How are you dealing with life now with the Covid-19 virus situation? (1 Viewer)

[John Sparks]

At least we're finally getting "GOOD" toilet paper...my ass was taking a beating on the stuff they substituted.

 

[Mark Booth]

My wife and I got really lucky. In mid to late February over two Costco trips we purchased paper towel, napkins, toilet paper, Lysol spray disinfectant, and Clorox disinfectant wipes. It‘s all stuff we normally buy at Costco and, completely coincidentally, we were running low on all of it just a week or two before the panic buying started.

We didn’t need paper towel or TP again until the first part of May and, again by luck, found it on the shelf in Target. We are still going through the same Clorox wipes and Lysol spray we purchased in February.

Mark

 

[Malcolm R]

For some reason, one supermarket around here has a lot of TP that seems to have been brought in from Mexico. Packaging is all in Spanish, though it seems to be made by Kimberly-Clark who also makes some of the regular brands.

 

[Clinton McClure]

For some reason, one supermarket around here has a lot of TP that seems to have been brought in from Mexico. Packaging is all in Spanish, though it seems to be made by Kimberly-Clark who also makes some of the regular brands.

The logistics dept is sourcing from wherever they can.

 

[jayembee]

My wife and I got really lucky. In mid to late February over two Costco trips we purchased paper towel, napkins, toilet paper, Lysol spray disinfectant, and Clorox disinfectant wipes. It‘s all stuff we normally buy at Costco and, completely coincidentally, we were running low on all of it just a week or two before the panic buying started.

We didn’t need paper towel or TP again until the first part of May and, again by luck, found it on the shelf in Target. We are still going through the same Clorox wipes and Lysol spray we purchased in February.

Mark

My wife and I did the same with the TP (albeit at Sam's Club). When we needed more later on, they didn't have the brand that we prefer and had to go with what I consider an inferior brand (but still good enough). Even later on, we found the preferred brand at Wal-Mart, so all is good,

Paper towels haven't been a problem here, nor have jugs of bleach. The Clorox wipes, however, we can't find for love nor money, Fortunately, while we're lower in supply than we'd like, we have enough to get us through for a while.

 

[Malcolm R]

I've seen wipes at Walmart a few times. If there are none on the shelf, look for stacks of boxes nearby waiting to be stocked on the shelves. I and others just help ourselves out of the boxes since no one seems in any rush to actually put them out.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Finally left town and went somewhere a couple hours drive upstate for a couple days... and yes, social distancing practiced -- and I had a mask on whenever indoors or see people coming near...

All these just taken w/ my iPhone even though, yes, I was lugging my "real" camera gear, haha...

Felt great to be there (at Mohonk)... though missed the eagles again (due to too much fog in the early mornings)...

Not so great to be home the next day (yesterday) dealing w/ potential flash flooding (for the 3rd time already this summer) from the latest tropical storm that landed...

_Man_

 

[Malcolm R]

I get to return to my office next week for the first time since I left for vacation on March 6. Working at home is fine, but I'll be glad to get out of the house more and get back to some semblance of a regular routine. Probably still not too many people in the building, and the majority have private offices with closed doors so separation shouldn't be an issue.

I believe we also have temperature checks each morning as we enter the building, but I'm not sure how relevant that is as I just read somewhere that only about 30% of cases ever actually experience fever as a symptom.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I believe we also have temperature checks each morning as we enter the building, but I'm not sure how relevant that is as I just read somewhere that only about 30% of cases ever actually experience fever as a symptom.

This is what I keep trying to inform people - temperature checks give us very little information, and I hope they don’t cause a false sense of security. For this virus, I’m not worried about catching it from sick people who know they’re sick. I’m worried about catching it from someone who is contagious but not yet aware they’re sick.

 

[Carlo_M]

Agreed. Temp checks are only part of the overall strategy, which also include:

• Physical distancing
• Wearing masks
• Staying home when you have symptoms, or if you know you've been in close contact with someone who tested positive
• Washing hands regularly
• Cleaning high touch surfaces
• Avoid touching your face

Doing all of the things won't make you 100% safe, but it will increase your chances of avoiding the coronavirus.

 

[Malcolm R]

We need to go back to the grade school mindset. Just assume that everyone has cooties.

 

[Carlo_M]

Wait, grade school? I thought that was just "life rules".

 

[Clinton McClure]

Circle, circle, dot, dot...

 

[jayembee]

I believe we also have temperature checks each morning as we enter the building, but I'm not sure how relevant that is as I just read somewhere that only about 30% of cases ever actually experience fever as a symptom.

Well, I suspect that the point is to flag the people who are running a high temperature. But, yes, that still gives a false sense of security with regards to people who aren't running a temperature.

 

[Nelson Au]

Hey guys, been away from the thread a while. I saw the posts about grocery stores. I’ve been avoiding all stores and have relied on instacart. It’s been really great and I have a system where I can wash all bottles and cans outside and a table inside where I can transfer raw meat and veggies and bread to clean containers.

I am a little more then nervous though as I noticed that the instacart shoppers are not wearing masks when they deliver. They usually drop off all the bags of food at my door and ring the doorbell and walk away. I usually see them in their car and wave. I received a delivery yesterday and shopper rang the door bell first to check if it was the right house before unloading, so I had to face him and he was unmasked. I did wear my N95 mask before going out. But still, it made me nervous. I didn’t want to call the guy out to Instacart yet. These guys I know are taking risks themselves for our benefit and they work hard! I think they want to stay healthy too. They’ve all delivered on time and even early. So I tip generously to show my appreciation. I did some reading and there was some news that Instacart doesn’t provide face masks. But their site says they do provide masks and work to keep the shoppers and customers safe. I should do more reading, but I don’t know what the deal is. Maybe these shoppers didn’t want to wear the mask, or had it on at the grocery store, but took it off when they delivered. I’d feel better if they wore masks.

On another topic, last weekend was the first time in weeks I took my car out. The gas gauge was bouncing on empty as I avoided gas stations the last four months! I needed to fill the car in case I needed to go into the office for work. I wore my mask and took gloves that I put on at the station. There were only two other cars there and at a different island of pumps so I was far away. That was such a sense of accomplishment to go out to the gas station! Until 4 months ago, I didn’t think twice about going to the grocery store or buying gas. Luckily I’m not affected by cabin fever, I could stay hunkered down for a longer period. Though it was nice to get out and drive around. And I look forward to being able to buy supplies for home projects.

And thanks mods for watching the thread. I didn’t see the posts that caused the concerns.

 

[DaveF]

FWIW, brief interactions with people, especially outside and from a feet away, are very low risk, from everything I’ve seen and read and been told.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

(deleted by author for excessive rambling)

 

[PMF]

The other day, with my mask on, I was at the counter of our local convenience store and paying for my goods. At that moment, this guy who’s been acquainted with me for years; and wearing a loosely fitted half-assed bandana on his face; gets right up and into me face - and I mean within a no personal space of three inches - to show me his winning scratch ticket.

“I just won 509 bucks, man”.

This behavior of his in the days of pre-Covid would’ve been somewhat expected by the regulars who know of him, but I found it to be way, way out of bounds in today’s new world.

Without missing a beat, I replied, “Six feet, guy, ya gotta get six feet back”.

Not happy with my urgent reminder, he replied, “Oh you’re one of those. Why don’t you just move out of town?”

I answered, “It’s gonna be the same deal wherever you go in this country”.

“No it’s not”, he said.

I just looked at him in worn-out disbelief and left.

Of all people that I have locally encountered, one would think that Our Man of 500 Bucks fame would’ve been amongst those most concerned; as he is 64 and has had two major life-saving surgeries, just a couple of years back.

Why, even now, is our country still divided by those who believe in the seriousness of this pandemic and those who still walk around thinking that Covid isn’t that big of a deal? What’s not to get?

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I’m starting to conclude that some people just can’t handle that it’s real and everything that it being real entails, but the cognitive dissonance of ignoring it while seeing reminders everywhere that other people are taking it seriously is too much to bear, so they lash out.

They’re all like the Joe Pantoleono character in the Matrix who resented being woken up to face the real world, and will do anything to get back to the fantasy world where everything is okay. If you accept that it’s real, you accept that everyone you’ve ever cared about is at risk, as are you, and that normal isn’t coming back for a while. And that means lots of uncertainty about your future, your livelihood, your own health. And I’m starting to believe that some people just can’t handle that and block it out, and anyone who isn’t blocking it out risks disrupting your sense of denial, and so, those disruptions have to be minimized whether by avoidance, stigmatization or confrontation. They’re working overtime to convince themselves you’re crazy so that they can avoid the elephant in the room.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I was scheduled for 8-9am. Got there about 5 till and we were done before 8am. It was a drive-thru and only one vehicle in front of us. Test was only one nostril and wasn’t too bad. I hope they get the results done in time for my test on Friday.

I got my results Friday and I’m negative.