Coronavirus and Walt Disney World general discussion

[DisneyDebRob]

I'm confused at why just now your neighbor's neighbor, PA, is opening up bar seating and sports venues when they don't appear to be so far ahead of the curve in cases per day.
View attachment 539881

The mid-Atlantic corridor has so much travel between its states that it's tough to believe PA, especially the Philadelphia region, is much different than NJ.

Agreed! I have been saying it for last 2 weeks. The roll out in the suburbs has been brutal here. The whole state isn’t doing that well. Can’t find appointments anywhere yet things are going to start opening up. Unless they think there will be huge supply in next 2 weeks.

 

[Patcheslee]

Indiana dropped to 45+ today. Governor had previously said next group would be 40+. So still waiting

 

[GoofGoof]

I'm confused at why just now your neighbor's neighbor, PA, is opening up bar seating and sports venues when they don't appear to be so far ahead of the curve in cases per day.
View attachment 539881

The mid-Atlantic corridor has so much travel between its states that it's tough to believe PA, especially the Philadelphia region, is much different than NJ.

The part of NJ that borders Philly is doing just fine. It’s several counties in the NYC area that are the problem. Same issue with CT and NY. I live in a suburban county near Philly and our cases are just over 10 per 100K each day which is about the same as the city of Philadelphia. NYC is 3 to 4 times that depending on the day. It’s pretty clear there’s a concentration of variant specifically impacting the area...see LA in December.

 

[GimpYancIent]

The part of NJ that borders Philly is doing just fine. It’s several counties in the NYC area that are the problem. Same issue with CT and NY. I live in a suburban county near Philly and our cases are just over 10 per 100K each day. NYC is 3 to 4 times that depending on the day. It’s pretty clear there’s a concentration of variant specifically impacting the area...see LA in December.

The Hudson, as a barrier, helps. Sort of nature helping with social distancing.

 

[danlb_2000]

I feel like the US is going at the acceptable speed of vaccinations to outpace the variants from surging. Sure they're becoming dominant but cases are still dropping.

Yeah, especially when compared to mainland Europe. They are starting to see another wave in a bunch of countries.

 

[GoofGoof]

I don’t get the anger with what’s happening in NY and NJ. It’s a highly contagious virus in a densely populated area. We’ve seen various states have their case numbers go way up and then fall back time and again all over the country for the past year. Don’t think you can just chalk it up to folks in NY and NJ are stupid and the rest of us are acting right. Trust me....we ain’t all acting right.

Look for the longer term trends. The daily gotcha games are pointless. Remember back in Dec/Jan It was comparing FL to CA. Radio silence on that now that FL has 3x as many cases again. The virus moves in waves and the waves aren’t nationwide. Just get your vaccine and wear your mask for now and it will all be over soon.

 

[danlb_2000]

I was born and raised in NJ. I own homes in NJ, NY and Florida. For almost a full year I have read how bad Florida is doing and what a great job Cuomo did. Yes, states have seen their numbers go up and down but NY almost daily has bragged how great they are doing, they aren't. Besides, maybe they will do better if they are shamed into it because whatever they are doing right now, things are going in the wrong direction. The pandemic can't be over in the US until it's over in all states.

At this point I don't know if you are going to be able change people's behavior.

 

[GoofGoof]

At this point I don't know if you are going to be able change people's behavior.

I live in PA and work in NJ so have coverage seeing both areas. The people in my area where I live aren’t acting any better than my friends in north Jersey. We are very lucky the more contagious variant hasn’t taken hold here like it has in NYC area. It very well could sooner than later. The only thing saving us is probably the fact that NYC isn’t really fully open so less travel there than normal times.

 

[Kevin_W]

We have talked quite a bit about polls on vaccine acceptance (NYT says 75% of the US say they will get the shot), but I think we're starting to get real data. Of people who have the at least first shot, Florida's data shows 56% of 85+ year-olds, and 67% of people 65-84. In Ohio, the data shows 66% of people age 70 and up, and 56% in ages 65-69.

These people have been eligible for months at this point, so there should be no scheduling/availability issues. It looks like that 75% is probably quite a bit high with at least 2 states plateauing at ~67% and lower ages expected to be more resistant to getting the vaccine.

 

[seascape]

Agreed! I have been saying it for last 2 weeks. The roll out in the suburbs has been brutal here. The whole state isn’t doing that well. Can’t find appointments anywhere yet things are going to start opening up. Unless they think there will be huge supply in next 2 weeks.

I got my appointment in Berlin. 90 minutes from my house. Newark is easy to get an appointment but you have to live or work in Essex County. My wife got hers there and so did most of the people she works with. The biggest problem in NJ is uneven distribution of the vaccine. Murphy said he would give priority to minority communities that were hit hardest. However, the signups are much higher among other groups. In any case, those who work hard at it can get the vaccine.

 

[correcaminos]

We have talked quite a bit about polls on vaccine acceptance (NYT says 75% of the US say they will get the shot), but I think we're starting to get real data. Of people who have the at least first shot, Florida's data shows 56% of 85+ year-olds, and 67% of people 65-84. In Ohio, the data shows 66% of people age 70 and up, and 56% in ages 65-69.

These people have been eligible for months at this point, so there should be no scheduling/availability issues. It looks like that 75% is probably quite a bit high with at least 2 states plateauing at ~67% and lower ages expected to be more resistant to getting the vaccine.

To be fair many are still having issues getting appointments.

 

[HarperRose]

We have talked quite a bit about polls on vaccine acceptance (NYT says 75% of the US say they will get the shot), but I think we're starting to get real data. Of people who have the at least first shot, Florida's data shows 56% of 85+ year-olds, and 67% of people 65-84. In Ohio, the data shows 66% of people age 70 and up, and 56% in ages 65-69.

These people have been eligible for months at this point, so there should be no scheduling/availability issues. It looks like that 75% is probably quite a bit high with at least 2 states plateauing at ~67% and lower ages expected to be more resistant to getting the vaccine.

Getting an appointment is an issue across the country.

 

[mmascari]

Keep this in mind on the variants: vaccine efficacy is not an on-off switch. Even when there is some evidence of reduced efficacy against variants, that doesn't mean the vaccines will suddenly be totally ineffective. They may be less effective in preventing symptomatic cases from certain variants, but still nearly or just as effective in preventing severe cases, hospitalization, and death.

Right up until the less, becomes even less, and then even less again.

Let's keep vaccinated people's exposures to the virus as small as possible.

Being vaccinated isn't a super power that you should just ignore all exposures while spread is high and you're more likely to run into virus.

It is a super power, in that you don't die. And it should bring spread down based on the exposures that still occur.

 

[ABQ]

Getting an appointment is an issue across the country.

Granted we have far few people in my desert of a state of NM, but somehow where we are still only allowing people over 75 (along with first responders and patient care) but still have vaccinated a higher percentage and almost anyone. Monday, they began allowing teachers.

 

[SamusAranX]

Right up until the less, becomes even less, and then even less again.

Let's keep vaccinated people's exposures to the virus as small as possible.

Being vaccinated isn't a super power that you should just ignore all exposures while spread is high and you're more likely to run into virus.

It is a super power, in that you don't die. And it should bring spread down based on the exposures that still occur.

You have to remember, while it's not a "superpower", it's been drilled into our brains that "herd immunity by way of vaccination" is the only way out of this and back to a new normal.

So naturally, some are going to pushback against the other mitigations that remain in place for now. I'm not saying it's right, just reading the room out there.

 

[GoofGoof]

We have talked quite a bit about polls on vaccine acceptance (NYT says 75% of the US say they will get the shot), but I think we're starting to get real data. Of people who have the at least first shot, Florida's data shows 56% of 85+ year-olds, and 67% of people 65-84. In Ohio, the data shows 66% of people age 70 and up, and 56% in ages 65-69.

These people have been eligible for months at this point, so there should be no scheduling/availability issues. It looks like that 75% is probably quite a bit high with at least 2 states plateauing at ~67% and lower ages expected to be more resistant to getting the vaccine.

The 75% in the poll is nationwide. The nationwide number from the CDC shows 64% of 65+ have at least 1 dose. In a handful of states 65-74 still aren’t eligible and in many places people still can’t get appointments. My guess is if you broke it down more granular some states will have higher percent in the poll than others. Even within a state you will see different levels of acceptance. I am thinking in places that more people took Covid seriously you will naturally see a higher acceptance rate. We also know that there will need to be a stronger push into urban areas where people are generally less trusting of the government. There’s a need for community based vaccine clinics at churches or in places people feel more comfortable.

Florida is an interesting state to watch. The Governor has continuously downplayed the severity and impact of Covid and insisted it’s only really an issue for elderly people so it may be difficult to get people off of the fence to get vaccinated when they‘ve been told for 12+ months the virus is no big deal for them. So the elderly uptake may actually be quite significantly higher than the under 65 crowd. If demand is stalled for the elderly that’s a bad sign. I still think there‘s more demand. Not everyone who is eligible has been able to find an appointment, but it is a concern to watch.

 

[GoofGoof]

Granted we have far few people in my desert of a state of NM, but somehow where we are still only allowing people over 75 (along with first responders and patient care) but still have vaccinated a higher percentage and almost anyone. Monday, they began allowing teachers.

I had read somewhere that states that have more native American or indigenous people and more military people are further ahead because there are doses allocated for those groups separate and in addition to the state allocation. So a state like Alaska has gotten more doses per capita than other states due to the indigenous population getting their own allocation. Not sure how true that is, but the top few states seem to have larger indigenous populations.

 

[sullyinMT]

I had read somewhere that states that have more native American or indigenous people and more military people are further ahead because there are doses allocated for those groups separate and in addition to the state allocation. So a state like Alaska has gotten more doses per capita than other states due to the indigenous population getting their own allocation. Not sure how true that is, but the top few states seem to have larger indigenous populations.

Partially correct. The state's allocation is reduced by the amount earmarked for VA/DoD/IHS direct shipments in a direct correlation. However, due to their ability to focus on a singular group, the usage rate of those received doses is much higher. Once they're completed or stalled, I assume that the state's allocation will be proportionally "replenished." So, that has helped the overall state numbers. Once the race to complete the nine military installations and the native populations in AK are largely complete, it will be interesting to see how the rest of the state fares. It undoubtedly helped them to open the state to the GP for vaccination more quickly.

 

[Parker in NYC]

You have to remember, while it's not a "superpower", it's been drilled into our brains that "herd immunity by way of vaccination" is the only way out of this and back to a new normal.

So naturally, some are going to pushback against the other mitigations that remain in place for now. I'm not saying it's right, just reading the room out there.

It's also been drilled into our brains to continue to wear masks and continue to take precautions, Depending on the state of one's "state" of course, and the decision-making of the adults in the room. Also, people are free to make their own decisions -- as has been strongly evident without any sideline commentary.

 

[Parker in NYC]

For starters, I'm a hypochondriac who lives and works in NYC. Already, we're off to a good start (and I fit the stereotype). Even with every precaution, even with assurances in print that there are no confirmed cases in the city, I'm getting a little worse for wear with each passing day. This is also crimping my desire to travel. Especially to metropolitan areas (which strike me as obviously a little more prone to spreading the virus). And if I had a trip coming up for Disney, I wonder if I'd think twice. In NYC alone, Chinatown is suffering, taxis aren't picking up asian passengers/passengers aren't stepping into taxis with asian drivers, restaurants are beginning to struggle, tourism is suffering due to the lack of international visitors.

Life is a roll of the dice. Anything can happen. Violence, accidents, transportation mishaps. But I'm wondering when (not if) the coronavirus is going to hit to the point that it affects travel and, more specifically, WDW. Does Disney have plans in place beyond limiting hours and laying off performers?

Happy almost 1 year and 1 month anniversary of this social experiment of a thread! People come, people go. People are banned, people stay. Nothing ever happens.