Coronavirus pandemic

[Max Rockatansky]

The power went out to 62,000 residents in Fresno during the current rain storms.  The conspiracy theory crowd has already hit social media with all sorts of out there ideas on "what is really happening."   Many of them are saying the power going out is the first step in some sort of virus culling.

[ozarkman417]

My school district just got closed until April 6th      I'm already bored out of my mind (as I am on Spring Break) and track season will be cut short for the second year in a row. Nothing was said about online lessons or anything of the sort. My main concern is the possibility of school going deep in to summer as a result.

[DaBigE]

The conspiracy theory crowd has already hit social media with all sorts of out there ideas on "what is really happening."   Many of them are saying the power going out is the first step in some sort of virus culling.

I've been waiting for them to come out of the woodwork. The doomsday/Revelations/Repent Now crowd seems to be a little late.

[Max Rockatansky]

The conspiracy theory crowd has already hit social media with all sorts of out there ideas on "what is really happening."   Many of them are saying the power going out is the first step in some sort of virus culling.

I've been waiting for them to come out of the woodwork. The doomsday/Revelations/Repent Now crowd seems to be a little late.

Personally I've been fighting off employees talking about a "Thanos Conspiracy" in my own work force for about a week.  I'm sure those voices will only get louder through the week. 

[kalvado]

My school district just got closed until April 6th      I'm already bored out of my mind (as I am on Spring Break) and track season will be cut short for the second year in a row. Nothing was said about online lessons or anything of the sort. My main concern is the possibility of school going deep in to summer as a result.

Sites like edx or Coursera give more than descent opportunity for remote education. Not sure 8f you can get formal credit starting at odd time, but definitely may help to relieve boredom

[TheStranger]

https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/in-defining-moment-san-francisco-to-order-residents-to-stay-home-over-coronavirus/

[bandit957]

https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/in-defining-moment-san-francisco-to-order-residents-to-stay-home-over-coronavirus/

Good luck with that, San Fran.

Anyone who thinks that's gonna work is delusional.

[Max Rockatansky]

At least it isn't Monterey and San Benito County, I still have some ambitions on getting away from all this at Pinnacles National Park provided the rain clears this weekend.

[Bruce]

All non-essential travel and workplaces should be closed. I'm in support of mandated social quarantines and taking actions similar to what Italy has already done.

We are totally unprepared to test and treat enough people in the Seattle area to prevent the number of projected deaths. I've got vulnerable people in my social circle and they are all terrified to go out because of how careless many members of the public are.

[MikeTheActuary]

One bit of roadgeek trivia - I am finishing a drive from Memphis to Hartford.  There were a remarkable number of Canadian vehicles heading north, presumably snowbirds trying to get home before the border is closed.

[Max Rockatansky]

One bit of roadgeek trivia - I am finishing a drive from Memphis to Hartford.  There were a remarkable number of Canadian vehicles heading north, presumably snowbirds trying to get home before the border is closed.

Wasn't there some Mexican politicians calling to close the border also last week?

[bandit957]

All non-essential travel and workplaces should be closed. I'm in support of mandated social quarantines and taking actions similar to what Italy has already done.

That would be unconstitutional.

[ftballfan]

https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/in-defining-moment-san-francisco-to-order-residents-to-stay-home-over-coronavirus/

Good luck with that, San Fran.

Anyone who thinks that's gonna work is delusional.

I wonder if they'll call in the National Guard to block all lanes of freeways at the outer boundaries of this zone

[Max Rockatansky]

https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/in-defining-moment-san-francisco-to-order-residents-to-stay-home-over-coronavirus/

Good luck with that, San Fran.

Anyone who thinks that's gonna work is delusional.

I wonder if they'll call in the National Guard to block all lanes of freeways at the outer boundaries of this zone

Reading the details it isn't quite that level of shut down as essential services (grocery stores and doctors namely) are still open.  More or less it could in theory be something of a police state reading the restrictions, or at least you could be asked where you are going and why it looks.  So far no really stories of civil unrest but I can't imagine that isn't going to stay that way. 

Then again there hasn't been much in the way of notable civil unrest that I've seen State Side in general.  I can't help but think had this been 20-30 years ago there would be riots and looting all over the place.  Really beyond where we're at now I don't even think that I could formulate a guess regarding what happens next and what the long term effects will be. 

[bandit957]

Then again there hasn't been much in the way of notable civil unrest that I've seen State Side in general.  I can't help but think had this been 20-30 years ago there would be riots and looting all over the place.

Restrictions like this would never, ever be tolerated in the '70s.

[kwellada]

All non-essential travel and workplaces should be closed. I'm in support of mandated social quarantines and taking actions similar to what Italy has already done.

That would be unconstitutional.

It may be worth seeing what restrictions were enacted in the 1918 flu epidemic to see what governments may be able to do.  I'm not sure off the top of my head, but I would suspect that in a national emergency situation, they have broader powers to protect the public...but of course, I'm not a lawyer.

[bandit957]

It may be worth seeing what restrictions were enacted in the 1918 flu epidemic to see what governments may be able to do.  I'm not sure off the top of my head, but I would suspect that in a national emergency situation, they have broader powers to protect the public...but of course, I'm not a lawyer.

Their constitutional powers would have a more limited time and scope.

[oscar]

One bit of roadgeek trivia - I am finishing a drive from Memphis to Hartford.  There were a remarkable number of Canadian vehicles heading north, presumably snowbirds trying to get home before the border is closed.

Then again, isn't this is about when the snowbirds start going home anyway? So I've experienced in both south Florida and southern California.

Speaking of Canada, I got an e-mail from the hotel in Iqaluit, Nunavut where I stayed in summer 2014, with coronavirus advice for all the people on its e-mail list. Canada's far northern Nunavut Territory has no road link to the rest of Canada, except sometimes an ice road connecting Yellowknife NT to some mines to the north. If Nunavut isn't safe, is there any place safe from the coronavirus?

[Max Rockatansky]

All non-essential travel and workplaces should be closed. I'm in support of mandated social quarantines and taking actions similar to what Italy has already done.

That would be unconstitutional.

It may be worth seeing what restrictions were enacted in the 1918 flu epidemic to see what governments may be able to do.  I'm not sure off the top of my head, but I would suspect that in a national emergency situation, they have broader powers to protect the public...but of course, I'm not a lawyer.

If I recall my history correctly the big thing in 1918-1920 was making sure people wore masks in public.  I seem to remember the masks were basically just akin to cloth rags and not much more.  I think in some states you could be arrested if you were caught in public without one. 

[wxfree]

After Katrina, I remember Andrew Napolitano being asked about forcing people to leave their own homes.  A "mandatory" evacuation order really isn't that, it's just a warning that if you decide to stay, you may be on your own and emergency services may not be able to help.  The judge was asked about forcing people who were staying in their homes after the storm to leave.  He said it would require showing that the person presented a danger to others by the act of remaining in his own home.  That's obviously a high bar to clear, but it's a much lower bar to find that you place others in danger by being in a public place around other people, who may be infected or get infected by you.

We don't have the police capacity to enforce a real lockdown.  I like how one of the officials answered a question about the penalty for violating a restriction, saying that the penalty is that you may be killing your grandparents, since older people are especially susceptible.  To me, this is a test of patriotism, whether you're willing to act for the good of the community even if it's inconvenient to yourself, more than a test of constitutional rights.  Rights are responsibilities, and opportunities to make the right choice, not a blanket assumption of impunity for foolishness.

[Max Rockatansky]

It will be kind of interesting to see if this kind of thing becomes the norm anytime pandemic (or even an epidemic) talk comes up in the future.  It will be interesting to see what the consensus opinion publicly on quarantines will be, only time will tell.  Right now it seems divided, but not quite as divided as I would have thought. 

[Rothman]

It'll depend on whether people will feel free to obtain food or not.

I have friends in China and even their quarantines allowed for food to be ordered in.

[Max Rockatansky]

It'll depend on whether people will feel free to obtain food or not.

I have friends in China and even their quarantines allowed for food to be ordered in.

That's the part has me intrigued as I described upthread.  Having explain potentially to a police officer you left the house to get food, go to the doctor, or even get a breather probably isn't going to make some people very happy...in a potentially really bad way.  What happens then will be interesting, do people get arrested?...do they get vilified by people in their own community? 

[kalvado]

It'll depend on whether people will feel free to obtain food or not.

I have friends in China and even their quarantines allowed for food to be ordered in.

That's the part has me intrigued as I described upthread.  Having explain potentially to a police officer you left the house to get food, go to the doctor, or even get a breather probably isn't going to make some people very happy...in a potentially really bad way.  What happens then will be interesting, do people get arrested?...do they get vilified by people in their own community?

Whatever it worth.. From europe - someone said people walking their dogs attract little attention.
I would imagine people in cars are taken easier as they do not really interact with others.  Drive around without getting out of a car should be as good as sitting indoors. A lot of destinations are closed anyways. "unauthorized" destinations may get attention.
It may be people walking without a clear reason who would attract attention...

[jakeroot]

That is insanely perfect, on so many levels. Just sent it to my mom.

Side-note: kind of looks like George Lucas? EDIT: no, Peter Dinklage.