How has COVID-19 affected you personally?

dt644 said:
Absurd news that was reported in the Korean, and international press about two weeks ago: In Japan, the trade in granite has been brisked due to rumors that granite stone releases radon, a radioactive substance, to help prevent COVID-19.

But now, I think this rumors seem to have subsided, given the fact that they are not bought and not bidding for granite anymore in Japanese shopping sites, such as Yahoo Auction and Mercari. But as I said before, beware of false rumors.
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False rumours are everywhere, we have had numpties in the UK going on about tanks being moved around the country and they are going to be used in lockedown of the country coming this weekend....:rolleyes:

I used to drive 60miles a day (might not sound much to American and Australians here on the bored) but its a fair commute here in the UK. Often see military vehicles on the road. Best photos I have seen shared they are clearly not UK military vehicles....biggest give away they are on the wrong side of the road....:rolleyes:
 
taun said:
Best photos I have seen shared they are clearly not UK military vehicles....
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My favourite was the military Jeep with the words "COVID-19 QUARANTINE UNIT" photoshopped on the side, in bright white letters. Also seen a Destroyer on the Birmingham canals... :rolleyes:
 
Our company is still working, me included. But we restrict all possible contact and two people can´t be in the same room together or leave their office without a face mask, we desinfect our hands every hour or so, documents are left on table for some time before other person can touch them. As more and more other companies shut down, we are getting grave problems with supply chain and logistics. Deliveries refuse cash and ask only for card payments, if they come at all.

The whole country is in pandemic mode, made worse by severe lack of protective means so we do max social distancing. Nobody can be on street, in shop, in bus etc without a mask and solid reason. People over 70 should stay at home. Shops have special hours just for senior citizens. Today I got yelled at post office because I went inside during this special "senior time" without realising. Doctors stopped to see patients, they do diagnosing by phone calls only. Hospitals cancelled all planned care, stable long-term patients were sent home. Thousands of students of medical schools volunteer in hospitals. Hotels, spa, apartments for rent are prohibited to offer services. Shops are missing rice, meat and often eggs, food prices of fresh fruit rise because transport within Europe is getting complicated.

Our country is yet to see first death caused by this illness but we know it´s just a matter of time.
 
Jana said:
Our country is yet to see first death caused by this illness but we know it´s just a matter of time.
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I think there's a strong correlation between the strictness of your "pandemic mode" and the fact that you have no deaths. We don't have anything nearly this seamless or comprehensive.
 
My Postmates Fleet kit came in the mail today and I managed to get my first job on it. Not the best thing, but it's something. Gonna try to do this on weekends before there's a glut and I can't get any jobs on it. (which may already be happening) I'm still worried this will put me at risk for infection though... Maybe I should wait on doing jobs until I REALLY need the money.
 
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TheMightyOrca said:
My Postmates Fleet kit came in the mail today and I managed to get my first job on it. Not the best thing, but it's something. Gonna try to do this on weekends before there's a glut and I can't get any jobs on it. (which may already be happening) I'm still worried this will put me at risk for infection though... Maybe I should wait on doing jobs until I REALLY need the money.
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I can't remember if you said you are at risk or not, but this is a really good thing to be doing. For an all-out lockdown scenario the ability to buy and receive goods online is absolutely crucial. China has a huge individual delivery sector and it was a key asset.
 
FunkyGibbon said:
I can't remember if you said you are at risk or not, but this is a really good thing to be doing. For an all-out lockdown scenario the ability to buy and receive goods online is absolutely crucial. China has a huge individual delivery sector and it was a key asset.
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The Texas governor recently declared that all dine-in restaurants be closed, but he's encouraging people to use delivery and takeout so these places can keep making money. And I agree that it's good work to do, it allows the businesses to keep running and gets food to more people.

I'm not personally at risk (though recent cases show that young folks are at bigger risk than initially thought) but I live with an 84-year old immunocompromised woman, so for her sake I really gotta avoid infection.

My other concern, though, is that if I wait to start doing this work I won't be able to get any jobs because so many other people are jumping in on this. Corpus Christi is notorious for its love of fast food, maybe work will be steady...
 
Well, governor issued a state-wide shelter in place this afternoon so won't be doing much out and about for awhile. (The county I live in has no cases, nor do any of the 5 neighboring counties, but anywho...)
Luckily the company I work for is still paying it's employees even though we're closed, so that was much appreciated news.

So I'll be at home birdwatching, playing Zoo Tycoon, and hanging out on Zoochat for the next two weeks or so. Makes me glad I live in a rural area so I have a large yard and lots of birds, won't have to stay inside the whole time.
 
Okay, so the grocery store in my area is hiring... But I'm still concerned about the risk of exposure. I don't need money right away but I'm concerned about the long-term. If these business/organization closures last much longer maybe the grocery stores will still be hiring so maybe I don't have to worry right away, but then again, so many other people are out of work... I don't know what to do...
 
My country Belgium is now on what some are calling "soft lock-down" or "lock-down light". We have to stay at home and we can only travel for essential reasons, like working in crucial sectors or buying food. We are however still allowed to take a walk or cycle in the vicinity of our residence. If we do venture out we have to keep out distance from other people and shops and supermarkets also have to respect social distancing rules. Meeting up with more than one person other than those living in the same home (outside of work situations) is banned, both in public places and in private. Non-essential shops have been closed and so have many businesses. The number of cases is growing quite rapidly in Belgium and our government is trying hard to contain the spread to prevent overloading of our health care system so Belgium does not end up in the horrible situations we are seeing in Italy and Spain.

Personally I haven't left our residence since my therapist appointment on Monday, but I have gone outside to take care of my chickens, which I can easily do without having contact with anyone. Since Monday I have only had direct contact with my parents whom I live with. I am working from home but I'm not really having an easy time with it and not getting that much done, although I must say I also kind of like it and it does offer me some 'normality' in these very abnormal times.

Although I am not the one doing the grocery shopping I am getting increasingly worried about shortages of supplies due to the effects of large scale panic-buying, despite numerous messages against it, and the disruption of supply chains and distribution and transport due to the economic effects of and measures against the spread of the coronavirus. Will the hoarders and panic-buyers turn out to have been somewhat right after all, however selfish and socially abhorrent I find their behavior?

Around here the most problematic items are toilet paper and non-perishable foods. We have food supplies for a while here, but toilet paper is going to be a problem pretty soon. I am trying to cut down some on how much food I consume (I am a pretty big eater), also given that I move around even less now, and to use toilet paper sparingly. But I'm still worried about running out and the availability of supplies during this crisis, despite all official messages that there are no shortages.

Mentally I am still not doing very well. While I no longer have the constant anxiety that I did at the beginning of the week, I am still in a state of anxiety and near panic for several hours per day as I continue to be very worried about this rapidly worsening epidemic and about my own health and that of my family, as well as about the effects of this situation on the places I love (like zoos). This especially occurs after reading or seeing news reports, including some horrible stories and experiences from other countries or the stories of those suffering with Covid-19. I have really only had one truly decent night of sleep in the last ten days or so. My general mood is deeply pessimistic and gloomy at the moment and I am only partially succeeding at doing the things I said I would do to keep my spirits up and distract myself from the coronavirus situation. I'm honestly not really sure what to do with all this right now.

Physically I have dry and itchy hands and wrists from all the extra washing and I have tried lotion but it doesn't seem to be helping much at all.
 
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I'm now officially working from home, as are all non-essential museum staff. It was very odd handing my train pass back to the station for a refund on the unused weeks. That was when it really started to hit home.

Have just been out to get a last few bits in. Tesco was busy but the shelves were looking empty. No flour, no tinned meat, fresh meat running very low, barely any cheese, very little tinned fruit left. There was sliced bread but not much. The big-chain coffee shops have packed away their tables and become take-away only. People are still sitting in the small independent coffee shops though.

I'm at home now for the foreseeable future. Will try and get out every day for a walk by the river (and maybe see the elusive otters?!).
 
If people are worrying about toilet paper then remember that in large parts of the world it's common to never use it. You just wipe with your hand and/or splash with water from a scoop. Then wash your hand with water you're pouring into the bowl from the scoop, and literally rinse and repeat.

You might think this is disgusting, but trust me, if this is your only choice this is what you will do.
 
FunkyGibbon said:
If people are worrying about toilet paper then remember that in large parts of the world it's common to never use it. You just wipe with your hand and/or splash with water from a scoop. Then wash your hand with water you're pouring into the bowl from the scoop, and literally rinse and repeat.

You might think this is disgusting, but trust me, if this is your only choice this is what you will do.
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Aside from sounding supergross, I don't see how that would work in a standard Western bathroom, but I'm not sure what would be the best alternative either...
 
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Working from home can cause issues (although lucky to be able to do so).

  1. Make sure you set up a space to work from that is comfortable.
  2. Try and make that space somewherre you wouldn't nessecary spend time in the house (difficult I know for some) I am using the spare bedroom that my gaming PC is in.
  3. Make sure you still take regular breaks from the desk
  4. Make sure you keep some sort of office hours (I have been working longer than contracted to do and it takes its toll).
  5. Make sure you keep drinking plenty, I have swapped tea for water due to struggles with getting milk.
  6. Get away from the screen at lunch, go for a walk, read a book in the garden, Make sure you take that break,
  7. Also make sure you talk to people, it is so quiet here I pick up the phone to have a chat with people during the day so I don't feel so alone.

Lastly if your fit and well, make sure you check in on neighbours, esp elderly neighbours make sure they are ok and have food (keep your distance though, just incase). Also any one that is a key worker, if you can pick them some essentials up so they can go home relax and recharge it all helps.
 
KevinB said:
Aside from sounding supergross, I don't see how that would work in a standard Western bathroom, but I'm not sure what would be the best alternative either...
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If you have a toilet bowl, a sink and a jug then it will absolutely work. But, don't worry because it's almost certainly not going happen, and if it does it will be fine.
 
Speaking of rumors, the following message has been being mass texted to people around the country:

[Insert name here] said his friend sent him this text this afternoon. She works at DOH.

Dept. of Health and Human Services:
Homeland security is preparing to mobilize the national guard.

Preparing to dispatch them across the US along with military. They will also call in 1st responders.

They are preparing to announce a nationwide 2 week quarantine for all citizens, all businesses closed.

Everyone at home.

They will announce this as soon as they have troops in place to help prevent looters and rioters...

They will announce before the end of the weekend,
within 48 to 72 hours the President will evoke what is called the "Stafford Act".

The President will order a two week UK mandatory quarantine for the nation.

Stock up on whatever you need to make sure you have a two week supply of everything.

Please forward to your family/friends.
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Hopefully nobody here who might receive it buys into it, as it will only increase panic and hoarding of grocery supplies.

~Thylo
 
ThylacineAlive said:
Speaking of rumors, the following message has been being mass texted to people around the country:



Hopefully nobody here who might receive it buys into it, as it will only increase panic and hoarding of grocery supplies.

~Thylo
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Some numpties will, there has definitely been a raise in shopping for food around here from midweek onwards due to rumours there was going to lockdown (which you still will be able to go the shops).
 
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