The Coronavirus Panic Thread

[Pixelated]

Yup. I was coughing intermittently yesterday and got a few looks....dude, if my supervisor doesn't seem concerned than it's nothing. You're paranoid about me coughing once, but not paranoid enough to let me wipe everything down. Does my inner elbow touch your food? No. I'm masked anyway.

This is one of the reasons I dislike being on a register; the constant talking and most times it's so busy I can't turn away and lift my mask to drink something.

We are "required" to go to a supervisory-or-higher level person upon starting our shift and ensuring them that we feel well enough to work. Yeah, that disappeared pretty quickly (not that it was worth anything to begin with). My last three or four shifts, I completely forgot about it and nobody bothered to come ask me.

As for the masks, it's more than a bit ironic that you're not supposed to fiddle with your mask once it's in place ... but how else are we supposed to drink something at our stations? A modified water-boarding?

[KuariKaydrith]

Starting tomorrow morning at 12:01am. my province is requiring anybody traveling from the rest of the Atlantic Bubble to self-isolate for 14 days. We've had a bit of an uptick in covid cases related to travel, and we're trying to avoid a full-on second wave. We already require a 14-day isolation period for people travelling from other parts of the country. Of course this decision further tanks the hotel industry in my province...all I can say is thank goodness I am eligible for the government financial assistance or I don't know what I'd do.

[Dreamstalker]

Yup. I was coughing intermittently yesterday and got a few looks....dude, if my supervisor doesn't seem concerned than it's nothing. You're paranoid about me coughing once, but not paranoid enough to let me wipe everything down. Does my inner elbow touch your food? No. I'm masked anyway.

This is one of the reasons I dislike being on a register; the constant talking and most times it's so busy I can't turn away and lift my mask to drink something.

[Pixelated]

Pissed-off Coworker told me about a customer who returned what (I got the impression) was a cart-full of groceries because CW coughed a bit while ringing Customer up. Customer also said that CW said "Yeah, I was coughing like mad all last night" -- which CW has flatly denied saying.

Dear Idiot Customer: Everybody here coughs now and again. The air in the store is rather dry and we are constantly talking to people, even if it's the bare minimum ("Would you like bags today?" "Do you have your rewards card?") It takes its toll, even though we are allowed to have water at our stations and even though I personally have found that, with the masks, I don't feel dehydrated as quickly as I used to.

But it doesn't mean we've got Bubonic Plague. If you're that hyper, then use the damn online buying option and spray everything down with triple-strength disinfectant when it gets delivered (very VERY few customers wear gloves of any kind, so ya know, that means they are touching items that have likely been touched by dozens, nay hundreds, of people before them -- something that doesn't seem to occur to customers like this one.)

[Pixelated]

I normally do OK with a mask, even if it's not exactly comfortable. Once in awhile my claustrophobia kicks in, but thankfully that doesn't happen often, and the only time I have to wear it for an extended period is if I'm grocery shopping or volunteering with the cats.

However, I did have an incident last time I had to get work done on my car. I was surprised to see that the waiting room hadn't changed at all, other than requiring everyone to wear masks. The problem occurred when I sat down to wait on my car. I sometimes fall asleep when I'm waiting, and this time I woke up feeling like I was suffocating. I had to run outside and pull the mask down for a few minutes.

At least you were considerate enough to run outside. I had an idiot come through my line the other day and pull her mask away from her face, complaining about it, after she had passed by the sneeze guard. Yeah, lady, if you don't like the mask, you're gonna LOVE the ventilator.

I had my own mask in place and I'm pretty sure that by now my bloodstream has a significant amount of disinfectant in it so I'm not worried. But I was more than a bit annoyed. You're checking out, lady, and you've got literally only a couple of minutes until you walk out the doors. Get a grip.

[MadMike]

Well, it finally happened. Someone at my job tested positive. They didn't say what area the person was in, but they did say that anyone who worked near them had already been notified previously, and if you hadn't, then they had no reason to believe you had come into contact with them.

I suppose I'd still be worried if I hadn't been working from home for the last (checks calendar) eight months. The only times I've been back the building were to use the fitness center, which I usually do late enough in the day that I see few people if any, and the one time I had to come in to get my laptop replaced.

[Seanette]

I discovered yesterday after a trip home on a rainy evening that a wet fabric mask chafes my face. Back to the face shield for a few days to let my face skin heal (might also help with the acne problem).

One bus driver I've seen frequently this week consistently does not wear any face covering, nor does he make use of the plexiglass barrier that's supposed to separate him from his passengers. This has been reported to the transit agency.

[Food Lady]

I'm sorry. I'm hoping that you didn't get infected. That's possible. I've had contact with two infected people and I still didn't get sick. I'm not sure how.

[Smapti]

I got a phone call today from the bus company. They told me that the dial-a-lift driver who drove me home from work on Saturday night has tested positive.

So I've now been ordered to quarantine and get tested, and someone from the county is supposed to be calling me tomorrow to set me up with a testing site.

I feel the same as I usually do, but if I caught it on Saturday then I'd still be asymptomatic right now. My boss was very understanding and told me how to apply for extra sick pay (once I get some documentation from the county). Hopefully I'll be OK.

[Ironclad Alibi]

I figure it'll be Fallout 4 by Christmas.

Maybe I should stop avoiding the Vault-Tec representative.

[smileyeagle1021]

Highly unlikely, unless you licked your fingers afterwards,,,

Hoping you're clear and your husband has a quick & full recovery.

Oh, we are almost positive it is because my husband's work is stupid... they are still doing daily "stand up" meetings where they aren't using appropriate distancing and they are incredibly lax about enforcing mask rules.

[EricKei]

I mostly have overheating issues with my mask, and yeah, the things are uncomfortable (my insurance company sent me a couple free ones that aren't so bad, so I found out who makes them (JPR Medical) and bought a couple multipacks of those). I tend to get too warm even when it's cold out, but that's about it. I just find a place away from other people and pull it away from my face for five or ten seconds. Sorry y'all have to deal with more serious issues, that sucks x.x

[MadMike]

I think I now know what panic attacks are. I felt like I was being burred alive.

I normally do OK with a mask, even if it's not exactly comfortable. Once in awhile my claustrophobia kicks in, but thankfully that doesn't happen often, and the only time I have to wear it for an extended period is if I'm grocery shopping or volunteering with the cats.

However, I did have an incident last time I had to get work done on my car. I was surprised to see that the waiting room hadn't changed at all, other than requiring everyone to wear masks. The problem occurred when I sat down to wait on my car. I sometimes fall asleep when I'm waiting, and this time I woke up feeling like I was suffocating. I had to run outside and pull the mask down for a few minutes.

[Seanette]

Really relieved that I have supplies built up from the "little here, little there" approach over about the last six months. Left plenty on shelves for others each time, but now have needed items and won't have the frustration/anxiety I did back in March/April about whether I can lay hands on necessities.

[Victory Sabre]

My "lovely" Governor is going on the boob tube tonight, and make some new restrictions on businesses in the state.

Here's the list I got from a State Representative:

Bars and restaurants - take out only.
Youth Sports - Indoor stopped. Outdoor - no effect
No changes to big box stores.

The last time this was tried, my restaurant - now closed - sales were down 90%.

Not a good situation.

Also, I had to go to Sam's Club yesterday, and had to wear a shield. I haven't had to wear it since my business closed, and even then - only wore it when dealing with customers - maybe a minute at a time at most.
I think I now know what panic attacks are. I felt like I was being burred alive. I was shaking, and grinding my teeth. It took every ounce of strength not to rip it off and smash it to bits. It took me several hours to recover, and may have taken several beers as well.