My D is going through this issue. She is moving out of her apt when the lease runs out. They are showing her apt. She had to wipe down everything with Clorox wipe.
I’ve mentioned that we’ve got a late April trip planned to Hawaii. We haven’t cancelled yet. I decided to give ourselves until the end of March to decide. (Although I’m 90% sure we will cancel then.)
I’ve checked Hawaii tourism and some venues (Pearl Harbor, Bishop Museum, the luau we were planning) and they have not cancelled, closed, or indicated cause for concern. I’m a little surprised that it seems to be business as usual on Oahu. I just read that the number of cases in the state has increased to 6.
I wish I could isolate completely. My twenty something daughter is trying really hard- she’s my hero and I appreciate her so much - and I have to care for my mother in assisted living. I would like to stay home alone and take walks and cross the street to avoid anyone. There is no complete safety for most of us. The goal now, in my mind, is to keep the hospitals from being overwhelmed so we aren’t triaged out of care!
Let’s talk about the percentages, then. If you get covid-19, you’ll probably be fine. However, it’s transmissible for days before you have symptoms. Therefore, if you don’t isolate yourself and you end up with covid-19, you’ll give it to other people. The average people infected by one person is two. If you go out and about, you’ll probably infect more than that, but let’s go with two here.
Now here’s where it gets exponential. You infect two. In the next six days, they each infect two, so it’s twelve days later and seven are infected (you, the two you infected, the four they infected). Six more days, and we’ve got fifteen infected. In 36 days, we’ve got 255 people infected, because you failed to isolate yourself. Now, there is disagreement about how infectious the disease is, but 1% fatality rate is a conservative guess. So chances are, two or three people from your infection chain will die. Might be less, but is unlikely to be zero. And even if you get through the 255 stage without killing someone, six days later the total infected is 511, and there’s no way they all live.
That is to say, if you get infected, you’ll kill somebody next month. Do you want to kill someone? I didn’t think so. #FlattenTheCurve.
As I’ve mentioned before, I have a second home (eventual retirement) in a shore part of our state. there are no diagnoses here yet, but many in the more populated parts of the state, and in nearby cities. The FB boards are full of the equivalent of “Yankee Go Home” comments, ordering everyone else to stay out. It’s a vacation area; many people have second homes. I’d like to stay here for a while because it’s quieter and there are more outdoor places to safely walk and bike.
I have been sequestered except for one quick very antiseptic soaked trip to stock food. I don’t have any intention of spreading something if I should have it, though no reason to think I do. I am a social distancing maniac. But a lot of people here think they will put up a wall and keep everyone else out and they will be fine. As a few people have said on the discussions, it’s already here; they just don’t know it. Delivery trucks come in and out, all their kids are home from college, jobs take people in and out of the area. Etc. Etc.
I want to beg them to see that this attitude is just a way of othering people: put away the pitchforks and torches, and practice social distancing like the rest of us. Stop treating people like pariahs.
Staying home is to protect others, not ourselves. Weeks, and maybe months, from now those currently self isolating may well be the ones best able to help out in their communities. It will be wonderful, if we are needed, to be able to say we have had absolutely zero chance of exposure in X number of weeks.
Not everyone can stay home. I can, and will. Maybe I’ll be taking care of children of others when workplaces and schools and daycares open up again. Maybe fill in temporarily at the front desk of a clinic. I have skills and can help.
My H who quit medicine fifteen years ago is wondering if he’ll have to dust off his license. I hope not; he’s in a vulnerable cohort.
I’m with @alh.
Yep, my husband’s company is open, but they are staying in their individual offices. They can’t work from home because of confidential files.
Many of his employees have spouses in the medical profession. They can’t find child care. My husband may be volunteering me for “day care watch”. I have tons of therapeutic supplies and fun activities to keep children busy. However, I can’t have a large group. I don’t know if that’s going to happen but am wiling to help.
The parents are both doctors and could very possibly bring the virus in themselves. GF got the job via my lad’s connections. GF was training to become an EMT until things got closed down with the positive case in the area. She wants to help as she can. Most health care folks have reached the understanding that they are likely to get it sooner or later. Since they are young and not in a risky group, it should be fine as long as they stick with that group - which is the plan.
When I was out walking with a friend and we saw two people talking. One was standing at the far end of the driveway and the other was leaning out the door.
Was nice to see people, at least in my neighborhood practicing social distancing.
Does anyone know if you can face time more than two people at a time? I’d like to start a happy hour with my friends. Sounds fun and safe!
The first case in our county has been announced, and our mall is going to be closed after today. Move theaters and public gyms also canceled.
I am still planning to work tomorrow, and we are still planning to have our painters come. I’m kind of hoping they suggest canceling, but I feel like it’s too late for me to cancel.
I have a son who doesn’t talk to me much. I texted him and his GF saying we have plenty of feel if they need some.
@Gourmetmom, I can’t access the article and I’d like to send it to my doctor. the last digits are not hyperlinked - perhaps that’s the problem.
My company is practicing social distancing by only allowing a few people in the office each day. Out of my group of 8, we are allowed only 1 per day. Some people are happy to work from home. I’m not one of them. I will work 3 days from home next week. I am so grateful that I have a job that can be worked from home but I struggle with it. I like work and home to be separate and I dont feel anywhere near as productive at home. Any suggestions from those who work from home?
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My favorite grocery store, a small local chain, is having special hours for seniors and immunocompromised.
My mother and I are in different stages of responding to this. She lives 15 minutes away and doesn’t drive, so I get her groceries. For the last couple weeks I’ve been bumping up items and quantities, and also adding non-perishables even when she hasn’t asked for them – she in fact said something about them taking up a lot of room.
This morning on the phone she’s wound up because they started showing empty supermarket shelves on the local news. She needs toilet paper and sanitizer! Had to talk her down and point out that no, she’s already stocked up, she just didn’t realize it.
That’s great.
ACEP has announced that 2 EM physicians are now in critical condition in ICUs due to occupational transmission of COVID-19. Both physicians fully complied with all PPE precautions, but contracted the disease anyway.
One is quite young–only 40.
I’m personally observing that Philadelphia mayor Kenney is just as dumb as I’ve always assumed. He’s still stuck in the rut of telling people to wash their hands, but go out to dinner and hang out, but make sure to tip your waitstaff. Huh? The guy proves again and again that he is clueless. Like wake up and and see what your counterparts are doing.
Governor in CT just closed all schools until at least March 31. Finally. Most had closed anyway.
I’ll take “Things You Never Thought You’d Hear Your Mom Say” for $500, please Alex.