Coronavirus Culture Shock While Traveling

[pstokely]

https://onemileatatime.com/coronavirus-traveling/

"We have been in disbelief ever since we landed in Las Vegas — for this entire trip it has almost felt like coronavirus isn’t a thing. I don’t even know where to begin, but it has been so confusing.

My primary issue isn’t even individuals choosing not to wear masks in situations where physical distancing isn’t possible. But it has been jarring to see, as face mask usage has been almost non-existent:

At Las Vegas Airport maybe a few percent of people were wearing masks, while the rest weren’t
We’ve been in Springdale, Utah, and Page, Arizona, and again, almost no one was wearing a mask, even in crowded areas
In Page, Arizona, specifically, I saw more people wearing political hats than masks
At a restaurant in Page people laughed and pointed at us; who knows if that was because we were wearing masks, or because we’re gay?
In the lobby of the Hyatt Place Page a big family ordered four pizzas, and they ate them all barefoot in the lobby, sometimes placing individual slices directly on tables, and there was no hand washing (I realize being barefoot won’t give them coronavirus, but I wanted to set the scene)
Apparently wearing a mask is so exceptional that one lady rolled down her car window and yelled “good for you guys for wearing those, no one does that around here”"

[woodsprite]

1. We're experiencing similar in the Outer Banks, NC

Even the cops aren’t wearing them, though Dare County leaders mad masks mandatory over the weekend. We get odd looks for wearing ours.

[Thekaspervote]

2. Why are not you traveling???

[Tipperary]

11. Did you mean why are THEY traveling?

Because I was wondering same.

[a la izquierda]

35. Pretty sure the OP didn't write the story.

There's a link at the top and the material is quoted.

[DemoTex]

3. I just drove from SC to Idaho to work fire season.

Mostly on the “backroads” to avoid crowded rest stops. Very similar observations on face mask usage and social distancing.

But, a Hyatt in Page? My how times have changed. George Washington Hayduke would not be amused!

[jayschool2013]

4. Americans don't do public health

We're that asshole neighbor your parents warned you about.

[Grokenstein]

7. And some of us are assholier than others:

https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/Airline-passenger-refuses-mask-15349202.php

Two days after American Airlines announced it would strengthen its mandatory mask policy, a passenger was booted off one of the airline’s flights at New York’s LaGuardia Airport after refusing to wear a facial covering. At SFO, a woman refusing to wear a mask argued with a fellow passenger, telling him to "go back to China," in an encounter posted to YouTube.

We are only a few days into new airline policies requiring passengers to wear masks to help stem the spread of COVID-19, and controversy is erupting on airplanes and airports across the country.

In the first instance, passenger Brandon Straka documented the Wednesday encounter aboard American Airlines flight 1263 to Dallas-Fort Worth in a Twitter video.

“They told me that it was the law that I had to wear a mask,” he said in the video. “Then eventually they changed their story and said it was their policy and that you can’t fly with us if you don’t do it.”

Straka, a conservative pundit* and self-described former liberal, said American Airlines staff intimidated him and said his refusal to wear a mask “was keeping people waiting.”

“This is not a thing,” Straka said in the video. “I don’t have to do this.”

Straka was likely unaware that he was seated next to a New York Times reporter, who is calling into question some of Straka's claims about the incident on Twitter, which only stokes the controversy even more.

*BECAUSE OF COURSE HE IS

(In the follow-up, American states that Straka is officially no longer welcome on their flights for as long as masks are a requirement.)

[jayschool2013]

10. Oy

We've become an ungovernable mess in which sane, thoughtful communitarians are being outshouted by a mix of nihilists and fatalistic religious nut jobs who think public health is something that communists do, a sick version of an already disturbed libertarian philosophy, goosed by the ghost of Ayn Rand.

I weep for my country.

[jaxexpat]

16. who ya gonna call? Ghost goosers.

[whathehell]

33. Speak for yourself..

and stop equating the worst in the Red States with 'Americans' in general.

[jayschool2013]

36. It was an overly broad statement

Well, I wasn't speaking for myself, but, yes, many Americans do public health, but it's not a high public policy priority compared to our Western allies, in the past regarding national health insurance and understanding gun violence as a public health problem.

Hopefully we can all change that, together, by voting Blue, even in the reddest states.

I apologize for the intentional hyperbole.

[whathehell]

37. Yes, it was

and the Trump administration is the only reason it's not a "high public priority policy" at present.

[jayschool2013]

38. Let's fix that!

See you at the polls!

[whathehell]

39. Um, yeah, Jay, but you're doing something known as

"preaching to the converted". Just sayin'.

[jmg257]

5. Why is Ben traveling around the country in the middle of a pandemic?

Last edited Mon Jun 22, 2020, 08:00 AM - Edit history (1)

Utah Nevada/Vegas Miami Colorado Arizona

Driving flying. Planes restaurants hotels

People who don't follow guidelines are stupid; people who travel around to various areas of the country just because - pointing out how stupid other people are - is selfishly ridiculous.

What’s so hard to understand about ‘stay at home’??

Stop the spread. Stop having other people have to deal with YOU.

[Oppaloopa]

6. Everyone here in Florida wears one even repubs. 500 dollar fine it you don't

[oldsoftie]

9. Like helmet laws; some people will push for the "right" to bust their head open.

[mac2766]

12. I'm in Florida. I see very few people wearing masks. I do, of course.

[whopis01]

14. That is simply not true.

There are counties and cities in Florida that have enacted such policies. However the state government outright refuses to institute the same.

They have gone as far as to say they won’t overturn local decisions to require masks, but that is it.

And I hardly see anyone wearing a mask in public around here.

[jaxexpat]

18. Now just hold on a minute there.

Simply not the case. Like almost all statements which predicate with everyone, everybody, nobody, always and never. It's not a factual statement.
Point in case; St Johns FL., June 17th, 2020, Home Depot. Only some of the staff and I (a customer) were wearing masks. Same true of local sports bar the week before. And crowded restaurants (as seen from A1-A) in Flagler Beach last Friday. No fines at all here, the governor has decreed that there is no longer a need to not act as if the virus ever existed. Had to close a few bars in Jax beach after whole groups of patrons as well as staff tested positive. Last 4 days have seen record positive cases state wide. 32258 zip area has seen 10 new cases in last 24 hrs.(largest single day increase EVER) And still DeSantis sees no virus spike. He claims it's because of more testing.

[Historic NY]

22. My niece at the VA

in Pinellas County they have another spike and may have to go back to the 12hr shift rotations. 50 new cases.

Florida Department of Health reported yet another one-day high of COVID-19 cases in Pinellas on Saturday. The count grew by 285 to total 3,438. One more resident has died due to the novel coronavirus, upping the death toll to 114.

Since June 14, 1,253 new cases and 12 deaths have been reported in Pinellas. Saturday was the third consecutive day of record case counts. Friday was a record day with 266 cases, as was Thursday with 203 new cases.

In comparison, 659 new cases and seven deaths were reported from June 8-14. DOH reported 162 new cases on June 13, which at the time had been the one-day high. DOH reported 286 new cases and 13 deaths in the county during the week, June 1-7, including 81 on June 5, the day the state moved into phase two of its recovery plans.

DOH reported 124 new cases and seven deaths from May 25-31, 151 new cases and eight deaths from May 18-24, 159 new cases and seven deaths from May 11-17, and 95 new cases and 19 deaths from May 4-10, which was the first week of phase one of the state’s recovery plan.

[link:https://www.tbnweekly.com/coronavirus/article_2ebebd46-b324-11ea-a1d1-675210d1fa4c.html|]

[Katinfl]

27. Where in FL?

I am in central FL and it seems as if I am seeing more masks now that a few weeks ago and that is a good thing. Of course, most everything is open and one sports bar even told us last week to “come on in, we are 100%”.

[Oppaloopa]

52. Tampa and Pinellas county St Petersburg I see very few not wearing them.

[oldsoftie]

8. It wasnt because you were gay, trust me. These people are just weird.

[appleannie1]

13. Everyone is supposed to wear a mask in stores and other indoor public places in Pennsylvania.

Most stores have signs telling people to put on a mask before entering. Some people ignore the signs and go maskless anyway but in my area I would estimate about 3/4 of the people wear masks and some places make you leave without one. I intend on wearing a mask until this goes away completely and I always carry a small bottle of sanitizer with me and have a box of rubber gloves in my car for when I shop in a neighboring county that had a higher incidence of the virus. I also wipe down everything I buy with a liquid sanitizer before bringing it in the house. I don't care if people think I am crazy.

[FakeNoose]

21. Yep, we're green here in Allegheny County (Pittsburgh)

Even so, facemasks are required to enter stores and restaurants. I've seen about 95% compliance wherever I go, but admittedly I don't go out much.

[HockeyMom]

25. Our indoor restaurants in Poconos (Green Phase) opened Friday

We went for Brunch yesterday. No sign on door about masks. Customers were not wearing them, entering, exiting, going to restrooms. Customers sat at their tables the entire time without them; not just removing while eating. Since it was Fathers Day, there were many young families with little kids. Kids weren't wearing masks either.

People were seated at every other table and servers were wearing masks, but the cashier had her's dangling from her ear until somebody came up to pay. Saw one server bag up a doggie bag without her mask.

There were a number of cars in parking lot with NY and NJ plates, also on roadways. This area is a tourist, vacation, 2nd home place to the Tri-State Area. When we left, there was a line outside to get in. No masks, or standing 6 feet away.

I think going to Third Stage Re-opening a lot of people are going back to "normal". I can only imagine what July 4th will be like.

[appleannie1]

31. The western part of the state was not hit as hard as the eastern part.

Maybe because we do wear masks. My brother and his wife went out to dinner yesterday for their 40th anniversary. The entire wait staff not only wore masks, they wore gloves. Only every other table was being used. There were sanitary wipes as well as napkins at every table. When someone left, the entire table and chairs were wiped down before anyone else was seated there. The menu was on paper and was thrown away when people were done with it and the next customer got a new paper menu. My S I L said she felt safe but they probably will not be eating out again for quite a while. They live in the Pittsburgh area and I live further north.

[bdamomma]

50. 4th of July???

are we still celebrating that?

that curve will go up.

[cagefreesoylentgreen]

15. Of course the tourists are selfish bastards

If that person had gone off the Strip, they’d have found most Vegas locals do use masks and do follow social distancing guidelines.

If you’re traveling right now for leisure, you’re being selfish.

[whathehell]

34. Judgemental much?

[cagefreesoylentgreen]

40. Explain why I shouldn't be

If you’re traveling for your own pleasure, you’re also expecting to be serviced by hotel staff, tour operators, and associated businesses. By choosing to travel for your personal pleasure, you put all those folks at unnecessary risk.

So explain why I shouldn’t be judgmental?

[whathehell]

42. I'll do it in three words..

"Self-contained recreational vehicles".. Eliminates the need for hotel staff, tour operators, and about 95% of all those "associated businesses".

[cagefreesoylentgreen]

43. If that's your assertion

Can you explain why more people are consciously choosing to not take advantage of RVs if they’re an option?

[whathehell]

44. It's hardly just my "assertion"

It's common sense, for starters, and before I provide more explanations, how about you giving us a link backing up your assertion that "more people are choosing to not taking advantage of RVs"?.

[cagefreesoylentgreen]

47. Let me give an example

A group takes an RV to Las Vegas. What do you think are the chances the group will choose to bypass the entertainment and stay hermetically sealed?

Anyway, why are you so intent in defending the right of people to put others at risk?

[whathehell]

48. Las Vegas is but ONE destination... Traveling, especially

In a self enclosed RV, doesn't have to mean crowds, in fact the tourist industry is reporting, that msny are seeking out "wide open space" destination to avoid just that.
Those typee of places, especially if done in self- contained RVs, are likely the safest places to travel. Add that to wearing s mask when venturing out of your RV, and I think you've got a pretty safe trip.

I am certainly not defending putting oneself or others "at risk".

[bamagal62]

17. Had to drive from Chicago to Minneapolis

recently. In Chicago, most were wearing masks.
In Wisconsin, not a mask to be found.
In Minnesota, masks.

[doc03]

19. I live in Ohio where I would say maybe 1/4 at best people wear a mask

while shopping. Last week I stopped at a Giant Eagle in PA just 40 miles from here and everyone was wearing one.
I don't know if that is the law there but I looked around and I am the only one in the store without one. I decided to leave
before someone gave me hell for it.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

45. I was pleasantly surprised today (SW Ohio)...

... seeing about 80% of the people at my local grocery store wearing masks! (I was observing other shoppers coming and going, as I sat in the pick-up area for many minutes.)

It surprised me because it's been below 10% in the past!

I'm not sure why other people around here are FINALLY getting it. The local news has reported about the spikes in cases for Arizona, Florida, Texas, etc. So maybe that's finally motivating them?!

[doc03]

46. I am in one of the worst counties for COVID

mainly because of the prison. Probably 9 out 10 around here are Trump people they think they are immune I guess.

[Auggie]

20. Some people need a good spanking ...

a $500 fine sounds painful.

[McKim]

23. Decades of Right Wing Brainwashing

Decades of Right Wing brainwashing from think tanks have convinced many Americans that there is no WE or US, only I, Me, Me and My. There is no “Public Good” and we are NOT in this together!
This is rugged individualism. Nothing is real until it happens to THEM or someone they care about.
This is now a deeply engrained attitude and it underlies many decisions for these folks.

[DownriverDem]

26. Yep

Fox News and right wing talk radio have totally brainwashed almost half of the country. For years I have wondered where our side was on this. We have rich folks on the left. Where are they?

[bdamomma]

51. very true

your comment is, it is about ME not Others. Horrible.

[Baclava]

24. Who the hell is out traveling? I still only go out grocery shopping twice a month, thats it, lol

[bamagal62]

28. I wouldn't normally be traveling.

We basically stay home all the time.
However, we had to move our son to MPLS as he's starting a new
job. First job out of college...we're just grateful, in this environment, that he has one!

[Baclava]

30. I understand that, but these people are going to Vegas, then a sight-seeing tour of the west

[JCMach1]

29. Visiting my mom and dad in Florida

I won't travel again after flying. No way no how.

My parents are elderly ( yes they are at risk), but there are other health reasons I have to check on them to. It's getting near time my dad may have to go into care.

[Baitball Blogger]

32. I hear Covid "is not a thing" in Jacksonville, Florida either.

It will eventually take hold of Las Vegas. This is an interesting study of how Americans raised on the concept of freedom and rebellion against government (even when they're collecting pension money from military service) can work against their own interests, and the interest of their nation.

[dalton99a]

41. Kick

In the end I’ve felt less safe getting hiking gear for a national park than I did on a flight with 150 strangers. What does this mean for my desire for future travel?

First of all, while we’re having an amazing time (more on the incredible things we’ve seen shortly), we both can’t wait to get back home into our environment where we’re comfortable and can take the precautions we think are appropriate.

I figured that a trip focused on the outdoors would be one of the safest bets right now and would make me feel most at ease, but in some ways the opposite has been true. Of course if you’re able to completely avoid stores, restaurants, gas stations, and hotels, you’re probably fine. But in our case we stayed at hotels, had to rent hiking equipment, had to go into gas stations to buy water, etc.

In retrospect, personally I’d feel more comfortable traveling to a city like Los Angeles than a small town where no precautions are taken.

[bdamomma]

49. Ignorance

kills, no such thing as protecting your fellow man.

[Withywindle]

53. Why is the author of this piece doing nonessential travel in the first place?

Seriously. No one who doesn't live in Vegas or have family or work there needs to go to Vegas. Why are they in a hotel at all? Why are they on a plane? All the places they say they've been to...why did they go there?

I love traveling and I hate that I can't do it, but I accept that I can't do it now. Leisure travelers need to stop doing that for the time being, no matter how well-written their blog posts are.

[Demovictory9]

54. barefoot, pizza directly on the table?

C19 or not, that's disgusting.