The Greenville coronavirus thread

[gman430]

This is a City of Greenville Alert message: 

 

Effective Monday, March 16th non-essential city employees will telecommute, work from home or report on staggered schedules to minimize person-to-person contact.

•    Access to public buildings will be restricted. 

•    Payments will be accepted over the phone, online and by mail.

•    Permits, licensing and payment assistance will be handled online or by phone.

•    The Greenville Zoo will close from March 14 through March 31st to protect staff from exposure and ensure continuity of care for the animals.

•    City Community Centers will be closed through March 31st to create social distance, thereby protecting senior citizens who are most at risk.

•    City permitted events including Piedmont Natural Gas Downtown Alive and Greenville Heritage Main Street Fridays are cancelled through Friday, April 17. Other events will be rescheduled when possible. 

•    City Council and other public meetings will be hosted via internet. Meetings can be accessed at greenvillesc.gov/meeting 

Essential Services and Personnel to Continue Operations with Caution

Greenville Police Officers will:

•    Respond only to medical calls of an acute nature (heart attacks, not breathing)

•    Maintain 6ft safe space during interviews

•    Take non-emergency reports over the phone to minimize contact

•    Postpone group large group training exercises

•    Postpone Citizens Academy and ride-a-longs

Greenville Firefighters will:

•    Wear additional personal protective gear during medical response calls

•    Limit public access to fire stations

•    Postpone public safety educational events 

•    Coordinate response protocol for COVID-19 patients with EMS, hospitals

Greenlink will:

•    Continue normal operation with additional cleaning on buses and in facilities, considering many residents rely on public transit to work and medical appointments.

•    Cancel trolley service through March 31st understanding ridership is primarily recreational.

Municipal Court will:

•    Reschedule bench trials where possible.

•    Hold bond hearings at the jail.

•    Encourage payment of fines by mail or online state system.

•    Add sanitation protocols for walk-in spaces.

Public Works will:

•    Continue trash pick-up and recycling.

•    Perform maintenance and landscaping.

•    Limit employee to employee contact and employee to public contact.

“We appreciate the deep impact and potential hardships these actions will have on our community. The decisions were made after thoughtful planning and consideration,” said City Manager John McDonough. “It is our responsibility to prevent the spread of disease, while continuing to offer the important services our citizens need. We appreciate the flexibility of our employees and the understanding of our residents during this unprecedented pandemic emergency.”

The Greenville Cares call center will continue Monday through Friday 8am-5pm operation at 232-2273 and [email protected] for citizens to report concerns and maintenance needs. The City of Greenville website and social media accounts will be updated regularly. Payments will be accepted online at greenvillesc.gov and through the mail to P.O. Box 2207, 206 S. Main Street, Greenville, 29602.

emergency.greenvillesc.gov

 

 

[gman]

PLEASE, NO NEGATIVE OR SARCASTIC COMMENTS TO THIS POST.

Henry's Smokehouse had a Facebook post saying that just today, they had 3 large cancellations for over 1,000 people. Please folks, let's do all we can to support our local restaurants. These are hard working folks that employ thousands of workers that contribute much to our economy and much to the betterment of our community.  Thank you for letting me speak on this urgent message.

[gman]

All schools in our state will be closed beginning tomorrow. https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/2020/03/15/could-sc-schools-close-press-conference-set-amid-coronavirus-outbreak/5053781002/

[gman]

Based on the press conference yesterday, it sounds like we need to prepare ourselves for a complete lockdown of our country, maybe for a few weeks. Praying I am wrong. 

[gman430]

1 hour ago, gman said:

Based on the press conference yesterday, it sounds like we need to prepare ourselves for a complete lockdown of our country, maybe for a few weeks. Praying I am wrong. 

Only if they pay my bills.  If not, i’m going to work. Wake me up when this country shuts down for the flu which kills far more people every year. 

Edited March 17, 2020 by gman430

[NewlyUpstate]

6 hours ago, gman430 said:

Only if they pay my bills.  If not, i’m going to work. Wake me up when this country shuts down for the flu which kills far more people every year

If we didn't have base level immunity to the seasonal flu alongside a vaccine that greatly reduces the severity and protects those most at risk, we probably would shut the country down for the flu.

[gman430]

http://wyff4.com/article/greenville-mayor-takes-emergency-action-to-halt-spread-of-covid-19/31707

[gman]

https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/greenville/downtown/2020/03/16/coronavirus-greenville-mayor-city-may-limit-gathering-restaurants-bars-cdc-charleston/5062872002/

[gman]

Reminder, when you pick up at a drive thru, someone waits on you, takes the order and delivers it to you. LEAVE A TIP! When you use the drive thru, leave extra tip money for the awesome waitresses. I am amazed that most folks don't leave a tip for a pick up or drive-thru order. 

[gman430]

This is awful but I will do all I can to get food from local businesses throughout the area until this is over with along with leaving a great tip. I urge every forum member on here to do the same. 

If you can, also donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/those-affected-by-the-shutdown?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet

Edited March 17, 2020 by gman430

[apaladin]

Forgive my ignorance but from what I have seen, read the survival rate is 100 percent unless you have a preexisting conditions and are high risk. There are many infectious diseses that you can get from being in a public place. If somoene is in the high risk category a common cold can kill you if it turns into pneumonia. Why are we shutting dowm the country because some people will get sick but recover? Is it just because it is new? We have had new illness' before and nothing like this has ever happened. Are we getting the whole story??? Could this be for economical or political gain? Could it be a lot more serious than they are telling us? Forgive me for the comparison but it reminds me of the oil shortage hoax back in the 70's. I am really afraid that the life we had a week or 2 ago may never return. 

The other thing I am concerned about is that it is a lot easier to follow the leader and shut everything down but who is going to have the guts to be the first one to open something back up.?

=

Edited March 18, 2020 by apaladin

[gman430]

To answer your question: notice it’s an election year. I believe the death rate with this virus is higher percentage wise than the flu also but not enough for the panic and mass hysteria being caused by the media.

Can’t believe every single casino in Las Vegas is closed too. Doesn’t seem real. 

Edited March 18, 2020 by gman430

[bikeoid]

5 hours ago, apaladin said:

Forgive my ignorance but from what I have seen, read the survival rate is 100 percent unless you have a preexisting conditions and are high risk. There are many infectious diseses that you can get from being in a public place. If somoene is in the high risk category a common cold can kill you if it turns into pneumonia. Why are we shutting dowm the country because some people will get sick but recover? Is it just because it is new? We have had new illness' before and nothing like this has ever happened. Are we getting the whole story??? Could this be for economical or political gain? Could it be a lot more serious than they are telling us? Forgive me for the comparison but it reminds me of the oil shortage hoax back in the 70's. I am really afraid that the life we had a week or 2 ago may never return. 

=

The survival rate is not 100 percent for healthy people, and complications from pneumonia are nothing to take lightly.  The fact that it seems to spread easier is a factor - despite the extraordinary care now taken (mass hand washing lessons, etc), it has entered a second senior care home.   Based on numbers alone in the US, an unchecked spread would almost certainly max out hospitals with serious cases, leading to suspension of all health care activities for everyone else.

In the best case, we'll all look back at this and scoff that it was a scam, just as most people look back at Y2K and laugh at the scam.   While I don't know that jail doors would have opened on 1/1/2000, I can say with certainty that massive parts of the economy would have reverted back to paper and pencil , and many services would have stopped for several months if nothing was done beforehand.   Managers never would have authorized  funds for the fixes if the media hadn't hyped the scare stories.

[bikeoid]

Also, with the vaccine at least 12-18 months away, what are the chances that our social distancing without widespread testing will really halt the virus until then?   It will be impractical to shut the world down for 18 months, so if we don't stop it - things will reopen and we'll have to take the hit (whatever it is).

[NewlyUpstate]

2 hours ago, bikeoid said:

Also, with the vaccine at least 12-18 months away, what are the chances that our social distancing without widespread testing will really halt the virus until then?   It will be impractical to shut the world down for 18 months, so if we don't stop it - things will reopen and we'll have to take the hit (whatever it is).

Widespread testing is a necessity and we won't be able to open things up again until that is in place.  Italy has basically started testing everyone in each region as its well known by now that the most dangerous people in this pandemic are those who are asymptomatic or show very mild symptoms. They are the ones living life normally and spreading it to many people at high risk who then go on to have very severe symptoms or even die.  I don't think we will be able to get back to normal until we do something very similar to that.

The reason why you close everything and enact social distancing is in an attempt to spread out the cases as much as possible.  Best case is that you "halt the virus" but that is very unlikely until the vaccine is developed, that's why after things start to open we will have regional flareups for a year or so still.  If we don't spread out cases, the hospitals will instead have to start choosing who gets treated and who doesn't... this isn't some hypothetical, it's already happening in certain parts of the world (Italy).  This is why governors are now starting to talk not just how we can slow this thing down, but how we can expedite building temporary hospitals.  If we don't, our hospitals will get overwhelmed quickly and many unnecessary deaths will occur.

Edited March 18, 2020 by NewlyUpstate

[Greenville Paladin]

19 hours ago, gman said:

https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/greenville/downtown/2020/03/16/coronavirus-greenville-mayor-city-may-limit-gathering-restaurants-bars-cdc-charleston/5062872002/

Governor Henry McMaster issued Executive Order #2020-10 yesterday, Tuesday, 17 March.  On-premises consumption at food-service establishments ("restaurants") is suspended from Wednesday, 18 March, through Tuesday, 31 March.

[apaladin]

I understand the hospital thing but only the gravely Ill need to be in the hospital. The experts say if you get it stay home, of course unless you are already have an existing condition. 

[gman430]

The biggest mall owner in the U.S., Simon Property Group, announced it will be closing all of its malls and outlet centers in the country, effective at 7 p.m. until March 29. “The health and safety of our shoppers, retailers and employees is of paramount importance,” CEO David Simon said in a statement. Simon is the first U.S. mall owner to take such a broad-sweeping effort, as retailers altogether have temporarily closed thousands of locations in recent days.

[Danmire]

Quit with the election year conspiracy theories.  Actually educate yourself on the severity of Covid-19.  Currently the mortality rate of this strain in the US  is 1.6%.   The mortality rate in Italy is 7.9%.  Flu has a mortality rate of 0.1%.  These measures are being taken so we don't become Italy.  35 Million people contracted the Flu last year.  35,000 died.  With a mortality rate of 1.6% and if the infected rise to flu levels at 35 million that is 560,000 deaths.  Covid-19 has also proven to be more communicable than the flu that at least a third of the US population could be infected.  Also there are the knock on effects of the health system being overrun with covid-19 cases taking beds that would normally be used for other sicknesses and illnesses that people need hospitalization for.  Listen to the experts not the pundits.  This is serious.  The steps being taken now are to save lives. 

Quit peddling in these lies.  Take it seriously.

[Exile]

8 minutes ago, Danmire said:

Quit with the election year conspiracy theories.  Actually educate yourself on the severity of Covid-19.  Currently the mortality rate of this strain in the US  is 1.6%.   The mortality rate in Italy is 7.9%.  Flu has a mortality rate of 0.1%.  These measures are being taken so we don't become Italy.  35 Million people contracted the Flu last year.  35,000 died.  With a mortality rate of 1.6% and if the infected rise to flu levels at 35 million that is 560,000 deaths.  Covid-19 has also proven to be more communicable than the flu that at least a third of the US population could be infected.  Also there are the knock on effects of the health system being overrun with covid-19 cases taking beds that would normally be used for other sicknesses and illnesses that people need hospitalization for.  Listen to the experts not the pundits.  This is serious.  The steps being taken now are to save lives. 

Quit peddling in these lies.  Take it seriously.

Who are you responding to? Inquiring minds want to know, 'cause I don't see any post in this thread that's asserting what you're refuting.

Edit: I see now. A different thread.

Edited March 18, 2020 by Exile

[Danmire]

On 3/17/2020 at 7:52 AM, gman430 said:

Only if they pay my bills.  If not, i’m going to work. Wake me up when this country shuts down for the flu which kills far more people every year. 

Thees quote's here and there are other quotes on the GSP Airport thread.  

[Exile]

Here's some perspective on the mathematics of mortality.

[gman430]

This could last 18 months: https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-virus-plan-anticipates-18-190626012.html Wow.

[gman]

8 minutes ago, gman430 said:

This could last 18 months: https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-virus-plan-anticipates-18-190626012.html Wow.

Now we know why Trump is now taking this virus serious. You can see it on his face and you can hear it in his voice. Scary stuff. 

[gman430]

43 minutes ago, Danmire said:

Thees quote's here and there are other quotes on the GSP Airport thread.  

https://www.yahoo.com/news/ask-taboo-america-overreacting-coronavirus-191630253.html