GulfCoast66
GulfCoast66's JournalThe President's mandates gives medical systems and companies cover. I think that was his intent.
The President knows this will be tied up in court for months if not years. Before the cases are resolved Covid may be over.
But meanwhile all companies including Medical Companies now have a fig leaf to do what many feared to do before now; mandate a vaccine. And blame it on the President. Biden knows that. And that it will save lives.
That, folks, is what leadership looks like. No Bullshit, no fear leadership.
Disney World to require mandatory vaccines.
For salaried, non Union employees. Effective 60 days from now.
In addition, starting today all employees and guests must wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status.
They are really throwing down the gauntlet.
God Damn it! People I love now have Covid!
Just talked to a friend who I’ve been close with for 25 years. Love his kids like were mine. Was there when they were born. Not in the room, of course. That would be creepy. But at the hospital. Took their dad out for a drink right after mom and the kid went to sleep.
They are republicans but less crazy than most. Wrote in a name rather than voting for trump in 16. Pulled the lever for Biden last year but republican down tickets. His wife is less moderate. Not religious.
Anyway he is the only one out of 5 in his household vaccinated. It’s him, his wife and kids.
4 of them now have Covid. Guess who doesn’t? Bingo. The vaccinated guy.
His kids are pretty much over it as expected for very healthy and active kids in their teens.
His wife? Not so much. Sick bad for over a week. No breathing problems yet, but I’m worried. It’s not getting better. She’s around 50.
He is pissed. As am I. So preventable.
I’m vaccinated. I still wear a mask if the place I’m going into is crowded. If I get Covid and die, well, I did all I could do. That life. Something is going to get us. But people dying and getting real sick when it is totally preventable is sickening.
Damn I’m pissed. Even in my conservative family in Louisiana everyone is vaccinated. Why could he not convince his immediate family to get the jab?
Ok. Rant over. But I’ve been worried about this happening for months now. It was predictable.
Are the Q people a new Know Nothing Party or a new religion.
It’s rare that a new religion starts. The Mormons are the last I can recollect.
But I’m beginning to think the Q folks are the first social media religion. Which should I guess be expected. Back when people talked to each other face to face it was almost impossible for a new religion to start. But with social media it does not surprise me that it is accelerated.
Currently their predictions keep changing and the dates of trumps re-installment keeps moving back. It’s apparent to any thinking person, including all the republicans I know that is has been bullshit from the git-go.
For several months I thought the whole Q thing would go away like the Know Nothings. But they keep doubling down. At this point even after Biden wins a second term and trump had met the maker I can’t see them joining reality. They will still be here in 2026.
When the Mormons came on the scene they were thought crazy. But their believers were all in. And now there are millions of them.
I can’t see the Q people just walking away at this point. And most of them are religious anyway. And they are all in. It dominates most of their lives.
Sorry for the crazy OP. But it just hit me that these people are behaving more like a religious group than a group of political junkies.
I’m not religious. Ex-evangelical. Q people’s faith in their crazy beliefs reminds me of the shit I believed in as a kid.
I generally don't like the 'I had something happened today' posts because so many are just BS.
But today I did. I hope I have enough cred here to be believed.
Last night I cooked a very French meal so tonight wanted to cook something totally different and went to the Lotte Market in Orlando. Highway 50 and John Young Parkway if you live nearby. It’s a great Asian supermarket it you have one near you need to go.
I was in line to pay and a gentleman behind me started talking about how bad a state we are in. They can’t get construction supplies where he works. Then moved on explaining the largest threats to the world; Muslims, China and Russia. I just stared into his eyes. Then he added democrats! At that point I moved 3 feet towards him, stared in his eyes, and told him I am a Democrat. He was obviously nonplussed. Realize I’m a decent sized white guy wearing fishing themed clothes. Floridians will know what I mean. Long shorts, a Columbia Shirt and a cap. Admittedly, I looked like a republican, which I always do. Dude started stammering about how he is a registered democrat but voted for trump. Told him I would not vote for that SOB if the last man on earth. Then he told me trump would be back. I told him trump will be in prison.
Then I struck. I told him you need to study more. Every thing Congress has done to help the working man has been done by democrats.
And I’ve yet to mention he was an immigrant. Because we were wearing masks can’t say if he was Asian or Hispanic. But had a thick accent.
I guess he felt threatened because he left our line. The shortest line in the store because I only had around 8 items. Guess he felt uncomfortable.
Where I’m going here is it’s important to challenge these folks personally. I don’t doubt he gets all his info online. And has never had a good sized white guy he naturally assumed was on his side challenge his Bullshit.
There was more said but this OP is already too long.
Trying to manage a pandemic in the US is a lose-lose situation.
I’ve realized that our reaction to the new CDC order is greatly shaped by where we live. Here in Florida we have no mask mandates. Businesses are not penalized for failing to enforce distancing. That’s pretty recent since our governor struck down all local mandates. But in many red states has been that way from the git-go. So the only change the order brings is that those of us who have religiously followed the CDC recommendations and are vaccinated can ease up some. Fortunately I live in an area where masks are common.
But my point is about moving 2, 3 even 5 months into the future. We have 20-30% of Americans who will never get vaccinated. And they are not spread around equally. A few states will achieve a high enough rate to have herd immunity, whatever that means. But many states will never get much above 50% vaccinated because they are populated by people who seem to want to live in the Middle Ages.
So at some point the Biden Administration was faced with an awful decision. We can’t do what we are doing forever. The Americans who refuse to get the vaccine have been living their normal life from the beginning and don’t care one way or the other. But those who took the jab and are now safe are growing restless at the idea of changing their lifestyle to accommodate those who never have taken any precautions. That situation is not sustainable. Perhaps it should have been in June. Or July.
But regardless of when the call was made, the same DU debate would have occurred. Not enough people are vaccinated. But we will never have enough people vaccinated.
Sadly people will keep dying from Covid. And almost every one who dies will be people who refused the vaccine.
Like I said. A lose-lose situation.
So when do we cut out the anti vaccine idiots and start living our regular lives?
I have a science education and have always looked to data to drive my decisions. Which is why until the the wife and I were fully vaccinated we were super careful.
The numbers are starting to stack up. 100 million Americans vaccinated. Less than 10,000 Covid cases among them. Less than 150 deaths. Admittedly there are probably more who have it with no symptoms because vaccinated people are not really tested.
But if you are vaccinated and still afraid of going into public, you really should not drive on our roads. Because your chance of getting into a wreck or dying is way greater than you even getting Covid, much less dying from it. Way more likely.
Unless a new variant proves resistant to the vaccines, which obviously none currently are since we have them all in the US, once all Americans who want the vaccine have it I am done with masks and distancing. Until then I will continue to mask up and be separated. Which is really Kabuli theater since my risk is almost nonexistent. But I’ll be a team player.
The reason I made this post is political. If our Democratic leaders try to keep restrictions past the point where everyone, mainstream liberals, independents and covid conserved conservatives realize they are just being risk adverse it will damage us in future elections.
We all know conservatives, older, white evangelicals will never get the vaccine. And will keep dying from the virus. Fuck if I care.
I want to stress I’m still masking up, still distancing. But once no one is showing up to get the jab, I’m done.
Knew today would bring relief. Did not to expect to feel emotional. Because my wife is now safe.
Like many people my main fear was not getting Covid myself but giving to the wife and having her become sick or even die. She is over 60.
Well today is the day we can feel sure her vaccine is fully kicked in. I’ve been feeling a huge amount of stress leave my body.
And of course we will still keep following all the practices we have followed for a year. But not being worried sick about her is the best thing in my life in a year. Better than when I get my second jab tomorrow by a long shot.
Got my first shot from a soldier in the 101st Airborne!
Florida’s COVID distribution plan, a term I use generously, is a cluster. Depending on various grocery stores with each managing their own appointment sites with unsteady resupply and poor communication.
So after spending a few hours trying to work it out and get an appointment I said screw it and drove 30 minutes into west Orlando to one of the FEMA sites. And I witnessed how a competent government handles vaccine distribution in a pandemic.
Showed my Dr.’s script to a nurse and was directed into line. I figured there were 200-300 hundred folks in front of me. The line moved toward a series of tents and I saw what I thought were National Guard doing crowd management. Once I got near the first tent I noticed the screaming eagle on the left shoulder and commented to the man in front of me and the lady behind me(properly spaced) that these are Airborne troops, not national guard! The lady behind me was a Canadian National living in Orlando so I had to explain the difference and gave her a brief rundown of the 101st. I was overheard by one of the Soldiers who committed to his buddy that someone recognized them for what they are and he asked me how I knew. Of course the 101st might be the most famous and well known Division in the US army, but I just told him I recognized his patch. As a walk away he gave an “Air Assault” yell. They all looked like kids! .
Anyway registration and confirming my script was done quickly in 2 other tents then into the vaccination tent where they must have been 30 vaccination stations. After one more confirmation of my identity a young private named Torres gave me my shot. He is from California originally and they shipped down from Ft Campbell in Kentucky to set up and staff the site. Said they were staying in a local hotel.
Finally to another tent for my 15 minutes of observation and on my way home.
Total time truck to truck: 50 minutes!
That is how you get it done! Sites like these should have been replanned and ready to go all around the country when the vaccine began to become available.
My experience today it what good leadership looks like.
My wife is qualified on Monday and we are going early in the morning an hour before they open. The first 500 shots each day are J&J and I want her to get it. I was later and got Pfizer.
So I have a moral dilemma. Advice welcomed .
I had my physical today. I’m 54 and have lost almost 30 pounds in the last 14 months. Diet change and more exercise.
Anyway, the nurse asked me if I plan on getting the Covid vaccine. I told her I would drive to Jacksonville right now to get it(3 hours away). I was kidding but I would do it.
Apparently because I’m technically obese and have hypertension I qualify under our Governor’s new order allowing those under 65 with co-morbidities to get the vaccine. I have hypertension but medication keeps it below 130/80. So not horrible. And I’m 5’11” and 220 but very big boned. No one would call me fat, just real stocky and muscular. So my Doctor gave me a signed letter allowing me to be vaccinated.
The only reason I’m considering it is the wife. She is over 60, working everyday(I’m still furloughed) and I’m worried about her.
If it were just me I would put the letter aside. But now I’m torn with concerned for the wife. I would welcome input.
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Gender: Do not displayHometown: gulfcoast
Home country: US
Current location: Florida
Member since: Tue Dec 1, 2015, 08:00 PM
Number of posts: 11,949
