As for the cats, what I read was that they could potentially catch the virus from humans but couldn't pass it to humans, so wouldn't be vectors.

Having a cat that frequently sneezes until she looks like the victim of a Ghostbusters-style sliming, I don't feel confident that an infected cat wouldn't be able to pass it on to nearby humans.

I don't remember what the basis for that conclusion was, could not begin to guess how reliable it might be.

It infuriates me that testing is not a free and widely available thing. It's just so obvious! AARGH

YUP

My experience in MN was that if you could say you had any symptom (from a long list) or knew you had been exposed or had been in a mass protest, you could go to a drive through. We had none of that and still were able to get tested at a drive through for travel after consulting with a nurse practitioner (and charging our insurance 500 dollars of course). There was no line, we were in and out in five minutes and had the results the next day.

Capacity is increasing. It is just tricky I think to figure out how to use the extra (not obviously symptomatic or from contact tracing) capacity to best effect.

I went to get a pedicure today (supporting local business!!) and the guy came to take my temperature with no mask on. You win some, you lose some.

We have a zoom appointment with a therapist tomorrow for ltc because she's really not sleeping well lately as well as having some other behavioral issues. I'm nervous and have no idea if ltc will even agree to talk. So, wish us luck.

Zoom~ma, sj. I hope it goes well.

DH's sister convinced him to crash there for a bit. She will wake him at 3AM to head north.

We had a wonderful day of Cat TV at the bedroom window. I put up privacy film, which is shiny and reflective from outside. Birds flock to peck at my peaches, which is pretty exciting for the cats. Today a downy juvenile became enraptured by its own reflection and spent the day clinging to the window frame by one foot and flapping its wings and tapping on the glass. Refused to quit. Came back again and again. Lily Bean had the most excited day of leaping at the window, chattering and lashing her tail. Fun for us too!

Thankfully we have pretty straightforward testing here in Los Angeles. There is a website to go to for an appointment, and then you get a list of times at drive through sites, pick one, turn up and do the test. I go to get a test every two weeks now, my last result came in 24 hours, the others have all been less than 48 hours. No charge on these tests.

That is the way it is up here too, ND. I went on line, there was an appointment the next day. Drove up to the Rx window at the drug store, swabbed my own brain stem, and got the results via email. Free. No lines or waiting. My sister got her results the next day, but mine took 4. I expect it varies depending on the lab backup. I'm glad the first test I had was via a professional so I could be sure I was swabbing correctly. But DIY is fine going forward.