The Coronavirus Panic Thread

[Seanette]

Still seeing very few masks in public, but now my sup finished out his workday by going around spraying desks with disinfectant after we were logged out, signed off, and headed out the door.

I'm actually having some cough/sinus woes/sore throat and am very tired. Of course, sleeping more than 4-6 hours a night might help, but I'm getting up every bit as tired as when I went to bed. Rather queasy, but not to the point of vomiting. Starting to wonder if hermiting for a day or two would be a good health move (I know it won't be a good financial move, but still...).

[ladyjaneinmd]

Still seeing very few masks in public, but now my sup finished out his workday by going around spraying desks with disinfectant after we were logged out, signed off, and headed out the door.

I'm actually having some cough/sinus woes/sore throat and am very tired. Of course, sleeping more than 4-6 hours a night might help, but I'm getting up every bit as tired as when I went to bed. Rather queasy, but not to the point of vomiting. Starting to wonder if hermiting for a day or two would be a good health move (I know it won't be a good financial move, but still...).

Yes, hermit for a day will work wonders. I have to do that every so often, or my brain turns to mush and I'm useless at work.
Of course, I have the PTO for that, so it's easier on me.
Think of it this way: taken one hermit day and lose a little money, or work yourself into such a state of exhaustion that you are forced into a week off. Take the smaller financial hit.
I have a friend who does this regularly, and it's frustrating to watch. She waits until everything is dire, then collapses for at least a week.

[Edwina]

Hubby have a little cold and only one of the symptoms is on the corona symptom list so he is ordered to stay home and it’s now a rule for all employees and students to stay home even if you haven’t been in contact with someone that’s been a risk.
The government has removed the financial penalty for the first two sick days until the first of may in order to get people to stay home when they are little bit sick.
I have seen a rise in home delivery for meals and groceries but not one with a face mask outside the dentist office (removed a rotten tooth so I plan on staying home until Sunday and feel sorry for myself) and saw a friend get angry on FB because people have been stockpiling insulin the last two weeks but there is plenty of soap and hand sanitizer in the pharmacy.
Only one suspected case of Corona in my town but we aren’t far from the capital where most cases are.

[Seanette]

My current symptoms include sore throat, mild nausea, fatigue (with bonus insomnia) and some sneezing/coughing/congestion. Sneezing, congestion, and to an extent sore throat I think could be blamed on seasonal allergies. Nausea probably goes along with the fatigue problem. As for why I'm so ridiculously tired but unable to get decent-quality sleep, who knows?

I'm home today, but busier than a sick day probably should be. Two grocery deliveries and an Amazon package on the agenda, plus two loads of laundry. Took out the garbage (DH still can't do that much lifting and carrying) and ran the dishwasher last night. Probably should get around to scooping the Princess's box.

[Buzzard]

Stockpiling insulin, I can see as valid. In refrigeration, it'll last for ages, and there's that whole "I'mma gonna die slow and painful without this" deal. It also helps eliminate the need to venture out into the public.

Hand sanitizer is the quick shortcut for actually washing the hands properly. Not generally needed if one is avoiding the world, or can be bothered to use soap.

[Smapti]

It's just come out within the hour that we have our first confirmed case in this county, so I expect the panic to expand into Phase 2 soon.

[Gerrinson]

Just learned my employer is shutting down due to the coronavirus. For the next 6 weeks. They told us today, business is shut as of end of day Friday. We are just now starting to notify guests who have reservations for Friday check-in.

On the incredibly, super-bright, what Bizarro-world did this decision come from side: All staff are going to receive full wages for all 6 weeks, whether or not you work from home some, or at all. That's... incredibly nicer and more compassionate than the current management team has been. Like ever.

I have been informed my team is expected to work remotely the entire time. And I will have at least 1 day per week on site for my work which cannot be done remotely. So, I still have to earn my money the hard way. Le sigh.

[Pixelated]

I've seen fewer than ten people wearing face masks, and one of them had it pulled down to her chin, exposing her nose and mouth, so she obviously wasn't that worried. A dude on the train today was wearing latex gloves.

The big supermarket that I usually buy groceries at is totally out of hand sanitizer, but I haven't looked at the dollar stores or drug stores. I think they were still stocked up on toilet paper but as I didn't need to buy any, I didn't really look.

While I am over 60, and either diabetic or pre-diabetic depending on which criteria you use, I am generally in good health. I had some sort of creeping crud back in December, for which the cough lasted WAY longer than ever before, but it's long gone, and there are no confirmed cases of the virus in my town.

That's about it. Oh, our governor has decided that the best way to deal with price gouging of hand sanitizer is for the state to produce its own, "official" brand, to be sold to schools and state agencies for now. He's also warning that if price gouging continues, he will make the stuff available elsewhere. It has a higher alcohol content even than Purell.

Other than that, it's business as usual. I go to work, stop at grocery or drug stores or the bank when I need to. Unless the company or the government orders mandatory quarantine, or I come down with it (knock wood), I will continue to do so.

Exactly the same situation here, MoonCat, right down to the 'creeping crud.' I just came off four days of what I'm sure was my Annual Winter Cold, and it was worse than the last few years, although not longer-lived. There were times when I was positive my coughing fit was going to rupture something. As this fades away, though, I am in generally good health (although diabetic) and there are no cases in my hometown either, so ... just gonna do basic precautions and not obsess about it.

*snip*

I already have plenty of hand sanitizer but don't want to dry out my hands too much.

We've got it at my store. That stuff really does a number on your hands. I don't know whether it dilutes the sanitizer's effectiveness, but after five or six uses of the sanitizer, I have to apply some hand lotion.

*snip*

I'm actually having some cough/sinus woes/sore throat and am very tired. Of course, sleeping more than 4-6 hours a night might help, but I'm getting up every bit as tired as when I went to bed. Rather queasy, but not to the point of vomiting. Starting to wonder if hermiting for a day or two would be a good health move (I know it won't be a good financial move, but still...).

Do the one-day hermit. I have been down with my Annual Winter Cold (quite a bit worse this year than usual, although not longer-lasting) and I could have gone back to work today ... but opted to take a second day off work just because -- well, just because I'm just barely coming out of it an one more day off certainly can't hurt. It won't do my wallet any good, but as this slowly fades from my system, I will be available to pick up extra shifts when they open up and make up for the loss.

Just learned my employer is shutting down due to the coronavirus. For the next 6 weeks. They told us today, business is shut as of end of day Friday. We are just now starting to notify guests who have reservations for Friday check-in.

On the incredibly, super-bright, what Bizarro-world did this decision come from side: All staff are going to receive full wages for all 6 weeks, whether or not you work from home some, or at all. That's... incredibly nicer and more compassionate than the current management team has been. Like ever.

I have been informed my team is expected to work remotely the entire time. And I will have at least 1 day per week on site for my work which cannot be done remotely. So, I still have to earn my money the hard way. Le sigh.

That is AMAZING. A very smart move also.

I hope your "days in" go smoothly.

[NorthernZel]

As of right now my whole country is SHUT DOWN. Schools are cancelled, non-essential gov/county workers are sent home with pay, private companies are asked to require telecommuting for everyone who can do so, and hoarding has gone extreme. Gonna be a fun morning tomorrow when I get to work to hear what I'm gonna do (as I'm the only one using public transport )

[Seanette]

Stops at Walmart and Winco today, to fill in things I had forgotten to include in delivery orders. Paper goods in general, along with Lysol-type disinfecting spray and bleach, were utterly gone at both Walmarts I went to. Winco had decent stock on paper goods and bleach, but was totally out of any disinfectants.

I did buy my usual stock-up quantities of paper towels and kleenex. I have comfortable quantities of TP and bleach on hand already, so didn't feel a need to get more. I do have plenty of canned and frozen foods on hand, and there's lots of food for the cat. Maybe a reserve supply of litter would be a good idea? What's in her box is what she has, but I just did a dump/wash/refill very recently. DH has at least several weeks of each of his prescription meds, and we always keep a decent supply of OTC stuff on hand. I'm also well-stocked on feminine supplies, even though I haven't needed same in several months (no, I am not pregnant. I'm middle-aged).

Did find an online source for isopropyl alcohol and ordered some, due to arrive within the next week. Between that and bleach, I think I should be OK for any household disinfection needs.

Have I missed anything, or am I reasonably set at this point? The only quarantine I'm hearing about in my area is at a senior long-term facility where there was a death recently (90yo patient with pre-existing medical issues).

[Trixie]

This was 94% of my customer interaction at work tonight.

Customer: Do you have any sanitizer????????

Me: No, all gone.

Customer:

We got our truck in today with one box on it. Sold out in minutes. My company is limiting quantities of 4 of masks and sanitizers.

There's 3 confirmed cases in my county so the panic level now will be through the stratosphere. It was already the main topic of conversation at work and I'm sure now it will be worse.

[ladyjaneinmd]

My co-workers and I got the unofficial official news yesterday - bring your laptops home every night in case we are told to telework for an extended period of time. Okay fine. We are now in an official pandemic, so shut down the agency already!

[Rosco the Iroc]

Proof today you NEVER EVER travel with Tom Hanks.

[Ghel]

Only 5 confirmed cases in my state so far, and they're in a different (more populous) part of the state. Still, the local Walmart was out of hand sanitizer and sparse on hand soap when I went there Tuesday.

I printed out "cover your cough" and how to properly wash your hands posters and taped them up in the bathroom after two of my coworkers refused to cover their coughs properly. My branch manager keeps coughing into his hand. It's so gross. As someone who's immunocompromised due to medication, it worries me. I don't think it's COVID-19, but I don't want to catch their colds or flu, either.

[Kit-Ginevra]

I knew we had a backroom full of junk for some good reason. 6 large packages of 9 packs of loo roll all unused and in mint condition. Any takers??

It's not too bad round here-it seems to be London where everything's being swiped. Here went into Sainsbury's and hand wipes, sanitizer, gel, all present and correct