May 21, 2020

Covid-19, Phase 2, State Opening Update

NC Governor’s Executive Order 141 - Phase 2

At 5:00 PM on Wednesday, May 20, 2020, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced Executive Order 141.

This order is classified as "Phase 2" of the reopening of North Carolina. Executive Order 141 will go into effect at 5:00 PM on Friday, May 22, 2020.

Download PDF
https://files.nc.gov/governor/documents/files/EO141-Phase-2.pdf

What’s included in Safer At Home Phase 2?

Phase 2 lifts the Stay At Home order moving into a Safer At Home recommendation, especially for people at high risk for serious illness. Teleworking is also urged when possible.

Mass gathering limits in Phase 2 will be no more than 10 people indoors or 25 people outdoors in most circumstances. These limits apply to the following: event venues; conference centers; stadiums and sports arenas; amphitheaters; and groups at parks or beaches.

Some businesses will remain closed in Phase 2 including: bars; night clubs; gyms and indoor fitness facilities; indoor entertainment venues such as movie theaters, and bowling alleys.

Certain businesses will be open at limited capacity with other requirements and recommendations including: restaurants at 50% dine-in capacity with distancing and cleaning requirements; personal care businesses, including salons and barbers, at 50% capacity with distancing and cleaning requirements; pools at 50% capacity with distancing and cleaning requirements. Employees of personal care businesses will be required to wear face coverings.

Childcare facilities, day camps and overnight camps will be open with enhanced cleaning and screening requirements. Retail businesses allowed to open in Phase 1 at 50% capacity will continue at that level.

Public health recommendations are provided for worship services to practice enhanced social distancing and other cleaning and hygiene practices.

The Safer At Home Phase 2 runs through at least Friday, June 26.
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From Twitter

Gov. Cooper and members of the Coronavirus Task Force will give an update at 5pm. Watch it live here. https://t.co/S8Cp3x7rg7

https://twitter.com/NC_Governor/status/1263211812134072320

Stay safe and good luck everyone.
❤ lmsp

May 19, 2020

Free Webinar Employer requirements under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

https://www.ncrma.org/webinars/


You are invited to a free webinar presented by the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. The presentation will take place on Wednesday, May 20 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. EST and it will focus on employer requirements under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

Register using the link below and feel free to ask your colleagues to register as well. The registration page has links to informative FFCRA materials and a video that you may want to view prior to the webinar. Those who register will receive an email with a webinar link and call-in details at least one day before the event.

Registration link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/families-first-coronavirus-response-act-ffcra-webinar-tickets-104073215790

For further information about Coronavirus, please visit the HHS’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

May 18, 2020

TS Arthur, outer bands arrive

☆Just a reminder as we enter storm season, albeit early, that you can get automatic updates from the hurricane center in the pinned post on the opening page for the NC group.

Here: https://www.democraticunderground.com/10697518

Posted is the direct link to the National Hurricane Center:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

and the five day updates, which can be found in the replies:

https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/gtwo.php?basin=atlc&fdays=5

☆The weather warning link is also in the pinned posts and automatically updates as well.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10697503

Stay safe and good luck everyone!
❤ lmsp

May 17, 2020

President Obama's Commencement Address:p

Cross post from Video and Multimedia forum.
Hat tip to ancianita.




In Case You Missed It -- Graduate Together 2020

President Obama's Commencement Address:

Hi, everybody. Aniyah, thank you for that beautiful introduction. I could not be prouder of everything you’ve done in your time with the Obama Foundation.

And of course, I couldn’t be prouder of all of you in the graduating Class of 2020 — as well as the teachers, and the coaches, and most of all, parents and family who guided have you along the way.

Now graduating is a big achievement under any circumstances. Some of you have had to overcome serious obstacles along the way, whether it was an illness, or a parent losing a job, or living in a neighborhood where people too often count you out. Along with the usual challenges of growing up, all of you have had to deal with the added pressures of social media, reports of school shootings, and the specter of climate change. And then, just as you’re about to celebrate having made it through, just as you’ve been looking forward to proms and senior nights, graduation ceremonies — and, let’s face it, a whole bunch of parties — the world is turned upside down by a global pandemic. And as much as I’m sure you love your parents, I’ll bet that being stuck at home with them and playing board games or watching Tiger King on TV is not exactly how you envisioned the last few months of your senior year.

Now I’ll be honest with you — the disappointments of missing a live graduation — those will pass pretty quick. I don’t remember much from my own high school graduation. I know that not having to sit there and listen to a commencement speaker isn’t all that bad — mine usually go on way too long. Also, not that many people look great in those caps, especially if you have big ears like me. And you’ll have plenty of time to catch up with your friends once the immediate public health crisis is over.

It’s also pulled the curtain back on another hard truth, something that we all have to eventually accept once our childhood comes to an end. All those adults that you used to think were in charge and knew what they were doing? Turns out that they don’t have all the answers. A lot of them aren’t even asking the right questions. So, if the world’s going to get better, it going to be up to you.

That realization may be kind of intimidating. But I hope it’s also inspiring. With all the challenges this country faces right now, nobody can tell you “no, you’re too young to understand” or “this is how it’s always been done.” Because with so much uncertainty, with everything suddenly up for grabs, this is your generation’s world to shape.
Since I’m one of the old guys, I won’t tell you what to do with this power that rests in your hands. But I’ll leave you with three quick pieces of advice.

First, don’t be afraid. America’s gone through tough times before — slavery, civil war, famine, disease, the Great Depression and 9/11. And each time we came out stronger, usually because a new generation, young people like you, learned from past mistakes and figured out how to make things better.

Second, do what you think is right. Doing what feels good, what’s convenient, what’s easy — that’s how little kids think. Unfortunately, a lot of so-called grown-ups, including some with fancy titles and important jobs, still think that way — which is why things are so screwed up.

I hope that instead, you decide to ground yourself in values that last, like honesty, hard work, responsibility, fairness, generosity, respect for others. You won’t get it right every time, you’ll make mistakes like we all do. But if you listen to the truth that’s inside yourself, even when it’s hard, even when its inconvenient, people will notice. They’ll gravitate towards you. And you’ll be part of the solution instead of part of the problem.

And finally, build a community. No one does big things by themselves. Right now, when people are scared, it’s easy to be cynical and say let me just look out for myself, or my family, or people who look or think or pray like me. But if we’re going to get through these difficult times; if we’re going to create a world where everybody has the opportunity to find a job, and afford college; if we’re going to save the environment and defeat future pandemics, then we’re going to have to do it together. So be alive to one another’s struggles. Stand up for one another’s rights. Leave behind all the old ways of thinking that divide us — sexism, racial prejudice, status, greed — and set the world on a different path.

When you need help, Michelle and I have made it the mission of our Foundation to give young people like you the skills and support to lead in your own communities, and to connect you with other young leaders around the country and around the globe.

But the truth is that you don’t need us to tell you what to do.

Because in so many ways, you’ve already started to lead.

Congratulations, Class of 2020. Keep making us proud.

❤ lmsp

May 17, 2020

These are the places Covid-19 spreads in the real world, Bloomberg Opinion

Thread Reader

Bonjour, the unroll you asked for: @bopinion: These are the places Covid-19 spreads in the real world: 🖥Workplaces 🍽Restaurants ⛪️Churches 🎈Parties It… https://t.co/WPPQ0VITDT Enjoy 🤖

Click the link above to read the less confusing version of the Twitter thread, referred to as the unroll. The actual Twitter feed is posted below.

❤ lmsp

https://twitter.com/threadreaderapp/status/1261808961369640967


These are the places Covid-19 spreads in the real world:

🖥Workplaces
🍽Restaurants
⛪️Churches
🎈Parties

It doesn't really spread here:

🌳Public parks
🏖Beaches
🛒Quick trips to the grocery store

https://t.co/gZJTHl52nr
https://twitter.com/bopinion/status/1261397014895624194

Scientists are starting to get a handle on how the novel coronavirus behaves. We now know that the two drivers of the spread of the disease are:

1) Close contact
2) Crowding in closed space

https://t.co/LyScwtM7Sd

https://t.co/BYTS8tEKy2

https://twitter.com/bopinion/status/1261403125174480899

You've probably heard that each infected individual transmits the virus to between two and three others on average.

But the important point, which is often missed, is that this is just an average

https://t.co/LyScwtuwtD

https://t.co/ZI9fR1Nak2

https://twitter.com/bopinion/status/1261403126847795201

In the real world, most people transmit the disease to nobody, and a minority infect many others in super-spreading events.

Only 9% of infected people are responsible for 80% of the transmissions

https://t.co/LyScwtM7Sd

https://t.co/Kr1OH7s80r

https://twitter.com/bopinion/status/1261403129008046082

People think if you get exposed, you'll automatically get sick or become infectious, but that's not always the case.

Even people exposed to sick family members in their homes don’t always get sick https://t.co/LyScwtM7Sd https://t.co/I7STH6sUvt

https://twitter.com/bopinion/status/1261403133231718400

People passing by you in a supermarket are unlikely to infect you. ⛅️Outdoor environments appear much safer as well.

In one study, which followed hundreds of cases, all but one transmission occurred indoors https://t.co/LyScwtuwtD https://t.co/H4nvuwlnxX

https://twitter.com/bopinion/status/1261403135332909056

May 14, 2020

Your trip to the dentist is about to get more painful -- but not for the reason you might think

Dispatches from a Pandemic
‘It’s really the Wild West out there.’ Your trip to the dentist is about to get more painful — but not for the reason you might think
Published: May 13, 2020 at 4:19 p.m. ET
By Elisabeth Buchwald

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/its-really-the-wild-west-out-there-your-trip-to-the-dentist-is-about-to-get-more-painful-but-not-for-the-reason-you-might-think-2020-05-12

One dentist has spent nearly $35,000 on disinfectant equipment, including oral high-speed aerosol evacuation units, ozone generators and ultraviolet lights

Before coronavirus, dentists were not required to wear N95 masks. MarketWatch photo illustration/Getty Images

Dentists will likely be feeling the pain too during your next visit.

After losing over a month’s worth of revenue following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide only emergency services, dentists are eager to see their patients again.

But doing so comes at a hefty cost.

To lure patients back and ensure his own safety as well as his staff’s, Anthony Ceccacci, a dentist and owner of Madison Avenue Smiles, a New York City-based dental practice, said he’s gone on a financial limb with scant guidance from health authorities.

For $85, he’s offering finger-stick antibody tests. He’s also asking all of his patients to rinse their mouths with iodine prior to being seen.

More at the link.
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/its-really-the-wild-west-out-there-your-trip-to-the-dentist-is-about-to-get-more-painful-but-not-for-the-reason-you-might-think-2020-05-12

❤lmsp

May 13, 2020

Win the Era Endorsements

https://staging.wintheera.com/endorsements/

Pete Buttigieg
Meet the candidates endorsed by Win the Era

Win the Era supports candidates who are lifting up the issues facing this and subsequent generations; who are committed to building a sense of belonging in our country; who are running pioneering campaigns; who are proposing and supporting meaningful, bold policies; and who model the values and spirit of our campaign.

•Gina Ortiz Jones

US House TX-23

•Michelle De La Isla

US House KS-2

•JA Moore

SC House-15

•Sharice Davids

US House KS-3

•Jaime Harrison

US Senate, SC

•Christine Hunschofsky

FL House-96

•Cal Cunningham

US Senate, NC

•Kate Schroder

US House OH-1

•Josh Shapiro

PA Attorney General

•Levar Stoney

Mayor of Richmond, VA

•Lamont Robinson

IL House-5

•Lauren Underwood

US House IL-14

•Jevin Hodge

Maricopa County AZ Board of Supervisors

•Roy Cooper

NC Governor

•Lucy McBath

US House GA-6

•Anthony Brown

US House MD-4

•Sandra Jauregui

NV House-41

•Annie Kuster

US House NH-2

•Malcolm Kenyatta

PA House-181

•Yvonne Lewis Holley

NC Lieutenant Governor

•Don Beyer

US House VA-8

•Sydney Batch

NC House-37

More at the link.
https://staging.wintheera.com/endorsements/

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Visit the link to learn more about each endorsement and to follow links to their Web pages, including those where you can donate to their campaigns.
❤ lmsp

May 12, 2020

This restaurant in Amsterdam introduced 'quarantine greenhouses'

This restaurant in Amsterdam introduced 'quarantine greenhouses' so diners can eat while social distancing
By Leah Asmelash, CNN

Updated 2:08 PM ET, Thu May 7, 2020



People have dinner in a so-called quarantine greenhouses in Amsterdam, on May 5, 2020 as the country fights against the spread of the COVID-19, the novel coronavirus.

(CNN)Missing restaurants while social distancing? You're not alone. One restaurant in the Netherlands, though, has found a solution.

Mediamatic ETEN, a restaurant in Amsterdam, is offering a four-course vegetarian menu for diners -- served to guests while they sit in their own personal quarantine greenhouses.
Right now, the trial service is only being offered to family and friends of staff, and all upcoming reservations are sold out, according to the restaurant's website.


A group of friend have dinner in a so-called quarantine greenhouses in Amsterdam, on May 5, 2020 as the country fights against the spread of the COVID-19, the novel coronavirus.
Still, as many places begin to loosen restrictions on social distancing, this type of greenhouse dining could take off.

More at the link.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/07/world/dutch-restaurant-reopen-greenhouse-trnd/index.html

❤ lmsp

May 12, 2020

Just keep in mind that when you doff the skull face covering

you take care not to drag the exposed sides/surface of the fabric across your face and eyes or you'll risk spreading the virus all over your face and in your hair.

You must carefully fold the outer surface in on itself as you doff it and launder in hot soapy water before you don it again.

Better yet, get two and you'll have one at the ready while the other is laundered. ❤ lmsp

May 9, 2020

I Hired a Team of Secret Shoppers to Find Out How Businesses Were Opening in Dallas. It's Not Good.

I Hired a Team of Secret Shoppers to Find Out How Businesses Were Opening in Dallas. It’s Not Good.

Mark Cuban's Weblog

Posted on May 7, 2020
I wanted to get an understanding of what opening meant to businesses around Dallas. Were they opening? What precautions were they taking? Were employees in safe environments? And bigger picture, I wanted to know if these are places that I would feel safe taking my family to.
So I hired a company that specialized in this type of project, https://shiftsmart.com/, and asked them to let me know how Dallas businesses were responding to the Open Order for Texas.
We will do this again a couple more times so we can learn what the trends are and try to learn from it.

This is what we found:
Methodology:
We called ~1000 restaurant and retail locations based on popularity (we used # of reviews on Yelp by category as a proxy) to assess full re-open rate (open for dine-in, in-person shopping etc.)
We conducted physical audits at ~300 locations across restaurants and retail locations in Dallas to assess compliance against state re-opening protocols

Overview:
1)Re-opening Rate: Only 36% of businesses chose to open on the opening weekend. Media coverage, showcasing owner sentiment and infection statistics, paint a picture of a large degree of latent fear in the marketplace.

2) Aggregate Degree of Safety Protocol Compliance – By Locations: Overall – 96% of businesses were non-compliant across all mandatory protocols and all locations. The extent of non-compliance is dramatic with ~1/3 of all locations being <50% compliant across mandatory protocols as established by the Governor’s office. The chart below breaks out the degree of compliance across mandatory compliance % buckets.

More at the link.

http://blogmaverick.com/2020/05/07/i-hired-a-team-of-secret-shoppers-to-find-out-how-businesses-were-opening-in-dallas-its-not-good/