and suggested that August is likely the most realistic. I suspect other leaders in various areas are doing this kind of planning.

 

[ChemGal]

Sorry to bring this up, but something Henry said just caused me concern.

What will it take for B.C. to relax COVID-19 restrictions? Officials to share details soon

B.C. health officials are developing plans for an eventual relaxing of some of the province's rigid COVID-19 restrictions and could be sharing details as early as next week.

bc.ctvnews.ca

Henry said the public shouldn't expect to fully return to the way of life they enjoyed just a few short weeks ago until a vaccine is available or until most people become naturally immune to the virus. (Italics mine)

We are being told a vaccine could be a year away. Can a person become naturally immune without catching and recovering from the virus? So that means several months to a year in lockdown, or wait until it’s spread to everybody and killed some (which I thought was the whole reason we are under these restrictions, so as not to allow that to happen), before they will lift restrictions? Is that what that means?! I get serious “cull the herd” vibes from that.

Again, the flatten the curb isn't about reducing the death rate of people who would just die from this. It's about not letting the healthcare system become some overwhelmed that people who wouldn't typically die of COVID-19 do die because the health care system is so overwhelmed.
It does also reduce the overall death rate by buying time for some of those who might have gotten sick and died early on if there were no restrictions, but end up instead get sick later when we know more about treatment or don't get sick thanks to a vaccine.

 

[ChemGal]

It seem to me we are going to need random testing of the population in order to know how widespread the illness is, since many people are asymptomatic or have only mild symptoms which mimic colds and flu. Ditto for the percentage of the population which has developed immunity.

It will take quite the advertising campaign to get us to submit to random testing, I think. From what I hear the nasal swab is not too pleasant. I am not terribly keen on blood draws either, if it comes to that.

For the immunity it would be a blood test I think. I don't think swabs would be sufficient for antibodies afterwards.
It could easily be done with blood tests for other things.
I don't think that's going to happen soon, but I can see that potential after a bit of a gradual return without seeing an increase of cases. Until that, the numbers are going to best come from hospitalizations and deaths.

 

[ChemGal]

I have been disappointed to see stupid tickets being given out. Walking a dog “in” a park rather than “through” a park. Cars visiting and wishing happy birthday caused a ticket. Man kicking a ball with his son.
for the most part people are being careful. I often feel that these bi law ticket givers, like parking ticket folks are wanna be cops. Given a bigger level of power and some abuse it

not everyone will cooperate. It if the majority do we should be ok. Giving out tickets for minor issues just erodes trust

At least one ticket here was revoked. I do think the higher ups here have at least spoke with them.

 

[Mrs.Anteater]

 

[ChemGal]

I think something we can expect long term, at least until we have either a good treatment or vaccine that can be used in large numbers is removal and then adding restrictions back in, based on what's happening with healthcare.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

For the immunity it would be a blood test I think. I don't think swabs would be sufficient for antibodies afterwards.
It could easily be done with blood tests for other things.
I don't think that's going to happen soon, but I can see that potential after a bit of a gradual return without seeing an increase of cases. Until that, the numbers are going to best come from hospitalizations and deaths.

Which is not something should accept. We do not live under a totalitaran regime (or supposedly) and the authorities we elected and were hired by those who were elected have a responsibility to not only keep us safe from a nasty virus but to limit the infringement upon our human rights. In fact, the latter is even, IMO, a more important bigger picture consideration. They can dish out homeowner credits and landlord credits and up EI benefits...they can spend more on wide and accurate testing to limit the fallout. It’s a long term disaster that will, in the end, have little to do with the actual virus in the long run. Public health officials have a responsibility for social health, too. I worry about kids and what they are absorbing through this about life, and the depravation of normal behaviour.

 

[ChemGal]

Which is not something should accept. We do not live under a totalitaran regime (or supposedly) and the authorities we elected and were hired by those who were elected have a responsibility to not only keep us safe from a nasty virus but to limit the infringement upon our human rights. In fact, the latter is even, IMO, a more important bigger picture consideration.

So what do you want done?
Do you want to just act as normal and have our healthcare system pretty much collapse where no one can get treatment?
A very large death toll all at once?
Look at New York right now, and that's with restrictions in place.

 

[Northwind]

We are far from being in a totalitarian regime. I suppose we could go back to "normal" and to hell with the people we sacrifice with that move. Do we want to live in a society that wants to sacrifice vulnerable people for money? I mean more than we do already.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

So what do you want done?
Do you want to just act as normal and have our healthcare system pretty much collapse where no one can get treatment?

A lot of people are not getting treatment now. They cleared everything for an explosion of covid hospital patients, converted most gps to dial-a-docs, and people are terrified to go to the ER for anything else. And here, where I live, given the numbers, it makes no sense.

 

[Northwind]

A lot of people are not getting treatment now. They cleared everything for an explosion of covid hospital patients, converted most gps to dial-a-docs, and people are terrified to go to the ER for anything else. And here, where I live, given the numbers, it makes no sense.

The numbers are low here because of these measures.