Coronavirus pandemic

[jakeroot]

It's got to be tens of pages ago now that I mentioned that sidewalks and trails have become the new roads - that's where all the traffic is! That seems to still be the case around here, especially on nice days like today. It has been refreshingly pleasant to see other people out getting exercise. Traffic on the roads has ticked back up, and seems to have settled into a new normal: congestion-free, but enough people out and about that there's still a (subdued) hum of economic activity.

It's a very good point, this. I walk a lot because of where I live, and because I don't like looking for parking in the city. Needless to say, I'm very privy to where there are lots of pedestrians, versus where there aren't. I've seen a very sizeable increase in the amount of foot traffic, and in particular, the number of kids out riding bikes, drawing on sidewalks, or just enjoying the sun. The side streets are quieter than ever before, and the air seems cleaner. Things will change, of course, but if someone ever wondered what a typical neighborhood street might have looked like in the 20s or 30s, well...regards.

Three weeks ago, I would have predicted an uptick in local traffic, as people try everything to avoid contact with others, but that doesn't seem to have panned out.

[US71]

I, for one, am not terrified to go into the grocery store. I'm much more worried about compliance with all the policy changes and such that might catch me off guard than I am about actually catching the virus. However, I do feel for people that are high-risk. It's a really tough time to be over 65 or have an underlying condition.

It's got to be tens of pages ago now that I mentioned that sidewalks and trails have become the new roads - that's where all the traffic is! That seems to still be the case around here, especially on nice days like today. It has been refreshingly pleasant to see other people out getting exercise. Traffic on the roads has ticked back up, and seems to have settled into a new normal: congestion-free, but enough people out and about that there's still a (subdued) hum of economic activity.

I'm not too worried about myself (yet). I go to the store about every 10-14 days for supplies and stay home otherwise. Once or twice a week, I'll drive over to Braum's for a milkshake

[oscar]

I'm not too worried about myself (yet). I go to the store about every 10-14 days for supplies and stay home otherwise. Once or twice a week, I'll drive over to Braum's for a milkshake

Same here, except my outings are more frequent, largely because I can't cook, and also my freezer doesn't hold more than a week's supply of frozen food to pop into the microwave. I stretch that out by getting breakfast at a drive-through most mornings, and also twice-weekly grocery trips. I also made a quick out-of-state (but still in the metro area) visit to my sister, to draw down her toilet paper stash, and swap some of my consumer-grade non-washable surgical masks for one of her handmade washable masks.

I'm still waiting to get back to road-tripping. But since I live in a regional pandemic hotspot, my state's stay-at-home order is unlikely to be lifted anytime soon (at least for northern Virginia). Also, all the surrounding states have their own travel restrictions. And the just-extended closure of the U.S./Canada border to tourist traffic further delays what had been my next planned road trip, to Toronto. So I just wait patiently for the situation to improve.

[SoCal Kid]

Not seriously concerned about this whole pandemic, really just stay home, practice basic hygiene, and distance yourself if you have to go out. I have been mostly staying at home plus having online class. However, I do go outside a couple times a week. Recently traveled along a bit of the Angeles Crest Highway, was a rather fun experience. Kinda nice since now traffic is basically gone here in LA. It's actually rather relaxing to be quarantined like this, just have a break from normal life, which can be stressful at times. Of course, I do hope for things to resume to normal as soon as possible and I wish everyone a safe life during this.

[Roadgeekteen]

I'm not too worried about myself (yet). I go to the store about every 10-14 days for supplies and stay home otherwise. Once or twice a week, I'll drive over to Braum's for a milkshake

Same here, except my outings are more frequent, largely because I can't cook, and also my freezer doesn't hold more than a week's supply of frozen food to pop into the microwave. I stretch that out by getting breakfast at a drive-through most mornings, and also twice-weekly grocery trips. I also made a quick out-of-state (but still in the metro area) visit to my sister, to draw down her toilet paper stash, and swap some of my consumer-grade non-washable surgical masks for one of her handmade washable masks.

I'm still waiting to get back to road-tripping. But since I live in a regional pandemic hotspot, my state's stay-at-home order is unlikely to be lifted anytime soon (at least for northern Virginia). Also, all the surrounding states have their own travel restrictions. And the just-extended closure of the U.S./Canada border to tourist traffic further delays what had been my next planned road trip, to Toronto. So I just wait patiently for the situation to improve.

Drive through restaurants are still open? Thought it was just takeout.

[1995hoo]

I hope I don't jinx myself by making this post, but I try to look at it from a practical standpoint. There are just under 2,000 confirmed cases here in Fairfax County, and the county's population is over 1.1 million. Of course there are bound to be unreported cases as well, but statistically, the odds of encountering one of those people is fairly low. That doesn't mean I don't take precautions like washing my hands, limiting where I go, and wearing a mask when I go to the grocery store or Home Depot, but I'm not one of these people who's terrified even to go outside at all. I haven't been wearing a mask when I go out for a walk in the afternoon after work because I make an effort to stay away from other people (except, of course, my wife, if she comes along with me), and I've been altering my usual walking route to find options where I'll encounter fewer people (e.g., I'm using a dirt trail through the woods more often provided the ground is dry).

But you can't put your whole life on hold, and I'm not really interested in trying grocery delivery. I prefer to pick out my own meat, fish, and produce, and there have been a lot of reports of two-week waits for grocery delivery in some cases.

The one thing that did really annoy me the last two times at the grocery store was that even though they have lines on the floor showing you where to stand to maintain the six feet from the person in front of you while waiting to check out, both of the past two times the guy behind me has been a "cart-puller" who seems determined to stand in front of his cart instead of behind it like everyone else, which immediately means he's too close to the person in front of him. I didn't say anything this past Saturday because the guy behind me was big and easily weighed 100 pounds more than I do.

Drive through restaurants are still open? Thought it was just takeout.

Might depend on where you are and the type of restaurant. The Burger King drive-thru in our neighborhood had a very long line on Saturday. I suspect they may be open for drive-thru only, not carryout, because that way they don't have to deal with forcing people to leave after getting their food (no doubt with carryout somebody would "change his mind" and try to eat it at a table there).

[jeffandnicole]

Drive through restaurants are still open? Thought it was just takeout.

For the most part,  fast food restaurants are drive thru only. Some are open where people can enter for takeout orders, but that tends to be in the minority. Some may offer curbside pickup as well.

[GaryV]

Drive through restaurants are still open? Thought it was just takeout.

What are you thinking of as "takeout"?  Maybe you mean "delivery", as common for pizza places, Chinese, Door Dash and other services, etc. - and now a whole lot more restaurants that didn't have delivery services before.

My definition of "takeout" is where you go to the place, pick up your order, and "take it out" with you.  Drive-thru is the epitome of that.

[1995hoo]

Drive through restaurants are still open? Thought it was just takeout.

What are you thinking of as "takeout"?  Maybe you mean "delivery", as common for pizza places, Chinese, Door Dash and other services, etc. - and now a whole lot more restaurants that didn't have delivery services before.

My definition of "takeout" is where you go to the place, pick up your order, and "take it out" with you.  Drive-thru is the epitome of that.

To me, "takeout" would mean you go inside the restaurant and order "to go," as opposed to "for here," the difference in normal times being that when you order "for here" they put your food on a tray that you then take to a table to eat your food, whereas when you order "to go" they put it in  a bag and you normally leave with it. I suppose "takeout" could also mean ordering from a walk-up window; the Popeye's that used to be at 11th & F in DC had one of those around the corner from the main entrance (they had no drive-thru). In my mind I distinguish the drive-thru from "takeout," although there probably isn't really any good reason for distinguishing between the two. I don't normally hear people using the term "takeout" except, perhaps, in reference to Chinese restaurants ("Chinese takeout").*

Prior to the current pandemic, I've sometimes gone inside to order "to go" at fast food places that have drive-thrus for two reasons–(1) usually a much shorter wait such that I can go inside, order, get my food, and leave in less time than it would take even to reach the point where you tell them your order at the drive-thru; (2) getting it "to go" lets me put the food in the trunk so the car's passenger section doesn't get any fast-food smell.

*Then, of course, there is this legendary place in Jacksonville: https://goo.gl/maps/HFgz7oNxHZphJt5z8

[SEWIGuy]

I'm not concerned about stores.  I go out every ten days or so.  Yesterday was the first in awhile so I enjoyed that.  A lot more people wearing masks (including myself) than the last time I was out.  People are being very respectful and keeping distance. 

I still get out of the house though.  Walk the day about a mile and a half at least once a day.  Usually get a good cardio workout in a few times a week.

[NWI_Irish96]

I have been horrified by this entire experience this past month. In mid-March, I was somewhat guarded but not terrified about the virus itself. But now I won't even go into a store (even the ones that are open). That's not to mention the horror of government abuse, which has been a concern all along.

The past month has been hands-down one of the worst of my life.

Am I the only person who is terrified to even go into a store or a business now?

My wife is a respiratory therapist at a hospital, so she is coming in contact with positive patients every night she works.  Because this virus can take a week or more after infection to present symptoms, our family lives as though we are positive.  We aren't staying home because we're afraid of getting it, we're staying home because we're afraid of spreading it. 

This is what is so incredibly frustrating about these protestors who are demanding the reopening of businesses.  It's going to prolong our family's exposure to risk.

[bandit957]

This is what is so incredibly frustrating about these protestors who are demanding the reopening of businesses.  It's going to prolong our family's exposure to risk.

Those "protests" need to just go away. Lockdowns will end, and must end, because society can't take it much longer. But the "protests" are bogging down the process.

The people behind these "protests" don't care about the lockdowns, or about the virus. They care only about exploiting the situation.

[Max Rockatansky]

Has anyone who's been replying to this topic actually been tested or suspected they caught COVID-19?  I'm fairly certain at this point I caught the virus in late December/early January but that's probably something I'll never have the chance to actually prove. 

[bandit957]

Has anyone who's been replying to this topic actually been tested or suspected they caught COVID-19?

I may have had it in early March because there was one day when I was so tired I actually thought I was going to die. I suspect a family member had it just before then.

[Roadgeekteen]

Has anyone who's been replying to this topic actually been tested or suspected they caught COVID-19?  I'm fairly certain at this point I caught the virus in late December/early January but that's probably something I'll never have the chance to actually prove.

Many people probably have had it that will never know because they were asymptomatic. Several of my friends were out of school with a flu right before this happened, they could have had it.

[Max Rockatansky]

Has anyone who's been replying to this topic actually been tested or suspected they caught COVID-19?

I may have had it in early March because there was one day when I was so tired I actually thought I was going to die. I suspect a family member had it just before then.

Around Christmas we had a family member from Los Angeles over who was very sick.  He mostly stayed in his room but was coughing a lot. 

I got suddenly sick myself on the 23rd.  I felt fine the majority of the day and even had a long run in the morning.  In the evening I ended up with a really bad fever coupled with chills that lasted for about 12 hours.  The fever lasted two more days but the extreme fatigue was around for about four days.  From about a day and half in I had a really persistent dry cough that lasted until about the 10th of January.  I eventually went to an urgent care because of linger stomach problems brought on when I was sick, I was told that I probably had a severe flu.  I ended up losing about fifteen pounds during the whole thing and didn't feel completely right until about the start of February.  I've never had symptoms identical to what I had during a cold or flu. 

[NWI_Irish96]

Has anyone who's been replying to this topic actually been tested or suspected they caught COVID-19?  I'm fairly certain at this point I caught the virus in late December/early January but that's probably something I'll never have the chance to actually prove. 

With my wife working at a hospital, I've been checking my temperature every day.  I'm usually a remarkably consistent 98.6 exactly.  There was a five day stretch a couple weeks back I was at 99.1 exactly.  Along with that I had a very mild, sporadic cough and a runny nose, and I was a bit achy.  I could have had a very mild case of COVID-19 or it could have just been any of a number of other things. 

[SEWIGuy]

Has anyone who's been replying to this topic actually been tested or suspected they caught COVID-19?  I'm fairly certain at this point I caught the virus in late December/early January but that's probably something I'll never have the chance to actually prove. 

Very highly doubtful.  There was a bad cold going around last fall that had many of the same symptoms, though nowhere near as severe.  A local doctor was on TV and addressed this a few weeks ago.

If it was Covid, you would have seen spikes everywhere because though people can be assymptomatic, not everyone is. 

[tradephoric]

Has anyone who's been replying to this topic actually been tested or suspected they caught COVID-19?  I'm fairly certain at this point I caught the virus in late December/early January but that's probably something I'll never have the chance to actually prove. 

I was tested on March 27th after exhibiting symptoms for over a week (shortness of breath, fever, chills).  The test came back negative.

[LM117]

This is what is so incredibly frustrating about these protestors who are demanding the reopening of businesses.  It's going to prolong our family's exposure to risk.

Those "protests" need to just go away. Lockdowns will end, and must end, because society can't take it much longer. But the "protests" are bogging down the process.

The people behind these "protests" don't care about the lockdowns, or about the virus. They care only about exploiting the situation.

At least in NC the assholes are honest about the fact that the economy is more important than people's lives.

https://www.wral.com/hundreds-plan-to-meet-in-raleigh-for-another-reopen-nc-rally/19064821/

Protestors say they feel the economic toll of the stay-at-home order outweighs the public health benefits during the crisis.

Two girls I went to school with work at the hospital in Goldsboro, NC and right now, there's 575 cases in Wayne County, 458 of which is part of an outbreak at a prison there. From what I'm told, people are still going about like it's another day.

http://goldsborodailynews.com/blog/2020/04/20/over-500-covid-19-cases-in-wayne-county-most-at-prison/

[kalvado]

Has anyone who's been replying to this topic actually been tested or suspected they caught COVID-19?  I'm fairly certain at this point I caught the virus in late December/early January but that's probably something I'll never have the chance to actually prove.

So far, mid-february is the earliest possible date to get infected in US. Late December infection is pretty much impossible outside of ill-fated Chinese province. https://twitter.com/trvrb/status/1249414295042965504?lang=en is a very good post from a very knowledgeable and reputable person. 
And yes, antibody test would likely tell the truth about your disease even now. And those become available and actually administered.

https://dailygazette.com/article/2020/04/20/antibody-testing-begins-officially-in-capital-region  - maybe there is something like that going on in your area?

[Max Rockatansky]

Has anyone who's been replying to this topic actually been tested or suspected they caught COVID-19?  I'm fairly certain at this point I caught the virus in late December/early January but that's probably something I'll never have the chance to actually prove. 

Very highly doubtful.  There was a bad cold going around last fall that had many of the same symptoms, though nowhere near as severe.  A local doctor was on TV and addressed this a few weeks ago.

If it was Covid, you would have seen spikes everywhere because though people can be assymptomatic, not everyone is.

In California?  It's not exactly something that has been outright dismissed that the virus was on the west coast earlier than suspected.  With all those flights coming in from China daily there is at least some plausibility to it.  The first known U.S. cases weren't far behind that time frame.  At minimum some researchers have suggested that the reason the case numbers on the West Coast might be so low is earlier exposure than is presently suspected.  I'm not saying that's the case, but doesn't seem to be something the mainstream research has totally dismissed regarding the west coast. 

Regarding antibody tests I'd be up for giving one a try if it was somehow possible for me to do.  So far I haven't seen anything that would suggest that locally it is possible.  But then again that still doesn't prove much, I could in theory have been exposed later and not had symptoms. 

[bing101]

This is what is so incredibly frustrating about these protestors who are demanding the reopening of businesses.  It's going to prolong our family's exposure to risk.

Those "protests" need to just go away. Lockdowns will end, and must end, because society can't take it much longer. But the "protests" are bogging down the process.

The people behind these "protests" don't care about the lockdowns, or about the virus. They care only about exploiting the situation.

At least in NC the assholes are honest about the fact that the economy is more important than people's lives.

https://www.wral.com/hundreds-plan-to-meet-in-raleigh-for-another-reopen-nc-rally/19064821/

Protestors say they feel the economic toll of the stay-at-home order outweighs the public health benefits during the crisis.

Two girls I went to school with work at the hospital in Goldsboro, NC and right now, there's 575 cases in Wayne County, 458 of which is part of an outbreak at a prison there. From what I'm told, people are still going about like it's another day.

http://goldsborodailynews.com/blog/2020/04/20/over-500-covid-19-cases-in-wayne-county-most-at-prison/

https://www.syracuse.com/state/2020/04/small-protest-in-albany-demands-communist-cuomo-lift-stay-at-home-order-in-ny.html

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-washington/about-2500-protesters-converge-at-washington-state-capitol-against-stay-at-home-order-idUSKBN22201H

https://fox40.com/news/local-news/crowd-gathers-at-capitol-to-protest-stay-at-home-order/

Apparently the protests against the "Mask Orders" and "Shelter in Place" orders is nationwide at a state capital though. Sacramento, Albany and Olympia had their protests at the same time for the same reasons though like in the one in North Carolina.

[Roadgeekteen]

This is what is so incredibly frustrating about these protestors who are demanding the reopening of businesses.  It's going to prolong our family's exposure to risk.

Those "protests" need to just go away. Lockdowns will end, and must end, because society can't take it much longer. But the "protests" are bogging down the process.

The people behind these "protests" don't care about the lockdowns, or about the virus. They care only about exploiting the situation.

At least in NC the assholes are honest about the fact that the economy is more important than people's lives.

https://www.wral.com/hundreds-plan-to-meet-in-raleigh-for-another-reopen-nc-rally/19064821/

Protestors say they feel the economic toll of the stay-at-home order outweighs the public health benefits during the crisis.

Two girls I went to school with work at the hospital in Goldsboro, NC and right now, there's 575 cases in Wayne County, 458 of which is part of an outbreak at a prison there. From what I'm told, people are still going about like it's another day.

http://goldsborodailynews.com/blog/2020/04/20/over-500-covid-19-cases-in-wayne-county-most-at-prison/

https://www.syracuse.com/state/2020/04/small-protest-in-albany-demands-communist-cuomo-lift-stay-at-home-order-in-ny.html

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-washington/about-2500-protesters-converge-at-washington-state-capitol-against-stay-at-home-order-idUSKBN22201H

https://fox40.com/news/local-news/crowd-gathers-at-capitol-to-protest-stay-at-home-order/

Apparently the protests against the "Mask Orders" and "Shelter in Place" orders is nationwide at a state capital though. Sacramento, Albany and Olympia had their protests at the same time for the same reasons though like in the one in North Carolina.

Idiots. We will be locked up for longer if these assholes spread it 

[tradephoric]

"Singapore was known as the gold standard when it came to a stay at home order, but then they just dropped the protections and went right back to life and now they have a second wave that is devastating.  That is what we need to avoid." - Gretchen Whitmer 4/20 press conference.

The governor of Michigan Gretchen Whitmer describing the spike in cases that is taking place in Singapore as a "second wave" is disingenuous.  Singapore was until recently doing a good job at containing the virus and at the beginning of April there was less than 1k confirmed cases in a country of 5.6 million people.  The reality is Singapore is undergoing their first wave of infections after losing their containment battle, which in no way reflects what is going on in Michigan which has already been ravaged by the virus with tens of thousands of people infected.  The comparison never should have been made, yet Gretchen uses these distortions to justify why the people of Michigan shouldn't be allowed to buy seed or travel between residences.