Stores and restaurants re-closing due to COVID

[disneysteve]

Question for anyone? Is wearing a mask more to protect the wearer or to keep infection from spreading to others?

Wearing a mask primarily keeps you from spreading disease to others but it also does provide some protection for the wearer. The big issue with COVID is that many patients have no symptoms so they don't know they are sick but they are still actively contagious.

[disneysteve]

Question for anyone? Is wearing a mask more to protect the wearer or to keep infection from spreading to others?

I have a variety of graphics for this but I'll just summarize it here.

COVID carrier without mask and healthy person with mask: transmission risk 70%
COVID carrier with mask and healthy person without mask: transmission risk 5%
COVID carrier with mask and healthy person with mask: transmission risk 1.5%

[QuarterMillionMan]

Thanks Disney Steve. On CNBC, Ken Langone founder of Home Depot said wearing a mask protects the person wearing it. I begged to differ that it prevents the spread of the virus. You confirmed it for me.

[disneysteve]

Thanks Disney Steve. On CNBC, Ken Langone founder of Home Depot said wearing a mask protects the person wearing it. I begged to differ that it prevents the spread of the virus. You confirmed it for me.

Yeah, so it's both, but primarily preventing the spread and secondarily protecting the wearer.

[QuarterMillionMan]

The University of Southern California for the fall not holding on-campus classes except for labs and research that require hands on.

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/coronavirus-covid-19-usc-classes/2389980/

[QuarterMillionMan]

CNBC analysts predicts Black Friday & Christmas will be mostly online and we won't see huge crowds of people at the stores/malls. As for schools which begins July/August/September, decisions are still being made. They need to hurry and make some decisions soon. United Air sent out layoff notices and they took PPP loans from the Feds saying they would keep staff until September 30, but beginning October 1 the employees will be laid off. The future is looking bleak.

[james.hendrickson]

QMM - its possible there will be a second round of stimulus.

[QuarterMillionMan]

QMM - its possible there will be a second round of stimulus.

James CNBC talks about the HEROES act and Steve Minuchin, Secretary of the Treasury was interviewed and said it looks like it will be passed soon.

[james.hendrickson]

So, here is the summary of the bill - H.R. 6800. Introduced in House (05/12/2020)

Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act or the HEROES Act

This bill responds to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) outbreak and its impact on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses.

Among other things, the bill

• provides FY2020 emergency supplemental appropriations to federal agencies;
• provides payments and other assistance to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments;
• provides additional direct payments of up to $1,200 per individual;
• expands paid sick days, family and medical leave, unemployment compensation, nutrition and food assistance programs, housing assistance, and payments to farmers;
• modifies and expands the Paycheck Protection Program, which provides loans and grants to small businesses and nonprofit organizations;
• establishes a fund to award grants for employers to provide pandemic premium pay for essential workers;
• expands several tax credits and deductions;
• provides funding and establishes requirements for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing;
• eliminates cost-sharing for COVID-19 treatments;
• extends and expands the moratorium on certain evictions and foreclosures; and
• requires employers to develop and implement infectious disease exposure control plans.

The bill also modifies or expands a wide range of other programs and policies, including those regarding

• Medicare and Medicaid,
• health insurance,
• broadband service,
• medical product supplies,
• immigration,
• student loans and financial aid,
• the federal workforce,
• prisons,
• veterans benefits,
• consumer protection requirements,
• the U.S. Postal Service,
• federal elections,
• aviation and railroad workers, and
• pension and retirement plans.

It hasn't been passed yet, but here is the link.

[disneysteve]

Add Brooks Brothers to the list of retail bankruptcy filings.

I imagine that with so many people working from home, places like that that depend on business and executive folks for sales aren't doing well at all. You don't need that stuff to work at your kitchen table. And I know many people who have already been told they will be working from home for the rest of 2020 at least.

[kork13]

Add Brooks Brothers to the list of retail bankruptcy filings.

That's unfortunate...they have some good stuff (albeit expensive).

I imagine that with so many people working from home, places like that that depend on business and executive folks for sales aren't doing well at all. You don't need that stuff to work at your kitchen table.

Well, you may still need at least the top half. I have a couple friends who are doing the WFH thing and do video conference meetings in pajama pants & a button down shirt/tie.

[disneysteve]

That's unfortunate...they have some good stuff (albeit expensive).

Well, filing doesn't necessarily mean going out of business. I didn't read the details so they may still stay around.

Well, you may still need at least the top half. I have a couple friends who are doing the WFH thing and do video conference meetings in pajama pants & a button down shirt/tie.

Yeah, but I doubt guys have needed to go out and buy much new stuff the past 3-4 months.

[disneysteve]

West Chester University (PA) just announced the fall semester will be held remotely. They join a growing list of schools doing the same.

I really see no feasible way for schools at any level from K to grad school, to reopen in August or September with "normal" classroom activity.

[rennigade]

Let the schools stay closed. Parents will be forced to either quit their jobs, or somehow get government assistance. Most people cannot work from home. There wont be enough daycare to go around, or if there are, people wont be able to afford it. After all those people quit working or get fired, they can stop paying their mortgages, eventually losing their homes. If you think it was bad 2 months ago when the economy was semi shut down, you havent seen anything yet.

Vaccines have already gone to clinical trials. We'll see some sort of vaccine by the end of the year. It'll probably be too late by then. Trillions will be lost, most will be unemployed and living on the streets. The future looks bright.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

We are going hybrid. Kids are going to school 40% and 60% remote. And those who can't go 100% remote. UGGGHHH. Whatever. DH and I are going to suck it up.