Goddamn it, now this thing is getting really serious.....
Washington breweries 'treading water' to survive
Beer commission says half of state's small to medium-size beer makers could close permanently if stay-home measures extend into summer.
Author: Drew Mikkelsen
king5.com
OLYMPIA, Wash — Hundreds of microbreweries are in danger of going out of business, according to the Washington State Beer Commission.
The commission's Executive Director Eric Radovich fears extending the stay home order could kill breweries already struggling to survive. .
“The stay at home order lingering into the summer months would be devastating for our breweries,” Radovich said. “We would probably see in the neighborhood of 50% of our state's 420 breweries have to close their doors permanently.”
He said the neighborhood breweries who rely on tastings and meal service are the hardest hit.
He said those that sell kegs have also taken steep losses, with most restaurants and bars closed.
Keith Ciani, co-owner of Olympia’s Headless Mumby Brewing Company, described his business as "treading water" right now.
“The only money we have is from people who walk in and buy stuff,” said Ciani, “We’ve decided to go day-to-day.”
He said they’ve had to lay off three of their five employees as keg sales have almost stopped.
Ciani said in one week in February the company sold more than $10,000 in kegs.
Since March, they’ve sold a total of about $500 worth.
He’s anxious for the stay home order to end, but he’s not sure business will get back to normal anytime soon.
“That’s what scares the hell out of me,” Ciani said. “I don’t know how many people want to come back in here on a packed Friday night and the keg sales aren’t going to come back in just like that.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoSg5PiTgZc
Corona Vaccine by September? Oxford Group Successful Animal Tests
In race for a coronavirus vaccine, an Oxford group leaps ahead
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
THE NEW YORK TIMES |
APR 27, 2020 | 9:00 PM
In the worldwide race for a vaccine to stop the coronavirus, the laboratory sprinting fastest is at Oxford University.
Most other teams have had to start with small clinical trials of a few hundred participants to demonstrate safety. But scientists at the university’s Jenner Institute had a head start on a vaccine, having proved in previous trials that similar inoculations — including one last year against an earlier coronavirus — were harmless to humans.
That has enabled them to leap ahead and schedule tests of their new coronavirus vaccine involving more than 6,000 people by the end of next month, hoping to show not only that it is safe but also that it works.
The Oxford scientists now say that with an emergency approval from regulators, the first few million doses of their vaccine could be available by September — at least several months ahead of any of the other announced efforts — if it proves to be effective.
Now, they have received promising news suggesting that it might.
Scientists at the National Institutes of Health’s Rocky Mountain Laboratory in Montana last month inoculated six rhesus macaque monkeys with single doses of the Oxford vaccine. The animals were then exposed to heavy quantities of the virus that is causing the pandemic — exposure that had consistently sickened other monkeys in the lab. But more than 28 days later all six were healthy, said Vincent Munster, the researcher who conducted the test.
...
Rest of story at Chicago Tribune
Jay's "revised" plan, effective 5/1
Public Information Officer, Washington Emergency Management Division AGENCY
The Extension of the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order will be through May 31, Gov. Inslee & Health officials announced today. There will be new allowances for retail curbside pickup; car washes; and landscaping. Also, drive-in spiritual services can go forward with one household per vehicle.
Moving forward, there will be four phases allowing more areas of the state to re-open after each phase based on a data-driven approach. Information on that here: https://coronavirus.wa.gov/what-you-need
These phases depend on continued success in slowing the spread of COVID-19 and meeting four capabilities including:
✔️health care system readiness
✔️testing capacity
✔️ability to do contact investigations
✔️ability to protect high-risk populations.
Not every part of the state is experiencing #COVID19 the same way. County variances are allowed. Smaller counties could reopen. Counties with fewer than 50,000 residents not hit hard by #COVID19 will be able to apply to the Department of Health for a variance that will allow the county to open to the second phase. Cities and counties can also take more strict actions than what the state is mandating. That is up to them based on their public health needs and local decision making.
While state parks and state land are re-opening May 5, before traveling, check with your destination. More information: https://parks.state.wa.us/1177/Novel-Cor...
Businesses are also expected to implement any additional requirements developed specifically for their industry such as those that have been established for construction.
The state is entering into Phase 1, with some aspects starting on May 5. More details will be announced on Monday. The governor has already allowed some construction to resume as well as reopening of some recreational activities including day use at state parks, playing golf, fishing and hunting. Officials are working with industries to develop new protocols that could soon also allow for retail curbside pickup; car washes; and landscaping and drive-in spiritual services with one household per vehicle.
When COVID-19 disease burden is low and decreasing and the four capabilities described above are met, the governor will move from Phase 1 to Phase 2.
▶️ Phase 2: Additional expansions of outdoor recreation activities would be allowed, as well as small gatherings of 5 or fewer people, new construction and in-store retail purchases with health restrictions. Barber shops and salons could reopen and house cleaning services. Restaurants could reopen with 50 percent capacity and table size no larger than 5. Some professional services and offices could open up as well, even though teleworking would remain strongly encouraged. Pet care services including grooming could resume.
▶️ Phase 3: Gatherings of 50 people or less, including sports activities, would be allowed, and non-essential travel could resume. Restaurants could move up to 75 percent capacity and tables up to 10 people, and bars at 25 percent capacity; gyms and movie theaters could reopen at 50 percent capacity; retail, libraries, museums and government buildings could reopen. Recreational facilities like pools could open at 50 percent capacity. Nightclubs and entertainment venues would still not be able to reopen.
▶️ Phase 4: Would involve resuming the majority of public interactions. Gatherings of more than 50 people would be allowed, but still while practicing social distancing.
A larger version of the chart, which is also screen reader compliant, can be found at: bit.ly/3aV44Kr
Watch the full press conference here: https://www.tvw.org/watch/?eventID=20200...