Coronavirus

[El Barto]

Surprised to see people frowning on takeout. A lot of places are needing takeout revenue to survive. Moreover, by occasionally letting the Chinese or the Italians sling me food, I'm cutting way back on trips to by groceries. I'm well stocked right now, but I'll still indulge in something from the outer world from time to time, both to break up the monotony and to  help out places I don't want to see closed.

[jingle.boy]

Surprised to see people frowning on takeout. A lot of places are needing takeout revenue to survive. Moreover, by occasionally letting the Chinese or the Italians sling me food, I'm cutting way back on trips to by groceries. I'm well stocked right now, but I'll still indulge in something from the outer world from time to time, both to break up the monotony and to  help out places I don't want to see closed.

I'm on board with this.  Gonna try to order takeout or delivery once a week.

[ReaperKK]

My brother works in retail.  He is likely to be furloughed at the end of the week.

While my department at work is considered "essential" and is thus still reporting to the office, I developed a low grade fever this morning, so I went home to work from there.  Could be any number of things, and since I have diabetes, any number of things could occur.

Damn Hef, feel better soon.

[Indiscipline]

Lockdown in the UK

[The Walrus]

Surprised to see people frowning on takeout. A lot of places are needing takeout revenue to survive. Moreover, by occasionally letting the Chinese or the Italians sling me food, I'm cutting way back on trips to by groceries. I'm well stocked right now, but I'll still indulge in something from the outer world from time to time, both to break up the monotony and to  help out places I don't want to see closed.

I mean I just hate interacting with people in real life so my opinion on the matter shouldn't weigh heavily on anyone's minds 

[bosk1]

Surprised to see people frowning on takeout. A lot of places are needing takeout revenue to survive. Moreover, by occasionally letting the Chinese or the Italians sling me food, I'm cutting way back on trips to by groceries. I'm well stocked right now, but I'll still indulge in something from the outer world from time to time, both to break up the monotony and to  help out places I don't want to see closed.

I agree with you about wanting to help support them.  But at the same time, I understand and tend to side more with the view of there being more of a risk of getting food and packaging handled by others in a takeout setting.

[Dublagent66]

That's why hand washing is the #1 preventative measure.  I'd rather get take out than go to the grocery store and eventually we all need to go unless ordering groceries for delivery.

[gmillerdrake]

Missouri's Governor has allowed local municipalities to issue their own orders as to recognize that there are many rural parts of the state and not lump them in with the larger areas. That being said, my county just issued the 'stay-at-home' order.

Exclusions are:
  going to the doctor
  going to get groceries
  taking a walk (?) stay inside but go ahead and go out and walk. I get it....but it's kind of funny
  banks, gas stations, hardware stores, laundry mats, healthcare facilities remain open.....restaurants are allowed take out and delivery services.

I mean....I guess the announcement was a 'formality' since most people I know were really only going out for vital reasons anyway.

[ErHaO]

More and more reports are showing that a large chunk of the people hospitalised due to this virus are under their 50s, even some in their 20s or below. Though the chance is relatively small they will die, a part of younger patients do require intensive care and assisted breathing (some of them cannot breathe on their own for several weeks... that is a true nightmare).

Hell, of our first 100ish of intensive care patients last week, about half was under the 50 years old. So don't think only older people are affected.

[jammindude]

Washington has now finally issued a 2 week "Stay At Home" order. 

[Harmony]

Has anyone gone to the grocery store and been told you cannot use your reusable bags anymore?  I'm hearing disposable bags are coming back because of fears around potential disease transmission.

[cramx3]

Has anyone gone to the grocery store and been told you cannot use your reusable bags anymore?  I'm hearing disposable bags are coming back because of fears around potential disease transmission.

Considering it's still all plastic here in NJ, no.  But kind of funny.  I guess, it's legit but then again if your bag has it, so do you so why are you there?

[TAC]

Has anyone gone to the grocery store and been told you cannot use your reusable bags anymore?  I'm hearing disposable bags are coming back because of fears around potential disease transmission.

We've been told that we are not to bag if a customer is using their reusable bags. We will bag if we can use our plastic bags.

[Harmony]

Has anyone gone to the grocery store and been told you cannot use your reusable bags anymore?  I'm hearing disposable bags are coming back because of fears around potential disease transmission.

We've been told that we are not to bag if a customer is using their reusable bags. We will bag if we can use our plastic bags.

Is your store charging for plastic?

Cram - people can be asymptomatic and still positive for days before they get ill (if they do).  I read an article today that the cruise ships with the infected people on them still had "traces" of COVID-19 for 17 days after the rooms had been entered.  There are varying reports about how long the virus lives on surfaces.  Plastic bags most certainly could carry enough virus to sicken people touching bags.  IIRC, the check out clerk at my store last week was wearing gloves.  So essentially just transmitting germs from person to person via bag/products as the customers pass through.  (I did not see her change gloves between customers though this may have changed now.)

[Lonk]

Has anyone gone to the grocery store and been told you cannot use your reusable bags anymore?  I'm hearing disposable bags are coming back because of fears around potential disease transmission.

I hadn’t give this it any thought but yes, store have been giving me plastic bags (the few times I’ve gone to the store)

[TAC]

Has anyone gone to the grocery store and been told you cannot use your reusable bags anymore?  I'm hearing disposable bags are coming back because of fears around potential disease transmission.

We've been told that we are not to bag if a customer is using their reusable bags. We will bag if we can use our plastic bags.

Is your store charging for plastic?

No. But in Boston, and other communities, plastic has been outlawed. In those stores, there's a charge for paper bags. Half to cover the cost, and half gets paid to the city. I would imagine it would be tough to tell a customer they have to bag their own. But I'm finding that in these times, customers would rather bag their own.

[millahh]

Surprised to see people frowning on takeout. A lot of places are needing takeout revenue to survive. Moreover, by occasionally letting the Chinese or the Italians sling me food, I'm cutting way back on trips to by groceries. I'm well stocked right now, but I'll still indulge in something from the outer world from time to time, both to break up the monotony and to  help out places I don't want to see closed.

I agree with you about wanting to help support them.  But at the same time, I understand and tend to side more with the view of there being more of a risk of getting food and packaging handled by others in a takeout setting.

Food prepped by others is actually super-low risk:

https://www.seriouseats.com/2020/03/food-safety-and-coronavirus-a-comprehensive-guide.html

And it's easy enough to deal with the packaging.  For us it's certainly worth it to try to make sure our locally-owned placed keep their heads above water.

[eric42434224]

My employer, a very large financial institution, has given a LOT of money directly to communities to help.  They have asked anyone not on the front line (branches) to work from home.  We are also getting paid sick leave for anyone sick, or that needs to help a sick family member.

Today I get a notice that anyone under 100k in salary is getting a $600 bonus in April to help with the situation.  Also, any employee on the “front line” will get extra pay.... not sure of those details but it might be an extra $200 a day up to $1000.

We are also deferring loan payments for businesses up to 90 days no questions asked, along with many other assistance programs.

I’m impressed.  I hope big businesses of all types do similar... we need it in theses trying times.

[axeman90210]

for the record millahh, I vote for whichever job puts you back in Jersey City

[Herrick]

Yesterday was a strange day at work. New York Oceanic airspace was closed kind of. Flights were calling us with requests and stuff and ATC was not responding. Even when we called the controllers, we got no response.

I'm not quite sure what happened at the air traffic control center, but I heard two or three people got this virus or it was "suspected" they had it...so almost everyone left the building. Flights were allowed to enter the airspace but they were pretty much told they were on their own and flying in uncontrolled airspace.

The last time the airspace was closed was for this long was September 11 2001 for Fuck's Sake. Things are back to normal now but there are still barely any flights. I've only talked to 5 or 6 in 7 hours. 

[millahh]

for the record millahh, I vote for whichever job puts you back in Jersey City

Noted!  Once the apocalypse is over, leading candidates are looking like Cranbury (yuck!) or midtown Manhattan.  The latter at least facilitates happy hour!

Interviewing in this nonsense will be good fun!

[Podaar]

My employer, a very large financial institution, has given a LOT of money directly to communities to help.  They have asked anyone not on the front line (branches) to work from home.  We are also getting paid sick leave for anyone sick, or that needs to help a sick family member.

Today I get a notice that anyone under 100k in salary is getting a $600 bonus in April to help with the situation.  Also, any employee on the “front line” will get extra pay.... not sure of those details but it might be an extra $200 a day up to $1000.

We are also deferring loan payments for businesses up to 90 days no questions asked, along with many other assistance programs.

I’m impressed.  I hope big businesses of all types do similar... we need it in theses trying times.

 

This is awesome to hear. I'm grateful to private companies who show this kind of leadership and compassion for their employees.

I'm very proud to part of this trend, today we distributed an additional full month of salary to our employees so that they may have a cushion in the event that we are asked to stay at home by our State. My partners and I also had a teleconference meeting where we committed to maintaining salaries for the next three months regardless of our operational income. Even though we are a small company we are ever mindful of our crew and how we, together, are in this together.

[axeman90210]

for the record millahh, I vote for whichever job puts you back in Jersey City

Noted!  Once the apocalypse is over, leading candidates are looking like Cranbury (yuck!) or midtown Manhattan.  The latter at least facilitates happy hour!

Interviewing in this nonsense will be good fun!

Definitely confused this for the chat thread, oops

My employer, a very large financial institution, has given a LOT of money directly to communities to help.  They have asked anyone not on the front line (branches) to work from home.  We are also getting paid sick leave for anyone sick, or that needs to help a sick family member.

Today I get a notice that anyone under 100k in salary is getting a $600 bonus in April to help with the situation.  Also, any employee on the “front line” will get extra pay.... not sure of those details but it might be an extra $200 a day up to $1000.

We are also deferring loan payments for businesses up to 90 days no questions asked, along with many other assistance programs.

I’m impressed.  I hope big businesses of all types do similar... we need it in theses trying times.

I work for a similar company, so far they've only announced a one time bonus. More money but also a lower salary threshold before you no longer qualify. I'd like to think they'd eventually be doing something similar regarding business loans, but I haven't seen any word about that yet.

[Cool Chris]

Washington has now finally issued a 2 week "Stay At Home" order. 

Surprised it took so long honestly. I am set with the wife and elder kid already at home, and we have our in-hone day care still in force for my younger. My job is the wild card. We aren't 'essential' but my boss might give the finger to Inslee and have us work anyway, presuming we have clients who want us in their homes haha! If not we can ride out the 2 week period without hardship. Extend that to 2 months I might have a different answer.

Have a kid in school and a teacher for a wife, I am curious if schools are going to open again or just wait till the new year in Sept.

[jammindude]

Washington has now finally issued a 2 week "Stay At Home" order. 

Surprised it took so long honestly. I am set with the wife and elder kid already at home, and we have our in-hone day care still in force for my younger. My job is the wild card. We aren't 'essential' but my boss might give the finger to Inslee and have us work anyway, presuming we have clients who want us in their homes haha! If not we can ride out the 2 week period without hardship. Extend that to 2 months I might have a different answer.

Have a kid in school and a teacher for a wife, I am curious if schools are going to open again or just wait till the new year in Sept.

And after reading the details, I guess my job is still in a gray area.   Many union guys are arguing the language of what's written and it appears that construction is not affected, and therefore could move forward....which is pissing a lot of guys off.     Some are insisting that the *intent* is construction workers that are working on projects that are part of the "essential business" list.   But that's not what it says.   It actually lists construction as part of the essential work list.     

For the record, I am an electrician.   And I can see how linemen and maintenance workers are essential for keeping the power going in existing buildings.   But I fail to see how an unfinished building with hundreds of workers (all potential exposures....and keep in mind that *new* construction is often the dirtiest part of of the job) could be deemed "essential" to public need like hospitals and grocery stores. 

But as I said earlier, I requested a lay off, and I got one.  I am officially on "stand by" waiting to return to work.   And the contractors union and the electricians union signed a temporary emergency contract 4 days ago agreeing that no contractor would dispute any unemployment claims during this crisis.    So I should be OK to sit at home for awhile and ride this thing out.   I just wish the language wasn't so iffy.    It's pretty stupid if the people with the money were to insist the jobs move forward because of the language of the order. 

[MirrorMask]

I was thinking that probably this is going down as the defining historical event of our era, at least of the beginning of the third millennium.

From time to time I wonder what is the most important / historical event that I've witnessed, the most important thing that will be taught in school decades from now.... was it the fall of the Berlin Wall? the end of the USSR? 9/11? (well, these things are taught already) surely this Covid19 pandemic is gonna be a landmark event in future history studies. We all have from school a very basic knowledge that there was a century ago this thing called "Spanish flu", future generations will definitively study this pandemic, see photos of desert towns, study the economic repercussions.....

[jingle.boy]

Jumping on some of the above discussion points...

Ontario grocers are also encouraging people to NOT bring their own bags.  Not really sure, as I can't recall the last time a cashier bagged groceries.  It might happen occasionally here in my small town, but in the larger urban cities.... never.  Also, Loblaw Company Ltd (which operates 22 different grocery/pharmacy chains across the country) announced hourly wage increases, and lump sum bonuses for those "front-line" workers.   

So much unknown about how long this thing can last on surfaces, and the transmission rates/risk from it. ugh

@ MirrorMask... I agree wholeheartedly. I believe that we will at some point be referring to events and societal norms BC and AC - Before/After COVID.

[lordxizor]

Minnesota is holding off on a shelter-in-place order again. We all know it's going to happen. I wish they'd just do it and get it over with. We haven't been hit hard yet, so I get the reluctance to over react, but the sooner it starts, (hopefully) the sooner it can all end. Though the reality is that most retail that would close is already voluntarily closed. There are some office-type businesses that would shut down I'm sure, but I'm really not sure it's going to make much difference.

[jingle.boy]

It's bizarre when gov'ts / leaders think they can wait until it's needed.  Once you realize you NEED it, you're already a few days if (not longer) late.  These fucking politicians need to be PROactive.  Then again, people also need to follow it.  Trudeau got pretty stern yesterday.

"Enough is enough.  Go home.  STAY home."

The list of 74 "essential" services that are exempt from the closure in Ontario.  In scanning the list, 95% of this makes sense, and a few of these are plausible to wfh -the organizations themselves, if not some of the major functions of the company.  But man, it's a big list.

[The Walrus]

It's bizarre when gov'ts / leaders think they can wait until it's needed.  Once you realize you NEED it, you're already a few days if (not longer) late.  These fucking politicians need to be PROactive.  Then again, people also need to follow it.  Trudeau got pretty stern yesterday.

"Enough is enough.  Go home.  STAY home."

The list of 74 "essential" services that are exempt from the closure in Ontario.  In scanning the list, 95% of this makes sense, and a few of these are plausible to wfh -the organizations themselves, if not some of the major functions of the company.  But man, it's a big list.

You think those who sold stock after hearing about this weeks ago give a shit? "Fuck you, got mine" should replace "e pluribus unum" here in the USA...

[lordxizor]

It's bizarre when gov'ts / leaders think they can wait until it's needed.  Once you realize you NEED it, you're already a few days if (not longer) late.  These fucking politicians need to be PROactive. 

I get being proactive, but at the same time I completely understand not wanting to shut down an entire state's economy because 0.004% of the people have a virus and about 10% of them are hospitalized, with only 1 death. I know it will get worse, and so does the governor. I don't envy the position these leaders are in. They have to balance the needs of millions of people to have an income, pay their bills, and live their lives, with the threat of a virus that can be bad, but even at it's worst around the world is only affecting a tiny fraction of the people.

[jingle.boy]

You’re right ... they have to make hard decisions. They can do it now, or do it later. Is here a single region of the world that has stemmed the tide without some manner of shut down.  What makes any Governor think they’ll be able to avoid it?

As Charlie sang, it’s only a matter of time.

[lordxizor]

You’re right ... they have to make hard decisions. They can do it now, or do it later. Is here a single region of the world that has stemmed the tide without some manner of shut down.  What makes any Governor think they’ll be able to avoid it?

As Charlie sang, it’s only a matter of time.

I don't think the governors think they'll be able to avoid it. They're just trying to calibrate the right time to start to minimize the impact on everyone.

[jingle.boy]

IMO, the time is now. No infected region has been able to withstand the spread.

In other news ...

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/another-roundup-of-positive-updates-on-covid-outbreaks/

[Indiscipline]

Tokyo Summer Olympics postponed to 2021.