Mandatory "Stay at Home" orders

Oh I get it, @ChrisJ , which is why if I were sick I'd be in isolation. Don't worry. I dare say that I'm just as anxious to protect my family and my community as anyone here.

As to tracing back possible infection sources... well, I once figured out (you can try it) that it is reasonable to reach any person in the world (with the exception of a few isolated tribes in the Amazon) in 10 or fewer contacts. Personally, as an example -- and I have been rather careful about social distancing etc. etc. -- I just figured out that I can reach every major airport in the world in three or four contacts within the last three weeks. So... where do I start testing? I know that the idea is noble -- trace all the contacts and isolate every single one of them until you are sure they are either sick or well. But does anyone believe that this is even remotely feasible? And who is going to enforce it, for enforcement by force will be necessary?

I think the point that is being overlooked and that should be obvious to all of us is, like Jamie, I'm in my early 70's and yes Id' like to have a little more time, but that's just me, being selfish.
Do I want to be tested? Not until I think I may show some signs of the virus but even that is just to confirm that I need to isolate myself. Here in Ohio, and most of the world, people are being told; "If you are sick, don't bother trying to get tested. Assume you have the virus and either stay home or, if the situation gets critical, call the hospital, in advance, and make arrangements to go there."
In any case, the biggest benefit of the state orders to "Shelter in Place" is not about me or anyone who adheres to the order, it's knowing that I am not exposing family, friends and business associates. Our order is for two weeks. By then I'll know if I'm sick. That's about as good as any test they have plus the bonus of not exposing others during that two week window. Think about others, people!

I agree with @Fred . And if our order to stay in place was two weeks, I probably would complain -- but not much. But -- it isn't. It's indefinite, and judging by the comments that our Governor has made, is likely to go well into the summer if not well into next winter. Further, he has just found a neat loophole by which he can also suspend elections and the legislature indefinitely.

I'm sorry if I upset people. Truly. But I'm not fond of authoritarian government, and that is what I am seeing.

It’s slow here, Lots of lay-offs but I took a pay cut to stay on board.. it worked cuz I haven’t had a day off since it got crazy..

I’ve been disinfecting everything I’ve touched in the home as well.

Hoping to keep working.. other than being out on the job I’ve been home at all times

To be honest if they are telling you to stay home then that is what best for everyone and I would comply 100%

Just keep in mind these are really recommendations not law. Stay at home for nonessential personal is th “slow” the spread.

If things get much worse “Marshall Law” will be declared. Now that’s a whole new set of rules.

In fact, I'll say this: if you are willing to sacrifice your freedom because you are afraid, you deserve to lose it.
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> DOL


"Those who would give up Essential Liberty, to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.

- Benjamin Franklin

I'm thinking its essentially essential. But it's a lot of safety.


It's different to sacrifice your freedom for the safety of others. I think this is what every man and woman does when they sign up for the armed forces, police, fire department, doctors, nurses and now especially HVAC, plumbers and other trades that are out ensuring basic services continue. Most of these people all set aside fear and are acting in the best interest of others. This is what many people who are obeying the stay at home orders are doing, giving up their freedom for the safety of others. ( Though I am sure their are those that are afraid too)

I don't know any mainstream media that told people to hunker down in fear?
To buy all the toilet paper, Top Ramen and ammunition they could get their hands on? Sounds like the Y2K gang and fringe militia groups are at it again.

The media I tune in to told me to avoid large gatherings and wash my hands well.

I think at this point it is clear that Italy waited and denied for too long. Granted they have an older population but from my travels there most Italians eat healthy local foods, exercise, are not overweight or obese, small towns still siesta, and live stress free in small communities. Why so many deaths?

Yeah, @Jamie Hall I was surprised to see that the pot industry is considered essential

I'm confused by what's considered essential in NJ

Seems like nothing is really closing

Take a look at Chicago. Sad but seemingly necessary:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=Y2_fvn1oZ0s&fbclid=IwAR22d-3cXhe_boTQOiVeeLv0EXK04b6I8tRo6OAFTLaUJUH94yrlWfnw-Sw&app=desktop

It's a little unnerving; 200,000 tests performed and 30,000 plus infections discovered. A 15% positive rate means 50 million Americans could become infected.
My 96 year old father has been recovering in a nursing home and was cleared to come home tomorrow. An employee there tested positive for corona and now possible quarantine until test kits are available; getting questions answered is painfully slow, and separating fact from fiction and the ensuing confusion is scary, much like the daily briefings on television.......

Steamhead said:

So far, the states of California, Illinois and New York are under such orders.

Do these orders apply to our businesses, or are we considered "essential"?

If the latter, are people starting to cancel appointments?

What other effects are these orders having on us?

Discuss!

You can arrange online meetings and work from home

"Would make more sense to shut down beer and liquor production. "

Hey! Stop with the crazy talk!

Any germ hanging out with my tonsils will get hit with bourbon every night!

I'm not really keen to make a personal example, but let's look at the impact of one governor's power grab on one family: mine. My daughter and son-in-law have -- or had -- a contract to patrol and manage the watershed for a local water utility. Declared not essential. They're out of work, no unemployment, no compensation, nothing. Just too bad, so sad. My ex has $50,000 worth of her art work in an exhibit at the local community college. Closed with no warning. She can't get it out of there, and if they "deep clean" it, it's destroyed. Too bad, so sad. I work with at-risk youth and, on the other hand, very ill seniors. I can't meet them for counseling or comfort; they're on their own. Too bad, so sad. My son's mother-in-law, a senior in another state, depended on visits from her grandchildren. They can't come. Too bad, so sad. My ex's partner had a hip operation; she'd like to visit him but she's a senior, can't get out. Too bad, so sad.

Just exactly who is this all helping? The chicken littles who are scared of their own shadows @caywltz says you can arrange on line meetings and work from home. Oh no you can't, not one of those above can. @MikeL_2 suggests that 50 million Americans could get infected. I'd put it at more like 150 million, whether they are locked down or not. So what? Some of them will die -- some of them would have anyway. We all do, eventually, anyway.

I am utterly disgusted by the whole thing. This is not the United States I grew up in. Yes I am a warrior, or was until I took the Cross, and I guess I still am. Suck it up and get on with life -- if the power mad governors and mayors will let you.

You know Jamie, your past and your present seem at odds with each other and I don't think they need to be.

If your are a warrior, this is how we will fight this war. Suck it up and march on. We are fighting a non-symmetrical war and there will be collateral damage everywhere from coast to coast.

If you are a man of the cloth, find is your faith and pray that our leaders will lead well and that we win this war with minimal losses quickly with the help of our nurses, doctors and, let's not forget the least of our brothers and sisters who are on the pointy edge of the spear, our janitorial staffs.

The experience of your past and your present can be very helpful here.

Slainte

Now that I can buy, @ChrisJ . If you are sick or think you are, stay home. If you think you may have been exposed to someone who is, stay home. Practice social distancing in most situations. Not a problem. I'm all for it.

But take responsibility to do so on yourself! Don't ask Big Brother to do it for you -- or to force it on someone else. That's where all this has gone astray.

I'm in @Jamie Hall 's camp. I don't like how easily the gov't has suspended and denied liberties of a free republic, and they still collect a paycheck. The Ben Franklin quote mentioned by others was always foremost in my mind.
This sacrifarce (spelled wrong on purpose) for the greater good is nonsense.
Everyone has the info. If you want to stay home, stay home. People who don't want to get infected, don't go out. The hypocrisy that this place is ok for you to risk exposure, but this other place isn't it ridiculous.
Everyone should have the freedom to make their own choices. But this will destroy the US & world economy in a devastating way, for a long time. Gov't money won't fix it, just put us more into debt. The only way it will fix it is to offer a 1 billion dollar reward for a cure. Vaccination will help one year, then the virus will mutate, and that vaccination probably won't be effective next year.
Business related, this is costing me about $3000/week, which I'll never recover-not with a bailout, nor will giving me a low interest loan (borrow money) do any good. It's gone.
Like 9/11, this will become a new norm, even for the flu next year. Chipping away at our freedom thru hysteria. And people (large corporations) will get rich from this while 'helping the masses'.
Pharmaceuticals know there's no money in the cure, only continuous treatment. What's the last disease that's been cured in the last 50 years? (Hep C drug, that's it). But how much medicine has been sold to 'treat' these diseases?
Google, trillion dollar company is being praised for developing a website, of information already available at the CDC and local state government websites...please, that's all they want to do?
Others have stepped up and offered, and that's great, but not altruistic, technically selfish.
The virus will run it's course, people will die, it's just natural. Too many people, poor lifestyles, living unhealthy for too long. Sorry. Like all species, we're born, suppose to procreate, die.
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I'm constantly bombarded with numbers and reports. What I haven't seen a report on yet are the tens of 1000's of people who have had this virus and are over it, and are fine. Just like people with the flu.
As we talk with our friends and family (especially those in medicine), all winter there have been people with low grade fevers, dry coughs, non-identified upper respiratory infections. Before this virus, everyone was saying 'There's something going around'. They weren't panicking, hoarding, quarantining, just living their life.
Oh well, back to work.

The government can declare war and revive the draft.

They can also take the steps necessary to stop the spread even if you perceive it as a trespass against your liberties. I don' t see it that way.

They must because, as you see written here everyday:

"You can't fix stupid."

There is a lot of stupid out there. I mean, a guy meets the criteria to be tested then jumps on a jet blue flight with a hundred other people before he gets the results? C'mon! You can't count on people to do the right thing.