When will you go back to normal?

[Nox]

As soon as restrictions are lifted.

I saw someone saying things like "I will never have a piece of cake that someone blew out the candles on ever again" and similar sentiments.

Listen.

When it's my time to go, it's my time to go. If that's because of a virus I contracted from a piece of birthday cake, then that's how it goes. This germophobic silliness is just that: silliness. I'm not going to stop shaking people's hands, or go running to the sink to wash my hands immediately after. I'm not going to be afraid to stand next to people in the grocery store, or a restaurant, or a theme park, or anywhere else. I'm not going to cower every time someone around me coughs or sneezes. I'm not going to carry a bottle of hand sanitizer around in my bag. (And I say this as someone who was so ill in January - possibly with C19, based on symptoms and situational factors - that I told my mother to do a wellness check because I couldn't breathe.)

There are times when extreme cleanliness, disinfecting, and sterile environments are necessary. I will, of course, always wash my hands before holding someone's baby, and if I've been sick any time within the last two weeks, I will not get anywhere near a baby. I will always carefully wash my hands before going to see a loved one in the hospital. I will wear a mask if I have to go out and around people when I'm ill, but still do my best to stay home, and will absolutely stay home if I have a fever. My job also requires sterilized environments and instruments, and that's fine. I wash my hands after lifting weights because gyms have always been gross. These have always been my policies, and they are basic hygiene and safety.

But I'm not going to fear my friends or family. I'm not going to be afraid to be in public. I'm not going to be afraid to shake hands, hug people, clink glasses, or eat birthday cake. I'm just not.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Isn’t the point of social distancing is to not overwhelm the healthcare system. If the healthcare system is ok can’t we just go out at your own risk. Yes people will die from covid but people die from all kinds of ailments everyday. Not to be callous but people die everyday. We can’t prevent that. I’m a believer in when it’s your time it’s your time.

eventually people are just going to have to take the risk or not. I would prefer to take my chances once hospitals aren’t overwhelmed. I can die on my way to work tomorrow. If it’s my time I can’t prevent it.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

As soon as restrictions are lifted.

I saw someone saying things like "I will never have a piece of cake that someone blew out the candles on ever again" and similar sentiments.

Listen.

When it's my time to go, it's my time to go. If that's because of a virus I contracted from a piece of birthday cake, then that's how it goes. This germophobic silliness is just that: silliness. I'm not going to stop shaking people's hands, or go running to the sink to wash my hands immediately after. I'm not going to be afraid to stand next to people in the grocery store, or a restaurant, or a theme park, or anywhere else. I'm not going to cower every time someone around me coughs or sneezes. I'm not going to carry a bottle of hand sanitizer around in my bag. (And I say this as someone who was so ill in January - possibly with C19, based on symptoms and situational factors - that I told my mother to do a wellness check because I couldn't breathe.)

There are times when extreme cleanliness, disinfecting, and sterile environments are necessary. I will, of course, always wash my hands before holding someone's baby, and if I've been sick any time within the last two weeks, I will not get anywhere near a baby. I will always carefully wash my hands before going to see a loved one in the hospital. I will wear a mask if I have to go out and around people when I'm ill, but still do my best to stay home, and will absolutely stay home if I have a fever. My job also requires sterilized environments and instruments, and that's fine. I wash my hands after lifting weights because gyms have always been gross. These have always been my policies, and they are basic hygiene and safety.

But I'm not going to fear my friends or family. I'm not going to be afraid to be in public. I'm not going to be afraid to shake hands, hug people, clink glasses, or eat birthday cake. I'm just not.

We posted at the same time but this is exactly how I feel! You said it much better than I did.

Life is meant to be lived.

 

[choirfarm]

Isn’t the point of social distancing is to not overwhelm the healthcare system. If the healthcare system is ok can’t we just go out at your own risk. Yes people will die from covid but people die from all kinds of ailments everyday. Not to be callous but people die everyday. We can’t prevent that. I’m a believer in when it’s your time it’s your time.

eventually people are just going to have to take the risk or not. I would prefer to take my chances once hospitals aren’t overwhelmed. I can die on my way to work tomorrow. If it’s my time I can’t prevent it.

Ok, but now they release people. Now, in two weeks you go to your bank. Now your bank has had to close because too many of them got the virus and got sick. One teller died and one of the bank managers and another teller were hospitalized for several weeks and will be out months. So the bank closes for 2 or 3 weeks. The church had a potluck and now 15 of the members are in the hospital. The music pastor got sick and died from it. The next week there are a few cases at the local elementary school that the next week morph into 10 teachers out and 30 students. 3 teachers died and 2 are hospitalized for weeks. 1 kid died. They test the kids and actually 100 of them have it but are asymptomatic. But they have given it to their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. So they close the school for a month. Then start back up. A few weeks later, it shows up at the auto plant. Similar thing like the meat processing plant that just had to close.

So, some of this is going to happen as we gradually open up. I don't think we can avoid it. But understand that YOUR normal, as you know it, will NOT be normal until this virus is gone. If we just "go out and live" you will have to get used to businesses/schools/churches closing off and on as the virus cycles through.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Isn’t the point of social distancing is to not overwhelm the healthcare system. If the healthcare system is ok can’t we just go out at your own risk. Yes people will die from covid but people die from all kinds of ailments everyday. Not to be callous but people die everyday. We can’t prevent that. I’m a believer in when it’s your time it’s your time.

eventually people are just going to have to take the risk or not. I would prefer to take my chances once hospitals aren’t overwhelmed. I can die on my way to work tomorrow. If it’s my time I can’t prevent it.

Yeah it's becoming quickly appearant what the officials are going for is little to no deaths and little new cases..so not really flattening the curve but more than that.

Our state's stay at home today got extended today til May 3rd (was supposed to end April 19th) however my county was already under a stay at home March 25th-April 24th anyways..that is looking like to be extended til May 15th--well that's what the health officials want in our metro. Technically at this point the state's stay at home supercedes my county.

People can't get access to the unemployment system in my state (even the state next to me) it's broken, it's overwhelmed and you're asking people to out of work for a good amount for that long time period..mentally I was already prepared for this but there's no doubt it's taxing just even thinking about the consequences.

 

[Farro]

I said in a different thread.

Once the news cycle moves on and stops reporting daily deaths and new infections, watch how fast people stop social distancing.

 

[3threebabies]

Ok, but now they release people. Now, in two weeks you go to your bank. Now your bank has had to close because too many of them got the virus and got sick. One teller died and one of the bank managers and another teller were hospitalized for several weeks and will be out months. So the bank closes for 2 or 3 weeks. The church had a potluck and now 15 of the members are in the hospital. The music pastor got sick and died from it. The next week there are a few cases at the local elementary school that the next week morph into 10 teachers out and 30 students. 3 teachers died and 2 are hospitalized for weeks. 1 kid died. They test the kids and actually 100 of them have it but are asymptomatic. But they have given it to their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. So they close the school for a month. Then start back up. A few weeks later, it shows up at the auto plant. Similar thing like the meat processing plant that just had to close.

So, some of this is going to happen as we gradually open up. I don't think we can avoid it. But understand that YOUR normal, as you know it, will NOT be normal until this virus is gone. If we just "go out and live" you will have to get used to businesses/schools/churches closing off and on as the virus cycles through.

That is a possible scenario, but it is far from the only possible scenario. While I have posted in the thread before, I never posted an answer. Your post above helped me put my answer into words. I have had many times in my life where I knew I could only make my new normal and would never get my old normal back. This will definitely be a new normal. I don't know when I will find my new normal or what it will look like.

 

[choirfarm]

nm

 

[Farro]

Unless they are a doctor or healthcare worker who has seen what it does. Unless they have had a friend or relative on a vent or die from it. None of those people will forget.

Obviously no one affected by anything that is very personal to them would forget. But they do move on, most. A lot of us have been touched by tragedy.

Anyways, when it stops being reported daily to this extent, people won't feel as strongly. Human nature and it happens all the time.

People should still be cautious but these restrictions will end.

 

[choirfarm]

nm

 

[choirfarm]

Obviously no one affected by anything that is very personal to them would forget. But they do move on.

Anyways, when it stops being reported daily to this extent, people won't feel as strongly. Human nature and it happens all the time.

Probably true. But I still remember my boyfriend in 8th grade getting hit and killed by a drunk driver and being drug 50 feet on a putt putt golf course. I will never drink, nor will I drink and drive. Nor will I let a friend drink and drive. ( And yes, I have many friends that drink. I don't have a problem with people drinking.) But drinking and driving is stupid. Some things you don't move on from.

 

[Farro]

Probably true. But I still remember my boyfriend in 8th grade getting hit and killed by a drunk driver and being drug 50 feet on a putt putt golf course. I will never drink, nor will I drink and drive. Nor will I let a friend drink and drive. ( And yes, I have many friends that drink. I don't have a problem with people drinking.) But drinking and driving is stupid. Some things you don't move on from.

And you personally chose to deal with it like that.

You weren't forced to by the government.

We all did it to flatten the curve. Now somebody moved the goalpost to a vaccine or a cure.

No one is saying end it now. No one saying open Disney today. But we need people to go back to work. But its coming.

 

[Jennasis]

I couldn't possibly guess right now. Too many unknowns. I'll know when I know.

 

[choirfarm]

nm

 

[jlwhitney]

I sincerely hope so!!! Believe me, I want to go out and hug my friends at church, sing in a choir ( one of the most super-spread things you can do), send my daughter off to college to major in musical theater in the fall. I pray I get to do those things sooner than later!

Trust and Pray and know that good will come out of this and there Is a reason for everything. Beauty will come out of this and there will be a rainbow at the end of the sufferings

 

[chickapin parterre]

well...we were planning on May 1st, then a grocery store has all the right ingredients for a major peak here in Yuma....so more folks headed out to the north now then the plan for next week, and our store will have more of the folks afraid of the other grocery store....and it was looking so good!!!

 

[Colleen27]

And you personally chose to deal with it like that.

You weren't forced to by the government.

We all did it to flatten the curve. Now somebody moved the goalpost to a vaccine or a cure.

No one is saying end it now. But its coming.

Exactly.

I'm pretty sure the end comes on April 30 in my state. After the backlash to the last round of modifications the governor made to the stay at home order, the legislature isn't likely to approve extending the emergency authorization that gives her the authority to keep extending. Which is unfortunate, because it is likely to lead to a more abrupt opening than is safe, but might be a necessary evil because the standards our governor and many others are laying out for reopening are essentially impossible from a logistical/implementation standpoint. It is just a round-about way of confirming that the goal posts have indeed moved to vaccine-or-bust. My daughter was really, really concerned to read Newsom's list of conditions for reopening California because there's no way her college could possibly meet the standard he set for reopening schools (that they'll only be able to reopen if they can maintain social distancing - what school can really accommodate and enforce that?!?).

The one thing I do think is likely to enforce moderation eventually, even in states with single-party leadership and no meaningful opposition to an at-all-costs approach, will be the upcoming budget conversations. When states are faced with having to make sweeping cuts to law enforcement, education and safety net programs because tax revenues are so far down, they may decide that a middle ground is worth exploring after all.

 

[gotomu212]

I don’t think they are trying to get cases to zero, but the lower new cases go the easier to contract trace and the longer it will take to hit capacity again. This isn’t one bell curve that we flatten and are done but a series of roller coaster humps. As soon as we reopen, every active case starts spreading again and we start climbing towards capacity again. Since this seems to move exponentially it takes awhile to get going but then rockets off. Hopefully with each passing peak more people are immune, but the higher we start on the downward curve the faster we’ll have to lockdown to flatten the curve, and improvements in social distancing once reopened mean the contagion factor is lowered.

I just keep in mind that when we locked down here there were less than 1k cases per day and a month later we’re at 30k with lockdowns. However it took us about 2 months I think to get to 1k. So how low do we need to get in order not to open for a month and find ourselves approaching capacity again?

 

[Boardwalk Jedi]

We really don't know that. The estimates on what percentage of cases we're not identifying are all over the place, and the R0 of the virus keeps getting modified back and forth. We need a lot more testing to say for sure how far we are from herd immunity (a measurement that will have to be conducted locally, on the state or metro level, because it is likely to vary wildly from place to place) and whether or not our medical system can handle us taking further steps toward natural immunity rather than waiting the couple of years it is likely to take for a vaccine to get us there.

You need to look up herd immunity.

 

[mom2rtk]

Cool. I just don't care about it as much as I care about other things. I've never had the kind of money that matters in the grand scheme of economy and I don't care about stocks one bit.

If people in your house have jobs, it matters. If you have kids who will need jobs, it matters. It's about so much more than the stock market.