Poll: Personal Coronavirus Permanent Impact

[MaxPC]

On a lighter note I am wondering what the next step is. We have gone from a hand shake to a fist pump to an elbow bump.
Any suggestions what might be next?

[AnthonyMartin]

The numbers are driving the world's response here.

The NY Times has gotten copies of the CDC projections for this event from a few weeks ago, where they estimate a range of scenarios for the US that show that (best - worst case) between 2.1 million and 214 million Americans will be infected. . This means between 2.4 million to 21 million hospitalizations, and 200,000 - 1.7 million deaths. These scenarios assume a 2-3 person infection rate, a 3-12% hospitalization rate, and a .25 - 1% death rate. A vaccine wont be available until 2021.

Where this gets concerning is that there are less than 1 million hospital beds in the country, and less than 100K critical care beds with about 20,000 respirators. If the US can keep this closer to the best case scenario, or slow down the progress to spread out the timeline, the healthcare system might keep up. But, if we end up closer to worst case scenario the system will be overwhelmed.

The CDC admits there are still many unknowns that could have up or down sides to these numbers, and many experrts are critical of the US response thus par, particularly related to disease testing.

In other words, this is not a media/political-driven panic, or government hysteria as some people claim, but the prudent actions of experts crunching the potential numbers. Panic and hoarding will do no good, but this has to be taken seriously.

Excellent! And, most of those hospital beds, both Emergency Department and Inpatient, were beyond capacity before any of this started. If it's just panic and no real disease, people die from poor resource management. If it's a real disease, we will indeed have real problems. Very concerning. No reason to panic, we trust in one greater than any disease who has already conquered death.

But, we must take this seriously.

[Josh]

Dan Z,

The majority of my plain friends seem to be repeating that this is media hype, or just politicians trying to win elections. A sizeable reaction now believe it is a hoax. A video is going around on WhatsApp with a “doctor” saying just take lots of vitamin C and you won’t get it.

I’m honestly not sure what to do about this. Myself and my friends who are taking this seriously seem alarmist to the rest of the plain community.

[ohio jones]

On a lighter note I am wondering what the next step is. We have gone from a hand shake to a fist pump to an elbow bump.
Any suggestions what might be next?

The Holy Kiss is right out.

[Josh]

It is really easy in theory Josh. It is much more difficult in real life. We do address abuse issues but we need to be very careful. Often you must look for patterns over a period of time. You cannot assume abuse simply because people are missing a few days of work now and then . They may actually be doing the responsible thing and you must start out with that mindset.
The problem is that when abuse does take place it is your responsible workers that take the brunt of it because they must fill in the gaps. Or it starts to reflect on the level of service to your customers.
Anybody that thinks it is easy has never actually done it. Of that I am sure.

The average person needs to miss work about 10 days a year for doctor appointments, season flu/colds, or caring for a family member with any of the above.

So, if employees aren’t being given 2 weeks a year of sick leave, or missing work - they’re coming into work when sick.

Large businesses have HR departments that monitor this, because business continuity is important to them. To combat “abuse”, simply give employees sick leave. If they use 3 consecutive days, require a doctor note (anyone sick that long should seek medical attention).

Staffing levels should be planned based on how often humans are too sick to work, or need to care for family who is sick. I can’t see how any rational person would argue otherwise.

[Josh]

On a lighter note I am wondering what the next step is. We have gone from a hand shake to a fist pump to an elbow bump.
Any suggestions what might be next?

The Holy Kiss is right out.

Probably no worse than handshaking. The problem is when people touch their hands to things, and then touch their faces/eyes.

[Bootstrap]

So number 5 means you think there is a 50% chance either way.

Close is open to definition. It should be more close than a distant acquaintance. But doesn’t have to be a personal confidante. We don’t need it that close, but let’s say you and them should at least know each others first and last name without having to scratch your head to remember it.
And for a forum exception, we will include all forum member as automatically qualified for “close”.

Yes, specifically hospitalized or death from this virus. Simply getting sick doesn’t count for this poll.

Thanks. I just bumped this up to a 3.

Boot, I don’t understand your second question.

When I say that it is reasonably likely someone I know will be hospitalized for COVID-19, it's useful to keep that in proportion to other risks. I have two friends in the hospital right now. Neither has COVID-19.

[appleman2006]

It is really easy in theory Josh. It is much more difficult in real life. We do address abuse issues but we need to be very careful. Often you must look for patterns over a period of time. You cannot assume abuse simply because people are missing a few days of work now and then . They may actually be doing the responsible thing and you must start out with that mindset.
The problem is that when abuse does take place it is your responsible workers that take the brunt of it because they must fill in the gaps. Or it starts to reflect on the level of service to your customers.
Anybody that thinks it is easy has never actually done it. Of that I am sure.

The average person needs to miss work about 10 days a year for doctor appointments, season flu/colds, or caring for a family member with any of the above.

So, if employees aren’t being given 2 weeks a year of sick leave, or missing work - they’re coming into work when sick.

Large businesses have HR departments that monitor this, because business continuity is important to them. To combat “abuse”, simply give employees sick leave. If they use 3 consecutive days, require a doctor note (anyone sick that long should seek medical attention).

Staffing levels should be planned based on how often humans are too sick to work, or need to care for family who is sick. I can’t see how any rational person would argue otherwise.

Of course. Any responsible business plans for a certain amount of sick leave being taken. But you cannot plan for a pandemic. That is a whole different level.

[barnhart]

I know a family of five who are sem-self quarantine-ing after one family member was as exposed to a documented case.

[Josh]

I know a family of five who are sem-self quarantine-ing after one family member was as exposed to a documented case.

That’s better news than Wednesday, when I knew of a family who I was doing the exact opposite.