Coronavirus prep
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I went to the Salvation Army this a.m. and good change from last time is everyone is wearing masks now, Thank You Gov. Scott!! I load up my arms with books and puzzles, get to the counter, set them down, and the clerk starts coughing, hacking and sneezing. Oy
I told her to keep the change, hoping to keep contact to a minimum but she said she was required to give me the receipt. 
I'm sure it was just a cold.
I hope.
Here it’s also mandatory to give the receipt. Most stores I’ve been to have reorganized the tills and turned the receipt printer towards the customer so they can just say ”your receipt is there” and customers can easily grab it if they want it. I really hope it stays this way even post-pandemic, so there’s no need for that awkward social interaction and less germ exchange for the clerk.5 -
Gym Users in the Northeastern US: How safe do you feel going to the gym these days? My Planet Fitness (don't judge me
) opened several weeks ago, but I still haven't gone after seeing most folks not wearing masks or incorrectly. Have there been gyms that have opened, but then had to close? 1 -
I usually do very hot water (pot on the stove, near boiling), and a drop of dish soap (dawn for us)... swirl it around with tongs or a spoon, let soak, and rinse well. So far so good, and no perfumes to breathe either!MiaBella444 wrote: »I am a manager in retail pharmacy. We wear masks for our entire 8 hour shift. Our own choice if material or disposable. Disposable irritates me more while on but washable cloth ones are easier while wearing but my face itches all night after I get home and take it off. I washed one once and used Downey fabric softener, big mistake.
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rheddmobile wrote: »Also, I read an interview with an epidemiologist in the Boston Globe about hybrid schooling, and he believes it’s insane. Doesn’t reduce risk at all and even increases it by forcing students to have two or three different social networks, since most must go to daycare for some of the time “home.”
I was wondering the same thing. Hybrid systems potentially increase the number of different people they are exposed to, increasing the risk, for students and staff. Can’t be good.
I’m beginning to become concerned about the upcoming flu season. How are health care clinics going to test for people presenting with flu symptoms. Are they going to test for both? My husband and I are both in our late 60’s. I’m retired, but he’s still working. There has been several cases at the company that he works for. Thankfully, he has no direct contact with any of the people that have had covid. We’re getting our seasonal flu shots on Friday. Everyone should get seasonal flu shots this year.6 -
Gym Users in the Northeastern US: How safe do you feel going to the gym these days? My Planet Fitness (don't judge me ) opened several weeks ago, but I still haven't gone after seeing most folks not wearing masks or incorrectly. Have there been gyms that have opened, but then had to close?
Not in the northeast but in IL my gym had 45k check ins since reopening, IL Orange Theory Fitness over 100k and no issues (this was as of a couple weeks ago, but haven't heard problems since).2 -
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There have been some positive, really optimistic things come out in the news lately. One said they are thinking that once your T cells learn to recognize any Coronavirus, you're likely to be protected in the future.
Another (I'm not sure if related) I read about said that some scientists are now thinking "herd immunity" might occur if 43% or less of the population gets the virus. Both of these are recent updates and very promising. Maybe there is starting to be some light at the end of the tunnel.
I do think we're in for a rough Fall but after that, I think it will get significantly better. Be vigilant this Fall and try to get your flu shots.6 -
I'm using this one for washing my masks.2
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A question to those who have worn masks in public places for a longer time: do you get more skin irritation/flare-ups in your chin, nose or cheeks?
We got a mask advisory for public transportation on Thursday, and today a newspaper did interviews of people in the train. There was a woman who didn’t wear a mask, and her arguments included ”it will only be useful if everyone wears it, so I won’t wear it unless forced”, which, ?????? Can’t really understand the logic. Her other argument was that her cosmetologist/beautician had speculated on possible skin issues, which, again, I really wonder if they could be worse than the effects of covid-19.
Whether the mask causes pimples or other skin issues won’t affect my decision to wear a mask, but I got genuinely curious.
Crazy woman!! So if she's not wearing hers, that's one less person in the count towards "everybody". She should lead by example.
I don't have reason to wear mine often, but I think I can confirm about the pimples. Still I don't have a choice. Everywhere I go, its mandatory to wear a mask. Simple compliance would go a long way to solving this crisis.7 -
missysippy930 wrote: »rheddmobile wrote: »Also, I read an interview with an epidemiologist in the Boston Globe about hybrid schooling, and he believes it’s insane. Doesn’t reduce risk at all and even increases it by forcing students to have two or three different social networks, since most must go to daycare for some of the time “home.”
I was wondering the same thing. Hybrid systems potentially increase the number of different people they are exposed to, increasing the risk, for students and staff. Can’t be good.
I’m beginning to become concerned about the upcoming flu season. How are health care clinics going to test for people presenting with flu symptoms. Are they going to test for both? My husband and I are both in our late 60’s. I’m retired, but he’s still working. There has been several cases at the company that he works for. Thankfully, he has no direct contact with any of the people that have had covid. We’re getting our seasonal flu shots on Friday. Everyone should get seasonal flu shots this year.
It's going to be awkward. My co-worker's son had what they (the parents) thought was strep throat, but no clinic would let him come in until he had a negative COVID-19 test. So they had to get that done (it's kinda hard here at the moment if you want the results quickly). They wound up paying quite a bit out of pocket for it. Finally got to the doctor, yep . . . it was strep. I understand the precautions and my co-worker was able to make it work, but they had the time and money to easily complete the extra steps. What about the families that don't have that?
I always get my seasonal flu shot, but I am extra motivated this year. I don't want to have to worry about getting it AT ALL and I don't want anyone around me to be exposed because of me.14 -
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I went to the Salvation Army this a.m. and good change from last time is everyone is wearing masks now, Thank You Gov. Scott!! I load up my arms with books and puzzles, get to the counter, set them down, and the clerk starts coughing, hacking and sneezing. Oy I told her to keep the change, hoping to keep contact to a minimum but she said she was required to give me the receipt. I'm sure it was just a cold.
I hope.
Here it’s also mandatory to give the receipt. Most stores I’ve been to have reorganized the tills and turned the receipt printer towards the customer so they can just say ”your receipt is there” and customers can easily grab it if they want it. I really hope it stays this way even post-pandemic, so there’s no need for that awkward social interaction and less germ exchange for the clerk.
What's odd about someone handing another person a piece of paper (absent germ considerations)?4 -
My MIL started feeling sick Sunday, she said it felt like strep throat. Her doctor had her come in for a strep test and a covid test, the strep test was negative (although rapid strep tests are not super accurate I've heard) so she is waiting on her covid test. She said it feels just like strep and she really doesn't think she has covid, she said if she does she's surprised - it is not as bad as she was worried it would be. It feels like strep to her. Her doctor thinks it is covid though. They just came out and swabbed her in her car. She expects results tomorrow afternoon or Friday morning.13
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Our county is home to a 20k state university and 2k student private school. Students at both have been back in town for about a week. Yesterday was the highest recorded new case count for our county. 80% of the cases were those in their 20's or younger. Both schools are mainly on line but there are a number of students back living in the on/off campus living accommodations they paid for.
Doesn't look like the school thing is going to go well.
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I went to the Salvation Army this a.m. and good change from last time is everyone is wearing masks now, Thank You Gov. Scott!! I load up my arms with books and puzzles, get to the counter, set them down, and the clerk starts coughing, hacking and sneezing. Oy I told her to keep the change, hoping to keep contact to a minimum but she said she was required to give me the receipt. I'm sure it was just a cold.
I hope.
Horrible!! And she didn't even understand your gentle hint.1 -
I went to the Salvation Army this a.m. and good change from last time is everyone is wearing masks now, Thank You Gov. Scott!! I load up my arms with books and puzzles, get to the counter, set them down, and the clerk starts coughing, hacking and sneezing. Oy I told her to keep the change, hoping to keep contact to a minimum but she said she was required to give me the receipt. I'm sure it was just a cold.
I hope.
Here it’s also mandatory to give the receipt. Most stores I’ve been to have reorganized the tills and turned the receipt printer towards the customer so they can just say ”your receipt is there” and customers can easily grab it if they want it. I really hope it stays this way even post-pandemic, so there’s no need for that awkward social interaction and less germ exchange for the clerk.
Funny thing!! I was sitting in the restaurant drive through line while reading this. So I reach the pay window and the cashier no longer touches the card if we have Chip & Pin. She hands me the same credit card machine everyone else touched, I put my card in and touch the same pin pad everyone else used, and remove my card. She tears off the credit card slip and enters the Authorization number into her transaction on the cash register. Then she hands me the slip. I go to the pickup window, they hand me the food, and with the till receipt in hand she asks me if I want it or not. Guess I'd touched everything else already so that was just one more thing.3 -
I wanted to update on my MIL: Her doctor's office did a Point of Care antigen test as well as sending her sample for a PCR test. The antigen tests are reliable if positive but can give false negatives, which is why they did both.
Her antigen test was negative. Her doctor's office said they have only had two that came up negative on the antigen that later went to be positive on the PCR, so it is likely she does not have it, but to continue to quarantine until the PCR test comes back (they expect it tomorrow).
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Theoldguy1 wrote: »I went to the Salvation Army this a.m. and good change from last time is everyone is wearing masks now, Thank You Gov. Scott!! I load up my arms with books and puzzles, get to the counter, set them down, and the clerk starts coughing, hacking and sneezing. Oy I told her to keep the change, hoping to keep contact to a minimum but she said she was required to give me the receipt. I'm sure it was just a cold.
I hope.
Here it’s also mandatory to give the receipt. Most stores I’ve been to have reorganized the tills and turned the receipt printer towards the customer so they can just say ”your receipt is there” and customers can easily grab it if they want it. I really hope it stays this way even post-pandemic, so there’s no need for that awkward social interaction and less germ exchange for the clerk.
What's odd about someone handing another person a piece of paper (absent germ considerations)?I went to the Salvation Army this a.m. and good change from last time is everyone is wearing masks now, Thank You Gov. Scott!! I load up my arms with books and puzzles, get to the counter, set them down, and the clerk starts coughing, hacking and sneezing. Oy I told her to keep the change, hoping to keep contact to a minimum but she said she was required to give me the receipt. I'm sure it was just a cold.
I hope.
Here it’s also mandatory to give the receipt. Most stores I’ve been to have reorganized the tills and turned the receipt printer towards the customer so they can just say ”your receipt is there” and customers can easily grab it if they want it. I really hope it stays this way even post-pandemic, so there’s no need for that awkward social interaction and less germ exchange for the clerk.
Funny thing!! I was sitting in the restaurant drive through line while reading this. So I reach the pay window and the cashier no longer touches the card if we have Chip & Pin. She hands me the same credit card machine everyone else touched, I put my card in and touch the same pin pad everyone else used, and remove my card. She tears off the credit card slip and enters the Authorization number into her transaction on the cash register. Then she hands me the slip. I go to the pickup window, they hand me the food, and with the till receipt in hand she asks me if I want it or not. Guess I'd touched everything else already so that was just one more thing.
OK, this might need an explanation. I live in Finland and we’re famously and stereotypically awkward and antisocial. Also, everyone here knows that probably 90% of shoppers do NOT want the receipt, so the people who already don’t want to have extra social interaction are forced to have the discussion of ”here’s your receipt” ”no receipt, thanks” when both parties likely already know the anwer. With the new system where the printer is on the edge of the till and facing customers, those who want it for some reason can grab it themselves. Speaking from cashier experience (did it for 2 years), I see two other major upsides as well: I would have been faster if I didn’t have to physically reach to give the receipt (company policy), since I could just start beeping the next customer’s stuff immediately. I also got serious back problems from all the twisting and reaching in the job, and skipping that whole sideways reach that happened with almost every customer would likely decrease the amount of back problems amongst cashiers by a fairly substantial amount.
We’re also comparatively high tech, I guess. Chip&pin for smaller payments is kinda last season (and swiping is ancient, and we’ve never really written checks), we’ve moved on to contactless payments a couple of years ago. So, the cashier/server sends the sum from the till/cashier machine to the card reader, and you bring your card to the contactless card reading area of the reader. Neither of you need to touch the card reader. Even if your purchase is over the contactless payment max (I think 50€), you do chip&pin on the reader the cashier doesn’t need to touch. I’ve been to restaurants recently where the servers have the portable card reader where they enter the sum, but even then if your total is less than the payment max they just hold the reader near you so you can use contactless, no touch required on customer’s part.9 -
Complete shift of gears, here: On errands this afternoon, I found the Very Most Polite And Mask/Distancing Compliant place I've been at, since this whole thing started.
It was a big but very busy (multi-material) public recycling drop-off site run by the local university, near my home. They closed briefly, but are now open 9AM-3PM, M-F (used to be 24x7 pre-pandemic).
Even though it's outdoors, masks are required (presumably because people may get close to each other, possibly coming out of a blind corner). Every other angle-parking spot was blocked with a traffic cone. There was an attendant (never had one pre-pandemic) under a portable canopy. Every single patron I saw was properly masked. People were bustling back and forth, and you'd see people walk between the big receptacles or out toward the cars to maintain distance from others when meeting/passing, despite the masks. The receptacles are giant truck-sized bins with multiple doors to throw recyclables through, and folks were spacing themselves out at different doors, or waiting briefly for a clear spot.
I'm going to double down in my speculation - can't recall if in this or another corona thread here - that different businesses/facilities tend to attract different subgroups as patrons, who have different attitudes toward what's appropriate behavior during this mess.15 -
Victoria and NSW doing it tougher but the rest of Australia I think is doing ok.
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I went to the Salvation Army this a.m. and good change from last time is everyone is wearing masks now, Thank You Gov. Scott!! I load up my arms with books and puzzles, get to the counter, set them down, and the clerk starts coughing, hacking and sneezing. Oy I told her to keep the change, hoping to keep contact to a minimum but she said she was required to give me the receipt. I'm sure it was just a cold.
I hope.
Here it’s also mandatory to give the receipt. Most stores I’ve been to have reorganized the tills and turned the receipt printer towards the customer so they can just say ”your receipt is there” and customers can easily grab it if they want it. I really hope it stays this way even post-pandemic, so there’s no need for that awkward social interaction and less germ exchange for the clerk.
Funny thing!! I was sitting in the restaurant drive through line while reading this. So I reach the pay window and the cashier no longer touches the card if we have Chip & Pin. She hands me the same credit card machine everyone else touched, I put my card in and touch the same pin pad everyone else used, and remove my card. She tears off the credit card slip and enters the Authorization number into her transaction on the cash register. Then she hands me the slip. I go to the pickup window, they hand me the food, and with the till receipt in hand she asks me if I want it or not. Guess I'd touched everything else already so that was just one more thing.
Our debit cards have had tap for a few years now. I think my per-transaction tap limit is $100 but I could probably get that increased if I wanted. Contactless. In theory it's called tap, but the card doesn't actually have to touch the machine, just close enough to be read.
I've seen a couple of places that don't have tap enabled machines wrap their card machine in plastic (like Saran Wrap) so it can be wiped down after every customer.2 -
Complete shift of gears, here: On errands this afternoon, I found the Very Most Polite And Mask/Distancing Compliant place I've been at, since this whole thing started.
It was a big but very busy (multi-material) public recycling drop-off site run by the local university, near my home. They closed briefly, but are now open 9AM-3PM, M-F (used to be 24x7 pre-pandemic).
Even though it's outdoors, masks are required (presumably because people may get close to each other, possibly coming out of a blind corner). Every other angle-parking spot was blocked with a traffic cone. There was an attendant (never had one pre-pandemic) under a portable canopy. Every single patron I saw was properly masked. People were bustling back and forth, and you'd see people walk between the big receptacles or out toward the cars to maintain distance from others when meeting/passing, despite the masks. The receptacles are giant truck-sized bins with multiple doors to throw recyclables through, and folks were spacing themselves out at different doors, or waiting briefly for a clear spot.
I'm going to double down in my speculation - can't recall if in this or another corona thread here - that different businesses/facilities tend to attract different subgroups as patrons, who have different attitudes toward what's appropriate behavior during this mess.
I think I have observed this, too. Although two nurseries (same type of business) had patrons with noticeably different sensibilities. A N=2 experiment is admittedly nothing more than 2 data points. I’m willing to believe recyclers are a conscientious group in the main.2 -
Victoria and NSW doing it tougher but the rest of Australia I think is doing ok.
Victoria is doing by far the worst of all states.
I dont think NSW numbers are as bad as they look - most of them are historical.
I think their current numbers are quite low - not as low as other states outside Vic, but lower than the total on that graph would imply.
I cant remember where you live slimjo - I know it is in Australia like me (in SA) but not which state?
How are you faring?1 -
paperpudding wrote: »Victoria and NSW doing it tougher but the rest of Australia I think is doing ok.
Victoria is doing by far the worst of all states.
I dont think NSW numbers are as bad as they look - most of them are historical.
I think their current numbers are quite low - not as low as other states outside Vic, but lower than the total on that graph would imply.
I cant remember where you live slimjo - I know it is in Australia like me (in SA) but not which state?
How are you faring?
I'm in NSW, Hunter Valley Region atm. Doing ok, no cases in my local area for months, we did have 2 about 3 months ago.
You are correct about NSW and I think only one or two deaths since May.
Yeah, Victoria is having a shocker. Compared to many places I thought the other states are doing quite well. Some have had 0 new cases for a long while.
SA looks to be doing pretty good. What's it like in your local area.?2 -
Hi!
My local area, regional town in SA, is doing well.
We had 6 cases, all returned overseas travellers who did the right thing and self isolated properly (this was months ago, before supervised hotel quarantine came in) and it went no further.
They are now all fully recovered.
SA is getting a trickle of new cases now - however they seem to all be people returned from o/s or interstate who are in supervised quarantine - so very little risk to outer community.
Life is almost back to normal - restarants/cafes are open (but no buffets or salad bars or mingling at the bar) sports are back on, activities I do like Dog Obedience and Walking Group are back on, nursing home residents can have visitors and go out.
No large mass gatherings and no o/s travel of course.
and hard border against Vic and NSW.
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paperpudding wrote: »Hi!
My local area, regional town in SA, is doing well.
We had 6 cases, all returned overseas travellers who did the right thing and self isolated properly (this was months ago, before supervised hotel quarantine came in) and it went no further.
They are now all fully recovered.
SA is getting a trickle of new cases now - however they seem to all be people returned from o/s or interstate who are in supervised quarantine - so very little risk to outer community.
Life is almost back to normal - restarants/cafes are open (but no buffets or salad bars or mingling at the bar) sports are back on, activities I do like Dog Obedience and Walking Group are back on, nursing home residents can have visitors and go out.
No large mass gatherings and no o/s travel of course.
and hard border against Vic and NSW.
Similar to here.. I don't go out much unless for groceries or a walk out in the paddock. I'm in close contact with my dad most everyday and his health is not great so I'm not risking even the remotest possibility of getting it and passing it on.3 -
I went to the Salvation Army this a.m. and good change from last time is everyone is wearing masks now, Thank You Gov. Scott!! I load up my arms with books and puzzles, get to the counter, set them down, and the clerk starts coughing, hacking and sneezing. Oy I told her to keep the change, hoping to keep contact to a minimum but she said she was required to give me the receipt. I'm sure it was just a cold.
I hope.
Here it’s also mandatory to give the receipt. Most stores I’ve been to have reorganized the tills and turned the receipt printer towards the customer so they can just say ”your receipt is there” and customers can easily grab it if they want it. I really hope it stays this way even post-pandemic, so there’s no need for that awkward social interaction and less germ exchange for the clerk.
Funny thing!! I was sitting in the restaurant drive through line while reading this. So I reach the pay window and the cashier no longer touches the card if we have Chip & Pin. She hands me the same credit card machine everyone else touched, I put my card in and touch the same pin pad everyone else used, and remove my card. She tears off the credit card slip and enters the Authorization number into her transaction on the cash register. Then she hands me the slip. I go to the pickup window, they hand me the food, and with the till receipt in hand she asks me if I want it or not. Guess I'd touched everything else already so that was just one more thing.
Our debit cards have had tap for a few years now. I think my per-transaction tap limit is $100 but I could probably get that increased if I wanted. Contactless. In theory it's called tap, but the card doesn't actually have to touch the machine, just close enough to be read.
I've seen a couple of places that don't have tap enabled machines wrap their card machine in plastic (like Saran Wrap) so it can be wiped down after every customer.
They have the tap feature at pretty much all places I go to. However, most of the key pads are covered with the glad wrap stuff you’re able to reuse. The definitely aren’t cleaning the machine after each use. I see no logical reason to cover the key pad. What is the point? They aren’t cleaning between uses. I keep hand sanitizer in all our vehicles.1 -
Complete shift of gears, here: On errands this afternoon, I found the Very Most Polite And Mask/Distancing Compliant place I've been at, since this whole thing started.
It was a big but very busy (multi-material) public recycling drop-off site run by the local university, near my home. They closed briefly, but are now open 9AM-3PM, M-F (used to be 24x7 pre-pandemic).
Even though it's outdoors, masks are required (presumably because people may get close to each other, possibly coming out of a blind corner). Every other angle-parking spot was blocked with a traffic cone. There was an attendant (never had one pre-pandemic) under a portable canopy. Every single patron I saw was properly masked. People were bustling back and forth, and you'd see people walk between the big receptacles or out toward the cars to maintain distance from others when meeting/passing, despite the masks. The receptacles are giant truck-sized bins with multiple doors to throw recyclables through, and folks were spacing themselves out at different doors, or waiting briefly for a clear spot.
I'm going to double down in my speculation - can't recall if in this or another corona thread here - that different businesses/facilities tend to attract different subgroups as patrons, who have different attitudes toward what's appropriate behavior during this mess.
This is very true. We've recently looked at getting a gun. I'm about as pacifist as you can get and I detest guns, but with everything going on (I've had legit threats against me because I'm outspoken on Facebook against certain lying politicians who shall remain nameless and my business address is online), we've decided to get a couple of handguns and keep them safe. We have no grandkids that visit either, so there's none of that going on here.
We went into one gun shop and no one, not one person, was wearing a mask. Now, keep in mind, a month ago, Arizona was per capita the highest place on the flippin' planet for Coronavirus and the entire county had it as law that they could shut you down for ignoring the statutes. But yet, every single person, including the staff, had no mask on.
Sign of the times. One time I'm not a pacifist -- you threaten my family. Just don't like getting exposed to Covid-19 because the entire gun lobby (at least in AZ) appears to be against masks, which is a shame.
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