Covid-19 thread (1 Viewer)

[Crusha]

Figured I might as well start a thread, since this is on all of our minds.

Use this space to voice how this is affecting you, and what your concerns may be, or, whatever.

Please, NO political opinions, including divisive memes.

That being said. I’ll start.

On Thursday eve, I told my four employees to file for unemployment, since the Governor mandated a shut down of all “non life sustaining” businesses.
Two of them have been with me about six years, one just bought a house.
I’m paying them through next week, snd will see where we are at that point.

I suspect PA will be in full lockdown mode very shortly.

Crap.

What’s going on in your area?

 

[YotaFun]

Hello from Allentown,

Three hours from home with my husband currently since he is training for his new job up here.
(I do hope they move him back to his store in Delaware to finish his training)

Delaware is not in full lock down mode yet, however a statement today said that it is on the table.

I surprisingly still have a job, the company is going to do there best to take care of us if the time comes we need to shut down.

Not gonna sugar coat it, my underlying anxiety has peaked and I feel like I have been a walking zombie the past week just trying to make sure we have what we need and things get done.

Just a day by day basis with things, I have talked to family who have been with some of there employers since I can remember that have been laid off.

I am trying to look at the positive side of some of this to come, I have some projects I could get done around the garage on the trucks.
Also good news is so far I haven't heard of any family or friends being infected.

 

[jamarquardt22]

@Crusha fyi there is no waiting week for UC at this time.

 

[VBRoamer]

Masonic Village residents are all in their homes/apartments, 24/7, by request not mandate. Everything has been cancelled -- there are no groups of any kind meeting on campus or going off-campus. I was let go from my mailroom job (I know, it's voluntary and unpaid, but it still feels like a loss.) We are all brought a large bag of food daily, so nobody is starving. Vehicles are not moving in the parking lots. We've started video conferencing with our kids (Zoom). We've added a couple of new streaming services, one of which is Curiosity Stream (great documentaries on all conceivable topics) and the other is HBO, so I can re-watch all the GoT episodes. Spring flowers are blooming and we're in an OK moods. Want to go wheeling, though.

 

[brian]

we are in food and beverage facilities doing maintenance work as well as power generation....so no shutdown for us or most of the places we get into.....but with that said a lot of places are getting funny with letting contractors in...and the power generation side has started pushing normally scheduled spring outages back.
today i had my first panic attack. i ran to a local store to pick some burgers up to throw on the grill, they didnt have any pre pressed bulk packs of patties, so i ended up at a second larger store, that had bread, canned soup, pasta and cereal shelves nearly bare....large shelves....and very little meat.
i guess one upside, traffic has been "lite" to say the least.

 

[Dirty Koala]

Out here in UT, the shelves are pretty empty, especially if you go to costco or sams clubs. Its been been a case of buy what you can not what you want mostly.

 

[YotaFun]

today i had my first panic attack. i ran to a local store to pick some burgers up to throw on the grill, they didnt have any pre pressed bulk packs of patties.

The only places I found to nhave anything were local stores so that is a scary moment!
I finally went to na local butcher for meat and was able to stock up decent for 4 adults (at least I hope).

 

[caz]

I went for a walk with my kids just now - about a mile and a half total. Not one car passed by the entire trip! It was an eerie feeling for sure.

I'm working from home because I can. I suspect that this will get shut down before long. You just can't keep paying support staff when the factory is closed!

I plan to keep working even if I'm not getting paid.

I've been going to the grocery store every day for a week now. You can't find everything at once, but occasionally you time it right when a truck has just delivered and can fill in what is missing.

We are well stocked for a month. Beyond that, we will see!

I've been trying to come up with things I can do to volunteer. I feel kind of helpless as far as being able to help. Haven't come up with anything....

I'm optimistic. It isn't the end of the world, but it is a tough time. I feel like it will be an event that shapes a generation, and it may change our country in significant and good ways.

Overall, I feel blessed. My family is safe and healthy, and we have our basic needs. If we somehow lost the house or our jobs, we will recover!

This will pass. We will be mostly ok....

 

[caz]

Bread aisle at Weis most days..... Floored me the first time I saw it!

 

[TrapperHunt]

Bread aisle at Weis most days..... Floored me the first time I saw it!

“Buy local” will probably become the norm. Alfred and Sams bakery in Lancaster is well stocked on bread everyday. Also saw Apple’s butcher shop was open and have heard good reviews on them. Throw in Pine View Dairy and all the basics are covered food wise.

 

[Redbarn]

We live in a rural area but the traffic outside is very, very light indeed.
We are on first name terms with our UPS delivery driver & when he delivered some parts for our 100 series yesterday,
he complained (as he kept at least 20 feet away from me), that UPS is absolutely flat out &
he has a delivery list that is in the same league as it was before Christmas.
I asked him about the split between commercial or domestic customers &
he said that there was a significant increase in domestic deliveries.
Anecdotal evidence for sure but one gets the feeling that the change towards ecommerce will be accelerated by this virus episode.

 

[caz]

This may very well be the death nail for a whole lot of struggling small businesses...

 

[jonheld]

I was in Manhattan last Thursday. At 5:30 pm walking back to the Port Authority, there was no pedestrian traffic and virtually no cars. Freaked me the hell out.
Supermarkets in Jersey are getting restocked regularly, but people are buying way more than they could ever need. And what's with the run on toilet paper? Does COVID-19 make you s*** all day long? I mean a family of 4 would have to have some serious digestive problems to go through that much TP. Perhaps you should see a doctor about that.

 

[joabmc]

This virus has had no discrimination on business size. I sat in a conference room Friday morning as all departments discussed layoffs. I personally had to lay-off our entire field department on Friday as all PennDOT, Turnpike and all other public work has been suspended. We are temporarily running a skeleton office crew and that, of course, is from home as of Friday. My wife is a programmer and now IT for Geisinger Medical. She been working nonstop for weeks and has taken over my home office while I’ve been relegated to the dining room.
The last few mornings I drove to Harrisburg there was a noticeable difference in the volume of traffic and local stores were starting to feel the squeeze from customers stalking up on supplies. On a lighter note, I live in Mifflin County so the first things to go off the shelves (not lying) was Mt.Dew, Hot Dogs and Ramen!!! Had to chuckle when we walked through the isles.
I am concerned for everyone as I feel we are only at the beginning of this mess. Many lives, families and careers may be altered and paths changed. Wishing nothing but the best for everyone out there. Stay safe and be alert. Times like these will bring out the best and worst in all.

 

[Stevesnj]

Here in NJ we have a 'Stay at Home' order. I'm sure it will be coming to PA soon as well as other states. We can drive for Food, medical supplies, home supplies, take away food, gas, and any essential services. How they will enforce this I don't know.

Personally I work as a special ed instructor at a high school so I am doing remote learning with students. Expected to return March 30 then spring break the following week. I suspect they will keep schools shut here until end of spring break. Makes no sense to return for one week and expose students and staff to anything. Stay safe all!

 

[Crusha]

@Crusha fyi there is no waiting week for UC at this time.

Wha's UC?

I feel like it will be an event that shapes a generation, and it may change our country in significant and good ways.

Pretty sure this will drastically reshape people's priorities for the better...hopefully.

I think it will be quite some time before people are comfortable gathering in large numbers, like concerts or sporting events.

This may very well be the death nail for a whole lot of struggling small businesses...

Without a doubt. Not only this, but there will potentially be millions of people looking for jobs when the dust settles. I told my employees they will all have a job if they want to work.

 

[jamarquardt22]

Wha's UC?

Unemployment compensation

 

[caz]

Saw this earlier and thought it was sound advice.

Pay bills in this order (thanks Dave Ramsey):
Food
Utilities
Shelter
Transportation

It's time for us to man up and lead our families through this mess!

 

[PAToyota]

Architecture is on the closed list, but I can do some work remotely. Things at the shop are still open as we're "automotive repair and parts" and allowed to be open. It's a small shop and we typical practice "social distancing" already.

Traffic has been a lot lighter around here. Grocery stores are light on some things, but generally you can find what you need.

Reading through things, it's becoming clear that it isn't a question of containing it but in surviving it when you get it.

 

[Crusha]

Saw this earlier and thought it was sound advice.

Pay bills in this order (thanks Dave Ramsey):
Food
Utilities
Shelter
Transportation

It's time for us to man up and lead our families through this mess!

I’d say insurance is pretty important.