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Dueling citizen complaints of the day: Castle Island has become a coronavirus petri dish vs. Shut your mouth
By adamg on Sun, 07/19/2020 - 5:28pm
Here at the Center for the Easily Annoyed, we have whiled away many a pleasant hour combing through 311 complaints. We're not alone in our hobby - but others take it a step further and file complaints about complaints with which they don't agree.
For example:
Around 9 this morning, a concerned citizen filed a complaint about conditions at Castle Island (also see this complaint about M Street):
Crowds at beaches. Because irresponsible people are ignoring the public health crises, Mayor Walsh needs to close all the beaches in South Boston. It's unfortunate, but less so than hundreds of people getting sick because these "adults" think it's ok to do what they want.
Shortly after 1 p.m., a vexed citizen replied:
If the outside world is too scary for you, please stay inside and lock the door until humans are impervious to harm. Until then, let people live their lives in the best way they know how. This is why cowards should not be allowed to make decisions.
Neighborhoods:
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Comments
The T is a petri dish of germs
Not Castle Island, nothing like being in a steel box stuck in a tunnel with people who are not wearing masks nor practicing social distance.
The Red and Orange Line's
The Red and Orange Line's carpet remnant seat covers are cesspools biological funk. The new cars with nonporous seating can't come fast enough.
MBTA is far more dangerous than beaches.
And most of the people using the T are only there because we absolutely have no other choice about how to get to work and back. Beach-going is at least a little more optional.
Actually... it's not
Look, I get that there are plenty of people who don't like sharing spaces with the dregs of society, but, as long as we're looking at probability of getting COVID-19 in public, please stop ragging on public transit! Inside Edition did an informal study involving 32 swabs taken on subway trains in NYC--seats, handrails, air vents, etc.--and not a single one came back positive with COVID-19. And this is from a system that is easily five times as large with way more passenger traffic.
As long as we're being anecdotal I'd be way more concerned about your suburban big box stores.
Surface contact is not the
Surface contact is not the primary means of transmission...
True, it's airborne transmission...
But let's be honest: how many people "so afraid" of taking public transit right now have even taken public transit lately. Heck, I'll take it one further: how many people "so afraid" of taking public transit right now hardly ever rode it pre-pandemic?
Allow me to answer both those questions: it's still a ghost town on most lines throughout most of the day! Comparing that "one time" you "braved" a ride on a packed Orange Line into the city a few years ago for [insert important event] to current ridership volumes, which are down over 80%, doesn't cut it. The industry standard for higher-risk airborne transmission is sustained contact within six feet of a contagious person for a 15+ minute span of time.
My use of public transit
was somewhat frequent up through February. Since then, however, I've taken only four MBTA rides -- two June round-trips on the Red Line between Davis Square and Charles/MGH, for a eye surgery and a followup appointment.
They are both correct
n/t
They are both wrong
But I'm sure someone filed a complaint about that, too.
Have you been to Castle Island lately?
Between Castle Island, M St Beach and Carson Beach, I predict that Southie will become the new hotspot.
Not from strangers on the beach
Outdoor transmission is far less likely than indoor transmission, particularly when the sun (UV) is out.
That's not to say it's impossible but you're much more at risk at from a private party where people are in prolonged close contact than from strangers on the beach. The beach is crowded but it's not T during rush hour crowded.
Maybe yes maybe no
The biggest risk I've seen on these beaches is groups of friends, side by side, face to face, no attempt at any kind of social distancing., and of course no masks. Even outside, when you're that close, it's not safe. Maybe the wind takes it away. Or maybe the wind just blows it up your nose.
What's the beach got to do with it?
These same people would be a risk to one another anywhere they went. If they are going to be close and maskless, outside and at the beach (no shade, air movement) is probably the safest place.
What’s the beach
But a secondhand emotion?
It's not safe to be maskless anywhere, except one's own house.
Even if one is just out for a walk, they should wear their mask out in public. We even have to wear masks when were in any of the common areas of our building.
So
You're in the middle of a field, no one around, you still wear a mask?
There are no fields around where I live.
Even when I'm just out for a walk, I wear a mask, and we all have to wear masks when we enter any of the common areas of our apartment building.
Okay
You are outside, walking down a sidewalk. There is no one around. You still wear a mask?
you'd better believe it, because there's no telling when other
people will show up. There's really no such thing as nobody around.
CDC says beaches can be high risk if no social distancing
Strangers closer than 6 feet are a medium to high risk, even on the beach, and especially without masks.
The CDC's statement about that is absolutely spot-on.
The Covid-19 virus is far more deadly than the regular season flu(s) that hit in the fall and winter, and far more contagious, as well. Moreover, people who survive the Covid-19 virus, regardless of age, lose 20-30% of their lung capacity (which is a lot), because the Covid-19 virus kills off the lung tissue outright. Also, even healthy younger people, who are 30 and under, have become severely ill and died from the Covid-19 virus.
Please post link
This claim is absurd..the vast majority of covid cases barely notice they have it. Perhaps if someone gets put on a ventilator they have lung damage. Please provide the link you read this science in. Spreading fear and false stats is not helpful.
Difficult conundrum
People are stuck at home - no place to find AC to cool off. So people go to the beach.
This is a horrid lose-lose trade off between risk of heat illness and risk of COVID 19. Southie is a heat island, so that makes it more attractive.
People should be wearing masks when not in the water, sure, but public health departments all over the country and in Europe are trying to deal with this right now - what the hell do you do during a heatwave when you can't pack people into an indoor facility? When you can't put vulnerable people on to buses? Do you encourage outdoor activity even if it isn't optimal? Do you say "hey young people - give that elderly relative/neighbor your AC and go swimming"?
I went to the beach today,
I went to the beach today, one with plenty of shade. And it did not help me cool off. It was so hot that as soon as I got out of the water I was warm again.
Sitting at home in front of a fan would have been a better way to stay cool.
Yesterday and the day before were rather horrendous!
Keeping my venetian blinds closed, with the slats facing outwards, my A/C and my ceiling fan on, and not allowing Aziza her out-of-the-cage playtime were the only ways to keep cool and comfortable in my loft. Glad I did that.
Is that what you see in the
Is that what you see in the pictures? Because I see groups of young people who obviously don't live in the same household sitting right next to each other. That's not cooling off it's prioritizing socializing over safety.
Yeh, well...
there are far too many people, especially younger people, who really don't give a shit who they put at risk for Covid-19, by sickening or even killing. If these young people are old enough to go to college, have jobs, or be parents, etc., they're certainly old enough to understand why the rules of mask-wearing and social distancing are in place.
Kids, kids, you're both
Kids, kids, you're both jackasses.
It isn't possible to close Carson or M Street beaches
They stretch out for a couple of miles adjoining a public street. There are no entrance gates or parking lots to close.
Actually it is possible to close M Street and Carson
Police patrols in vehicles designed for sand travel, like dune buggies, have been effective in other states. A few staties on Day Boulevard, and a few on the beach and you could easily close it all down.
They could fly a helicopter
They could fly a helicopter over the beach to spray sand on everyone like they did in South America. Or ban the sale of Bud Light Lime in the Southie area. Then Chads will have less reason to head to the beach.
I'd much rather drink Narragansett Del's Shandy
but I don't know if it's sold here. I've only had it in Rhode Island.
Oh yeah, most stores I've
Oh yeah, most stores I've been to that carry Gansett have carried it since it was first released.
"is Marty is prepared for a surge in the virus"
I too like to read the 311 reports.
https://311.boston.gov/reports/101003351647
If you want people to respect the rules...
We shouldn't be going overboard given that beach transmission is incredibly low: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/07/it-okay-go-beach/613849/
People need outlets to feel normal. Perhaps the beach is crowded at times, but if you remove everything in life (that is relatively safe) then people aren't going to respect the rules when it really matters -- indoors.
Let's try to have some perspective, that all of life is a series of cost/benefit analysis. If some beaching keeps people able to cope with the prolonged crisis, we shouldn't be so indignant about it all things considered.
Yeah.
Anne Frank spent 761 days in an attic, in absolute silence during the day and merely whispering at night. But if we don't let a bunch of Americans go to the beach, we can't count on them to not breathe on each others indoors.
I'm not saying you're wrong. I'm saying that there's a fraction of Americans who are whiny wusses.
Read again
And read the article.
The point is that if we shame them outdoors, where things like the sun and wind currents are favorable to not getting infected, people will just start hanging out in a non-social distancing manner indoors, where lack of ventilation will be more favorable to getting infected.
Yeh, well....
There's a (substantial) fraction of Americans who are spoiled, entitled brats who don't give a wet rat's ass about other people.
maybe people need to learn they can't have somethings
This seems really hard for Americans, denying themselves trivial pleasures for a while so that we can have our lives back. They'd rather go to the beach, go to the gym, go out to eat, go see a movie and watch the virus return because god forbid they not do these things.
Well....
That's because there are people who really and truly don't give a shit about others, and who think it's okay to act like a bunch of spoiled, entitled brats.
Unfortunately, however, a lot of people don't respect the rules,
and have to be made to do so, for their own good, as well as that of others.
Masks
I have been out once since March 7th. I am at very high risk. I don't like staying in either, but my life depends on it. I wear a mask jus sitting on my stoop. I see people and teens, young kids, without masks. I think everyone should be wearing them to prevent another wave. Governor Baker did an excellent job. We are down in numbers, why ruin it and have another spike? I have COPD, One irresponsible person could kill me. Please wear masks?
The Covid-19 virus is more deadly and more contagious than
the regular annual seasonal Flu(s) that hit us each fall and winter. That's why it's important for people to wear masks and keep six feet or more away from each other. All those idiots who insisted on socializing on the beaches and inside bars, etc., without wearing masks or social distancing, down in FL, TX, AZ, GA and CA, for example, helped encourage another spike in the Covid-19 virus. We don't want that happening here in Boston or the Bay State, generally.
Complainer Number Two found a work around.
People just can’t live without adding their 2 cents to every issue. Imagine the comment sections if the 311 app did have that feature. LOL!
I was at the beach Saturday,
I was at the beach Saturday, not in Southie though, and found it crazy busy but managed to keep distance for a bit. When it got too busy for my tastes, I just left and didn't file any complaints - you know, that's always an option. I'm pretty sure the government is aware of the crowds this weekend without the need for my input on what people should be doing.
With that said, complainer #2 is peak petty.
FWIW
the water at Castle Island is (or was yesterday) incredibly clean.
Clean water at Castle Island Beach:
Incredibly clean water doesn't mean a thing during the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic.
additive risks
well it means you won't get shigella or ecoli along with your covid.
Ah for space savers and the
Ah for space savers and the Southie of old.
Some of these yuppies
actually believe Castle Island starts at the State Police barracks. Just because there is sand and a beach doesn't mean it's Castle Island.
Shut your mouth?
But we're talking about Castle Island!!