How is Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) affecting your community?

[twocvbloke]

Looks like Go North East (Bus operator that serves where I live) is changing all services to Sunday timetables (with special timetables for routes where there's no service on a sunday) from Monday 23rd, so limiting the amount of buses available, meaning more people on fewer buses, not the most ideal situation really, but non-essential travel should be restricted anyway, meaning no popping to the shops for a bit of a wander, only going somewhere needed for essentials...

[Owain]

so limiting the amount of buses available, meaning more people on fewer buses, not the most ideal situation really,

but limiting the number of drivers required, which is the main factor. And fuel cost, of course.

I have to 'pop to the shops' because I can't rely that when I go for a weekly shop they will have anything to buy. So I am now going to the shops several times a week in the hope of finding things.

[twocvbloke]

I've also been going shopping for bits & pieces here and there, but gave it a miss today (mostly cos I couldn't stay awake, one of the issues I have to live with!!), but come monday when I have enough money to do proper shopping, I think I'll walk to Asda rather than get the bus, just to be on the safe side, plus it's healthier to walk anyway... 

[SUnset2]

My wife went to the supermarket early this morning and was able to score a 4 roll pack of toilet paper!! 
The shelves have been bare all month.
I told her to be sure to flip it over and use both sides!

[twocvbloke]

Don't forget the Arnold J. Rimmer method of conservative toilet roll use; Three pieces, One up, One down and One to polish... 

(A line from Red Dwarf, S07E05, "Blue")

[TelePlay]

With a lot of unknown, true and false accusations, fear and panic, things are posted which sometimes are not correct. One of those, which I've now seen posted 3 times at unrelated platforms proposes a simple test to determine if one has the virus. The third was this morning on the TCI ListServ.

https://groups.io/g/singingwires/message/150332

This was debunked by Snopes on March 11th

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/taiwan-experts-self-check/

along with an explanation of why this was not correct. As I see it, and I'm not a doctor, fibrosis of the lungs is something that occurs AFTER pneumonia is cured, is a result of the damage done to tissue by pneumonia (any type of pneumonia) or the creation of scar tissue resulting from damage done to lung tissue by the pneumonia. Or as stated in the Snopes analysis: "Fibrosis occurs when excess connective tissue is deposited in the lungs in response to scarring or other factors." So, seems fibrosis is part of the late stage healing process, not the early infection stage.

So, fibrosis is the last thing to happen, not the first. Still seems the best indicator, outside of an actual test, are symptoms (which can be easily googled) which seem to be a low grade fever, body aches, tiredness and dry cough (it's an upper respiratory infection, not a GI tract (need toilet paper) illness.

=====

Heard yesterday a major, large and popular restaurant in a small city about 30 miles from me announced they would be giving away all of their food stocks, before they spoiled, to residents in that city. They put limits on what any one person could take and seems they helped out a lot of people in their city. That restaurant for years has served hundreds of tables and probably more than a 1,000 customers during just one 4 hour period every Friday for their weekly Friday fish fry (which did not happen this past Friday).

Take that a step back and those food suppliers who sold goods to that and all restaurants have seen sales and deliveries dry up. This morning I heard that these companies that supply foodstuffs to restaurants have very large inventories that will begin to go bad. Would be nice if all that food could some how make it to homeless shelters, hospitals, grocery stores or other places where it could help undo the senseless hoarding spurred by the sensationalized media reporting.

The downside is that when restaurants begin to open, there will be a shortage in their food supply chain which will take months, if not years, to level out and get back into a normal daily supply pipeline. Menus at restaurants will be limited when they reopen.

For a septuagenarian, I've seen a lot of firsts in the world but this is a "new" first for me. And working in a vital industry, I get to go to work this coming week and drive several hundred miles so I will be seeing the affects first hand. One gets a good, strong hand perspective on what this virus is doing to our economy seeing major city ghost towns. Empty streets, sidewalks and parking lots. Skeleton staffs in buildings that are still open being vital concerns. So many dark store fronts of any business that catered to the general public and all with a 8 1/2 by 11 inch sheet of paper taped to their front doors saying closed until further notice.

Interesting times we are living in these days. The first I've seen which has put a very strong emphasis on self awareness and personal responsibility.

[19and41]

It looks like our high temps this week are supposed to range from 76F to 82F.  As much as I dread another horribly hot summer, there maybe some benefit.

[FABphones]

With a lot of unknown, true and false accusations, fear and panic, things are posted which sometimes are not correct. One of those, which I've now seen posted 3 times at unrelated platforms proposes a simple test to determine if one has the virus. The third was this morning on the TCI ListServ.

https://groups.io/g/singingwires/message/150332

This was debunked by Snopes on March 11th

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/taiwan-experts-self-check/

along with an explanation of why this was not correct. As I see it, and I'm not a doctor, fibrosis of the lungs is something that occurs AFTER pneumonia is cured, is a result of the damage done to tissue by pneumonia (any type of pneumonia) or the creation of scar tissue resulting from damage done to lung tissue by the pneumonia. Or as stated in the Snopes analysis: "Fibrosis occurs when excess connective tissue is deposited in the lungs in response to scarring or other factors." So, seems fibrosis is part of the late stage healing process, not the early infection stage.

So, fibrosis is the last thing to happen, not the first. Still seems the best indicator, outside of an actual test, are symptoms (which can be easily googled) which seem to be a low grade fever, body aches, tiredness and dry cough (it's an upper respiratory infection, not a GI tract (need toilet paper) illness.

I agree with this 100%.

Consult an official medical website for detailed and accurate information, the message shown on TCI is written by the poster as if it is information received from a close associate when it is in fact just a circulating message of misinformation. It should be removed, I hope the powers that be there will take heed.

Thank you Teleplay for alerting us and for adding the Snopes link.

[dsk]

It looks like it is lots of wrong information out there, so be careful.  How to protect yourselves from virus, or others from virus in case you have got it without knowing is the main issue.  Some are told to drink hot tea or coffee, and yes it is good-- tasting, but not killing the virus.  The sad (or??) thing is that isolation and distance together with traditional good hygienic behavior is the main thing.   
Here we are running out of protective clothing for the hospitals etc.  We have not been prepared at all, unless you are a prepper.

Lots of people are out of their jobs, In Oslo the restaurant has strict limitations, and do mainly serve with walkaway. Alcohol are banned at restaurants you should not be more than 5 people  together, not even at home (how to find out?) We have got temporary laws etc. etc. 

Lucky me, I can do my work from home, difficult, and lots to learn as a teacher on a high-school.  Now I am learning to use the next generation of telephony they say, Microsoft Teams.  It is actually much more job to make all this from home, than at school.

Take care, using the telephones are a safe way of keeping in touch 

dsk

[Key2871]

Many stores and restaurants are closed, factories are closing putting keep out of work while this is on going. Hospitals are pleading for help with masks, protective wear etc as has been said nobody was expecting this at all.

I stop the store for a few things a couple times a week. To keep up on things we go through quickly. I've been able to get some basics. But shelves are getting bare. I don't see delivery trucks in the parking lots like I used to.
We keep forging forward, and are staying healthy in the mean time.

[andre_janew]

In the apartment building where I live, newspaper delivery has been suspended.  Tenants are in no hurry to recycle their old newspapers because they may need them as a substitute for toilet paper!

[FABphones]

In the apartment building where I live, newspaper delivery has been suspended.  Tenants are in no hurry to recycle their old newspapers because they may need them as a substitute for toilet paper!

For any considering this, newspaper should not be flushed down toilets, this has already caused sewer blockages which have been reported on news channels.

As someone pointed out when they heard about these blockages '...each person in the household could have their own sponge and use soap and water'.

[twocvbloke]

I actually just read about the blockages reported by Northumbrian Water (who supply the water & drainage where I live), absolutely daft what people do, causing more problems than there needs to be, but it all goes back to the idiots who hoarded the toilet roll, they should foot the bill for all the work needed to be done to unblock sewers and clean up property flooded with sewage... 

As for "alternatives", I've been professing my backup solution in a few places; A couple cheap facecloths, soap, warm water & cheap bleach in a washing up bowl of hot water to sterilise them after use, far better option than using things like kitchen roll or pages from the ScrewFix catalogue!!! 

Wouldn't recommend sponges myself as they could retain unwanted nasties (won't go into details!), cloths are far easier to clean...

[Babybearjs]

Boise is holding its own.... being retired, I'm already homebound... I actually was able to get a carton of eggs the other day! I hope the hoarding has stopped... if not, then rationing should be imposed (WWII).

[FABphones]

...As for "alternatives", I've been professing my backup solution in a few places; A couple cheap facecloths...

That would be a better option I think.

—-

This morning I went to the store to get a few provisions. Pleased to say everyone I saw was calmly and sensibly shopping. No panic buying, no shortages. Here is a photo of the 'paper goods' isle: