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So annoyed at the new Covid spike in NYC...
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jefflewis



Joined: 21 Nov 2005
Posts: 1485

PostPosted: Sat Dec 18, 2021 5:34 am    Post subject: So annoyed at the new Covid spike in NYC... Reply with quote

Everybody seems to be panicking today, even just in the past few hours, as news is getting around that there's been a big jump in Covid infections in NYC this week. Lines at testing facilities are suddenly down the street, everywhere. Home test kits are sold out at my local pharmacy.
I was able to get a test this morning, before everything got too crazy, I'm still awaiting the result. I also got my booster shot today, they do walk-in shots at the pharmacy across the street from me, from 2pm-3pm, with no appointment. So now my arm is a little sore, but I'm so glad I got the booster shot! Wish I'd done it a week or two ago. I just kept putting it off.
How is it where any of you are?
I've been putting up so many posters for my band's gigs in Brooklyn on Tues Dec 21 and Tues Dec 28th, I really hope today's panic is just a passing rumor/anxiety, I would have to have to cancel these shows after I spent so much time and money to put up all these posters! I guess it wouldn't be the end of the world.
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misshelenc



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 943
Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK

PostPosted: Sat Dec 18, 2021 11:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I’m sorry things are so bad. If it makes you feel any better the uk is riddled too. Not so many people needing medical intervention but I think that will rise. I predict a lock down after Christmas. Hopefully your gigs can still go ahead and people will turn up. In America you have to buy home testing kits? They’re free here on the nhs. I had a flu jab yesterday and have my booster this week too. If we don't lock down I am planning to go to my sisters for a Christmas visit. Yeah it’s all so grim, easy to get overwhelmed and fed up.
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lauragek



Joined: 26 May 2009
Posts: 165

PostPosted: Mon Dec 20, 2021 11:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

We just went into another full lockdown yesterday. While the partial lockdown helped decrease cases, they're predicting omicron to take over soon and overwhelm the system. Only essential shops for food and medicine are still allowed open, all schools, restaurants, cafés, sports locations etc are closed for the coming month. 2 visitors/day max.

I've been kindof jealous of shows being planned at all abroad, that hasn't been a possibility for a while here now. But with this lockdown being announced less than 12 hours before it came into effect I can really comiserate with the frustration of having to cancel plans last minute after having invested in them so much already!

For Christmas we are allowed 4 visitors which is... not great when you're a family with 3 sibling each having partners. I'm glad I got our Christmas tree just in time, it's going to be a dark and boring month so I'm taking all the light and merry stuff I can.

It's good though, I'm seeing breakouts pop up all around including currently at my partner's work. For the first time the government is taking action befóre things get too bad (though healthcare has been near its limits for a long time already). Self testing regularly, going for walks daily, hoping things will be all good by the end of winter again! We've been here before last year, and we got through that terribly long lockdown as well...
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jefflewis



Joined: 21 Nov 2005
Posts: 1485

PostPosted: Mon Dec 20, 2021 11:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for all the worldwide updates, I think it's so interesting that we can get this picture from you in England and in the Netherlands and here in NYC!
My gig tomorrow was canceled because the club decided to shut for the week, they say they had some employees test positive. At the moment they are planning to re-open on Dec 26, which means my show on Dec 28 is still happening, but I suppose we'll have to see if the virus-numbers get better or worse during these days now. And they say I can re-schedule the Dec 21 show for Jan 22, a month away, so that seems like it could be a good option (also it would be moving the show from a Tuesay night to a Saturday night, so that's a step up I guess, if it happens).
So... we just wait and see... I didn't have big holiday plans anyway, just a little get-together with my mom and dad. I'll plan take another Covid test the day before I see them. If I go to the testing place in the morning maybe it won't be a long wait - the lines for testing places are very long during the daytimes it seems!
And yeah, the home testing kits are now hard to find in NYC, all the pharmacies are sold out, they cost about $20 and they have 2 tests inside. So about $10 each. I wish they were free, and available! i think the government is working to make them available and free and widely distributed. They are also working to create many more testing sites.
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misshelenc



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 943
Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK

PostPosted: Tue Dec 21, 2021 1:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow, when I go to any pharmacy I can pick up boxes of 6 for free. If you do a uk tour I recommend popping into some chemists and stocking up! Although by the time you end up here it will probably be unnecessary.
Despite the panic in the uk regarding new variants and everyone wanting to see relatives and friends in the next few weeks we still don’t have enough serious cases to actually create any data. All this will change. But it does keep in perspective if I get nervous.
I’m sorry the Netherlands has had to shut down, winter lockdowns are the worst! I really hope you are all well and stay well. Dip into the joy that is loads of films and comedy on tv. I’ve watched home alone about 3 times already as a distraction and laugh, what are your favourite Christmas films? Anything good on international television this year?
Got my fingers crossed for a well attended but safe gig at some point for you Jeff and hope you have a happy day with your parents. I am heading to my sisters in England for a few days but mostly I expect will be at home not doing very much of note, to be on the safe side. I hardly know anyone anyway, not people that would visit at Christmas, and anyone else who cares can phone me up.
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misshelenc



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 943
Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK

PostPosted: Tue Dec 21, 2021 1:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Can I ask if your tests are free Laura? This is interesting me. We have such high caseloads here I can’t work out entirely why… free access to tests might be a reason for our higher statistics.
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lauragek



Joined: 26 May 2009
Posts: 165

PostPosted: Tue Dec 21, 2021 5:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Seems we're kindof in between the UK and NYC here! We have to buy self tests ourselves, they are available in supermarkets and general drugstores. They're not very expensive though, about €2-3 per test. However, they're made available to many people for work too. As a university employee I can order 2 tests per week for free (or pick them up at reception when I'm not working from home), via "selftestsforeducation" which is for all people working in primary, secundary and higher level education.

What's interesting is they recently changed the whole testing policy because the government branch taking care of all the official PCR testing couldn't handle the demand for tests anymore. Before, you had to get a test if you had symptoms or had been in contact with someone who tested positive. Now you can take a self test when you get symptoms OR if you have no symptoms after contact with someone positive, and only have to get an official PCR test if your self test is positive.

So I feel like there's a lot of latent cases going under the radar currently as self tests are much more user-error prone and there's no checks on whether people actually take tests. The good old "I'm not trusting anyone anymore" anxiety is getting more reason to rear its ugly head...

Despite under-testing, statistics are still pretty high though (544 per 100.000 per week, going down after a month of partial lockdown, probably going up again soon with omicron gainnig foothold)
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misshelenc



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 943
Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK

PostPosted: Wed Dec 22, 2021 9:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ah I see, thanks for letting me know. I know as soon as I started going on about this it hit British news that American tests were going to be free so that’s really good news. Apparently loads of brits randomly test themselves all the time because they can I suppose, I don’t myself. Most people that spend any time with others (schools, essential workers etc) are meant to test daily.
I’m relieved after the Welsh update today that they aren’t closing the borders so it looks like I will be able to go to England and see my family. So sad for all the locked down people across the world.
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jefflewis



Joined: 21 Nov 2005
Posts: 1485

PostPosted: Wed Dec 22, 2021 10:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's all such interesting info.
I just ordered 2 home-tests online since all the stores around here seem to be sold out, it's like $24 and it comes with two home-tests in the box, so $12 each. That's expensive, if you think about doing it frequently. I'm hoping those free-access test kits come soon! Plus more testing sites.
But I remember last year when so many people were testing, maybe it was in autumn of 2020, that the labratories were so overwhelmed you wouldn't even get your test results for 7 - 10 days so it was kind of useless. I hope it doesn't get to that point again, but I think now they have better distribution of all the needed chemicals or whatever... I hope... I remember back in May 2020 you couldn't even get masks, there was such high demand and not enough supply, hospitals were running out of masks, everybody was having to make their own masks by cutting up t-shirts, well it really will be nice when this is all over. Or at least over enough.
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misshelenc



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 943
Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK

PostPosted: Thu Dec 23, 2021 11:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

$12 a test is extortionate! Considering so many people live in poverty it is way too much for the average person or family. In the uk everything is more expensive and complicated since Covid. With rising food, fuel, utilities prices and everything, plus the festive season and interest rates rising, and a load of people out of work or in poorly paid jobs, it’s just too much of a squeeze for a lot of people to budget for that much. You can’t even jump on a plane to somewhere hot for a bit and forget about it!
I think if developed, greedy countries run out of supplies of Covid things there’s no way poorer countries can get it. It does make you wonder about the statistics in some places being miles off. As the pandemic has gone on some of these supply lines have been excellent at rising to the challenge and demand but they can only do so much every day.
Anyone else read on here for another countries perspective? Do share!
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dazmann



Joined: 19 Sep 2012
Posts: 86

PostPosted: Thu Dec 23, 2021 12:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I do feel sorry for the musicians, actors etc. who are unable to perform at the moment. Furthermore, when shows do go-ahead, I've heard there's lots of no-shows amongst audiences (40%+) for those who have pre-purchased tickets. It can't be much fun playing in half-empty venues.
There were a few gigs in the 10days before Christmas that I planned to attend but decided not to based on the risk. If it was only my personal risk then I'd be happy to attend, but I have to think about my other family members. It won't be much fun isolating over the festive period if any of us catch Covid.
Best Wishes to all.
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jefflewis



Joined: 21 Nov 2005
Posts: 1485

PostPosted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 2:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah... the no-shows of ticket buyers can be a thing, but nowadays that's actually not a bad scenario, playing to a half-empty room where you still get the money from the bought tickets! Tho it's lame for the people who paid money for tix but then couldn't/wouldn't/shouldn't see the show. My own situation is more like, it's too expensive for me to do these gigs if not enough people are buying tickets! In the current deal I've been doing, I pay the venue $330, I pay the band $360, I pay $200 for a rehearsal each week, I put about $120 a week into promotion (posters and social media promo), and I pay the support acts $200, so there needs to be about $1,200 worth of ticket sales before I break even, that's about 100 tickets, and the room holds up to 140 people, so when there's a good turnout of 100+ people it all works out well... but it's too much money to risk if not enough people are buying tix! And it's weird to try to encourage people to come gather in a small crowded space, right now.
Time to cancel all these gigs and try to do it again in a month perhaps. Darn!
The current rising virus-numbers in NYC just keep growing, every day higher. The graphs look pretty crazy!
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misshelenc



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 943
Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK

PostPosted: Sat Dec 25, 2021 1:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Merry Christmas Jeffrey lewis band members and friends on the community! Hope you all have a good day, whether you celebrate or not. X
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jefflewis



Joined: 21 Nov 2005
Posts: 1485

PostPosted: Sat Dec 25, 2021 7:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Merry xmas to you too!
I just stayed up a bit late watching Holy Motors because somebody recommended it to me... I almost never watch anything if it's not a social occasion so it's weird for me to just lay on my couch watching a movie - but it was really good! Wow! Recommended!
And now it's time to go to sleep on xmas eve... Maybe Santa will bring an end to the pandemic...
Good cheer to all!
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misshelenc



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 943
Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK

PostPosted: Sat Dec 25, 2021 11:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks! It’s nice staying up late on Christmas Eve. I have had a good quiet Christmas so far. Got a new pen so I am happy x
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