Anybody else worried....went to the grocery store tonight

Don't forget the *points below

It appears many may argue that "they're gonna make it through" with inordinate amounts of toilet paper.

Personally, I would suggest that "we'll make it through" & prevent as much suffering as possible by employing antiseptics, hand wash, basic surgical masks & N95 respirators (the sick & healthcare workers prioritised, of course), respirators, test kits, thermal screening, epidemiologists, MD's, nurses, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, intelligence, mechanical ventilators, the methods & tools of science, & a vaccine.

By flattening the curve: stay at home when possible, wash your hands, try not to touch your face.

... To mention but a few.

 

Life is too important to stop living as best I can

 

Bulldogs - I think the scariest thing is that even though the news, radio and internet is telling each of us what WE need to do to stop the spread, the majority of people don't seem to listen. I am in VA area and the impact started around 2/24 but got CRAZY over the past week. Stores have no product; people are stockpiling toilet paper and paper towels like they will never see it again. Sadly antibacterial wipes, cleaners, soaps and hand sanitizers have not been in stock near me at any store for over two weeks. UGH

 

I'm all for flattening the curve.
It irks me when people think they can't possibly be carrying the virus, can't possibly be ill with the virus, or they are ill but don't care b/c they're going to do what they want to do and no one will tell them any differently. Perhaps it's my age showing, but I hope the karma bus is coming for them...and it's a BIG bus!

 

Excuse me, where is the intelligence? There seems to be an acute shortage...

 

The Millennials(and those with like sentiments)who don't care bother me. Truly, my friend let me know the ones in her college classes are callous. In fact, when she asked them to be concerned for the welfare of the elderly, their response was a mix of anger/disinterest/defiance. They weren't concerned about the elderly dying, as they blame them for the loss of social security, and said it'd be less strain on the system. Just disgusting.

This pandemic targets the older generations. In 1918 the situation was reversed. Gee, if the older generations hadn't cared back then, there wouldn't be much of a Millennial generation now.

 

In my neighborhood we have had young people volunteer to do errands, yardwork, and gardening for vulnerable people who aren't comfortable leaving the house. Many are out of school now and eager to contribute their time.

 

Why would senior people not be able to go into their own yards? One's private yard isn't public space.

 

No one here is suggesting that there is anything wrong with kids volunteering to help their elderly neighbors.

 

The inclination & willingness to help anybody for any reason should be applauded, agreed.

However, granting the implementation & necessity of social distancing, whether we applaud those, regardless of their age, for physically interacting with their elderly neighbors in an attempt to help them is subject to what "help" consists of.

Often what many consider helpful is in fact counterproductive, or possibly harmful.

For instance, while both the below scenarios are well intended & of good faith, only one is necessary & helpful during a global pandemic, while the other is unnecessary, unhelpful, & possibly lethal during a global pandemic.

a) Interacting with an elderly neighbor at close range so to obtain their rake—which is located inconspicuously somewhere amid the chaos of their locked up & disarranged garage—in order to rake up leaves in their yard.

b) Walking to the store so to buy your elderly neighbor food—which you leave at their front door after having rang their doorbell—because food deliveries are unavailable in your area.

Broader point being, the aim isn't to increase social interactions, it is to decrease social interactions as much as morally & ethically possible. It is especially important to decrease social interactions with the elderly, as they are the most likely to die of this virus.

 

Edit: The inclination & willingness to help others should be applauded, agreed.

 

*nods… The inducement of cytokine storms, which ravage the stronger immune systems of young adults, & especially, pregnant women.

If interested, an excellent documentary on the 1918 influenza pandemic can be found here.

 

Italy is up to 800 deaths per day. Pray for Europe.

 

Where did you get that news? I just read 15 passed away in NY on Saturday which is bad enough. Every 10 minutes would be 144.

 

Johns Hopkins Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Case Map reports 76 deaths as of 9:41 pm, Sunday, 22 March 2020 (AEDT)

Said case map can be found here.