I'm in the 70+ range which most of us in The Villages are too. Those survival rates are not good enough for me to go back to living my life as pre-Covid. You may think those are good odds, but I do not.

Having said that, surviving this virus isn't the entire picture. People are surviving but with complications which may effect them for the rest of their lives. This virus does damage to the body. I prefer to live a healthier life than live with a damaged body caused by Covid-19.

Except we now know that what the CDC says may not be accurate due to political pressure

Anyone read and know about the long term results if this virus? Lung issues,heart issues, stamina issues? Dead is easy its done with. Living with the long term effects not pretty and very very costly to the health care system. Think about that when you toss your masks and cuddle up at the bars.

Most of us have been so brain washed that we forget why businesses were shut down and masks & social distancing became the new protocol. We were told that we needed to “flatten the curve”, that was the reason. The idea wasn’t to prevent people from contracting the virus, but to spread out the infection rate, so hospitals would have ICU capacity. That was the reason we closed - that has been achieved. The governor should absolutely re-open the state.

We've been home for several months and only eat out doors or at those restaurants with adequate spacing and that are mostly empty. Then we go home and wash. We carry sanitizers, wipes and paper towels and we always wear masks. The pandemic is real. Seniors are the largest at risk population. Why take chances? It's your health and your life. Cheaper and safer to stay home and use good judgement. PS - A big reason we wear masks is that not only do we care about our health but we care about the health of our friends, family and neighbors as well. We're Americans. We care about and respect each other.

You don’t have to go out to eat. You do have a kitchen in your house. Plus, not all restaurants will be at 100% capacity all the time. If you go to a place and it seems crowded, go somewhere else or eat out at a time of day when the crowds are thinner. Try the early bird specials maybe.

And if you don’t like my flippant attitude, tough noogies. I yam what I yam. Not changing for you.

Sir. Madam. 94.6% of people over 70 living is great news unless you are the five per cent that it will kill. Nope. I don't even like those good odds. When you're dead, you're dead and I don't want to be dead.

I don't think you realize that your commentary is really making this all about you and others like you. Where's the commentary on how restaurants are going to survive with less business over a long period of time? The restaurant owners probably have families to support. They most certainly have many bills to pay. The workers are trying to make a living, keep a job and pay their bills. But you're saying this is about YOU still being able to enjoy life. It's a narrow view, in my opinion, because it neglects the cost of occupancy restrictions on the businesses, themselves.

You don't have to go out. The restaurants have to make money to stay in business.

Here's a compromise: Offer to pay DOUBLE what the normal bill is for a meal out IF the restaurant(s) continue to adhere to 50% capacity. Presumably no one is going out to eat every night, so paying double is not going to break you, right? Win-win. You get your security of not being around as many people, and the restaurants can survive on having fewer clientele patronizing.

Now, you may think the above is just a facetious comment, but it absolutely does bring to the fore the cost of severely reduced business, which seems to be lost on many here posting. I don't see where your "enjoying life" is enhanced when restaurant after restaurant needs to permanently close due to lost revenue. Again, if a restaurant owner thinks they can still make things work at lower capacity, more power to them. But that's their choice to make, just as it's your choice whether to patronize them at higher capacity.

Eating out
 

I have had enough. Expecting restaurants to install plexi between tables! Stay home.

If he wanted to save the state economy all he had to do was shut every thing down and mandate masks and all the CDC guidelines in March. We'd be returning now with far fewer cases and deaths on a daily basis.

Our governor is a lion. Good for him. I will frequent the restaurants and visit the squares daily with absolutely no fear of catching the virus. And by the way, I would be happy to shake your hand if you extend it, and for those who do, I’ll buy you a drink.

So, if I don't feel safe going out to eat I should stay home. OK, but, if you go out to eat and come in contact with someone that is asymptomatic and you get the virus, and you are one of the "lucky" ones that is also asymptomatic, how many people will you spread it to with no clue that you are doing so? How many will die because you felt safe and wanted to support the economy.
Remember the Ford Pinto? There was a problem with the design, if it was jit in the rear a bolt could go into the gas tank and cause the car to burst into flames. Ford determined that it was cheaper to pay off the families of people who died then to recall the car to fix the problem.

I guess it's cheaper to let people die then to close down (or at least restrict) the economy.

Those numbers don't even start to look scary unless you're over 70. But then, if you're over 70 the numbers for all causes of death start to look scary.

It's a virus. Once a virus is in a population, you can't stop it. You can only slow it. The economy never should have been closed in the first place. Millions of young, healthy people have lost their jobs and businesses, and there is no evidence that a single life was saved. Historically quarantine has been for the sick. Why are so many wanting to quarantine the healthy?

In what world does an economy prosper by shutting down? Have you even bothered to look at the daily statistics for new cases and deaths? We are returning with far fewer cases and deaths on a daily basis. I won't call your post clueless, but I do wish you much better luck in your future attempts at thinking.

Really? Let’s look at the Florida numbers. In the months of March-June when fewer people were wearing masks, there were fewer deaths. When mask wearing became virtually mandatory in July & August, the death rate from the virus tripled. Facts, not feelings...