This is a quote from my brother's email when I wrote him considering a visit since it has been so long.

.... we'll be here. Be forewarned though, we are not as passionate about masks, testing and sanitizers as you are.

Yeah, I love ya bro, but maybe next year. I feel bad because my sister depends on brother and his wife to take her to doctor's appointments, shopping, and so forth. She goes as little as possible but she still shares a vehicle with them at times.

I basically get myself tested every two weeks, and the appointments have all been booked here, too. So the last time I went, I went as a walk in. The appt line had people waiting, but I basically walked right in past those people. One one anecdote in favor of just showing up to a site that allows walk-ins.

My niece is an ER physician at a large University hospital in Ohio (not Teppy's city) and when I spoke with her last Sunday, she thought they would be out of beds next week. They were already refusing all transfers. She also said they have plenty of PPE, so that's not a worry, but what is a worry is that the doctors and nurses are getting sick, too, and they won't have enough staff to care for patients at this rate.

Oh, in fun news, DH brought me in a nice big stalk of bananas from the yard and I have peeled and frozen enough for at least a couple months of flavoring for our breakfast oatmeal or blender drinks. The Florida bananas are little, but so sweet. Totes yummy. Hmmm. daquiris?

but what is a worry is that the doctors and nurses are getting sick, too, and they won't have enough staff to care for patients at this rate.

Not only sick, but completely exhausted and weary. It is very worrying.

My niece is an ER physician at a large University hospital in Ohio (not Teppy's city) and when I spoke with her last Sunday, she thought they would be out of beds next week. They were already refusing all transfers. She also said they have plenty of PPE, so that's not a worry, but what is a worry is that the doctors and nurses are getting sick, too, and they won't have enough staff to care for patients at this rate.

One of my friends works as an OR nurse for Cincinnati Children's Hospital -- she said that today, the main campus location had 27 OR nurses call in sick today, and their ER is so full they have squads on diversion.

When healthcare workers are sick enough to call off, things are FUCKED.

Tim talked to PCP in person, told him the circumstances around his co-worker testing positive (ie, their work shifts only overlap for 2 hours, Tim's interaction with co-worker was minimal, Tim always wears a mask, co-worker did not wear a mask). PCP said that he doesn't think Tim needs to get tested.

That surprises me even more knowing I was required by the state health dept to get tested, respond to daily health check-ins and quarantine for 14 days after a MUCH lower-risk potential exposure.

My town is now a Yellow Zone after being in Phase 5 for most of the summer. Doesn't change my daily routine at all but I am worried about families whose kids were in the hybrid program, and local businesses making it through the winter.

Also, you guys, this thread name.

{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}

Epic thread title, Epic.

My university offers free walk-in testing and apparently the students have been so good about pre-Thanksgiving testing that the PTB are now asking everyone to make appointments - it seems they've been too busy. I'm really quite surprised that the kids have been paying attention and getting tested, but I suppose that might be because they've ignored the mask rules all semester and are now feeling guilty or something.

If Ken (and most of the rest of the Horde) weren't here in Washington I would be off my head right now. County sheriffs all over Utah are saying they won't enforce the mask mandates, and Governor Herbert wouldn't close the churches. Meanwhile University Hospital's ICU is at 103% of capacity, with all the Intermountain Health facilities close behind; they're about to start opening respiratory triage centers in tents in hospital parking lots.