Bar soap seems to be readily available. Any soap is destructive to SARS-CoV-2 (the COVID-19 virus).
Antibacterial-specific features in wipes or anything are not needed or useful against viruses.
But it’s not sanitary for bar soap to be shared by more than one person in any context (specifically classrooms, etc.). As for the wipes, they’re often called “anti-bacterial” when truly they are “disinfectant” and also kill viruses. I believe that Lysol and Clorox wipes are in that category.
Add me to the list of people who have been searching since this began, for the wipes, with no success.
“ But it’s not sanitary for bar soap to be shared by more than one person in any context (specifically classrooms, etc.).”
Schools… that will be very, very messy. But IMO, it is perfectly fine to share a piece of bar soap in the same household where people already share their bugs by other means. 
Agreed, I’ve figured out how to get a grocery delivery every week, have all the TP and paper towels I need, even made my own hand sanitizer…but I can’t find wipes for the life of me.
The local brewpub where my son is working (about 10-12 hours per week) seems to be doing a good takeout business. He helps box up the food. They are selling their beers by the growler as well.
H and I had been in the habit of playing trivia there every Tuesday with four other friends, and we really miss it. We have been running a Zoom trivia instead but it isn’t the same. I have a feeling that even if the pub eventually reopens for eat in dining it might be a while before Trivia starts again—the place was always packed those nights.
Today’s (Sunday, April 26) The Daily podcast entitled: The Sunday Read: Closing The Restaurant That Was My Life For 20 Years is a good though hard listen.
In my office, I think we are expected to get some disposable masks and have them for patients who do not enter with one.
Yep. It’s called “security theater” and it is to make it look like they are doing all they can, especially in the event they get sued.
A local plant just installed a system that takes everyone’s temperature as they enter, flashes the number on a screen, and a video camera records the whole thing. It probably cost a pretty penny, and it will miss the 20% of covid-positives who don’t post a fever as well as countless asymptomatics who have never been tested. But it looks cool and makes everyone feel safe!
Pm me who you order through. Henry Schien, McKesson etc promise not no stock. I see them online and might have to do that at some point. We are talking to someone to buy in bulk and brand them with out logo to give out to patients but will see.
The Clorox and Lysol wipes are called “disinfecting wipes”, not “antibacterial wipes”. “Antibacterial” is typically used on products that contain stuff specific to bacteria that may have little or no effect on viruses.
Our local grocery store sells disposable surgical style masks, @10/$10. That’s not a great price but is not as bad as some prices I’ve seen online. The good thing was it was on hand and the market requires everyone to wear masks.
We used to dine out many times/week—breakfasts, Iunches, dinners. Most of the time, it was small restaurants. Since SIP, we have purchased some take outs and tipped generously. It’s not the same and we are cooking at home more and more.
Once they re-open tourism, I’m afraid we will have a bigger spike of cases than ever and that would make me be a hermit until we get a vaccine or better treatments. With my bad lungs, I’m 6x as likely to get very ill if I get COVID-19. I feel pretty safe at the moment because our state has had only 2 new cases today and 7 or fewer new cases/day for past 8 days. Much as I enjoyed dining out, I prefer staying healthy more.
Here are some articles about what restaurants face when reopening.
**“Most people know that the only thing worse than a closed restaurant is a half full restaurant.” **
“Much like letter grades and public food safety violations, restaurants that are listed with COVID-19 cases among staff or customers could face harm to their reputations.”
"From grants to loans, states across the country have deployed emergency funds that can help restaurants as they make dramatic shifts to their operations to try to keep workers employed and kitchens open.’
https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/tracking-coronavirus-restaurant-aid-by-state/575527/
I guess restaurants in Texas are going to be allowed to reopen starting Friday if they are occupied at 25% of capacity max.
@MaineLonghorn , yep. That doesn’t scare me nearly as much as the declaration that malls can be open at 25% capacity. What’s even the 100% capacity of a mall? How does the mall owner count and control that with 20 or 30 entrances? And will there be arrows directing traffic up and down every aisle of every store and a mall cop every 10 yards keeping the teens apart?
I’m really afraid, especially since we have not had declining numbers here.
And we will be carry out only for quite a while at all of our favorite restaurants.
It is pretty clear that closing restaurants and having the federal government meet your payroll is not a sustainable business model. But operating at 25% or 50% of capacity is also not a sustainable business model for most restaurants. Remember micro economics? aka the theory of the firm. They might not even be able to meet fixed costs at 25 or 50% of capacity.
If malls open, probably fewer than 25% of the normal visitors will go there anyway.
Our malls had trouble attracting people to them pre-C19; I don’t think most folks will be flocking there any time soon.
The only way restaurants can operate at so much lower occupancy is if there’s increased takeout and/or prices and/or decreased expenses—wages, rent, profit. I am fine with taking food out and we try to do takeouts of restaurants we like, tipping generously. I’m not going to be rushing to sit in any restaurant any time soon.
One preliminary loosening of restaurant restrictions here is that places with outdoor seating will be permitted to allow diners to sit and eat there…but no table service. It will still be grab and go. Of course this only works if a restaurant has patio outdoor seating…and the climate is suitable (not sure folks in AZ would want to sit outdoors in 100 degree temps, for example).
25%-50% capacity translates to a need for 25%-50% less employees, and that much less revenue. That’s not going to be sustainable for many places…and it certainly won’t work for the 50%-75% of employees who won’t be needed with these reduced capacities.