"Now that it's over...." I saw someone on the local news say that.

[MineralMan]

The ignorant around us do not read the newspaper. They do not watch the local news on their TVs. What news they get comes from online sources, if they get any news at all.

The man who said that this morning on my local news was out and about, sans mask, on the streets. He thinks the COVID-19 pandemic is history, not a real threat to him, his family, his friends, and others. He believes Donald J. Trump, who has been selling this "It's over" nonsense on a daily basis.

His attitude appears to be shared by many people. I see them on the news, as well, gathered in groups of people not wearing masks and not maintaining social distancing. They think "it's over," too. They're at local restaurants and bars. They're out this weekend at swimming pools. I've seen the photos and videos. Today, many of them will attend church services and invite their friends over for a backyard cook-out.

"Now that it's over..." is a myth created by the White House. It's a meme being broadcast by Fox News and right wing social media outlets.

IT'S NOT OVER! In fact, it hasn't even reached its peak yet. It has slowed down in some places, where precautions have been put in place and enforced. Elsewhere, though, it is still increasing in the number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.

We are about to see another spike, due to those who are accepting this "Now that it's over" nonsense.

Keep up with your safety precautions. Stay away from people who say "Now that it's over..."

[tanyev]

1. And very little has changed since before the shutdown.

A competent federal government would have used the down time to get testing and tracing procedures in place so that we could stay on top of new outbreaks. Mask wearing is more common now than when this started, but how long is that going to last? I think a lot of hospitals still have insufficient PPE.

[Scarsdale]

20. The key word here is

"competent". Nobody in this administration knows what the word means. They are all in this to enrich themselves. Pompous Pompeo is looking forward to 2024, so he can replace tRump as grifter in chief. Ivanka/Jared are making money hand over fist. I have not quite figured out what milquetoast Pence is planning (or what Mother is planning for him). The tRump "boys" are getting their wives/escorts paid for by the Pac run by Parscale. The donors must be agreeable to all their donations enriching Parscale and others.

[jimfields33]

32. People only see numbers

They see 40 percent of the deaths are in New York and New Jersey. And another six states have the rest basically. I know that is what people latch onto.

[DownriverDem]

38. All they post

are rightie opinion pieces. They still do not think the virus is serious enough. For example, after posting the story about a symptomatic hair stylist exposing 91 folks, the response I got was 98% won't get it. I told them "we don't know that". How can we fight that ignorance?

[warrior1]

2. This was predicted early on

when the measures of staying home were slowly bringing the death/infection rate down, people would feel it's safe to return to normal.

A simple fact that hasn't changed, one person can infect thousands so easily.

[MineralMan]

5. And Trump keeps pushing the idea that it will magically disappear somehow.

So, those who believe the idiocy that comes out of his mouth are showing up in droves. They're still a small minority, but that doesn't matter, they're still out there spreading the virus.

[AZ8theist]

94. Mineral Man wise be you....

(in my best Yoda impersonation....)

[malaise]

3. K & R

IT'S NOT OVER!

[MineralMan]

6. You're right. It's not.

[calimary]

48. Correct. We're still up to our eyeballs in it.

It HASN’T “gone away.”

I sometimes wish the stupids could have their own planet to live on.

[BComplex]

80. They would have already destroyed each other, and the planet, by now.

I just wish they understood that just because they're "over it" with staying safe, it's not over.

[hunter]

91. It's as if the U.S.A. is shooting for a million dead by November.

We're Number One!

[malaise]

93. It's crazy

I don't get it

[Ferrets are Cool]

4. That seems to be the prevalent attitude here.

[MineralMan]

7. I'm not seeing it that much in St. Paul, MN,

but outside of the cities, there are lots of people out and ignoring the precautions.

[NickB79]

33. I braved Chipotle in Apple Valley yesterday

Out of 6 employees and 20 customers in the time I was waiting, I was the only one in a mask.

[Iggo]

71. Zero food service employees were masked?

Which Chipotle was it?

[NickB79]

75. Apple Valley, MN

Zero masks. At least 6 employees.

[hangaleft]

102. You stayed?

That’s your choice, of course. I would have just quietly left without making a scene.

[Iggo]

104. Gah! I assumed it was Apple Valley, CA.

Duh.

[Ferrets are Cool]

87. I had to go into Lowes yesterday AND today

because I'm a dummy and didn't buy enough of what I needed. About 20% were masked and I was the only one who was wearing gloves. So, about 80% think this chit is over.

[Stuart G]

8. "...IT'S NOT OVER" only fools think it is over..& they could be ..."Dead Fools"

Remember....stupid is what stupid is..........correct....your quote:

........"it hasn't even reached its peak yet."

[MineralMan]

9. I think that the best we can do is avoid such people,

while sticking to using the precautions. We won't change their minds, but we can certainly avoid them.

[Tanuki]

27. No, "we" cannot "certainly avoid them". Not everyone is in a privileged coccoon

of elective isolation. Essential workers, even exercising utmost precautions, cannot avoid the people who selfishly place whim and momentary convenience above the common good.

[MineralMan]

45. That's true. Some people can't avoid others. I can, though,

and do. I recommend that everyone who can should avoid as many people as possible who are unmasked.

That will help as much as individuals are able to help in that way.

[Tanuki]

53. I heartily agree. I am a health care professional, and aside from work,

I have totally self isolated. I don't socialize in person at all, and have not even set foot in a grocery store since lockdown (having stocked up beforehand, and getting no-contact produce boxes at my local farm, and pantry needs by delivery). I am meticulously careful when I am out of the house and will not risk catching something in the community to bring back to my patients and their contacts. I am really pissed off that some people insist on exposing themselves, and secondarily everyone else, unnecessarily via frivolous gadding about (and yes, I am certainly including in-person worship services during a pandemic, even though I am a believer and under ordinary circumstances a church-goer myself.) Stay safe, everyone! This is far from over. Stay home as much as possible and not just as much as is convenient. Pretend that anyone you encounter may be an asymptomatic carrier and protect yourself accordingly.

[calimary]

69. Basically, you do what you can.

[raging moderate]

86. So, we should not get our teeth cleaned right now?

Our dentist has me scheduled for a routine cleaning on Thursday, June 4th. My husband has cancelled his appointment. He is 77 and a cancer survivor. The dentist emailed me some information about anti-COVID`19 precautions she is taking. I am wondering if maybe I should cancel, too.

[Boomer]

89. Seriously?

Yes, cancel.

Unless you're suffering from a tooth infection and unbearable pain, it's simply not worth the risk for a routine cleaning.

[DENVERPOPS]

78. No problem

They will just be wrong.......DEAD WRONG......

[lark]

10. Rotten luck.

During the middle of this mess, my filling fell out of my back molar and when it was filled, it got infected! The really rotten luck is the dentist is as ass and a trumper. I've got numerous fillings and I know lots of other people with fillings, but I have never known anyone to get an infection from a filling. So, Medicare's' emergency dentist for this area is incompetent and a trumper to boot. Grrr. He actually said to me, aren't you glad we can quit wearing these ridiculous masks next week? I advised him that the virus doesn't care what the government says, it's here and I'm wearing a mask to protect others as well as myself. He said the #'s are a hoax. I tell him what my daughters R friend who's a nurse told us about her hospital here in town, full of CV19 patients, only s few beds' empty, takes a ton of work to manage a CV19 patient - 4x the resources. He then rants bout it's the only hospital in Jax taking these patients (he just fucking made it up on the spot). I quit arguing, and guess what, the MF'er fucked me up. Medicare won't let me go anyplace else, he broke me now has to fix me. Fuck! At least he finally got antibiotics to me, took 3 days, but the infection is finally going down. It was so disgusting, never had anything oozing out of my tooth before.

[MineralMan]

12. I'm hoping for no dental emergencies.

My wife had to have an extraction last week, but her dentist is very, very careful and takes every precaution. She's halfway through the antibiotic regimen.

[lark]

15. I wish the same for your wife.

Sounds like she had a good dentist. My dentist took all the right precautions for CV19, he has to as one of Medicare's official emergency dentist for this area during the pandemic. He's just an ass and obviously didn't take the right actions with my tooth or it wouldn't have gotten infected.

[DENVERPOPS]

26. I didn't know medicare

had such a thing as Emergency Dentists!? How, if needed, does one find out who it is in their city??????

[lark]

28. Only Medicare HMO's have emergency dentists because they cover dental work.

Regular Medicare and Medicare Supplements do not cover dental. If you have a Medicare HMO, call them & they will get you the information.

[DENVERPOPS]

77. Thx for the info!

[MineralMan]

37. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, it probably covers some dental stuff.

[DENVERPOPS]

76. Thx for the info!

[yellowdogintexas]

84. you can always get a separate dental plan. Many insurance companies offer them

Most would require a 6 month waiting period for any major work unless it is an emergency.

If your teeth are injured, there will often be some level of coverage in a medical plan. For those types of service the dentist office will generally want to file to your medical plan first, just in case there are any benefits there.

[yellowdogintexas]

82. our dentist and hygienist have always worn masks

Of course right now they are only doing emergency work.

[LeftInTX]

62. I'm so sorry

Every dentist I know has been wearing masks, gloves and safety glasses since the HIV pandemic. They also put safety glasses on us.

I just remember a story about the dentist who gave HIV to one of his patients.

Once again, I'm so sorry about your dentist.

I would file a complaint about the new filling getting infected. It is possible that aspectic technique may be lacking at that facility. I'm surprised they didn't pack your hollow molar with antibiotic prior to filling.

[Skittles]

81. you need a different dentist

seriously, WTF

[lark]

88. I know, this whole thing has seriously pissed me off.

Seriously!

[Skittles]

92. no, really

can you find another dentist? Something is very wrong with your dentist. I would not trust him to do my dental work, no INDEED.

[lark]

107. Dentist offices aren't open here, only the emergency ones.

I can't get anyone else to return my calls, and I must have called 20 different dentists so far.

[CrispyQ]

11. I live in a blue, very well educated area and the attitude is that the worst is over.

Masks required in stores, but a lot of people wear them around their neck once they get in. Out on the trails and sidewalks hardly anyone has a mask and they aren't even respecting the six foot rule. It's disappointing to see so many take the well being of our community so lightly.

[MineralMan]

13. I think we're all about to get a lesson about not

thinking it will just go away. I expect a rash of new cases and hospitalizations in the next couple of weeks.

[jimfields33]

18. I don't know but universal is opening June 5th

I am so curious to see how this works out. I’m mostly interested in seeing how many snow up. That will tell a lot in my opinion.

[Stuart G]

16. No one said that ...very well educated people....are not stupid......

remember "Stupid comes in all kinds of varieties"

1. tall
2. short
3. young
4. old
5. smart (yes, some smart people are ....quite stupid in some areas)
6. educated
7. non educated.
8. all religions
9. both sexes.
10. all parts of the country..
11. non religious
12. rich, middle income, poor

....you get the picture.....etc.etc.etc. and etc.

[DENVERPOPS]

30. That is a good call, SG

This virus is taking NO prisoners..........

My sick dream is that only the Dem's on the State's Register of Voters lists get some miracle vaccination pill, and then get to just sit back and watch.......

I used to not be nasty and hell bent on revenge, but after watching the Cruelty of the current administration and all their followers, I have become something I never wanted to be.

This would definitely fall under the old adage: You Grew It, You Chew It, chomp, chomp, chomp......

[iluvtennis]

40. Well educated have book sense, but some lack common sense. nt

[Tanuki]

35. The messaging has been terrible. I wish it was being hammered home

that "flattening the curve" was about making sure everyone didn't get sick at once and overwhelm healthcare capacity. People don't seem to realize that right now, we're at a place where there is a real and ongoing threat of contracting covid but you have the cold comfort of knowing you're more likely to score an ICU bed and a ventilator than this time last month. I fear the cost of this colossal mismanagement will be severe, deadly, and completely unneccessary.

[northoftheborder]

50. exactly right. The only difference now is...

.....there are more emergency beds available....which was the original aim of the shut downs. The virus is still out there, just as virulent, waiting for the next victims.....

[KentuckyWoman]

14. Like taking off the chute half way down.

Well I jumped, I don't need this stupid thing anymore.

SPLAT.

[Stuart G]

19. Great Comparison....OUTSTANDING !!!!EVERYONE READ POST ...# 14...

[CrispyQ]

64. Good one!

[MustLoveBeagles]

100. Perfect comparison

[Chainfire]

17. The only thing that is over

is the attempt to defeat the virus. It is a surrender, not a victory.

[Javaman]

21. They ain't whistling past the graveyard..

They are leading a marching band

[gab13by13]

22. They can put "It's Over" on their tombstones.

[DENVERPOPS]

39. Love it, gab

It's like that cartoon Non Sequitor where he shows a graveyard with tombstones that say: "Watch this" or "hold my beer" or "I can do that", etc etc

Maybe we should have a contest where everyone suggests the wording on a tombstone for the ones that screamed: HOAX ??????
Your's would be at the top of the list for the best entry, for sure !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mine would be Mad Magaizine's: "What, me worry????" Or best friends buried side by side, with: "BEAVIS" inscribed on one, and "BUTTHEAD" inscribed on the other......

[gab13by13]

61. "It's A Hoax" works too.

[smb]

66. Famous Last Words

[Pepsidog]

23. Without leadership at the federal level this was a foregone conclusion. Reminds me of the movie

The Ten Commandments when Moses comes down from the mountain to see his people partying and worshipping false idols. Needless to say, Moses was none to happy, just saying it reminds me of that scene. I am not suggesting a religious aspect to the virus.

[R B Garr]

24. Yes, it's looking more and more like this is the last phase of responsibility

with being masked and staying home. We're trying to get all we can done for the house while people are still reasonably responsible due to government mandates and before the summertime jollies take over, as we've committed to just staying home and finishing projects and fixing up our place until the end of the year.

We would love to go to the Bellagio in Vegas and were planning on a trip in August, along with all our usual fun summertime activities, but we'll be careful until the end of the year and see where this is all headed.

[yellowdogintexas]

85. I just wanted to go to my granddaughter's first birthday party

As it stands now, it will be via Zoom!
At least if it ends up that way, my sisters and their kids can check in!

My daughter & her family are in Phoenix and we are in Fort Worth. Our worst has not come yet and I think it is that way out there.

[R B Garr]

108. Oh! Happy 1st birthday to your granddaughter!

🎂🍰

I hear you on the disappointment about things we used to take for granted. Going to a 1st birthday is something to treasure. I guess we’ll have to get good at the Zoom. I haven’t tried it yet.

[Hugin]

25. I must've missed the opera lady singing, MM.

Who can hear anything over the Fat Orange Man gibbering?

[Evolve Dammit]

29. The stupid just burns. It may be hard to protect ourselves at this rate, even if you are careful.

Harder in some places than others for sure. Density and modeling Drumpf behavior will not be kind. I can't imagine all we've done so far being pissed on and pissed away. So tragic.

[MineralMan]

41. It does. I just got back from filling up the '96 Ranger with gas.

It has been sitting all Winter, and I just put a new Idle Air Control valve on it, which fixed its weird idling problems. Put 10 gallons of gas in it to fill it up, which should last the rest of the year.

Anyhow, no masks on any one at the Holiday station, inside or out. Except for me. I went inside and got a couple of sandwiches for lunch and then sanitized the heck out of my hands before getting back in the truck. When I got home I wiped down the sandwich wrappers and chip bags and sanitized again. No close contact with anyone.

I am very glad to have my truck back on the road, though.

[Evolve Dammit]

58. Wow a '96 Ranger. I miss my '90 Suburban. Standard shift 4WD, lock-out hubs and vinyl inside.

easy to clean. Got about 17 mpg on a good day though, so I don't miss that!

[Jeorge IX]

31. FOX Affiliate, I Presume?

smh

[MineralMan]

42. Nope. It was on my local CBS affiliate's news show.

It was just some dumbass saying something stupid.

[Jeorge IX]

68. UGH. Even Worse

COVID-19 ain't nothing on FOX (+Facebook) when it comes to infecting American society!

[NickB79]

34. There are 50x more infected people today than 2 months ago

Over? You're strolling into a goddamn minefield now.

[Stuart G]

47. Famous words."It's over"..So, the hurricane passes,the rain stops, then "floods-50 times more deaths

then what happened during the hurricane..

[oldsoftie]

55. But we really dont know that because of the sorry testing numbers

The more we test, the more we find.

[NickB79]

74. We do in fact know that, based on raw CDC death rates

We can see the massive spike in deaths over the past 2 months vs what we'd expect based on statistical death rates over the past few years. That's how we know we've significantly undercounted COVID deaths so far.

And using the number of deaths and the approximate fatality rate, we can see the rise in estimated infected individuals over the past few months. Past testing helped to confirm our models, and those models show rapid, sustained transmission across dozens of states currently.

If we had millions infected 3 months ago, we would have been seeing 1000+ of deaths per day starting in March, not May.

[maxrandb]

36. Sinclair Station?

[MineralMan]

43. Nope. CBS local morning news.

They interviewed some random guy.

[LeftInTX]

63. Whew!! I was wondering if this was an anchor!!

Thank God, it wasn't

[liberal N proud]

44. That is what trump and his cult want

They want everyone to act like it’s over. That no one else will get sick.

[bluestarone]

46. Yes they are saying it's over

Because of tRUMP and his cronies! They are all crazy!! Just to show you all, i enjoy Deadwood SD. very much BUT i would NOT go there until something changes (vaccine or something) I was watching there live cam and people with little children were numerous around town! Just made me sick that people were doing this!! I will put the site here for all to see if you choose too. Watch through the wkend and see for yourselves. I just don't get it about the stupidity out there! It's ALL DONALD tRUMP and his CRONIES!!! Anyway here's the site just scroll down to activate the cams!! Deadwood South Dakota Main street! https://www.deadwood.com/visitor-services/webcams/

[PatSeg]

49. Like the characters in The Masque of the Red Death

happily partying, oblivious to the very real threat that dwells among them.

It is like a very sad story where you know the ending, but you can't convince others of the pending doom. You want to help, but you can't help those who will not listen. The best you can do is stay as far away from them as possible and bite your tongue when they or their loved ones become gravely ill.

[MineralMan]

54. I am staying away from people, for sure.

When I can't avoid that, I mask up and am fanatical about sanitizing. I have to go to the supermarket and the pharmacy. I also had to fill up my old pickup truck this morning. I'm sanitizing my hands frequently, and the mask helps to remind me to keep my hands away from my face.

As for saying things to people, I don't do that much in public at all. I say thanks to the masked clerks behind their plexiglas screens, though.

[smb]

67. The Masque Of The Orange Death nt

[PatSeg]

97. Ah, yes!

[dchill]

51. I'll betcha he figures it out, eventually.

[MineralMan]

52. I believe he will catch it at some point.

There's a photo of him shaking hands with someone while out golfing. Idiot. No mask, no gloves, no sense.

[oldsoftie]

56. I'm watching the data. And my main concern is hospitalizations. Which are down in my state

In GA, we have had a "halfway" reopening 4 weeks ago. Since May 1st, the statewide Covid hospitalizations have dropped every week. Thats a great thing. What I'M waiting on is around June 15th or so. That'll be around 3 weeks after this Memorial Day weekend where people have gone out a LOT.
If we dont see a big spike in Covid admissions after that, I'll feel a lot better.

[Mars and Minerva]

57. Even stranger and almost as dangerous are the idiots who have convinced themselves....

that the cold that they had in February, was definitely Covid-19 and they are now immune and can come over and visit you.

Crazy!!!

[MineralMan]

59. Such guests are not welcome in my home.

[Mars and Minerva]

90. In my personal opinion...that's why Pepper Spray was created! nt

[bigtree]

60. and be wary of folks who look like they just got back from the beach

[kairos12]

65. Many states have rising rates. Mine does.

[progree]

70. If "local" means Minnesota, the statistics are really bad and trending worse

https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/situation.html

though the last 2 days have been better.

OK, the Minnesota Case Overview of new cases is misleading because they changed to reporting by date the sample was collected (as opposed to the previous and usual method of reporting by the date they were reported), and for samples collected in the past few days, not all have been analyzed and reported. So the last few days are always low.

So, moving on: deaths are about the same in the past 7 days as in the previous two 7-day periods (2 days ago it looked really bad, but the last 2 days have been lower numbers)

Moving on.

Hospital rates and ICU rates have been going up and up -- the past 9 days considerably higher ICU numbers than previously.

Whatevs. Our numbers are quite high

Bernardo de La Paz in https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213476097 points out that (using his new cases as a percent of active cases metric):

The US as a whole is running about 2% by that ratio, which is rather good and an indication that the PEOPLE are taking big precautions -- no help from the federal government.

When it gets to about 5%, that is a bit alarming. Texas has been running about 5%, and going by yesterday's figures, Louisiana is about 5%. Tennessee about 7%.

10% is a genuine outbreak. North Carolina, Mississippi, Wisconsin are about 9-10%. Minnesota is high, has been over 10% for a while.

And Dr. Fancy Scarves highlighted Minnesota

https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/05/23/coronavirus-mn-847-new-covid-19-cases-reported-10-more-people-die/

On Friday, Dr. Deborah Birx of the White House Coronavirus Task Force named Minnesota as a top state that still has “significant virus” in circulation. She says Minneapolis in particular has the fourth highest positivity rate in a metro area, behind Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Chicago respectively.

[Iggo]

72. I don't read newspapers. I haven't watched local news in decades. I get my news online.

[Upthevibe]

73. MineralMaln, I think I remember you're somewhere in California

where I am. Are you in Southern California? (I'm in L.A. and I don't watch the local news but I, obviously, keep track of things in other ways)....

[MineralMan]

79. No. I live in Minnesota now. I used to live in CA, 15 years ago.

[Soph0571]

83. Well in the UK

Now the PM has excused a blatant fuck off of the rules, cause power, the bank holiday tomorrow is going to see people doing want they want for 'reasonable' reasons. Meanwhile in the heat I will wear gloves and a mask and shield cause covid will kill my partner

[louis-t]

95. They are killing their own.

I keep thinking about the Twilight Zone episode where a magat comes to a town after a nuclear holocaust and convinces the residents that it's ok to eat the radioactive canned food. At the end, they're all laying dead in the street.

[warmfeet]

96. It's a very long way from over.

We are still in the first stage, of many stages. It is likely that less than 10% of Americans have been infected by Sars-CoV-2.

90%+ of the population, some 295 million people in America, have no antibodies, no resistance to this virus.

Anyone, with even the most rudimentary understanding of mathematics, can understand that this is just the beginning. Happy thoughts have no chance when going up against reality.

Protect yourself, protect your loved ones, protect your community. We have a long haul in front of us.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

98. I feel sorry for the children of the "it's over" crowd.

Many of them are going to find themselves in an ICU, wondering why their mother isn't there holding their hand and reassuring them that they're going to be all right. Dying alone is a horrible fate for an adult. I would hate to think of what it must be like for a child.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

99. That's what my FOX-watching brother-in-law...

... said to my sister, in regard to her helping him attend church services.

"Everybody says it's over now." WTF?! Is that what FOX is actually saying?! That's all that he watches, so where else did he get that idea?!

Somewhat proud that my sister is still cautious, given that she's also an evangelical nut. She's not the FOX-viewing variety, though, but mostly keeps her nose in the Bible or religious TV programs.

She made her husband sit in the very back with her, away from the others, and they both wore masks.

NOBODY else was wearing masks or social-distancing in that church, according to her.

[roamer65]

101. "Mission Accomplished".

Like Bu$h with that big sign on the aircraft carrier.

Little do they know for Mother Nature, the party has only begun.

[grantcart]

103. It will take a good 2 years

We just don't have the patience.

Thailand went martial law for a month, third day of no new indigenous cases. They are still at home, wearing masks when they go out and preparing to slowly go back to normal with strict social distancing.

[Aussie105]

105. Sounds to me that denialism and the concept of herd immunity are popular

Denialism is great. Carry on as normal. Until you can't because you caught it.

I wonder if there are any predictions for herd immunity?
60% infected? Maybe half die?
That would be like . . . . a lot of people. Millions! Tens of millions! One hundred million?

Nice experiment, America! I salute the survivors. And weep for the dead.

[Brainfodder]

106. Keep preaching to the choir I guess, but yeah at minimum, at least 1/22/21 until....

...and that day needs be smile time, or FML continues.