Coronavirus preparedness

[AnnaGrowsAMustache]

heading into the homestretch of our quarantine/self-isolation.  For anyone who has trouble sleeping at all you might consider having melatonin (or a sleep aid) on hand. The reduced exposure to sunlight and schedule disruptions are hard on circadian rhythms.

I have tried melatonin quite a few times in recent weeks, both 3 mg regular and also 5 mg time release tablets.  I can't say that it's helped at all.  I even added a magnesium capsule a couple times when going to bed, but without success.  My problem isn't getting to sleep, as I normally fall asleep pretty quickly,  but I wake up in the middle of the night, most often around 4 AM, about 2 hours early, and can't get back to sleep a lot of the time.  Sometimes I may wake up even earlier, like 2 or 3 AM, and I may eventually get back to sleep after losing an hour or two of sleep.  I've read quite a bit on sleep suggestions, keeping my room dark, not eating or drinking before bed, don't smoke, no clock to look at, no electronic devices nearby, tried a weighted blanket, have a couple white noise machines, and more.  Frustrating.

This is sad. You think something is wrong with you, but you're actually quite normal. Nothing sleeps in 8 hour stints in nature!

https://www.sciencealert.com/humans-used-to-sleep-in-two-shifts-maybe-we-should-again

[American GenX]

heading into the homestretch of our quarantine/self-isolation.  For anyone who has trouble sleeping at all you might consider having melatonin (or a sleep aid) on hand. The reduced exposure to sunlight and schedule disruptions are hard on circadian rhythms.

I have tried melatonin quite a few times in recent weeks, both 3 mg regular and also 5 mg time release tablets.  I can't say that it's helped at all.  I even added a magnesium capsule a couple times when going to bed, but without success.  My problem isn't getting to sleep, as I normally fall asleep pretty quickly,  but I wake up in the middle of the night, most often around 4 AM, about 2 hours early, and can't get back to sleep a lot of the time.  Sometimes I may wake up even earlier, like 2 or 3 AM, and I may eventually get back to sleep after losing an hour or two of sleep.  I've read quite a bit on sleep suggestions, keeping my room dark, not eating or drinking before bed, don't smoke, no clock to look at, no electronic devices nearby, tried a weighted blanket, have a couple white noise machines, and more.  Frustrating.

This is sad. You think something is wrong with you, but you're actually quite normal. Nothing sleeps in 8 hour stints in nature!

https://www.sciencealert.com/humans-used-to-sleep-in-two-shifts-maybe-we-should-again

Funny you mention that - I was watching and saw that was mentioned on CBS Sunday Morning last Sunday on a section about napping (something else I avoid.)

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/napping-you-snooze-you-win/

[Omy]

Hey, maybe you all can help me out with some mental preparation. I‘m young (20-30 age group), but have a lot of medical issues (autoimmunity and a chronic illness that causes a lot of symptoms). Based on what you guys and gals have heard, am I at risk for serious complications from this virus? Hopefully I won’t get it (I have excellent hygiene), but I’m stuck working in an office in close contact with a dozen people, and am a bit concerned about what would happen if I get it. Any other tips to mentally/physically prepare?

I’m in a state where there have been several cases.

I'm hearing that the virus is passed in the air. And that people are contagious before showing signs of illness. If a bad flu would be dangerous to your health, you should try to work from home if allowed.

[maisymouser]

Hey, maybe you all can help me out with some mental preparation. I‘m young (20-30 age group), but have a lot of medical issues (autoimmunity and a chronic illness that causes a lot of symptoms). Based on what you guys and gals have heard, am I at risk for serious complications from this virus? Hopefully I won’t get it (I have excellent hygiene), but I’m stuck working in an office in close contact with a dozen people, and am a bit concerned about what would happen if I get it. Any other tips to mentally/physically prepare?

I’m in a state where there have been several cases.

I don't mean to give medical advice here - you should consult your doctor - but I have MS and ulcerative colitis. Well managed but I am on immunosuppressants and have been told that yes, I am supposed to be more susceptible to COVID. I suggest the usual, washing hands, stay away from crowds, etc, but in your case especially reach out to your doctors now to find out what they have to say. I was told that if I were to contract COVID I should stop the immunosuppressants. But get your own specific medical advice from a professional!

[Freedomin5]

Hey, maybe you all can help me out with some mental preparation. I‘m young (20-30 age group), but have a lot of medical issues (autoimmunity and a chronic illness that causes a lot of symptoms). Based on what you guys and gals have heard, am I at risk for serious complications from this virus? Hopefully I won’t get it (I have excellent hygiene), but I’m stuck working in an office in close contact with a dozen people, and am a bit concerned about what would happen if I get it. Any other tips to mentally/physically prepare?

I’m in a state where there have been several cases.

We were in China when the virus hit, so I’ve been spending the last several weeks reading about the virus. The people most at risk according to WHO and CDC are the elderly and people with compromised immune systems. People often don’t die from the virus. They die from other complications, like pneumonia. If the hospital has the appropriate machinery to help you breathe and clear the fluid from your lungs, most people survive. The problem is if there are too many severe cases, there isn’t enough medical equipment to save/oxygenate everyone who needs it. The hospitals basically can’t handle the number of sick people.

If you have a compromised immune system, you are in the high risk group regardless of your age. Notify your work of your medical condition and ask to work from home. Stock up on hand sanitizer, stay away from people (most people don’t have any symptoms at all or only have mild symptoms so you basically don’t know if someone might be infected), wash your hands frequently. Wipe down handles or other areas that are frequently touched by other people. In China, even the healthy were asked to wear face masks. The point was not because it prevented us from getting infected. The face masks were a barrier that kept us from inadvertently touching our mouth and nose with potentially dirty hands.

This is most likely overkill, but better safe than sorry. And at the very least, even if you don’t die from it, by distancing yourself from others, you are doing your part in preventing it from spreading to someone who might actually die from it or from related complications.

[Ready2Save27]

Thank you all for your replies. I’ll talk to my boss tomorrow, though I don’t know if I’ll be able to work from home, especially for a long period of time. I work at a small company (10-40 people). I’ll see what I can work out with them.

I already wash my hands frequently, very rarely touch my face (after washing hands), and have plenty of hand sanitizer (I’m a bit of a germaphobe). I live with two others that work from home and only leave the house for groceries and doctors. They’ve been hygienic as well. I only leave the house for work and doctors (though I can postpone most/all of them). We also have a small supply of face masks from before this whole thing started.

I’ll also reach out to my doctor to see what she recommends if I get the virus. She has advised us on how to avoid it, but hasn’t talked about what to do if we get it.

Mainly I’m scared (like a lot of other people) about dying from this virus because of my medical conditions. I’m talking to a therapist about it soon, but figured maybe the community could help a little. Thank you again for all your replies.

[Ready2Save27]

Follow-up question:

If your job did not allow you to work from home and does not take this virus seriously, do you think this virus is serious enough to consider quitting your job? I have enough FU money where I can live without a paycheck for over a year without touching my investments.

[hops]

Ready2Save27, if you are taking immunosuppressants your doctors' offices can provide guidance on whether you need to do anything special. (Edit: I see you already asked her about it.) I'm in my thirties, take three different immunosuppressive drugs and am occasionally on steroids as well, and so far my doctors have echoed what every health authority has said: practice good hygiene and social distancing, keep a respectable distance from people you share space with, don't travel, try to avoid those who have recently traveled.

Your doctor's office can also advise on which drugs, if any, to discontinue if you start to feel ill. Some are a lot more potent than others. All I've been told so far about what to do if I feel ill is "Stop these meds, stick with these, isolate yourself." Basically the same stuff as everyone else. My only fears about the virus that are slightly different than those of healthier peers: Picking up a bonus infection if hospitalized, and what might happen if my immune system goes gonzo in response to an infection.

[OtherJen]

Thank you all for your replies. I’ll talk to my boss tomorrow, though I don’t know if I’ll be able to work from home, especially for a long period of time. I work at a small company (10-40 people). I’ll see what I can work out with them.

I already wash my hands frequently, very rarely touch my face (after washing hands), and have plenty of hand sanitizer (I’m a bit of a germaphobe). I live with two others that work from home and only leave the house for groceries and doctors. They’ve been hygienic as well. I only leave the house for work and doctors (though I can postpone most/all of them). We also have a small supply of face masks from before this whole thing started.

I’ll also reach out to my doctor to see what she recommends if I get the virus. She has advised us on how to avoid it, but hasn’t talked about what to do if we get it.

Mainly I’m scared (like a lot of other people) about dying from this virus because of my medical conditions. I’m talking to a therapist about it soon, but figured maybe the community could help a little. Thank you again for all your replies.

Can you isolate a bit at work, maybe in a private office or conference room? That would give you some control over your immediate environment.

[Ready2Save27]

I can isolate myself a little at work (we have cubicles, bosses have offices), but everyone is constantly interacting with each other to ask questions, exchange papers, etc. so it is hard to avoid. For one recent illness that spread through the office, I was able to avoid it for a bit over a week thanks to good hygeine, but I did get it eventually as did the entire office.

I’m not sure if I have a compromised immune system. My chronic condition is not well studied. I do not take immunosuppressants, but I do some sort of immunotherapy to help my body not react (create antibodies) to a specific virus/bacteria. My understanding it is a heat killed part of the virus/bacteria, but I’m not sure.

[Reader]

IMHO: A huge part of whether we avoid this tsunami is going to be about each state's ability to provide quick and accurate testing to thousands of people and get the results within 24 hours. I'm not much for praying but I'll make an exception in this case that all our states start getting it together - hopefully getting private labs involved so tests can be done locally.

testing is one. but what you and your husband did is truly the critical part. if there is a chance that a person is infected or not feeling well, to self-isolate so as not to potentially infect others. that is key to avoiding spread without an epic lockdown of all healthy and infected folks.

[TomTX]

I still haven't seen any stats on how long this virus survives on surfaces.  I wonder?

Per WHO:  It is not certain how long the virus that causes COVID-19 survives on surfaces, but it seems to behave like other coronaviruses. Studies suggest that coronaviruses (including preliminary information on the COVID-19 virus) may persist on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days. This may vary under different conditions (e.g. type of surface, temperature or humidity of the environment).

I remember seeing a news segment years ago in NYC where they tested all sorts of things around the city, and measured viruses and bacteria.  Some things were cleaner than I would have guessed - like the poles and straps in the subways.  But some things were very scary - like ATM buttons.

Dammit.  I'm not allowed to lick ATM buttons any more?

Well, if you stopped it would help get those numbers back down on par with subway straps...

[Omy]

Thank you all for your replies. I’ll talk to my boss tomorrow, though I don’t know if I’ll be able to work from home, especially for a long period of time. I work at a small company (10-40 people). I’ll see what I can work out with them.

I would start wearing a mask at work. It might increase your chances of getting permission to work from home...

[slappy]

Follow-up question:

If your job did not allow you to work from home and does not take this virus seriously, do you think this virus is serious enough to consider quitting your job? I have enough FU money where I can live without a paycheck for over a year without touching my investments.

Maybe a medical leave of absence? Or do you have PTO saved up that you can use?

[mm1970]

heading into the homestretch of our quarantine/self-isolation.  For anyone who has trouble sleeping at all you might consider having melatonin (or a sleep aid) on hand. The reduced exposure to sunlight and schedule disruptions are hard on circadian rhythms.

I have tried melatonin quite a few times in recent weeks, both 3 mg regular and also 5 mg time release tablets.  I can't say that it's helped at all.  I even added a magnesium capsule a couple times when going to bed, but without success.  My problem isn't getting to sleep, as I normally fall asleep pretty quickly,  but I wake up in the middle of the night, most often around 4 AM, about 2 hours early, and can't get back to sleep a lot of the time.  Sometimes I may wake up even earlier, like 2 or 3 AM, and I may eventually get back to sleep after losing an hour or two of sleep.  I've read quite a bit on sleep suggestions, keeping my room dark, not eating or drinking before bed, don't smoke, no clock to look at, no electronic devices nearby, tried a weighted blanket, have a couple white noise machines, and more.  Frustrating.

I take unisom every night for this very reason.  It helps me fall back to sleep, 90% of the time.

[Ready2Save27]

I have about 2 weeks saved up. They don’t seem to be taking the virus seriously as they had a meeting today (unrelated to the virus) and crowded the company into one relatively small room. And they’re letting a coworker bring her kid to work.

I did talk to my boss afterwards and the managers are going to talk and decide when they would start letting people work at home if it gets worse in our area and how they’d do that. And they are going to remind people to have better hygeine. So that’s something at least. The managers are older so they are at high risk as well.

[mm1970]

And just like that, they've closed schools for 3 weeks.

I've got food (though we might get tired of oatmeal, mac and cheese, and lentil soup).  My toilet paper is coming next week.  I have wine, though that might be a bad idea.

I need to write up a daily schedule.  I can work from home, so can spouse.  I'd rather go to work though, and so would he I'm sure!

[GuitarStv]

I have wine, though that might be a bad idea.

You don't want to be drunk when rampaging neighbours kick down your door to kill you for your toilet paper stores.

[jps]

I've got food (though we might get tired of oatmeal, mac and cheese, and lentil soup). 

Shit, I wouldn't get bored even if you forget the oatmeal and lentil soup! This is 13 year old MJ's dream.

Boy, would 13 year old you want to be friends with this guy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1TWvXwgKr0.

[spartana]

I have wine, though that might be a bad idea.

You don't want to be drunk when rampaging neighbours kick down your door to kill you for your toilet paper stores.

You must be a foreigner from, I don't know, Canada. Here in the good ole USA we use toilet paper as body amour and to make guns. Just make sure its double-ply! It's good for building your bunker too just remember to line it with tin foil.

Seriously...it's a thing. Compressed TP can be pretty strong.

And also seriously...big runs on guns and ammo too. Sadly by many Asian-Americans who have felt the are, or will be, harassed by others.

[mistymoney]

I was trying to stock up, but I was busy. Now store is out of everything.

We are in ok shape - but as others mentioned - not a lot of variety.

When will stores be restocked? Any guesses?

[GuitarStv]

I was trying to stock up, but I was busy. Now store is out of everything.

We are in ok shape - but as others mentioned - not a lot of variety.

When will stores be restocked? Any guesses?

My grocery store was restocked this morning.  And out of food this morning.  The problem is not levels of stock . . . it's that people are buying much more than usual because they're panicked that there won't be enough.

[KBecks]

I am thinking of reducing our grocery shopping to do only a big shop about once a week and minimizing contact/exposure.  We will see if I can stick to that.  I am also considering shopping at 24 hour stores in the middle of the night / early morning to avoid exposure and to also maybe take advantage of restocked items?

I am hoping there will not be big runs on food.  I get that people are getting weird over toilet paper, but yesterday I was able to pick up a container of bleach, vinegar, lysol spray and most other things on the list.  The store was out of ground beef and low on chicken breasts.  That's OK, I got wings. They were almost out of onions and potatoes.  But there was still food, just limits on selection. 

Be well, everyone.

[former player]

I was told this morning that stores are taking more money than in the run-up to Christmas (run-up to Thanksgiving in the USA?).

They can re-stock after Christmas, they'll restock after this.

[mistymoney]

I was trying to stock up, but I was busy. Now store is out of everything.

We are in ok shape - but as others mentioned - not a lot of variety.

When will stores be restocked? Any guesses?

My grocery store was restocked this morning.  And out of food this morning.  The problem is not levels of stock . . . it's that people are buying much more than usual because they're panicked that there won't be enough.

Maybe I should wander over and see if I can pick up a few items...

[ixtap]

Our roommate is one of the hoarders. I mean, she lives on the borderline at the best of times, but is really stocking up now. So my husband and I now own a flat of water because she decided we needed it.

[tweezers]

I was told this morning that stores are taking more money than in the run-up to Christmas (run-up to Thanksgiving in the USA?).

They can re-stock after Christmas, they'll restock after this.

Sure, but likely not at the rate to which Americans are accustomed.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/03/13/food-supply-shortage-coronavirus/

[Sibley]

Well, I'm about as prepared as I can be. I can sit at home for a month without going outside (except for trash/mail) if necessary. I would not be happy, because I would run out of certain things that make me happy, but I have sufficient food and supplies for me and the cats. My office hasn't closed yet, but I am expecting them to do so soon. I will be surprised if I have to go in on Monday. I plan to do my usual weekly grocery runs for the perishable stuff and just eat down the freezer and pantry, but if I consider it unwise then I can just not.

It feels like when you're watching the massive storm come in, and you're ready for it to hit so are just watching and waiting for it to start. I hope this storm isn't as bad as I fear it will be. There's really no way to be sure though, the US just isn't testing. Time will tell.

[Tester]

WFH for two weeks...
Hardest part was until we decided to have a written routine for our son.
Have enough food for around two weeks, short on hand sanitizer - we only got 2 bottles.
But got bleach so will switch to that if needed.
TP is fine, we just bought the normal amount which lasts 2 months.

I  trying to keep my distance as I have ulcerative colitis. Luckily it seems I am on the smallest amount of medicine possible and on the least powerful drug - I will still messagey medic to ask if I should stop taking it in case I get the virus.
Now I am trying to get a schedule for exercising as I am not really doing it...
We still went out to parks nearby to get air...

Hope everyone does their part to limit the spread to allow the medical system to take care of those who need it...

[the_fixer]

Really happy that I added a few additional items a couple of weeks ago as I did my regular grocery shopping in anticipation. My family and friends have been driving from store to store trying to find food and pretty much every store around here the shelves are completely bare, no meat, no produce, no cleaning supplies and no paper products.

Thursday I went out and picked up some fresh meat / bread to have on hand so we are totally set and do not have to go to the store for a long time. No lines and plenty of meat/ produce/ bread.

I can not imagine having to be around the lines of people my friends have experienced at the grocery stores. Literally lines around the entire store waiting to check out.


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[AnnaGrowsAMustache]

Wow, these stories are not good. This was all predicted at the beginning of this thread, and some people got quite snotty about it. Called it fearmongering, as I recall. I hope you guys have your cars full of gas, and plenty of fuel for cooking etc as well. You haven't really seen panic yet. Wait until the first celebrity death, and there will be one, then you'll see real panic. It won't be pretty. Some of you will want to be able to get out of certain urban areas, and you will not want to be getting gas first.

[American GenX]

Wow, these stories are not good. This was all predicted at the beginning of this thread, and some people got quite snotty about it. Called it fearmongering, as I recall. I hope you guys have your cars full of gas, and plenty of fuel for cooking etc as well. You haven't really seen panic yet. Wait until the first celebrity death, and there will be one, then you'll see real panic. It won't be pretty. Some of you will want to be able to get out of certain urban areas, and you will not want to be getting gas first.

So far, everything is progressing about as I've expected, which is unfortunate, but I knew they weren't going to be able to stop this virus from spreading across the country.  I'm assuming my utilities are going to stay on through this, though.

[GuitarStv]

I totally thought this was going to be a non-issue, and would like to go on record admitting my mistake.

[ixtap]

I totally thought this was going to be a non-issue, and would like to go on record admitting my mistake.

I appreciate that. I have people in my FB feed pissed that schools are closed. These are people with teenagers, so this isn't a childcare issue. They are just convinced that it is all ridiculous.

[Sibley]

I totally thought this was going to be a non-issue, and would like to go on record admitting my mistake.

I appreciate that. I have people in my FB feed pissed that schools are closed. These are people with teenagers, so this isn't a childcare issue. They are just convinced that it is all ridiculous.

My 67 year old father and 64 year old mother are convinced it's all ridiculous. They think it's way overblown. We (me and sis) keep telling them that we don't know yet, the US isn't testing, but Italy is drowning and we're trying to prevent the US from having similar issues. Dad has COPD. Mom is a few months out from major surgery, has diabetes and high blood pressure. They are poster children for serious complications if they get the virus. So far, they at least say they're staying home. However, they didn't stock up on food, etc when I told them to a few weeks ago. And there is no support network in the area that could run the to the store for them.

They think I'm hysterical because I'm concerned and am following the news. I hung up on them, only semi-politely.

People be dumb. I can't fix that. They may all be singing a very different tune in a few weeks.

[KBecks]

I just placed my first Amazon Prime Pantry order. I had signed up a while ago and never used it, but decided to do a trial run for about 10 items.  We do subscribe and save for regular Amazon and I get our TP and other paper products delivered every 2 to 6 months and it is great.  I am not sure if the service will hold up, but figuring that all of this is temporary, it probably will.  But if you have a faraway, high-risk relative who needs food and supplies, I'd look into whatever you can have delivered to them.

ETA: the order message says guaranteed delivery by March 30. That is OK, we'll take it.

[OtherJen]

I totally thought this was going to be a non-issue, and would like to go on record admitting my mistake.

I appreciate that. I have people in my FB feed pissed that schools are closed. These are people with teenagers, so this isn't a childcare issue. They are just convinced that it is all ridiculous.

My 67 year old father and 64 year old mother are convinced it's all ridiculous. They think it's way overblown. We (me and sis) keep telling them that we don't know yet, the US isn't testing, but Italy is drowning and we're trying to prevent the US from having similar issues. Dad has COPD. Mom is a few months out from major surgery, has diabetes and high blood pressure. They are poster children for serious complications if they get the virus. So far, they at least say they're staying home. However, they didn't stock up on food, etc when I told them to a few weeks ago. And there is no support network in the area that could run the to the store for them.

They think I'm hysterical because I'm concerned and am following the news. I hung up on them, only semi-politely.

People be dumb. I can't fix that. They may all be singing a very different tune in a few weeks.

My mother-in-law thinks this is all no big deal, that people are just making a fuss over the flu. She's 70 and nearly died of comorbid conditions last year.

Most of the boomers in my life have been far more resistant to taking this seriously than the younger people. My mom (68, minor health issues) is finally taking it seriously. Dad (70, low-stage cancer) is more like me and ready to hunker down and avoid people, thank god. My older friends probably would have kept meeting in big groups if not forced to stop by the owners of facilities because none of them considered it to be a problem.

[American GenX]

One of the guys I work with thinks it's all being overplayed.  He mentions how they're counting every death and that there are a lot more deaths with the flu.  I try to explain that it's many times more deadly and it just getting started, but he just raises his voice like he's angry and disagrees.  He watches Fox news, so I think they've manipulated him.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/12/media/fox-news-coronavirus/index.html

It's crazy, because he's about 65 and has some serious health issues - misses a lot of work going to the doctor.  He's one of the most vulnerable and doesn't seem to be concerned.

[runbikerun]

One of the guys I work with thinks it's all being overplayed.  He mentions how they're counting every death and that there are a lot more deaths with the flu.  I try to explain that it's many times more deadly and it just getting started, but he just raises his voice like he's angry and disagrees.  He watches Fox news, so I think they've manipulated him.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/12/media/fox-news-coronavirus/index.html

It's crazy, because he's about 65 and has some serious health issues - misses a lot of work going to the doctor.  He's one of the most vulnerable and doesn't seem to be concerned.

I've seen people using this "why is it any worse than the flu?" argument before.

It took fifteen days for Italy's coronavirus death rate to overtake their flu death rate, even while the country was being progressively locked down.

[Taran Wanderer]

Seattle’s numbers today - 600+ cases and almost 40 dead - are eerily similar to Wuhan’s numbers when they started the lockdown. Wuhan now has almost 68,000 cases and over 3,000 dead. Hold on everyone. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

[Polaria]

My plan now is to stay in my flat for the rest of March. I think Belgium will go on full lockdown mode next week anyway.

I am working from home, and since I usually stock up on food sales I will eat just fine for the rest of the month.

Better safe than sorry guys, stay inside as much as you can.

[AnnaGrowsAMustache]

One of the guys I work with thinks it's all being overplayed.  He mentions how they're counting every death and that there are a lot more deaths with the flu.  I try to explain that it's many times more deadly and it just getting started, but he just raises his voice like he's angry and disagrees.  He watches Fox news, so I think they've manipulated him.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/12/media/fox-news-coronavirus/index.html

It's crazy, because he's about 65 and has some serious health issues - misses a lot of work going to the doctor.  He's one of the most vulnerable and doesn't seem to be concerned.

I have a friend who is still going on this train of thought. He thinks that the panic will be worse than the pandemic, which may in part be true. He may change his mind when there are hundreds of cases in THIS city and he's no longer allowed to go to work. He seems to be deliberately being blind about where this is heading. It's no just going to go away when people stop panic buying toilet paper!

[Halfsees]

Question: we're doing pretty well on food but I'd still like to go to the grocery store this week and get more now while less people are infected than in the future when we start running low. When do you think a good day to go will be when they'll have an opportunity to restock from all the panic buying? I'm thinking Wednesday?

[Abe]

Our grocery stores are empty of most non-junk food. Literally two cans of soup left in that aisle. I gave those to an elderly couple that didn't have much, and bought something else. Quite ashamed of our townspeople, but not surprised. The employees say restock trucks are coming every other day, but stock runs out within a few hours. If people are panicking in your area, I’d recommend going early in the line on any given day.

[AnnaGrowsAMustache]

Question: we're doing pretty well on food but I'd still like to go to the grocery store this week and get more now while less people are infected than in the future when we start running low. When do you think a good day to go will be when they'll have an opportunity to restock from all the panic buying? I'm thinking Wednesday?

Go asap. Doesn't matter what time you choose, countless other people will also choose that time. There's no right time.

[KBecks]

Our older relatives were unconcerned last week.  I think that Boomers are optimistic and still a little rebellious/invincible in their thinking sometimes.
We are being cautious. I have told my spouse that we are not running to the grocery store for small shops now, we will only go occasionally and for large quantities, say a week of food at a time, no running out for one item, we do not want that exposure. We will need to do more creative shopping and planning ahead. He is a spontaneous type but I need to keep talking to him about the nonsymptomatic spread, etc.  Cases are increasing in our area and we are at the very beginning of it.

[OtherJen]

Our older relatives were unconcerned last week.  I think that Boomers are optimistic and still a little rebellious/invincible in their thinking sometimes.

I’m sure the advertising that has bombarded that generation since birth has contributed to the “I’m invincible” attitude that many boomers in my life seem to have. Sure, they acknowledge chronic aches/pains/illness but many don’t seem to think that they are at actual risk of communicable disease. Generational trust in vaccination probably also contributes to that attitude.

[Omy]

Our older relatives were unconcerned last week.  I think that Boomers are optimistic and still a little rebellious/invincible in their thinking sometimes.

I’m sure the advertising that has bombarded that generation since birth has contributed to the “I’m invincible” attitude that many boomers in my life seem to have. Sure, they acknowledge chronic aches/pains/illness but many don’t seem to think that they are at actual risk of communicable disease. Generational trust in vaccination probably also contributes to that attitude.

This boomer is concerned and self isolating. At 57 I don't want to risk getting sick...or risk transmitting to older, sicker people. My observation is that a lot of trumpsters think it's hype and no big deal...and that the rest of us are playing up the virus to harm the president.

Part of the reason I'm self isolating is to "flatten the curve". If people don't care about their impact on others...and aren't concerned about the virus for themselves, they are more likely to dismiss it as not a big deal so they won't be inconvenienced.

[American GenX]

Our older relatives were unconcerned last week.  I think that Boomers are optimistic and still a little rebellious/invincible in their thinking sometimes.

I've seen the opposite and have read posts elsewhere from older people who are taking it seriously and are concerned about the younger people who are not concerned about it because they are "young and healthy", and therefore are running around spreading it to the most vulnerable.  Someone on this forum even said they had zero concern about coronavirus because they were young and healthy.

When I was in Walmart late yesterday, it was mostly younger people out shopping.  Looks like more older people are hunkering down.

[hops]

My SO's a physician. This has been on her radar since January. By February she was advising our relatives who don't stockpile groceries, meds and toiletries to begin doing so, incrementally if necessary, but until they had enough to last them a month or longer.

One twenty-something with severe asthma listened to her. My parents, caregivers to an octogenarian, purchased extra essentials a bit too late and only received a fraction of what they ordered. But those in their fifties and younger generally replied "I can have Amazon overnight stuff if stores run out," not realizing almost everyone with Internet access across the entire world thought the same thing.

Our highest-risk relatives are in their sixties and older. The most obstinate -- coincidentally those with the most comorbidities -- were Fox News devotees convinced this was fake news, that the flu was worse, etc. (She assured them that was not the case. Nevertheless, they persisted.) She continued reminding them for weeks and they wanted none of it. As of yesterday my in-laws were contemplating cutting up old sheets to use as toilet paper if they can't buy more soon. They still believe coronavirus fears are overblown and this will all blow over in a week or two.