OT: All Things Coronavirus Covid-19 - Part II

[Bruinaura]

I'm just going to share this here because I need to get it off my chest.

I'm furious at the way my company is handling this whole thing.

You're not alone. Our company executives are clueless on several levels. Absolutely mind boggling.

 

[Smitty93]

I work for Costco, there is currently a government ban on having more than 150 people in a social setting, yet we opened the store this morning to 500+card holders (not including guests). Last friday the card holder count was 900 at one point (meaning probably more than 1800 people in an hour). Our store is going about this as business as usual until they hear something from above.
I don't bash the company, they take good care of their employees, but someone is dropping the ball here.

I believe grocery stores are an exception to the various bans. Basically the only businesses that are guaranteed to be kept open through all of this.

 

[HustleB]

It means still at least a year away.
Even that would set a record for development to patient.....

I don't really understand that, but it is exactly what the Surgeon General said this morning.

 

[TinyRivers]

I believe grocery stores are an exception to the various bans. Basically the only businesses that are guaranteed to be kept open through all of this.

And I get that, but we count people as they come in anyway, just limiting the flow of bodies would help the situation. That's all we employees want. No one expects a shut down or anything.

 

[Gee Wally]

I don't really understand that, but it is exactly what the Surgeon General said this morning.

Usually even fast tracked it will take 18 to 24 months to prove SAFETY, effectiveness, and gain approvals. Then start mass manufacturing.

Safety is a must and need numbers and study over a period of months. Thats the only way to know if the vaccine isnt worse than the illness. Adverse reactions.

 

[Scotto74]

i have to say my company executives are doing a great job with this.

all who can work from home must work from home. each team is split into two groups (for example my boss is group odd I am group even). If you have to go into the office for any reason you can only go in on your designated odd or even day so we don't expose coverage teams to eachother. You should only stay as long as you have too and then go back to working remote.

we do have some teams that have to be in the office for example some IT people as well as design groups that work with the product. they are split into odd and even teams to limit exposure and again you are not allowed in on a day that is not your group day.

we are struggling to get the workers in our stores on a set up as some of our stores only have 4 or 5 workers in them so it is difficult to get them on rotating schedules as we always have to have at least 2 in the store.

I think since we are not selling anything they should shut the stores down and just sell online but not sure our business can handle that as we are struggling to stay afloat as it is.

this is not good but I can say 100% at least they are trying to do the right thing.

 

[Bruinaura]

And I get that, but we count people as they come in anyway, just limiting the flow of bodies would help the situation. That's all we employees want. No one expects a shut down or anything.

Yeah, the constant Black Friday crowd situations are nuts.

It's going to end up like gas rationing in the 1970s before long.

 

[Alicat]

My company has been good with the response. We kept asking for an email to be sent out and leadership was a bit iffy on it. Once people started having friends being sent home from their jobs, we got inundated with emails and im's asking why we weren't following suit.

Locally, we were telling people they could wfh just talk to your manager.

They finally sent a note last week and then over the weekend we got a directive to WFH until the end of the month.

The workplace is going to change dramatically after this and hopefully for the better.

Honestly, if my company wasn't handling this well, I'd get a note from my doctor for an accommodation under ADA. I don't like using my health issues as an excuse but in this case, all bets are off.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

It means still at least a year away.
Even that would set a record for development to patient.....

Have to hope under this federal emergency there is a way to speed it up even faster as part of the testing phase even if it only helps part of the population.

The market absolutely tanks yet again.

 

[whatsbruin]

NY Governor encouraging workers to stay at home yet nothing from the State University system about encouraging/allowing working from home.

 

[Dr Hook]

Usually even fast tracked it will take 18 to 24 months to prove SAFETY, effectiveness, and gain approvals. Then start mass manufacturing.

Safety is a must and need numbers and study over a period of months. Thats the only way to know if the vaccine isnt worse than the illness. Adverse reactions.

Right- they don't want a repeat of the swine flu vaccine in the 70s that I believe killed more people than the virus

 

[bp13]

Usually even fast tracked it will take 18 to 24 months to prove SAFETY, effectiveness, and gain approvals. Then start mass manufacturing.

Safety is a must and need numbers and study over a period of months. Thats the only way to know if the vaccine isnt worse than the illness. Adverse reactions.

GW...How do timelines work for antivirus vs. vaccine?

 

[whatsbruin]

Right- they don't want a repeat of the swine flu vaccine in the 70s that I believe killed more people than the virus

Or what happened in I am Legend.

 

[neelynugs]

Only way to keep it out would have been to close all international travel, close all boarders.
No way that was happening in Dec, or Jan.
When this is all cleared up, and the next one comes along, I still think it will be very hard to close all international travel, close all boarders. People will say its an over reaction.

everything is considered an overreaction because humans are selfish creatures who
don't want to be told they can't do whatever they want. also, when the powers that
be claim "there's nothing to see here folks", it empowers them to feel they shouldn't
be "inconvenienced".

i'm glad all of these states are rolling in semi-quarantines and whatnot, just don't
have a lot of faith that everyone will adhere to the instructions. let's hope.

 

[MrazeksVengeance]

Little Bruins coming to protect.

My mom sew them today.

 

[KnightofBoston]

Our school district is paying para professionals during the closure which is very good, but thus far no word on how the new extra week will affect staff, if it will change the transfer process etc, not any word on how or if we will be teaching students remotely either via packets or Skype and online work

I feel so bad for our students

 

[CrazyMonkey1208]

Only way to keep it out would have been to close all international travel, close all boarders.
No way that was happening in Dec, or Jan.
When this is all cleared up, and the next one comes along, I still think it will be very hard to close all international travel, close all boarders. People will say its an over reaction.

Hah, certain people don't even want us to enforce our border laws, imagine even asking for limiting international flights back then??

 

[The Hajj]

My company has been good with the response. We kept asking for an email to be sent out and leadership was a bit iffy on it. Once people started having friends being sent home from their jobs, we got inundated with emails and im's asking why we weren't following suit.

Locally, we were telling people they could wfh just talk to your manager.

They finally sent a note last week and then over the weekend we got a directive to WFH until the end of the month.

The workplace is going to change dramatically after this and hopefully for the better.

Honestly, if my company wasn't handling this well, I'd get a note from my doctor for an accommodation under ADA. I don't like using my health issues as an excuse but in this case, all bets are off.

What about all the people who absolutely cannot work from home? My company manufactures firearms. The employees are running CNC machines, fabrication machines, assembly tools, etc. None of them can work from home. We are asking them to be diligent with hygiene and to stay home if they are not feeling well. There is nothing else that can be done.

The unfortunate reality of this virus situation is many small companies like mine do not have the financial ability to pay employees to be out of work for very long. It is simply impossible. My good friend owns a restaurant. If the state of Idaho closes his place down, he's going to go broke very quickly, and he will be just one of many that fold. Most small businesses (and I mean small, not the government designation of less than 250 employees or in some cases 1500 employees) cannot pay people to not be at work.

 

[Absurdity]

If you live in Massachusetts, I would HIGHLY recommend you stock up on food so you have enough for the next two weeks.

 

[Gee Wally]

GW...How do timelines work for antivirus vs. vaccine?

sorry, I don’t have any experience in antivirals. Just vaccines

 

[KrejciMVP]

If you live in Massachusetts, I would HIGHLY recommend you stock up on food so you have enough for the next two weeks.

I've been stocking up on meat, I work from home anyway so went and grabbed a few more steaks this morning to throw in the freezer while the traffic is low at the store. I find folks that shop at big centers along highway exits are having less luck than those shopping at grocery stores and markets in the city

 

[rfournier103]

Usually even fast tracked it will take 18 to 24 months to prove SAFETY, effectiveness, and gain approvals. Then start mass manufacturing.

Safety is a must and need numbers and study over a period of months. Thats the only way to know if the vaccine isnt worse than the illness. Adverse reactions.

A big part of me is concerned that safety might be glossed over in favor of getting SOMETHING out there fast.

I'm actually a little nervous about this.

 

[Glove Malfunction]

The criticisms of the administration are very relevant and valid. The response has been terrible and it’s going to cost lives. The response probably would have been underwhelming with any administration as it just seems like we were woefully unprepared on all levels. Certainly didn’t help that this one closed up the NSC’s pandemic response office though. DEFINITELY didn’t help that they initially downplayed this as the sniffles. It’s literally going to cost people lives.

Who could have seen something like this coming (except for every epidemiologist on the planet)????


Hopefully every ensuing administration learns valuable lessons from the present times and are more prepared for these events going forward. I have a feeling this isn’t the last we’ll see of something like this is my lifetime

I saw a lot of misinformation, and clearly politically biased posts in the last thread. People saying the CDC was late to react, and refused the WHO tests, and blaming certain people in the government. These people need the facts.

The first whole genome sequence was not published until Jan 11. Primer sets had been previously made available, but did not contain the entire genome. The CDC had its first test by Jan 24th. Hardly late to react. The public health emergency was declared on Jan 31st, which is when the problem with the tests became apparent. The problem with the test was with one of the control reagents (which helps to rule out false positives), because of quality control at the third party lab who created that reagent.

Now why didn't the CDC just use the WHO tests (created by the German counterpart to our CDC)? And why weren't state labs allowed to be working on testing in parallel with the CDC? In both cases, there are (or were) FDA regulations that prohibited it. If you want to blame the government, fine, but blame the right part of the government.

 

[Gordon Lightfoot]

If you live in Massachusetts, I would HIGHLY recommend you stock up on food so you have enough for the next two weeks.

Any particular reason beyond the likelihood that things are getting scarce? Are you saying grocery stores will close or just have slim pickings?

 

[hrdpuk]

I wish I could spread good news but the situation is getting more severe daily.
The feds are still not stepping up. They have the means but not the will. They need to get FEMA and the military out there building emergency temporary hospital bedding .
Germany predicts 70% virus infections for their country. What that would mean for the USA would be castophotic especially with a 3% mortality rate
Run the numbers and see for yourself
.