Coronavirus, Covid 19 Discussion and How It Has Affected Your Daily Life Chat Thread

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I’m usually at home and I live alone so that cuts down on the need for hand sanitizer and bleach wipes. I’m working on prepping my garden. Many of my seeds are sprouting already. I ordered enough exercise videos for seniors so I can keep up with my exercise program that I usually attend at the Senior Center. I’m basically doing my normal thing aside from spending way too much time on BYC. But it’s raining today so I can’t go out and play in the yard. Wah!

 

[21hens-incharge]

My beagle only makes noise in the house when he thinks he’s getting a delivery.

I wish mine was quiet unless they walked up OUR driveway. Nope. She is on constant watch for anything "shifty". Apparently there is A LOT that is shifty.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Any ice??

No, it stayed above freezing. However, my internet didn’t work until it got up past 35F.

 

[Trevorusn]

H1N1 had a lower infection rate than Covid-19. It was related to the flu so older people had a greater natural immunity to it and it mostly affected those who were younger (so naturally more able to make a full recovery in general).

I don't think it's odd that people are stockpiling. If everything has to shut down for 2 weeks (minimum) to get on top of this outbreak then people need to be prepared, and most people over prepare which is just human nature, especially seeing as we don't know when, or even if that might need to happen. I don't need to worry about access to toilet paper (though even here in New Zealand people have been going overboard) but every time I read about people stockpiling toilet paper it does make me wonder if I have enough and I do get the urge to get more. So far I'm trying to be sensible.

In the last 10 years we have really become an even greater global community and the awareness of how bad and how quickly and how easily diseases can spread and become critical is even more at the forefront of peoples minds. Diseases can spread so quickly because we are a global community with millions travelling all over the globe daily (or formally so). It's so easy to go anywhere, taking all your bugs with you and spreading them around wherever you go.

H1N1 may have been less infectious because of exactly what you said...we have become more globalized, which makes spreading infectious diseases so much easier. Perhaps H1N1 would have been much worse today than a decade ago, but it still troubles me how quickly everything shut down this time vs. a decade ago.
Part of what gets me is the fact everyone is hoarding even though stores remain open. Is this the TP Virus??? Why was that the first to go? People poopin that much?? Only this week have dairy and other items become limited. Paper towels are in tiny quantities but available. TP however, is still MIA. Seriously?

 

[IamRainey]

That’s one of the greatest perks about being an old fart, people accept your crazy’s!

My husband says I was lucky to get old so I could be respectably eccentric instead of my old batsh#t crazy.

Yup, we talk to each other like that around here.

 

[Trevorusn]

No, it stayed above freezing. However, my internet didn’t work until it got up past 35F.

We had a rough morning with ice as well as snow, sure didn't feel like spring today.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

We had a rough morning with ice as well as snow, sure didn't feel like spring today.

That’s just Mother Nature jerking you around. Perhaps she wants you to plant something.

 

[IamRainey]

I've tried to buy TP almost every day since this started. No luck yet.

Today I bought a big package of cotton make up squares at Costco. When we run out of TP in the next week or 10 days we'll use dry cotton squares to sop up the liquid part and wet ones to put a shine on our butts. I'll put some tight-lidded tupperware at the toilets and then put the used stuff on my compost pile.

At least it will be soft and non-irritating. No question these things are small so our aim better get good fast!

PS My husband still works and his normal work week is six 14-16 hour days. I've been used to spending my time alone for years. Now he's working from home. My grandson is staying with us to avoid being contaminated by his ICU nurse mom and he's doing school via computer. So I have an atypical LOT of company these days.

 

[rosemarythyme]

What are we all doing to stay sane while stuck at home?

I'm usually at home so nothing's changed for me. Spend my mornings taking care of the animals, working out, gardening/landscaping, cleaning. Make lunch, then goof off on internet for a couple of hours. Back to animals, make dinner, clean up, then a couple more hours online before bed. Grocery runs 2-3x a week. Obviously we can't dine out on the weekend but I compiled a big list of restaurants that are doing take out so we still plan on "eating out" on weekends, just at home.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Latest update from Massachusetts. The Governor has activated the National Guard to assist with the “crisis.” Two universities in New England are offering their empty dorms as “hospital beds.” The total cases in the state are now 328.