What impact has the corona virus on you?

All countries world wide are trying to stop the corona virus.
What's the impact on your daily life?

What are the measures you really don't like?

Well, the county where I work (Dallas County) had a Shelter-in-Place directive starting on March 24th so I've been working from home as most of our plant was closed (we have some government contracts so those parts are still working). Then the county where I reside (Tarrant County) issued a Shelter-in-Place directive starting on March 25th. So we're basically restricted to our residences unless getting medical assistance/supplies/medications or food. Most places had already given work-from-home directives previously so it's nothing too new for some. And I've had some experience with just working from and being mostly confined to my residence when I was non-ambulatory a couple of years ago.

For me, aside from not going to church on Sunday, nothing has changed in the last week.

I preached to an empty church.  My regular job is closed until April 24.  There is nowhere to go to do something fun so I am stuck at home.

Good news is that the Governor of Arizona has not yet ordered a statewide shut-in style lock down, which means restaurants are open (albeit for take out).  So after work I drove to a nearby Mexican place and ordered Rumba BBQ Chicken Quesadilla.

Speaking of which, main change to report is that my employers has mandated that everyone who can must work from home.  So here I am.  W@H is OK.  Problem is that it is so quiet at home, almost feels like I am working in a monastery.  Also, there are too many distractions at home (compared to working at the office): constantly finding myself wandering into the kitchen looking for something to eat.

In addition to 'social distancing', I am also practicing 'media distancing'.  So far this week not once have I watched the news or visited a news related website.  All of the bad news pertaining to the pandemic only serves to heighten anxiety levels.

Beyond not having church for the past couple of weeks and not seeing my nieces nearly every day it's been business as usual for me pretty much. The place where I'm working now is considered an essential business because we handle all the shipments for Express Scripts and at least one medical supply company, so we can't just shut down. Everyone is under a shelter-in-place restriction around here and lots of places are closed (restaurants/bars are either closed or only offering carryout as well as delivery if they have that service, aquarium, zoo and museums are all closed, etc.).

Dynamis, I'm with you with the self-imposed media blackout.  There are generally six media conglomerates that control the news we get, even at the local level.  So we can rest assured that it's the same fearmongering, scatter-brained slant that's in the papers and on radio.

ON a personal level, instead of coming in early to write, I leave about 3:20 and make it there @3:45.  The store is open only to associates until 7, then the public is allowed inside.  

The restaurant situation is similar to everyone else's...drive-up or delivered food.  No church services either.  The six-foot space thing is moot, since none of my neighbors really leave their homes.

I don't watch the news (or any TV) anyway or online though I may pop into FoxNews maybe once a week or two when I feel the urge.

Having been self-employed, WAH is easy for me except the extra distraction of our son being home also.

Things that have changed:
1. We now carry out dinner every night (instead of maybe once every couple weeks) to support local economy
2.  Church service at our larger church is streamed. We still went to our tiny church since there were < 10. Not sure if we're limiting it again this Sunday.
3.  I did Sunday school via conference call. That was awesome actually since we had far more time to cover the topic - spent over 100 minutes and still didn't finish the chapter!
4. I've been passing out school meals to kids that stop by our tiny church at lunch since we're a distribution site, but I'm too busy the rest of this week though.
5. Having to deal with our son all the time. Hopefully he'll be more motivated do more beneficial things once the actual online learning starts.
6. Wife is now also WAH though we don't bother one another since we're in different rooms.

I am in the pest control industry, which means business as usual for me. Dept of Homeland Security has designated us as an essential service, due to health and safety concerns. Restaurant and school kitchens are still preparing food, people are spending way more time at their homes, and the bugs don't know there's a viral pandemic. 
We're coming into warmer spring temps, which means the ants are arriving in force.
We're taking precautions as far as gloves and respirators when we have to be inside someone's home or business, but trying to remain outside and away from people as much as possible.

I have just ordered a portable FM transmitter so that my church folk can still come to the church for the weekly sermon and tune in on the radio.  They can wear what they want and sit safely in their cars without having to be around other people.  I can stand on the front porch so they can see me.  It is covered, so it will work in the rain.  I can't use it this Sunday, but I can the next week!

alldatndensum wrote:

I have just ordered a portable FM transmitter so that my church folk can still come to the church for the weekly sermon and tune in on the radio.  They can wear what they want and sit safely in their cars without having to be around other people.  I can stand on the front porch so they can see me.  It is covered, so it will work in the rain.  I can't use it this Sunday, but I can the next week!

Great idea!

Hopefully it is nothing but someone was sent home from work this morning with a headache, fever and bad cough. He was told not to come back for 14 days.

Not too much for us yet though my oldest daughter's husband and my middle daughter are laid off. We have a gal at work that has been tested and should get results tomorrow so we'll see.

We are on stay-at-home lock-down here in our state as well.  I'm working from home, as are the rest of my fellow employees.  There do seem to be more distractions here as my wife only works two days a week and my son works nights....so everyone tries to talk to me.  Most of our restaurants and big stores have been closed for over a week.  Trying to do carry-out meals from restaurants a few days a week to help them stay open with at least some of their staff. Hopefully we don't have to do this for too long because my job is tied to the construction industry...if it stays shut down for more than a month I won't have any work to do.
My wife works at a hospital so she still goes to go to work.  My son delivers pizzas so he still works every day too.

I beat the stay at home boredom by attempting to mow the church yard with a push-mower.  OK, it actually is a self-propelled mower, but that wasn't working with all the crabgrass that is in the church yard.  I was using the step counter on my phone and I walked 6.44 miles before I thought I was quitting for the day.  I mowed some later after taking a huge break, but I forgot to restart my counter.

What is sad is that I am only about 2/3 of the way done.  Anyone care to guess where I will be tomorrow despite having blisters on my hand, my big toe, and a case of sunburn.  Anyone?

Wow, you guys have it very different there. I guess because you are such a large country it is different from state to state. We were told earlier in the month that as soon as our country had its first case of covid-19 considered to be a "community transmission" (as opposed to traceable to international travel), that we would be shutting down. On the 23rd, our country was given 48 hours to get prepared for a lockdown. At 11:59 on the 25th, everyone was instructed to stay home. The only exceptions were people working in essential services, that is, supermarkets, gas stations, pharmacies, medical centers, hospitals, emergency services, plus any organizations that support essential services. No restaurants, take away shops, retailers. No church services. No funerals (just direct cremation or burial or they can hold the deceased until the state of emergency is ended). Everything is closed. Schools are running virtual classrooms and kids are expected to work four or five hours of every day. Kids who don't have a device have been provided with one. The supermarkets allow a small number of people into the store at a time and our essentials like bread, rice and milk are rationed (as well as toilet paper, lol). We aren't allowed to drive across town to the park. We are allowed to walk in our local neighbourhood provided we avoid contact with anyone outside of our immediate family. Whomever we were with at 11:59 on the 25th when the country shut down, is who we need to remain with for the length of the shutdown. We were told we'd be shut down for a minimum of four weeks. Police are out and about to educate anyone found breaking the lockdown rules. Repeat offenders get charged.
Most people support the quarantine. We were late in getting our first case of the virus (late February) so we had the benefit of learning from what's happened elsewhere. If this shut down saves lives, then I'm all for it. A lot of people are hurting from the shut down, but everyone is in the same boat so most people are trying to help each other out. Our banks have offered six month mortgage holidays to all homeowners and business customers. Landlords are not allowed to evict for non payment unless there has been significant property damage. There's a rent freeze all across the country. Employers who are shut down have a wage subsidy to help continue paying their employees. We will be in big debt from this as a nation, but I'm sure we'll bounce back when things open up again.
Because I'm high risk, I qualify to have all medications and groceries delivered to my house so that I don't have to risk exposure. Feeling pretty well supported and safe tbh.
I'm filling my time by planting a winter garden (something I don't usually do), writing some music, mixing some demos for ES 2020, working on the house (painting, sanding), upgrading some tech, reading, doing a 4000 piece puzzle (it's 6 feet long and 3 feet wide!), baking (oh-oh, there goes my waist line), and chatting on the phone with family. I live on a main road so I'm enjoying the silence.
Funniest thing I'm doing is a skipping challenge with the pastor of my church. We will skip every day, except Saturday and Sunday, in increasing amounts. So, today, our first day, was 100, Monday is 150...by then end of the 29 day challenge we'll need to do 1000. I have no idea how I'm going to manage that. He's in the same boat though so we can commiserate together (virtually). I'm feeling very blessed that I can jump. As little as 18 months ago, I wouldn't dream of even trying because just one jump would have crippled me for days (had disability dating back to my 20s), but I'm on new medication that has given me back my mobility. It's amazing. God bless medical people.

Sorry, I kind of wrote a book there.  
Must be the lack of social interaction 

Jen5 wrote:

Wow, you guys have it very different there. I guess because you are such a large country it is different from state to state. We were told earlier in the month that as soon as our country had its first case of covid-19 considered to be a "community transmission" (as opposed to traceable to international travel), that we would be shutting down. On the 23rd, our country was given 48 hours to get prepared for a lockdown. At 11:59 on the 25th, everyone was instructed to stay home. The only exceptions were people working in essential services, that is, supermarkets, gas stations, pharmacies, medical centers, hospitals, emergency services, plus any organizations that support essential services. No restaurants, take away shops, retailers. No church services. No funerals (just direct cremation or burial or they can hold the deceased until the state of emergency is ended). Everything is closed. Schools are running virtual classrooms and kids are expected to work four or five hours of every day. Kids who don't have a device have been provided with one. The supermarkets allow a small number of people into the store at a time and our essentials like bread, rice and milk are rationed (as well as toilet paper, lol). We aren't allowed to drive across town to the park. We are allowed to walk in our local neighbourhood provided we avoid contact with anyone outside of our immediate family. Whomever we were with at 11:59 on the 25th when the country shut down, is who we need to remain with for the length of the shutdown. We were told we'd be shut down for a minimum of four weeks. Police are out and about to educate anyone found breaking the lockdown rules. Repeat offenders get charged.
Most people support the quarantine. We were late in getting our first case of the virus (late February) so we had the benefit of learning from what's happened elsewhere. If this shut down saves lives, then I'm all for it. A lot of people are hurting from the shut down, but everyone is in the same boat so most people are trying to help each other out. Our banks have offered six month mortgage holidays to all homeowners and business customers. Landlords are not allowed to evict for non payment unless there has been significant property damage. There's a rent freeze all across the country. Employers who are shut down have a wage subsidy to help continue paying their employees. We will be in big debt from this as a nation, but I'm sure we'll bounce back when things open up again.
Because I'm high risk, I qualify to have all medications and groceries delivered to my house so that I don't have to risk exposure. Feeling pretty well supported and safe tbh.
I'm filling my time by planting a winter garden (something I don't usually do), writing some music, mixing some demos for ES 2020, working on the house (painting, sanding), upgrading some tech, reading, doing a 4000 piece puzzle (it's 6 feet long and 3 feet wide!), baking (oh-oh, there goes my waist line), and chatting on the phone with family. I live on a main road so I'm enjoying the silence.
Funniest thing I'm doing is a skipping challenge with the pastor of my church. We will skip every day, except Saturday and Sunday, in increasing amounts. So, today, our first day, was 100, Monday is 150...by then end of the 29 day challenge we'll need to do 1000. I have no idea how I'm going to manage that. He's in the same boat though so we can commiserate together (virtually). I'm feeling very blessed that I can jump. As little as 18 months ago, I wouldn't dream of even trying because just one jump would have crippled me for days (had disability dating back to my 20s), but I'm on new medication that has given me back my mobility. It's amazing. God bless medical people.

Life is very similar here in varying degrees.  Non-essential services have been cut off although I am still trying to figure out how liquor stores and Starbucks are considered essential.  If you have the ability to work from home, we have been encouraged to do that.

Schools and houses of worship are closed.  Filing your income taxes has been delayed.  Things like the postal system are still open as are most government services albeit some may be less staffed than usual.

Most essential stores (places with groceries or gasoline) are still open and you can go whenever they are open.  However, some stores have set seniors hours for those 65 and older.  Items are limited as to how many you can buy.

In my county, we are allowed to go outside for walks and exercise or to do yardwork.  Davidson County, where Nashville is located, is about to lock down tighter and do the whole police thing that you spoke of.  That is why it is imperative for me to finish mowing the church yard before I am not allowed to.  I will take the fine before I let them stop me from serving my church, though, as I am the only one out there and the virus is not airborne unless you are within range of a sneeze or cough (6 to 10 feet).

We have surpassed China in numbers of cases, but I highly doubt a communism regime is properly reporting their numbers to the world.  They restarted their workforce and have been buying up cheap stocks.  I am really thinking this was done to slow down the world economy in a way where they could keep us and other free nations from pulling totally out of their economy.  If they would shoot peaceful protesters in Tienanmen Square with cameras rolling, then I wouldn't put something of this magnitude past those evil bastards running their nation.

Trump is sending signals that he wants to restart us by Easter Sunday.  Personally, since we are seeing a death toll so much lower than expected, I think it is the right thing to do.  The flu kills more annually than this does.  Also, COVID-19 is showing that it mutates slower, so it may be that a much more permanent vaccine can be created.

What bothers me is how easy it was for the government in the USA to wipe their butts with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and suspend most of our freedoms.  They used the American media propaganda machine to sell fear and panic so they could just suspend anything they wanted.  Sadly, the sheeple sat back and cried out for more safety and said that it was okay if it saved lives.  But, they will never know if the shutdown really saved lives or not.  If we look at places like Taiwan, S. Korea, and Japan, all continued about their daily lives with simple handwashing, mandatory temperature checks, mandatory testing if you were showing a fever or symptoms, and mandatory masks if you were out in public.  Only those testing positive high risk were put into quarantine.  How did that work out for them?  They managed to keep their economies strong and had far less loss of life than China and most westernized nations.

Jen5 wrote:

Sorry, I kind of wrote a book there.  
Must be the lack of social interaction 

It was great to see you share that much.  Glad to hear you have some medicine giving you back some mobility.  That's always good.

alldatndensum wrote:

Life is very similar here in varying degrees.  Non-essential services have been cut off although I am still trying to figure out how liquor stores and Starbucks are considered essential.  If you have the ability to work from home, we have been encouraged to do that.
...

I'll do you one better.  Not only are some of the starbucks and most of the liquor stores allowed to remain open, our pot shops are allowed to stay open too.

Staying busy this week by working at ye olde Walmart, having a colonoscopy (the second wasn't as daunting as the first), and writing (I finished a chapter!).  Back to the grind today, then I hope to catch an online church service somewhere and wash laundry.

Everything is closed, apart from essential shops.  People are allowed to exercise once a day, go to the shops to get essential supplies, help elderly folk who can't get out, and lastly go to work IF you can't work from home.

I can't work from home, so I'm doing shift work (to lessen the number of people in the workplace at any given time).

Today is Saturday so I'm at home (9am) and the day will probably be rather boring!  There's stuff to do, but I need certain shops open to be able to buy the stuff!

The following link at conservative review sums up many of my feelings about the pandemic: https://www.conservativereview.com/news/horowitz-coronavirus-begin-us-matters/?fbclid=IwAR2lkkFjmYKYDumrmF9y-uiQ_xB19Cno-C37H09CDBzqVV5ylgPu0Fe4PE8

Not going to church;
Not going to the library for new books;
Meeting my daughter-in-law, she's pregnant.
Dinner meetings with my kids and grandsons.

Yesterday we have ordered a pick up menu to help the owners of a restaurant.
Great, no cooking.

Got my official papers today--the ones we Walmarters must present to the National Guard, in case of checkpoints and whatnot, in the event things escalate.

Have learned to speak in a highly adaptable German accent.