General Chit Chat

No vacations for me until I get some health issues straightened out.  When you are limited as to what you can eat, it doesn't make sense to go on vacation.

So at this time I just hibernate at home. So far no cases of Covid-19 have been reported in Ohio either.  By staying home I can also avoid getting the flu.  It is funny that I would always get a mild case every winter (even with a flu shot).  But since I have been retired, I haven't gotten a flu shot nor have I gotten sick.  Being away from lots of people on a daily basis is very beneficial!

It's crazy how much people are going to Target, Costco, e.t.c and buying out all the paper towels and hand sanitizers! Like do they not wash their hands? Do you all in Canada and London e.t.c have a Costco and those major stores? Just wondering! Since I hear Canadians talk about Tim Horton's and we don't have that over here!

There have been cases of it here in California but mostly people who have been sick or on a cruise. I'm not too worried just going to not hug or touch anyone I don't know! Though I am going to a concert tomorrow so just going to stay cautioned and hope nobody near me is sick!

My husband was in China , not in affected areas or in contact with any affected person, for about a week and returned home on 1/23, around the time Chinese government locked down the city of Wuhan. So we’ve been following the news closely and I tried to get prepared earlier.

I started buying masks in late January and it was already hard to get. (Being  Asian, we have a different mentality about masks, for example, when I am in Asia, I always wear one when I go to the hospital for my parents, even though I am healthy.  A way of protecting myself from germs) Then I started buying travel size hand sanitizers (I always carry one with me, because you can’t always washing your hands right away). Now those are unavailable unless you are willing to pay big bucks and wait for weeks.

I try not to panic but be prepared. Even CDC recommends to have two weeks of food and other essentials just in case. I am firmly convinced many people carry the virus without knowing it. The number will climb, imho.

Stay healthy, be smart and vigilant, y’all!

@Linds911 Target closed all it's stores in Canada. I've been to many Target stores in Florida but when they opened them in Canada, I don't know what they were thinking, the prices were so out of reach who would want to pay those prices when I can cross the border into Niagara Falls NY and pay less than half the price including the exchange. I said that the first time I went into a new store, and never went back. Upon closing they had 80% off which was a joke. I didn't go but my friends went and said they still didn't learn their lessons. Business's opening near border towns really need to make sure they know what they are doing.  

There are many Costco stores and they are usually jammed packed.  There is one half an hour away and there is one being built closer to me, 15 minutes away. Being on my own I haven't been in years.

@sdmom I'm glad you mention the masks. The CDC and every media outlet keeps advising not to wear masks. My opinion if someone is near me and is sick, or they don't know they have the virus(there have been such cases) I want the protection! It has to be better than nothing. I was listening to talk radio the other day and they suggested when travelling wear a scarf. When on the plane you can use it to cover your face! I'm going to do that, make use of the three baskets of scarves that I have!

I always get a flu shot and have never gotten the flu (knock on wood)

I wash my hands many times a day, always have. I had to go to the hospital the other day for some tests. I kept my gloves on all the time only took one off to give them my health card. There is an electronic machine, press the button and get your ticket to wait for them to call your number. No way was I touching that without a glove, same for the parking machine. They have hand sanitizers everywhere. On my way out I sanitized with my gloves on. Dealing with the public for most of my careers, handshaking, and so on, I've always washed my hands and always let them keep the pen. No one shares my pen!

Growing up we always had a lot of supplies on hand. Buy on sale and stock up. I know I'd be more than fine for two weeks if I had to but there are many who don't think that way. Plus we always did our own canning. I did some this past fall, so I also have that to fall back on.

I haven't noticed any panic buying in my town but then I haven't been to Wal-Mart in a week.  Today I only needed milk and eggs so I chose to go to the grocery by me.  The first Friday of the month is always horrible at Wal-Mart.  I'll be needing Dr Pepper by Monday or Tuesday so I'll go to Wal-Mart then.

I'm good on toilet paper, paper towels and kleenex.  I have a place to store large quantities in a corner in my basement so I go to Sam's Club twice a year and stock up.  Just went mid-January so I'm good until July.

There's no panic in my area either. There are some cases in Toronto, 1 1/2 hrs away, but some have already recovered. The latest ones returned from Milan and Iran. Another one returned from Vegas, so that's a mystery.

Those are exactly the items I like to stock up on as well as dish soap. Other items that are costly like shampoo that I use or face moisturizer, I'll watch for when they go on sale.

Yeah, I always have an extra shampoo under the sink and usually get lotions before I run out.  Wal-Mart didn't have one that I will be needing last week.  If they don't have it back in stock next week, I'll get it from Amazon.  What I have will probably last me another 3 weeks anyways.

As for dish soap... that lasts forever in my house. I'm still using the one I bought in 2017.  That is when I had a dishwasher put in during a remodel of the kitchen.  I do make sure I have plenty of soap for it though. Got a large tub of it at Sam's in January as well even though I wasn't out yet.  Garbage bags is the other thing I buy in large quantities.  Have a case in reserve and only halfway through the open case.

I live in a county with fewer than 500k residents and the county has 2 coronavirus patients. Unfortunately, 1 died. That man happened to have been on a cruise for 2 weeks to Hawaii. 79 other county residents were on the same cruise and have been quaranintined. One of those quarantined persons works at the 3rd largest employer in our county and they have CLOSED - only telecommuting for a while. Another of those cruise passengers who was quarantined when to a local hospital and now 30 health care workers who work there have been quarantined at home. No testing for any quarantined people unless they show symptoms. Isn't this what happened in other places that had a ground swell of cases?

Today I went grocery shopping for the first time in a week (I live in a very rural area and don't go into 'town' that often. I was shocked! The toilet paper aisle was bare. Ditto for bleach, any cleaning products containing bleach or claiming to be antibacterial. No hand sanitizer but one woman told me she saw some with vodka! The shelves with dried beans had a sign "out of stock with no known restocking date". The pasta aisle was 1/4 full. I didn't look for gloves or masks as I feel my risk is very low.

But what about those people who truly need these products? What do they do when so many have 'stocked up'? Very sad. Lesson to be learned - don't go on a cruise!!!

My father in law has diabetes and he has to use those alcohol prep pads at least three times a day. I told my husband today he’d better stock up now because the price has gone up on Amazon and you have to wait for about a week for delivery.

Yup it’s sad that some people are buying stuff out of panic.

My son lives and works in Santa Clara county, where there are many high tech companies, probably one of the most expensive areas in US. They have new cases almost every day. Stanford medical school just confirmed one faculty was tested positive but didn’t say how the person was contracted. I pray extra protection for all the medical workers and they will get proper protection gears. This virus, unfortunately, I think it’s here to stay for a while.

@Norcalgal holy smokes, that's nuts! That cruise ship is sitting off of San Fran IIRC at the moment. Didn't they learn their lesson the last time. They should all be tested and sent home to self quarantine. I would starve to death because I would never be able to take a tray outside my door and eat the food not knowing who touched it!

@sdmom ITA I feel for the medical staff who deal with this daily all day/night. I hope you don't have any issues getting the supplies your FIL needs.

I feel sometimes I'm not getting enough info. I want to know where those confirmed cases have been. Sometimes they are detailed accounts and other times, not.

The Toronto Transit Commission is taking all precautions.

Additional cleaning and disinfection methods
Since January, the TTC has been performing significant additional cleaning and disinfection of all public places with a focus on touch and grab points, such as buttons, railings, handles and straps.

Every station, bus, streetcar, Wheel-Trans vehicle and train is receiving extra attention.
http://ttc.ca/Riding_the_TTC/Safety_and_Security/Coronavirus_update.jsp

What is scary to me is they really don't know how this disease is being transmitted.  So many cases are now showing up where the person did not travel nor had contact with someone that did.

I have a gut feeling that the incubation period of this is longer than people think. I also think that there are lots of carriers out there that have no symptoms yet they are spreading this disease unknowingly.  I have always thought that people were exposed several months ago and showed no symptoms but unknowingly infected someone else who then infected someone who then infected someone and so on.

At this time it appears those that are passing away are older individuals with some having underlying conditions pre-infection.  So in my feeble brain, that makes me think that younger individuals that get exposed to it may never show symptoms but become carriers themselves.  Overall, they are probably in much better health and the disease will just seem like a minor nuisance to them.

That is what scares me.  I fall into the age group that are most susceptible.  That's why I stay home!

@HavaDrPepper ITA. My dad lives with me and he’s 82. He’s generally in good health, slight diabetes. I have to wash my hands all the time before I serve him food, because he has terrible hygiene! So it’s up to me to keep everything clean. My in-laws are also in mid 80s, have much more health issues. It’s not just this new virus but even a common cold. I don’t want to take them to the hospital or clinic for fear of possible cross contamination.

I feel my family is well prepared, because i followed the news early and luckily was able to get some masks, hand sanitizers and disinfectant wipes. Now, the rest is up to God

Everyone be careful
Don’t get on cruise.