COVID-19 Affecting Your Plans?

Well, I had really, really wanted to get out car camping with my kids this coming week. In principle I still think this is fine: we'd be out there in places where we never run into anyone. Basically the only extra exposure I'd have is stopping to gas up a couple times. In practice, being out of contact at during what might be a critical time is just seeming stressful and I think we'll just stick around SLC and day hike here. This is unexciting, but March is a pretty great time in the low-elevation foothills with warmish weather, patchy snow, and emerging green things.

in other news, social distancing seems like it might be working in WA:
 
Eye-opening article, @John Morrow. Thanks for sharing that. So strange how it hits people in many different ways.

@regehr I'm facing a similar conundrum, but I didn't have any travel plans as concrete as yours that I had to scrap.

The west desert has been calling my name as a place with no people, nice this time of year, that I could access without having to make any stops between home and there as long as my gas tank is full. Plenty of camping opportunities too. I'd maybe even try backpacking out there even though it likely means hauling a lot of water.
 
Jackson said:
Eye-opening article, @John Morrow. Thanks for sharing that. So strange how it hits people in many different ways.

@regehr I'm facing a similar conundrum, but I didn't have any travel plans as concrete as yours that I had to scrap.

The west desert has been calling my name as a place with no people, nice this time of year, that I could access without having to make any stops between home and there as long as my gas tank is full. Plenty of camping opportunities too. I'd maybe even try backpacking out there even though it likely means hauling a lot of water.
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I think any "one tank" distance trip from home is acceptable provided the land manager is not overwhelmed or stating otherwise. Maybe it's Utahans opportunity to have quiet spaces in your backyard not overrun by us this time of year.
WA State Parks say this:
"Your Washington state parks are a great way to get outside and enjoy the spring weather, instead of spending time in crowded indoor spaces. Get some fresh air, take a hike or just enjoy the beauty of Washington at one of our 124 state parks.
Stay healthy and embrace your nature."

From the City of Los Angeles:

Mayor Garcetti and the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health have issued a “Safer At Home” order through April 19, 2020...... “As a point of clarity, this Order does not prohibit any individual or family from outdoor activities such as hiking, walking, shopping at Essential Businesses, including grocery stores and restaurants offering delivery, drive thru, or carry out service, so long as all persons practice social distancing to the extent practicable.”
 
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Kinda strange being an exception to the current "no visitors allowed" rule, and navigating a completely empty hospital to the sound of silence today. The public areas were reminiscent of a post-apocalyptic movie.
Aside from 2 nurses at a screening station, who asked a few questions and gave me a wristband to wear after checking my temperature, I didn't see another person until entering the ICU. When I triggered the doors, I half expected that to be empty, too. Everyone working there seemed very relaxed, and the whole atmosphere was subdued, with family, doctors and nurses all speaking quietly. That was normal for the circumstances, I suppose, but it only added to the whole experience seeming surreal. Much higher on the "something's happened/changed" meter than empty shelves in a grocery store, for sure.
How did it affect my plans? Quite positively. I mean, parking wasn't an issue at all...
 
Brendan S said:
Kentucky vs Tennessee responses
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TN has 50% higher population density than KY. Curious your thoughts how that may have impacted the numbers? More people are basically 'socially distanced' by default in KY.

87313

87314

87315

87316
 
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regehr said:
strongly doubt it. packed foothills isn't anything like an airport or football game or bar.
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Many of these people are getting in cars together, they’re eating together before or after, they’re handling one another’s equipment. And if you’re hiking with people other than those you are isolated at home with, you’ve now widened your circle of possible contagion.

Is it as high risk as hanging around a bar or crowded restaurant? No. But the idea that hitting a bustling trailhead with a ton of other people is somehow successful social distancing is foolhardy.
 
are bars and restaurants still open in SLC? closed earlier this week in Boise.
 
Ben said:
are bars and restaurants still open in SLC? closed earlier this week in Boise.
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Any dine-in option is not allowed. So bars are closed, and restaurants are take-out/drive-thru only.
 
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It is reports like these that demonstrate how much of a problem it is when
a) communication isn't clear, including the clear why behind what is being asked
b) panic over lack of knowledge (i.e. proper testing results) causes lots of people to be off work/out of work/furloughed/etc.

Simply put it all comes down to proper information transfer, both on the giving end and on the receiving end. Which is the story of my life as an educator.
/educator rant over
 
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