What is it like to live in US right now?

[Philosopher]

16 hours ago, Ellener said:

It's going to be a stresstul Christmas for many reasons in the US.

In the US, are family gatherings common at Christmas, or is Thanksgiving the main holiday for family gatherings? I know here in the UK there is a lot of concern family gatherings will spread Covid-19 over Christmas.

The UK government has eased gathering restrictions over Christmas. I think for the government to some extent it is a bit of Catch 22 situation. Do not allow gatherings and get blamed if there is large scale breaking of the rules. Allow them and get blamed if there is a spike in cases.

[elaine567]

10 minutes ago, Philosopher said:

I think for the government to some extent it is a bit of Catch 22 situation. Do not allow gatherings and get blamed if there is large scale breaking of the rules. Allow them and get blamed if there is a spike in cases.

They did it for the economy.
They gambled that by Xmas the numbers would be low and even if they did go up a bit it would be no big deal, but the most recent lockdown was ignored by so many that the numbers rose despite the lockdown and are still rising as we go into the "free for all" that will be Xmas...  
How can we possibly get a handle on this if so many are not taking it seriously and are encouraged to do so by a Govt. who one day are telling them the virus is deadly and the next day they are telling them it is fine to go up and down the country visiting friends and relatives at Xmas. Spreading good will and virus all around...
It is euthanasia by stealth... certainly one way to get the pension bill down...

[FMW]

My family has traditionally had large gatherings for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.  This year we aren't having either.  I spent Thanksgiving with just my mother and Christmas will be the same.  

Unfortunately there are many areas here in the States that will willfully ignore any recommendations and continue having large gatherings without any safety precautions.  At this point people have already decided their positions on this virus, I don't think anyone will change their behaviors.    

[Ellener]

1 hour ago, Philosopher said:

In the US, are family gatherings common at Christmas, or is Thanksgiving the main holiday for family gatherings?

Both are common I think, and I think some people scaled down but it's a hard 'tradition' to break from, plus people need each other and the distraction right now.

20 minutes ago, FMW said:

At this point people have already decided their positions on this virus, I don't think anyone will change their behaviors.    

The masks and now vaccines give a false sense of security. But WHO said at the start the 'second wave' is worse than the first, and that there can be many waves before immunity. US is somewhat divorced from WHO and the immediate short-term is what matters in our culture.

I saw a man in Kroger with no mask yesterday, I almost bumped carts into him rounding a corner and said sorry and he said that's okay and smiled...it's those little interactions people miss as much as the bigger picture. During times of hardship and crisis they are a source of comfort and encouragement to each other. He was getting a lot of dirty looks though, and I feel for the staff who have to tackle him about it. 

[BC1980]

In some ways, the government basically abandoned its citizens. They shut down people's businesses but stopped offering federal aid. It defies common sense. It's really every man for himself at this point in my neck of the woods. I was going to get takeout at a restaurant down the road, but it was packed when I drove by. I wasn't gonna go in there with the community spread increasing like it has been. 

[Angelle]

1 hour ago, BC1980 said:

In some ways, the government basically abandoned its citizens. They shut down people's businesses but stopped offering federal aid. It defies common sense. It's really every man for himself at this point in my neck of the woods. I was going to get takeout at a restaurant down the road, but it was packed when I drove by. I wasn't gonna go in there with the community spread increasing like it has been. 

My dad went into a Wendy's earlier, but I'm going to ask him to stick to drive-throughs. We've avoided the crowded places, too. On Monday, our governor said that 1 in 25 people have it in our State. 😕  Dad also locked me in the van, when he popped into Walmart, because he's heard that several Amazon vans were stolen (at gunpoint) recently. He didn't have anything but food and me in there tonight, but he was still nervous enough about leaving me in a parking lot that wasn't busy. 

[Wiseman2]

Basically there are huge upticks, similar to Europe. It sucks.

Even with vaccines on the way, it will be a process.

Just want to go to some remote tropical island 🏝️ 

[QuietRiot]

19 hours ago, Ellener said:

Both are common I think, and I think some people scaled down but it's a hard 'tradition' to break from, plus people need each other and the distraction right now.

The masks and now vaccines give a false sense of security. But WHO said at the start the 'second wave' is worse than the first, and that there can be many waves before immunity. US is somewhat divorced from WHO and the immediate short-term is what matters in our culture.

I saw a man in Kroger with no mask yesterday, I almost bumped carts into him rounding a corner and said sorry and he said that's okay and smiled...it's those little interactions people miss as much as the bigger picture. During times of hardship and crisis they are a source of comfort and encouragement to each other. He was getting a lot of dirty looks though, and I feel for the staff who have to tackle him about it. 

Where I am...the employees don't bother maskless people about not wearing masks, in fact, they are told not too...I mean, no one signed up for a min. wage job to "tackle" these inconsiderate types.

[Ellener]

36 minutes ago, Wiseman2 said:

Just want to go to some remote tropical island 🏝️ 

And I'm sure people on remote islands don't want an influx of possible infections these days!

Outer space it is then 🚀

[jspice]

3 hours ago, Ellener said:

And I'm sure people on remote islands don't want an influx of possible infections these days!

Outer space it is then 🚀

Precisely. The island I live on is level 4 which is the level with the highest infection rates according to the WHO. It came in with travellers not knowing to stay their butts at home. 
Everyone who comes in now is subject to 14 day quarantine and most are complaining about their “loss of freedom” 🙄

[Ruby Slippers]

10 hours ago, Ellener said:

And I'm sure people on remote islands don't want an influx of possible infections these days!

Outer space it is then 🚀

A number of island locales are offering incentives to remote workers to come there for certain periods of time. One example: Hawaii is offering free round trips to remote workers who want to live there temporarily

I thought about it, but it's not practical for me to leave my house and pets unattended for a month at a time. You still have to pay for housing, so it would add cost to my normal budget.

[BC1980]

16 hours ago, Angelle said:

My dad went into a Wendy's earlier, but I'm going to ask him to stick to drive-throughs. We've avoided the crowded places, too. On Monday, our governor said that 1 in 25 people have it in our State. 😕  Dad also locked me in the van, when he popped into Walmart, because he's heard that several Amazon vans were stolen (at gunpoint) recently. He didn't have anything but food and me in there tonight, but he was still nervous enough about leaving me in a parking lot that wasn't busy. 

From everything I've seen, dining inside a restaurant is one of the higher risk activities due to lack of fresh air circulation. My sister's in laws recently recovered from Covid, and they have no idea how they got it. They have been really careful. Her FIL had a really mild case, but her MIL is still having bouts of chest pain and runs of tachycardia. 

[d0nnivain]

18 minutes ago, BC1980 said:

From everything I've seen, dining inside a restaurant is one of the higher risk activities due to lack of fresh air circulation. 

The state of NY released a contact tracing study today:  

1.4% of new cases were from bars restaurants 

74% are from the home  (the spike is from Thanksgiving)

The lesson seems to be that the most dangerous thing you can do is spend the holidays with extended family. 

[elaine567]

London and some neighbouring districts are all going into Tier Three from Wednesday.
Cases are rising exponentially and now they have found a new Coronavirus variant in those areas.
They don't think it is causing more severe disease and they think it will still be susceptible to the vaccine but it is early days.
They don't actually know yet. Some are postulating that it is a more infectious strain hence the increasing cases.
BUT all they really know is that it is now running rife in London and surrounding areas... 

[Marc878]

On 11/29/2020 at 7:44 PM, Woggle said:

I will say that if this vaccine actually does work and things return to normal seeing things come back to life will be just beautiful. All the experts are seem to have good feelings about it so I wish people would hunker down for a little more time because it seems there is light at the end of the tunnel. Make sure you are alive and in good healthy to experience things coming back to life.

This is the second virus from China. SARS could have been as bad.

when’s the next one?

[Marc878]

My neighbors have it from visiting family. My niece got it from hospital work.

We watch, do grocery pickup or have stuff mailed it. The death rate while there is low.

Edited December 15, 2020 by a LoveShack.org Moderator
off topic

[Wiseman2]

13 hours ago, Ruby Slippers said:

A number of island locales are offering incentives to remote workers to come there for certain periods of time.

Been there done that many times. Would never consider getting on an aircraft or cruise ship right now.😱

That's part of what also sucks about covid. It's whatever you are and wherever you go.😕

 

[Ellener]

On 12/13/2020 at 9:32 PM, BC1980 said:

In some ways, the government basically abandoned its citizens.

Hopefully things will improve all round in 2021; well they couldn't get much worse than 2020 has been! 

America needs stability now.

[Wiseman2]

Australia recently got tough on flights coming in and reintroducing covid, so it's a worldwide problem.

[hotpotato]

On 12/14/2020 at 6:07 AM, Wiseman2 said:

Basically there are huge upticks, similar to Europe. It sucks.

Even with vaccines on the way, it will be a process.

Just want to go to some remote tropical island 🏝️ 

Well, then go! I heard a lot of people are going to Jamaica. I thought about going to Mexico.

Like others said, it varies as to where one is. For me life hasnt changed much. I haven't been to the gym (because i don't want to make an appointment), but have been dining in a restaurant for a couple months now. I have seen several movies, too. Ive attended in person classes and other inside activities.

 

[BC1980]

On 12/19/2020 at 5:50 AM, Ellener said:

Hopefully things will improve all round in 2021; well they couldn't get much worse than 2020 has been! 

America needs stability now.

I hope so, but I think we are in for a rough start to 2021. The government basically presented its citizens with a false choice. Lockdown with some people going broke or no lockdowns with a lot of illness and death. It was either go into poverty or get herd immunity via illness and death. It's very sad and has divided the country even more than it already was with each side blaming the other. Some of it is also a result of decades of decadence and entitlement.

Telling people to close their businesses without subsidizing them is wrong, and telling people to go out and get sick so we can achieve herd immunity is wrong. But that is the United States, and I think Covid exposed how we are moving more towards a failed state. 

[Ellener]

It's a bit confusing to live in the US right now, ongoing distracting political antics as though there is no pandemic, and as predicted the vaccine rollouts are difficult without a health service. Basically it's a case of call around and try to find a provider with some vaccine- and then presumably do it again for the second dose. There's so far only one central location for Houston ( one of US largest cities ) and the booking website does not operate properly yet. Our hospitals where I live are almost full to the level of triggering shutdowns but people are awaiting news on business subsidies and benefits and reluctant to close down or even restrict capacity. 

I booked to use our onsite gym and the manager and another user weren't wearing face covers; the disinfectant and paper towels had run out, trash can overflowing. People seem to be giving up instead of doing the little things which make a big difference.

Most Americans are receiving $600 economic stimulus payments meant to tide them over until things improve. Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment here is @$900 a month; evictions are supposed to be on hold but apparently have gone ahead anyway, see article below. My landlord sent out notice in September that evictions would resume. Landlords typically require 3 times income to rent ratio plus a deposit. 

The churches and food banks are feeding people in need, and schools here are giving out weekly meal kits etc.

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/city-of-houston/2020/12/20/388131/the-cdc-eviction-moratorium-has-stopped-less-than-10-percent-of-cases/

[poppyfields]

3 hours ago, Ellener said:

Most Americans are receiving $600 economic stimulus payments meant to tide them over until things improve. 

That's on top of the $1,200 we received last year.  

I don't even need but they gave it to me anyway.  And qualify for the $600 which is being auto-deposited into bank accounts now.

I'm considering giving it to a family truly in need of which there are many!  

Rent for a one bedroom here is $1000+.  Landlords are raising rents and evicting.  

It's a sad day in America right now.  

 

 

Edited January 5, 2021 by poppyfields

[poppyfields]

10 hours ago, poppyfields said:

That's on top of the $1,200 we received last year.  

I don't even need but they gave it to me anyway.  And qualify for the $600 which is being auto-deposited into bank accounts now.

I'm considering giving it to a family truly in need of which there are many!  

Rent for a one bedroom here is $1000+.  Landlords are raising rents and evicting.  

It's a sad day in America right now.  

I just now checked my bank account and the $600.00 has already been deposited, that was FAST.   I can't even say woo-hoo cause I really don't need it; now all I have to do is figure out who to donate or just give it to.

Plenty of families are hurting I can tell you that.  

 

[Angelle]

Our library closed down the children's section in the last month or two, and has now closed down again indefinitely. They have a staffing problem, thanks to covid, but they didn't say anything more. People who were in there recently, are now asking if they were exposed. I don't even know how bad it is out there now. A month ago, they said that 1 in 25 people had it, in my State.