Corona virus ~ so as not to hijack 200meters thread

[200Meters]

Israel is up to 883 cases including, sadly, our first fatality.

The Times of Israel is my go-to site for news from Israel.

I am now working from home. I am a tenured civil servant and have been told that I will be paid for my daily 8.5 hour shifts from home. We will see.

Israel is moving toward a general lockdown. The synagogues are all closed. Mrs. 200Meters and I said all the Sabbath prayers at home yesterday and Friday evening. We sang as much as we could. We walked the dogs yesterday afternoon but otherwise did not go out. It felt weird. Our (religious, i.e. orthodox) neighborhood in our Jerusalem 'burb is eerily quiet. Hardly any buses. Kids not going to school. No cars on the road.

My almost 88-year-old Dad back in the USA also says it's "spooky quiet". He is OK in the house (that he and my late Mom bought in 1964), he says he and the cat are keeping an eye on each other. Neighbors are helping him out. He and my brother, who lives a 5-hour drive away, talk very day. My brother says he will get up early in the morning, drive to where our Dad lives, pick him up and drive back to where he lives if need be.

 

[Deni D]

It's getting weird here. I and everyone I know is basically on self isolation. I have talked to neighbors on the phone and from a distance outside. My friends, significant other and his adult children are staying away from people also at this point. We are not even considering going to stores for anything now.

I am in the NY tri-state area. There has been one confirmed case in my town, not a large town, but we all know there are many more. A lot of people usually commute to NYC from here. And we are in an area which is not testing for COVID so far.

I worry about my son, hope he is still physically healthy as he has always been growing up but I know he no longer takes care of his physical health just as he no longer takes care of his mental health.
He lives close by me but I have no info on him. Late Feb I told him not to contact me for 3 months because he called me the C word for the third time. I know he's not attached to reality enough to do anything but try to take advantage of this current situation if I reach out to him, so I won't.

He would certainly fail any drug test for employment (pot) generally but it won't surprise me if he's delivering food and hopefully not infected and passing it on.

Earlier today on the news I heard NYC has their parks open and it sounded positive, as if people were taking the social distancing thing seriously. Our parks, in this relatively small town, were closed days ago. Tonight on the news the NY mayor is now angry because of the ignorance and noncompliance in the parks there.

I know nurses, and of other nurses, fighting this in the ICU units of hospitals with a lack of supplies to keep them safe currently. The best hospital, 20 miles from here, is asking for masks and gloves even now, before we have a major overload. A very basic lack of supplies.

The thought of people ignoring this to the extent of playing basketball with strangers in parks in a known hot spot for this angers me so much right now. Have they no clue that a Navy Hospital Ship is on it's way to NYC to help with what they already know is going to be an overload of ICU patients? I get it if someone forgets and doesn't distance themselves enough. But the dangerous ones who refuse to live any differently than what they are used to sickens me. The totally selfish who refuse to be concerned with the rest of humanity because they have decided they won't have much of a problem with this make me so angry for the people who have no choice but to be out there on the front lines, in the stores, driving trucks, the police and the hospital workers.

I'm just venting right now, frustrated with humanity.

 

[BusynMember1]

Wow, I am so sorry, DeniD. I hear about NYC and it sounds really sad and bad. I can't imagine why some people refuse to be safe. We have this too.if they don't care if they get sick, how can they not care about others?

I wish the entire country would go on lockdown but have no faith at all in our leader(s) to do that since it may cost votes. I wish we had any other leader we have ever had other than this one. We need strong and decisive and soothing and smart. Oh well.

I feel badly for every hard hit part of the world and send endless prayers. Wish I could do more.

 

[louise2350]

There are over 600 cases of this virus in the state where I live. I've started ordering online for my groceries. Since my first delivery, I've changed the way my delivery goes. They won't have me sign anything and just leave my food at my door. They let you know online the time of delivery. I do love this online delivery as it prevents me from overspending. When I shopped in the stores I would buy extra things I didn't really need. This way online has me only order what I need and it's delivered right to my door.

 

[BusynMember1]

We are going to start doing curbside delivery. You stay in you car and they bring orders to you. I am unaware of any stores here that deliver to the home but will explore. Be well to all

 

[Deni D]

I wish the entire country would go on lockdown but have no faith at all in our leader(s) to do that since it may cost votes.

I think they didn't want to close the parks to give people some quality of life. In NYC so many people can't walk outside of their homes to a yard. But I'm sure they will close the parks there soon, they can't control people not being on top of each other, they tried.
And so many homeless people use those parks and used many of the stores that are now closed. I'm not hearing anything about the homeless, they seem to be invisible, as usual.

I've started ordering online for my groceries.

We are going to start doing curbside delivery.

I trialed the curbside delivery a couple of weeks ago. It worked well. Both home delivery and curbside are completely booked out to the end of the month for the stores local to here now. I'd say it's best to have enough food so you don't have to rely on them if you think things are going to ramp up in your area, if you can. They are hiring at the grocery stores and big box stores around here so I expect especially people who worked for mostly tips at the restaurants will be getting jobs at these places and things will be more available in the future.
Our state is just under 2000 confirmed cases as of yesterday. A second drive up testing site just opened today. A third in the county over from me is planned for soon. But they run out of test kits within a couple of hours each day. We all know it's not the cases that are increasing per say but rather the testing to identify the cases. I'm hoping most people identified can quarantine themselves at home, I think this has been true of the other countries. I have a strong feeling like others have said in another thread that this has been around for much longer than we thought and people have had it and recovered from it. Who knows, maybe that was another CORONA strain.

 

[louise2350]

I, at first thought the media was exaggerating information about this virus when all the news broke about it, but of course I don't think that way anymore. I'm 70, in good health, but am taking all necessary precautions. I even go outside walking for 1/2 hour daily in this place that is isolated. I get the fresh air and sleep and feel better doing this. I think my decision to order online is a good one. The first delivery came from Walmart last Thursday but the young girl had me sign on her phone which I didn't like at all - washed my hands immediately. I called up Walmart (online) and requested for my future orders to note on my account for them to knock on my apartment door and leave the groceries there without me have to signing anything and free from opening my door. They agreed. The prices are pretty reasonable and the food was fresh.

 

[BusynMember1]

I am doing the same. There is talk in the U.S. of opening businesses and sending people back to work and out right after the 15 days are up! I just heard it. Wow. I am hard to scare. This scares me. Mr. Trump scares me. It is his idea. Hopefully the states won't agree or do it. We need to get rid of this virus.

I also once thought this was exaggerated. It's not

Again, I am hard to scare but I am scared of a premature stoppage of social distancing. I trust the CDC and will not stop doing it until they say to do so. But letting everyone out will make it worse. For sure there will be more deaths and enough hospital equipment will not be there.....I need to stop watching the news. This man terrifies me and I am NOT a Democrat or liberal. Not even close.

God bless all.

 

[Nandina]

Busy, that is his MO to sort of say things that are outlandish and then have to rein them in again. Remember, just a month or so ago, he called concern over the the virus a hoax, and way downplayed the seriousness of it. That quickly changed as the experts started speaking out about it.

I think if he were to actually give the all clear to people to resume normal activity there would be a mutiny among his public health experts! I think like with a lot of other stuff he says, he will have to walk it back.

This isn’t meant to be political—just some observations based on past experience.

And I wish the very best of health to you and your family.

 

[Deni D]

The first delivery came from Walmart last Thursday but the young girl had me sign on her phone which I didn't like at all - washed my hands immediately.

I went to Walmart last week with the "don't touch anything, don't touch your face" info in the front of my mind, kind of as a drill. I was just there to pickup an online delivery because the website said they were not delivering to houses. I was sent from the front of the store to the back for the pick up. That's when I realized I normally touch so many things, things that are cute just to look at the price, things I'd have no reason to ever buy. I didn't touch a thing. Back at the pick up area we got through the process with the very nice clerk being careful to not touch my phone for the bar-code for the order or my license and then after all of that was done she asked me to sign my name on her phone. I stood there, looked for wipes on the desk and saw none and then very quietly said "nooooo, I'm not going to to that, I've been trying to follow the no touching rules in the store", she signed my name for me. When I got home I sent an email to Walmart about it because she should not have been put in the position of asking every pick-up customer to put their hands on her phone.

Quote stopped working for some reason:
Again, I am hard to scare but I am scared of a premature stoppage of social distancing.
Don't worry about that happening. I think he was misspeaking as he is prone to do. I think it was an effort to keep the stock market from falling further. He's not really in touch with reality as most of us have known for a while. But very good things are happening, the private sector jumping in with the government has been phenomenal, true not yet keeping up but still amazing. If you have ever worked on a government project in the past you know how incredible the response has been in the last couple of weeks. I am impressed, by the people behind him and working with him, very impressed.

 

[200Meters]

There is talk in the U.S. of opening businesses and sending people back to work and out right after the 15 days are up! I just heard it. Wow. I am hard to scare. This scares me. Mr. Trump scares me. It is his idea. Mr. Trump scares me.

Again, I am hard to scare but I am scared of a premature stoppage of social distancing.
Don't worry about that happening. I think he was misspeaking as he is prone to do. I think it was an effort to keep the stock market from falling further. He's not really in touch with reality as most of us have known for a while.

G-d knows what that man will do if he thinks his political skin is at risk.

Hopefully many governors, mayors, etc. will have more sense than to fall in line with the other lemmings and follow Cadet Bonespurs off a cliff.

Israel is up to 1,442 confirmed cases of Coronavirus. We have the first confirmed case in our neighborhood. Mrs. 200Meters and I are not at risk as we do not pray at the same synagogue as the confirmed case. His whereabouts and routine prior to his being hospitalized have been posted and our paths did not cross.

The government will likely tighten movement restrictions today. That we may be in the throes of a constitutional crisis is not helping.

I am working from home. Mrs. 200Meters is on paid leave.

 

[200Meters]

This didn't take long. Israel is up to 2,030 confirmed cases and 5 deaths.

 

[200Meters]

Prince Charles has coronavirus: Palace confirms 71-year-old future king has tested positive and is self-isolating

 

[Deni D]

200Meters ~ I just saw that on the local news, I bet a bunch of people around him have it too.

I also saw that Rutgers in New Jersey is testing a new COVID-19 test developed in California that brings the results time down to 45 minutes. It might be available as soon as Monday. Of course there are drawbacks. It doesn't sound like there are many machines to run the test on are around and who knows about what it takes to manufacture the tests.

Busy had mentioned how only movie stars, politicians and athletes seem to be the only people who general access to the tests. It sure seems to be that way to me too. The rest of us have to show signs of it including a cough, shortness of breath and a fever. And even at that I don't know that I would be able to get the test, I don't live anywhere near one of the drive through testing centers even though we are now number 2 in the US for identified cases. So far I know of 2 positive cases in my town, many people commute to NYC from this little corner of our state.

I've locked down even a little more now. I haven't gone out to any store for anything for the last week or so but I've been getting deliveries. From now on those deliveries will sit outside for a day and then I will use gloves to open them up and sanitize the contents. As far as the mail goes I'm using gloves also and just putting it in a bag in the garage for now. There's nothing coming here in the mail that I can't ignore for a while.

I feel very lucky that I don't have to be out working right now and I don't have family members here who have to. I'm just trying to stay out of the way so as not to add to the problem.

 

[200Meters]

Israel is now up to 5,591 cases and 22 dead.

I have been declared an "essential worker who works from home" so I have been busy. Mrs. 200Meters is working a bit but is otherwise on paid leave; luckily for us, she has a ton of vacation days.

We have been getting a leg up on our Passover cleaning, which is the source, I think for the general notion of "spring cleaning". This will be a tough Passover for Jews everywhere. Passover is the Jewish family holiday par excellance. There is a whole ritual meal, the seder, on the first night of Passover (in Israel; on the first two nights everywhere else) that for very many families is the event of the year. Israel is now on something approaching general lockdown. The instructions from the government (Health Ministry, Prime Minister's Office & Public Security Ministry) are to stay put and have seder with one's nuclear family, with those family members who live with you under the same roof only. No traveling to see the kids, grandkids, prents or grandparents, nada, zip, zilch, zero.

Look at...
_____

Police to beef up enforcement to make sure nobody gets together for Passover

Police plan on stepping up enforcement of restrictions on movements and gatherings on the eve of Passover in order to make sure extended families do not attempt to get together for the traditional seder meal.

A police source tells Walla news that police will set up extra checkpoints on highways and hit the streets in extra large forces to make sure everyone complies.

“We won’t allow leniency,” the source says, adding that fines will be handed out.

Officials have expressed worries that seemingly innocuous holiday get-togethers could lead to a major flare-up of the virus, pointing to the Purim holiday in mid-March as a major reason for current high numbers of infected people.

“We’re very worried people getting together on Passover eve will lead to a spike in infections,” Health Ministry legal adviser Uri Schwartz says during a press briefing.

Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan says the issue is “our biggest fear right now.”

Only members of nuclear families who live together will be allowed to celebrate the traditional retelling of the Exodus from Egypt together.
_____

So it looks like Mrs. 200Meters & I will be on our own; we will make the best of it. This will be our first vegetarian Passover. Youngest will be spending his 2nd Passover in the hoosegow. Oldest & Ladyfriend can go to Ladyfriend's parents who live a few blocks from them (regulations, shmegulations).

We still go to the supermarket. I am prepared to wait in line to get in (the number of shoppers who ca be inside is carefully limited). We do not order groceries on line; that is not for us.

What are y'all up to?

 

[200Meters]

I posted too soon.

We have 23 dead.

 

[BusynMember1]

You are lucky the Israeli government is doing a lot fast. We have more dead in the U.S. state we live in. It's bad in our metro area and other hot spots in the country. Terrible. Shameful.
. And we still have certain states that are not on lockdown at all. God forbid the President should order a country lock down !!! So we are not doing well here. I am sure you have seen the numbers.

Blessings to you. May your holiday be full of happiness even though you can not all gather as a family.

 

[RN0441]

I'm on the Alabama coast in a town of 8600. Originally from Chicagoland area and they are in bad shape. I am on week 2 of working from home. My company and husbands are both manufacturing so we are essential which is good. All of our managers had to take a 10% pay cut effective today. Husband works from home but can't travel due to the restrictions for the month of April.

We don't have a lot of cases here but we did have one death in Fairhope, AL which is close by. The man was a lung cancer survivor and in his 70's. Very sad as my coworker knew him well and he was a good man.

We are lucky to be in a warm climate so we walk daily and spend a lot of time in our yard. Our Difficult Child is working at national donut chaindrive through and taking class on line. Everything here is shut down but we have drive through at restaurants and no curfew which I am VERY thankful for. We are doing our best to follow all the rules.

I certainly don't want to catch it and do not want to give it to anyone. I'm think of this time as a reset of sorts and a time to slow down and spend time with my family. I also thing that it is a good time to pray a lot and meditate and count our blessings!!

Good wishes to all and we will get through this!

 

[DoneDad]

Haven’t posted in a while but still following. We’re raising 2 grandkids now - 10 month old gs who tested positive for meth at birth and it came down to us or foster care. And 6 year old gs. Anyhow, I’m pretty sure we’ve all had it (Covid-19) already. No way to know for sure since when we were sick 2-3 weeks ago, they weren’t testing here (California) at all. We’re still following all the guidelines since we don’t know for sure we had it. 10 month old gs had it the worst - 103° fever, pneumonia twice, coughing. Poor little guy. 6 year old had like a mild cold. Wife and I had coughing, sore throat, but no fever. The scary thing is that we are the safety net for the 2 gs’s.

 

[Deni D]

We are up there, 2nd in the US states, 17 in my town, deaths 1 that I know of. No testing going on in our little north west corner of the state, except if you go to a hospital and they are going to admit you for extreme breathing problems. Otherwise they don't even test you, they tell you you have it, send you home with a neutralizer and tell you to self quarantine for 14 days or until you can no longer breath at all and then come on back. They don't have the test kits available and even so the test results won't come back for 7 days so unless they are going to admit you it's kind of moot. The hospitals, all of them around us, are on overload now, they have no choice but to send all but the worst cases home.

It feels so weird to me, not just what it actually is. But weird because I think for me and as for most of us here, I have dealt with an unrelenting out of control situation with my son, for years and years. I know what it's like to be in a situation I have absolutely no control over, and can get no help for, from anywhere. But it's been a slow situation. More like a slow circling of the drain for my son. Surprising mostly in that he can continue as he has for so long, and still survive. But this thing, this thing is going at the speed of light. I find myself thinking "wait, was it only 3 weeks ago they closed the schools in town and 2 weeks ago when they closed the restaurants, parks and all non essential businesses down in the county?" Things seem so different now. The landscape has changed so fast. Myself and most of the people I know feel like we are taking our lives in our hands by going to the store for anything, and we are. We don't even feel safe with no contact deliveries. We know people who work in the retail, delivery, and post office jobs have no more access to real preventative measures or testing than we have.

I know now we are looking at months of isolation. It's an isolation myself and many others here know of because of the distancing we have done due to our adult children's actions. We, I, can handle it. We slow rolled into it, but can others handle it? I don't know.

We know from our experiences in this geographic area, when talking to our friends and family in other states, that they are in for it. But they don't know it yet, because they haven't experienced or accepted it yet, we know from what they say to us. We try to calmly warn them and tell them even so it will be okay, but they don't get it just like we wouldn't have gotten it a couple of weeks ago. But it's coming, we know it's coming.

When I hear of the 45 minute testing I pray the states who have not been hit hard have access, and lots of access to these tests, have it sooner rather than later, even knowing it's just a first step. It's something we have no access to and know would be very helpful to prevent the spread, just a cog in the wheel but still. I hope corporate america makes this happen, lord knows our government will not.

I pray especially for all of our people out there who have no choice other than to be exposed to it day to day working on the frontlines, the people in the stores who are mostly ignored with the exposure and of course the medical field, going to work and exposing themselves to this plague. The marginalized people living on the streets. I hope from what we are experiencing others can learn and get out ahead of this, and quarantine people, proactively. I pray for everyone.

Please stay safe.