COVID-19/corona virus mega thread/prepping thread

[RocketMan]

I realize this might not be the hill to die on, especially since I dont live in NC it's easy for me to talk. but the executive does not get to make laws.  That's the legislature's job.  So it's not a misdemeanor unless they passed a law to that affect.  He enforces the laws; he cannot enforce his own edicts.  It's a separation of powers issue.

Well, he's a leftist dictator, so...

[zxcvbob]

Gladys Kravitz! :D (and I remembered the name, just had trouble spelling it)

[MillCreek]

So we are now being asked to write medical exemption letters for mask-wearing.  The problem is there is no widely-accepted list of medical or other conditions that are considered as a disability or contra-indication to wearing a mask, so we are having to wing it.  The majority of the people asking have no medical/psychiatric conditions whatsoever, which is interesting.

[zxcvbob]

So we are now being asked to write medical exemption letters for mask-wearing.  The problem is there is no widely-accepted list of medical or other conditions that are considered as a disability or contra-indication to wearing a mask, so we are having to wing it.  The majority of the people asking have no medical/psychiatric conditions whatsoever, which is interesting.

I read some state's list of exemptions, and one of them was Deaf or hard of hearing.  What's that about?  They need to read *other* ppl's lips.

[MillCreek]

In addition to young age and cognitive disabilities, here is a list of issues that may contraindicate wearing a face mask:

Is there a reason a person might not be able to wear a face mask?
The CDC states that a person who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the face mask without assistance should not wear a face mask or cloth face covering.[6]
Examples of a person with a disability who might not be able to wear a face mask
•   Individuals with respiratory disabilities such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or cystic fibrosis may not be able to wear a face mask because of difficulty in or impaired breathing. People with respiratory disabilities should consult their own medical professional for advice about using face masks. The CDC also states that anyone who has trouble breathing should not wear a face mask.[7]
•   People with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), severe anxiety, or claustrophobia (an abnormal fear of being in enclosed or narrow places).[8] may feel afraid or terrified when wearing a face mask. These individuals may not be able to stay calm or function when wearing a face mask.
•   Some people with autism are sensitive to touch and texture. [9] Covering the nose and mouth with fabric can cause sensory overload, feelings of panic, and extreme anxiety.
•   A person who has cerebral palsy may have difficulty moving the small muscles in the hands, wrists, or fingers. Due to her limited mobility,  she may not be able to tie the strings or put the elastic loops of a face mask over the ears. This means that the individual may not be able to put on or remove a face mask without assistance.

[Perd Hapley]

I know some people that should be exempted from wearing required to wear a mask...

[Andiron]

If that's the hill you want to die on, whatever.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

The "fight the Karens" part wasn't a shot a you,  just  an accurate description of the petty aholes that will jump you at the grocery store for not wearing a mask or walking the "wrong direction" down an aisle.

I'm intrigued that this group ( harder core 2A types)  would just roll over for an unlawful, BS order from their governor.  If your governor wants to mandate masks,  he can go ask the Legislature to make it happen.  Past that, get bent.

For me,  I'll keep going as I have,  and if the county health dept wants to fine me,  go for it.  I'll fight that later,  but I'm still not wearing these stupid cloth virtue signals or compelling my employees to.

[WLJ]

I know some people that should be exempted from wearing required to wear a mask...

If nothing else to found out for themselves just how bad their breath is

[zxcvbob]

The masks that I ordered still haven't gotten here.  I suspect they will never get here and I'll have to get a refund from Amazon or from my CC company.  A day or two after I placed my order, the listing disappeared from Amazon; I click on the link from my order history and get a page not found error.  (that's not a good sign.)  They claim to have shipped it the next day, but they just generated a shipping label and didn't actually send it to the post office for several days.  Annoying but not necessarily a problem.  Now the package is several days late, and the USPS tracking says it just departed from New York, headed for who knows where (it originated in California.)

Here's my guess: it's a scam, and they put the wrong zipcode on the package to delay delivery -- and that's assuming it even has the right address.  It might be an empty package that they send to someone else's address, and someday weeks from now I will get another person's empty package.  I've actually run into that before with an Amazon third party seller.  (a used book dealer my wife ordered from. who turned out to be from mainland China)

After badmouthing the seller (even tho' I didn't give their name) I thought I should give an update.

The masks got here today.  They were addressed just fine; I don't know why USPS routed them from California through New York City to get to Minnesota. That's why they were 4 days late instead of just barely on time.  I'm not happy that the seller said they shipped on Monday (week and a half ago) but weren't actually given to the post office until several days later, but I'm not all that upset about that either.  Initially USPS tracking said they would get here Monday the 22nd, which was the last day of the delivery window that was promised.  I think the seller sat on the order a few days so I would pay the extra $5 for expedited shipping next time.

The masks are individually packaged in packs kinda like a sterile gauze pad or bandage, and they are marked KN-95 but don't have a CE symbol.  They fold flat.  I opened one up a few minutes ago and was pleased with the quality.  You have to form the metal nose bridge with your thumb because it's creased in the middle, but it doesn't break of fall off when you do.  The elastic didn't break or come loose when I put it on, and the mask makes a good face seal so it's a proper respirator mask, even if the 95% filter rating is optimistic.  I assume they are counterfeits but don't know for sure; they are good counterfeits.  I would buy them again, except the listing has been removed.  But 10 will last me a long time.

[Ben]

I was just reading local news on the increased virus cases here (number is the total since COVID started, however our total state cases have nearly doubled in the last couple of weeks):

The largest number of cases are among people ages 18-29 at 1,660 cases.

Huh. I wonder what that a large number of that demographic have been doing the last few weeks? It's amazing the twists and turns the media and some politicians are doing to ignore the increased infection rates in certain areas of the country since the protests and continue to blame things on people getting haircuts or going on hikes.

[230RN]

"...going on hikes..."

I'm not clear on why that should be a danger factor.  One would think "out in the open in clean fresh air" would be a neutral factor.

Help me understand that.

Terry, 230RN

[Ben]

"...going on hikes..."

I'm not clear on why that should be a danger factor.  One would think "out in the open in clean fresh air" would be a neutral factor.

Help me understand that.

Terry, 230RN

There is no understanding, but you might ask the cops who arrested the paddleboarder who was like 1/4 mile from anyone but was breaking the virus rules.

[ConstitutionCowboy]

There is no understanding, but you might ask the cops who arrested the paddleboarder who was like 1/4 mile from anyone but was breaking the virus rules.

Power, power. It's all about power.

Woody

[Perd Hapley]

"...going on hikes..."

I'm not clear on why that should be a danger factor.  One would think "out in the open in clean fresh air" would be a neutral factor.

Help me understand that.

Terry, 230RN

If you're out on a hike, you're probably miles from the nearest Karen, and you're certainly not watching CNN tell you how bad the COVID is, or how the President is "the real thug" for dissing the rioters. Heck, you might even be so far out that Twitter can't give you the latest news story about the terrible spike in red state COVID cases.

Very, very dangerous.

[lee n. field]

  I'm not happy that the seller said they shipped on Monday (week and a half ago) but weren't actually given to the post office until several days later, but I'm not all that upset about that either. 

Common practice, I think.  I don't believe package tracking until I start to see "in transit" information.

[230RN]

If you're out on a hike, you're probably miles from the nearest Karen, and you're certainly not watching CNN tell you how bad the COVID is, or how the President is "the real thug" for dissing the rioters. Heck, you might even be so far out that Twitter can't give you the latest news story about the terrible spike in red state COVID cases.

Very, very dangerous.

Ohhhh, now I get it.  You're outside of libtard reception range, so they've got to go out and make contact.  Of course.  I should have known.

[MechAg94]

Yesterday, all the toilet paper was sold out at the grocery store.  Is that widespread?

[Jim147]

I hope not because paper towels are next and I need some.

[230RN]

I also hope not.  I'm getting low too.  I don't shop that often, so I really don't keep that close of a track of stuff.  Alcohol's the thing for me.  King Soopers had some a couple of weeks ago and I picked up a one per customer bottle.  Haven't seen any since.  I keep a spray bottle in almost every room for disinfectant and spritzing insects.  I've been husbanding my small supply pretty carefully.

[Boomhauer]

Yesterday, all the toilet paper was sold out at the grocery store.  Is that widespread?

Toilet paper stock levels have never really recovered here in SC. Usually you can find one variety with a couple cases left on the shelf at least.

Paper towels, after the first few weeks became a little more available. Again, not a ton of choice in brands but better than it was during the initial panic period.

General grocery items are a lot better stock wise than the first month. Inflation and Kung Flu supply and demand fuckery still felt very much in food prices. Our grocery bill has gone up a decent chunk.


The good news for us at least is our pay is being restored to the normal level and they are cutting a check for the amount that was taken during the pay reduction. Still withholding 401k matching, no surprise. They say dealers in neighboring states have had to have massive layoffs and some in the heavy oil and gas regions have had to close whole branches.

[K Frame]

I'm finally seeing good amounts of toilet paper and paper towels at my primary grocery store.

[JN01]

It's not a problem in Venezuela.  No, they don't have toilet paper, but they don't have food either, so if you don't eat, you don't need toilet paper.   

[charby]

Menards had pallets of TP and paper towels last week. I probably need to pick up a couple mega-packs this week.

Iowa is still running at 2.5% death rate of the known infected, even with our numbers of positive cases increasing, due to more testing and easing of social restrictions. Seems to be really running through the young and healthy currently, not sure how many of those are dying.

[Ben]

Haven't seen shortages here in some weeks. I still have plenty, but am down from my pre-pandemic stash, so will probably get a Costco pack or two over the next couple of weeks to top off my supplies.

I still haven't seen small freezers back in stock at any of the big box places here. As soon as they are (at reasonable prices) I still plan on getting one to fill up with meat and stuff. Come Winter, I have a suspicion that either in reality or via MSM panic, the virus will make a big comeback, as will panic buying and hoarding.

My modas operandi is going to be to keep all my normal supplies at or near fully stocked levels versus letting them drop down and replenishing when they're near empty. These days, you never know when panic buying is going to start.

[ConstitutionCowboy]

Haven't seen shortages here in some weeks. I still have plenty, but am down from my pre-pandemic stash, so will probably get a Costco pack or two over the next couple of weeks to top off my supplies.

I still haven't seen small freezers back in stock at any of the big box places here. As soon as they are (at reasonable prices) I still plan on getting one to fill up with meat and stuff. Come Winter, I have a suspicion that either in reality or via MSM panic, the virus will make a big comeback, as will panic buying and hoarding.

My modas operandi is going to be to keep all my normal supplies at or near fully stocked levels versus letting them drop down and replenishing when they're near empty. These days, you never know when panic buying is going to start.

Pretty much the same here. We don't allow our regular supplies to drop below half. "Reserves" is another matter. Nothing gets taken out until new stuff arrives. It's called "rotation".

Woody