OT: The Coronavirus thread (merged thread)

[Carnac]

You Shouldn't Be Wearing Gloves to Go Grocery Shopping
By Marty Munson 3 hrs ago 3/31/20

There’s a lot of anxiety about grocery shopping these days, and one very visible manifestation of it is the number of people in the aisles wearing gloves. Rubber gloves, dish washing gloves, regular winter gloves.

You Shouldn't Be Wearing Gloves to Go Grocery Shopping

 

[vtcwbuff]

Those young people are true stupid, sad but they deserve it ....

At least 28 Texas spring breakers test positive for COVID-19

More than two dozen spring breakers from the Austin, Texas area tested positive for COVID-19 following a spring break trip to Mexico.

www.aol.com

Sad , stupid, expected but they don't "deserve it."

 

[vtcwbuff]

You Shouldn't Be Wearing Gloves to Go Grocery Shopping
By Marty Munson 3 hrs ago 3/31/20

There’s a lot of anxiety about grocery shopping these days, and one very visible manifestation of it is the number of people in the aisles wearing gloves. Rubber gloves, dish washing gloves, regular winter gloves.

You Shouldn't Be Wearing Gloves to Go Grocery Shopping

That is stupid advice from a guy that knows better. I wear gloves at the grocery, take them off as I leave the store and then use hand sanitizer. The gloves are meant to protect me and nothing else.

 

[huskeynut]

We live in a beautiful 55+ community that was closed down on March 16. No pools (all 14 of them closed), ammentities centers closed. No exercise classes. Massage spa closed. Restaurants closed. Main restaurant is doing take out! No pickel ball or tennis or dog park. All buildings closed in our village. All programing/ activities/ concerts cancelled. Nothing will be reopened until May 1st at the earliest.

Shortages in central Florida are improving. Meat is still a problem. First time in two weeks I was able to purchase chicken. Small boneless chicken breasts. The bulk of the chicken in the cases were wings. Beef is getting better. A week ago I purchased a whole beef tenderloin and trimmed it and cut it up myself. Ground beef still in short supply. Rice section of the isle was barren again.

Actually has paper products on the shelves on Sunday. Limit on the number that can be purchased. Lysol and the like still in real short supply.

Local restaurants are doing deliveries.

Dong the best we can to stay sane and fighting the boredom.

 

[Puppy Love]

My daughter in law works in a nursing home. She said employees were told that, if the could get them, they should be wearing homemade fabric masks all the time. They had an approved pattern. I made her four last night and will make more for her colleagues. Up until now, I thought that people sewing masks was a ‘feel good’ thing, but that they wouldn’t be used. It really made me sad/mad that people taking care of the most vulnerable don’t have the equipment they need to do it.

 

[DaddyChoc]

where is Kib... that fairfield/Westport county has been hit hard

 

[huskeynut]

My daughter in law works in a nursing home. She said employees were told that, if the could get them, they should be wearing homemade fabric masks all the time. They had an approved pattern. I made her four last night and will make more for her colleagues. Up until now, I thought that people sewing masks was a ‘feel good’ thing, but that they wouldn’t be used. It really made me sad/mad that people taking care of the most vulnerable don’t have the equipment they need to do it.

Our daughter-in-law is an RN at Danbury Hospital. They have no masks. So I have been assisting my wife in churning out cloth masks. We've had a couple of neighbors cutting the fabric. My wife has the sewing machine humming away. I've been cutting up vacuum cleaner bags for filters. We purchase ones that had the highest HEPA ratings. Monday we shipped out 24 masks and 6 dozen filters to her. We will be shipping out a lot more in a few more days.

 

[msf22b]

Hope, I hear you and understand your point of view. Many of us here are seniors and don’t have an immune system that could successfully fight off a bout with this virus. Speaking for myself and my wife, if we have to remain quarantined for 2-3 more months to survive this pandemic, we will.

Thousands of people have died and many more will die. I don’t want to be one of them. November will come, and the start of basketball season. I want to be here when it does. I told my 30's something neighbor just today that because people in proximity to my age are dying for various reasons EVERYDAY, I don’t take tomorrow for granted anymore.

I’ve lost over 50% of my high school class to date. A family man at my church died this week due to prostate cancer. He was 13 years younger than me.

Yes, we are all in this together, but we will leave this earth the same way we came, alone. They don’t make caskets for two. Life is very precious, don’t take it for granted.

Carnac
I'm with you...a fit, active 80 (almost 81) but had open heart this fall and a chronic sinus infection all winter....a classic victim.

No alternative but to hide away in our small town winter quarters, pretty much away from anywhere and not close enough to ski areas for 2d home buyers from NY and Boston. There's 2 reported cases in our county.

We go for isolated walks and shop as little as possible.
It's by no means an unpleasant place to be.
A return to New York would be suicide...I want to live.
And am willing to do whatever it takes to assist that.

Two asides:
-Cooking too much good food and enjoying our wine cellar=8 new pounds....have to do something about that.
-Feel a bit guilty of collecting my pensions and SS...We have enough, even a bit more than enough...and not really contributing.
people are hurting...
Thinking about some volunteerism.

Michael

 

[msf22b]

I don't know if this is a legal post
Trying hard not to assign blame....

i just think that the various entities in charge could be a little more decisive.

I think for example of the Nimitz...a navy rep (possibly leader) said that in its present state the ship is able to execute its mission....
What a ridiculous statement.

And the Holland American cruise ships...Do people really think a solution is leaving them to rot out at sea?

These are just examples...gillions of others

 

[Puppy Love]

Our daughter-in-law is an RN at Danbury Hospital. They have no masks. So I have been assisting my wife in churning out cloth masks. We've had a couple of neighbors cutting the fabric. My wife has the sewing machine humming away. I've been cutting up vacuum cleaner bags for filters. We purchase ones that had the highest HEPA ratings. Monday we shipped out 24 masks and 6 dozen filters to her. We will be shipping out a lot more in a few more days.

You are so awesome.

 

[huskeynut]

You are so awesome.

Thank you for the compliment Puppy Love. We are doing it because family comes first and always will. The more masks and filters we ship north the more nurses have some protection. We also have our youngest son on the front lines - literally and figuratively. He's a Petty Officer 2nd class, a submariner, stationed in Guam. As you may have read in the news, Guam is in lockdown. His ship just returned from a deployment in Asia. They are confined to the ship even if they have a residence on the island.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Carnac
I'm with you...a fit, active 80 (almost 81) but had open heart this fall and a chronic sinus infection all winter....a classic victim.

No alternative but to hide away in our small town winter quarters, pretty much away from anywhere and not close enough to ski areas for 2d home buyers from NY and Boston. There's 2 reported cases in our county.

We go for isolated walks and shop as little as possible.
It's by no means an unpleasant place to be.
A return to New York would be suicide...I want to live.
And am willing to do whatever it takes to assist that.

Two asides:
-Cooking too much good food and enjoying our wine cellar=8 new pounds....have to do something about that.
-Feel a bit guilty of collecting my pensions and SS...We have enough, even a bit more than enough...and not really contributing.
people are hurting...
Thinking about some volunteerism.

Michael

MIchael, I'm catching up to you. I've gained 6 lbs in the last two weeks. Too much comfort food. We've also been diving deep into our modest wine cellar(several old wooden boxes). Last night a mellow 15 y/o Louis M Martini Cab. Unfortunately, if this lasts another month that cupboard will be bare.

 

[msf22b]

MIchael, I'm catching up to you. I've gained 6 lbs in the last two weeks. Too much comfort food. We've also been diving deep into our modest wine cellar(several old wooden boxes). Last night a mellow 15 y/o Louis M Martini Cab. Unfortunately, if this lasts another month that cupboard will be bare.

My wife screams when I buy another case (like I did yesterday)
A good village Burgundy at a reasonable price (not quite impossible) 2017 Albert Bichot Secret de Famille Pinot Noir

I have stopped buying wines which recommend cellaring for five years or more....gotta make sure you can enjoy them.

 

[Bigboote]

-Cooking too much good food and enjoying our wine cellar=8 new pounds....have to do something about that.

I'm with you on that one, Michael. I'm teleworking, spending a LOT of time strapped to a desk. Plus I have the better part of an extra hour a day to cook. Last Friday (on a weekday) I made momos (Nepalese dumplings). That's the better part of three hours' effort, something I only do a couple of times a year. But, lawdy miss claudy they're delicious.

Plus an extra hour to drink beer.

Thai curried beef crescents this evening with the left over dumpling wrappers.

 

[Zanzman]

Great post. I hope to reach your age. Don't feel guilty. Enjoy life and everything it has to offer you and your wife at this stage in life. As you know, life is very precious. The older we get, the more we appreciate life. My wife and I have successfully spoiled our two granddaughters rotten. That is a grandparent's prerogative. Some folks have 10-12 or more. We only had two. They're grown now, so we have to turn our benevolence else where. If you feel guilty about having too much, you can always share. There are lots of social organizations that could use a small donation. Perhaps a family at your church or local elementary school that could use a helping hand. My oldest GD told us that when she was in high school, there was a student (and family) that was living out of their car. I was shocked to hear that. I wish she had told me then, we would have helped them. One year we adopted my granddaughter's elementary school class. It was expensive, but well worth it.

Many primary school teachers spend their own money to buy things for their classroom that the school district cannot afford. Things that "personalize" each child's experience. I told the teacher to get whatever she needed to make her class special for her students, and that would make learning fun. She did. From time to time my wife and I would drop in on the class at the end of the day just before dismissal (one of us picked her up everyday) so as not to disrupt the class.

I can't begin to tell you how blessed we were each time we visited. We kept our sponsorship a secret. Not even my granddaughter knew of our relationship with her class, just the teacher and her aide. We purchased a laptop for the class that could be used by students that needed extra help in core subjects i.e., math, English, language, etc, that were age appropriate. Those CD programs really made a difference in keeping those that would have lagged behind up with the rest of the class. We also also funded her end of the year class party. She gave us a "thank you" letter that the entire class signed. I framed it, and it now hangs prominently here in my home office. That was an unforgettable experience. You don't have to look far to be a blessing to someone. Sometimes they're right in front of you.

It sounds like you're in a good place to ride this thing out. Blessings and favor to you and your wife.

Definitely my favorite post that you have written

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I don't know if this is a legal post
Trying hard not to assign blame....

i just think that the various entities in charge could be a little more decisive.

And the Holland American cruise ships...Do people really think a solution is leaving them to rot out at sea?

These are just examples...gillions of others

I normally work part time for a travel agency, quoting requested cruises on a discount cruise web-site. My sister-in-law, while part time (semi-retired) is one of the bookers and the point person in the department. This is not a small agency, specializing in business travel and tech.

I was laid off a week and a half ago. My SIL is down from 20 to 8 hours a week, all spent canceling, she is the only one on the payroll that has anything to do with cruises right now. Oddly enough, requests for quotes on the discount cruise web-site are apparently up, but the agency has opted to pass for now. Are folks serious or bargain hunting?

My round-about point - how will this industry recover? Folks are not traveling, will they resume traveling when this is over? How about cruising? Is not what Michael reports above scary? While I sure hope they do, I like my little job, the whole thing is more than a little concerning, even after we get through the worst.

 

[msf22b]

I normally work part time for a travel agency,
I was laid off a week and a half ago.
My round-about point - how will this industry recover?

Knightbridge

We love cruising; go twice a year...I'm real comfy on a boat...We've done 3 recent trans-Atlantics...enjoyed each...We're not big social butterflies, don't hang out at the bars or the pool; BB every morning..only go to a few shows...don't need to be entertained every moment...Not even crazy about 6-8 hour port stops
(I need time to savor a place)...especially in Europe we just go to a museum or one special site or walk around a bit...usually aiming for a nice lunch. I do a lot of practicing on my Casio keyboard and catch up on 6 or 8 good books.

As soon as its safe, we'll be back...but now...totally impossible.
Vaccine or reliable meds a must. Hope for your sake, that's soon.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Knightbridge

We love cruising; go twice a year...I'm real comfy on a boat...We've done 3 recent trans-Atlantics...enjoyed each...We're not big social butterflies, don't hang out at the bars or the pool; BB every morning..only go to a few shows...don't need to be entertained every moment...Not even crazy about 6-8 hour port stops
(I need time to savor a place)...especially in Europe we just go to a museum or one special site or walk around a bit...usually aiming for a nice lunch. I do a lot of practicing on my Casio keyboard and catch up on 6 or 8 good books.

As soon as its safe, we'll be back...but now...totally impossible.
Vaccine or reliable meds a must. Hope for your sake, that's soon.

I have never cruised. Was getting the itch. Not not so sure.

Unfortunately, I rarely pay much mind to the details of the cruise (the site I quote on you supply the info, I just look up a price (and discount it or offer amenities)). But some of them look really good - but the best ones are actually "luxury" and many out of my price range. My priority job was was quoting Oceania, Regent, Azamara, Seabourn, Windstar, Silversea, AmaWaterways and Crystal requests, then filling in my time with regular lines. PS - the river cruises in Europe are especially appealing - but the prices are appalling.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I read about grocery stores and decided to try pick-up on Friday. I'll wipe everything down as I unpack.

I'm concerned that the spring breakers who flocked to beaches 2 weeks ago will be carrying Covid-19 back to their homes. It could be like another Mardi Gras hot spot, but spread around. Approximately 15% of the population still thinks this is a hoax and distancing is unnecessary. We need to convince them.

Outside Baltimore, a home for seniors has 95 residents. 77 have tested positive so far. At least 5 have died. Places like that are highly, highly vulnerable.

 

[Goatmeat]

My daughter in law works in a nursing home. She said employees were told that, if the could get them, they should be wearing homemade fabric masks all the time. They had an approved pattern. I made her four last night and will make more for her colleagues. Up until now, I thought that people sewing masks was a ‘feel good’ thing, but that they wouldn’t be used. It really made me sad/mad that people taking care of the most vulnerable don’t have the equipment they need to do it.

FYI I work at Hartford Hospital. Currently homemade masks are not approved for patient-care areas. There is adequate PPE here which is nice.

 

[Kaizen]

List of Grocery Stores with Special Hours for Seniors, the At-Risk, and Pregnant Women

List of Grocery Stores with Special Hours for Seniors, the At-Risk, and Pregnant Women

We've compiled a list of major grocery chains offering dedicated hours set aside for members of vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

www.snopes.com

 

[HuskyNan]

Here in Florida some groceries are open 8-9pm just for first responders. I think all stores should consider something like that

 

[Puppy Love]

FYI I work at Hartford Hospital. Currently homemade masks are not approved for patient-care areas. There is adequate PPE here which is nice.

Another family member works in a different nursing home also in CT. They have masks but no gowns and have been using trash bags.

 

[vtcwbuff]

We went on our first cruise last summer. It was our 50th anniversary. A week in Alaska on our own was great, then a week long cruise to Vancouver and a planned week in BC. Never again.

We got sick on the cruise. Picture being crammed in an elevator with some jerk in the back hacking and whining about how sick he was. Within a couple of days dozens of passengers were sick. It was the sickest I have been in my life. The ship's medical staff were overwhelmed and worthless "take Ibuprophen and wash your hands, sixty dollars please was the best they could do." Of course there was no Ibuprophen available - there wasn't even a cough drop available in the ship's stores.

We had hotel reservations and a special 50th anniversary dinner planned in Vancouver but we ended up ordering chicken soup room service. We cancelled the rest of our trip and returned home a week early.

 

[ochoopsfan]

Here in Florida some groceries are open 8-9pm just for first responders. I think all stores should consider something like that

I hope the stores make sure the shelves are stocked for the first responders. When they get off their shifts they may not have options to shop around, nor the time.