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Coronavirus

Danica Patrick Shares COVID-19 Pandemic Thoughts on Allison Interviews

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Danica Patrick at IMS
Danica Patrick at IMS on May 20, 2018 – Photo: Brian Groce

Danica Patrick shared her COVID-19 Pandemic thoughts and a handful of other topics on Allison Interviews on Thursday, October 14, 2021.

Whether you get a vaccine or you don’t get a vaccine, the same reason why you’re doing either one of those things, is because you want to be healthy.

I find the whole thing weird. There are those people that fall on one side or the other really hard, and then there’s some people in the middle and I feel like I’m in the middle-ish, and I don’t really care about it. It’s literally here to create division. I don’t even watch the news, I don’t watch stuff about it, I don’t want it in my psyche. My reality has been so normal compared to, I’m going to imagine, most [people], because I don’t perpetuate it. I don’t worry about it and I don’t feed it. If someone tells me to put a mask, okay. There’s no point in getting a fight going, because if I don’t want to wear one, let’s say, or if you’re wearing one and somebody doesn’t have one on, like people will get upset about that. Every time you give something time and energy, you root it deeper into you.

It is a fascinating thing that this will go down as, and I don’t want to get the words wrong, but it’s been said that this has been a very mismanaged situation that we have dealt with. I think the division ends up coming with having to make a decision for other people. That is a lot of what I think is being done here, is that it’s about other people and it’s not about you. Any time you put something outside of you, you are looking at it wrong. Do what is right for you. Everybody wants to be healthy, and the problem here is, whether you get a vaccine or you don’t get a vaccine, the same reason why you’re doing either one of those things, is because you want to be healthy.

Listen to the Complete Danica Patrick Interview on Allison Interviews

CDC: Children at Increased Risk of Myocarditis and Pericarditis from mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines

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The Friday before the 3-Day Memorial Day weekend the CDC managed to sneak in an update regarding mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and some children getting Myocarditis and /or Pericarditis after their Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna shots.

Here’s the summary of that report released on May 28, 2021.

Since April 2021, increased cases of myocarditis and pericarditis have been reported in the United States after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna), particularly in adolescents and young adults. There has not been a similar reporting pattern observed after receipt of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine (Johnson & Johnson).

In most cases, patients who presented for medical care have responded well to medications and rest and had prompt improvement of symptoms. Reported cases have occurred predominantly in male adolescents and young adults 16 years of age and older. Onset was typically within several days after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, and cases have occurred more often after the second dose than the first dose. CDC and its partners are investigating these reports of myocarditis and pericarditis following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination.

The CDC goes on to charge ahead with their vaccination recommendation of children 12 and older.

CDC continues to recommend COVID-19 vaccination for everyone 12 years of age and older given the risk of COVID-19 illness and related, possibly severe complications, such as long-term health problems, hospitalization, and even death.

What Are Myocarditis and Pericarditis?

Again, from the CDC…

Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle, and pericarditis is inflammation of the lining outside the heart. In both cases, the body’s immune system is causing inflammation in response to an infection or some other trigger. Symptoms can include chest pain, shortness of breath, or palpitations.

The severity of cases of myocarditis and pericarditis can vary. For the cases reported after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, most who presented to medical care have responded well to medications and rest.

The bottom line, it could kill you, but it probably won’t. Just like COVID-19 in the younger (under 50) population. Is it worth the risk? That is what you have to decide upon.

Hiding Updates in the Friday News Dump

Since we are not doctors and we don’t pretend to be, we do not make recommendations either way in regards to vaccines. Our job is to provide information and ask questions. Decisions are your own, and we respect whichever route you take.

That said, we have noticed the CDC doing the “Friday News Dump”, including the CDC Hiding the true “Breakthrough” COVID-19 numbers a few weeks before this.

What is the “Friday News Dump” you might ask?

In media circles, we routinely get news press releases and updates Monday-Friday for most normal business and government-related news. E-mails sent on Fridays have a very poor open rate, and are often thrown to the bottom of the pile come Monday morning because news outlets are addicted to “breaking” news and “exclusives”. News doesn’t have much shelf life in the eyes of mainstream media and daily newspapers and TV/radio programming (“Look, squirrel!”). Thus if there’s some news that you need to tell people about but don’t really want it reported on, you send it out as late in the day on Friday as possible. Those that would report on it move on to other things more recent when they get back in on Monday. And trust me, you can easily get 1,000 press releases some days.

Why do we bring this up? Because it is extremely fishy. Yes, government agencies do this frequently. But these last few seem to be something of importance. Unless, of course, your main objective is pushing specific vaccines and you don’t want anything to derail that. Add in the fact that the Johnson & Johnson shot had a pause put on it while the mRNA shots had not. It raises questions.

2020 INDYCAR SERIES Schedule [UPDATED]

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Saturday, May 30

Streets of Detroit Race 1

Sunday, May 31

Streets of Detroit Race 2

Saturday, June 6

Texas Motor Speedway

Sunday, June 21

Road America

Saturday, June 27

Richmond Raceway

Saturday, July 4

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course

Sunday, July 12

Streets of Toronto

Saturday, July 18

Iowa Speedway

Sunday, Aug. 9

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

Sunday, Aug. 23

Indianapolis 500 Mile Race

Sunday, Aug. 30

World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway

Sunday, Sept. 13

Portland International Raceway

Sunday, Sept. 20

WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca

TBD Expected Finale

Streets of St. Petersburg

104th Indy 500 Rescheduled for August 23, 2020

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INDIANAPOLIS, Thursday, March 26, 2020 – The Indianapolis 500 Presented by Gainbridge has been rescheduled for Sunday, Aug. 23 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, officials from INDYCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) announced today. The 104th edition of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” will air live on NBC, with the official green flag time to be announced at a later date.

The GMR Grand Prix will transition to Saturday, July 4 on the IMS road course as part of a historic double-header featuring the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and NASCAR. This first-of-its-kind racing event also will be televised by NBC on Independence Day.

The Indianapolis 500 was originally scheduled for Sunday, May 24, in its traditional spot on the calendar during Memorial Day weekend. The GMR Grand Prix was scheduled to be run on Saturday, May 9.

“The Month of May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is my favorite time of year, and like our fans, I am disappointed that we have had to reschedule the Indianapolis 500,” Roger Penske said. “However, the health and safety of our event participants and spectators is our top priority, and we believe that postponing the event is the responsible decision with the conditions and restrictions we are facing. We will continue to focus on ways we can enhance the customer experience in the months ahead, and I’m confident we will welcome fans with a transformed facility and a global spectacle when we run the world’s greatest race.”

“Memorial Day weekend has always provided Indianapolis 500 fans an opportunity to honor the men and women who have fought and sacrificed for our nation’s freedom,” Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles said. “This August, we’ll also have a unique and powerful opportunity to honor the contributions and heroism of the doctors, nurses, first responders and National Guard members serving on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19. We’re grateful for the patience of our fans as we’ve navigated this situation, and we extend our thanks to NBC for its terrific partnership and diligent work to maximize broadcast coverage with this new schedule.”

On-track action in August will begin at IMS with practice sessions on Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 12-13, followed by Fast Friday on Aug. 14 and Indianapolis 500 Qualifications on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 15-16. Each day of qualifications will be televised on NBC, providing more network coverage of qualifications for fans than in 2019. A full broadcast schedule will be released soon.

The following week’s schedule will begin with hot pit-stop practice sessions on Thursday, Aug. 20 and include Indy Lights practice and qualifying. The Indy Lights Freedom 100 race, a significantly expanded Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge and final Indianapolis 500 practice will take place on Friday, Aug. 21 as part of Miller Lite Carb Day, followed by the public drivers’ meeting and full-field autograph session on Saturday, Aug. 22 as part of Legends Day presented by Firestone.

As a result of the schedule changes at IMS, the INDYCAR races scheduled for Aug. 16 and Aug. 22 have been rescheduled. The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio is now scheduled for Aug. 9, and the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway is now scheduled for Aug. 30. An updated 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES calendar is available at this link and can also be found at the bottom of this release.

GMR Grand Prix Makes Historic Move

The GMR Grand Prix will take the green flag Saturday, July 4, before the first NASCAR Xfinity Series race on the IMS road course – the Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard. The unique holiday racing lineup will mark the first time that the NTT INDYCAR SERIES will compete at the same track on the same weekend as both the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Immediately following the live telecast of the GMR Grand Prix on July 4, NBC will air the first NASCAR race on the IMS road course with the Xfinity Series cars in action at the Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard.

“For very good reason, this historic pairing will be circled on the calendar of every motorsports fan,” Indianapolis Motor Speedway President J. Douglas Boles said. “We appreciate our friends at NASCAR for their flexibility and support in this matter and will work with them on a memorable, exciting weekend of racing action.”

Tickets already purchased for the Indianapolis 500, GMR Grand Prix and associated on-track days such as Miller Lite Carb Day and Crown Royal Armed Forces Qualifying Weekend will be valid on the rescheduled dates. Individuals already in possession of those tickets should use them for entry. To learn more about the adjusted on-track schedule, review customer FAQ’s and submit questions, fans can visit www.ims.com/COVID19.

Important Indy 500 Race Weekend Concert Update

All concerts scheduled for the original Race Weekend in May have been canceled. This includes REO Speedwagon and Styx on Friday, May 22, Luke Bryan on Saturday, May 23 and Martin Garrix on Sunday, May 24.

This decision was made to provide the maximum flexibility possible to complete the Indianapolis 500 by Sunday, Aug. 23 and provide room for any contingency plans necessary. IMS appreciates the understanding of fans and regrets that the COVID-19 situation has caused the cancellation of these events.

Fans who made concert-specific purchases will be able to access a credit for any IMS event, including the Indy 500, or choose to receive a refund. IMS concert customers will receive further communication on how to exercise their ticketing options.

Enhanced Health and Safety Measures at IMS

IMS and INDYCAR officials will continue to work closely with local, state and federal health representatives to ensure a safe and healthy experience for spectators. Enhanced measures that will be in place once activity resumes at IMS include:

  • Increasing housekeeping staff at the track to elevate the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces
  • Using cleaning products that meet current EPA and CDC guidelines for registered disinfectants to be used against COVID-19
  • Educating all employees on CDC prevention guidance, including proper handwashing technique and requesting that all vendors communicate strict hygiene protocol to staff
  • Increasing public hand-sanitizing stations in high-traffic areas, containing sanitizer that meets or exceeds the CDC standard for alcohol content
  • Reducing required hand-to-hand interactions between customers and staff at concession areas and other key IMS locations

 

FEMA Daily Ops Briefing for March 26, 2020

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National Current Operations & Monitoring

Significant Incidents or Threats:

  • COVID-19
  • Freezing rain possible – Northern Plains
  • Critical fire weather – Southern/Central Plains

Declaration Activity:

  • Approval: Major Disaster Declaration – Texas, Florida, North Carolina, New Jersey
  • Request: Major Disaster Declaration – Illinois, Puerto Rico, Guam, Kentucky

FEMA Daily Ops Briefing for March 25, 2020

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National Current Operations & Monitoring

Significant Incidents or Threats:

  • COVID-19
  • Freezing rain possible – Northern Plains and Upper Mississippi Valley

Declaration Activity:

  • Approval: Major Disaster Declaration – Iowa and Louisiana
  • Request: Major Disaster Declaration –Missouri, Maryland, CNMI, South Carolina
  • Amendment No.1 for FEMA-4476-DR-TN

Travelers Rights Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

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Attorney General Curtis Hill today said if you are unsure about following through with your travel plans or are wondering what to do if your flight is impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it is important to know your rights.

Airlines have slashed hundreds of flights since this public health crisis emerged, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says crowded travel settings such as airports may increase the chances of getting the coronavirus.

“The coronavirus outbreak has upended every aspect of our lives and has understandably caused consumers to hesitate before continuing with their air travel plans,” Attorney General Hill said.

Attorney General Hill said travelers should be aware of the following before making any changes to their plans:

  • If an airline has canceled a flight, a passenger is entitled to a refund from the airline regardless of whether they will be booking a new flight.
  • A passenger is entitled to a refund if an airline makes a significant schedule change and/or significantly delays a flight and the passenger chooses not to travel.
  • A passenger is entitled to a refund if they paid a fee for an optional service but were unable to use the service due to a flight cancellation, delay, schedule change or situation where they were involuntarily denied boarding.
  • When a flight is not canceled but a passenger chooses not to board, a passenger who purchased a fully refundable ticket is generally entitled to a refund when they do not use the purchased ticket to complete their travel.
  • When a flight is not canceled but a passenger chooses not to board, a passenger who purchased a non-refundable ticket is generally not entitled to a refund unless the airline makes a promise to provide a refund.
  • When a flight is canceled, a passenger who incurs incidental expenses such as a rental car, hotel room or meal due to a significantly delayed or canceled flight is not entitled to a refund for the incidental expenses.
  • If a passenger purchased their ticket through an online travel agency or other agent, they should contact the travel agent directly to obtain a refund before contacting the airline.

If you do not receive a refund from an airline, travel agency or other entity to which you believe you are entitled, you may file a complaint with the Office’s Consumer Protection Division.

WizKids Cancels Q2 – Q3 2020 Public Events

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WizKids released the following statement on March 23, 2020, in regards to COVID-19.

The safety and well-being of our players, staff, business partners and their families is of the utmost importance, as such we have made the difficult decision to cancel all upcoming trade and consumer events during Q2 and Q3 2020. This cancellation notice includes both Origins Game Fair (June 17-21) and UK Games Expo (August 21-23). We feel this is a necessary and responsible step. As we will no longer be attending Origins Game Fair, we are currently discussing options for the status for our WizKids U.S. National Championships and will follow up with a separate announcement in the coming weeks.

We understand that things are changing rapidly all the time, and should it make sense and is safe to do so, we will consider attending events during the Q2-Q3 timeframe but with a smaller footprint than you are normally used to seeing from us. If so, we will post when and where these events may be held.

At this time, we are still planning to attend our regularly attended Q4 events. This includes The WizKids World Championships at Graceland, PAX Unplugged, BGG Con and more. Keep an eye on WizKids.com for the latest news about our event schedule. We look forward to seeing you all later this year!

We hope everyone stays safe and healthy during this trying time.

There is no mention of San Diego Comic-Con (July 23-26) or Gen Con (July 30 – August 2) at this time.

Indianapolis Area Grocery Store Hours Due to COVID-19

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Due to COVID-19, Indianapolis area grocery stores currently have reduced hours. If there’s a store that needs to be added to this list, or updated, please contact us.

Last Updated: March 23, 2020

Aldi Hours

Indianapolis area locations are open 9 AM – 8 PM daily.

https://www.aldi.us/stores/en-us/Search?SingleSlotGeo=indianapolis&Mode=None

https://corporate.aldi.us/en/newsroom/news-press-releases/in-the-news/aldi-covid-19-update/

Costco Hours



https://www.facebook.com/Costco/posts/10158560296074947?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARAOArrPgZs_PBCuYxTFhQgepH7qTYpDRJMhJoqAQCvKBoC6Vj4T59HLCNegTG9ET38D7pmjvpHmNIYbgb-1zVy_agFn6quIBYzoQnPRxt0C-0jcyHswNRh4-olWg8EIB5ZYfDXktwmU7TloitYh1oLQfFlXAcc-QTV096ZR7tfiH6mqFZwFEFP8oX6xiaJ17_1-38lUi2ViNzYQWy34kckd2hb3p2iSHLkUHewF6uWF0Uk0b7KcBEL1dwY7x2yqbjZaMQZM4VMKlCtaGsanIk3oQGkv4md6yqQYx0EK-cPkJwnVNTk_gd9kGM3ip48ButI3GiCAVFy4mg&__tn__=-R

https://www.costco.com/coronavirus.html

Fresh Thyme Hours

https://www.freshthyme.com/updated-hours/

GFS Hours

  • Mon:7:00am – 8:00pm
  • Tues:7:00am – 8:00pm
  • Wed:7:00am – 8:00pm
  • Thurs:7:00am – 8:00pm
  • Fri:7:00am – 8:00pm
  • Sat:7:00am – 8:00pm
  • Sun:12:00pm – 6:00pm

Indianapolis/ Michigan Rd

  • Mon:8:00am – 6:00pm
  • Tues:8:00am – 6:00pm
  • Wed:8:00am – 6:00pm
  • Thurs:8:00am – 6:00pm
  • Fri:8:00am – 6:00pm
  • Sat:8:00am – 6:00pm
  • Sun:12:00pm – 5:00pm

Fishers

  • Mon:8:00am – 6:00pm
  • Tues:8:00am – 6:00pm
  • Wed:8:00am – 6:00pm
  • Thurs:8:00am – 6:00pm
  • Fri:8:00am – 6:00pm
  • Sat:8:00am – 6:00pm
  • Sun:12:00pm – 6:00pm

https://www.gfs.com/en-us/about-us/news-and-events/letter-our-customers-our-ceo-rich-wolowski-regarding-covid-19

Kroger Hours

Indianapolis, IN; Central IN store locations
7 AM – 9 PM daily

https://www.kroger.com/i/coronavirus-update

Meijer Hours

Meijer Stores Meijer Express
8am-10pm, all week: All customers welcome. 8am-10pm, all week: All customers welcome.
7am-8am, Mondays & Wednesdays: This time is reserved for essential service workers and Meijer Team Members. 24/7: Pay-at-the-pump fuel sales remain available 24 hours a day.
7am-8am Tuesdays & Thursdays: This time is reserved for senior citizens and customers with chronic health conditions.

https://www.meijer.com/covid19response.html

Sam’s Club Hours

Mon-Fri 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sat 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sun 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

Save A Lot Hours

See the specific store location for hours.

https://savealot.com/save-lot-community-updates

Target Hours

Avon, Carmel West, Fishers, Greenwood South, Southport

7 AM – 9 PM daily

Carmel, Eagle Creek, Indy Glendale, Nora Plaza, Plainfield, Washington Square

8 AM – 9 PM daily

Beginning March 18, all stores will close at 9 p.m. local time.

Also beginning March 18, we’re reserving the first hour of shopping every Wednesday for our most vulnerable guests, including those over 65 years old, pregnant women or those defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as vulnerable or at-risk.

https://corporate.target.com/about/purpose-history/our-commitments/target-coronavirus-hub?lnk=Acoronavirusupd

Trader Joe’s

Beginning Monday, March 16th and until further notice, all Trader Joe’s stores will be open from 9:00 am until 7:00 pm.

Walmart Hours

Starting Thursday, March 19, Walmart stores and Neighborhood Markets will be open from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. until further notice. This will help ensure associates can clean and stock products. Stores operating under more reduced hours will keep current hours of operation.

https://corporate.walmart.com/coronavirus

Whole Foods

Guests 60+ can start to shop at 8:00 am.
Open: 9:00 am – 8:00 pm daily

Indiana BMV Branch Closures Due to COVID-19 (March 2020)

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The following branches are closed due to staffing shortages. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please check back for updates.

  • Ameriplex
  • Beech Grove
  • Bloomington
  • Clarksville
  • Columbus
  • Franklin
  • Greenfield
  • Greensburg
  • Greenwood
  • Griffith
  • Hammond
  • Indianapolis-Michigan Rd
  • Indianapolis-West
  • Liberty
  • North Vernon
  • Paoli
  • Pendleton
  • Shelbyville
  • South Meridian
  • Vevay

The Bloomfield branch is closed. The Linton branch will be open Monday thru Friday 8:30am-5:00pm.

The Portland branch is closed. The Hartford City branch will be open Monday thru Friday 8:30am-5:00pm.

DON’T FORGET: Many transactions can be completed online, as well as at the Connect kiosks.