A Temporary Halt to Fossils on Wheels Programs

[fossilsonwheels]

Unfortunately, Fossils on Wheels will be suspending our programs for while. We really do not have a choice as most of our programs are in public schools with a few being done for elderly care facilities. Even though there are no confirmed cases of the Corona Virus in Butte County, where the majority of programs are done, the reality is that closures of public institutions are imminent. I also work for a museum that is part of CSU Chico and we are preparing for some time off right now and it is not vacation time.

 

Public health is the primary concern. We fully understand that and in the big picture, we are merely a small piece of supportive education. Carter and I have really enjoyed our first year of operating Fossils on Wheels. I am personally a little sad because we had some special programs up coming including our first anniversary program with the first teachers that invited us to do programs but this an issue much larger than us. It is temporary set back. Carter and I are committed to continuing Fossils on Wheels. Once things normalize, we will back at it. 

 

In the meantime, I am going to be one bored guy for awhile. Not much work, can not really travel. I can be productive though. Time for home improvement projects and lots of time with my kiddos. Plus I am bringing home a microscope and am going to get some micro mix. Probably lots of micro mix. For sure, LOTS of micro mix lol

[Mediospirifer]

Fully understandable! You certainly want to be aware of public health concerns, and avoid being a carrier. Especially to elder care facilities.

 

It's disappointing to have to suspend the program just as you're really getting things together. Hopefully, this situation will pass (appropriate vaccines developed and distributed swiftly!), and you can get back into it as soon as possible. In the meantime, good luck with the micro-matrix! I hope you find lots of cool specimens in all of the matrices you look at.

 

What kind of microscope are you looking into? I've had good results with a Stereozoom (Baush & Lomb), and would recommend them. 

 

[Monica]

Hey Kurt!

 

It is indeed too bad about having to suspend your program, but that just seems to be the way things are going.  Just yesterday around 5pm we found out that Ontario schools will be closed for 2 weeks after March Break, so after today we're not going back to school until early April.  Hopefully this imposed self-isolation will help prevent the spread of COVID-19 here in Ontario.

 

If the weather continues to cooperate I'm planning on doing a bit of fossil-hunting during this 3-week break, as well as work on my practicum for my Principals' Qualification Program (teaching has prevented me from finding spare time to work on it, so perhaps I can get a chunk of it done while I'm off from work ).

 

Best of luck with the micromatrix!!! 

 

Monica

[caldigger]

Nooo!  Just do your programs to empty school rooms like they are proposing athletic teams play to fanless empty stadiums. 

[FranzBernhard]

Thats a pitty! First time I am hearing that schools are closing in Canada and perhaps also in the US due to Covid-19.

 

Today was last school day here in Austria for a while, next regular holidays are in 3 weeks.

 

4 hours ago, Monica said:

will help prevent the spread of COVID-19 here in Ontario.

Not very probable. It will only slow down the speed of spreading, but that´s important enough. Really hard restrictions like in China are necessary to effectively stop the spreading of Covid-19. Such things can luckily not be done in democratic countries.

 

As long as there are no travel restrictions, its a wonderfull time to go out hiking, fishing and, , oh yes, fossil hunting! Safest place at the moment is somewhere deep in a forest, like @Monica is planning.

 

All the best!
Franz Bernhard

 

[Ruger9a]

You know, we aren't really doing anything different with this flu than we do with other flu strains.  We avoid large crowds, stay away from sick/coughing people, wash with hand sanitizer frequently, fist bump instead of shaking hands.  The only added thing we started doing is wearing plastic gloves when food shopping because of all the doors we have to open to get our products.  We've always put the really cheap, disposable gloves on when using gas pumps, that's been standard practice for us for years.  Ever notice the people wiping sweat from their forehead then grabbing the pump or coughing into their hand then grabbing the pump?  We will not wear the masks, the only people who should be wearing the masks are the infected.  Just my opinion.

[connorp]

All schools I know people at, including my university, have been shut down for at least the next 3 weeks. My graduation might even be cancelled if the virus doesn't stop spreading at the current rate soon. We're moving to all online classes which will be quite interesting. I'll still have to do schoolwork but at home, which will be tough because I will be tempted to go out fossil hunting all the time.

[oilshale]

It's gonna be a really difficult time. The US has reported 41 coronavirus deaths among more than 1,700 cases, a death rate of 2.6%.
In Germany so far about 3000 cases have been confirmed leading to only 6 deaths. This corresponds to a death rate of 0.2%. 

The much higher death rate in the US indicates that not enough testing has been done (in Germany testing is free of charge  and possible without problems) and many more people are already infected in the US.

My wife and I avoid all crowds as much as possible - I would recommend everyone to do the same.

[Spoons]

58 minutes ago, connorp said:

All schools I know people at, including my university, have been shut down for at least the next 3 weeks. My graduation might even be cancelled if the virus doesn't stop spreading at the current rate soon. We're moving to all online classes which will be quite interesting. I'll still have to do schoolwork but at home, which will be tough because I will be tempted to go out fossil hunting all the time.

Sounds like me and you are I the same boat. I’m going to school today... can’t miss calc. But yeah gonna be interesting.

 

Congratulations on graduation btw.

-Nick

[JBMugu]

Its a great time to come down to the quarry and load up on fossils! You might have to worry about valley fever but not the Corona virus.

[jpc]

12 minutes ago, oilshale said:

It's gonna be a really difficult time. The US has reported 41 coronavirus deaths among more than 1,700 cases, a death rate of 2.6%.
In Germany so far about 3000 cases have been confirmed leading to only 6 deaths. This corresponds to a death rate of 0.2%. 

The much higher death rate in the US indicates that not enough testing has been done (in Germany testing is free of charge  and possible without problems) and many more people are already infected in the US.

My wife and I avoid all crowds as much as possible - I would recommend everyone to do the same.

Half of those USA deaths are in one nursing home in Seattle, where coronavirus first showed up here.  While we should have been prepared for it to get here, our leaders thought it was a just another flu, so they did nothing to prepare.  But Germany's survival rate is indeed very good... better than France, UK and Switzerland (these are the countries I have planning a trip to).   

[oilshale]

9 minutes ago, jpc said:

Half of those USA deaths are in one nursing home in Seattle, where coronavirus first showed up here.  While we should have been prepared for it to get here, our leaders thought it was a just another flu, so they did nothing to prepare.  But Germany's survival rate is indeed very good... better than France, UK and Switzerland (these are the countries I have planning a trip to).   

Too late - you might get stuck in Europe. Except you travel via UK or Ireland (and from there to France or Switzerland)- for incomprehensible reasons both countries are excluded from the travel ban 

[jpc]

43 minutes ago, oilshale said:

Too late - you might get stuck in Europe. Except you travel via UK or Ireland (and from there to France or Switzerland)- for incomprehensible reasons both countries are excluded from the travel ban 

Yeah, but I just saw that Ireland is basically shutting down.  

[Ruger9a]

1 hour ago, oilshale said:

It's gonna be a really difficult time. The US has reported 41 coronavirus deaths among more than 1,700 cases, a death rate of 2.6%.
In Germany so far about 3000 cases have been confirmed leading to only 6 deaths. This corresponds to a death rate of 0.2%. 

The much higher death rate in the US indicates that not enough testing has been done (in Germany testing is free of charge  and possible without problems) and many more people are already infected in the US.

My wife and I avoid all crowds as much as possible - I would recommend everyone to do the same.

During the 2017-2018 flu season in the USA - 45,000,000 caught the flu, 21,000,000 visited medical facilities for treatment, 810,000 were hospitalized, 61,000 died. Most were elderly and/or had preexisting health problems.  I am concerned as I fall into the "not so young with preexisting health problems" category.  However, I don't remember a single school being closed, the elimination of live audiences for sports events, cancellation of community events, hospitals stating they were overwhelmed, restriction of flights or sold out shelves related to sanitation or cleaning supplies.

[Pagurus]

10 hours ago, fossilsonwheels said:

Unfortunately, Fossils on Wheels will be suspending our programs for while

 

This is awfully disappointing, I'm sure. I see one of your tags reads, "bummer of a birthday". Is today your birthday? Well, happy birthday anyway. That micro matrix will be a good present and I know you'll enjoy the micro hunt. 

Those nasty germ-laden school kids have always passed around the newest strain of whatever disease is going around. Every fall, when school began, I had to cancel a week's worth of programs because of the little urchins and the bug they gave me. I didn't want to be a carrier, either, taking it from school to school. I hope we get this virus under some control soon, or at least learn to live with it. I'm not doing my school programs anymore but my son's a teacher now and his school's about to be shut down, and my grandson's school too. Well, maybe they'll have time to come visit and we can all look through some matrix together. Be well.

[Tidgy's Dad]

Very sad to hear this. 

But anyway.

Hope you have a good day. 

[fossilsonwheels]

8 hours ago, Mediospirifer said:

Fully understandable! You certainly want to be aware of public health concerns, and avoid being a carrier. Especially to elder care facilities.

 

It's disappointing to have to suspend the program just as you're really getting things together. Hopefully, this situation will pass (appropriate vaccines developed and distributed swiftly!), and you can get back into it as soon as possible. In the meantime, good luck with the micro-matrix! I hope you find lots of cool specimens in all of the matrices you look at.

 

What kind of microscope are you looking into? I've had good results with a Stereozoom (Baush & Lomb), and would recommend them. 

 

Thank you. It is a short term situation, I’m an optimist lol I am not sure what brands of microscope the museum has so I am borrowing the nicest one. We did want to get one of our own so I’ll look into Sterozoom. 

[fossilsonwheels]

7 hours ago, Monica said:

Hey Kurt!

 

It is indeed too bad about having to suspend your program, but that just seems to be the way things are going.  Just yesterday around 5pm we found out that Ontario schools will be closed for 2 weeks after March Break, so after today we're not going back to school until early April.  Hopefully this imposed self-isolation will help prevent the spread of COVID-19 here in Ontario.

 

If the weather continues to cooperate I'm planning on doing a bit of fossil-hunting during this 3-week break, as well as work on my practicum for my Principals' Qualification Program (teaching has prevented me from finding spare time to work on it, so perhaps I can get a chunk of it done while I'm off from work ).

 

Best of luck with the micromatrix!!! 

 

Monica

Hi Monica

 

Yes the schools here will be doing the same thing. I think the Governor here just announced a ban on large public gatherings and other measures. I will make the best use of my time off that I can and it sounds like you will too ! Good luck on your studies. 

 

Kurt

[fossilsonwheels]

5 hours ago, caldigger said:

Nooo!  Just do your programs to empty school rooms like they are proposing athletic teams play to fanless empty stadiums. 

Hahaha fantastic idea. The question and answer interactions would be pretty interesting if we have no audience lol

[caldigger]

It will just give you the opportunity to perfect the programs without interruptions. 

[fossilsonwheels]

3 hours ago, connorp said:

All schools I know people at, including my university, have been shut down for at least the next 3 weeks. My graduation might even be cancelled if the virus doesn't stop spreading at the current rate soon. We're moving to all online classes which will be quite interesting. I'll still have to do schoolwork but at home, which will be tough because I will be tempted to go out fossil hunting all the time.

Hey Connor 

Yeah Chico St is doing the exact same thing. On-line coursework only. Graduation isn’t even in the conversation yet but hopefully these measures will slow it enough that grad will go forward. 

 

My daughter is a high school senior and she just got word her prom and a trip to Oregon are canceled. Hopefully she’ll be able to walk with her class but for now we wait. 

[fossilsonwheels]

3 hours ago, FranzBernhard said:

Thats a pitty! First time I am hearing that schools are closing in Canada and perhaps also in the US due to Covid-19.

 

Today was last school day here in Austria for a while, next regular holidays are in 3 weeks.

 

Not very probable. It will only slow down the speed of spreading, but that´s important enough. Really hard restrictions like in China are necessary to effectively stop the spreading of Covid-19. Such things can luckily not be done in democratic countries.

 

As long as there are no travel restrictions, its a wonderfull time to go out hiking, fishing and, , oh yes, fossil hunting! Safest place at the moment is somewhere deep in a forest, like @Monica is planning.

 

All the best!
Franz Bernhard

 

Hi Franz

I can say that yes there will be school closures. Statewide ban on large public gatherings too. The goal is too slow it down and hopefully it works. 

 

The rate of spread has been pretty slow in California so far and hopefully this helps keep it slow. 

 

I agree. Time for a hike in the woods and perhaps a fossil hunt

 

Kurt

[fossilsonwheels]

52 minutes ago, Pagurus said:

 

This is awfully disappointing, I'm sure. I see one of your tags reads, "bummer of a birthday". Is today your birthday? Well, happy birthday anyway. That micro matrix will be a good present and I know you'll enjoy the micro hunt. 

Those nasty germ-laden school kids have always passed around the newest strain of whatever disease is going around. Every fall, when school began, I had to cancel a week's worth of programs because of them and the bug they gave me. I didn't want to be a carrier, either, taking it from school to school. I hope we get this virus under some control soon, or at least learn to live with it. I'm not doing my school programs anymore but my son's a teacher now and his school's about to be shut down, and my grandson's school too. Well, maybe they'll have time to come visit and we can all look through some matrix together. Be well.

Kids can spread stuff fast to be sure lol I think working with kids has boosted my immune system over the years. I am hopeful this will be short term and we’ll be back at it soon. 

 

Yes yesterday was my 46th B-day. Despite the bad news, it wasn’t a bad day. My kids bought dinner which was really sweet I thought. 

[fossilsonwheels]

4 hours ago, oilshale said:

It's gonna be a really difficult time. The US has reported 41 coronavirus deaths among more than 1,700 cases, a death rate of 2.6%.
In Germany so far about 3000 cases have been confirmed leading to only 6 deaths. This corresponds to a death rate of 0.2%. 

The much higher death rate in the US indicates that not enough testing has been done (in Germany testing is free of charge  and possible without problems) and many more people are already infected in the US.

My wife and I avoid all crowds as much as possible - I would recommend everyone to do the same.

The higher death rate in the US is partially  due to one elderly care facility in Washington which accounts for a significant percentage of the deaths. 

 

You are correct though in more testing being done and it’s going to be tough on a lot of people. No doubt. 

 

 

[fossilsonwheels]

3 hours ago, Ruger9a said:

During the 2017-2018 flu season in the USA - 45,000,000 caught the flu, 21,000,000 visited medical facilities for treatment, 810,000 were hospitalized, 61,000 died. Most were elderly and/or had preexisting health problems.  I am concerned as I fall into the "not so young with preexisting health problems" category.  However, I don't remember a single school being closed, the elimination of live audiences for sports events, cancellation of community events, hospitals stating they were overwhelmed, restriction of flights or sold out shelves related to sanitation or cleaning supplies.

Very true, flu season in general can be very bad. I think there is a lot of panic right now which is never good but hopefully these drastic steps do slow the spread.