Week of Mar 21: COVID-19 info, facts & updates

[StarDapple]

I am on day 3 of at-home quarantine.  I feel ok, but the chest tightness persists.  I still am unable to walk very much without having shortness of breath.  My work (veterinary hospital) has said that they do not want me back until I have gone 72 hours past the end of symptoms.  I have no idea how long that will be.

There are rumours that Oregon will be following California's recommendations of a stay-at-home order on Monday.  Not sure if it is just a rumour or not but I would not be surprised if it happens.  I feel like most people in my area are practicing good common sense.  My mom said that the grocery stores are the cleanest she has ever seen and people are making sure to practice good social distancing.

I wish the best for you and hope you feel better very soon!  I used to work in the veterinary field too and I do think think society can ever truly repay those who cannot stay home during this time.   

Thank you so much!  Before I was sent home, we were working so hard and people were still giving us grief because of the new regulations.  It makes it difficult to come to work sometimes because of people, never the animals.

[tailrustedtealeaf]

Pennsylvania. I'm right next the the most cases and about an hour from Philly. We're teetering at almost 400 cases statewide and I'm sure we've hit that by now. Two deaths. They've delayed the enforcement of closing non-life-sustaining business to Monday (was supposed to be yesterday?).
Gamestop is finally closing for the outbreak. Complaining works!! I hope nothing bad came of all the games released on Friday and I'm glad the employees won't be subjected to endangering themselves.
Here's the sitch at my store:
Because there are no true weekends now (sorta?) we are rather slow. If you are looking to buy groceries on a less busy day, consider a weekend so long as it isn't Friday. But that could be because of a large uptick in sales after the announcement of nonessential business closing. We didn't even hit a normal sales day yesterday.
We have an employee pantry in the back and all of the employees with toilet paper got nasty looks. I haven't had a chance or need to get stuff out of it myself but I am glad for it. We have limits on lots of items (milk, eggs, frozen veggies) and shelves are rubber banding back and forth. Customers out of the store by 10, fine by me.
I have to wear gloves when I retrieve money. Makes sense but we still handle a lot of money, so they gave us a free-standing sink. I don't like the noise it makes so I'm put off of using it but glad it's an option. Our little built-in coffee shop is still serving but closes earlier. Still serving subs and pizza, but there are ropes in front of the sneezeguard.
There are taped lines on the floor everywhere. When you check out, you bring your cart forward, stand back at the front of the belt while the employee rings you out, and then come forward to pay. Similar measures at the service desk. We have a separate area for alcohol that is wildly popular since the state stores are closed, but no tape there. I'd imagine we'd get something there soon.

[BlackCurtains]

The Florida governor was just on again.

830 cases, 13 deaths, 62 infected tourists.

He is still not making beach closures mandatory, but more are electing to close though people are not respecting this and showing up anyway. He did put in an order to suspend elective and non-critical surgeries in order to free up space in hospitals. Two drive through testing sites are open, one in Miami and Jacksonville, another will open in Orlando soon. They're prioritizing people 65 and older who have symptoms.

He went on a spiel about "doing your part" and practicing social distancing trying to appeal to younger people. Like, just close the beaches??? You have the power.

[Wardah]

I can't believe the dumb people in this country. Ooh yeah, let's all go to the beach and to the forests.
This is how you get a lock-down. Selfish behaviour. We're over 3000 cases right now.

Edit: over 4000

More beaches are closing but the majority are open. People are still visiting them even though they're closed. I was amazed by comments on a news article the number of residents complaining about it. Saying things like "what else are we supposed to do" - how about... stay home!

People would be able to go these places if they kept their distance. It doesn't travel more than six feet. Selfishly people are choosing to still go when there isn't enough room to keep distance instead of coming back another time. I hope if this is still a thing when it's warmer here that people will heed distancing at the beaches so we don't have to close them.

[lonewolf]

My state is up to 64 cases now. Seems to be a slow, steady climb. But yeah I think we're going to see a huge spike in a few days thanks to spring breakers.

[Koudoawaia]

Last I heard today and the numbers could have changed again since then, there are 99 cases in KY and 3 deaths.

[MerryAnvil]

Oklahoma:

We currently have 67 cases and 2 deaths. There are 2 cases in our county currently, including one in our local hospital. We live near OSU and they've moved all classes online and shut down their transportation services. Our mayor (and now entire state) has issued a state of emergency and a bunch of public services including recreational facilities and the library have all been shut down. All bars and dine-in restaurants have been shut down and restaurants that can do so have moved to doing either delivery or drive-thru only.

My family have all been self-isolating as best we can and only going out to get absolutely necessary groceries. Even though my family are mostly healthy and aren't in the high-risk columns, my sister and I recently got over bouts of Influenza A so there's that worry. My mom has begun using gloves to interact with anything that a multitude of people have touched, including gas pumps and ATM machines, and we have a little...sanitization station (hehe) out in our garage where we remove our shoes and all clothing we went to a store in and use hand sanitizer so we can touch the doorknob on the way to the bathroom, where we then take a shower. It may seem like a bit of an overreaction but we have lots of elderly and immunocompromised people in our community and we're trying our best not to allow anything to spread if we can help it. I've also been using gloves to handle any mail/packages.

Although my sister works as a trainer at Chic-Fil-A and still has to work, they've been carefully choosing people that can take the financial hit and cutting their hours first so that people who rely on the job as their main income can still support themselves. Because my sister still lives with all of us on our family farm and mostly just has a job to build up savings and help out a bit with rent/household costs, she had her hours cut majorly. She's only working 3 days this coming up week and they're very short days. We're doing okay financially though and I still have some money saved up to loan my parents if I need to.

My sister's workplace was extremely quick to act and even before the state of emergency was issued, implemented a rule where every 30 minutes, an alarm goes off and employees must drop what they're doing and wash their hands. All employees are wearing gloves at this point as well, no matter what job they're doing. There is one person to handle the money and another to hand out the food. The managers apparently said that if anyone comes in with any symptoms of being sick, they will be fired on the spot and sent home (they're huge on not having employees work while sick anyways; if you have a fever or get nauseous during the shift they automatically send you home even when a pandemic is not happening).

We've had to resort to making our own bread and buying yeast for it online because none of our stores have any bread. Panic buying has increased since the state of emergency was issued, it seems. We were barely able to find essentials like toilet paper and even feminine products. Apparently when my mom last went out to get groceries for the week, someone shoved her out of the way to get into the store first. Absolutely unreal. There are some silver linings, though; the Dollar General down the road from my house has started closing early but they've put in place a neat rule where for the last couple hours of the day, elderly customers are given priority over other customers so they can get checked out and leave quicker. Also a lot of the elderly people in our community have taken to wearing respirators and gloves when they do have to go out.

[Ponyfan]

2 new cases in my area, the first ones that are community spread. So far my city is not in a shelter in place state but the mayor said more info will be given tomorrow. He also said that he is going to be shutting down businesses that don't provide essential services like nail salons.


Ponyfan

[Beth3346]

We had our first Covid-19 death today here in San Antonio.  A woman in her 80s. Houston, where I'm from, just issued a shelter in place. I have a feeling that will happen here in San Antonio and in Austin.

Next week i'm supposed to be moving to Austin.  We already gave our landlord notice and committed to a rental house in Austin so we have to go.  I really want to move from the place we're in but i'm nervous about letting movers in.  There's no way we can move the furniture on our own.  We live in one of those 3 story townhomes (I don't recommend unless you like always being late because you left your shoes or wallet on the 3rd floor) I'm working remotely after I move so I'm looking forward to not having pressure to go back in the office.

I'm surprised office jobs aren't pressuring people to come in. In Houston the companies I worked for were not accommodating to remote work. And the way the law is written in Texas employers can weasel out of paying employees who are not in the office. Texas is a "right to work" state.

[Mareacooda]

1. Where do you live?
Northern Maine USA
2. What is the current climate like where you're at?
Snow ground, lakes still some ice.. mostly 20s - high 30s temp. Later this weeks climb 40s.
3. Are news reports coming from your area accurate or no? What is going on?
Reports lower part state possible positive tested.. not sure of the number I send my husband tend not follow news..  I learn last weekend by friend lower state ask if our community gone mad over toilet paper ect...
Drive thru and take only restaurants/ banks all public rest stop or bathrooms closed, only essential stores open.. Stores put limited per customers a day items, give Special hrs SRs and people health issues that prone to virus...
4. What are your questions and concerns? 
My concern mostly panic and madness of public...
I also concern lack ignorance rumors spread panic.. I already heard rumors some hospitals not Property testing or give staff proper protection.
5. What has your government / administration done to address this (please try to keep this as politics free as possible, it is fine to state whether you agree/disagree with their actions etc) and, in your opinion, how is it working? Ex: Shelter in place orders, curfews, closures
State close public school, ( send homework kids/ lunches) public bathrooms all close, drive thru take out only, only essential stores open, SR homes lockdowns, stores put limits need products... Are those excepted... Farmers and plants process essentials... open fish season early...
My thoughts
My understanding that much worst virus like common flu / pneumonia which done worst damage to society but never gone society panic. I live and farm bred. I see alot sickness just alone thru from different species and plants.. Life finds a way to keep population/ over crowding and weak in check for best of life! So I am baffled by madness when only ones who infected need protection those immune, respiratory issues... I recall from other generations stories when spread chicken pox they actual have party to build immunity and to supervise/ control virus as same effected as vaccines. 
I feel this need as wake up call society to remember what goes in daily life from farmer grow food/ truckers transporting, butcher process ect that feeds society and maintain structure of society... if this doesn't happen then society would hunt and grow they own as individuals..
Society need learn to work togather and stop panicking being greedy to survive as human race...
6. Is your job affected, if so, how?
Layoff my part time job but no vacation break from care, milking ect livestock and soon planting season...
Husband work McCains they still move because they food productor are excepted..
7. How are you and your family doing??
My Aunt stuck right Florida... ( she not phase by it because she loving sun and is nurse).. My husband family are keep to themselves( never close family).. I have few SR friends & friends which I will delivery them fresh products to insure they feed..

[BlackCurtains]

Well, Florida has hit over 1000 cases, 1007. 70 of them are tourists. Deaths still at 13.

[Bright_Glow]

Any pony from Europe? No? Then just me I guess.
Anyway the fresh numbers from Hungary:
-Infected: 167
-Healed: 16
- Deaths: 7
-Quarantine: 101
-Tests: 5 515

I'm in self-quarantine since last Thursday (19th March) because my dad got into hospital with pneumonia the day before (18th March) luckily he is much better since than and his tests for Covid19 were negative too.
That's a huge relief but I still have to say at home for 2 weeks as my boss asked because I work in a disability home run by the local Maltaster International.

I have two fears of the recent situation:

1.) There are still lots of elder people are on the street since there is no central lockdown. I think the problem is that the elders don't trust stranger helpers because there were many theft cases in the news not long ago.

2.) I don't want to go deep into politics but our prime minister tries to use out the situation for his own advantage. Do I have to say more? 

[Moonbreeze]

Any pony from Europe? No? Then just me I guess

Lots of EU active in the previous thread Right now only Dutchies though.

There will by a crisis meeting today. Let's see what happens.

I'll add this
1. Where do you live?

South Holland, Netherlands

2. What is the current climate like where you're at?

Calm enough, although there has been quite some hoarding. People don't give a thing about social distancing and are visiting places now that the sun is finally out.
Putting unneeded stress on things such as public transport

3. Are news reports coming from your area accurate or no? What is going on?

It's the worst in the south of the country (that's less than an hour away though, we're tiny )
I tend the follow the news coming from newspapers or the RIVM (Dutch Health Organization).
Not social media.

4. What are your questions and concerns?

I have none. Every day is different and there's nothing you can do but follow the news and adapt.

5. What has your government / administration done to address this (please try to keep this as politics free as possible, it is fine to state whether you agree/disagree with their actions etc) and, in your opinion, how is it working? Ex: Shelter in place orders, curfews, closures

Schools, sport clubs and such are closed. Stores are still open, but some are closing on their own.

We're on the sinking 'group immunity' boat. It might have worked, but as stated before; people don't seem to care enough.
I hope they'll make it illegal to be in groups soon, perhaps then they'll listen.

6. Is your job affected, if so, how?

Yes, I work at a school. We had to switch everything over to online classes. So I'm still able to work from home to help arrange this all.

7. How are you and your family doing??

I have a cold (nothing more than that it seems), but my family is doing fine

[tikibirds]

They claim there are only 8 cases here, 2 imported from Chinese citizens returning from overseas.
Pretty much all people from abroad are being quarantined upon arrival in China - most at hotels and its up to the foreigner to pay for a 2 week stay at said hotel. Seniors in HS have gone back to having physical classes in some regions.

[banditpony]

My concern mostly panic and madness of public...
I also concern lack ignorance rumors spread panic.. I already heard rumors some hospitals not Property testing or give staff proper protection.

Those aren't rumors at all. Those are facts.

There is lack of PPE nationwide, but absolutely in areas that are dealing with it more. And we need to be testing a lot more people, but as of now they can't. Unless by properly you mean they aren't swabbing people correctly? That I haven't heard.

It's not a reason to panic. People have to know these things.