To fully appreciate the gravity, you must picture two modest-sized cities lying across a big river from one-another. Bullhead City, Arizona and Laughlin, Nevada are separated by the state line running smack up and down the center of the river, BHC pop. 40,000, Laughlin only 9200. Laughlin is home to 9 big casino hotels, with their attendant businesses such as restaurants. BHC exists based on tourism, retirement, and river recreation, and has very many stores and eateries. Today, the Nevada Governor announced new restrictions to be imposed state-wide governing businesses of all kinds. Of course, Gaming is the biggest, housed in huge emporiums of gambling, eating, tourist attraction destinations, etc. At 12:01AM this coming Tuesday, ALL casinos will be limited to customers numbering 25% of capacity, casino-restaurants also, and all other hotel concessions included. Previous restriction imposed about 4 months ago was 50%. We presume the maximum occupancy limits are established by fire codes. Unlimited free travel exists between Laughlin and BHC, using one or the other of two big bridges. Therefore, as I see things unfolding, large numbers of Nevada residents seeking restaurant meals and forms of entertainment no longer available in NV, as well as groceries, and gasoline (cheaper by far in BHC), will be traveling back and forth. During the course of their over-river excursions, many will bring the Virus with them, as well as contract it here on our AZ side, to return with it to NV. I view the Governor's edict as impracticable. We wonder if the two Governors held discussion regarding these new restrictions, which are proposed to remain in effect for three weeks (??). My wife has a ten-dollar dining credit at the Riverside Hotel, which we must use tomorrow, or lose it. The Riverview Cafe is our favorite dinner eatery: What are your thoughts? Frank
It seems like bordering states almost have to coordinate their restrictions. Particularly in populated areas along borders. It makes no sense otherwise. People in the US move around so much.
It should be incumbent on the citizens of the respective cities to police themselves. Of course if Americans ever bothered to think beyond their own selfish wants, we would not need mandates! People would listen to the recommendations of the CDC and act accordingly. Of course the CDC would be a nonpolitical office, concerned with nothing but the containment of the pandemic. CDC was totally non political four years ago. Decisions and recommendations were made with out consulting the Chamber of Commerce or any Congressmen or Senators. It and many other perfunctionary offices will once again be non political come January 20th. Wow what a nation it will be. Imagine the head of an agency listening to the smart educated folks with actual (not you tube or facebook or twitter)degrees dispensing their carefully researched peer reviewed information, with no agenda except the health and betterment of our people!
The CDC initially came under the purview of the government as a means of lowing prescription prices. The agency has some 20 vaccine patents which generate billions of dollars with of pharmaceuticals and until recently operated and priced their products with no oversight and no thought of affordability by the general populous. During this administration, insulin, epipens and other major pharm products have lowered their prices making necessary medications more affordable. If that happened during the Obama administration you’d be cheering the oversight initiatives. There is one thing that we do agree upon and that is that the good citizens should be able to monitor their own activities based on available information. Of course, there is a caveat. If all of the information, [truthful information], isn’t made available then the citizens cannot make a responsible decision. If more governors would take the example set by the good governor of N. Dakota, people would do more on their own to protect themselves than if they are being forced into a lockstep situation.
During this pandemic restrictions are going to happen. Go get you some take out or fix you some ham and eggs and stay home.
I gotta rig me up one of those and wear it around!!! I'll write "Fauci's Orders" on it. I still got my old Bell bicycle helmet. Maybe I'll wear that, too.
Things are pretty much back to normal at our local supermarket. I just came back from the store and there are no more mask requirements, and they've removed the one-way stickers from the aisles. Of about twelve employees that I saw, and about thirty or forty customers, two employees were wearing masks and only one couple, among the shoppers, was wearing a mask. A few others came in with masks on but, seeing that no one else was wearing them, they took them off.
I this actually getting better again here, too ! Some of the stores still require masks, but some have removed the sign, since they are no longer forced to have it posted. The fitness center is part of our hospital system, and they still require face coverings to go in that building, but I was told that they intend to re-open the hot sub and steam room on the first of June; so maybe they will ease up on the mask requirements, too. Since some people have been vaccinated, it is harder for a business to have to require a mask, and they can’t know who was vaccinated and who was not, so they have to just either require masks or not require them.
Virginians no longer need to wear their masks if they have been vaccinated(The rule may be "At least one shot.) So now you go into the stores in my rural part of the state and perhaps 1/4 or fewer of the folks are masked.
My prediction: We will get a taste of freedom, stats will be fabricated so as to force everyone back into masks, and the non-vaccinated will be blamed so they get hammered on to comply.
Just to add a little something to my wife’s post, the governor of our state wants to instate a “passport” system whereby if a person wants to go into some places unmasked then they have to show their inoculation card. Most of the congress people of Alabama are vehemently against the idea so I hope that it will be enough to persuade Gov. Ivey (mother Ivey as she is called) to back up and let the people make those kinds of decisions.