COVID 2nd Wave is Here, Wear a Mask!

[samhexum]

60-year-old woman beaten over mask dispute...

A 60-year-old woman was left bruised in Brooklyn after being attacked for asking two people to stay out of an elevator if they won't wear masks, cops said Wednesday. The woman was waiting for the elevator, and asked a young man...

 

IHOP employee slashed by customer refusing to wear mask...

An enraged customer was caught on camera slashing an IHOP employee in Queens after refusing to wear a mask, police said. While trying to stab a male employee, he ended up slashing another 40-year-old female employee in the arm. She was taken to the hospital and needed seven stitches, police said.

[orville]

60-year old woman beaten over mask dispute...

IHOP employee slashed by customer refusing to wear mask ...

Both cases feature not only young people but also from a low socio-economic level.

I feel like also in both cases, people try to take justice into their own hands.

That woman had nothing to say to those 2. Instead, she called herself "elevator gatekeeper".

The other guy should have never been inside a restaurant as a guard should be gatekeeping the doors, or at least that's how it is in Canada.

[samhexum]

CEO of Midwest health system leaves after refusing to wear mask

 

The chief executive of one of the nation’s largest regional health systems is leaving his job after refusing to wear a mask in the office.

 

Sanford Health said it “mutually agreed to part ways” with CEO Kelby Krabbenhoft after he reportedly sent an email to employees last week claiming he didn’t need to wear a face covering after recovering from the coronavirus.

 

Krabbenhoft argued that using a mask would be a “symbolic gesture” because his bout with COVID-19 had made him immune to the virus for “at least seven months and perhaps years to come,” according to the Associated Press. That claim isn’t supported by scientific research.

 

South Dakota-based Sanford, which has 46 hospitals and nearly 48,000 employees, did not mention the email when it announced Krabbenhoft’s departure on Tuesday. Krabbenhoft told local TV station KELO that he was leaving because the health system was in a strong position — even though he said in October that he wasn’t planning to retire for another 18 months.

 

“If there was ever a time for a guy, who’s been through what I’ve been through, this is a great time to say goodbye,” Krabbenhoft told the CBS affiliate.

 

Krabbenhoft sent the email as Midwestern hospitals battled a massive surge in COVID-19 cases. Sanford’s facilities are concentrated in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota, which have three of the worst infection rates in the country, according to the COVID Tracking Project.

 

Sanford distanced itself from Krabbenhoft’s email last week, saying the message only reflected his “personal opinions about the virus.” The company requires employees and visitors to wear masks at its clinics.

 

“Sanford Health’s position is the same as it has always been — consistently wearing masks, avoiding crowds and staying home if you’re sick are critical to preventing the spread of the virus,” the health system said in a statement posted to its Facebook page on Friday.

 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis extends order banning local mask mandates

 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has pushed through a measure banning local cities from enforcing mask mandates amid sky-high statewide coronavirus infection rates, according to a report Wednesday.

 

The measure, which extends an executive orderDeSantis signed in September, prevents local governments from fining folks who fail to mask up — and from ordering restaurants to close without public health or economic data to justify the move, according to clickorlando.com.

 

The order signals the Sunshine State’s move into “phase 3” of the pandemic — meaning restaurants, bars and salons will be allowed to reopen at full capacity, the outlet reported.

 

Florida’s relaxed enforcement plan comes as asecond wave of COVID-19 slams the US, bringing the total number of deaths to more than 260,000 nationally — and prompting other states to add stricter safety regulations.

 

It also comes after a Florida mayor shut down a bar in his county over the weekend after it was flooded by swarms of maskless partygoers upon reopening for the first time since the pandemic began. Photos show unprotected patrons packed shoulder to shoulder inside The Wharf Fort Lauderdale.

 

On Wednesday, DeSantis released a video announcing vaccine breakthroughs — but didn’t comment on why he had extended the mask enforcement ban.

 

“In recent days we’ve seen more breakthroughs in the fight of COVID-19,”

. “If we can redouble our efforts until the vaccine is deployed, we’ll help safeguard the lives of thousands of Floridians.”

 

On Tuesday, Florida health officials reported 8,555 new COVID-19 cases and 72 deaths due to the illness.

 

More than 953,300 infections have been reported in the state in total and at least 18,157 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data Wednesday afternoon.

 

Edited November 26, 2020 by samhexum

[Pulgasari1991]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LbD1rWkF-Q

[orville]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LbD1rWkF-Q

This is FAKE NEWS.

Of course the owner of this Youtube Chanel had to be an OLD school conservative politician.

@Pulgasari1991 thousands of dead people in Canada and all over the world are not a hoax.

Edited November 26, 2020 by orville

[Luv2play]

Alberta is now one of the leading jurisdictions in Canada for Covid19 infections. Secret recordings of government meetings released today show politicians in Alberta have often overruled health experts in making decisions on restrictions for the public to follow. Dr, Hopkinson sounds like an outlier in the debate currently occurring across Canada.

 

Telling us he represents a company in South Carolina is hardly reassuring given what’s going on there.

[Pulgasari1991]

This is FAKE NEWS.

Of course the owner of this Youtube Chanel had to be an OLD school conservative politician.

@Pulgasari1991 thousands of dead people in Canada and all over the world are not a hoax.

Thanks, I digged a bit deeper now and found out it's not even certain that the guy speaking is Rodger Hodkinson Did Dr. Roger Hodkinson Call COVID-19 a Hoax?

[Walker1]

How long after the vaccine are we expecting to go back to normal? If they have 90 and 94% efficacy -march, april, may, june????

[thedanNYC]

How long after the vaccine are we expecting to go back to normal? If they have 90 and 94% efficacy -march, april, may, june????

 

It's too early to tell. Enough people must have taken the vaccine for "herd immunity" to arise, which would allow us to go back to normal. What "enough people" means will be a political decision.

 

Individual businesses will play some role in what normal will look like too, though. For example, Qantas announced they will be requiring proof of vaccination to board international flights. So, if other major airlines follow suit, air travel might not be normal for a while for anti-vaxxers.

[orville]

How long after the vaccine are we expecting to go back to normal? If they have 90 and 94% efficacy -march, april, may, june????

I heard the US will start as soon as December.

Canada will start with the most vulnerable population during the first 3 months of 2021.

I would say that May (assuming there are no complications) will be a time to see what 'the new normal' looks like.

What "enough people" means will be a political decision.

I get what you mean but it's scientific, not political decision. At least in Canada Politicians tend to listen to our scientists.

Qantas announced they will be requiring proof of vaccination to board international flights.

I don't feel empathy for anti-vaxxers, and there will be economic sectors enforcing this at least at the beginning such as health care, live (concerts/sports) events, and tourism/hospitality.

[thedanNYC]

I get what you mean but it's scientific not political decision. At least in Canada Politicians tend to listen to our scientists.

 

Right, I should have definitely made clear I was talking about the US of A. I'm not sure how much clout scientists have over here at this point, even under a Biden presidency. But a man can hope that the prez will listen to the experts.

[Walker1]

I think Pfizer requires two doses one month apart to be effective? I don't know about the other one. Hopefully this thing becomes a distant memory.

[Luv2play]

I heard the US will start as soon as December.

Canada will start with the most vulnerable population during the first 3 months of 2021.

I would say that May (assuming there are no complications) will be a time to see what 'the new normal' looks like.

 

I get what you mean but it's scientific, not political decision. At least in Canada Politicians tend to listen to our scientists.

 

I don't feel empathy for anti-vaxxers, and there will be economic sectors enforcing this at least at the beginning such as health care, live (concerts/sports) events, and tourism/hospitality.

I don;t think we know yet for sure when Canadians will be getting the first wave of vaccine for Covid19. We have no domestic manufacturing capacity for this new type of vaccine MRNAs and the countries that do will be using the first batches for their own populations, like the US, Britain, Germany and Switzerland.

 

Just as with PPE’s such as the NR95 masks produced by 3M, we gave up our manufacturing capacity years ago and were then caught short when the Trump Administration diverted the masks produced in the US to domestic consumers, even in the face of contracts held by Canadian purchasing entities.

 

The Canadian Government has entered into many contracts to buy these vaccines when they become available but it remains to be seen how far back in the line we will be. I suspect next spring might be the earliest they become available here in any substantial quantity to meet demand. I heard today on the radio from an expert it could be as late as the end of 2021 before the demand is fulfilled.

[samhexum]

A man was arrested after refusing to wear a face mask on a Delta Air Lines flight that was heading from Salt Lake City to San Francisco, authorities said.

 

Joshua Colby Council, 44, was rushing to board his Delta fight at Salt Lake City International Airport around 10:40 p.m. Wednesday when a gate agent stopped and asked him to put on a face mask, according to a police report obtained by the Salt Lake Tribune.

 

Council refused and continued to board the plane, police said.

 

Once on board, the captain and flight crew also asked Council to wear a mask, but he became hostile and continued to refuse, police said.

 

He also refused to leave his seat when airport security tried to escort him off the plane.

 

Only when all the other passengers got up and walked out did he finally leave the plane, police said.

 

The incident delayed the flight for 45 minutes.

 

Council was booked into Salt Lake County jail on a disorderly conduct charge. He was released Thursday morning.

 

“We apologize to customers for the delay on Flight 1382 on Wednesday as a passenger was removed from the flight for mask non-compliance,” the airlines said in a statement to KSL-TV.

 

“There is nothing more important than the safety of our people and customers.”

[samhexum]

Nurse placed on leave for bragging on TikTok she doesn’t wear a mask

 

An oncology nurse at Salem Health in Oregon has been placed on administrative leave after posting a video on social media showing disregard for COVID-19 restrictions.

 

In the video, uploaded Friday to TikTok, the nurse, identified by hospital officials as Ashley Grames, says she doesn't wear a mask in public outside of work, continues to travel and allows her children to have playdates.

 

Grames' original post, on her account @loveiskind05, has been taken down, but a "duet" recorded by another user includes the original footage. The video shows the nurse mocking her coworkers' response to her lack of COVID-19 precautions through a lip-dub of Dr. Suess's Grinch from "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."

 

(User @loveiskind05's account has been deleted from TikTok.)

 

The video has gone viral, sparking controversy and swift outcry from concerned members of the community.

 

Marion County has had among the highest number of cases in Oregon, and Salem Hospital has been on the Oregon Health Authority's list of workplaces with the highest number of employee-related cases since May.

 

According to the state's latest weekly report, Salem Hospital has had 91 employee-related positive COVID-19 cases. The state includes family members of employees who test positive in these counts, so it's unclear how many of these are actually hospital employees.

 

Salem Hospital has the highest employee-related count of any hospital in the state. The only workplaces with higher numbers are Amazon Troutdale and three state prisons.

 

Salem Health officials addressed the video on Facebook, calling it a "cavalier disregard for the seriousness of the pandemic." They thanked community members who brought the video to their attention.

 

"This one careless statement does not reflect the position of Salem Health or the hardworking and dedicated caregivers who work here," officials said.

 

An investigation is pending while Grames is on leave.

 

Part of the investigation will involve learning what staff and patients the nurse came into contact with, hospital communications officials said in an email to the Statesman Journal. "We will be following the recommendations of our infection control team on next steps."

 

Hospital officials said they want the community to have confidence in their local hospital.

 

"It is disturbing that the careless comments of one person would undermine the passionate and sacrificial work of so many caregivers who show up every day to provide safe and high-quality care for our community," officials said. "Our hope is that the safe, professional care provided every day by the rest of our staff would speak for itself beyond this one individual."

 

Hospital staff has strict masking, social distancing, screening and infectious disease protocols in place, officials added. "These policies are strictly enforced among staff from the moment they leave their cars at work to the moment they start driving home."

 

There are more than 800 comments on Salem Health's post — most scolding the nurse's actions, many calling for her to be fired and her license to be revoked.

 

One comment read: "She is putting her patients at risk- CANCER patients. Unacceptable behavior. Firing her is the only acceptable response. People could lose their lives/their loved ones because of her carelessness. I hope you value your patients enough to rid your environment of those who don’t care for their safety.

 

Some applauded the hospital's response.

 

"I know everyone is upset and wants her fired, but be patient," one individual wrote. "Salem Health is following protocol and going to investigate the matter...as they should. While we want justice quickly and swiftly, we all do have to remember that justice often requires patience. At least she’s not working while the administration completes its investigation."

 

Multiple community members took to the hospital's Facebook to write negative reviews.

 

One person wrote: "Ashley Grames should have her nursing license revoked for bragging about not wearing a mask or practicing social distancing while being an oncology nurse -- exposing some of the most immunocompromised people is absolutely disgusting and embarrassing behavior for a medical professional."

 

"Who would ever go to a Hospital where their nurses don't understand basic public health protocols?" another reviewer wrote. "If your staff doesn't 'believe' in science how can you be a medical facility. Wonder how dirty this place is."

 

How is the hospital reassuring community members that doctors, nurses, and staff are taking the virus seriously and keeping patients safe?

 

Salem Health officials responded to some reviews: "We have seen your comments and are taking action according to our policies. Thank you all for your concern and patience as we investigate."

[samhexum]

Ice-T Had An Ice Cold Response To His Father-In-Law Getting COVID, And It's Causing Controversy On Twitter

 

This is Ice-T. He's a rapper, a Law & Order legend, and — as you surely know if you've ever seen his E! reality show Ice Loves Coco — he's the husband of model Coco Austin.

 

Unfortunately, Coco's father Steve has recently been battling a long and severe case of COVID-19 and spent more than a month in the hospital fighting for his life. Ice-T shared the news in a tweet on Sunday, and he pulled no punches when talking about his father-in-law's careless attitude toward the pandemic before getting sick.

 

"My father-in-law ‘Coco’s dad’ was a serious ‘No Masker,'" Ice-T wrote in his tweet. "COVID hit him. Pneumonia in both lungs... 40 days in ICU close to death... Now he’s on oxygen indefinitely."

 

"Ohhh he’s a believer now..." the rapper concluded, along with a photo of his father-in-law in the ICU, and the hashtag #COVIDisNotAGame.

 

As you can imagine, Ice-T's tweet has caused quite a stir on Twitter. Many are praising Ice for sharing his father-in-law's story — even if his delivery was rather blunt.

 

When several people in the replies said that they had "no sympathy" for his father-in-law, Ice-T responded by saying that he views many "anti-maskers" as victims in their own right — since most of them are following the guidance of a president who routinely lies about the virus.

 

When some COVID deniers showed up in the comments to argue with Ice about mask use, the rapper hit them with this: "I don't really care what you believe... And you probably won't care until YOU can't breathe."

 

And when one Twitter user criticized the rapper for putting his own father-in-law on blast like this, Ice-T was having none of it, saying: "If I'm willing to use a family member that I love... Then it must be serious to me."

 

And Ice had a clear message for anyone else who felt like arguing with him about this subject:

In other NEWS: My dog just Farted..

[samhexum]

http://synd.imgsrv.uclick.com/comics/cl/2020/cl201206.jpg

[samhexum]

An NYU student lost her bid to finish out the semester after getting suspended for attending a boat party where coronavirus rules weren’t being followed, a judge ruled Monday.

 

Freshman Nicole Rosenberg sued the university last week, claiming that it unfairly suspended her for the remainder of the fall semester for attending a boat party that she didn’t know ahead of time wouldn’t be enforcing COVID guidelines.

 

“There is one week left of class. [Rosenberg] has been out for 2½ weeks and she needs to return to class in order that she does not lose the ¾ of the semester that she has done,” Rosenberg’s lawyer Karen Edler argued during a Manhattan Supreme Court video hearing Monday.

 

“Pending the decision, harm is immediate and it is irreparable,” Edler told the judge.

 

But granting the stay “undermines NYU’s ability to enforce its policy strictly and NYU is enforcing its policy strictly here because it’s trying to keep the university community healthy … and to keep being able to have on-campus classes,” NYU lawyer Ira Feinberg responded later in the hearing.

 

Justice Carol Edmead denied Rosenberg’s emergency request to allow her to finish the last week of classes since the judge found her lawsuit wasn’t likely to succeed.

 

“The court is denying an application for an interim stay,” Edmead said. “The court’s view is that the lack of the ability of the petitioner to show likelihood of success on the merits outweighs the irreparable harm factor.”

 

“There are six days left in the semester … that we are talking about loss of school time,” Edmead said adding that she plans to rule on the entire case very quickly.

 

The 18-year-old claimed that she attended the 21-and-over Oct. 15 boat ride only after her two friends she attended with told her the ride would be following mask-wearing and social distancing guidelines.

 

By the time Rosenberg realized people weren’t following COVID rules on the lower level of the boat, it was too late for her to get off, so she and her two friends stayed on the upper level, where they maintained distancing from others and wore masks.

 

But NYU said it didn’t buy Rosenberg’s story that she really believed the boat party would be following pandemic guidelines for a slew of reasons including that the cruise wasn’t starting until 10:30 at night, it was leaving from a secret port and it would have DJs on board playing music.

 

“The notion that they expected a sedate socially distanced cruise around Manhattan is, to our point of view, not credible,” Feinberg said earlier in the hearing.

Edited December 7, 2020 by samhexum

[samhexum]

Anti-masker robs bank, naked face appears to have been caught on camera

 

Nurse placed on leave for bragging on TikTok she doesn’t wear a mask

Oregon nurse who mocked masks and other coronavirus protocols on TikTok ‘no longer employed’ at hospital

[jeezifonly]

[JulianLondon]

[MscleLovr]

Just to add to your post @JulianLondon

 

This is reported as the largest mass vaccination ever done by the NHS in the UK. The vaccine is being distributed to 70 major hospitals that will act as hubs. Those aged 80 and older are being prioritized as well as frontline NHS and care-home workers. The TV news is reporting that this first wave of vaccinations will only be completed by the end of March.

[JulianLondon]

Just to add to your post @JulianLondon

 

This is reported as the largest mass vaccination ever done by the NHS in the UK. The vaccine is being distributed to 70 major hospitals that will act as hubs. Those aged 80 and older are being prioritized as well as frontline NHS and care-home workers. The TV news is reporting that this first wave of vaccinations will only be completed by the end of March.

 

It's worse than that sadly. Though the more and varied vaccines that are rolled out worldwide the greater the efficacy of them will be. But no one should be in any doubt it will still be a long process.

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9030263/Brits-wearing-face-masks-winter-Patrick-Vallance-warns.html

[samhexum]

That's what they get for not wearing masks...

Four lions test coronavirus-positive in Barcelona Zoo, third worldwide instance since Bronx

 

Four lions have tested positive for coronavirus at a Barcelona zoo, most likely infected by an asymptomatic staffer, zoo officials said.

[samhexum]