COVID-19 Health and Preparedness - Strictly Moderated

[Sunset]

I am proud to say I have not bitten my nails for 24 days. Seriously, I'm not joking. This is huge for me. So huge, I want to take a picture and show you all, but I'll spare you for now. Seeing white at the end of my figures is strange.

More bothersome is using a keyboard. Strange!

I'm going to search for a clipper and clip them down. As much fun as it is to have some nails, I think it is a better strategy for now to just clip them off.

I still put hand to face too much per day. I am working on that too.

Great !!
I find if I have a sharp spot on my nail, it bugs the heck out of me, I'll pick at it constantly. Clippers help me and sometimes a fine nail file, to take off the sharp spots.

 

[harllee]

I am proud to say I have not bitten my nails for 24 days. Seriously, I'm not joking. This is huge for me. So huge, I want to take a picture and show you all, but I'll spare you for now. Seeing white at the end of my figures is strange.

More bothersome is using a keyboard. Strange!

I'm going to search for a clipper and clip them down. As much fun as it is to have some nails, I think it is a better strategy for now to just clip them off.

I still put hand to face too much per day. I am working on that too.

Congrats on that! I use to be a nail biter so I know it is a hard habit to break. The only way I stopped biting my nails was to wear fake nails.

 

[KCGeezer]

DD sent me the link for this video on modified hospital sterilization techniques that can be used for groceries. It’s thorough and concise IMO. A nurse friend of her’s sent it to her.

 

[Mmm Rrr]

I feel bad for the small business owners. Assume you own a bike shop. You must shut down. But the local Big Box store can still sell bicycles and accessories because it also has a supermarket in it. That doesn't seem right.

Actually in Washington State bicycle shops are on the list of essential businesses, and here in Spokane at least they are reporting increased business as people look for "approved" exercise that maintains distance.

But I do agree with you that there are many other businesses that have to be closed while big box stores can fulfill the need for their products.

 

[Ready]

I was surprised to see the local bicycle shop in my town open yesterday. There was a sign on the door informing people they can not test ride any of the bicycles or even sit on them to try them out before buying them. So I’m not sure how practical it will be for them to stay open.

 

[NW-Bound]

I don't think CDC passes along bad info. They may not stress some points, because they might have thought that it was obvious. Of course everybody knows a segment of RNA is not the same as a whole virus, they might have thought.

They forget that the public dissemination for the public has to be very basic, simple, and straightforward. They will need an expert in public relation to review every press release to avoid confusion.

By the way, CDC was able to cultivate this virus quite early, in order to provide samples to researchers around the US to work with. Researchers have done this with the 2003 SARS virus, and that's why they say this is a different strain of the same coronavirus species.

 

[tmm99]

I read that South Korea is sending their testing materials to the US (I believe the US requested) so the US can speed up the test process.

I found the article.

South Korea to Send Testing Materials to the U.S. After Trump's Request for Help

https://time.com/5809509/south-korea-coronavirus-covid19-test-u-s-trump/

 

[audreyh1]

I am proud to say I have not bitten my nails for 24 days. Seriously, I'm not joking. This is huge for me. So huge, I want to take a picture and show you all, but I'll spare you for now. Seeing white at the end of my figures is strange.

More bothersome is using a keyboard. Strange!

I'm going to search for a clipper and clip them down. As much fun as it is to have some nails, I think it is a better strategy for now to just clip them off.

I still put hand to face too much per day. I am working on that too.

You’ve got to keep those nails trimmed close for a keyboard - it’s quite noticeable when they get in the way.

 

[atmsmshr]

Interactive projection map

From the NY Times - an interactive map the reader can use to project outcomes. Also shows data from other countries and the power of exponential growth. Focus is on possible outcomes.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive...&module=trending&pgtype=Article&region=Footer

Meanwhile, the number of flights to Florida from NYC is near 200 / day.

Anyone remember Snake Plissken in the movie 'Escape from New York?'

 

[NateW]

I thought I'd seen 3 feet somewhere (39 inches = 1 meter, right). That's a little more reassuring.

We certainly try to stay 6 feet apart from other people, but occasionally it's closer to 3 feet for just a moment.

Crossing the street when walking dogs - well it can be trickier to keep dogs away from each other, so I get the crossing the street part when walking dogs.

The CDC confirms this. Also, the following from the CDC has done more than just about anything I have read to relieve my fears of getting the Virus (See Table 1 at the bottom of the page): https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/risk-assessment.html

I was afraid to stop by Lowe's and run in and grab a few bags of salt for our water softener. It's right up front by the registers. Per the CDC it looks like this is a non risk activity for contracting Coronavirus.

 

[Clone]

I wanted to relay the 'Walmart Grocery Pickup experience for a first time user'. This may all be redundant for many, but perhaps it will be useful for some.

We have been trying to get some groceries delivered, or available for pickup, for a few days. No lock from our normal grocery so I tried Walmart. It took a few days.

Created an account on Walmart.com, make sure you remember the password, because you will need it later. Loaded grocery lists into a cart. Then went to reserve a time slot. They would deliver, or you can pickup. We chose to pickup, we felt it would minimize handling and we are only a couple miles away. Plus save the $9.95 delivery charge. 2am Wednesday morning, I was wandering sleeplessly and decided to check for an available slots. Turns out, there was a large number of delivery or pickup slots available for Thursday. (Basically, next day). Picked a slot and submitted the order. It said that we could adjust the order until 1:45 am Thursday morning.

This morning, I received an email that said pickup was ready, and to checkin on their app when I was headed to the store. So I downloaded the app, and after fumbling with the password and such, was able to click 'We are on our way'. Drove to the store, and parked in one of their pickup parking spots. We debated what to do next, and were ready to call the number on the parking spot sign when an employee with a cart came out the door and rolled up to our vehicle. I popped the rear hatch and she put the groceries in the back. She said that I could sign the pad, or I could let her do the signing (which I did). She stayed well away from the vehicle when possible. She said 'I see this is your first time, any questions?' And I asked how they knew which parking spot I was in. It seems that the app (you need to enable location for it) would signal them that we were inbound and where we were.

All in all, it went very smooth. It is now close to noon, and I see that there are still pickup slots available for tomorrow at noon at a Walmart that is about 12 miles away from here. I had read somewhere that they release new slots around midnight, so that may be the key. Grab a slot early in the morning, and then make out your grocery order and submit it.

 

[REWahoo]

Clone, did you get everything you ordered?

 

[Clone]

Clone, did you get everything you ordered?

I knew ahead of time that certain things were not available- paper towels, TP, napkins, cheese bagels), and so they were not in the cart. I did have some plain bagels in the cart, and it turns out those were also not available. I don't know if I had checked the allow or don't allow substitutions box. But it was no big deal, we are good on paper products for a couple weeks, and can do without the bread products. You can check availability on the website while you are putting your order together.

 

[harllee]

I also have been using Walmart pick up, I love it. If you look for a time slot and none are available get up in the middle of the night and check, usually can get a slot for then 2 days later. When you get a time slot go ahead and complete your order you can add or delete later. I found out the hard way that if you do not complete the order within an hour or so you time slot goes away. I am getting most of the things I ordered with a fe unusual substitutions.

 

[Sunset]

I wanted to relay the 'Walmart Grocery Pickup experience for a first time user'. This may all be redundant for many, but perhaps it will be useful for some.

We have been trying to get some groceries delivered, or available for pickup, for a few days. No lock from our normal grocery so I tried Walmart. It took a few days.

Created an account on Walmart.com, make sure you remember the password, because you will need it later. Loaded grocery lists into a cart. Then went to reserve a time slot. They would deliver, or you can pickup. We chose to pickup, we felt it would minimize handling and we are only a couple miles away. Plus save the $9.95 delivery charge. 2am Wednesday morning, I was wandering sleeplessly and decided to check for an available slots. Turns out, there was a large number of delivery or pickup slots available for Thursday. (Basically, next day). Picked a slot and submitted the order. It said that we could adjust the order until 1:45 am Thursday morning.

This morning, I received an email that said pickup was ready, and to checkin on their app when I was headed to the store. So I downloaded the app, and after fumbling with the password and such, was able to click 'We are on our way'. Drove to the store, and parked in one of their pickup parking spots. We debated what to do next, and were ready to call the number on the parking spot sign when an employee with a cart came out the door and rolled up to our vehicle. I popped the rear hatch and she put the groceries in the back. She said that I could sign the pad, or I could let her do the signing (which I did). She stayed well away from the vehicle when possible. She said 'I see this is your first time, any questions?' And I asked how they knew which parking spot I was in. It seems that the app (you need to enable location for it) would signal them that we were inbound and where we were.

All in all, it went very smooth. It is now close to noon, and I see that there are still pickup slots available for tomorrow at noon at a Walmart that is about 12 miles away from here. I had read somewhere that they release new slots around midnight, so that may be the key. Grab a slot early in the morning, and then make out your grocery order and submit it.

Nice and clear.

This was our first time experience too.
I was surprised by our being only the 3rd car in the 10 slots available, as I expected it busy. Maybe it's limited by the number of staff in some places.

 

[Another Reader]

I have a cart ready. Tried multiple times starting around 2 AM to get a pick up window. No luck. Only a couple of Walmarts here have pick up. None of the small ones.

 

[Clone]

I was surprised by our being only the 3rd car in the 10 slots available, as I expected it busy. Maybe it's limited by the number of staff in some places.

We were the only vehicle in the 6 parking spot area. But we were near the end of the one-hour time slot, so maybe the next wave was going to be there in 10 minutes. The parking lot itself was not very busy. Likewise the parking lot at our normal grocery store was nearly empty. So perhaps the surge has gone here. Or just waiting for the next round of bad news.

Edit to add- I just checked the availability again. Now, you can schedule a delivery anytime from 11 to 6, or pickup anytime from 11 to 7 at the Walmart near us. The other one has no slots available. So it looks like they have added a bunch of slots in the last hour.

What am I missing in the following flowchart?

 

[Chuckanut]

The best way to be prepared is to not do anything that may require you to visit a hospital. Besides overworking the staff, CV19 is complicating everything.

The advice I was given is to live your life as though the nearest ER/Hospital is 300 miles away and requires an arduous 24 hour trip to get there.

 

[ncbill]

Actually in Washington State bicycle shops are on the list of essential businesses, and here in Spokane at least they are reporting increased business as people look for "approved" exercise that maintains distance.

But I do agree with you that there are many other businesses that have to be closed while big box stores can fulfill the need for their products.

Here all the bike shops have setup tents in their parking lots.

You pull up and they unload your bike from your vehicle and then you shout to them what's wrong with it.

 

[razztazz]

The best way to be prepared is to not do anything that may require you to visit a hospital. Besides overworking the staff, CV19 is complicating everything.

The advice I was given is to live your life as though the nearest ER/Hospital is 300 miles away and requires an arduous 24 hour trip to get there.

I've actually scaled back my workouts. Eased up on the "hard day" workouts. It's embarrassing enough just to cause a heart attack while working out. I'd hate to impose on people who weren't asking for it.

 

[Sunset]

The best way to be prepared is to not do anything that may require you to visit a hospital. Besides overworking the staff, CV19 is complicating everything.

The advice I was given is to live your life as though the nearest ER/Hospital is 300 miles away and requires an arduous 24 hour trip to get there.

Good idea,
Especially in a few weeks , as there simply may not be any available space regardless of need, if it gets like Italy.

Good news is , it seems that shooting in Chicago have gone down, hardly hear of any. Maybe with some many people staying home, there are too many witnesses ?
Or Gang members are concerned about their health

 

[ivinsfan]

I have a cart ready. Tried multiple times starting around 2 AM to get a pick up window. No luck. Only a couple of Walmarts here have pick up. None of the small ones.

I found Wal Marts slots in my area roll over at 1201....try it then.

 

[travelover]

Just got an email from my local Toyota dealer - they will pick up and deliver car for free if it needs service. I guess that is better than sitting and waiting for customers.

 

[sengsational]

Health and Preparedness

Here's a no-nonsense article from Harvard (written 3/25, and to be updated as needed) about what you might consider doing, health-wise.

• Food safety, nutrition, and wellness during COVID-19
  • Grocery shopping
  • Takeout meals and food delivery
  • Meal planning, cooking, and eating
  • Keep moving
  • Breathe, rest, and sleep

I'm posting because I like that it has a balanced view of a broad set of the main topics, it's pretty short and readable, much of it is easily actionable, and offers a few links to get deeper, if you want to go there. Not a lot of surprising or new information to those that have been deep into this topic, but solid overview.

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutrit...afety-nutrition-and-wellness-during-covid-19/

 

[explanade]

Interesting article In The New Yorker. It seems that contamination is most likely when you spend 30 minutes within 6 feet of an infected person without a mask. I think this assumes no physical contact.

https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/keeping-the-coronavirus-from-infecting-health-care-workers

“In Hong Kong, “close contact” means fifteen minutes at a distance of less than six feet and without the use of a surgical mask; in Singapore, thirty minutes.”


.”Those of us who must go out into the world and have contact with people don’t have to panic if we find out that someone with the coronavirus has been in the same room or stood closer than we wanted for a moment. Transmission seems to occur primarily through sustained exposure in the absence of basic protection or through the lack of hand hygiene after contact with secretions.”

Seems like it is spreading far more easily than being 15 minutes within 6 feet of an infected person.

I understand the droplet cloud that forms from coughs and sneezes, maybe heavy exhales.

But to be within 6 feet for 15 minutes?

How often does one do that in public except if one is dining or at some crowded event where you're sitting for awhile?

In Wuhan, they said transmission between family members was one of the most common modes of infection. That makes sense, especially in cultures where multiple generations live together, which would be true of China and Italy.

It makes sense that you have to absorb a certain amount of viral load to become infected but 15 minutes within 6 feet of someone seems like a relatively high bar.

When a lot of people say they don't know how they got infected or from whom, you'd think they would be aware when and with whom they spent 15 minutes together in close proximity.