# Coronavirus COVID-19 (2019-nCoV) Thread - 2020 Breaking News **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [February 11, 2020, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758 "2020-02-11T01:16:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 212
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/4239 "2020-08-14T02:26:06Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > I can teach remotely. What I am worried about is an expectation that I use leave time but still do my job. Which will annoy me. That’s what I was commenting on–the idea that you might be forced to take some of your limited leave time and then STILL be expected to teach remotely. That would be so wrong. I hope your union is keeping an eye on that. I hope you’re in a union. I hope there are still unions in this country. I hope there is still a country. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/4240 "2020-08-14T02:42:57Z")
There’s an outbreak of coronavirus in the town of Whittier, Alaska. Everybody in Whittier lives in one building. > **[Six new coronavirus cases detected in small Alaskan town where almost...](https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/12/us/whittier-alaska-coronavirus-new-cases-trnd/index.html)** > > A family of six in Whittier, Alaska -- where almost all of the city's residents live in one building -- has contracted Covid-19, officials said. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/4241 "2020-08-14T04:15:21Z")
21,068,344 total cases 757,440 dead 13,917,952 recovered In the US: 5,415,666 total cases 170,415 dead 2,843,204 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 20,806,965 total cases > 747,258 dead > 13,706,688 recovered > > In the US: > > 5,360,302 total cases > 169,131 dead > 2,812,603 recovered There must have been an adjustment in the number of deaths somewhere; there were not 10k+ deaths today. I did see that the UK adjusted their number but it was downward, not upward. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/4242 "2020-08-14T04:55:10Z")
New Zealand has an outbreak but seems to be doing one helluva job locking things down and tracing contacts: > **[New Zealand extends Auckland lockdown as virus cluster grows](https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-ap-top-news-understanding-the-outbreak-auckland-international-news-f8e3151e9265c98b1063c20e63ff5f72)** > > WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand's government on Friday extended a lockdown of its largest city Auckland for another 12 days as it tries to stamp out its first domestic coronavirus outbreak in more than three months. > [@](#): > > Health officials don’t believe the virus was lurking undetected in the community for months but believe it started with a returning traveler or a border worker. But stumped officials have yet to discover the origins. > > All but one of the 30 cases in the outbreak are linked, most through family or work connections. The only known infections outside Auckland were two people in the central North Island town of Tokoroa who were linked to the Auckland cluster by a family visit. Officials said they thought the chances were low the virus would spread further in Tokoroa. > > Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said they had only started investigating the 30th case, which was the most recent found and also the first person in the outbreak to be hospitalized. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/4243 "2020-08-14T06:28:04Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > I would think if you’re on leave then by definition you are not working. Normally, one would leave plans for the first three days, and after that, the school is on its own. Better hope there’s enough subs out there. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/4244 "2020-08-14T12:43:24Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > That’s what I was commenting on–the idea that you might be forced to take some of your limited leave time and then STILL be expected to teach remotely. That would be so wrong. I hope your union is keeping an eye on that. > > I hope you’re in a union. > > I hope there are still unions in this country. > > I hope there is still a country. For my school in Beijing, teaching staff who hold classes remotely, then we get 90% of our contracted salary. For staff that are on contract but are not tasked with remote classes, the pay rate is 80% of the contracted salary. Of course such a provision of salary reduciton is not written into the contract and the Supreme People’s Court apparently has some smart folks on the court–they saw this coming and announced back in January or February that stunt is not legal because the thing keeping the staff from the on-site classrooms falls under force majeure. The judges also pointed out that the employer could also avail themselves of the laws relating to force majeure and just can the staff with either 30 days notice or 30 days pay in lieu. Upshot: not a damn thing you can do about it. There are unions in this country, but they do not resemble the ones in the United States. I hope the species survives this. There are far too many people “politicizing” the virus and the response to it. ---
**Author:** ![SayTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@SayTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SayTwo)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/4245 "2020-08-14T14:35:59Z")
@Monty, what’s the situation in China with visas for foreign teachers? Visas and flights/permission to enter. I know many schools in SEA are struggling with this at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/4246 "2020-08-14T16:46:39Z")
> [@casdave](#): > > I don’t doubt it, but do you have any evidence? The BCCDC publishes public [exposure events](http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/public-exposures) where they are warning that anyone who was in a certain place on a certain date should get tested Currently listed are: Hookah Lounge, Surrey Royal Jerk Spot summerfest The Taphouse,Coquitlam Charlie Hamilton’s pub Cactus Club Kelowna Liquid Zoo, Kelowna (pub) Fosello’s Kelowna (clothing store) Brown’s social house, Kelown Ivy’s lounge Vancouver Pierre’s Champagne Lounge Pumpjack pub vancouver Footlocker vancouver (store) West Oak Restaurant Vancouver As you can see, many of the spreading events in British Columbia are traced to a pub/restaurant. In addition, a big spreading event was traced to a [couple of parties in Kelowna](https://globalnews.ca/news/7172030/kelowna-covid-19-outbreaks-hotel-parties/) on the July 1 weekend that were attended by a large number of people in their 20’s and 30’s Not a pub per se, but an organized party at a hotel with a pub-like atmosphere. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/4247 "2020-08-14T16:48:53Z")
> [@Pheonix1](#): > > I doubt he does. The BC government isn’t taking this lightly and evidence that bars were a major source of outbreaks would likely get them shutdown pretty quickly. I hope your doubts have been assuaged. Yes, the BC government is not taking this lightly, and yes, many, many of the spreading events have taken place in pubs, bars and hotel parties. The evidence for this is right there on the BCCDC website for anyone to look at. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/4248 "2020-08-14T17:35:59Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > It’s still really unclear. Today the school board said we could use the 10 days funded by the CARES act. But what happens the second time? And if its leave, do we work remotely? And what happens to teachers who use up all their sick leave and CARES Act days and then get sick with something else or have sick kids at home? Also, does your district have enough subs? ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/4249 "2020-08-14T18:14:31Z")
Literally, no one knows. And honestly, “using up all your sick leave” isn’t a little thing, either. I have 7 weeks saved up now, but I am not going to be happy if I have to blow through it all in 3 quarantines because of students in my room. I have that leave saved because I may need it: what if I get cancer? Have a hysterectomy? My mom has a stroke and I need to care for her? ---
**Author:** ![Pheonix1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pheonix1/32/4236_2.png) [@Pheonix1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pheonix1)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/4250 "2020-08-14T18:58:55Z")
My doubts are confirmed, actually. You have no evidence that bars are a major source of outbreak. " If you have been in one of these locations at times of possible exposure, it does not mean you will develop COVID-19. The possible exposures listed on this site are **believed to be low risk** but, out of an abundance of caution, we ask …" ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/4251 "2020-08-14T19:03:35Z")
Thanks, might refer to these in the future when posters deny the sources of spread ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/4252 "2020-08-14T19:27:11Z")
Yikes. When does school start for you? I know you mentioned this somewhere, but I’ve forgotten. It’s very soon, though, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/4253 "2020-08-14T19:38:32Z")
> [@SayTwo](#): > > @Monty, what’s the situation in China with visas for foreign teachers? Visas and flights/permission to enter. I know many schools in SEA are struggling with this at the moment. “Select schools” (and nobody knows what the criteria is for determining which schools are “select”) can request that a new visa be issued to a foreign employee currently located outside of China if the employee (a) is a citizen of one of the countries listed below, (b) the employee is currently in their country of citizenship, and (c) the employee’s previously issued visa is current. The teacher must get a nucleic acid test from an approved medical facility in their country and then submit that to the PRC embassy in their country for a certificate issued within, IIRC, five days of travel. There is no charge for the new visa application. The big issue here is really arranging the travel back to China. The countries on the approved for return list are: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,and United Kingdom. For English teachers, generally, the employee must be a citizen of one of “The Big Seven countries”: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, United Kingdom, and United States. As mentioned above, the employer must request permission first for the employee to be approved for return. For family members, the sponsor (the employee) must request approval themselves. I’m more than a bit peeved over this. The announcement for South Korean citzens being permitted to return came five days after my wife’s visa expired. So, I’m going to the Division of Exit and Entry Administration of the Beijing Public Security Bureau myself on Monday to get the latest information in person. My school, following the instructions of the Beijing Municipal Education Commission, will have the staff returning to campus on 24 August, and the students will return to campus on 1 September. Those staff and students who are in mid- to high-risk areas are not to return to campus until they have completed two weeks quarantine at a designated facility in Beijing. Those who return from overseas, of course, must undergo the two weeks quarantine before returning to the campus. Now here’s where I launch into speculation: the last time staff and students returned to campus, the campuses were closed down again in less than a month. I give it approximately the same time span before that happens yet again. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/4254 "2020-08-14T19:49:30Z")
They moved it back to the 8th. No word yet on if it will be in person or remote. ---
**Author:** ![SayTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@SayTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SayTwo)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/4255 "2020-08-14T20:12:01Z")
Wow, what an ordeal! I take it a number of schools there may be planning to have some new hires working remotely for a while? (I know that’s the case in other places.) Then again, enrollments are down too, so some schools don’t need as much staff as they had last year. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/4256 "2020-08-15T00:25:05Z")
There doesn’t seem to be much of a plan anywhere in the country for blended delivery. What the schools around the country are doing is following the orders of the provincial (or municipal for provincial-level cities such as Beijing) education commissions. It’s everyone back or complete lockdown of the campus. Private schools are rquired to follow those also. What they are not required to do is accept anyone who applies so, yes, there may be a reduction in enrollment. I guess we’ll find out on in a couple of weeks since 1 September is the start of the 2020~2021 academic year for the private boarding school where I work. I suppose I should mention that this is going to be more complicated for private boarding schools and of course more risky since their students come from all over China and when the schools shut down in in early June thanks to an outbreak of COVID in Beijing, the students dispersed to their hometowns immediately. Beijing Municipal Education Commission is still requiring staff and students who have left Beijing to quarantine for two weeks upon return even though that is not required for others returning to the city. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/4257 "2020-08-15T00:30:44Z")
Welp, the place where I work has had class for 5 days. Students moved into dorms last week. Outbreaks in the two largest dorms were reported today. smh ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/4258 "2020-08-15T01:01:54Z")
I found a whole thread devoted to opening schools and related concerns: > [@Opening schools](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-schools/854247/): > > [Science article.](https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/05/should-schools-reopen-kids-role-pandemic-still-mystery) Bolding mine. Update? So far, weeks later, no new surges in countries that have opened schools. Maybe y’all didn’t know about it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758.md?page=211) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758.md?page=213)