So far the holiday shopping lunacy has doubled the local cases. Today 90 people in the hospitals that have a total of 772 beds. About double what it was two weeks or so. Clearly the thousands and thousands of people packed in like sardines to buy inflatable garbage for their lawns (you know, essentials) had an effect.
A man I work with directly has it and is isolated. Another who I work with much more often regularly in close quarters is 79 and he was notified and isolated as a precaution. He's awaiting results and is asymptomatic. But me and the 19 year old kid who should have been told, who were told in the past about these things - they have no one to replace us so they said nothing. Their compliance and procedures are a total joke and if it's true here it probably is a lot of places. $$ first.
On another level though, I've been up to my ass in it for months and the hospitals just weren't and aren't now overloaded in any way. I wouldn't want to volunteer to be one of the 90 in there now, that's for sure. Those I know that have recovered do not recommend the experience. My brother has serious medical issues and he absolutely can't risk exposure, uses an N95 and I am grateful he has one and stays away.
But I honestly believe that if it were as contagious as we had all feared - even lived up to half of the hype - it would be much worse. All that reminds me of what we hear when a big snowstorm or hurricane approaches - reporters clinging dramatically to poles in the wind while someone calmly walks their dog in the background .... The virus will travel 32 feet and fly up your nose, your mask will rot your face, e-i-e-i-o
Put the f*****g mask on - about any mask - and wash your hands. NY was among the first to get this crap and then mandate the masks and even late and imperfect compliance had a noticeable effect.