"Coronavirus - personal experences only." Topic

No science – no media – no B.S. Just the personal experiences that YOU have actually had.

I'll start.

For me it was just a news story until last Friday 3/13 (kinda strange there). My wife and I went to the local supermarket and were shocked by all the empty shelves. I was back Sunday and it was a little better. Yesterday 3/18 made our weekly stop and things were getting better. Still no TP, but we have ample supplies.

Saturday night we had friends over for dinner. Only one topic dominated the conversation and once again it was very foreboding, like this would be the last normal meal we would have for quite some time. My friend's father is on lockdown at the nursing home and I could tell he was worried that he would never see his father alive again.

Here in Colorado, all restaurants are closed (except for pick up). Schools, sporting events, churchs and theaters are closed and this morning I heard several retail stores are closing.

Vail is a hot zone. It sounds like some folks broke quarantine to go skiing before the shutdown.

On the up side, I drove past the local ER and wait time was listed 5 minutes on Monday and 0 minutes on Wednesday.

Once again, Please keep it to your own experiences.

Here is SE Michigan on Friday 3/13 we were told by our priest that all Catholic Masses & Parish activities were stopped until April 6th & possibly longer. All restuarants can do take out only. No theaters are open no bars (never went anyway) No gatherings larger than 250 now revised to 10. Grocery stores are a madhouse the vtwo times we went to get food. People hording stuff. Retailers are cutting hours & some have senior citizen hour so they (we) won't be trampled. Michigan had it's first death yesterday a 50 yo with chrinic probllems.
We are staying home mostly. Upside, no one we know is sick & traffic is better around here.

Paul

Hard to leave out science, old bean, as this is our best hope.

OZ acted early and in measured instalments. We're up to banning foreigners entering & any Australians arriving from over seas are in 14 day quarantine (self-imposed). No general lock down….yet.

Gatherings of a 100 or more are banned. Professional sport is being played (& televised) in empty stadiums. There is noticeably less traffic as I drive to work.

Schools are still open, which is a bone of contention for some. As children look fairly safe from the virus, the reasoning is that sending them home will mean lots of adults unable to work, in order to supervise them. This would effect medical staff short term(up to 30%) and the economy long term. In the mean time, teachers are preparing online/distance schooling for all children if/when schools close.

CSIRO (government run scientific laboratories with an amazing track record) are working on cures & there are *some* glimmers of hope. The free medical system here is really very good but, of course, could be overwhelmed if infections are allowed to spike.Testing is being carried out on a needs basis ie only if you think you are infected.

Some exceptions but people are quite well behaved. The emptied supermarket shelves etc speak of a certain boneheadedness inspite of the PM speaking quite strongly on this topic. The various response people (medical, military, law etc) are, as always, remarkable & on standby.

The next few months should be…interesting.

My experiences here in Ohio have been similar to yours. We've been staying home, but I ventured out to the grocery today. Still no TP, and lots of empty or nearly empty shelves. But they had plenty of bread, milk and eggs. It was interesting to observe which items were sold out. Aside from TP, of course, they were out of dry pasta and almost out of dried beans. The canned good selection was limited and the fresh meat selections were very limited as well; almost no chicken or pork, but plenty of beef.

In addition to closing bars and restaurants (except for carry-out or delivery), schools are closed, as well as all barber shops, hair/nail salons, tattoo parlors, BMV offices. Most churches are closed.

Latest figures are 709 cases & 7 dead: youngest one was 78.
Unexpectedly, unemployment dropped in February & is predicted to also fall in March.

In case this isn't seen as "personal experiences" I'd write, "no man is an island".

There are plenty of other threads and felt this one would be a good place to find out what other people are facing.

I could only ask.

I have no power to stop anyone posting anything that they want to.

On an island at the bottom of the world, life is surprisingly normal. After an initial emtying of shelves, grocery stores seem to be back to normal -- except flour seems to be sold out. But there is toilet paper!

The island has been shut down, with anyone enterring the island required to go into a 14 day quarantine. This has stopped the kids coming home for Easter break -- and us from visiting them.

But there has been one major impact -- games clubs have closed. Many of my gaming friends have risk factors, so its prudent. But I will be doing a lot of painting and solitaire games!

Nick, Tasmania has chosen an intelligent course of action with complete isolation. I guess they're hoping for some sort of vaccine/cure before they open their doors again. However, the place relies on tourism so the wait may prove painful.

At any rate, Tasmania is an exceptionally fine place & I hope things work out well.

In personal news, they're talking about closing down barbershops.

I foresee a revival of the musical 'Hair' in the near future.

YouTube link

@ VCarter. This looks like becoming a rancour-free "chat room": good work starting it.

Work is interesting I work in a team of six from next week due to under lying health conditions and UK schools closing I'll be working in a team of one. Quite nice to be able to carry on working, get paid, while being totally isolated as well.

This situation certainly brings out the best and worst of people at work.

My wife is a teacher and has been told she still needs to work, even after the school closures, to provide care for key worker and vulnerable children. She might even have to work through her Easter holidays. She will do it, because that's the sort of teacher she is, but she said a sizeable minority of her colleges started claiming underlaying health problems or the need to self isolate since the news broke a couple of days ago. In fact one college who has been sent home for 12 weeks on full pay because of an under lying health condition took it upon themselves to post wind up ,social media posts, of her enjoying her first day off at home. Another college has been complaining about being penalised for being fit and health while others get a paid holiday.

At my work place I have one guy, stand up bloke and a real hard worker, with asthma who was really upset that who was told not to come to work for his own safety. A second guy in the team, sneaky skiver type, found out and then revealed he to allegedly had asthma (first time he has ever mentioned it in a decade of working here) work just sent him home to avoid any problems grinning like a Cheshire cat when he left work.

Here in Darwin the stores are getting hammered, but poking around can pick up bits as needed and I get stuff for friends/family if I can but within reason. The butchers are now being denuded of meats, local Harvey Norman has a 30% spike in freezer sales. I notice cleaning products with bleach are now being targeted. Streets are not busy. My wife and I went to dinner tonight as part of a plea to help local businesses. Restaurant (usually full) had 2 couples including us, but owner grateful of trade.
Government want to shut the borders but because we are a Territory not a state, the Feds can override any decision so getting legal advice. Have three cases only so far because of location I suppose. All three self isolated on return from overseas so limited exposure.
So far manageable, I had to intervene to help a store worker yesterday from an idiot customer (he lost) but generally I thank my stars I am not down south.
Interesting stat from our main supermarkets; australia can produce food for 75 million people. We have population of 25 million, yet shops currently are supplying for 50 million due to demand. Absolutely nuts….

My biggest beef are the media; sensationalism and alarmist stories help no-one.

My wife and I live in Southern Illinois. We are in our 70's with underlying medical conditions. We are self quarantining in our home. I am going out only for necessities

Yesterday morning I went out to do our weekly grocery shopping. We both thought it would be prudent if Cheryl stayed home. Cheryl and I have done a weekly menu for dinners for 38 years and grocery shop based on the dinner menu etc once a week. This morning the grocery had everything on the shopping list except Dove Dark Chocolate and cannelloni beans (I substituted white navy beans). Not too bad. The bread aisle was sparse but there was bread. The paper aisle was virtually empty, There were some eggs. The store was open from 8 am to 9 am for people over 60 and for the most part it had only us old folks pushing our carts around. The grocery had put up many signs on buying limits on Milk(1 gal), eggs(1 doz), bread(2 Loaves) paper goods (2) and meat (2). I am buying a little extra each week for emergencies not much a couple cans of Tuna, a jar of peanut butter, canned soup and such. Last Christmas our son and daughter-in-law sent a box of Omaha Steaks for a present which was timely.

We have talked to our children a couple times and to our siblings at least once since returning from Seattle, WA three weeks ago. (That story I'll leave for another time)

Terry

My wife and I (both in our 70's w/ existing medical conditions)are trying to maintain an even strain. My special items supply run yesterday morning at 8 was interesting. The HEB (food store) had a full parking lot but only a short line monitored by a manager and, a little shocking, a policeman. As noted above, paper and disinfecting products were almost nonexistent while dried and canned foods were slender. People were almost entirely very polite and friendly.

At our Sam's I arrived just at opening and found a line across the entire front monitored by 3 police. People were allowed in by fives. Again, as above, many products were nonexistent or in short supply. The meat cases were threadbare but there was much wine and beer. Again folks were mostly polite and pleasant. One girl pushing her dad's cart gave me a dazzling smile and I had to thank her for it.
A fellow on his way in offered to help me with a cumbersome item I was trying to load into my car.

A visit to the auto part store found little business and plenty of products with the exception of fire extinguishers?

On the whole, a good experience except not finding hand sanitizer wipes. So far so good. One positive step, our gov made an executive order allowing the home delivery of alcoholic beverages.

I agree. The loonys are getting the publicity but overwhelmingly, people are behaving splendidly. It's quite affirming.

Addendum: I've always thought TMP has some great people.

There's dross, of course, but I now think the number of 'good joes' is even higher than I'd thought.

We may never agree politically but let's put that in perspective. Stay safe.

My wife has a scheduled out-patient treatment at
Duke University Hospital. The frequency varies with
the season, 4 weeks in cold, rainy seasons up to
8 weeks in hotter seasons.

Typically, I lam required to accompany her because
one of the meds used can induce drowsyness and the
staff don't want her to drive home. I usually wait
with her in the clinic area, right in her room.

Today, before we left home, she called the clinic and
was told to go to the main lobby for pre-intake
screening and to have me drop her off at the main
entrance, then leave and wait for a 'phone call telling
me when and where to pick her up.

Amenable to each of us since I'm 78, although not
aware of any underlying chronic conditions (except
pollen allergies).

Michigan was put on a "stay at home " order starting midnight. My wife & I were pretty much staying home anyway but I'm sure this will set off another frenzy of hoarding.

I've just been informed by my line manager not to go to work until I hear different.

I am scrambling to teach college classes remotely. I am up to the challenge, but upper "management" are micromanaging everything we do, to where it will be less effective. Love that term: Best Practices

In other news, I found out the other day that a good friend of mine who lives in Seattle has the corona virus. She and her family have been self-isolated for two weeks now. Her symptoms are relatively mild so far, but she is monitoring it.

Well, a tiny bit of news, neither good nor bad
but expected.

My wife (AKA 'leadfoot') received a citation for speeding
back in December, in the county North of our county.

Her court date was mid-January and since she had no
record of driving infractions, I drove her up early so
she could ask the ADA if the charge could be dismissed.

She was told that it was possible if she could provide
the Court with a copy of her record demonstrating the
truth of her assertion. So she went to our DPS site,
requested a copy of her record (which only shows dates
she renewed her DL) and was all ready to go. The ADA
gave her April 2 as the new date.

Since the state will be 'stay at home' at 5 PM monday,
the Court will be closed, which I verified with the
Clerk's office.

So a new date will be assigned and life goes on…

She's been reminded to use cruise control in Caswell
County (google 'North Carolina Speed Traps')

Got a call from my line manager today, I can go back to work. The bridges of Lincolnshire remain in safe hands.

One of the things I noticed in the Covid-19 world is that grocery shelves are not being restocked in a timely manner. Not just tp. As example, I haven't been able to find ‘beef broth' or ‘beef consume' in any of the stores. It's starting to feel like I'm living in East Europe during the Cold War.

Hadn't had too many difficulties, except when trying to buy certain items,and having to be off from work fro a few days because a security guard tested positive(the guard is OK now).

And last February 2021 thru the end of March 2021,Me and the missus tested positive for it,finally testing negative near the end of that March,and in June/July,we both got the Pfizer shots.