Covid-19 Observations

[Queen of Poop]

Everything in our Province is shutting down, with the exception of grocery stores, shopping malls and pharmacies. I was given a two month layoff notice on Monday, effective March 30th. Yesterday I was advised by my office tower admin that someone had come into work on the 5th floor and they were found to have the virus. My company has ordered all of the people in my office to work from home and self isolate for the next 14 days. We are on the 14th floor and share an elevator bank with the 5th floor. So, I'm at home with Cali and Diego for the next long while. Better safe than sorry I guess, since I have concerns about my immune system after my cancer treatment.

This virus is no joke. It's hitting seniors very hard. Please, everyone, follow the social distancing and hand wash protocols and stay safe.

Take care Everyone!

[phesina]

I'm so sorry to read about your possible exposure, Gayle. That's good that you're home and Cali and Diego are taking excellent care of you. I join with mon in believing that you're just fine!

We're sending loving good wishes and prayers that you're doing great and that you and we all stay safe and healthy.

{{{{{HUGS}}}}} and ~~~~PURRRS~~~~ and
from Pat and Sparkler and Galaxy

[mon]

Wishing you good luck Gayle, I choose to believe you are just fine🤞🏾 My dentist appt. was cancelled, only emergency dentistry appts. I had to Gorilla glue one of my caps back on. It worked really well. Everyone here in Surrey B.C. is very concerned. I only go out to shop, once a week. I also shop online. Warm wishes to everyone, be very mindful. Fv

[mon]

They just postponed the Rolling Stones concert, we have tickets. I am so glad, we weren't going to go anyway so that would have been 200$ circling the drain.

[cats4ever]

At work, we are out of Lysol wipes. Now we are making our own disinfectant wipes, with napkins soaking in a tub of disinfectant.
Business has slowed down, not as many clients are bringing their dogs for daycare, since lots of them work from home or aren't working at all.
If it continues to slow, we will get our hours cut.

[Freckles]

Thank you so much for using the word Lysol. That reminded me that I do have 3 spray cans of Lysol Disinfectant spray that I can use now on my counters.

[Randi]

A friend of mine sent me this, it sounds like good information. However, I believe there are differing opinions on whether face masks work or not.

Internal email for staff in St George’s Hospital
Virus Detection:
The simplest way to distinguish Coronavirus from a Common Cold is that the COVID-19 infection does not cause a cold nose or cough with cold, but it does create a dry and rough cough.
The virus is typically first installed in the throat causing inflammation and a feeling of dryness. This symptom can last between 3 and 4 days.
The virus typically then travels through the moisture present in the airways, goes down to the trachea and installs in the lungs, causing pneumonia that lasts about 5 or 6 days.
Pneumonia manifests with a high fever and difficulty breathing. The Common Cold is not accompanied, but there may be a choking sensation. In this case, the doctor should be called immediately.
Experts suggest doing this simple verification every morning: Breathe in deeply and hold your breath for 10 seconds. If this can be done without coughing, without difficulty, this shows that there is no fibrosis in the lungs, indicating the absence of infection. It is recommended to do this control every morning to help detect infection.

Prevention:
The virus hates heat and dies if it is exposed to temperatures greater than 80°F (27°C). Therefore hot drinks such as infusions, broths or simply hot water should be consumed abundantly during the day. These hot liquids kill the virus and are easy to ingest.
Avoid drinking ice water or drinks with ice cubes.
Ensure that your mouth and throat are always wet, never DRY. You should drink a sip of water at least every 15 minutes. WHY? Even when the virus enters water or other liquids through the mouth, it will get flushed through the oesophagus directly into the stomach where gastric acids destroy the virus. If there is not enough water, the virus can pass into the trachea and from there to the lungs, where it is very dangerous.
For those who can, sunbathe. The Sun's UV rays kill the virus and the vitamin D is good for you.
The Coronavirus has a large size (diameter of 400-500 nanometers) so face masks can stop it, no special face masks are needed in daily life.
If an infected person sneezes near us, stay 10 feet (3.3 meters) away to allow the virus fall to the ground and prevent it from falling on you.
When the virus is on hard surfaces, it survives about 12 hours, therefore when hard surfaces such as doors, appliances, railings, etc. are touched, hands should be washed thoroughly and/or disinfected with alcoholic gel
The virus can live nested in clothes and tissues between 6 and 12 hours. Common detergents can kill it. Things that cannot be washed should be exposed to the Sun and the virus will die.
The transmission of the virus usually occurs by direct infection, touching fabrics, tissues or materials on which the virus is present.
Washing your hands is essential.
The virus survives on our hands for only about 10 minutes. In that time many things can happen, rubbing the eyes, touching the nose or lips. This allows the virus to enter your throat. Therefore, for your good and the good of all, wash your hands very often and disinfect them.
You can gargle with disinfectant solutions (i.e. Listerine or Hydrogen Peroxide) that eliminate or minimize the amount of virus that can enter the throat. Doing so removes the virus before it goes down to the trachea and then to the lungs.
Disinfect things touched often: cellphone, keyboard, mouse, car steering wheel, door handles, etc

[crewmanvines]

I already bought some stuff in the grocery but disinfectants are out of stock, some basic necessities are out. A lot of people are panicking, I am just glad that the company I'm working in allowed us to work from home.

[Karen]

I work for the Post Office, and yesterday helped a woman send a box of toilet paper to a friend in neighboring state where he could not buy any. I didn't work today, but my coworker said there were many packages more than normal - she did not say of what - that were mailed today. But we are continuing on, and so far are not sick. My brother-in-law in Boston thinks he has Covid, but is self-quaratining for now, figuring he is young enough to survive it, and healthy enough before it to not need to head to the hospital and use up resources others might need more,

Strange days indeed. But it IS spring, nonetheless - saw the first frog of the season, albeit a deceased one that one of our chickens caught and was trying to keep from the other birds.

[Karen]

Our former help-exers, a young couple from France, are back home in France, and have been since the February fifth. They are on mandatory quarantine in France, not related to their travel. Paule, the young woman, is a data analyst, and interviewed with three companies via the Internet while she was here, and got two offers, including the internship she most wanted.

Her boss today, as they are all working from home, said, "To manage to work at home, you need a cat." We like this sentiment.

[mon]

Life's getting weird. A lot of people in my family provide essential services and continue to work. Banks, Safeway, locksmiths, etc. No healthcare workers though, that's got to be stressful !!! Some of our family work from home, lots don't. No one has the virus so far. Just wishing everyone the best, hope you are doing all you can to stay safe and help your neighbor whenever possible. I would like to think we are all doing our best for our neighbors, just reaching out if we can help whenever possible. Sending everyone lots of love and best wishes. If anyone feels lonely or isolated please reach out and tell someone online. Maybe others feel that way and there can be a good communication between peeps who are feeling isolated 😍😄😷😘

[mon]

My Mother in law can't visit, she lives in Zhiuataneo. She was planning on coming out in a few months.... 🤜🏻🤛 👍🏿😋😃😄😀😁😃😀😃😅😂🤣😅 Silver lining indeed!!

[snakemama]

I'm in California, my county has been under a shelter in place order all week, the rest of the state just joined us. I've been able to get everything except eggs. My parents are in Thailand and had to cut their trip short to rush home.

I'm 31 weeks pregnant, so even though my boss has decided to stay open (Yes, vet clinics are considered essential services, but we're a veterinary DENTAL clinic) I have decided to stay home for the duration of the shelter in place order, and I will probably tell her next week that I'm not coming back at all. I was already planning to quit at the end of April so a few weeks early won't change much for me. Part of me wishes that this baby was already here so I could have someone to fuss over to distract me from everything that's going on. My most persistent fear right now is the rapidly changing hospital visitor policies. My friend who is due a few weeks before me just got an email saying that NOBODY is allowed into labor and delivery with her, including her husband.