How are you dealing with Covid-19 (Novel Coronavirus) ?

[CometKeith]

Since we all have developed so many friendships over the years here I was wondering if people were interested in discussing how this thing has touched each of us personally without getting into a political discourse. I myself came down with a bronchial infection 17 days ago while on a trip to the SE part of the US for a wedding. It was really scary and I didn't know if I actually had Covid-19 or not. I wasn't in a high risk group so I couldn't be tested and probably still can't because I'm not high risk and slightly younger than 65. I had a few bad days and feel better now, but never had any of the typical symptoms like cough and fever. I did have some others like body aches and my symptoms were similar to what Tom Hanks had who tested positive. Since them I have practiced social distancing as a precaution, been very careful with hygiene and hand washing, and tried to isolate myself as much as possible. No one I know has come down with it so I'm guessing it was just bronchitis. I e-mailed my doctor a week ago and he didn't think it was a big deal for me to go out as long as I didn't have a fever. Now I'm home for 17 days per the Illinois stay at home rules and have given all my employees advances on salaries to help them while our business is closed for these couple weeks. My wife and I have lost a big chunk of our retirement savings from the stock market downfall and are hopeful most of that will come back over the next few years, but it is still unnerving and have more than once considered selling everything. We don't want to see our daughter and her husband and son who live nearby because we are worried about their contact with other people... and of course I am constantly watching tv and reading reports about Covad-19 and can quote all the daily death statistics in every country and state in the US. Overall the whole experience has been pretty unsettling even though I am a pretty positive person. How is everyone else doing right now?

 

[GBBUDD]

I am the last person to run to the Dr. when I come down with anything I just have this thing about going to them and paying 400 bucks for yup you got the flue the common cold . Its like having a broken toe sorry we can do anything for you and yes you have the flue...yeah thanks doc But where this covid can survive for days without a host I am told from those in the field that this is not a natural occurring Virus.. I mean think about it if you siting on a metal park bench the virus can reportedly live for three days so of all the folks who were there the last three days could all now be infected. change that to the subway and you have why NY is scrambling. I get a kick out of all these folks who are walking around with face masks .PEOPLE learn the basics if you use one and are not covering your eyes as well then that is the protocol for someone who is already infected. if you are using a mask for protection then GLASSES goggles a face mask are a must your eyes are a gate way for the virus as much as your nose and mouth are. and if the virus lands on your jacket lets say you hang it up at work on a rack or on a hook now its there for days its a very lingering virus that's the big problem. I think we are relying on these big businesses to up there production when i think if we took all the sewing clubs out there give them the materials and the plans and let them pump out 500 to a 1000 masks a day multiply that by 100 sewing clubs and that'`s 100,000 masks in a day x 7 days and your just shy of a million. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE AMERICAN WAY. Take a hard hat and a piece of plexi glass and make your own face shield. How about a coffee filter as a mask it may not be 100% effective but is it better then nothing at all? And yes i have bought the material to make face shields for my family. And i will have no Problem telling someone to back off 6 foot distance. Is this virus is over played unfortunately no one knows is some of the media up to there usual BS sensationalizing the suffering of others yea.... so who knows.... prepare for the worst hope for the best.
Well there is hope as I completed typing i turned on the TV on fox and there it was a Distillery shut down there whiskey making and are making hand sanitizer . Not only were they making hundreds of bottles for paramedics and first line defense they are giving it away for FREE it brings a tear to my eye. ok ok maybe not a tear but it warmed the heart hows that.

 

[addy1]

We are retired, can easily stay away from people. In buying the boat we only had contact with two, the owner and the broker. No hand shakes, kept a distance from both. Poor hands are paying the dry skin price from washing so much.
Our funds are in stock market safe funds. So it is staying stable, I lost half of my retirement funds in the 08 crash, never recovered it back. My other husband passed right before the crash, I retired soon after the crash, my financial guy took what was left of my 401/403 funds and made them safe.

We don't need to shop for food, any packages that arrive stay outside for 3 days, if I need to open it done with garden gloves on. Mail sits in one spot for 3 days, nothing needs to be opened fast.

We are getting the boxed food, home chef, just 3 meals a week, good food. The meals are around 9 bucks a meal, we can usually get two meals out of the one. That box is opened with gloves, the plastic bags that contain the food get wiped down. We have enough food in the freezers to stay at home for a long time, except running out of coffee!

And hands washed and washed and washed.

Not sure what we are going to do with farmers markets. We signed up to sale honey. We have 1500 lbs of the stuff and more will arrive in June when we harvest the hives. If we can't feel safe doing it we will most likely just not sale it this year. It does not rot will last for many many years like forever. Discussions with the market managers, putting out empty bottles for size so people don't pick up and put down, if bought hand the honey in a plastic bag to the buyer, but the money is a real issue. A lot use credit cards, how to handle them. In thinking I can attach the blue tooth chip reader to the table, the buyer can slide in his own card I can finish the sale on the phone, no touching of the card. Will not allow people to take my phone and sign for the sale, will tell them I will sign for them.

 

[GBBUDD]

[QUOTE="addy1, Will not allow people to take my phone and sign for the sale, will tell them I will sign for them.
[/QUOTE]
My sons have an app that they use where they can send you money without a signature or anything all they need is a phone number i believe i'll ask them..

 

[Gemma]

@CometKeith I'm glad you're feeling better! I respect people that take the initiative to self isolate to protect others.
@GBBUDD Just like watching people going shopping wearing gloves, then touching EVERYTHING including their face. I had to learn proper protocol to remove gloves that might be contaminated, I really doubt the general public follow a safe technique after going shopping, heck they probably even reuse their gloves.

I work in childcare. The State closed the public centers, then lifted the capacity limit for private childcare provider (like myself) and asked us to take in the children of people on the front line that otherwise have no place to go...so why did they close the centers in the first place instead of keeping them open for the infrastructure workers only?

My Husband works from home since last week, my kids are home from work on unemployment for at least the next 3 weeks...we are all in the same boat.

Things are bad worldwide and can/will get even worse, but since I can't allow myself to worry over something I have no control of, I plan on burying myself in my gardening and enjoying my ponds as much as I can

 

[GBBUDD]

Here is a test for People Buy some clear glitter and make a couple very small piles of it . Put a little on the shopping cart handle wear your gloves and see if you have any on you when you get home.
Place some on the door handle and see how far and how many places it ends up. I can almost guarantee even though you know it's there it will end up on you or your face. and glitter compared to the virus is probably like a mile long freight train " the glitter" in size and weight as compared to the size and weight of the virus

 

[Tula]

We've got several home projects going on to keep us busy....stripping wall paper and painting. Oddly, I'm at ease, enjoying home making, reading, exercising online, walking and chatting with friends on the phone. I have a basal cell carcinoma on my scalp and my surgery was canceled as they prioritize more serious cases. I understand, but am still disappointed about it.

 

[j.w]

Our state was just given orders by law to stay home for 2 wks unless once per week to buy food, go to doc appts and walk outside w/only house members. Not bothered by this rule as if it helps then good, so be it. I have been working out in the yard and pond and walking every day as usual. I had therapy sessions going on for my back but I had to cancel those and just doing the exercises they gave me to do at home which have really helped a lot. Not going to dentists at this time. Avoiding all close contact w/friends, neighbors and family. Talking from 6 feet apart to people I see in yards and when out walking. I hope all this helps clear up this virus soon so things can get back to the new normal as I'm not sure it will ever totally get back to the old normal. Kind of like living in a Twilight Zone episode! When I go for my walks each day up here on our hilly community it is like the dead zone w/no one in cars and no one out walking. There were a few out walking on the sunny days last week but now that it's clouded up and a bit rainy no people at all. Stores now have senior hours to shop for food in the early mornings two days per week so that is a help. Feel bad for all the families that have lost loved ones and for those who are so sick w/the virus. Praying that this ends soon. Every one here please stay safe!

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I'm pretty stressed, not about what's happening, but about what's to come. We know the virus probably isn't going to disappear any time soon (but I hope it does), and there's going to be a point when everyone has no choice but to continue on with life. When that happens, I'm worried the virus is probably going to spread worse than ever. We're really between a rock and a hard place right now. On top of all the stress about the virus and the economy, there's nothing on TV anymore. Everything I normally watch has been postponed or cancelled, so it's hard to even find that necessary distraction. I've never watched so much Weather Channel in my life.

 

[mrsclem]

JB- we found ESPN8- The Ocho. All sorts of new sports, dodge ball juggling, slippery stair climbing.

 

[addy1]

Between netflix, prime, dtv, antenna tv, we have more than we can ever watch. And TV on demand. I have hundreds of books loaded on my phone and in book shelves. We can self entertain for a long time.

And with warm coming, the bees will need work, the yard, the pond so no trouble here being self entertained.

 

[Jhn]

Nothing changed much work wise, at the moment. We stopped working initially yesterday and today, but pressure from our commercial clients has us coming back in tomorrow after consulting with our legal counsel.

Even though Governor Hogan asked non essential businesses to close yesterday in Maryland, but didn’t implement stay at home directive. Then sent out a legal interpretive guidance, that was purposely vague on what is essential. So him coming on yesterday was pretty much a waste of time, as no one has stopped working. Landscapers still working, riding 5-8 deep in work trucks, is idiotic, as nothing they do is essential.

Fortunately, with my business we make very little contact with others, if any at all. Even can stay away from each other with our work, as well. Government is Pretty much leaving it up to individual business owners to make their own decisions for now. Going to be going through some rubber gloves when I need to go into stores and handling tools.

There is no way this is going to slow the spread of the virus in Md, but I can see in very short order Maryland enacting the stay at home decree.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Between netflix, prime, dtv, antenna tv, we have more than we can ever watch. And TV on demand.

I get pretty bored with most shows, although I watch endless old sitcoms. M*A*S*H, Home Improvement, The Office, among others. It was mostly NASCAR, Live PD, and a local talk show that kept me entertained before they went off air.

On the bright side, NASCAR and FOX are now airing a weekly simulator series with NASCAR drivers, so that'll be something to watch. I watched it this past Sunday and it was pretty good, and funny. They had a guy doing the national anthem in his garage. Really cool to see the NASCAR community come together, metaphorically speaking. They had solid ratings and decided to do it every weekend until real racing returns.

 

[Lisak1]

We have not been personally affected health wise by the virus - no one we know has it (that we know of) and there are no cases in our small town - again, that we know of. My personal feeling is that, like @CometKeith was suggesting, many people may have had it before the warnings even started coming.

My husband is retired but has a chronic illness that makes him vulnerable to the virus, so we are being VEWWWY VEWWY careful, as my grandson would say. I'm a high school librarian so we were sent home on March 13 and have no return date on the calendar. They are continuing to pay us and I feel very fortunate that is the case. Otherwise we'd be standing in line (at the appropriate social distance!) needing help.

Our oldest daughter also lives with us and she was able to transition to work from home, so we are all on quarantine together. We did one big shopping trip on March 18 and won't need to go back until the middle of April.

I am definitely more concerned, however, about the effects of the shutdown than I am about the virus. At some point we're going to have to let people go back to work. You can't destroy an entire country, even if it means people get sick and yes, possibly even die. I don't mean that to sound heartless, because I am far from that. I just don't see how we can continue to ask people to lose their businesses, their jobs, their entire life and just stay at home with no end in sight. And I fear we are pitting entire age groups against each other - the young are mad at the fact they are stymied by the old; the "old" blame the young for the spread of the disease and the REALLY old (like my mother!) are just living their lives because WHATEVER.

Anyway - that wasn't meant to be political. I know different leaders have different ideas about the best way to proceed and I don't envy any of them as they are damned either way. There is no right decision honestly. I just pray we come up with a good treatment for this thing that will reduce the level of fear that people are currently experiencing.

It's spring break week this week, so I have to keep reminding myself that it's ok to just relax... it's my vacation! Otherwise we have a list of projects that we're slowing working our way through - today is the garage clean out.

Take care friends!

 

[mrsclem]

Made my first trip out in 2 weeks. Needed a few things and decided to go and get things before it gets worse. Still no paper products but we are ok on that. No distilled water anywhere but tons of spring water! Doesn't make sense to me. Need distilled for hubbies C-PAP as well as our kitties. Our tap water is super hard and the bottled water we use has added minerals. 3 stores in our area announced they had an active case of the virus shopping there last week. Staying back home for next 2-4 weeks. Unfortunatly, since hubby is in medical field, he's back to work for next 7 days. They are renewing his paramedic license for next 2 years, no classes, fees. He had let them lapse since he's in dispatch.