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Today is the First Day I am Freaking Out

 
 
 
Don2 (Don1 Revised)

Don2 (Don1 Revised)

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Joined
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non-practicing agnostic
Maybe it's just my anxiety or maybe I am onto something. Some things I was hearing have me in a constant state of stress. I am not panicking yet, but I am one step away.

Here are the things that triggered me:
  • Last night visit to the store, seeing an entire empty aisle and no ground beef, turkey, or chicken.
  • Italy announces 7.7% death rate from coronavirus.
  • Trump mentions things not being cleared until July or August.
  • Hearing people are buying guns left and right.
  • Hearing schools in the state are about to end the school year now.

If we make this thing nearly go away over the next month, it's just going to come back because it won't really be gone. The only way it is eliminated is if nearly all of us get it. That will take a short time to a long time. If it were a short time, there'd be mass deaths as the systems we have in place cannot handle it. Therefore, we've tried to flatten the curve, but we have to keep it flat until nearly everyone gets it or nearly everyone has a vaccine. We are potentially looking at a year. Yeah, I write a year. Trump said July or August. When have you known Trump to tell the truth?

The coronavirus epidemic in the UK will last until next spring and could lead to 7.9 million people being hospitalised, a secret Public Health England (PHE) briefing for senior NHS officials reveals.

The document, seen by the Guardian, is the first time health chiefs tackling the virus have admitted that they expect it to circulate for 12 more months and lead to huge extra strain on an already overstretched NHS.

It also suggests that health chiefs are braced for as many as 80% of Britons becoming infected with the coronavirus over that time.
Click to expand...
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...il-spring-2021-and-could-see-79m-hospitalised

How long can people hold it together when they realize just how long this is going to last and that we might be slow-cooking frogs?

What is going to start happening in this country? We are having occasional panics now. Food is still there. What happens when it's been hoarded so much and manufacturers of goods start having productivity and catch-up issues? People are arming themselves.

In another 3 months, what is going to happen? Martial law in certain areas? Do you think you will be able to vote in November? What about a year. What happens when the next winter comes? If you live in a temperate farm area with chickens and growing corn, I envy you. Except for the fear.
 
Would it be flippant and insensitive of me to expect jesus to soon appear in the sky? :D

Honestly, this reminds me of many of my friends circa Y2K. Has China or any country descended into armageddon?
 
It was reported early this morning in a local FB group that the local grocery store are packed full of people, parking lots jam-packed with cars. Out of curiosity, I drove past a couple stores this evening at about 7pm. Both stores still packed with people.

I just ordered some groceries online. I'll pick them up tomorrow afternoon. No need to step into that crap.
 
Don2 (Don1 Revised) said:
If we make this thing nearly go away over the next month, it's just going to come back because it won't really be gone.
Click to expand...
I don't think enough is known yet to make any such predictions. However I seriously don't think it will be gone over the next month but may take a bit longer. If and when it is gone it may be gone like SARS was, like the 1918 flu pandemic, etc. Alternately, once and if it is gone, it may return in the fall like seasonal flu does.
 
Grocery stores in greater Akron have been busy, but not packed. Confirmed cases in Ohio not nearly what other states are seeing yet. But bread, bottled water, hand soap seems to be the big thing.... bottled water. Like this is a hurricane. Generally, food has been available.

Meanwhile, I'm wondering what Jenny McCarthy's position on the Covid-19 vaccine is.

And of course, the longer we wait for a full quarantine, the harder it'll be to stamp this out. We are already in tricky waters now.
 
Saturday, the meat shelves were empty when we bought dinner (frozen pizza). Planned meals for the week accordingly. Sunday, my weekly shopping, the meats were back. But the marinara aisle was decimated.
And of course, the toilet paper was gone both days.

The checkout line was crazed, as everyone had a different idea of social distancing. People arguing over a foot or two, shouting at each other, spraying spittle around like marking territory.
 
Keith&Co. said:
Saturday, the meat shelves were empty when we bought dinner (frozen pizza). Planned meals for the week accordingly. Sunday, my weekly shopping, the meats were back. But the marinara aisle was decimated.
And of course, the toilet paper was gone both days.

The checkout line was crazed, as everyone had a different idea of social distancing. People arguing over a foot or two, shouting at each other, spraying spittle around like marking territory.
Click to expand...
That's right, frozen pizza was out too... except Digorno, the more expensive pizza. And that sucked because I wanted to get a cheese pizza. :(
 
No change here in the middle of nowhere in Russia. Saw two women over 60 kissing during greeting on the street.
 
Don2 (Don1 Revised) said:
  • Last night visit to the store, seeing an entire empty aisle and no ground beef, turkey, or chicken.
  • Italy announces 7.7% death rate from coronavirus.
  • Trump mentions things not being cleared until July or August.
  • Hearing people are buying guns left and right.
  • Hearing schools in the state are about to end the school year now.
Click to expand...

1.- Same everywhere, people are just reacting to uncertainty. It's not an indicator of anything concrete
2.- that is alarming, but there are precautions you can take and that is what you can control.
3.- Don't listen to Trump. He knows nothing about everything.
4.- People buying guns are morons. It's not a zombie apocalypse.
5.- Closing schools is precautionary.

If you are worried, set yourself up to go out as little as possible and follow instructions re: hygiene. Learn to play an instrument.
 
No real change here although I do know a few people that have been scared shitless by the over-the-top news coverage. A check of the state's department of health website shows that there are 121 known infections in the state with a population of over 10 million, the closest is over 200 miles from here. There is five cases in a county of a neighboring state a little over a hundred miles away. A bit of caution may be warranted because of what it may become but I see no reason for panic.
 
I won't lie. I'd feel better if we had a functioning grown up in the White House now but at least he has a couple of people who seem to know something about what they are doing speaking at news conferences. I briefly heard him on the radio and he sounded....almost normal for about 30 or 40 seconds. Most of the time, he just sounds like a mobster in a cheap B mob movie and today, for half a minute or so, he sounded like....an adult. Didn't last.

States are taking things more seriously and that's a good thing. I have been cyber stalking some relatives by a marriage not my own who have recently moved to Florida and they seem to believe that COVID19 is just a hoax, and keep inviting people down to enjoy the beaches and stay with them. That worries me: not that those particular people might get ill but that they aren't the only ones who are so delusional. But it does beat them buying up a lot of firearms which would the the other way I could see them taking things.

Among people I like: travel plans have been canceled for work/training and for significant family events ( a milestone birthday, a funeral) and a couple of sets of friends are being pressed into full time sitting for small grandchildren which is a little crazy as those particular parents could do most of their jobs remotely. Although, given the ages of the kids, they'd still need babysitters if they were going to accomplish anything. Taking a few days off is one thing. Doing it for weeks can have serious repercussions for a lot of people.

We have small vacation plans for early summer and so far, hubby is insisting we will NOT cancel them, no matter what. But we may not have a choice. So, I'm hoping that people keep showing up to my house to do work that is needed to complete the current home improvement project. Social distancing and all of that within the home, plus I clean all door nobs and light switches, etc. after anyone leaves the house.

I do have a slightly ridiculous amount of food in the house. But not *that* ridiculous. More like if I were anticipating a week of blizzards rather than a month of no food in stores. It's less crazy here than in larger cities. I've been reading Facebook notices of various food establishments closing down temporarily--and really hope that it's only temporary. We just finally got a good restaurant in town and I hope this doesn't close it down for good.

So far, everybody (us, kids) is ok as far as money goes. We won't look at the retirement account for a while. No need to have a heart attack in the midst of an epidemic. I have Netflix and Amazon Prime and a boatload of books I need to read plus a lot of cleaning up/out in general. I'll let that keep me occupied and try not to worry too much about anything else.
 
skepticalbip said:
No real change here although I do know a few people that have been scared shitless by the over-the-top news coverage. A check of the state's department of health website shows that there are 121 known infections in the state with a population of over 10 million, the closest is over 200 miles from here. There is five cases in a county of a neighboring state a little over a hundred miles away. A bit of caution may be warranted because of what it may become but I see no reason for panic.
Click to expand...
OK, you do realize that 4 months ago there was zero number of infected?
Seriously, what is wrong with you?
 
My daughter tells me it’s pretty rough in San Diego. She finally got into a grocery yesterday. I’m not sure what all she was able to buy. The stores are having to shut down for restocking. They just can’t keep up. I don’t know how much assurance is coming from the governor about there being no disruption in food supplies or the ability to go out and get it.
I’m having to dispel rumors daughter is getting through social media. At least she is asking me. She’s out of that mindset of adulthood means not asking for advice that she suffered in her late teens/early twenties.
Now that they have everyone’s attention, I think this is a good opportunity for state government to show just how regoddamndiculous relying on social media for information is.
 
Everything I've read said there is no shortage of food, but it is taking time to restock the stores. We always have a lot of food in the house because we eat most of our meals at home. The government kept telling people to stock up for at least two weeks, so that explains why so many people are on a food buying frenzy. I don't know about other places, but before this scare, our restaurants were almost always crowded. Now, many are closed or only doing take out. So, it makes sense that more people are buying more groceries.

I visited one store yesterday for a few things, mostly fresh vegetables. There were plenty of veggies and fruit, not much meat and no chicken. The store was more crowded than usual, but it wasn't awful. I don't need to go to the store until we need more fresh vegetables and fruit again.

I don't know if Home Depot and Lowes are still open, but they both had full parking lots over the weekend. There are no known cases of the virus in my area, but that doesn't mean a thing since so few tests have been done.

I have read about the gun buying madness, which could be a problem since there are so many gun owners who don't have a clue as to gun safety.

I told my nervous neighbor, if she was afraid of someone breaking in, she should put a sign on the door that her home is under quarantine for COVID-19. She liked that idea and we both had a good laugh. Don't forget that there is some truth in the old saying that "laughter is the best medicine". Yes. Small studies have been done regarding the impact of humor and laughter on the immune system. A lot more research needs to be done, but there is some evidence that laughter does boost the immune system. So, instead of panicking, try to find some humor in all of this, or watch a lot of comedy on tv. The news doesn't bother me at all, but it's making my husband very anxious, so I will turn it off when he's in the room.

And please start an exercise program if. you don't already have one. Since my aerobic group is canceled, I did two aerobic miles at home via a DVD. My husband walked outside for three miles. Aerobic exercise boost the immune system, and I find it's also a good coping mechanism. How else do you think I've remained sane while Trump is in office? There are even chair exercises that people who are disabled can do.

I think we will be home all day for the next few days, although I might take a brief ride to see what's open and what's closed, out of morbid curiosity.

What concerns me the most is the election. Our primary has been postponed until May 19th. What if things are still bad in May. Why not just give mail in ballots to everyone? One big problem across the nation is that most poll workers are older folks, and a lot of them don't want to risk working at the polls, which is understandable.

"It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine". The line of that song keeps popping into my head and I"m trying to laugh about it. But, I guess you could say that for now it is the end of the world as we know it. :D
 
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