Not in Florida. Probably we haven’t done enough closures. My governor never really believed in essential vs non-essential he believed in low risk and high risk behaviors.

Right now I wish he would go back to limiting indoor occupancy more than he is.

A lot of people got upset about church closings in some states. Well, crowded churches are dangerous places and some of the churches weren’t showing good judgment. People made it into some sort of attack on religion, which is total bullshit.

I think states that limited selling certain products in big box stores went too far. Like not selling paint at a Walmart. People blew that out of proportion though, you could still buy paint at other stores.

I think what people need to see is governors and mayors only take action to try to prevent the spread, of the citizenry conducted themselves in a way to prevent the spread leaders would not try to do anything to control people. Governors put in orders when hospitals start filling up and remove orders when covid cases go back down.

A church is an ADDITIONAL possible exposure. Every time you go somewhere indoors near people it’s taking another risk. People need to eat, they don’t need to go into a church to worship. I do understand some people feel the need. Going to church is probably the equivalent of my husband needing to buy a bicycle a few weeks ago. He could walk or swim instead, but he loves bicycling. He stays very far from other people when shopping and wears his mask and is not near one person for an extended period. As long as churches are doing the same, hopefully cutting service times and only filling churches 30% and wearing masks and people attending not singing, then it should be fine.

I thought our Governor handled the closures correctly for the most part in New Jersey. Of course there were people who bitched about the strictness but I thought it was handled well. I didn’t really follow all the school stuff since I don’t have school aged children.

Churches are the great stupidity. Why would you open a place where people are sitting shoulder to shoulder, singing (projecting virus) and hugging after the service? Let the zealots catch COVID. Their choice.

I think they went overboard on closing sports arenas and stadiums. If a stadium seats 50000 people, you can let in somewhere between ⅓ and ½ of the audience and still keep distancing.

@elbanditoroso I said the same thing about sports. I think college students should be allowed into the college stadiums for games only home team, no travelers. They can sit in their pods throughout the stadium. Pro games some limited seating also discouraging travel from other cities.

Churches don’t have to be shoulder to shoulder, that was the point my governor made all along. He would say, “if I can have this press conference with you distanced and wearing masks why can’t a church do the same?” The “you” was the reporters in attendance. He stated singing was high risk at the same time and he always said being outside is always the better choice than being inside for all activities.

I can’t get past Walmart being open and anything else closed. Neither churches or bars are as popular.

Anyone not from the Midwest may not understand, but the great unwashed masses are Walmart addicts. CERTAINLY not masked (once past the doors.)

If Walmart is open, we are sunk here. As the numbers clearly show. Many of the Health Dept contact postd do list Walmart as a stop on the Covid transmittal tracker.

PS I have refused to go to any Walmart for probably 15–20 years now for political reasons.

Singing doesn’t hurl virus, but anyway, walmart.
Grocery stores, Walmart, blah blah, nothing better at spreading virus than shopping carts.
We had people pretty much work things out around here. Bars had curb pickup :-D
Musicians set up in senior care parking lots to entertain lonely elders, that sort of thing. Some churches set up in parking lots, and people stayed in their cars.
Birthdays, graduating students, and other special occasions people did car parades past the house of whoever, with handmade signs they held out their windows.
People found creative ways to do things. Some stores opened an hour early and that was when high risk people shopped, well spaced.

@Patty_Melt Why do you think singing doesn’t hurl the virus? There is every reason to believe it does. Singing, shouting, is going to throw the droplets further through the air. We have examples of super-spreaders from singing and there is video of how droplets fly through the air from singing.

The liquor stores being open. That one seemed odd to me.

@JLeslie,
No more so than walking around without either goggles, or a face shield. The eyes are the most vulnerable of the whole body to the virus.
Here’s another little issue. Beards, moustaches, and long hair. Nothing like hair to give droplets a home. Gag!
Not one church in my town had big drops in attendance due to illness, and we have a LOT of churches.

I do have one issue with closures. Community theater stopped all activity in March, and has not resumed, but bars were only closed s few weeks.
The venue is large enough they could have done spaced seating.

They could, but maybe they’re choosing not to. I know of the community theaters around here are using this time to get around to delayed renovation projects.

@Patty_Melt I agree with @Darth_Algar It’s probably their choice not to open. The local theatre group here streams on Facebook live doing readings.

Are your churches still singing and are they crowded? Is everyone wearing a mask? Are you in a city with a lot of covid?

Just basic logic doing anything that throws your voice is going to put more velocity behind the virus to move across the room.

@Darth_Algar I was so glad liquor stores stayed open and I don’t drink. Laws in some states were changed to allow take-away alcohol from bars too. You can’t have alcoholics jonesing all over the country during the lockdown. Not just alcoholics, but anyone who simply wants to pair a wind with dinner or have a cocktail after a stressful day at work. Some states don’t allow alcohol sales in supermarkets, so liquor stores are the only place to get your wine or beer let alone alcohol.

Plus, shopping for alcohol is no different than shopping for food. You’re in the store a short time, wear a mask, or pick it up curbside or delivery.

Typo: wine with dinner.

@JLeslie

Sure, but I was speaking specifically of my town. No shortage of places to get your booze at around here. Walmart, Kroger, the local mom & pop grocery store, bars, restaurants, video gambling parlors (one on every street corner in my town), convenience stores…

But the library hasn’t been open since before the summer. Slots for the blue hairs, Budweiser for their sons, but no books! Doesn’t really bother me. And I don’t say that any of them should be closed. If people want to fritter away their pension or drink themselves into a stupor, be my guest. Just stay off my lawn. It just kinda makes me roll my eyes. It’s like “really folks? This is where our town priorities lie?”

@Darth_Algar I don’t see why liquor stores should be closed if other grocery stores are open. That part makes sense to me. I realize your find with it too.

As far as the libraries, maybe they are worried about people hanging out in them an extended time? Or, touching the computers and magazines? I guess they could just close off the seating areas and still let people check books out. I’m almost positive our libraries are open here, but I haven’t been to the library during the covid situation so I’m not sure of the set up. Actually, I was at one in August to drop of my mail-in ballot for that election, and I noticed the library book store was closed, but I don’t even know if the library was open or not, because where I walk in is a lobby area, not directly into the library.

@Darth It’s ironic to me, that in Mexico the president allowed no liquor sold during a hurricane (I was there) so citizens ‘could help eachother.’

Imagine the US doing that? I can’t. Nor do I think spoiled brat Americans would cooperate for three days let alone a year of Covid.