Border

Netguy wrote:

All the rules don’t mean squat if people don’t follow them. Too many selfish and stubborn people!!

There is absolutely ZERO accuracy in this statement. In areas with extremely high mask compliance they are seeing their highest numbers right now. Look at Japan for example. They were lauded as “doing it right” by Fauci with over 98% mask compliance and they are having some of the highest daily counts in the World.
Texas Rangers had a packed 40,000 person stadium for opening day a month or so ago, yet the cases there continue to drop as they were prior to that with little to no restrictions.

COVID deaths in Texas 04/27/2021 = 52. You’re right, that is down. Still a bad run rate.

Debating this gets this thread nuked. The border is closed, will remained closed. The reasoning doesn’t really matter.

Dutchboy wrote:

Debating this gets this thread nuked. The border is closed, will remained closed. The reasoning doesn’t really matter.

Agreed, we can only speculate why Canada has chosen to do it too. Or when they will agree to re-open it and what restrictions will accompany it. Its good to hear correspondence from people who actually live there though.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Texas Rangers had a packed 40,000 person stadium for opening day a month or so ago, yet the cases there continue to drop as they were prior to that with little to no restrictions.

Its possible that our high vaccination rate is now blunting the infection rates. As a country, we’re way ahead of Canada on that front. I’m not saying its the sole reason, but certainly possible. Look at what is happening in India right now. They thought they had reached herd immunity, loosened up with a very low vaccination rate, and now its exploding.

Its also possible that a more contagious and/or deadly strain is circulating. The Canucks were out for a month with the P1 strain from Brazil so maybe that is the dominant strain there now.

Additionally, new CDC guidance says masks outside are not required because they only account for less than 10% of documented cases. The Texas Ranger’s ball park is an outdoor stadium.

These are just theories, CaptainMusky.

I’ve been able to travel through Canada three times during the pandemic. I am able to drive through because of an “Alaska loophole.” The only thing I can add to this thread is border crossings have been very difficult even for essential travel (up to an hour dealing with multiple border agents) and the Canadians are much more serious than the US with COVID restrictions and quarantining. Unfortunately, the lockdowns haven’t improved conditions. It’s just my opinion, but I really don’t see the border opening up until the spring of 2022. I sure hope I’m wrong.

gimruis wrote:

Additionally, new CDC guidance says masks outside are not required because they only account for less than 10% of documented cases. The Texas Ranger’s ball park is an outdoor stadium.

These are just theories, CaptainMusky.

Then explain Japan. 98% mask compliance INCLUDING outdoors. How could people be sitting shoulder to shoulder in an outdoor stadium in Texas not boost their case rate while over 98% of people in Japan where masks outdoors and are socially distant and cases sky-rocket?
Viruses do what viruses do and mitigation efforts to slow/stop the spread have little if any effect.
The issue with India is different. As you are probably aware other countries have a much more familial dynamic in that they will have multiple generations living in the same home. So you have school kids, their parents and then the grandparents all living together. Couple that with the fact its now their hot season so people stay indoors much longer. This is one of the major contributing factors there regardless with what strain is prevalent. It happens annually with the traditional flu (not saying this is just the flu BTW). I have a dozen consultants that work for me in India and I get updates from them daily. Many of the issues are exacerbated by the fact their healthcare system is not very robust. They tell me how difficult it is for some parts of the country to get health care and treatment. Its quite scary. People die daily from things that are easily treatable because ambulances just cannot reach them in time or they be taken by private vehicle. A 50 year old mother died of covid and was being taken to the hospital by her 2 sons on a motorcycle between them. Its absolutely heartbreaking seeing what’s transpiring there.
Canada is in a bad spot right now. Its unfortunate their vaccine rollout is so poor. The vast majority of their population lives within a few hundred miles of the US border, you would think they could get through this more efficiently than they are.

I don’t disagree with any of those points you have made. But I do think our high vaccination rate here is slowing the spread now.

gimruis wrote:

I don’t disagree with any of those points you have made. But I do think our high vaccination rate here is slowing the spread now.

Certainly possible, but I also think a VERY high percentage of our population has natural immunity (T Cells) from having it and not even knowing they had it.
UK just reported around 70% of their adult population had these antibodies. That’s wonderful.

gimruis wrote:

CaptainMusky wrote:
Texas Rangers had a packed 40,000 person stadium for opening day a month or so ago, yet the cases there continue to drop as they were prior to that with little to no restrictions.

Its possible that our high vaccination rate is now blunting the infection rates.

Texas Rangers home opener was April 5th, when Texas had less than 20% of the population vaccinated. Texas is at 25% Vaccinated as of the 26th.

https://apps.texastribune.org/features/2020/texas-coronavirus-cases-map/

sidescan wrote:

Last year was one of the busiest fishing season’s I have seen in years on Canadian waters. You can hardly find a boat, tackle, or reservations anywhere with the high demand. Prices are high on anything to do with the outdoors. No I think people are fishing more than ever before, just not from other country’s.

What part of Canada? Most of the NW Ontario resorts are full of Americans from my experience. In any case I’m glad that people had been getting out and keeping businesses from going under.

Im sorry but in the real world people die every day. last year 2.8 million people died of obesity. And I dont see anybody closeing down any mcdonalds any time soon.

sidescan wrote:

Reply: Last year was one of the busiest fishing season’s I have seen in years on Canadian waters. You can hardly find a boat, tackle, or reservations anywhere with the high demand. Prices are high on anything to do with the outdoors. No I think people are fishing more than ever before, just not from other country’s.

This is a far different statement than I am hearing from the 4 Canadian fishermen I know and from the 3 resort owners I know. They are all saying that the # of trailers at landings are WAY down from normal. The resort owners are saying that have had almost 0 customers. I guess it may be different from one part of Canada to another.

I wish they would just let us cross to the Angle. Why not have someone follow you to make sure you go straight there? They could make 100 bucks a trip, I am sure the fisherman would be happy to pay it, I would.