Whatcom County businesses reopened despite covid mandate (Seattle, Lynden: insurance, crimes)

[jerzdevil]

So during the past couple of months momentum has been growing to reopen businesses in Whatcom County, particularly in Ferndale and Lynden. A love letter by the county executive satpal sidhu, director of health, members was sent to Inslee complaining about the double standard of letting the Seattle area move into "phase 2" while counties with safer covid data remained restricted. Inslee replied with an arrogant letter basically saying to trust the experts (like him), blah blah blah.. he's God, f whatcom businesses and to screw off.

Do people realize that Washington state is the last remaining state in the US with no indoor dining (3 counties being an exception) ?? updated CDC pages for all the strictest states and indeed Washington now leads the pack in shutdowns.

I've personally verified some of these local businesses are indeed operating right now despite the covid mandates:

https://www.wewillwhatcom.com/open-now

There's also an active movement by local students to reopen in person schooling and sports. I've seen them outside with signs. Kids finally want to be involved with school but are being robbed of a real education, active life, social interaction. Our tax dollars are paying for this incompetence yet all we get is a small stimulus check and compounding interests. Do people feel like a 5 dollar hoe yet?

I think the growing homeless problem is also a result of extended lockdowns with no plans to reopen. I'm still yet to personally see a person with covid. Symptoms? Of course, like coughing, sneezing... but nothing dramatic. I been working in society everyday and haven't seen it, despite all the people I encounter. I fly via SEA-TAC onto a full plane jammed with 300 masked people and arrive in CLT, to an airport full of people dining and traveling but see no hysteria.

How come the rate of deaths in the US have virtually not changed in 2020, compared to 2019? When are people going to open their eyes and use their common sense to quit living a self-inflicted lifestyle of suffering and gasping for air, developing bacterial pneumonia while developing no natural antibodies? When are we going to hear that basic remedies like diet or the vitamin section of a grocery store hold the silver bullet to robust health? It's time for people to voice what they know is true and righteous and to quit being cowards.

[jlud]

Did you see that flu hospitalizations were down a remarkable 98% across the US. Add that to the data, and for you naysayers to look it up. We all know that’s not realistic.

This is all about Dem governors agreeing to worsen the economy through the virus, with the promise of payback via state and local aid relief package. The worse they can make their data, the more they can get from the feds.

Essential employees have been working all year and not one ounce of data shows that they are more at risk...interesting isn’t it? Have you ever thought why?

“Experts” say over 70% of Covid transmission is through private gatherings...so opening restaurants and public places where masks had to be worn and spacing increases would actually be SAFER than forcing everyone to get together in homes. Where is any data that shows restaurant transmission is higher than anything else?

You are also correct on excessive deaths. Anyone can go to the CDC pages and look at the average deaths by week over the last years and compare. We did not have 400,000 extra deaths last year. We shifted categories and called causes by different names....but again I too encourage everyone to go look for yourselves.

It’s ironic hearing counties on the radio encouraging locals to come out and shop...why don’t they spend their money on convincing the governor to open? Guess what....if the economy is open people can make money and not rely on the government....and the best part is if you don’t like it...you are free to stay home.

[rkcarguy]

Jerz, Whatcom County has (another) problem, we've only got 130-ish hospital beds for nearly 250K residents, that's ~half the beds per capita when compared to New York. Moving out of phase 1 requires less than 75% occupancy of those beds regardless of Covid-19. Well, we aren't ever getting out of phase 1 because the last time we were lower than 75% occupancy was only a couple months in 2016.

[TheTimidBlueBars]

My partner and I got takeout from a Mexican place in Sumas the other day. I haven't dined in since October and I certainly don't think restaurants should be opening in Seattle, but I probably would've felt okay eating there --- the place was almost empty and it was a large space. Hard to legislate variables like that, though, and it's better to err on the side of being too strict and keeping a few more people from getting COVID.

Originally Posted by jlud

“Experts” say over 70% of Covid transmission is through private gatherings...so opening restaurants and public places where masks had to be worn and spacing increases would actually be SAFER than forcing everyone to get together in homes. Where is any data that shows restaurant transmission is higher than anything else?

Most COVID transmission is through private gatherings because it's a lot easier to mandate that restaurants not allow dine-in than it is to knock on people's doors and do a head count. Not that I think we should do that. I'm not sure what we could do to stem COVID spread at private gatherings, other than more messaging about the importance of keeping a small and consistent COVID bubble and doing as many activities as possible outdoors. I personally am fine wearing a mask inside but I know I'm in the minority there.

[jlud]

That’s right....so if other options were open that provided a safer alternative than gathering at home we would all be better off, wouldn’t we? It’s like college towns....they canceled classes to be safe...then go downtown and see them all drinking and partying without any precautions. They would have been better off in controlled environment.

Again, you may not be comfortable going out but millions of others are and are just fine. People in almost every other state are out and just fine.....you are certainly welcome to stay home but millions have had the freedom to work or go out taken away from them by a whim for political points.

If it’s about lives then what about sanctuary status for illegals that kill people or commit crimes? Shouldn’t the safety of those affected by not enforcing laws be a reason to comply with laws?

It’s the complete hypocrisy and bending anything to fit their political narrative. Science is the last thing actually being applied.

[fassopony]

Originally Posted by jlud

It’s the complete hypocrisy and bending anything to fit their political narrative. Science is the last thing actually being applied.

Yup.

[jerzdevil]

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

Jerz, Whatcom County has (another) problem, we've only got 130-ish hospital beds for nearly 250K residents, that's ~half the beds per capita when compared to New York. Moving out of phase 1 requires less than 75% occupancy of those beds regardless of Covid-19. Well, we aren't ever getting out of phase 1 because the last time we were lower than 75% occupancy was only a couple months in 2016.

Are the fewer beds 130ish after counting the restricted capacity due to covid? This is unacceptable either way. The solution is to create more beds and facility, not destroy 1000s of businesses and lives.. Assuming the solution is vaccination and not common measures we take every flu season. The phase1 narrative has more holes than swiss cheese.

[rkcarguy]

Originally Posted by jerzdevil

Are the fewer beds 130ish after counting the restricted capacity due to covid? This is unacceptable either way. The solution is to create more beds and facility, not destroy 1000s of businesses and lives.. Assuming the solution is vaccination and not common measures we take every flu season. The phase1 narrative has more holes than swiss cheese.

Unless I am misunderstanding something, the hospital capacity required to be below 75% does not take Covid-19 into account so we could have technically been stuck in phase 1 forever (small hospital and we have a lot of elderly up here and have only been below 75% capacity for a few months in 2016).
However, Whatcom was approved to move to Phase-2 so it looks like things are going to open up a little.

The fix is not easy. Almost 20% of SJH's patients had no insurance coverage, and incidentally the hospital posted losses of almost that exact % on their "sales". No reason to open another hospital so they can lose $600 million instead of $300 million.

[jerzdevil]

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

Unless I am misunderstanding something, the hospital capacity required to be below 75% does not take Covid-19 into account so we could have technically been stuck in phase 1 forever (small hospital and we have a lot of elderly up here and have only been below 75% capacity for a few months in 2016).
However, Whatcom was approved to move to Phase-2 so it looks like things are going to open up a little.

The fix is not easy. Almost 20% of SJH's patients had no insurance coverage, and incidentally the hospital posted losses of almost that exact % on their "sales". No reason to open another hospital so they can lose $600 million instead of $300 million.

Whatcom county is behind on vaccinations, so I'm not sure how long phase 2 will last. I don't think most people are eager for a vaccine, I know I'm not. I think we could end up back into phase 1. Insurance coverage isn't mandated so 20% uninsured patients doesn't sound very high. When people are out of work they're unlikely to carry insurance. I think we can have 75% capacity of ICU beds if SJH is staffed well enough.

But it sounds like it's all about money and these stimulus bills are going everywhere except where it belongs to open up the economy.

[jlud]

Have you seen the list of goodies embedded in the House bill? Hard to find the money going toward Covid...if you spot it let me know. I encourage people to look it up yourselves and research.