When will Coz re-open?

[ggunn]

Take a look around the Caribbean and see how many active cases there are. St Lucia who you reference is about the same size as Cozumel and has zero active cases, they've had much more strict measures than we did here in Cozumel - in fact most islands I looked at had much stricter guidelines than we had here, and most islands are at very few if any active cases today.

Compare that to what happened here - a ramping up of restrictions here instead of a shutdown. Never a shut down of intercity travel (some small towns have) and the passenger ferry still runs and anyone can cross. Cancun and Playa I understand didn't have a curfew until just recently.. People are relaxed to the restrictions and every day it gets more and more lax.

So you have other Caribbean Islands that hammered lockdowns and brought their active cases to near zero verses Mexico that gradually increased restrictions but never really closed the door - the state of Q Roo has the highest active cases to date right now - after the fact judgement is easy.

I myself am worried about this reopening - these folks have been without work for two months and we aren't in any better situation, this place can't afford to screw this up - two months pissed away gaining nothing, are we going to open for a few months then close back down for another two? Are we going to reopen under these conditions and drag this out another six months while St Lucia is bopping around with no problems?? Add to the fact that the coming months of tourists typically come from in country, the same country that's exhibited little to no control of this problem. I don't think you can consider the Riviera Maya and Topeka Kansas the same way, we will be getting people from all over coming here, much different.

I want to see Cozumel succeed, I want to see Melgar full of tourists, I want to see local families socializing in the streets after dark like we used too - we don't want to see desperate people make a desperate decision that will feed you today but starve you tomorrow.

One thing Cozumel and those other islands have in common is their dependence on the tourist trade and the vulnerability that may exist whenever they reopen their ports to visitors from all over the world.

 

[Jcp2]

I’m interested in how Hawai’i handles reopening. Same problem, different country.

 

[BRT]

Take a look around the Caribbean and see how many active cases there are. St Lucia who you reference is about the same size as Cozumel and has zero active cases, they've had much more strict measures than we did here in Cozumel - in fact most islands I looked at had much stricter guidelines than we had here, and most islands are at very few if any active cases today.

Compare that to what happened here - a ramping up of restrictions here instead of a shutdown. Never a shut down of intercity travel (some small towns have) and the passenger ferry still runs and anyone can cross. Cancun and Playa I understand didn't have a curfew until just recently.. People are relaxed to the restrictions and every day it gets more and more lax.

So you have other Caribbean Islands that hammered lockdowns and brought their active cases to near zero verses Mexico that gradually increased restrictions but never really closed the door - the state of Q Roo has the highest active cases to date right now - after the fact judgement is easy.

I myself am worried about this reopening - these folks have been without work for two months and we aren't in any better situation, this place can't afford to screw this up - two months pissed away gaining nothing, are we going to open for a few months then close back down for another two? Are we going to reopen under these conditions and drag this out another six months while St Lucia is bopping around with no problems?? Add to the fact that the coming months of tourists typically come from in country, the same country that's exhibited little to no control of this problem. I don't think you can consider the Riviera Maya and Topeka Kansas the same way, we will be getting people from all over coming here, much different.

I want to see Cozumel succeed, I want to see Melgar full of tourists, I want to see local families socializing in the streets after dark like we used too - we don't want to see desperate people make a desperate decision that will feed you today but starve you tomorrow.

What do you think will happen in St. Lucia when they let in tourists? No problems?

 

[DandyDon]

I’m interested in how Hawai’i handles reopening. Same problem, different country.

That's all over the news. Mostly they're discouraging tourism, then requiring a 14-day self quarantine on visitors, but they have different resources - including the US government. They are enforcing with phone tracking, single entry rooms keys, social media monitoring, and arrests.

2 women visiting Hawaii arrested after allegedly violating quarantine

 

[ChuckP]

What do you think will happen in St. Lucia when they let in tourists? No problems?

I think they will have few if any problems. I’d hope that air travel will include some type of monitoring before you get on the plane. I also believe starting from zero or a small number, it gives less opportunity for community spread.

My worries don’t so much center on tourist bringing the problems - it’s the community spread back within the locals. We’ve been under this “restricted travel” , uncorking what remains of that I think will provide problems within the community.

We’ve proven for six weeks that we can’t corner this problem, even on an island, so now let’s just throw the doors open and have at it. I’m very worried that a problem will develop and this area will get mass media coverage, hurting us longer.

 

[BRT]

I think they will have few if any problems. I’d hope that air travel will include some type of monitoring before you get on the plane. I also believe starting from zero or a small number, it gives less opportunity for community spread.

My worries don’t so much center on tourist bringing the problems - it’s the community spread back within the locals. We’ve been under this “restricted travel” , uncorking what remains of that I think will provide problems within the community.

We’ve proven for six weeks that we can’t corner this problem, even on an island, so now let’s just throw the doors open and have at it. I’m very worried that a problem will develop and this area will get mass media coverage, hurting us longer.

We will see if you are right or not. I think not. So far as air travel monitoring even if they swab and do the test the tests have a large false negative rate. Wouldn't take much before your island wouldn't be Covid free.

 

[P-Dog]

I’m interested in how Hawai’i handles reopening. Same problem, different country.

I can answer that. It's hateful here.

We have 40% unemployment. I don't know a single person who has received an unemployment check yet. It's been months. We have bread lines. Actual bread lines that are being run by food banks, churches and charities. The state has done NOTHING. Not one thing. The Big Island, where I live has had only one hospitalization from this illness over the whole shebang and it lasted only two days before the person was dismissed. In the meantime, I couldn't go to the ER for stitches, because the hospital cancelled every single appointment or ER visit that wasn't Covid related - of which the Big Island had none. The hospital system just had an interview that they are losing 26 Million dollars this quarter (all because they refused to see patients) from lost of revenue, but the feds are giving them 21 Million, so it should be okay....in the meantime, the people here are starving.

Oh yeah, the state has released about 850 prisoners from the jails into society out of fears of a Covid-19 outbreak in the prison system. So, crime rates are skyrocketing.

The DLNR set up a Facebook page to have the public follow "people who looked like tourists" (you can see the slippery slope of that one) from the airport, to their hotels, around the island and post them on social media so that they could be reported and tracked.

The Hawaii Legislature decided to keep the federal money it received form the CARES Act and NOT help the people of the state: Despite urgent social needs, Hawaii legislators decide to bank state and federal funds

No other state or country should follow this example.

 

[DandyDon]

I can answer that. It's hateful here.

We have 40% unemployment. I don't know a single person who has received an unemployment check yet. It's been months. We have bread lines. Actual bread lines that are being run by food banks, churches and charities. The state has done NOTHING. Not one thing. The Big Island, where I live has had only one hospitalization from this illness over the whole shebang and it lasted only two days before the person was dismissed. In the meantime, I couldn't go to the ER for stitches, because the hospital cancelled every single appointment or ER visit that wasn't Covid related - of which the Big Island had none. The hospital system just had an interview that they are losing 26 Million dollars this quarter (all because they refused to see patients) from lost of revenue, but the feds are giving them 21 Million, so it should be okay....in the meantime, the people here are starving.

Oh yeah, the state has released about 850 prisoners from the jails into society out of fears of a Covid-19 outbreak in the prison system. So, crime rates are skyrocketing.

The DLNR set up a Facebook page to have the public follow "people who looked like tourists" (you can see the slippery slope of that one) from the airport, to their hotels, around the island and post them on social media so that they could be reported and tracked.

The Hawaii Legislature decided to keep the federal money it received form the CARES Act and NOT help the people of the state: Despite urgent social needs, Hawaii legislators decide to bank state and federal funds

No other state or country should follow this example.

Wow. That sounds unbelievable.

 

[MichaelMc]

I understand that fuel is a significant dive boat cost. If they pay people 50% of normal, how full do all the Coz boats need to be to not operate at more of a loss than staying idle? At 30% pay?

I see a bright future in the near term for diving at places near advanced life support.

Parts of the world face expected childhood deaths due to vaccination efforts interrupted by covid in excess of expected covid deaths. (looking for the reference). So parts of the world maybe better off just on deaths by opening enough to vaccinate. That does not mean travel there is any safer. There are also food supply impacts (at the rice and beans level, not other things).

Part of it. The developing world impacts are harsh.
- At least 80 million children under one at risk of diseases such as diphtheria, measles and polio as COVID-19 disrupts routine vaccination efforts, warn Gavi, WHO and UNICEF
- Lifting lockdowns: the when, why and how (paywall, may be free with registration)
-- Part of this podcast ‎Editor's Picks from The Economist on Apple Podcasts

Very much rock and hard place. But in some places the rock is a boulder.
The developed world has more choices.

 

[yle]

but 5 days later when I'm asymptomatic, and I sneeze on the three old shop workers with underlying medical conditions, and they catch it, their risk of death is a lot higher.

Why would you sneeze on old shop workers with underlying medical conditions? Seems rude, even if there wasn't a virus going around.