I live in a small town off the beaten path and the number of cases doubled yesterday. :egypt:

^^That's one of the reasons many people are pushing for Federal decisions in the US, not leaving things up to each state and Govs, etc. Assuming no one or area or city is immune to this is a great idea IMO.

Here is some critical and moderately angry stuff from me, including some silver linings as well. I personally welcome opinions about all this, probably because I am a very opinionated person as well, so if you don't like that, please skip this rambling post :)

Really glad that now they are encouraging wearing masks. I got some N95 when they were still available on Amazon, but these home-made ones are just as good as many of the less professional masks some companies sold at a way too high cost. I think the whole thing earlier about discouraging masks was simply because there was a serious shortage, and the media (even medical institutions) really distorted it, saying masks won't do much to protect healthy people. I think that was said merely because there were not enough masks available and it had no scientific basis whatsoever. They should have started promoting making masks at home much earlier but, as usually, most interventions occur way too late. That was the case about social distancing, testing and masks. I know this all is part of a global cost/benefit type of calculation, and I understand how that is necessary, but I still don't like when they distort obvious truths to achieve the mass manipulation.

I still hear people in NYC saying they go out every day to do shopping. Some say they do to support the businesses, which is really ridiculous to me and an obvious excuse or denial. If they want to support them, why don't they order home deliveries? Sorry, it just angers the hack out of me that people still don't have that level of awareness, self-control and cooperativeness - anywhere hit by the virus, but especially in a hotspot like this.

I also heard about NYC medical staff protesting against their being forced to work with sloppy or expired PPE and the hospitals' refusing testing workers who had been exposed to COVID and even those with mild symptoms. Fortunately, some places are now changing these policies and take better care of their employees, but it has taken some really aggressive feedback.

I think the asymptomatic spreaders are still difficult and will remain one, because those people won't isolate properly and even if testing was available to those without symptoms, many would never go. There isn't too much we can do about that, I think, other than encouraging distancing and PPE. People complain when they get laid off or lose business of course, but many of the same refused to do the precautions and distancing earlier and some even refuse to do it properly now. I understand all this but all the delays in interventions and compliance (a lot still ongoing in many states and countries) contribute to the problem, that is plain fact.

On the other hand, some of the scientists working on COVID-19 now are making really remarkable progress while risking their lives - there are some in my hospital and it's really inspiring and hopeful, I keep following what they are doing and some of them share it on social media now instead of just keeping it for peer-reviewed publications. The US government also keeps releasing lots of new funding opportunities for COVID research, I get multiple emails about these almost every day. I think the world will make great strides in treatment and prevention very soon. Unfortunately, it's going in parallel with the infection/disease peaks, but it will undoubtedly help at least in the predicted later-occurring waves in the fall/winter and beyond.

Wishing a relatively peaceful day to everyone :grouphug:

I am sorry to hear that love.....and also sorry I haven't been in touch. :hug: s

I will text soon.....after some toast. :hug: s xx ❤️

I am heartbroken that my industry, the restaurant biz, is decimated by this disease. But I don't do take out or delivery - there are other ways to support my friends and co-workers out of work or in other awful straits. Many of the independent restaurants in my sphere are doing things like starting employee funds where money goes directly to laid off employees, and doing that by buying a gift card is our choice.

I guys... I am making my own masks for my house and that is it.... we will glove up and wear the masks I have made which is real simple to make....
Just go to DIY and hook up with these people to learn how to make your own...

Other than that I am holding out ok for someone who is a cancer survivor 2xs over and a jaw issue caused by cancer drugs...... but UCLA is where I usually travel to for my appts..... but I called them to reschedule appt for a later date months away.... If need be I can call them again and change the appt. as I live 3 hrs north of them...... too long a drive... :(

But for now I stay at home and crochet my blankets , work on other sewing projects to stay busy and even play old fashioned board games with my hubby and daughter .....

This virus and staying home is more than I can handle..... but hubby works on carvings on wood to keep busy and my daughter during the week days has her college work to keep her busy..... :) :) :)

Thanks for this Pipefish. I'm trying to use this situation ====> to look forward ===> to rebalance my life and make sure my priorities are straight.

Umm, I hope that's not true. It's kind of evil if it is...

I hear you. Construction is considered essential...like when you don't have a working shower, etc. We have all been exposed to each other for months. It is just inside my house and it is the same 1-4 guys. They are downstairs, I am upstairs. They don't come up here at all. They are gig workers, with no insurance, and don't get any kind of benefits or paycheck if they aren't working. I really didn't know what to do. Its very hard not having a working kitchen, you know? Especially now. Frankly I had no idea what to do. So I left it up to them. I stay away. I sanitize. I am still healthy. Don't know. Honestly I don't. I do think its different than a large company, or a business that interfaces with tons of people (like liquor stores) but maybe I'm fooling myself.

Time will tell if I should have ended the construction, left my house with 1 sort of functioning toilet and a partial kitchen for who knows how long. I made a judgment call. Actually I didn't, the contractor did. I just let it happen.

Ok glad people are taking about masks, because that's what I came here to warn folks about.

Last week before the US officially announced that they DO in fact recommend masks, I purchased some cloth masks and filters on Etsy after I heard they were asking their sellers to make them.

I purchased four masks at 9.99 each. The filters were kind of expensive, in total I spent about 200.00.

So I went back yesterday to purchase some more masks so I had a weeks worth before I needed to wash and disinfect.

They are now charging 49.99 and up for the same cloth mask.

Seriously? Let the price gouging begin I suppose.

I will not be purchasing any more, and shame on them.

I think the house construction (in your case) is essential dear entropy. :hug: s
And if the guys are downstairs and you are wiping down any door knobs or anything the touch, I believe you are safe here. Just my thoughts. :hug: s xx ❤️

I also find it very odd that home renovation workers are made to be active in this situation. I would seriously question the integrity (and more) of a person who hired and still allows them...

Welp maybe I'm a horrible person and lack integrity. I do feel bad. But here's the deal in my situation: Work started 2/4 long before any of us saw this coming the way it is. We weren't talking about it yet. My entire first floor is gone. Its the same guys everyday that I have already had contact with. I have kept quite a distance for the last 3 weeks. I absolutely did not insist work continue. My exact words were I would completely respect if the workers wanted to stop all work until 'this' passes. Which will be a long time. They wanted to work because without work they go hungry. We stay away from each other, separated by a second level.

So there it is. I lack integrity.

I had to pay double the usual price for potting soil.....really?

The stores that sell it will not sell it online right now....they have plenty but they want customers to come into the stores....for obvious reasons.....businesses failing.....but I think it is immoral. To the max.

And I had to pay $3 a roll for toilet paper.

We are not going out except to walk....I am buying everything we need online.

:hug: s ❤️

I don't yet know the full gravity of my situation but this very well could end with my losing my home in the next few months. I've lived here 28 years. That's not okay.

Oh my gosh Bim I hope not! That is one of my worst fears as well. And an unfinished remodel. Haha. I'm the anti christ. Homeless anti christ.

Anyway, I sure hope the feds do something to help people keep their homes.

No.....you absolutely do not lack integrity.

At all. How are these workers supposed to eat? Feed their families?

I have a very similar situation in the other half of the house. My landlady (lives in the same street as me) was having the apartment redone...kitchen and floors and things. The guy in there is working on his own...he is a lovely guy....I have known him for years now....he has 3 kids.....his wife is out of work. He is working 6-7 days a week right now on home projects for people who need them.

Like the 75 year old couple who has no kitchen right now....and they can't go out. That feels pretty essential to me.

Re the masks and keeping them on, many of our locals are sewing headbands with buttons on to save ears and keep the mask in place. They are donating to hospitals. I found my stash of buttons and put thrm on the local community association page, saying I can drop off. My best friend shares it, I quickly edited, I will drop off in our town only.

We are limiting our active watching of the news to once a day, one hour. Otherwise, whatever we hear on the radio. The message is simple, stay home.

Dh slept in until 11am today. He was being a pest yesterday, I welcomed him to self employment, self sustaining life. He did get the trucks and tractors cleaned, so that's something. Including my big truck, bonus points ;)

Love and peaceful thoughts to all.

Thanks Venus. I appreciate the understanding. Believe me, I do feel like a POS. But there are multiple angles to this particular situation. There is the fact that most of my house isn't functional, which is very challenging for my daughter and me. There is the fact that the guys will literally not be able to pay rent and buy food without work. I believe that 'unemployment' is different for gig workers. They can't schedule new work so they really want to finish the ongoing jobs. Which I think in their case is my job and 1 other. Then they are done until 'this' is over, or flattened, or whatever. There is far less 'exposure' going on here than there is going to the market.

The big however is that during February we just weren't as concerned about distancing. Maybe we should have been. I was somewhat concerned...in that I kept distance ( I mean, I'm not going to be sitting around downstairs in a construction zone anyway) and I sanitized. But one of them is sick, he has been tested, he is quarantined and is recovering. But we don't know the results yet. I have been quarantining too. Won't shop or anything like that until I know the results...and /or until I have to. Well I mean, I simply won't if it's a positive result. I haven't seen this worker for at least 3 weeks. But of course the other 3 have.

Oh my that's a lot of rationalization isn't it? But I do appreciate at least some compassion for a tough judgment call. I hope he is negative. But either way, I have been vigilant about social distancing since mid February. Long before my state set any parameters. BLAHHHHH. I want my house back.

Do they touch the same front/back door as you? Are they wearing gloves?
Probably not....they don't. My concern would be the door but otherwise, I would have had exposure right up until about 2-3 weeks ago. We all would....we didn't know.

(or however many weeks, I have lost track of time).

I have been sanitizing the doors for, I dunno, maybe 5 weeks? Maybe longer. They use the garage door. I use the front. But I still sanitize it every time. And I sanitize every night after they leave. No they don't wear gloves and they don't sanitize. I can't force them to do that kind of thing, I did suggest it.

Sorry to make this so about me. Its not. I guess its an example of how complex this is. Maybe there is some truth that not all cities, states and countries are exactly the same. An example that 'this' isn't always black and white. An example of people simply trying to feed their families vs stopping work and possibly losing everything.

One of the guys just came here to pick up a saw out of the back yard. They aren't worried about 'this' at all. I am. I just spoke to him through the front door. Haha. I know they think I'm nuts and I'm over reacting. Time will tell.

I believe the economy will reopen. It will have to. People will have to weigh the risk of illness over the risk of homelessness or hunger. To me that seems to be a fact. But if you are in NYC I'm sure what I'm saying makes no sense. Hey maybe it makes no sense to anyone.

Anyway, sorry for all the blabbing about my one insignificant situation. Nuf said huh?

Right, that's what I think, too.

There may be a series of tightening and loosening the control, but things have to start changing and a six month lockdown would be devastating. I feel like there would be widespread civil unrest before that.

Two months or even three? We could possibly do that without too much long-term financial destruction, but then autumn hits and that's what viruses love.

At some point they (government) will be ready to take the sick and be prepared to deal with the dead. There is no other way. This is ramp-up time.