We have been isolated for 23 days. We have left for Covid-19 testing, an infusion for DS, a trip through the CVS drive-thru, and to my IL's vacant house. My ILs are now live in assisted living, so we've taking advantage of having no other place to go, to work on cleaning out their old home.
I've been going out every other day or so to get supplies or pickup takeout. We ate out a lot before this, and our favorite local restaurants are trying to stay afloat so we've been getting take-out a few nights a week. I should probably switch to delivery, but that 5 minutes in the car has been saving my sanity. All the restaurants seems to be doing really good with having precautionary measures in place, and people aren't crowding around each other. I'm really careful with what I touch, bring my own pen to sign credit card receipts, carry around hand sanitzer wipes, and just do the best that I can.
From what I understand, even if someone coughs directly on your food and you ingest it (sorry for the visual), you will not catch the virus. You don't catch it through ingestion of the droplets. It isn't like norovirus which you can catch through your intestinal track. If you handle packaging carefully, place food in a new container, and wash your hands before eating, take out is fine.
"Unlike foodborne gastrointestinal (GI) viruses like norovirus and hepatitis A that often make people ill through contaminated food, SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, is a virus that causes respiratory illness. Foodborne exposure to this virus is not known to be a route of transmission.
The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person. This includes between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet), and through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. However, it’s always critical to follow the 4 key steps of food safety—clean, separate, cook, and chill – to prevent foodborne illness. "
It’s marginally safer than having so many people handling open food. I would hope that we’re all being smarter about how we buy produce etc. that isn’t sealed in any way.
According to who? I don't mean to be combative, but I'm wondering if there are information or studies out there stating this. All the information I have seen that is currently out there from the FDA, CDC, epidemiologists, and food safety specialists states there is no evidence of the virus being transmitted through food - especially hot food - and ordering takeout is fine. We're careful with the to-go containers, thoroughly wash our hands after touching the containers, and reheat the food if needed.
If someone isn't comfortable ordering take-out that's fine, but I don't think it's fair to criticize others for doing so when the experts have said it is safe.
I’m possibly also being combative, and maybe projecting as I sit here with empty businesses just watching my livelihood and possibly the future of myself and 50 employees circle the drain. I made the choice to shut down completely for other reasons like insurance and profit margins, and also because I just didn’t feel comfortable asking people to come to work. I honestly did not feel like I could handle the responsibility of keeping staff and customers safe.
According to who? I don't mean to be combative, but I'm wondering if there are information or studies out there stating this. All the information I have seen that is currently out there from the FDA, CDC, epidemiologists, and food safety specialists states there is no evidence of the virus being transmitted through food - especially hot food - and ordering takeout is fine. We're careful with the to-go containers, thoroughly wash our hands after touching the containers, and reheat the food if needed.
If someone isn't comfortable ordering take-out that's fine, but I don't think it's fair to criticize others for doing so when the experts have said it is safe.
I’m possibly also being combative, and maybe projecting as I sit here with empty businesses just watching my livelihood and possibly the future of myself and 50 employees circle the drain. I made the choice to shut down completely for other reasons like insurance and profit margins, and also because I just didn’t feel comfortable asking people to come to work. I honestly did not feel like I could handle the responsibility of keeping staff and customers safe.
I'm sorry. I can only imagine how hard that is a business owner And I will say the bolded is what has given me pause. We have several businesses here that are open for call-in orders only. For instance our local nursery is open and you can call to place your order and pay, then drive up and they'll load the items in your trunk. I wonder whether the workers there and at the restaurants doing take-out are happy to be receiving a paycheck, or would they feel more safe if they could stay home.
I am WFH, DH is not working, SD18s college is all virtual learning. SD17 and DS7 have school cancelled with no virtual learning.
Michigan is Stay Home, Stay Safe so most things are closed. We aren't going anywhere except the grocery store and every Thursday we are doing a drive through ice cream night because troop morale.
DS and I are doing a 2 mile bike ride (for him)/speed walk (for me) every afternoon and neighbors all seem pretty vigilant about staying 6 feet away. People are moving to opposite sides of the street or to the center as they pass each other etc.
I’m possibly also being combative, and maybe projecting as I sit here with empty businesses just watching my livelihood and possibly the future of myself and 50 employees circle the drain. I made the choice to shut down completely for other reasons like insurance and profit margins, and also because I just didn’t feel comfortable asking people to come to work. I honestly did not feel like I could handle the responsibility of keeping staff and customers safe.
I'm sorry. I can only imagine how hard that is a business owner And I will say the bolded is what has given me pause. We have several businesses here that are open for call-in orders only. For instance our local nursery is open and you can call to place your order and pay, then drive up and they'll load the items in your trunk. I wonder whether the workers there and at the restaurants doing take-out are happy to be receiving a paycheck, or would they feel more safe if they could stay home.
For a lot of those small businesses, where it’s feasible for the owner and family to do the work, I understand going forward. There are so many other variables, like our schools shut down along with everything else so how could I keep parents working and force them to pay for childcare? I have staff that also work in healthcare or have spouses that do and I couldn’t have them more at risk or putting us at risk. Anxiety was high and morale was low and everyone just needed someone to make a call, and I did what I felt was best. In Canada we’re fairly protected as far as employment insurance and benefits specific to covid so that was some relief, and alleviates pressure on people to work out of necessity when they don’t feel safe.
Post by revolution on Mar 30, 2020 15:09:43 GMT -5
I left Saturday to get groceries. DH and I are both WFH (I'm always WFH, he started a week ago) and the kids are out of school. We've stayed home for 2 weeks now aside from 2 trips by me to the grocery store and DH had to get a beeper from a coworker for the week and they met in a parking lot.
However, it seems people around here do not give a shit and are constantly out and about. Parks are full, parking lots of businesses are full. It's ridiculous. I went for groceries and wanted to get a ton of food so I didn't have to go back and get through the store as quickly as possible. Grocery pickup and delivery is hard to come by right now, so I'm trying to let people that really need it us that service and not take a slot from them.
Post by litskispeciality on Mar 30, 2020 16:55:00 GMT -5
Ok I'm sorry if this is flameful, but people have to stay put. Someone on a conference call today was proud that they went up to their summer/beach whatever house in another state to open it up. To be fair it's more rural up there, so in their mind they're helping with this by going to a more secluded area...kind of but again you could be spreading it. I'm just sick of everyone ruining it for the rest of us who are following the rules. My boss said last week they don't think we'll be back in office until beginning of May, and now today it sounds like even later than that. Maybe if it didn't rain all the time and I could go for a walk I wouldn't be so grumpy.
I feel bad for people changing jobs. We're hiring someone who won't start until first week of May, but sadly we don't even know if we'll be back by then. They can on-board from home as much as they can, but it just seems so backwards all around.
Post by Shreddingbetty on Mar 30, 2020 23:10:02 GMT -5
Today as I work in medicine. Our stay at home went into effect last Thursday I had vacation with my kid and so we didn’t go anywhere at all the last 4 days. Unfortunately both my ex and I work in medicine so our kid will go between us as well as a sitter. Just no way around it. But other than that I plan on staying home except for once a week grocery run and my walk while we are allowed.
20 days since my son’s last day in daycare / my last day at the hospital.
18 days since we stopped taking him to the outdoor playground.
17 days since my husband went into the office.
16 days since I last went to the grocery store.
Delivery options aren’t working out in my area so I will likely have to do a restock later this week and then stay home for another 2.5-3 weeks, hopefully past peak. We aren’t doing takeout.
I will have to go back to the hospital in 11 days, but as a patient (infusion) and not a provider.
Last time I got in a car was 3/21 (groceries). DH went for groceries on 3/27. The kids have been home since their last day of school on 3/13.
DH and I both already had WFH jobs.
We live in a big neighborhood where we take bike and golfcart rides a lot and see friends/neighbors when they walk past our house so we're not truly isolated. Everyone's pretty serious about standing at a distance to talk, though we have gathered in small groups for drinks on people's lawns but spread out.
Our beaches and parks are closed but stores always seem pretty busy.
Post by litskispeciality on Mar 31, 2020 10:17:45 GMT -5
I heard on the radio that the residents of Cape Cod, MA (and I assume the islands?) are putting together a petition to block entrance until this is over. So many people have vacation homes there I think they're afraid of a big surge, when they don't really have the medical facilities to help the sick vacationers.
Post by NewGirlNic on Mar 31, 2020 10:45:20 GMT -5
March 13th was my last day in the office (H works from home) and the last day of school for DS. On Tuesday 3/17 I went to my office to get a few things I needed that I forgot to bring with me when I left Friday (before things were official that we'd be working remotely). I was the only one there and was in and out within 5 minutes. My office is near the airport and it was so eerie to see the parking lots nearly empty.
That weekend I went and did a big grocery shop and haven't stepped foot inside a store since that. I did a Target drive up order last week and took the long way there and back and enjoyed a coffee (that I took from home) and listened to an audio book. It felt good/weird to drive.
H has gone to CVS to pick up prescriptions, and to the grocery store twice.
We are going to need more groceries by the end of the week. Like others have said, order pickup or delivery has been hard to come by. I was just talking to my bff and she placed an instacart order on Saturday and it was delivered yesterday. Over 50% of her items were out of stock and no substitutions available. I think at this point it's just easier for one of us to go and get what we can and make our own substitutions as needed. H has had good luck going at like 11am or 2pm during the week. Most everything we've needed has been in stock.
I've heard from a few people that Trader Joe's is doing an amazing job at keeping customers safe distances, sanitizing carts before you walk in, making sure hand sanitizer is available throughout the store etc.
We have been taking the dog for walks in our neighborhood as often as we can (weather permitting). The pup is loving it. H usually goes for a run 3-4 days a week with him and we sometimes do multiple walks a day if it's nice out.
I heard on the radio that the residents of Cape Cod, MA (and I assume the islands?) are putting together a petition to block entrance until this is over. So many people have vacation homes there I think they're afraid of a big surge, when they don't really have the medical facilities to help the sick vacationers.
Yes, it's definitely true for Nantucket. They have already had an influx of summer residents. The Cottage Hospital has only 19 beds and no dedicated ICU.
We leave the house daily to take walks or bike rides in our neighborhood but don't come in close contact with anyone. we mostly wave to neighbors from a distance and everyone seems good about giving each other space. a few weeks ago we were having a hard time letting our kids out to play because even if our kids were good about staying to our own yard...the other kids were not. They are so used to going in and out of everyone's yard/house. But it's better now. The last time we went anywhere that we had contact with people was Saturday and it was just DH to grab groceries. We do drive to the local trails to hike within our town but they haven't gotten crowded at all yet so I feel like this is safe.
ETA: Oh and H has been WFH since March 9th and I starting working mostly from home last Monday. I work in a hospital ( non clinical) and we just got the notice today that my department needs to be 100% from home effective immediately.