The COVID-19 pandemic

[tomh009]

Gotta say I'm surprised by that.

I’m more surprised that LCBO, the Beer Store, and weed shops are “essential”.

I think that's essential as in "essential in order to avoid a revolution".

[ijmorlan]

I’m more surprised that LCBO, the Beer Store, and weed shops are “essential”.

I think that's essential as in "essential in order to avoid a revolution".

We don’t want to re-energize the criminal supply just when we’re starting to get it out of the way thanks to legalization.

[panamaniac]

Government trying to walk a fine line.  Only other tool is a "complete" shut down.

This way, we can still get our dry cleaning done .....

[jeffster]

Gotta say I'm surprised by that.

I’m more surprised that LCBO, the Beer Store, and weed shops are “essential”.

A lot of people with alcohol dependancy issues, something like 800,000 in Ontario alone. Last thing the government wants is 100,000 showing up to the ER, plus whatever crap alcoholics will get themselves with the police. The system is burdened enough.

[DK519]

Should have been termed "low risk" vs. "essential".

I'm in manufacturing and will continue working. I'm in a 25,000 building with maybe 6 other guys right now. We also have full time cleaners that just started disinfecting everything all day long.

I'd imagine a construction site is similar risk, lots of space for very few people.

[tomh009]

Apart from people actually dependent on alcohol (although 800,000 looks high, I don't know what the real number is) many people (even without a dependency) do enjoy a drink. As bars and restaurants are closed, being able to purchase beer or wine to consume at home makes the self-isolation regime more acceptable to people -- and more acceptable conditions will mean a higher level of compliance.

[jeffster]

Should have been termed "low risk" vs. "essential".

I'm in manufacturing and will continue working. I'm in a 25,000 building with maybe 6 other guys right now. We also have full time cleaners that just started disinfecting everything all day long.

I'd imagine a construction site is similar risk, lots of space for very few people.

Plus many sites the workers are primarily outside. Not like your typical office environment.

This is really about flattening the curve and not about eliminating it. I do believe that most people will catch this at some point. But if only a few are getting it at a time, then our healthcare system survives.

[Coke6pk]

Gotta say I'm surprised by that.

I’m more surprised that LCBO, the Beer Store, and weed shops are “essential”.

I saw a post online saying something to the effect of "Imagine how all those guys incarcerated right now in prisons for marijuana related charges are feeling now that the industry has been deemed essential"

Coke

[danbrotherston]

Gotta say I'm surprised by that.

I’m more surprised that LCBO, the Beer Store, and weed shops are “essential”.

This shouldn't surprise anyone who is familiar with alcoholism. You cannot just cut off alcoholics from alcohol cold turkey without resulting in increase harm to families and increased pressure on the healthcare system. More, it's well understood as well that trying to cut off the supply of alcohol doesn't stop consumption, it just means that people consume more dangerous versions--again increasing pressure on the healthcare system.

[danbrotherston]

Should have been termed "low risk" vs. "essential".

I'm in manufacturing and will continue working. I'm in a 25,000 building with maybe 6 other guys right now. We also have full time cleaners that just started disinfecting everything all day long.

I'd imagine a construction site is similar risk, lots of space for very few people.

Plus many sites the workers are primarily outside. Not like your typical office environment.

This is really about flattening the curve and not about eliminating it. I do believe that most people will catch this at some point. But if only a few are getting it at a time, then our healthcare system survives.

I do think the messaging around this was poor, they shouldn't have called it "essential", because now it will be harder to shut more things down if this isn't sufficient (it isn't an all or nothing, there is a spectrum of levels of shutdown we can take), it will be harder to shut more down because they've already blown it on the option.

That being said, there's a lot more shut down that people think, I suspect they look at the long list and think, oh, eveything is open, but all of education, most of the retail and service industry, and all of entertainment is shut down...that's....not small.

[Rainrider22]

Gotta say I'm surprised by that.

I’m more surprised that LCBO, the Beer Store, and weed shops are “essential”.

It is a health issue,  many people are dependent on the alcohol.  Things could get worse drastically if they dont get a drink.

[tomh009]

A lot of new cases -- 15 -- reported by the Waterloo Region since Friday, or five per day. However, 13 of the 15 are presumptive, so not yet confirmed by positive tests.

Of the 15 cases:

• Five from travel
  
• Two from close contact
  
• Six from community
  
• Two TBD
  

Currently eight of the 30 total cases are hospitalized.

Ontario reported a total of 78 cases this morning. Vast majority are either travel or close contact -- or still TBD.

Nationally 201 positives of the 9618 test results for the 24h until Sunday evening, or 2.09%.

Back to normal today (as no change in methodology) so there are two new cases reported in the region, both presumptive. Currently nine people hospitalized in the region.

85 new cases reported in Ontario.

Nationally 207 positive tests of 8900, or about 2.32%.

[Rainrider22]

A lot of new cases -- 15 -- reported by the Waterloo Region since Friday, or five per day. However, 13 of the 15 are presumptive, so not yet confirmed by positive tests.

Of the 15 cases:

• Five from travel
  
• Two from close contact
  
• Six from community
  
• Two TBD
  

Currently eight of the 30 total cases are hospitalized.

Ontario reported a total of 78 cases this morning. Vast majority are either travel or close contact -- or still TBD.

Nationally 201 positives of the 9618 test results for the 24h until Sunday evening, or 2.09%.

Back to normal today (as no change in methodology) so there are two new cases reported in the region, both presumptive. Currently nine people hospitalized in the region.

85 new cases reported in Ontario.

Nationally 207 positive tests of 8900, or about 2.32%.

So what is the real number of people with it then ?

[jgsz]

It was surreal shopping at Costco this morning.  For the first time ever I was able to get gas without any waiting.   And the gas was 66.9 cents per liter.  Many parking spots were available.  We had to go around to the side of the building to go in.  There was already a line outside with people pushing shopping carts.  Once you went into the building there was a bit more wait before they allowed you into the store.  All shopping carts were sanitized before and after shopping.  The food court was closed.  For once, it was almost pleasant to shop at Costco.  People weren't running around like zombies trying to get to the sale items.  Obviously, no free food samples were available.  When we finished shopping we were corralled so that only a few people could approach the cashier.   By the way, when we entered the store they didn't even look to see if we had a membership.  And they weren't checking your cart before leaving.  Yes, it was all surreal but not unpleasant.

[jgsz]

Last week I read that Covid-19, like all viruses, are anti-urban.  They prey on large concentrations of people.  And that got me thinking about all kinds of nightmare scenarios of the repercussions.

Today I read an article in the New York Times that gave some hope for the future.  

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/24/upsho...e=Homepage

It is a good read.