Coronavirus prep
Replies
-
Hospital worker checking in from my little corner of eastern N.C., USA...
Out hospital lifted some visitor restrictions a little over a week ago. As someone who goes into patient rooms multiple times daily to get the patient from point A to B? I am not a huge fan of this decision. While I know that it is good for the patients to have one visitor, the other side of the coin is that most don’t follow directions. One of the big rules is that they have to keep their masks on the ENTIRE time they are in the building, but many do not.
I wear a mask all day, every day, and I understand that it is uncomfortable, but wearing that mask is allowing you to visit your loved one.
So when I walk into a room to collect my patient, hooking up oxygen, transferring the IV pumps and fluids, and the visitor is sitting there, either completely unmasked, or with their noses exposed. When I say, “Ma’am, you really need to have your mask on,” the reaction is rarely pleasant. Then I have to go find a nurse manager to let them know room number so and so’s visitor won’t put a mask on.
We have a mask mandate in our state and while it really isn’t being enforced in my county, it amazes me the level of ignorance that is being shown regarding this very subject. I’ve heard it all, from “I refuse to have my civil rights violated” to, “I’m not a sheep” to, “I’m healthy,” etc, etc.
People fail to see that wearing a mask is protecting those around us, not for our protection.
I guess I’m just irritated, because I already put myself at risk moving COVID patients, then I have to deal with selfish visitors off the street who won’t wear the mask.
In other news, Lysol, wipes and actual soft toilet paper are still really hard to find in our neck of the woods. Scott tissue is the absolute worst, y’all! Now I know where the hospital gets theirs.
Restaurants are open with reduced capacity. We went to our favorite Mexican place to get takeout. If I get it? It will be from there. The staff were wearing masks, but under their chins, hanging off of one ear, or only covering their mouths. I have felt safer on the COVID areas at work than I felt at that restaurant. We were in there almost a half hour, in total. In hindsight, after paying, we should have had them bring it outside, but there was an aggressive panhandler out front. I’m thinking this was a six of one, half a dozen of the other, because he wasn’t masked, either, but at least outdoors was probably safer.
Hope y’all are staying safe, and that those of you who have family affected are hanging in there. 💖24 -
I've told some stories here to vent about bad experiences. Here's a more positive one.
My local bedroom-community post office has two stations at the counter, fortunately about 6 feet apart. Since precautions went into effect, they changed the traffic pattern so we go into the full-windowed small foyer then through one door (that used to be mostly for PO box access), into a line (with Xes on the floor at 6 foot distances) . Then people get called up to a counter where there's a plastic barrier above a pass-through space for packages & credit card swipe access. After service, one leaves out a 2nd door to the same full-visibility foyer as the in-door.
Last time I was there, the two rather petite, properly masked counter women would each finish with a customer, step up on something (stepstool?) behind the counter, reach over to spray the customer side of the counter & the card swiper with cleaner, wipe it with a cloth, step back into her spot, then call up the next customer to stand on the service X in front of her counter. Consistent, for each customer.
I don't see how they could do it better, or faster. Really good, from my perspective, best I could expect.21 -
juliemouse83 wrote: »Hospital worker checking in from my little corner of eastern N.C., USA...
Out hospital lifted some visitor restrictions a little over a week ago. As someone who goes into patient rooms multiple times daily to get the patient from point A to B? I am not a huge fan of this decision. While I know that it is good for the patients to have one visitor, the other side of the coin is that most don’t follow directions. One of the big rules is that they have to keep their masks on the ENTIRE time they are in the building, but many do not.
I wear a mask all day, every day, and I understand that it is uncomfortable, but wearing that mask is allowing you to visit your loved one.
So when I walk into a room to collect my patient, hooking up oxygen, transferring the IV pumps and fluids, and the visitor is sitting there, either completely unmasked, or with their noses exposed. When I say, “Ma’am, you really need to have your mask on,” the reaction is rarely pleasant. Then I have to go find a nurse manager to let them know room number so and so’s visitor won’t put a mask on.
We have a mask mandate in our state and while it really isn’t being enforced in my county, it amazes me the level of ignorance that is being shown regarding this very subject. I’ve heard it all, from “I refuse to have my civil rights violated” to, “I’m not a sheep” to, “I’m healthy,” etc, etc.
People fail to see that wearing a mask is protecting those around us, not for our protection.
I guess I’m just irritated, because I already put myself at risk moving COVID patients, then I have to deal with selfish visitors off the street who won’t wear the mask.
In other news, Lysol, wipes and actual soft toilet paper are still really hard to find in our neck of the woods. Scott tissue is the absolute worst, y’all! Now I know where the hospital gets theirs.
Restaurants are open with reduced capacity. We went to our favorite Mexican place to get takeout. If I get it? It will be from there. The staff were wearing masks, but under their chins, hanging off of one ear, or only covering their mouths. I have felt safer on the COVID areas at work than I felt at that restaurant. We were in there almost a half hour, in total. In hindsight, after paying, we should have had them bring it outside, but there was an aggressive panhandler out front. I’m thinking this was a six of one, half a dozen of the other, because he wasn’t masked, either, but at least outdoors was probably safer.
Hope y’all are staying safe, and that those of you who have family affected are hanging in there. 💖
It is good that there is a mask mandate there. Where I work, my employer requires them when within 6 feet of each another person or in common areas. The only time we should be mask-less is in the breakroom (tables are setup for social distancing) or at our desk without another person within 6 feet. Still, some people don't wear a mask or wear it without covering their noses. I have been hesitant to directly say anything to anyone because I am trying not to make waves. And since I am the only person that wears mine in my area at almost all times (even when at my desk without anyone within 6 feet), I'm sure I can't anonymously complain because if HR says something, they will know I'm the person who snitched. Having said that, the manager did send an email out a couple weeks ago about how bad the office has been about mask usage (compared to the production and warehouse areas, as I work in the office of a manufacturing plant with a warehouse nearby). It seemed to get better for a couple days after that email. But now, people are more lax about it than ever. If there is an outbreak in the office, it's going to be especially bad.11 -
T1DCarnivoreRunner wrote: »juliemouse83 wrote: »Hospital worker checking in from my little corner of eastern N.C., USA...
Out hospital lifted some visitor restrictions a little over a week ago. As someone who goes into patient rooms multiple times daily to get the patient from point A to B? I am not a huge fan of this decision. While I know that it is good for the patients to have one visitor, the other side of the coin is that most don’t follow directions. One of the big rules is that they have to keep their masks on the ENTIRE time they are in the building, but many do not.
I wear a mask all day, every day, and I understand that it is uncomfortable, but wearing that mask is allowing you to visit your loved one.
So when I walk into a room to collect my patient, hooking up oxygen, transferring the IV pumps and fluids, and the visitor is sitting there, either completely unmasked, or with their noses exposed. When I say, “Ma’am, you really need to have your mask on,” the reaction is rarely pleasant. Then I have to go find a nurse manager to let them know room number so and so’s visitor won’t put a mask on.
We have a mask mandate in our state and while it really isn’t being enforced in my county, it amazes me the level of ignorance that is being shown regarding this very subject. I’ve heard it all, from “I refuse to have my civil rights violated” to, “I’m not a sheep” to, “I’m healthy,” etc, etc.
People fail to see that wearing a mask is protecting those around us, not for our protection.
I guess I’m just irritated, because I already put myself at risk moving COVID patients, then I have to deal with selfish visitors off the street who won’t wear the mask.
In other news, Lysol, wipes and actual soft toilet paper are still really hard to find in our neck of the woods. Scott tissue is the absolute worst, y’all! Now I know where the hospital gets theirs.
Restaurants are open with reduced capacity. We went to our favorite Mexican place to get takeout. If I get it? It will be from there. The staff were wearing masks, but under their chins, hanging off of one ear, or only covering their mouths. I have felt safer on the COVID areas at work than I felt at that restaurant. We were in there almost a half hour, in total. In hindsight, after paying, we should have had them bring it outside, but there was an aggressive panhandler out front. I’m thinking this was a six of one, half a dozen of the other, because he wasn’t masked, either, but at least outdoors was probably safer.
Hope y’all are staying safe, and that those of you who have family affected are hanging in there. 💖
It is good that there is a mask mandate there. Where I work, my employer requires them when within 6 feet of each another person or in common areas. The only time we should be mask-less is in the breakroom (tables are setup for social distancing) or at our desk without another person within 6 feet. Still, some people don't wear a mask or wear it without covering their noses. I have been hesitant to directly say anything to anyone because I am trying not to make waves. And since I am the only person that wears mine in my area at almost all times (even when at my desk without anyone within 6 feet), I'm sure I can't anonymously complain because if HR says something, they will know I'm the person who snitched. Having said that, the manager did send an email out a couple weeks ago about how bad the office has been about mask usage (compared to the production and warehouse areas, as I work in the office of a manufacturing plant with a warehouse nearby). It seemed to get better for a couple days after that email. But now, people are more lax about it than ever. If there is an outbreak in the office, it's going to be especially bad.
It’s mandated, but not enforced.
I hate that even an anonymous complaint will point a finger at you. That’s where mess gets sticky. At this point in my life (I’m 55 with hypertension), I’m not trying to make friends; I’m trying to keep myself healthy. My husband is high risk, so I have to be careful. You are high risk, as well, and while it’s not fun or easy, you have to look out out for YOUR own health, safety and well being.
In an ideal world? We’d all be looking out for each other, but that isn’t the case, so you have to look out for yourself, because, clearly, nobody else gives a *kitten*.
I truly hope that you will be able to stay safe and healthy.
7 -
juliemouse83 wrote: »...
In other news, Lysol, wipes and actual soft toilet paper are still really hard to find in our neck of the woods. Scott tissue is the absolute worst, y’all! Now I know where the hospital gets theirs....
The first day of the shutdown here I got a 24-pack of store brand scott knock off. I also ordered a bidet (which helps).
We still have 1/3 of the pack left. That stuff a) lasts forever, and b) sucks. Toilet paper came back in stock before we used all of that ONE 24-pack.
Don't get me wrong, I was grateful to get it when I did. But...I won't be buying that kind by choice in the future. I'll glady pay for my Charmin or store-brand Charmin knock-off. Or Cottonelle.
5 -
Here in Illinois, the governor's mandate has been overturned - the law only allows for a 30 day public health mandate, and it's been in effect for 3x that long - and after that, my workplace has finally requested that employees wear masks. Not that they're doing a particularly good job of enforcing it, though. Supervisors have been required to wear masks for at least a month, and they've been wearing them mostly on their chins, not covering any of their breathing holes. That seems to be about the level of compliance they're seeking with employees, too. There are 3 theories: 1) The employee that caught Covid19 (just one!) died... 2) It's to shut up the employees that are asking for hazard pay... 3) It's tied to some of our coworkers vacationing in states that a new mandate requires a 2 week quarantine when returning from (but there are exemptions for essential workers, anyway, and UPS is not giving an extra 2 weeks off work just to quarantine.)
After the mask requirement at work (Wednesday) a union representative had a table set up by the door with a petition for hazard pay. So, that seems to point to theory #2. That doesn't mean we're not all curious whatever happened to the driver that got sick... If it's a breach of HIPAA to tell us if he's died, I guess passing a card and collecting donations for the widow would be, too. I don't socialize with the drivers, so I don't even know which one has been absent for the past 6 weeks.
With coworkers vacationing in Florida and New Jersey and returning to work with their naked faces and lack of social distancing, it's a wonder that more of us haven't gotten sick. I stopped wearing my masks at the beginning of June, when it started being 90 degrees inside, and volume picked up so that we were working twice the hours. After all, my mask protects all those other jerks and their lack of mask doesn't protect me... The extra discomfort isn't worthwhile in those circumstances. I've taken to spending my breaks in place so that nobody comes within 6 feet to socialize with me. My antisocial tendencies are serving me well.
Back in March, I asked not to work at the bay I had previously worked at, because there's no room to social distance, and my supervisors have mostly honored my request. But due to the nature of the work, we change bays as the trucks arrive, and at least once a week I spend at least half an hour less than 2 feet from the next guy. I still figure I'm more likely to bring it to work than catch it there - my husband still works at the hospital, after all - but they're no longer having daily briefings, and they've stopped telling him to expect to catch it.
I have not used hand sanitizer a single time since this madness started. I do my best not to touch my face, but since I'm taking the mask off to drink water every 15 minutes or so, so I don't dehydrate, I don't think I'm doing a great job of that. There's a single large container of hand sanitizer next to the bathroom that it is not feasible to visit every time I have to unmask to drink - besides, if I'm Right There, I'll just go in and wash with soap. The best part of this whole mess is that we've had paper towels and soap regularly since March. That's where they keep the wipes, too. Guess how often the equipment gets wiped, then? The SHARED equipment. Yeah.
Anyway, I guess think about that when you collect your packages from the front porch. We're choosing between keeping the PPE on, or keeping hydrated. The masks are definitely interfering with my hydration strategy.0 -
autumnblade75 wrote: »Here in Illinois, the governor's mandate has been overturned - the law only allows for a 30 day public health mandate, and it's been in effect for 3x that long - and after that, my workplace has finally requested that employees wear masks. Not that they're doing a particularly good job of enforcing it, though. Supervisors have been required to wear masks for at least a month, and they've been wearing them mostly on their chins, not covering any of their breathing holes. That seems to be about the level of compliance they're seeking with employees, too. There are 3 theories: 1) The employee that caught Covid19 (just one!) died... 2) It's to shut up the employees that are asking for hazard pay... 3) It's tied to some of our coworkers vacationing in states that a new mandate requires a 2 week quarantine when returning from (but there are exemptions for essential workers, anyway, and UPS is not giving an extra 2 weeks off work just to quarantine.)
After the mask requirement at work (Wednesday) a union representative had a table set up by the door with a petition for hazard pay. So, that seems to point to theory #2. That doesn't mean we're not all curious whatever happened to the driver that got sick... If it's a breach of HIPAA to tell us if he's died, I guess passing a card and collecting donations for the widow would be, too. I don't socialize with the drivers, so I don't even know which one has been absent for the past 6 weeks.
With coworkers vacationing in Florida and New Jersey and returning to work with their naked faces and lack of social distancing, it's a wonder that more of us haven't gotten sick. I stopped wearing my masks at the beginning of June, when it started being 90 degrees inside, and volume picked up so that we were working twice the hours. After all, my mask protects all those other jerks and their lack of mask doesn't protect me... The extra discomfort isn't worthwhile in those circumstances. I've taken to spending my breaks in place so that nobody comes within 6 feet to socialize with me. My antisocial tendencies are serving me well.
Back in March, I asked not to work at the bay I had previously worked at, because there's no room to social distance, and my supervisors have mostly honored my request. But due to the nature of the work, we change bays as the trucks arrive, and at least once a week I spend at least half an hour less than 2 feet from the next guy. I still figure I'm more likely to bring it to work than catch it there - my husband still works at the hospital, after all - but they're no longer having daily briefings, and they've stopped telling him to expect to catch it.
I have not used hand sanitizer a single time since this madness started. I do my best not to touch my face, but since I'm taking the mask off to drink water every 15 minutes or so, so I don't dehydrate, I don't think I'm doing a great job of that. There's a single large container of hand sanitizer next to the bathroom that it is not feasible to visit every time I have to unmask to drink - besides, if I'm Right There, I'll just go in and wash with soap. The best part of this whole mess is that we've had paper towels and soap regularly since March. That's where they keep the wipes, too. Guess how often the equipment gets wiped, then? The SHARED equipment. Yeah.
Anyway, I guess think about that when you collect your packages from the front porch. We're choosing between keeping the PPE on, or keeping hydrated. The masks are definitely interfering with my hydration strategy.
Why not hand sanitizer? I have small bottles in my car and purse, I use before and after going in places. I am required to use it going into the gym (the bathroom is across the building) - their stinks. I swear it is just alcohol. Really liquidy.
Just wondered because I have almost never used hand sanitizer, my use has increased exponentially.
2 -
ExistingFish wrote: »autumnblade75 wrote: »I have not used hand sanitizer a single time since this madness started. I do my best not to touch my face, but since I'm taking the mask off to drink water every 15 minutes or so, so I don't dehydrate, I don't think I'm doing a great job of that. There's a single large container of hand sanitizer next to the bathroom that it is not feasible to visit every time I have to unmask to drink - besides, if I'm Right There, I'll just go in and wash with soap. The best part of this whole mess is that we've had paper towels and soap regularly since March. That's where they keep the wipes, too. Guess how often the equipment gets wiped, then? The SHARED equipment. Yeah.
Why not hand sanitizer? I have small bottles in my car and purse, I use before and after going in places. I am required to use it going into the gym (the bathroom is across the building) - their stinks. I swear it is just alcohol. Really liquidy.
Just wondered because I have almost never used hand sanitizer, my use has increased exponentially.
Washing with soap is more effective, anyway. It gives me a headache when my husband uses the stuff, I'm certainly not going to inflict my own hands with that odor.
3 -
Sounds like COVID-19 wants to go full bloom in my end of KY like much of the southern USA.
https://kfvs12.com/2020/07/09/graves-county-covid-cases-increase/
https://wkms.org/post/crittenden-and-calloway-schools-set-delayed-start-date
https://studyfinds.org/adem-rare-brain-disorder-stroke-covid-19/
Having used Wobenzyme N for about 5 years this morning I found a e-book that a ND who pulled together research on many Wobenzyme studies over the last 30 years that sound interesting in light of COVID-19 symptoms. While it is no cure if it may prevent or lessen a cytokine storm, etc it has my attention. I was going to upload the PDF file but never figured out how. https://www.yourhormones.com/content/systemic-enzyme-therapy-experience-with-wobenzym-formulations.pdf0 -
autumnblade75 wrote: »Here in Illinois, the governor's mandate has been overturned - the law only allows for a 30 day public health mandate, and it's been in effect for 3x that long - and after that, my workplace has finally requested that employees wear masks. Not that they're doing a particularly good job of enforcing it, though. Supervisors have been required to wear masks for at least a month, and they've been wearing them mostly on their chins, not covering any of their breathing holes. That seems to be about the level of compliance they're seeking with employees, too. There are 3 theories: 1) The employee that caught Covid19 (just one!) died... 2) It's to shut up the employees that are asking for hazard pay... 3) It's tied to some of our coworkers vacationing in states that a new mandate requires a 2 week quarantine when returning from (but there are exemptions for essential workers, anyway, and UPS is not giving an extra 2 weeks off work just to quarantine.)
After the mask requirement at work (Wednesday) a union representative had a table set up by the door with a petition for hazard pay. So, that seems to point to theory #2. That doesn't mean we're not all curious whatever happened to the driver that got sick... If it's a breach of HIPAA to tell us if he's died, I guess passing a card and collecting donations for the widow would be, too. I don't socialize with the drivers, so I don't even know which one has been absent for the past 6 weeks.
With coworkers vacationing in Florida and New Jersey and returning to work with their naked faces and lack of social distancing, it's a wonder that more of us haven't gotten sick. I stopped wearing my masks at the beginning of June, when it started being 90 degrees inside, and volume picked up so that we were working twice the hours. After all, my mask protects all those other jerks and their lack of mask doesn't protect me... The extra discomfort isn't worthwhile in those circumstances. I've taken to spending my breaks in place so that nobody comes within 6 feet to socialize with me. My antisocial tendencies are serving me well.
Back in March, I asked not to work at the bay I had previously worked at, because there's no room to social distance, and my supervisors have mostly honored my request. But due to the nature of the work, we change bays as the trucks arrive, and at least once a week I spend at least half an hour less than 2 feet from the next guy. I still figure I'm more likely to bring it to work than catch it there - my husband still works at the hospital, after all - but they're no longer having daily briefings, and they've stopped telling him to expect to catch it.
I have not used hand sanitizer a single time since this madness started. I do my best not to touch my face, but since I'm taking the mask off to drink water every 15 minutes or so, so I don't dehydrate, I don't think I'm doing a great job of that. There's a single large container of hand sanitizer next to the bathroom that it is not feasible to visit every time I have to unmask to drink - besides, if I'm Right There, I'll just go in and wash with soap. The best part of this whole mess is that we've had paper towels and soap regularly since March. That's where they keep the wipes, too. Guess how often the equipment gets wiped, then? The SHARED equipment. Yeah.
Anyway, I guess think about that when you collect your packages from the front porch. We're choosing between keeping the PPE on, or keeping hydrated. The masks are definitely interfering with my hydration strategy.
I've got a bottle of hand sanitizer in my car for after being in stores and laundromat. We have sanitizer placed around areas with food/drink (break rooms, vending) at work and at entrances. We also have Lysol wipes available to clean off work spaces and surfaces.1 -
autumnblade75 wrote: »ExistingFish wrote: »autumnblade75 wrote: »I have not used hand sanitizer a single time since this madness started. I do my best not to touch my face, but since I'm taking the mask off to drink water every 15 minutes or so, so I don't dehydrate, I don't think I'm doing a great job of that. There's a single large container of hand sanitizer next to the bathroom that it is not feasible to visit every time I have to unmask to drink - besides, if I'm Right There, I'll just go in and wash with soap. The best part of this whole mess is that we've had paper towels and soap regularly since March. That's where they keep the wipes, too. Guess how often the equipment gets wiped, then? The SHARED equipment. Yeah.
Why not hand sanitizer? I have small bottles in my car and purse, I use before and after going in places. I am required to use it going into the gym (the bathroom is across the building) - their stinks. I swear it is just alcohol. Really liquidy.
Just wondered because I have almost never used hand sanitizer, my use has increased exponentially.
Washing with soap is more effective, anyway. It gives me a headache when my husband uses the stuff, I'm certainly not going to inflict my own hands with that odor.
I have to roll down the car window as the wife preps for work and pulls out the hand sanitizer. I think many must not be able to smell harsh chemicals.5 -
autumnblade75 wrote: »Here in Illinois, the governor's mandate has been overturned - the law only allows for a 30 day public health mandate, and it's been in effect for 3x that long - and after that, my workplace has finally requested that employees wear masks. Not that they're doing a particularly good job of enforcing it, though. Supervisors have been required to wear masks for at least a month, and they've been wearing them mostly on their chins, not covering any of their breathing holes. That seems to be about the level of compliance they're seeking with employees, too. There are 3 theories: 1) The employee that caught Covid19 (just one!) died... 2) It's to shut up the employees that are asking for hazard pay... 3) It's tied to some of our coworkers vacationing in states that a new mandate requires a 2 week quarantine when returning from (but there are exemptions for essential workers, anyway, and UPS is not giving an extra 2 weeks off work just to quarantine.)
After the mask requirement at work (Wednesday) a union representative had a table set up by the door with a petition for hazard pay. So, that seems to point to theory #2. That doesn't mean we're not all curious whatever happened to the driver that got sick... If it's a breach of HIPAA to tell us if he's died, I guess passing a card and collecting donations for the widow would be, too. I don't socialize with the drivers, so I don't even know which one has been absent for the past 6 weeks.
With coworkers vacationing in Florida and New Jersey and returning to work with their naked faces and lack of social distancing, it's a wonder that more of us haven't gotten sick. I stopped wearing my masks at the beginning of June, when it started being 90 degrees inside, and volume picked up so that we were working twice the hours. After all, my mask protects all those other jerks and their lack of mask doesn't protect me... The extra discomfort isn't worthwhile in those circumstances. I've taken to spending my breaks in place so that nobody comes within 6 feet to socialize with me. My antisocial tendencies are serving me well.
Back in March, I asked not to work at the bay I had previously worked at, because there's no room to social distance, and my supervisors have mostly honored my request. But due to the nature of the work, we change bays as the trucks arrive, and at least once a week I spend at least half an hour less than 2 feet from the next guy. I still figure I'm more likely to bring it to work than catch it there - my husband still works at the hospital, after all - but they're no longer having daily briefings, and they've stopped telling him to expect to catch it.
I have not used hand sanitizer a single time since this madness started. I do my best not to touch my face, but since I'm taking the mask off to drink water every 15 minutes or so, so I don't dehydrate, I don't think I'm doing a great job of that. There's a single large container of hand sanitizer next to the bathroom that it is not feasible to visit every time I have to unmask to drink - besides, if I'm Right There, I'll just go in and wash with soap. The best part of this whole mess is that we've had paper towels and soap regularly since March. That's where they keep the wipes, too. Guess how often the equipment gets wiped, then? The SHARED equipment. Yeah.
Anyway, I guess think about that when you collect your packages from the front porch. We're choosing between keeping the PPE on, or keeping hydrated. The masks are definitely interfering with my hydration strategy.
In my understanding (from HIPAA compliance education received a long time ago, when I was part of our university's implementation effort), HIPAA would not prevent a non-health-care employer from telling other employees that a co-worker had died. Employers are not a covered entity under HIPAA.4 -
autumnblade75 wrote: »Here in Illinois, the governor's mandate has been overturned - the law only allows for a 30 day public health mandate, and it's been in effect for 3x that long - and after that, my workplace has finally requested that employees wear masks. Not that they're doing a particularly good job of enforcing it, though. Supervisors have been required to wear masks for at least a month, and they've been wearing them mostly on their chins, not covering any of their breathing holes. That seems to be about the level of compliance they're seeking with employees, too. There are 3 theories: 1) The employee that caught Covid19 (just one!) died... 2) It's to shut up the employees that are asking for hazard pay... 3) It's tied to some of our coworkers vacationing in states that a new mandate requires a 2 week quarantine when returning from (but there are exemptions for essential workers, anyway, and UPS is not giving an extra 2 weeks off work just to quarantine.)
After the mask requirement at work (Wednesday) a union representative had a table set up by the door with a petition for hazard pay. So, that seems to point to theory #2. That doesn't mean we're not all curious whatever happened to the driver that got sick... If it's a breach of HIPAA to tell us if he's died, I guess passing a card and collecting donations for the widow would be, too. I don't socialize with the drivers, so I don't even know which one has been absent for the past 6 weeks.
With coworkers vacationing in Florida and New Jersey and returning to work with their naked faces and lack of social distancing, it's a wonder that more of us haven't gotten sick. I stopped wearing my masks at the beginning of June, when it started being 90 degrees inside, and volume picked up so that we were working twice the hours. After all, my mask protects all those other jerks and their lack of mask doesn't protect me... The extra discomfort isn't worthwhile in those circumstances. I've taken to spending my breaks in place so that nobody comes within 6 feet to socialize with me. My antisocial tendencies are serving me well.
Back in March, I asked not to work at the bay I had previously worked at, because there's no room to social distance, and my supervisors have mostly honored my request. But due to the nature of the work, we change bays as the trucks arrive, and at least once a week I spend at least half an hour less than 2 feet from the next guy. I still figure I'm more likely to bring it to work than catch it there - my husband still works at the hospital, after all - but they're no longer having daily briefings, and they've stopped telling him to expect to catch it.
I have not used hand sanitizer a single time since this madness started. I do my best not to touch my face, but since I'm taking the mask off to drink water every 15 minutes or so, so I don't dehydrate, I don't think I'm doing a great job of that. There's a single large container of hand sanitizer next to the bathroom that it is not feasible to visit every time I have to unmask to drink - besides, if I'm Right There, I'll just go in and wash with soap. The best part of this whole mess is that we've had paper towels and soap regularly since March. That's where they keep the wipes, too. Guess how often the equipment gets wiped, then? The SHARED equipment. Yeah.
Anyway, I guess think about that when you collect your packages from the front porch. We're choosing between keeping the PPE on, or keeping hydrated. The masks are definitely interfering with my hydration strategy.
So, here’s the thing about hand sanitizer. According to CDC guidelines, we are supposed to clean our hands when donning masks, and again before doffing them, and again after taking them off. Now, when I’m in my car, about to go into a grocery store, I don’t have soap and water, so hand sanitizer, it is. Put on the mask, sanitize. Do the shopping, sanitize. Check out? Sanitize. Get the groceries loaded? Sanitize and take the blasted mask off.
People laugh at folks wearing their masks in their car on the highway and all I can think is that maybe they didn’t have sanitizer on them. 🤷♀️6 -
Not encouraging: http://www.forbes.com/sites/suzannerowankelleher/2020/07/07/stay-at-home-orders-necessary-or-advised-in-18-states-per-harvards-covid-19-tracking-site
My county and my state are orange and everyone is acting like this isn't real: https://globalepidemics.org/key-metrics-for-covid-suppression/
4 -
juliemouse83 wrote: »autumnblade75 wrote: »Here in Illinois, the governor's mandate has been overturned - the law only allows for a 30 day public health mandate, and it's been in effect for 3x that long - and after that, my workplace has finally requested that employees wear masks. Not that they're doing a particularly good job of enforcing it, though. Supervisors have been required to wear masks for at least a month, and they've been wearing them mostly on their chins, not covering any of their breathing holes. That seems to be about the level of compliance they're seeking with employees, too. There are 3 theories: 1) The employee that caught Covid19 (just one!) died... 2) It's to shut up the employees that are asking for hazard pay... 3) It's tied to some of our coworkers vacationing in states that a new mandate requires a 2 week quarantine when returning from (but there are exemptions for essential workers, anyway, and UPS is not giving an extra 2 weeks off work just to quarantine.)
After the mask requirement at work (Wednesday) a union representative had a table set up by the door with a petition for hazard pay. So, that seems to point to theory #2. That doesn't mean we're not all curious whatever happened to the driver that got sick... If it's a breach of HIPAA to tell us if he's died, I guess passing a card and collecting donations for the widow would be, too. I don't socialize with the drivers, so I don't even know which one has been absent for the past 6 weeks.
With coworkers vacationing in Florida and New Jersey and returning to work with their naked faces and lack of social distancing, it's a wonder that more of us haven't gotten sick. I stopped wearing my masks at the beginning of June, when it started being 90 degrees inside, and volume picked up so that we were working twice the hours. After all, my mask protects all those other jerks and their lack of mask doesn't protect me... The extra discomfort isn't worthwhile in those circumstances. I've taken to spending my breaks in place so that nobody comes within 6 feet to socialize with me. My antisocial tendencies are serving me well.
Back in March, I asked not to work at the bay I had previously worked at, because there's no room to social distance, and my supervisors have mostly honored my request. But due to the nature of the work, we change bays as the trucks arrive, and at least once a week I spend at least half an hour less than 2 feet from the next guy. I still figure I'm more likely to bring it to work than catch it there - my husband still works at the hospital, after all - but they're no longer having daily briefings, and they've stopped telling him to expect to catch it.
I have not used hand sanitizer a single time since this madness started. I do my best not to touch my face, but since I'm taking the mask off to drink water every 15 minutes or so, so I don't dehydrate, I don't think I'm doing a great job of that. There's a single large container of hand sanitizer next to the bathroom that it is not feasible to visit every time I have to unmask to drink - besides, if I'm Right There, I'll just go in and wash with soap. The best part of this whole mess is that we've had paper towels and soap regularly since March. That's where they keep the wipes, too. Guess how often the equipment gets wiped, then? The SHARED equipment. Yeah.
Anyway, I guess think about that when you collect your packages from the front porch. We're choosing between keeping the PPE on, or keeping hydrated. The masks are definitely interfering with my hydration strategy.
So, here’s the thing about hand sanitizer. According to CDC guidelines, we are supposed to clean our hands when donning masks, and again before doffing them, and again after taking them off. Now, when I’m in my car, about to go into a grocery store, I don’t have soap and water, so hand sanitizer, it is. Put on the mask, sanitize. Do the shopping, sanitize. Check out? Sanitize. Get the groceries loaded? Sanitize and take the blasted mask off.
People laugh at folks wearing their masks in their car on the highway and all I can think is that maybe they didn’t have sanitizer on them. 🤷♀️
I wear mine in the car (on the highway or wherever) routinely, if I'm going from one place where I'll needed it to another place where I'll need it. Even as a glasses-wearing (easily-fogged) li'l ol' lady with early-stage COPD, it's not annoying or difficult enough wearing it that I want to fuss with touching my face or the mask to take it off and put it on. And I keep a bottle of hand sanitizer in the car, plus one of those tiny clip-on ones on my belt loop besides, and sanitize like it was a religious ritual.
For anyone one even remotely healthy, I don't see how wearing a mask is any kind of big deal. 🤷♀️15 -
autumnblade75 wrote: »Here in Illinois, the governor's mandate has been overturned - the law only allows for a 30 day public health mandate, and it's been in effect for 3x that long - and after that, my workplace has finally requested that employees wear masks. Not that they're doing a particularly good job of enforcing it, though. Supervisors have been required to wear masks for at least a month, and they've been wearing them mostly on their chins, not covering any of their breathing holes. That seems to be about the level of compliance they're seeking with employees, too. There are 3 theories: 1) The employee that caught Covid19 (just one!) died... 2) It's to shut up the employees that are asking for hazard pay... 3) It's tied to some of our coworkers vacationing in states that a new mandate requires a 2 week quarantine when returning from (but there are exemptions for essential workers, anyway, and UPS is not giving an extra 2 weeks off work just to quarantine.)
After the mask requirement at work (Wednesday) a union representative had a table set up by the door with a petition for hazard pay. So, that seems to point to theory #2. That doesn't mean we're not all curious whatever happened to the driver that got sick... If it's a breach of HIPAA to tell us if he's died, I guess passing a card and collecting donations for the widow would be, too. I don't socialize with the drivers, so I don't even know which one has been absent for the past 6 weeks.
With coworkers vacationing in Florida and New Jersey and returning to work with their naked faces and lack of social distancing, it's a wonder that more of us haven't gotten sick. I stopped wearing my masks at the beginning of June, when it started being 90 degrees inside, and volume picked up so that we were working twice the hours. After all, my mask protects all those other jerks and their lack of mask doesn't protect me... The extra discomfort isn't worthwhile in those circumstances. I've taken to spending my breaks in place so that nobody comes within 6 feet to socialize with me. My antisocial tendencies are serving me well.
Back in March, I asked not to work at the bay I had previously worked at, because there's no room to social distance, and my supervisors have mostly honored my request. But due to the nature of the work, we change bays as the trucks arrive, and at least once a week I spend at least half an hour less than 2 feet from the next guy. I still figure I'm more likely to bring it to work than catch it there - my husband still works at the hospital, after all - but they're no longer having daily briefings, and they've stopped telling him to expect to catch it.
I have not used hand sanitizer a single time since this madness started. I do my best not to touch my face, but since I'm taking the mask off to drink water every 15 minutes or so, so I don't dehydrate, I don't think I'm doing a great job of that. There's a single large container of hand sanitizer next to the bathroom that it is not feasible to visit every time I have to unmask to drink - besides, if I'm Right There, I'll just go in and wash with soap. The best part of this whole mess is that we've had paper towels and soap regularly since March. That's where they keep the wipes, too. Guess how often the equipment gets wiped, then? The SHARED equipment. Yeah.
Anyway, I guess think about that when you collect your packages from the front porch. We're choosing between keeping the PPE on, or keeping hydrated. The masks are definitely interfering with my hydration strategy.
In my understanding (from HIPAA compliance education received a long time ago, when I was part of our university's implementation effort), HIPAA would not prevent a non-health-care employer from telling other employees that a co-worker had died. Employers are not a covered entity under HIPAA.
My employer has told us they legally cannot tell us if a specific employee has tested positive because of medical privacy issues unless the employee in question authorized it. Whether or not that's HIPAA or some other legal requirement, I don't know. They can tell us someone anonymous tested positive, to explain why we have to quarantine for instance. If course as a small company it would be pretty easy to deduce!
That someone died, and what they died of, is a matter of public record, isn't it? Or am I just used to people ignoring privacy requirements lol?2 -
juliemouse83 wrote: »autumnblade75 wrote: »Here in Illinois, the governor's mandate has been overturned - the law only allows for a 30 day public health mandate, and it's been in effect for 3x that long - and after that, my workplace has finally requested that employees wear masks. Not that they're doing a particularly good job of enforcing it, though. Supervisors have been required to wear masks for at least a month, and they've been wearing them mostly on their chins, not covering any of their breathing holes. That seems to be about the level of compliance they're seeking with employees, too. There are 3 theories: 1) The employee that caught Covid19 (just one!) died... 2) It's to shut up the employees that are asking for hazard pay... 3) It's tied to some of our coworkers vacationing in states that a new mandate requires a 2 week quarantine when returning from (but there are exemptions for essential workers, anyway, and UPS is not giving an extra 2 weeks off work just to quarantine.)
After the mask requirement at work (Wednesday) a union representative had a table set up by the door with a petition for hazard pay. So, that seems to point to theory #2. That doesn't mean we're not all curious whatever happened to the driver that got sick... If it's a breach of HIPAA to tell us if he's died, I guess passing a card and collecting donations for the widow would be, too. I don't socialize with the drivers, so I don't even know which one has been absent for the past 6 weeks.
With coworkers vacationing in Florida and New Jersey and returning to work with their naked faces and lack of social distancing, it's a wonder that more of us haven't gotten sick. I stopped wearing my masks at the beginning of June, when it started being 90 degrees inside, and volume picked up so that we were working twice the hours. After all, my mask protects all those other jerks and their lack of mask doesn't protect me... The extra discomfort isn't worthwhile in those circumstances. I've taken to spending my breaks in place so that nobody comes within 6 feet to socialize with me. My antisocial tendencies are serving me well.
Back in March, I asked not to work at the bay I had previously worked at, because there's no room to social distance, and my supervisors have mostly honored my request. But due to the nature of the work, we change bays as the trucks arrive, and at least once a week I spend at least half an hour less than 2 feet from the next guy. I still figure I'm more likely to bring it to work than catch it there - my husband still works at the hospital, after all - but they're no longer having daily briefings, and they've stopped telling him to expect to catch it.
I have not used hand sanitizer a single time since this madness started. I do my best not to touch my face, but since I'm taking the mask off to drink water every 15 minutes or so, so I don't dehydrate, I don't think I'm doing a great job of that. There's a single large container of hand sanitizer next to the bathroom that it is not feasible to visit every time I have to unmask to drink - besides, if I'm Right There, I'll just go in and wash with soap. The best part of this whole mess is that we've had paper towels and soap regularly since March. That's where they keep the wipes, too. Guess how often the equipment gets wiped, then? The SHARED equipment. Yeah.
Anyway, I guess think about that when you collect your packages from the front porch. We're choosing between keeping the PPE on, or keeping hydrated. The masks are definitely interfering with my hydration strategy.
So, here’s the thing about hand sanitizer. According to CDC guidelines, we are supposed to clean our hands when donning masks, and again before doffing them, and again after taking them off. Now, when I’m in my car, about to go into a grocery store, I don’t have soap and water, so hand sanitizer, it is. Put on the mask, sanitize. Do the shopping, sanitize. Check out? Sanitize. Get the groceries loaded? Sanitize and take the blasted mask off.
People laugh at folks wearing their masks in their car on the highway and all I can think is that maybe they didn’t have sanitizer on them. 🤷♀️
I wear mine in the car (on the highway or wherever) routinely, if I'm going from one place where I'll needed it to another place where I'll need it. Even as a glasses-wearing (easily-fogged) li'l ol' lady with early-stage COPD, it's not annoying or difficult enough wearing it that I want to fuss with touching my face or the mask to take it off and put it on. And I keep a bottle of hand sanitizer in the car, plus one of those tiny clip-on ones on my belt loop besides, and sanitize like it was a religious ritual.
For anyone one even remotely healthy, I don't see how wearing a mask is any kind of big deal. 🤷♀️
This is exactly the right reason to leave the mask on until you finish all the errands.3 -
juliemouse83 wrote: »autumnblade75 wrote: »Here in Illinois, the governor's mandate has been overturned - the law only allows for a 30 day public health mandate, and it's been in effect for 3x that long - and after that, my workplace has finally requested that employees wear masks. Not that they're doing a particularly good job of enforcing it, though. Supervisors have been required to wear masks for at least a month, and they've been wearing them mostly on their chins, not covering any of their breathing holes. That seems to be about the level of compliance they're seeking with employees, too. There are 3 theories: 1) The employee that caught Covid19 (just one!) died... 2) It's to shut up the employees that are asking for hazard pay... 3) It's tied to some of our coworkers vacationing in states that a new mandate requires a 2 week quarantine when returning from (but there are exemptions for essential workers, anyway, and UPS is not giving an extra 2 weeks off work just to quarantine.)
After the mask requirement at work (Wednesday) a union representative had a table set up by the door with a petition for hazard pay. So, that seems to point to theory #2. That doesn't mean we're not all curious whatever happened to the driver that got sick... If it's a breach of HIPAA to tell us if he's died, I guess passing a card and collecting donations for the widow would be, too. I don't socialize with the drivers, so I don't even know which one has been absent for the past 6 weeks.
With coworkers vacationing in Florida and New Jersey and returning to work with their naked faces and lack of social distancing, it's a wonder that more of us haven't gotten sick. I stopped wearing my masks at the beginning of June, when it started being 90 degrees inside, and volume picked up so that we were working twice the hours. After all, my mask protects all those other jerks and their lack of mask doesn't protect me... The extra discomfort isn't worthwhile in those circumstances. I've taken to spending my breaks in place so that nobody comes within 6 feet to socialize with me. My antisocial tendencies are serving me well.
Back in March, I asked not to work at the bay I had previously worked at, because there's no room to social distance, and my supervisors have mostly honored my request. But due to the nature of the work, we change bays as the trucks arrive, and at least once a week I spend at least half an hour less than 2 feet from the next guy. I still figure I'm more likely to bring it to work than catch it there - my husband still works at the hospital, after all - but they're no longer having daily briefings, and they've stopped telling him to expect to catch it.
I have not used hand sanitizer a single time since this madness started. I do my best not to touch my face, but since I'm taking the mask off to drink water every 15 minutes or so, so I don't dehydrate, I don't think I'm doing a great job of that. There's a single large container of hand sanitizer next to the bathroom that it is not feasible to visit every time I have to unmask to drink - besides, if I'm Right There, I'll just go in and wash with soap. The best part of this whole mess is that we've had paper towels and soap regularly since March. That's where they keep the wipes, too. Guess how often the equipment gets wiped, then? The SHARED equipment. Yeah.
Anyway, I guess think about that when you collect your packages from the front porch. We're choosing between keeping the PPE on, or keeping hydrated. The masks are definitely interfering with my hydration strategy.
So, here’s the thing about hand sanitizer. According to CDC guidelines, we are supposed to clean our hands when donning masks, and again before doffing them, and again after taking them off. Now, when I’m in my car, about to go into a grocery store, I don’t have soap and water, so hand sanitizer, it is. Put on the mask, sanitize. Do the shopping, sanitize. Check out? Sanitize. Get the groceries loaded? Sanitize and take the blasted mask off.
People laugh at folks wearing their masks in their car on the highway and all I can think is that maybe they didn’t have sanitizer on them. 🤷♀️
I have sanitizer, but it still seems easier to wash my hands at home, put on my mask, leave my house, run all my errands (using hand sanitizer before and after each stop), go home, wash my hands, take my mask off, and wash my hands. Plus, if I were to take the mask off between stops, I would have to have some way to store it that would ensure face-facing surface never touched a surface that the outside-facing surface touched, and vice versa.5 -
autumnblade75 wrote: »Here in Illinois, the governor's mandate has been overturned - the law only allows for a 30 day public health mandate, and it's been in effect for 3x that long - and after that, my workplace has finally requested that employees wear masks. Not that they're doing a particularly good job of enforcing it, though. Supervisors have been required to wear masks for at least a month, and they've been wearing them mostly on their chins, not covering any of their breathing holes. That seems to be about the level of compliance they're seeking with employees, too. There are 3 theories: 1) The employee that caught Covid19 (just one!) died... 2) It's to shut up the employees that are asking for hazard pay... 3) It's tied to some of our coworkers vacationing in states that a new mandate requires a 2 week quarantine when returning from (but there are exemptions for essential workers, anyway, and UPS is not giving an extra 2 weeks off work just to quarantine.)
After the mask requirement at work (Wednesday) a union representative had a table set up by the door with a petition for hazard pay. So, that seems to point to theory #2. That doesn't mean we're not all curious whatever happened to the driver that got sick... If it's a breach of HIPAA to tell us if he's died, I guess passing a card and collecting donations for the widow would be, too. I don't socialize with the drivers, so I don't even know which one has been absent for the past 6 weeks.
With coworkers vacationing in Florida and New Jersey and returning to work with their naked faces and lack of social distancing, it's a wonder that more of us haven't gotten sick. I stopped wearing my masks at the beginning of June, when it started being 90 degrees inside, and volume picked up so that we were working twice the hours. After all, my mask protects all those other jerks and their lack of mask doesn't protect me... The extra discomfort isn't worthwhile in those circumstances. I've taken to spending my breaks in place so that nobody comes within 6 feet to socialize with me. My antisocial tendencies are serving me well.
Back in March, I asked not to work at the bay I had previously worked at, because there's no room to social distance, and my supervisors have mostly honored my request. But due to the nature of the work, we change bays as the trucks arrive, and at least once a week I spend at least half an hour less than 2 feet from the next guy. I still figure I'm more likely to bring it to work than catch it there - my husband still works at the hospital, after all - but they're no longer having daily briefings, and they've stopped telling him to expect to catch it.
I have not used hand sanitizer a single time since this madness started. I do my best not to touch my face, but since I'm taking the mask off to drink water every 15 minutes or so, so I don't dehydrate, I don't think I'm doing a great job of that. There's a single large container of hand sanitizer next to the bathroom that it is not feasible to visit every time I have to unmask to drink - besides, if I'm Right There, I'll just go in and wash with soap. The best part of this whole mess is that we've had paper towels and soap regularly since March. That's where they keep the wipes, too. Guess how often the equipment gets wiped, then? The SHARED equipment. Yeah.
Anyway, I guess think about that when you collect your packages from the front porch. We're choosing between keeping the PPE on, or keeping hydrated. The masks are definitely interfering with my hydration strategy.
In my understanding (from HIPAA compliance education received a long time ago, when I was part of our university's implementation effort), HIPAA would not prevent a non-health-care employer from telling other employees that a co-worker had died. Employers are not a covered entity under HIPAA.
My employer has told us they legally cannot tell us if a specific employee has tested positive because of medical privacy issues unless the employee in question authorized it. Whether or not that's HIPAA or some other legal requirement, I don't know. They can tell us someone anonymous tested positive, to explain why we have to quarantine for instance. If course as a small company it would be pretty easy to deduce!
That someone died, and what they died of, is a matter of public record, isn't it? Or am I just used to people ignoring privacy requirements lol?
As I understand it death certificates aren’t public until a certain number of years have passed. Will have to look that up.
Edit: looked it up, and it varies by state, but it’s usually 25 years before a death certificate becomes a matter of public record. In the case of Alaska, 50 years. Tennessee, they are usually closed, period - although I have relatives from Tennessee whose death certificates I have in their Ancestry files, so it just seems to be patchy.
In practice a death certificate can tell you a lot. I have a great uncle Felix who died before I was born, and I never knew anything about him or what kind of person he was. His death certificate revealed that he died of cirrhosis of the liver subsequent to alcoholism.5 -
juliemouse83 wrote: »autumnblade75 wrote: »Here in Illinois, the governor's mandate has been overturned - the law only allows for a 30 day public health mandate, and it's been in effect for 3x that long - and after that, my workplace has finally requested that employees wear masks. Not that they're doing a particularly good job of enforcing it, though. Supervisors have been required to wear masks for at least a month, and they've been wearing them mostly on their chins, not covering any of their breathing holes. That seems to be about the level of compliance they're seeking with employees, too. There are 3 theories: 1) The employee that caught Covid19 (just one!) died... 2) It's to shut up the employees that are asking for hazard pay... 3) It's tied to some of our coworkers vacationing in states that a new mandate requires a 2 week quarantine when returning from (but there are exemptions for essential workers, anyway, and UPS is not giving an extra 2 weeks off work just to quarantine.)
After the mask requirement at work (Wednesday) a union representative had a table set up by the door with a petition for hazard pay. So, that seems to point to theory #2. That doesn't mean we're not all curious whatever happened to the driver that got sick... If it's a breach of HIPAA to tell us if he's died, I guess passing a card and collecting donations for the widow would be, too. I don't socialize with the drivers, so I don't even know which one has been absent for the past 6 weeks.
With coworkers vacationing in Florida and New Jersey and returning to work with their naked faces and lack of social distancing, it's a wonder that more of us haven't gotten sick. I stopped wearing my masks at the beginning of June, when it started being 90 degrees inside, and volume picked up so that we were working twice the hours. After all, my mask protects all those other jerks and their lack of mask doesn't protect me... The extra discomfort isn't worthwhile in those circumstances. I've taken to spending my breaks in place so that nobody comes within 6 feet to socialize with me. My antisocial tendencies are serving me well.
Back in March, I asked not to work at the bay I had previously worked at, because there's no room to social distance, and my supervisors have mostly honored my request. But due to the nature of the work, we change bays as the trucks arrive, and at least once a week I spend at least half an hour less than 2 feet from the next guy. I still figure I'm more likely to bring it to work than catch it there - my husband still works at the hospital, after all - but they're no longer having daily briefings, and they've stopped telling him to expect to catch it.
I have not used hand sanitizer a single time since this madness started. I do my best not to touch my face, but since I'm taking the mask off to drink water every 15 minutes or so, so I don't dehydrate, I don't think I'm doing a great job of that. There's a single large container of hand sanitizer next to the bathroom that it is not feasible to visit every time I have to unmask to drink - besides, if I'm Right There, I'll just go in and wash with soap. The best part of this whole mess is that we've had paper towels and soap regularly since March. That's where they keep the wipes, too. Guess how often the equipment gets wiped, then? The SHARED equipment. Yeah.
Anyway, I guess think about that when you collect your packages from the front porch. We're choosing between keeping the PPE on, or keeping hydrated. The masks are definitely interfering with my hydration strategy.
So, here’s the thing about hand sanitizer. According to CDC guidelines, we are supposed to clean our hands when donning masks, and again before doffing them, and again after taking them off. Now, when I’m in my car, about to go into a grocery store, I don’t have soap and water, so hand sanitizer, it is. Put on the mask, sanitize. Do the shopping, sanitize. Check out? Sanitize. Get the groceries loaded? Sanitize and take the blasted mask off.
People laugh at folks wearing their masks in their car on the highway and all I can think is that maybe they didn’t have sanitizer on them. 🤷♀️
I wear mine in the car (on the highway or wherever) routinely, if I'm going from one place where I'll needed it to another place where I'll need it. Even as a glasses-wearing (easily-fogged) li'l ol' lady with early-stage COPD, it's not annoying or difficult enough wearing it that I want to fuss with touching my face or the mask to take it off and put it on. And I keep a bottle of hand sanitizer in the car, plus one of those tiny clip-on ones on my belt loop besides, and sanitize like it was a religious ritual.
For anyone one even remotely healthy, I don't see how wearing a mask is any kind of big deal. 🤷♀️
We wear ours in the car going from one place to another as well. I never noticed anyone laughing at us, but I don’t care even if they were. Too many other things to worry about.6 -
@Juliemouse83, visiting people in the hospital and they're *still* not masking up? Unbelievable.
What will it take to convince some people??? Oh wait, there's a news story about all those Covid parties going on, involving people who don't believe it's real. And 1 of the young participants is just barely living with the final throes of Covid, regretting that he didn't believe the reality. Why do so many people not believe until it's too late? Certainly they don't want to infect the person they care enough to visit do they? SMH So, I guess the only way to make them believe is for them to contract this miserable nasty life-changing virus.
Did everybody see the bus driver who was assaulted by a couple people, all over mask requirements; he died due to extensive brain injuries. WTF is wrong with people???? They need extensive jail time, hopefully in a Covid ward of some kind. I'm sorry, I wouldn't wish Covid on my enemies but really, to me that'd be justice working at its best. 9 -
I work in healthcare and lately in the recovery room none of the nurses wear their masks or they wear them down on their necks. I was appalled. Not only for their safety, but moreso for the safety of the patients!13
-
rheddmobile wrote: »autumnblade75 wrote: »Here in Illinois, the governor's mandate has been overturned - the law only allows for a 30 day public health mandate, and it's been in effect for 3x that long - and after that, my workplace has finally requested that employees wear masks. Not that they're doing a particularly good job of enforcing it, though. Supervisors have been required to wear masks for at least a month, and they've been wearing them mostly on their chins, not covering any of their breathing holes. That seems to be about the level of compliance they're seeking with employees, too. There are 3 theories: 1) The employee that caught Covid19 (just one!) died... 2) It's to shut up the employees that are asking for hazard pay... 3) It's tied to some of our coworkers vacationing in states that a new mandate requires a 2 week quarantine when returning from (but there are exemptions for essential workers, anyway, and UPS is not giving an extra 2 weeks off work just to quarantine.)
After the mask requirement at work (Wednesday) a union representative had a table set up by the door with a petition for hazard pay. So, that seems to point to theory #2. That doesn't mean we're not all curious whatever happened to the driver that got sick... If it's a breach of HIPAA to tell us if he's died, I guess passing a card and collecting donations for the widow would be, too. I don't socialize with the drivers, so I don't even know which one has been absent for the past 6 weeks.
With coworkers vacationing in Florida and New Jersey and returning to work with their naked faces and lack of social distancing, it's a wonder that more of us haven't gotten sick. I stopped wearing my masks at the beginning of June, when it started being 90 degrees inside, and volume picked up so that we were working twice the hours. After all, my mask protects all those other jerks and their lack of mask doesn't protect me... The extra discomfort isn't worthwhile in those circumstances. I've taken to spending my breaks in place so that nobody comes within 6 feet to socialize with me. My antisocial tendencies are serving me well.
Back in March, I asked not to work at the bay I had previously worked at, because there's no room to social distance, and my supervisors have mostly honored my request. But due to the nature of the work, we change bays as the trucks arrive, and at least once a week I spend at least half an hour less than 2 feet from the next guy. I still figure I'm more likely to bring it to work than catch it there - my husband still works at the hospital, after all - but they're no longer having daily briefings, and they've stopped telling him to expect to catch it.
I have not used hand sanitizer a single time since this madness started. I do my best not to touch my face, but since I'm taking the mask off to drink water every 15 minutes or so, so I don't dehydrate, I don't think I'm doing a great job of that. There's a single large container of hand sanitizer next to the bathroom that it is not feasible to visit every time I have to unmask to drink - besides, if I'm Right There, I'll just go in and wash with soap. The best part of this whole mess is that we've had paper towels and soap regularly since March. That's where they keep the wipes, too. Guess how often the equipment gets wiped, then? The SHARED equipment. Yeah.
Anyway, I guess think about that when you collect your packages from the front porch. We're choosing between keeping the PPE on, or keeping hydrated. The masks are definitely interfering with my hydration strategy.
In my understanding (from HIPAA compliance education received a long time ago, when I was part of our university's implementation effort), HIPAA would not prevent a non-health-care employer from telling other employees that a co-worker had died. Employers are not a covered entity under HIPAA.
My employer has told us they legally cannot tell us if a specific employee has tested positive because of medical privacy issues unless the employee in question authorized it. Whether or not that's HIPAA or some other legal requirement, I don't know. They can tell us someone anonymous tested positive, to explain why we have to quarantine for instance. If course as a small company it would be pretty easy to deduce!
That someone died, and what they died of, is a matter of public record, isn't it? Or am I just used to people ignoring privacy requirements lol?
As I understand it death certificates aren’t public until a certain number of years have passed. Will have to look that up.
Edit: looked it up, and it varies by state, but it’s usually 25 years before a death certificate becomes a matter of public record. In the case of Alaska, 50 years. Tennessee, they are usually closed, period - although I have relatives from Tennessee whose death certificates I have in their Ancestry files, so it just seems to be patchy.
In practice a death certificate can tell you a lot. I have a great uncle Felix who died before I was born, and I never knew anything about him or what kind of person he was. His death certificate revealed that he died of cirrhosis of the liver subsequent to alcoholism.
Interesting!0 -
Was in a local Wal-Mart. In our area Wal-Mart has announced increased enforcement of state recommendations on mask, i.e. wear them. Lot of people without masks still but I was surprised at the number of people looking to be immune compromised (elderly, morbidly obese, on motorized carts, etc.) with no masks. Now I understand some of them may have had a medical issue preventing use of masks, but most of them were out shopping in couples/groups.
Just send one in.7 -
CDC Advisor, Dr. William Schaffner, 'It's a lot easier to wear a mask than a ventilator.
I've been hiding in the piney trees for 14 days.
23 -
@ReenieHJ I know! Some people’s kids!
Now, I wasn’t moving patients on a regular basis before this virus (it just so happened that my facility was going through productivity reviews when it hit) so I didn’t have many interactions with visitors in the rooms, but my team had told me that the best part about visitor restrictions was that they no longer had to deal with family members telling them how to do their jobs.
Fast forward a couple of months, and I went from 40 hr/week administrative supervisor to 8 hr/week supervisor, 32 he/week transporter, thanks to the reorganization and subsequent reduction in force. I lost five of 16. My first ever interaction with a visitor was just over a week ago. Even though I’ve been there 19 years (mostly behind a desk), I’m still the new girl transporter, so I have a lot to learn about locations on different units, etc.
I was entering a room to take the guy down to cardio and before I could get my introduction out, the wife interrupted me, shoved a pitcher in my face and told me to fill it with ice and water, and to also fetch her husband a food tray. Her mask was on at this point. I explained that I was checking in to take him down for his test, that I had to grab his chart and would have someone come in to see about food, would find out where the ice/water machine was and be right back to take care of that. After learning where to get the ice, I was on my way back and here comes my friend, who works in EVS, carrying the pitcher. Apparently the wife went into the hall and chased my friend down. Deb said the woman wasn’t very nice about it, either. Got back to the room, started doing my thing, and the mask is off, she is well within six feet of me, talking the whole time. I’m trying to get him out the door and her to put her mask back on. This one did, so there’s that.
I can handle someone being pushy and rude, because that was how people were before all this started, but to be in my space with your mask off? That is just inconsiderate, ignorant or both.
If one hard rule is to keep your mask on to visit your loved one? Just do it! You’re protecting every single healthcare worker that enters the room.16 -
So Indiana is now seeing a drastic increase in cases that can not be explained by increased testing. The statistics don't match up for it to be that.
I went shopping yesterday. Both groceries and some other things. I was surprised the number of people wearing masks and also keeping their distance. I was so happy.11 -
https://missoulacurrent.com/business/2020/07/missoula-masks-required/
Remember those no-smoking sections in restaurants. Smoke knows no boundaries. It took awhile and many pitched a ring-tailed fit when No Smoking became the rule. No shirt, no shoes, no mask, no service is stepping up to the plate to save others. I saw a lorra, lorra ultra strong men and women with masks on and my respect for them tripled. In the parking lot of the small grocery store the locals were giving each other a thumbs UP and telling each other how much they cared from a distance.10 -
lynn_glenmont wrote: »juliemouse83 wrote: »autumnblade75 wrote: »Here in Illinois, the governor's mandate has been overturned - the law only allows for a 30 day public health mandate, and it's been in effect for 3x that long - and after that, my workplace has finally requested that employees wear masks. Not that they're doing a particularly good job of enforcing it, though. Supervisors have been required to wear masks for at least a month, and they've been wearing them mostly on their chins, not covering any of their breathing holes. That seems to be about the level of compliance they're seeking with employees, too. There are 3 theories: 1) The employee that caught Covid19 (just one!) died... 2) It's to shut up the employees that are asking for hazard pay... 3) It's tied to some of our coworkers vacationing in states that a new mandate requires a 2 week quarantine when returning from (but there are exemptions for essential workers, anyway, and UPS is not giving an extra 2 weeks off work just to quarantine.)
After the mask requirement at work (Wednesday) a union representative had a table set up by the door with a petition for hazard pay. So, that seems to point to theory #2. That doesn't mean we're not all curious whatever happened to the driver that got sick... If it's a breach of HIPAA to tell us if he's died, I guess passing a card and collecting donations for the widow would be, too. I don't socialize with the drivers, so I don't even know which one has been absent for the past 6 weeks.
With coworkers vacationing in Florida and New Jersey and returning to work with their naked faces and lack of social distancing, it's a wonder that more of us haven't gotten sick. I stopped wearing my masks at the beginning of June, when it started being 90 degrees inside, and volume picked up so that we were working twice the hours. After all, my mask protects all those other jerks and their lack of mask doesn't protect me... The extra discomfort isn't worthwhile in those circumstances. I've taken to spending my breaks in place so that nobody comes within 6 feet to socialize with me. My antisocial tendencies are serving me well.
Back in March, I asked not to work at the bay I had previously worked at, because there's no room to social distance, and my supervisors have mostly honored my request. But due to the nature of the work, we change bays as the trucks arrive, and at least once a week I spend at least half an hour less than 2 feet from the next guy. I still figure I'm more likely to bring it to work than catch it there - my husband still works at the hospital, after all - but they're no longer having daily briefings, and they've stopped telling him to expect to catch it.
I have not used hand sanitizer a single time since this madness started. I do my best not to touch my face, but since I'm taking the mask off to drink water every 15 minutes or so, so I don't dehydrate, I don't think I'm doing a great job of that. There's a single large container of hand sanitizer next to the bathroom that it is not feasible to visit every time I have to unmask to drink - besides, if I'm Right There, I'll just go in and wash with soap. The best part of this whole mess is that we've had paper towels and soap regularly since March. That's where they keep the wipes, too. Guess how often the equipment gets wiped, then? The SHARED equipment. Yeah.
Anyway, I guess think about that when you collect your packages from the front porch. We're choosing between keeping the PPE on, or keeping hydrated. The masks are definitely interfering with my hydration strategy.
So, here’s the thing about hand sanitizer. According to CDC guidelines, we are supposed to clean our hands when donning masks, and again before doffing them, and again after taking them off. Now, when I’m in my car, about to go into a grocery store, I don’t have soap and water, so hand sanitizer, it is. Put on the mask, sanitize. Do the shopping, sanitize. Check out? Sanitize. Get the groceries loaded? Sanitize and take the blasted mask off.
People laugh at folks wearing their masks in their car on the highway and all I can think is that maybe they didn’t have sanitizer on them. 🤷♀️
I have sanitizer, but it still seems easier to wash my hands at home, put on my mask, leave my house, run all my errands (using hand sanitizer before and after each stop), go home, wash my hands, take my mask off, and wash my hands. Plus, if I were to take the mask off between stops, I would have to have some way to store it that would ensure face-facing surface never touched a surface that the outside-facing surface touched, and vice versa.
Me, too. Have hand sanitizer in the car, but it's just easier not to touch the mask until I get home. Fomite transmission, although real, is thought to play a small role; nonetheless I still wear gloves in public. I keep them in a plastic sack in my car, and typically several days (sufficient for viral decomposition) pass between uses. I put them on before going in store then doff them by putting my hands in the plastic bag and touching the outside of the bag only with my bare hands. Then sanitize. Probably does not good but certainly does no harm.
Great analogy re: smoking in restaurants!7 -
I wash my hands before leaving the house, I also use sanitizing gel (always in my purse and a small one in the car), but I don't' wear a mask inside the car.
I am very claustrophobic and wearing a mask is not easy on me; I put my mask before leaving the car, and I take it off as soon as I am inside the car, and I use sanitizing gel. Masks get washed after each use by hand with soap and hot water, or with the laundry if I am due for one. And hand-washing is a never ending chore.
I don't do much shopping because I got Inst-cart to do it for me. I only go to doctors appointments or medical tests, and over 90% of the time I am inside my house and except for my husband, nobody else comes inside.5
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 424 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions