The danger of self-isolating from COVID-19 on public lands

[Naio]

Linky.

...visitors desperate for activity and distraction have flooded into Moab, Utah, the gateway to Arches National Park. “We had crowds of people that felt like peak summertime,” said Ashley Kumburis, who manages a rafting and jeep tour outfitter that’s still open. “If you didn’t know this contagious virus was spreading, you would think it was a regular summer day in Moab.”

On March 16, doctors from Moab Regional Hospital sent a letter to Gov. Gary Herbert, R, asking for help. “We are writing this letter to implore you to shut down all non-essential business service in Moab,” it reads. Citing a lack of hospital beds and no local intensive care unit — at a time when lodging for the following weekend was estimated to be at between 75-95% capacity — officials were concerned that “tourism would drive the spread” of COVID-19. Within a few hours, the Southeast Utah Health Department issued an order closing restaurants and lodging, and camping on both public and private land to outside visitors.

...For people around the country, this is a confusing message. After hearing that outdoor spaces are the safest areas to avoid the spread of COVID-19, many are venturing out, seeking the sort of isolation that public lands offer. But when visitors start overwhelming gateway communities, the public lands are no longer a safe refuge.

...Sending people to parks means they’ll use the amenities in both the parks and in nearby towns. Grocery stores in the rural West, as in the rest of the country, are struggling to stay stocked, bathroom facilities will need cleaning, and the more visitors there are, the greater chance for injuries that might need to be treated in rural hospitals — hospitals that lack the capacity to treat them.

...And that’s not all: “I’m especially worried about fire season right now,” Anzelmo told me. “NPS employees from all different backgrounds form a good part of the wildland firefighting workforce.” Anzelmo fears what will happen if those employees get sick or overworked while trying to keep parks open during a national emergency. “Do we want to exhaust that bench of the federal workforce in public lands right now for a momentary feel-good moment while a pandemic is raging, or do we want to be smart and be ready for the other emergencies that are going to happen?”

..As Depoe Bay, like the rest of the country, prepares for a possible onslaught of COVID-19 cases, Fuller wants visitors to reconsider coming and unknowingly infecting her small community. “People can come back in the summer when things are better,” she said. “But not now.”

[1320Fastback]

Were heading out to our somwhat secret spot in a SoCal desert this Thursday for the weekend. Expect to see no one out there as usual.

[SDcampowneroper]

The travel and tourism industry is being turned on its head. Impacts are deepest where people are in close proximity, such as air and cruise where 'social distancing' is impossible.

As reality sets in with the new normal, RVing and camping with your select cohabitants will be the choice of travel and escape from 'cabin fever' .

Stay home orders. My RV is also my home. Wherever it goes we can practice distancing and sanitation just the same as in the S&B

I do not get the rash of camp closures, I do get closure of public gathering places, activity, washrooms in those camps. RVing and camping may return to its roots of family time, smores, hiking and biking and outdoor activity with your loved ones instead of the face to face social interaction our society has changed into. Personal value is not measured in how your friends like you, but in how your family loves you.

Private camp industry professionals are reserved but optimistic that the industry will weather this crisis well, sectors ( camps) whose guests are drawn by the in camp activity, or to crowded attractions in the area could see attractions close, camp activity shuttered if it drew people into close proximity.

Camps whose focus is spacious outdoor activity with minimal group activity, may well benefit from the crisis, At least on occupancy, less so from value added ventures.

The industry concern is not for itself, but for you
max. No longer a camp owner

[dodge_guy]

Why does everyone think that 100% of the people will get deathly ill from Corona virus? Fact is to may have or had it and not even know about it. That is how little it will affect most people! Yes you need to be aware of things, but at the same time why act like he world is going to end!

[azdryheat]

Politicians. Now that's a stupidity that can't be fixed. How about they just leave us alone to live our lives as we see fit. I can decide for myself better they can. Say, how about prosecuting those Senators that sold all those stocks right before the market tanked. You know, right after they had their Senators meeting in DC.

[noteven]

Naio wrote:

noteven wrote:
Wouldn’t the idea be to take a setup in which you are self contained and not running in and out of places like you are on vacation?

What are you going to eat? What if you both get too sick to drive?

I eat in my rigs galley. I would remote camp where mobile has a signal and not move unnecessarily. If I got sick with what looked like C19 I would call 911 and explain my symptoms so responders are prepared. I would use google maps or what3words app to direct help to me with 3 meter accuracy.

[bgum]

One would think that they have never heard of powdered milk. Frozen bread or homemade bread. When your can is on the line like now some will live while others will die because of the decisions they make.

[Lwiddis]

Doctors pleading with politicians to stop RV camping. And where are those now camping going? Down the road. Traveling unnecessarily but away from Moab Regional Hospital.

[MDKMDK]

Lynnmor wrote:

ksg5000 wrote:
You can't fix stupid. The picture of all those guys crowding next to each other to take a pic says it all.

In 2016????

Beat me to it.;)

[2oldman]

This should be in Public lands.

Quartzsite is just fine.. peeps spread out all over the place. If this isn't isolation, I don't know what is.

[twodownzero]

Wish I had enough time at work to join them in Moab. Unlike many others, I have to go to work.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

Almost all doomsday, end of the world, etc. books from Alas Babylon published in 1959 have chapters or story lines on the impact of small towns threatened by overwhelming numbers of people fleeing to the wide open spaces.

There simply are not enough truly open, isolated places for everyone, and I'm sure most RVs are not setup for more than a few days not hooked to utilities. Even if they are, most don't have the storage capacity for supplies much longer than that.

With an 8 cu ft small RV fridge, four kids will go through more milk than it can hold quickly.

Everyone needs to buy food. Can you carry two weeks worth of food? Not need to go to a store for fresh milk or bread? DW certainly can't live that way.

That's what has cities like Moab worried about. Not the people out along the river in the BLM approved campgrounds. (There is no open dispersed isolated camping allowed in the Moab area.)

Moab knows those visitors will be in town almost every day, in restaurants, in the grocery stores, in crowds renting ATVs and such.

They also know that most of those places are not staffed this time of year, supplies may not be on hand for the purchases the visitors will make.

Even hiking in Arches, there is seldom a time you are alone, not with many other people close.

Yes, can't fix stupid, not even with duct tape.

[Naio]

noteven wrote:
Wouldn’t the idea be to take a setup in which you are self contained and not running in and out of places like you are on vacation?

What are you going to eat? What if you both get too sick to drive?

[Lynnmor]

ksg5000 wrote:
You can't fix stupid. The picture of all those guys crowding next to each other to take a pic says it all.

In 2016????

[ksg5000]

You can't fix stupid. The picture of all those guys crowding next to each other to take a pic says it all.

[noteven]

Wouldn’t the idea be to take a setup in which you are self contained and not running in and out of places like you are on vacation?