What does re-opening look like?

[gkelly]

It looks like the volleyball court in the park behind my combo is back in business.

The tree that stands in the line of sight between my balcony and the court is more full of foliage now than in the spring when the net was taken down and police tape put up, so I can't tell whether the net is back. But the tape is gone and there seem to be full teams playing a game there now.

Can the baseball fields be far behind?

 

[missing]

The World Economic Forum, an event where rich and powerful people get together in Davos, Switzerland each January to decide how best to be rich and powerful, has postponed its annual conference until summer 2021.

I always assume rich and powerful people have greater access to information than I, so if they're going with that 2020 phrase, "abundance of caution," until summertime then it's a safe guess things aren't going to be back to normal much before then.

That's not a shocking idea, but it is confirmation.

 

[Louis]

The World Economic Forum, an event where rich and powerful people get together in Davos, Switzerland each January to decide how best to be rich and powerful, has postponed its annual conference until summer 2021.

I always assume rich and powerful people have greater access to information than I, so if they're going with that 2020 phrase, "abundance of caution," until summertime then it's a safe guess things aren't going to be back to normal much before then.

That's not a shocking idea, but it is confirmation.

They’re also 1) mostly older and at the ages where C-19 starts becoming worse, and 2) leaders of companies / organisations / countries that could suffer serious instability and financial repercussions if execs were to die or become debilitated.

Organizations in general are being really cautious about anything that could cause bad PR or get them sued.

Plus events like this cost a fortune and postponing later on is usually a lot more expensive. And Davos in winter is not a place that’s going to be well ventilated unless they hold meetings on ski slopes.

No brainer to postpone this one.

 

[MacMadame]

I think that's why a lot of companies who can do most of their work away from the office are keeping their offices closed well into 2021. There really isn't much of an upside to opening up the offices for them. So why not wait?

 

[Miezekatze]

The 100th Salzburg festival concluded yesterday.

They say of their limited capacity 97% of tickets were sold, they had 76500 spectators from 39 countries this year

In a normal year they would have sold 240000 tickets.

Still they made a small revenue of 8,7 million.

They did 3600 *********-Tests on the artists and musicians (mostly precautionary and on orchestras and other artists that could not social distance during performances).

They held 53 concerts, 2 operas and 29 theater events, plus some additional stuff like readings.

I'd guess it was probably the most successful and ambitious cultural event of 2020?

I hope their experiences with the security measures can be adopted by other countries doing similar events.

 

[Miezekatze]

They’re also 1) mostly older and at the ages where C-19 starts becoming worse, and 2) leaders of companies / organisations / countries that could suffer serious instability and financial repercussions if execs were to die or become debilitated.

Organizations in general are being really cautious about anything that could cause bad PR or get them sued.

Plus events like this cost a fortune and postponing later on is usually a lot more expensive. And Davos in winter is not a place that’s going to be well ventilated unless they hold meetings on ski slopes.

No brainer to postpone this one.

Yeah I agree with all of that.

I also think you basically need to postpone or cancel at the point of time where you otherwise would have to sign contracts or start spending money and planning such big events starts months before it takes place.

Most cities here have already made decisions in July or August on whether and how to hold their local christmas markets. So deciding on something that big, international and important like the Davos conference for January 2021 is just a normal timeframe IMO.

 

[missing]

Here's an article speculating on when the airline industry will be back to normal.

With airlines around the world reeling from the impact of the ******** outbreak, and the very real risk that some will be unable to survive the effects of the *********-led slowdown or shutdown, attention remains focussed on when the industry will recover and how long that recovery will take.

There's no model for this – no modern-times equivalent to draw upon – but according to global travel specialists Atmosphere Research Group, that recovery timeline will slowly stretch out for two full years after *********-19 is declared as being "under control".

That of course remains the X-factor, and the San Francisco think-tank hasn't defined what this milestone may look like: is it the infection curve being well and truly flattened, or does it mean the arrival and widespread distribution of a vaccine?

 

[Aceon6]

I could see signs of hope at the hair salon today. This winter, hardly anyone got a shampoo. People came with clean hair and the stylist dampened it before cutting. Today, everyone was getting a wash.

 

[FGRSK8]

I could see signs of hope at the hair salon today. This winter, hardly anyone got a shampoo. People came with clean hair and the stylist dampened it before cutting. Today, everyone was getting a wash.

Lady Figureskates is going to her salon tomorrow....she is definitely looking forward to it.

Eagerly awaiting for the point where there are no quarantine restrictions between MA and CT so we can hit Mohegan Sun!

 

[MacMadame]

I got my hair cut today and I washed it before I came.

 

[once_upon]

I'm trying to decide if I'm going to color my hair again and if so should it be silver or blonde. But I dont know that I will. But on the 27th it will be 2 weeks post second vaccination

I'm not sure what I want to do

 

[Aceon6]

I'm trying to decide if I'm going to color my hair again and if so should it be silver or blonde. But I dont know that I will. But on the 27th it will be 2 weeks post second vaccination

I'm not sure what I want to do

PURPLE! Celebrate that full vax status. Seriously, I’m going to treat myself with highlights next month. I’m trying to decide between copper, teal, burgundy, or just a normal reddish blonde.

 

[once_upon]

PURPLE! Celebrate that full vax status. Seriously, I’m going to treat myself with highlights next month. I’m trying to decide between copper, teal, burgundy, or just a normal reddish blonde.

I had fushia, purple, teal and indigo highlights a couple of years ago.

My hair is mid chest length right now, im not sure I want highlights

 

[MacMadame]

PURPLE! Celebrate that full vax status. Seriously, I’m going to treat myself with highlights next month. I’m trying to decide between copper, teal, burgundy, or just a normal reddish blonde.

I did that at my last appointment and it lasted about a week. So I didn't bother today. Just a haircut.

 

[Aceon6]

I went to the big mall yesterday. While it wasn’t crowded, it was busy with lots of older people either walking or getting some retail therapy. What was sad was every other store having a “space available“ sign.

 

[Dobre]

I drove on the freeway for the first time today since last March. (Hadn't realized this until I got onto the on ramp). There was a giant billboard advertising jobs for regional food plants. Good luck to them in hiring workers for that right now.

 

[once_upon]

We are entering several months of tourism here (CWS, Swim Trials and currently NCAA Volleyball tournament). Local restaurants have been looking for staff and are having difficulty. Hopefully as more become vaccinated that will change.

We went to a local pub/restaurant yesterday - of course it was 1:30 on a Tuesday afternoon. We were one of three couples. But the restaurants are super busy with delivery/take out with 48 college volleyball teams in town - they are in a bubble environment.

 

[million$momma]

Hmmmm...we had started reopening but now are back to essential services open only. Everything else is curbside pick-up. Big box stores have aisles blocked if items are non essential (e.g., walmart has the books, toys, small appliances, clothes...) all blocked off. Hopefully we can get these variants under control.

 

[Aceon6]

Every other chair was occupied today at my hair place with most getting services that take longer than a cut. I was happy to spend 90 minutes to get my copper and burgundy highlights. I feel almost normal!

 

[Dobre]

My mom went yesterday. She cuts my dad's & my hair; but this is the first time she has had hers cut since last March. She reached maximum immunity Friday. (We are now referring to it as being "fully percolated.")

 

[Aceon6]

I did my postponed annual physical yesterday. I go to a free standing outpatient center (3 floors) that used to see at least 20 patients an hour. Now they’re allowing only about 10 patients in the entire building at any one time. There’s still a lot of disinfecting theatre going on, to the point that the whole flow has changed and the amount of time with the doc was about half what I’m used to. Not optimal.

 

[once_upon]

Interesting perspective on returning to the office

Who were we and what were we thinking? A return to offices frozen in time.
By Maura Judkis

https://www.washingtonpost.com/life...1ce604-9959-11eb-b28d-bfa7bb5cb2a5_story.html

 

[kwanfan1818]

A sure sign of people heading/planning to go back to work: for the first time in many months I got an email for a big Ann Taylor sale.

 

[Aceon6]

Massachusetts is lifting all business restrictions effective May 29th. Masks will continue to be required for all healthcare, K-12 schools, childcare, and transit settings.

Also good news on the travel front as our gov has been talking with other members of the Northeast collaborative in preparation for reopening of the border to vaccinated individuals. This still depends on Trudeau et all, but Quebec, NB, NS and PEI are part of the discussions.

 

[skategal]

Massachusetts is lifting all business restrictions effective May 29th. Masks will continue to be required for all healthcare, K-12 schools, childcare, and transit settings.

Also good news on the travel front as our gov has been talking with other members of the Northeast collaborative in preparation for reopening of the border to vaccinated individuals. This still depends on Trudeau et all, but Quebec, NB, NS and PEI are part of the discussions.

Our Premier co-hosted and they are requesting that excess vaccines come from the Northeast US states to our provinces.

It’s gone to the USA and Canadian Federal leaders for approval.

The travel piece will take awhile considering those of us in NS aren’t even supposed to leave our municipality let alone travel to another Atlantic province.

So we are still a good ways from letting international people come here.

It’s good that they are having talks about it though.

 

[MacMadame]

Our Premier co-hosted and they are requesting that excess vaccines come from the Northeast US states to our provinces.

I just read that we are releasing 20 million doses here in the US to other countries. Maybe you'll get some of those.

 

[Aceon6]

Our Premier co-hosted and they are requesting that excess vaccines come from the Northeast US states to our provinces.

Charlie was on board with that, even to the point of requesting extra for the state, then shipping the overage directly to our Canadian partner provinces. There may be some Moderna in your future.

 

[missing]

The E.U. is working towards letting American tourists back in.

Ambassadors from the 27 European Union countries agreed on Wednesday that restrictions for travelers from outside the E.U. should be eased, in particular for those vaccinated against *********-19, a spokesperson for the European Commission, Christian Wigand, said.

The ambassadors agreed to ease the criteria for non-E.U. nations to be considered a “safe country,” from which all tourists can travel. Up to now, that list consisted of only seven nations — Australia, Israel, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand.

The recommendations still need to be formally adopted by the European Council, which sets the E.U.'s policy agenda, Wigand said.

A source within the European Union also told NBC News that the easing of restrictions would mean that fully vaccinated tourists from the U.S. and other countries will no longer have to quarantine or be tested when they go to Europe. The official could not say when exactly that would start and could not speak openly, lacking authorization to do so.

 

[missing]

The New Paltz (NY) Crafts Fair is on for Memorial Day weekend, although at a slightly different location than where it's always been. Labor Day weekend it promises to be at its traditional spot.

For decades, I have gone every Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend. The only time I remember even hesitating was when I was distraught over Princess Diana's death. But I told myself, "Princess Di would want you to shop," and off I went.

I had assumed it would be back for Labor Day but I'm surprised it's going to be open Memorial Day. I figure this will be a very good test for me. My guess is none of it will be indoors but they are requiring masks unless you're safely socially distanced. I'll see with how my nerves deal with a large (albeit outdoor) crowd and with extended mask wearing.

And I really need pink earrings. CV19 has really had it in for pink earrings.

 

[Aceon6]

All Massachusetts restrictions ended today and the big hoorah was supposed to be the Red Sox game. Well, it’s cold and raining, so the “capacity” crowd is closer to what the stands looked like with restrictions in place. What a bummer. No thanks, Mother Nature!