Corona - what does help you? Your fears, thoughts, everything

[serious crayons]

I'm concerned about increased random violence that crime fighters say is related to the pandemic fatigue, isolation, additional regulation, social disruption, and economic strife. Things like domestic and neighbor disputes escalating into violence, road rage, and the like. Is this a problem in other countries? 

Violent crime is way up here. There's been a wave of carjackings. Last weekend, a vehicle was carjacked with a 1-year-old in it. Luckily, it was found two hours later and the baby was fine. But often the people with their cars have been pushed to the ground and things like that.

I hear the crime wave more often attributed to the George Floyd unrest than to COVID, partly because Minneapolis police are leaving the force and/or underpolicing out of anger because many citizens, including some city council members, wanted to abolish the Police Department. They've since softened that position, but it seems likely there will be some reorganization of the department.

What has increased with COVID is homelessness. The usual kind because people lose their jobs and can't pay rent. But also, homelessness among teens who leave home to avoid being trapped in households with domestic abuse, substance abuse, mental illness, family conflicts over LGBTQ issues, etc. Meanwhile, schools, stores, restaurants and coffee shops have been closed (they're semi-open on and off) so kids have no place to seek respite. I wrote about this last earlier this week.

 

[Penthesilea]

I'm concerned about increased random violence that crime fighters say is related to the pandemic fatigue, isolation, additional regulation, social disruption, and economic strife. Things like domestic and neighbor disputes escalating into violence, road rage, and the like. Is this a problem in other countries? 

No. Pandemic fatigue, yes. We're all fed up with restrictions, I know I am. I would love nothing more than having big birthday celebrations with the whole family, meeting with friends, etc. Most of all, I miss travelling so much!
I had so hoped to get to Canada this year, but well…..

Meanwhile I'd love to plan any vacation, any road trip, any small trip over a long weekend, just anything. Drives me up the walls; I started checking airfares, plotting routes, etc. - just for the heck of it, but in reality I have nowhere to go

Numbers have been going down in Germany since mid-December, when we started our second big lockdown. Two month on, we're still in lockdown. Now the cases are going up again, despite the lockdown! It's the new variants that make the numbers go up. It just takes a little bit of hope from people.
You go into lockdown, you adhere to the rules, numbers are falling, you're thinking about easing restrictions - and then wham! numbers are on the rise again. It's a sucker punch


But I haven't heard about rising violence. Domestic/child abuse might have risen over the last year. Sounds logical, but so far there are no data about it.

Just yesterday I've heard that burglaries have gone way down. People are at home all the time, and I guess even burglars shy back from the risk of catching Corona instead of money.

[Penthesilea]

Another piece of news I've suspected all along and have now confirmed it that my occupation (Erzieherin = people who take care of small children in nurseries, kindergartens, etc.) has the highest number Corona infections of all occupations!
We're higher even than nurses working in hospitals. We're also higher than teachers because teachers have more distance to their pupils.

Nurses have at least protective clothing, we have not. We do get masks, and we have to wear them when we leave our workspace, which is our assigned classroom. But within our classroom with 10 children and two or three colleagues, we don't wear masks.
You can't wear them with the youngest children. They need to see our faces to understand and they need to see our mouth movements to hear.

[serious crayons]

You can't wear them with the youngest children. They need to see our faces to understand and they need to see our mouth movements to hear.

Wow, that's dangerous. Can people with your job get on the priority list for vaccination?

[Penthesilea]

Wow, that's dangerous. Can people with your job get on the priority list for vaccination?

No, not so far. Politics are now thinking about it.

Apart from prostitutes, we are the only profession working this close to other people without protection. And prostitution is still in lockdown, meaning they aren't allowed to work. Officially at least.

[Jeff Wrangler]

And prostitution is still in lockdown, meaning they aren't allowed to work.

 

[CellarDweller]

Hello everyone!

Just wanted to give a new update on Chris.

He was supposed to go to the doctor on Friday, but that got cancelled due to the weather.  However, the doctor had told Chris that he was doing well, and his plan was to take Chris off of the oxygen tanks during the day, and have him just use them at night.

Since Chris new that was going to happen, he decided to do it on his own anyway.  He stopped using oxygen during the day starting Friday, and used his oximeter to monitor his oxygen levels.  He was able to spend all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday off the machine, and use it only at night while sleeping.

[serious crayons]

Great news, Chuck! Thanks for the update.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Very glad to hear this. I'm glad your brother is doing so well.

[southendmd]

Super news, Chuck.  Thanks for letting us know.