Go home and stay there.

[susandennis]

The governor's address was interesting. He has a tendency to be really boring and he got close today but mostly he was very thoughtful and careful and so very good at answering questions from the press. His address was a long list of severe restrictions but mostly in the light of the pain it's going to cause local businesses and how he's working to get them help.

I'm glad he got re elected.

The city's pool - where I was going to swim - already, even before this address, announced a postponement of the reopening so I wouldn't have been swimming anyway. And, I suspect, they will push it back even farther.

Today's restrictions are for four weeks to watch the numbers.

Interesting times.

Governor's list behind the cut.



• Indoor social gatherings with people from outside your household are prohibited.

• Outdoor social gatherings should be limited to 5 people from outside your household.

• Restaurants and bars are closed for indoor service. Outdoor dining and to-go service is permitted. Outdoor dining must follow the outdoor dining restriction. Table size limited to 5 for outdoor dining. These restaurant restrictions go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, November 18.

• Fitness facilities and gyms are closed for indoor operations. Outdoor fitness classes may still occur but they are limited by the outdoor gathering restriction listed above. Drop off childcare closed.

• Bowling Centers are closed for indoor service.

• Miscellaneous Venues: All retail activities and business meetings are prohibited. Only professional training and testing that cannot be performed remotely is allowed. Occupancy in each meeting room is limited to 25% or 100 people, whichever is fewer.

• Movie Theaters are closed for indoor service. Drive-in movie theaters are still permitted and must follow the current drive-in movie theater guidance.

• Museums/Zoos/Aquariums are closed for indoor service.

• Real Estate open houses are prohibited.

• Wedding and Funerals receptions are prohibited. Ceremonies are limited to no more than 30 people.

• In-store retail limited to 25% indoor occupancy and must close any common/congregate non-food related seating areas. Food court indoor seating is closed.

• Religious services limited to 25% indoor occupancy no more than 200 people, whichever is fewer. No choir, band, or ensemble shall perform during the service. Soloists are permitted to perform. Facial coverings must be worn at all times by congregation members and no congregational singing.

• Professional Services are required to mandate that employees work from home when possible, and to close offices to the public. If they remain open, occupancy is restricted to 25%.

• Personal services are limited to 25% of maximum occupancy.

• Long-term Care Facilities outdoor visits only. Exceptions can be made for essential support person and end-of-life care.

• Youth (school and non-school) and adult sporting activities limited to outdoor only for intrateam practices, masks required for athletes.

• A household is defined as the individuals residing in the same domicile.

Comments

[carriea31.livejournal.com]

I wonder why church congregants cannot sing, provided they still wear their masks. That seems odd.

[sweetmeow]

I hope I can answer that. With singing, you breathe in deeply (sucking in germs from other singers in a more intense manner) and you breathe out deeply as you sing - sharing your germs more widely than if you are just talking. Even with wearing masks there is leakage with this kind of intense breathing. Choirs and group singing have been known to be super spreaders. I admit, when I'm in church, I quietly hum the hymns. (we've been asked not to sing)

There are such things as masks specially designed for singers. They have "form" - and stick out away from your face so that the mask doesn't "suck in and out" as you breathe deeply and sing out. They hold the droplets better and don't seep out as much. The sound which comes from them is better, too. I also notice they adhere to the sides of your face much more strongly than an ordinary mask. You have to find a good fit. They are usually made with 3 layers, often with a disposable filter.

I'm still not sure I'd feel comfortable being in a choir even with everyone in these kinds of masks unless everyone was socially distanced and in a room that is well aired. At the college I attended, they still have a choir going. But, all rehearsals and performances are outside (and yes, it's cold!!), socially distanced, and all wear these masks. I admit, though, that because of my age, I'm more cautious.

[carriea31.livejournal.com]

Oh, ok, that makes sense. I know what you are talking about because I've experienced that sucking in and out thing even with regular talking. I had no idea singers could purchase special masks. Interesting!

[sweetmeow]

I found about them through our choir director and organist, both of whom have one. They like them better than regular masks because an extra good thing is their glasses don't fog up in those masks. I also heard that our choir director in Hilton Head purchased about 5 of them - probably to give to soloists in church

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Those orders are much stricter than ours here in Minnesota. I will be following, with much interest, the success of such closures.

[eelink.livejournal.com]

GOOD

[siglinde99.livejournal.com]

That is very close to where we are now. Our city’s numbers are starting to drop again, but I won’t be surprised to see further tightening here.

[richaarde.livejournal.com]

Seems like similar restrictions to what we had last winter. Nothing unreasonable.

[guest2020.livejournal.com]

good

[rromantic.livejournal.com]

I just saw on CNN's website that the US passed the million mark for new cases in just a week!!! Stay safe!

[rsc.livejournal.com]

Guess you didn't really need to cancel your swim, as it just got cancelled for you.

We don't have anything like those restrictions back in place here, although today's newspaper says we're seeing numbers like we had in April. I did note that there were lines at both the nearby Whole Foods over the weekend, which is something we haven't seen since July or August.

I also keep reading about how the economic pain for businesses could be somewhat ameliorated if Congress would get its act together; there's only so much the states (which, unlike the Federal government, are constrained to balance their budgets) can do.

[susandennis]

Yes, all that swim/no swim stress was for nothing. Sigh.

According to the news and twitter we had long lines at Costco and all grocery stores and so now have empty shelves... again.

So much of everything could be ameliorated is Congress would get its act together.

[maju01.livejournal.com]

I hope these measures work.

[seattlejo.livejournal.com]

I thought of you and the swimming. Poor timing.

[susandennis]

yeahbutt i had already chickened out and canceled. and then they postponed the opening for a week anyway and now it's at least four weeks. :(

[seattlejo.livejournal.com]

I had missed that.

Still sad. Trying to keep all our favorite places open with carryout.