The Coronavirus Panic Thread

[Deserted]

So... I haven't really been following this thread, but I happened to be browsing through my archive of Jennie Breeden's comic, and... well... I think she foretold the future at one point.

[notalwaysright]

My dentist has everyone text what parking spot they're in, all the spots are numbered and have the phone # posted, someone comes out to screen you, then they lead you in. Usually a side entrance, and this way you don't see another soul on the walk. Rooms, if they have more than one chair, are single occupancy now. I've heard other dentists will have you rinse with a solution of hydrogen peroxide because that kills the virus, but mine didn't have me do that.

Anyway, if you don't have a car I would assume you'd have told them beforehand and they'd make arrangements. Before you go to the appointment they want you to call and they go over the procedure, so you'd be aware hopefully give them a heads up. Seems like a lot, I know, but hey I'm okay with not siting awkwardly in the waiting room.

I wonder how people without cars are doing their banking now? They have to make an appointment each time, even if it's for something small? Speaking of which, I wish coins would go back to normal. Or bank lobbies open again. I keep having to go through the drive through to get rolled quarters for the coin op laundry in my complex. I used to go to one of those tiny locations attached to a store and it was convenient because I would go there for shopping and hit the bank at the same time. But of course that location is shut, since it only has a lobby and no drive through. I have to make sure I have a day off during the week because the location has to have a drive up against the window, I can't get coins through the vacuum tubes, and none of the locations open on weekends have window drawers. Plus, each time I have to cross my fingers that they'll even give me any coins! If I can't get quarters I can't do laundry in the complex, or I'd have to go try to work something out with the property manager. OR I'd have to drive to a laundry mat that takes cards and pay twice as much as in my complex. Sorry that's long, but that's my stupid pandemic laundry saga and I wanted to make all of you experience it.

P.S., I've tried to wash laundry in the bathtub before and wow, I'm not good at it. Plus everything takes forever to dry. In a pinch I can manage with small things, underwear and such, but bedsheets? Not a good idea.

[Mikkel]

Denmark, like NorthernZel. From today all passengers in any kind of public transportation must wear masks. The taxi company I drive for, have bought 100 masks for every car. The masks are both for the drivers and for selling to any passengers with no masks. Should anybody take their mask off (and be discovered) the police can fine them 2500 DKr (around $400).
I'm actually relieved. The danger of infection, while low, is much diminished and it is rather difficult to keep a proper distance in a Toyota Prius. The discomfort of wearing masks all day is a small price to pay.

[Dreamstalker]

My dentist is still not open (my cleaning's been rescheduled 3 times now, latest is December). I think that's because their treatment rooms don't have doors and they're concerned about droplets traveling/how to disinfect? My mom suggested room screens or shower curtains some time ago. One town here has a mask mandate and the mayor is authorizing police to fine people.

I applied to be a poll worker/count early ballots. We'll see what transpires...the email chain between myself and the clerk yesterday was confused (she didn't see my reply so I sent everything again and she didn't tell me what was required in terms of vetting, training or how they're even doing that now).

[workerbee222]

My boss is ordinarily hyper-vigilant; washing her hands, going for the sanitizer when Fed Ex hands her a package.

Yesterday she asked me to repair the stitching on her favorite mask. I get to the sewing machine, look at the mask - and - it hasn't been washed. It has makeup on it.

I'm bottom of the totem pole here, no point in saying anything to her but WTH?

[Buzzard]

Mixed bag on the mask repair... Washed would have been good, but would also help unravel the hell out of the material. Just wash afterwards and not touch face. No, it's not one of her best moments, but we've all seen worse from well-meaning individuals.

[notalwaysright]

Why is she bothering with makeup under a mask? I like masks because most of my face is covered. I'm not obligated to smile. It's nice. But if you're having someone else touch your mask it should be clean. Because we're in the middle of a plague. It's pretty simple hygiene. I'm sure it was not so far gone that it couldn't withstand a soak in soap and water.

[workerbee222]

I'm sure it was not so far gone that it couldn't withstand a soak in soap and water.

That's the disconnect in her reasoning. A buddy of hers is designing 'fashion' masks, and they're all made basically from canvas. (There's even one with an opening so you can drink with a straw) I suppose at least a swish in the sink would do (since soap breaks down the coating on a virus) but using sanitizer on her hands and not laundering her mask (which is theoretically keeping the virus from being inhaled) is puzzling.

Truthfully, as a seamstress, I have experienced people expecting me to handle some pretty gross stuff. ("You're not supposed to wash these jeans, ever. But I'd like them to be tighter.) Corona has at least made the refusal of such items easier.

[telecom_goddess]

Yeah I don't understand makeup, especially lipstick, under a mask. It's POINTLESS. And it just makes the mask dirtier and grosser quicker.

[Food Lady]

Yeah I don't understand makeup, especially lipstick, under a mask. It's POINTLESS. And it just makes the mask dirtier and grosser quicker.

It kind of is but since this has begun my own personal grooming standards have fallen so low that it's nice to know that my lips are pretty even if no one else sees them. It reminds me of a soldier who said she liked to have pedicured toes inside her boots to remind her of her femininity. Alternately there's my 2 1/2 feet of hair that I wear up 99% of the time so no one sees it. But I know I've attained it and can wear it down sometimes at home. It makes me feel pretty.
Plus, my lippies are so pigmented that even if they rub off they leave a stain on my super-pale lips which is nice when I briefly take off the mask to take a drink of water. I don't like having pink skin and beige lips.
My masks get stained and it doesn't have to be a problem at all. I simply add Borax to the wash and the stain comes right out. I already use that peroxide powder anyway, so they get really clean.
Edited to add: I started using Borax when I was wearing foundation and using the oil cleansing method to take it off. Rags would get full of makeup and oil and Borax took it out so well. I also use washcloths as fabric napkins and they get lipstick and food stains on them. Borax to the rescue there as well. It's a miracle product.

[Monterey Jack]

I had a big, red zit on the tip of my nose recently, and found one upside to masks...

[telecom_goddess]

I never have been one to dress up or do makeup or hair. I like comfort, number one priority. I'm not terribly girly that way. Now that I work from home it's lucky I get dressed. I get to work barefoot, that's fun.

[Pixelated]

I never have been one to dress up or do makeup or hair. I like comfort, number one priority. I'm not terribly girly that way. Now that I work from home it's lucky I get dressed. I get to work barefoot, that's fun.

Dang, I wish I could work from home. Kinda hard for a cashier, though ...

My city is now on Phase 3 which means back to sort of normal. Restaurants are open again. I have ventured into a couple lately (sit outside and you get unwanted company in the form of bees ... and not those cute little honeybees, either ).

Mostly I hit them during the off-hours. The last one I went to ... I was the only person there. The one I went to today had every other table/booth blocked off with yellow tape. So I think things will be okay. Other than that I have never been particularly social so bars and clubs aren't even part of my personal equation.

[Pixelated]

With COVID first reared its nasty little head, one of the things we did was prohibit customers from bringing their own bags or bins into the store. Needless to say this caused a massive uptick in the number of plastic bags we were going through. At the same time, we stopped charging (a whole five cents) for each plastic bag.

Well, the prohibition against personal bags/bins ended a couple of weeks ago. And this week we went back to charging for plastic. I spent all last week advising customers of this, as did most of my coworkers.

I didn't work Monday or Tuesday, when the charges first went back into effect. I was back today, and wow. I think a good 80-90 per cent of my customers brought in their own "packaging."

[MadMike]

Apparently it isn't just humans that were affected by the lockdown. My 20-lb fat cat is now a 22.4-lb fat cat. Overall the vet appointment went smoothly. I pulled into the parking lot, the doctor came out and took the cat, gave him his shots, returned him, and took the payment.

At the dentist office, it was pretty much business as usual, except that the dentists were wearing face shields and what almost looked like raincoats. Everyone else was wearing masks, including a receptionist that was wearing it with her nose sticking out. Why do people do this???

Some items are still hit and miss at the grocery store, but I haven't had any problem finding meat in a long time. Paper products are back to about 50% normal availability, hand sanitizer is plentiful, and I even scored a thing of wipes! They were some no-name brand, but there were six of them on the shelf, and it's certainly better than nothing. I briefly considered grabbing two of them, but I didn't want to be one of those assholes.

My favorite burrito place finally reopened... sort of. They're not letting people inside, even for take-out orders. They built a pickup window into the front door of two of their locations, they're only open for lunch, and you have to download an app on your phone to order. I had all kinds of problems with it. Random crashes, the app telling me the location was closed when it wasn't. and when I finally got an order to go through, they hadn't received it. I'm sorry to saw I blew up at the poor guy, who I'm sure had nothing to do with it. Taking a total shot in the dark, I decided to venture over to the other location to see if it had ended up there somehow, and it had. When I finally bit into that burrito after being deprived for several months, I felt like I was in love I was still frustrated though, and left some not-so-nice comments on their Facebook page, which looking back now, I probably went overboard. However, I still stand by one statement I made: It's obvious that proper testing of the app wasn't done, and if I had turned in work like that, I would be out of a job. Since then, they've opened more locations, and I haven't had any further problems with the app. A couple days ago, they added an ordering system to their web page, so I'll probably use that next time. Phone apps are fine if I'm away from home, but otherwise I'd rather do it on my computer with a full-sized screen and keyboard.

I saw in the paper the other day that PA was down to just over 400 cases the one day. Like I said, I stopped checking the numbers daily because it was stressing me out. I still see them when I get the paper, but the paper only comes three days a week now. I decided to check against other states, for the first time in awhile also, and it looks like we've dropped to number 12. Not bad considering we were number 4 when this all started.

Still no change in the latest restrictions on bars and restaurants. I'm guessing the governor is waiting to see what happens now that school has started back up.