Seriously gonna have to rethink this each three-week update in a different color thing. I'm running out of colors that show up clear enough to read,
People are wondering.
Are we anywhere back to normal?
Honestly, I think only the most delusional are asking that now. Although, many are acting like this is over, or buying into the conspiracy theories that the death of 150,000 is just overblown.
Update: Where have we gone in the three weeks since I Posted the third Georgia by the numbers?
People are starting to press. No one in my area is pressing anymore. THEY'RE JUST GOING OUT - FEW MASKS, LITTLE TO NO SOCIAL DISATANCING. Some businesses (e.g., Kroger, Wally World) have gone to masks required status, and in those places, I see many more masks BUT NOT COMPLETE COMPLIANCE.
When can we go to a restaurant? Based on the crowds I see, people are going NOW. This remains true.
When can we be in a play, or attend one? WACT put on a play in for late June. I don't know any right now, although one WACT has scheduled in the Fall is one I'd very much like to be in, but won't in the current environment.
When can we go to church? Some, but not all, have opened up. My church is still closed, but it is now the exception rather than the rule. We have established extensive guidelines for what we do when we come back. As of now, our standards are in place, and we have prepared for re-opening, but have not gone beyond online services yet.
When can we hold in-person meetings of our favorite clubs and organizations? I'm not sure about this one - I think most people are still doing ZOOM. Given the scheduled Trump rally Saturday, I'm glad I don't live in Tulsa. Not to mention his indoor performance in an Arizona mega-church and his race-baiting speech at Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota. HOWEVER, we're close to Jacksonville and the scheduled Republican convention. Oy. There is now some queasiness bout holding that convention as Florida's numbers have skyrocketed. At a minimum, masks may be required, and that does not sit well with Captain Bone Spurs. Stunningly, the narcissist-in-chief has backed down and canceled the Jacksonville portion of the Republican convention. Do you know how bad things must be for him to do that? Well, apparently still not bad enough to stop him from pushing schools to re-open.
Some of these and related questions have been answered by Governor Kemp - sure! Go ahead and do it! After all, things are getting better here in Georgia! Kemp has a few common-sense rules, but they are widely ignored. Lately, Secretary of State who Referee-ed his way to becoming Governor Kemp, has made pro-mask noses. Still, there is no mandate to require them, as the culture war cry continues to howl - I HAVE THE PERSONAL LIBERTY TO RISK MAKING YOU SICK! MY PERSONAL LIBERTY TRUMPS (!) PUBLIC HEALTH!!! Nothing's changed here except Kemp suing the Mayor of Atlanta for daring to have a mask-required policy.
Well...
Are they?
Have we had 14 days of declining numbers, as the CDC suggests?
All I can go by is the Georgia Dept of Health numbers, updated three times a day. Honestly, they may not be the most trustworthy numbers. There have been press reports that suggest that Georgia and Florida have been manipulating and/or suppressing data to make their states look like they're recovering.
That may be true, but let's just take the Georgia Department of Health numbers and see what the state itself is reporting.
I've looked at seven-day accumulations, starting with May 5th, in two categories, confirmed cases and the number of deaths. Results are summarized below -
Confirmed Cases Confirmed Deaths
May 5 - 11 4,565 198
May 12 - 18 4,281 205
May 19 - 25 5,117 199
May 26th - June 1st 4,499 241
June 2nd - June 8th 4,598 119
June 9th - June 15th 5,917 286
June 16th - June 22nd 7,514 154
June 23rd - June 29th 13,489 136
June 30th - July 6th 17,647 94
July 7th - July 13th 23,505 148
July 14th - July 20th 25,006 150
July 21st - July 27th 25,268 333
The increase in numbers in the most recent week looks very ominous. The rise everyone feared is here, but everyone around me still acts like it's over. The numbers keep rising, and some around are beginning to wonder, but many still spout conspiracy theories.
Cases have skyrocketed. The most recent week is about three times greater than three weeks ago. Deaths have not. Why? We have to be careful not to presume too much. It could be that hospitals and doctors have learned more and are getting better at mitigating the worst. It could be that younger people are getting COVID-19 in more significant numbers, and have a better survival rate. It could just be a lagging indicator- it takes two to three weeks to see the full effect from current cases. We don't know. Only time will tell.
I am very sorry to report that time has told. Deaths are rising. I wish it was otherwise.
And then came the Fourth of July Weekend. A massive nationwide orgy of misbehavior. What will be the effects of that?
I'll let you know in two to three weeks. Tragically, I think the numbers have answered that.
The verdict is in. Cases are rising in most states, especially in the South and Sunbelt. And continue to, with Florida leading the deadly parade.
The President has suggested that the way to beat this is to simply stop testing.
So, the major question is...
Why do I still have friends who support Bunker Boy? For me, this still remains the central question of our times. I am not comforted by the polls showing Biden with a double-digit lead. I honestly feel, with all my heart and soul, that there should be no one left supporting Trump. NO ONE.
Orginal Georgia by the Numbers comments in black. Georgia by the Numbers #2 comments in red. Georgia by the Numbers #3 comments in blue. Georgia by the Numbers #4 in...whatever this color is...brown, purple, I can't tell.
If this keeps up, I'm gonna run out of colors. Yeah, right now I'm down to the mystery colors.
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