Coronavirus Medical Advances and $5 Tests

 What a week of news for helping end the coronavirus scourge!

The biggest news is that on 8/26/20 Abbott Laboratory's said they "will ship tens of millions of ($5 15-minute covid-19) tests in September, ramping up to 50 million tests a month at the beginning of October.  No more sitting in a car for an hour to do a cough test near Dodger Stadium then waiting 3-5 business days for a result.  It is still a nasal swab test that has to be provided by a medical professional, but the low cost and rapid result will help clear up the multi-day laboratory bottle neck delay.

 Last week, I had to take multiple coronavirus tests. Two of the three were in mobile trailers. The rapidity of the test means that the test can be administered on a cruise ship dock, Disneyland parking lot, or at customs to ensure passengers, guests, or tourists are coronavirus free before entry. The benefits of this test in allowing the economy to reopen even wider are incalculable.

The second news item was reported on the same day by Motley Fool. Moderna announced that its leading coronavirus vaccine candidate showed no adverse affects on its 20 participants. It is now enrollling 30,000 participants in its phase 3 study. It has 13,000 signed up so far. According to the New York Times there are 9 vaccines in phase 3 trials as of yesterday. This is the last phase before the final approval process.

China and Russia are rumored to have started inoculating people with vaccines after only phase 2 has been completed. That is risky, but at the same time the rest of the world will learn the efficacy of their vaccines in the real world environment. 

 

After all of the bleak coronavirus news lately, it is nice to see some signs of humans effectively dealing with the coronavirus outbreak.

 

Stay safe and take care.

 

Posts Tuesday and Saturday

 

https://abbott.mediaroom.com/2020-08-26-Abbotts-Fast-5-15-Minute-Easy-to-Use-COVID-19-Antigen-Test-Receives-FDA-Emergency-Use-Authorization-Mobile-App-Displays-Test-Results-to-Help-Our-Return-to-Daily-Life-Ramping-Production-to-50-Million-Tests-a-Month

 

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/science/coronavirus-vaccine-tracker.html

Coronavirus The Heat

Coronavirus you are so mean! 

A heat wave has settled over Southern California for over a week and is forecast to last another two. 98 degrees today in South Pasadena. What do people do when it is hot? They go to the movies, the mall, the museum, eat inside a restaurant, basically go anywhere there is air conditioning. Thanks to the coronavirus all of those options are cancelled.

How about a nice hike? You would have to go really high up to find some relief. Last weekend Lake Arrowhead was 88 degrees at 5,174 feet - still a bit warm.  Big Bear was a little more comfortable at 82 degrees, but they were also having scattered thunderstorms. That would make hiking even more uncomfortable. And again, you can't go inside anywhere to escape the rain or heat.

Being in Southern California, we are blessed with golden beaches and the cool Pacific Ocean. Only issue is millions of other Angelenos would probably be headed that way as well - covid be darned. The temperature at Manhattan Beach last weekend was forecasted to be 86 degrees. So unless you were in the water all day, you will be broiling on the sand. And even if you braved the crowds and sun, once there you would still have to eat your lunch or drink your Starbucks outside.

 

Maybe my teenagers who sleep during the heat of the day and stay up during the cooler evenings night have it right. Night surfing anyone?

 

Note - I did go to Manhattan Beach yesterday despite my fears of crowds and heat. I took my boogie board and had a grand time. The weather was a hazy overcast all morning keeping the temperature in the upper 70s and it was not that crowded. Perhaps Angelenos had the same fears I had and stayed home making traffic a breeze. 

Lots of times one's fears are overblown and once you do something you realize its not so bad. 

Another good thing is theoretically the coronavirus dies in the sun. So if you brave the heat outside, almost everything thing you touch will be sanitized.  

 

Fortunately, in California we have a "dry" heat which means we avoid the humidity of the east coast making life more bearable than many other unfortunate souls. My son remarked yesterday, "Dad, remember how when we stepped out of the airport at JFK and our shirts immediately clung to our bodies." 

"Yes, I do," I said and laughed counting my blessings as we sat on the sand watching the waves.

I will take the California heat anytime - but that coronavirus is really trying my patience.

 

Take care and be safe.

 

Posts Tuesday and Saturday

Coronavirus On Set - You're Putting That Q-Tip Where?

The nurse practitioner pulled a ruler-length Q-Tip out of my nose. As she had warned, I would feel some discomfort. Done, I thought blinking away the tears. Then she said now for the other side.  I swallowed and tilted my head back. The show must go on, I thought.

Welcome to the new world of working on set. While the last commercial I shot was during the coronavirus, this one was the first since the official the entertainment unions, studios, and the Governor had come to agreement on shoot procedures during the coronavirus pandemic.

 The previous shoot had hand sanitizer, everyone wore a mask (that they brought from home), someone prepared and handed out food to us, and we kept our distance as best we could.

 

This time, before we could even step on the new set we had to have the lovely nasal-swab covid test. Then we had to read a 10-page document about the new covid-prevention measures; watch four videos on how to put on a mask, gloves, face shield, and how to wash your hands; and sign our lives away. Once we made it to set, they took everyone's temperature and asked us a half dozen questions about how we felt. They also provided us with N-95 masks and a brown paper bag. The bag was to place our mask inside when we were asked to remove them during filming. Then everyone participated in a safety meeting with an emphasis on covid-prevention measures.  A covid monitor routinely walked around the set to make sure everything looked good,  asked if everyone was OK, and offered hand sanitizer.

 

For crafty - i.e. water and snacks - a specific crew member stood there all day handing out whatever people asked for. In the past, people just took what they wanted.

 

For lunch, we were given bagged lunches that were actually pretty good.

 

Needless to say, I felt very safe on set. The crew respected all the restrictions and everyone seemed happy to be there.  

 

I look forward to working on my next set, although this one will require two separate days of covid testing - sorry, nose.

 

Take care and be safe.

 

Posts Tuesday and Saturday

Coronavirus Moving To Suburbia

Still building with fewer available tenants?

I had no idea that Facebook and Twitter would tell their employees they could work from home forever.

In one of my early post about the Coronavirus, I mentioned one of the economic impacts of the pandemic would be a hit to commercial real estate. If even 25% of office workers permanently work from home once the pandemic ends, that would be 25% less office space businesses would need to lease.

Ouch.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2020/05/22/coronavirus-remote-work-post-pandemic/5242420002/

My wife's company still has their office employees except a skeleton crew working from home and there are no plans on calling them back into the office. 

Once companies' leases are up, I imagine a lot of downsizing of office space will be going on.

I had also imagined that some people may move out of the cities if they didn't have to be there. 

CNBC reported that said 13,000 apartments stood empty in Manhattan - twice the number from last year. 

Observer reported that Jennifer Lawrence sold her Upper Eastside Manhattan penthouse apartment. She bought it for $15.6 million in 2016 and just sold it for $9.99 million. Ouch.

https://observer.com/2020/08/jennifer-lawrence-sells-upper-east-side-new-york-penthouse-apartment-at-loss/

I think about Downtown Los Angeles which has been going through a major renovation/gentrification of its old hotels and warehouses and turning them into expensive lofts for young professionals. New restaurants, bars, art galleries and the like were popping up. Does this mean it was all for naught? If you are not working in downtown, why would you move there? Even though it has improved over the last twenty years, it still smells, homeless wander the streets at all times of the day and night, and the only green space is in Grand Park which is far (a mile) from most of the new development.

Mall-anchoring department stores are closing, movie theaters (huge commercial property renters) are in serious financial danger, and concerts and sporting events will undoubtedly be different for years to come.

And while summer whether allows for restaurants to serve diners outside, what is going to happen come fall and winter if there is still no vaccine? Living in LA, the seasons don't matter much (sun, sun, and maybe a sprinkle, then more sun), but I imagine in New York and South Dakota, outdoor dining will probably lose its allure in winter.

Ouch.

To sum up, the things that drew people to the city are changing.

While all of this is scary news, it is a fascinating time to see the world changing before our eyes. 

Can you imagine what the world will be like next summer?

Take care and be safe.

Posts Tuesday and Saturday

Coronavirus - Blanket Ban Lifted on International Travel

I came across a crazy story last week that the U.S. State Department lifted its blanket international travel ban for Americans to travel abroad. (see below)

I thought that was really odd as I am hearing about rising coronavirus numbers in India and Brazil and new outbreaks in European countries. New Zealand just reported its first coronavirus case in over 4 months.

 

So I read deeper and learned that the ban that was lifted was the level 4 warning that the State Department applied to all countries back in March. A level 4 warning prevents Americans from recreational travel to the specified country or in this case all countries. Now the State Department has set the warning level based each country's specific situation. This is the way it was before the coronavirus pandemic. For example, now Mexico and Brazil are still ranked at level 4, but most European countries have a level 3 ban and some Asian countries are ranked level 1.

 

The positive is that people can begin to dream of international travel again. Having dreams and hopes has been proven to be an endorphin booster - make a person feel good.

 

However, just because our rankings have changed, that doesn't mean foreign countries will allow Americans in yet. Spain has not lifted its restrictions on prohibiting recreational travelers from the U.S. even though the State Department gives them a level 3 ranking.

 

The negative is that for Americans who want to travel abroad the situation has become more complicated.

 

When we were told we couldn't go anywhere, we removed the idea of international travel from our mind and started planning the great American road trips.

 

When a situation is unclear, we spend countless hours and time researching or worrying about whether or not we can really book that international trip.

 

Still, the State Department decision shows that the world is trying to return to normal. Hopefully, we can all return to normal sooner rather than later.

 

Take care and be safe.

 

Posts Tuesday and Saturday

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2020/08/07/state-dept-lifted-its-blanket-international-travel-advisory-what-does-that-mean-americans/

Coronavirus A 4-Hour DMV Visit?

A 4 hour wait!

I had to renew my driver's license today and apply for a Real ID. This meant that I had to physically go into the DMV. Anyone who has been to the DMV knows what an arduous process this usually can be. With the coronavirus raging, I imagine it would even be worse.

 My son went for his drivers permit a month ago and his story is an example of what I feared. He arrived at the DMV at 2 pm and the security guard told him it would take at least 2 hours. The line wrapped around the building. It was 90 degrees outside and no shade. The guard told him that people start lining up at 6 am to enter the building at 9 am. Looking at the sun, my son decided to try the next morning.

He arrived the next morning at 5:15 am with his camping chair and powered up cell phone and there was one person ahead of him. In other words, three hours and 45 minutes before the DMV opened people were already in line. When he left at 9:45 am, the line was around the building again.

At my tender age of 49, my main concern was bathroom access. Waiting 4 hours wasn't a realistic possibility.

Still I needed to get the Real ID before October 1st if I hoped to fly within the U.S. and my renewal was coming up for my license. Yes, you can still use a passport, but it is a bit more cumbersome and it feels weird for me to travel within the US using a passport.

The DMV website does tell you how long the current wait times are at each office. I figured I would monitor the site once I had all the paperwork done and when I saw a wait under two hours somewhere, I would head down.

So I started the process of renewing online as my notification said I needed to do. The online process takes a long time as you need to scan and upload four documents to the DMV website for the Real ID. I pray I have no file capturing viruses on my computer or I just made it super easy for someone to assume my identity. However, after spending 30 minutes going through the process where I even had a choose which DMV I would go to, I was rewarded with a confirmation number that said it was as good as having an open appointment to show up at any time at the office I selected and join the appointment line.

I read a review online that said they had an appointment and were done in an hour. Someone else said it was better to go later that earlier.

I arrived at 4:15 pm the next day - 45 minutes before closing - and crossed my fingers. Sure enough, there was a separate line for appointments - no one was in it. The walk-in line which had already been capped for the day had 10 people. So if you are walking in, make sure you go before 4 pm.

The attendant after finishing with his current client, called me forward, reviewed my documents, and then sent me inside. Wait outside - 5 minutes. Inside, the waiting area were 18 chairs all spaced at least 6 feet apart. Behind the counter there was a masked clerk at every other station. My number was called 10 minutes later. The employee asked me to put my documents on the table and then step back to the circle in front of her window - six feet away. She then scooted forward, did her work, and then scooted back. I came forward, reviewed my documents, signed, and then paid for the renewal. She then directed me to the camera room. After 10 minutes here, I was done.

In and out in 30 minutes. Very organized and efficient. Of course, I had the benefit of an appointment. If I had to wait in the sun for three hours, I might have a slightly different tune. So if you need a Real ID; complete the online paperwork; upload the documents; and save yourself a ton of time.

Take care and be safe.

Posts Tuesday and Saturday

Coronavirus Eating On The Street

Good bye parking, hello dining.

In Manhattan Beach today, I saw how street parking was replaced with outdoor seating. Wooden stands were constructed ten feet into the street, covered with black cloth, and low plastic walls enclosed the dining space.

Between the spaced tables were plastic partitions. Servers wearing masks and face shields served customers. The local ice cream shop had their own street-level outdoor dining area with a pink picket fence separating traffic from their cute white chairs.

Manhattan Beach is serious about the coronavirus and helping its businesses while keeping consumers safe. Driving into Manhattan Beach, a large road construction sign said, "Face masks required, fine $350." I must say 99% of the people on the street and boardwalk wore masks. The exception was the people eating outside. You can't eat with a mask on.  So there is that small risks, something could go wrong.

But, I must say that eating on the patio of a restaurant in Oregon on our recent road trip was a great experience. To sit down and have someone bring us dinner and take care of our dishes for the first time in four months felt odd at first and then energizing.

My mother told me that the Glendale Galleria, an enormous indoor mall, has converted part of its parking structure into an outdoor eating area.

In South Pasadena, Mama's Brick Oven Pizza & Pasta put up an enormous white pop-up in it's parking lot, put out a statue of liberty, and laid out tables with red table cloths for to customer's outdoor dining experience.

Fiore Market Cafe also in South Pasadena had a small three-piece instrumental band play on its socially-distanced patio for lunch the other day.

I am glad to see more and more business adapting to the new "normal" and overcoming the challenges to stay in business.

I was speaking to my barber last week whose store placed a pop-up tent in their parking lot and moved three barber chairs outside and we agreed that the worst is past us - the unknown. Now, everyone knows about the virus; it will not wipe out the earth's population; people and business have dealt with and adapted to living in the  coronavirus environment for over 5 months; and life has entered a new state of normal.

It is still scary and I bid you to take care of yourselves and be safe, but determine how you can make the best of your situation rather than waiting for something to happen.

Posts Tuesday and Saturday