The virus and how it's affected life

by days of future passed 9 Replies latest social current

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  days of future passed

  Since I've never lived in time with dire events, this virus and it's effects, has taken me by surprise. Not that I should be surprised by how people responded, but until you experience it first hand, you just don't get the scope of it all.

  All the hoarding. I've always taken things in a more rational way. Take what you need and don't be selfish. And at first, I was sort of amused by people hoarding. But then it was annoying to see people with carts stacked 3 ft higher than it, with toilet paper.

  Stores that have some art & crafts stuff are practically wiped out. Probably parents keeping their children occupied and art is a great way to do it. Kids are benefiting in some ways from this. The big hobby stores aren't open so you try the shipping route and find they are out of stuff. Looking on Amazon you find some supplies are outrageous in prices - like 5 times it's worth. (art stuff) Even if I go to a more local Dick Blick store, I have to order a lot to overcome the shipping costs.

  More home projects are getting done. I don't mind not going to work. Wish there wasn't the money drain tho.

  I went to Walmart and Lowe's yesterday. In both parking lots, there were quite a lot of discarded gloves on the ground along with a few masks. Really people, how jerky is that?

  Most people are doing the social 6ft distancing. Walmart had tape on the ground and outside they had made a long tent over the standing - in - line area. People seem more inclined to say things to you. Like we are all in the same boat thing.

  I made a funny discovery in the Walmart store. I was in their shipping supplies area to get a few boxes. Behind the medium flat pack of boxes, someone had hidden a 12 pack of toilet paper. So they might have gotten some already but there is a limit, so they tucked it away to come back later or maybe for someone else to come get. Well I took it and got some "where did you get that's and You're lucky" chats. I feel kind of bad because I'm just one person and I have some at home. I feel like a hoarder over that but then, I just don't want to deal with having to look later for some. Because even tho they restock, still no hand sanitizers, lysol spray (although one worker went and got one for a lady that had nicely begged for sanitizer) tp gone and supposedly was going to restocked at 6.

  How about all of you? How is your area on stocking and how people are taking it? What surprised you the most?
• 

  a watcher

  I am surprised at how easy it was for Satan to shut down the KHs and field service work. I expected this to happen during the GT, but not before it.
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  2+2=5

  Things may have changed dramatically for some, I’ve not changed anything in my routine, with the exception of not being able to bring kids a along to do a shop, and the empty shelves when I get there.

  I’ve got work in essential services, speaking to some major home builders, they reckon there is enough work to last until Xmas without selling another home this year.

  I’ve noticed a shift in society, all this practice of avoiding contagious disease will reap massive benefits this flu season, they can get bad.

  I believe a few years back, there was over 1500 deaths from influenza A h1n1?, 2016-17 in Australia. Often very nasty in young people, but the prevalence of our flu strains should be way down this season with how things are. Something positive about the new hygiene measures flowing through immediately I reckon.
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  RolRod

  Same here, people hoarding, especially toilet paper, although yesterday after work I stopped at the supermarket to get some juice and I saw a guy walking out with toilet paper so I walked in and found a clerk stocking them, so I grabbed one. Didn't really need it, but I was running low and didn't want to be without.

  Markets have been emptied for a few weeks, the last week or so have found bread and meat stocked, so things are getting better.

  Personally I was never concerned, I'm considered "essential" as a Letter Carrier so I'm out delivering 12 hours a day picking up the slack for sick coworkers, touching dirty mail, mailboxes, handrails and doorknobs. I don't wear gloves, mask or use sanitizer.
• 

  The Fall Guy

  A novel coronavirus succeeded where Hitler & Stalin failed - to paralyse the org!! LOL
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  2+2=5

  I am surprised at how easy it was for Satan to shut down the KHs and field service work. I expected this to happen during the GT, but not before it.
  

  I think you’re in for a few more surprises yet
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  caves

  Here most everything is closed. ( your not even supposed to hire companys to do landscaping i.e mow your lawn) but some people are doing it anyway and I don't see or have yet to hear of fines being enforced for that)

  Construction here is halted.

  Most work is near non existent. People having a hard time getting unemployment due to an overload of calls and the state site getting overloaded and crashing.

  The places that remain open are Walmart of course, but they are no longer open 24hrs. they close at 8pm. They are only allowing a certain number in at a time. One way entrance and single file lines 6 ft apart.

  Other essential stores like grocery stores are open with the same things in place. Limited hours with limited amount of people to be inside at a one time.

  Sneeze guards are now in all these stores. Along with CDC Covid-19 guidelines posted and tape marking the distance between people.

  As far a stores having restocked, they are doing a great job, but toilet paper is still hard to find and no one has hand sanitzer. ( finally found alcohol and aloe vera gel to make my own, just in time as I was getting low)

  Meat was wiped out but now seems plentiful or at least reasonably stocked.

  Crime is rising, especially domestic violence. Suicides are rising. ( not enough data to see just how much yet, but enough to hit the news and papers)

  I see and hear a lot of teenagers, 20 year olds and unfortunately even some older, acting like its no biggie and running around as if its a vacation or something, not abiding by the social distancing rules. Like yesterday, some guy that lives near me came up to my window (no face mask) trying to talk to me 1 foot away from my face. I told him a couple of times to please use social distancing. He didn't listen so I sprayed Lysol in the direction of his face.lol. He got the hint.

  Businesses are now putting up for sale signs, many of which have been here for over 30 plus years. So much for saving small businesses as touted by the Governor and our other elected officials.

  Traffic is really light.

  Schools giving away free lunches to kids whether you go to their district or not.

  This area in particular is known to have the best food banks up until a month ago. They are/were set up like mini grocery stores. I used to go because farmers and local grocery stores would donate tons of fresh organic vegetables of just about anything you can imagine. Which would have cost me an easy hundred dollars at the store. Many people preferred to take the processed foods and other junk crap. So they always let me take as much as I wanted so it didn't go bad. Now they all have limited hours, no getting out of your car, funding fell thru the roof and its army style food rations. I saw the main guy in charge of one, on his knees crying because the government just took over and so many cant be feed now. It was a horrible sight. And devastating to many in the community. Also there is a lack of volunteers now due to most of them being elderly and being ordered to go stay at home. ( its interesting that the older ones are the people willing to risk their lives so the younger generation can survive)

  Pizza places are thriving. And one hamburger joint in particular here is doing well. All other fast food joints are near dead.

  Also much to my defiance ,the state issued a fishing ban. Fortunately there are some places way off the the beaten path I could go.

  Even though I don't like that the state has closed the parks and entrances into the national forest(federal too), (unless you know where to look/go) three weeks ago many people poured into the beaches and parks here to camp when the lock down happened and they brought COVID with them. There were no cases here until that weekend. Then it blew up with the confirmed cases coming straight from Seattle. Thanks Seattle! I probably would have done the same thing if I lived in a metropolitan area and wanted to get out in nature, but it defeats the purpose when its 1000s of people crammed on the beaches or one park with hundreds stacked on top of each other. So the state shut it all down. State responded very quickly.

  This might be the only time in history that Wa states knee jerk reaction or snowflakes continuous meltdowns to just about everything worked in its favor in regards Covid. Maybe.
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  BluesBrother

  Around here , U K, everything except essentials are shut down. People are told firmly to stay at home. Therefore traffic is light, busses are empty. You must queue outside a supermarket 2 metres apart , some items are still short.

  For me, there is not a lot of change, I was at home anyway. I just miss the freedom to go downtown for a coffee.
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  frozen2018

  I don't know how things will change in real life, but it better change in disaster movies. You've seen disaster movies (asteroid heading for earth, ufo attacks, etc) where people are running around in a panic, cars are crashing into each other, fires everywhere, and other assorted mayhem. In the future, if a disaster movie doesn't include one scene where people are beating the tar out of each other as they fight over the last roll of FREAKING TOILET PAPER at the Wal-Mart, I will be deeply disappointed.
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  days of future passed

  frozen2018 - I was watching someone play The Walking Dead on Youtube and I had the same thought. To be realistic they should show the survivors going thru houses and find rooms full of toilet paper.