# How are you personally affected by the Corona Virus? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [March 12, 2020, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-personally-affected-by-the-corona-virus/849340 "2020-03-12T15:26:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-personally-affected-by-the-corona-virus/849340/61 "2020-03-13T14:01:36Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > I’ve been carrying those around for years. Every time I eat out, I clean my hands with them, even if I’m not going to be touching the food. It amazes me that people will eat a hamburger or pizza without even thinking about where their hands have been. I can see cleaning your fingertips with them, but one-inch squares seem too small to clean both hands. There has to be a more efficient way, like having a quick-drying gel that kill germs that comes in a small bottle that can be carried in a purse or a pocket. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-personally-affected-by-the-corona-virus/849340/62 "2020-03-13T14:02:59Z")
Also Wisconsin. University students were told to not come back after this week’s Spring Break. Smart… who knows what germs they’d be bringing back to The Petri Dish That Is Campus. And local tech and private colleges just followed suit. I’d been helping plan a mission trip (rebuilding a Caribbean island), but the college that was sending most of the students cancelled all their trips. That was my one trip planned (just retired). Now I’m depressed, cycling quickly to anger. I should make it to Acceptance by next week… BUT I’m relieved I won’t be walking through The Petri Dish That Is O’Hare, and the Miami airport… ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-personally-affected-by-the-corona-virus/849340/63 "2020-03-13T14:19:11Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > After eleven and a half years, I’ve begun using the disinfectant wipes to wipe down my walkie-talkie at the start of a shift at work. > > And Kayla’s face-to-face classes at her school have been cancelled in favor of online instruction. Which is fine for accounting and engineering majors. Performing arts, not so much. Spring break is looming, and she’s got plans to host three friends (different visits) over the next couple of weeks. One of them is coming on a class trip with the performing arts program at UCI, and is the most probable one to cancel (although we haven’t heard anything yet), on account of the Great White Way just announced that it’s shutting down for the rest of the month. Which is likely to put a damper on any activities planned for her other friends’ visits. > > She says that if they all three fall through, she’s going to try to fly back home for the duration. Yep, they all fell through, so last night she bought a one-way ticket to Las Vegas for Sunday morning. Two of her friends are driving out on Saturday, spending the night, and going to drive her back to Anaheim. Any excuse for a road trip, eh? ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-personally-affected-by-the-corona-virus/849340/64 "2020-03-13T15:48:50Z")
Minneapolis suburb. Nine confirmed cases in Minnesota as of yesterday, mostly in the Twin Cities area. The local school district closed today, as someone in my neighborhood was in direct contact with one of the confirmed people. My employer (government) has canceled all conferences and large gatherings, but otherwise it’s business as usual. Due to low immunity, I’m now working from home for the next six weeks. My employer is still trying to figure out how to accomplish that. I know a handful of others have also been approved to work from home for the next few weeks. I think if the family courts close, our union will push for everyone to work from home. I do know a few people who have never worked offsite, so we’ll see how that pans out. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-personally-affected-by-the-corona-virus/849340/65 "2020-03-13T16:03:38Z")
My employer is allowing people to work remotely if possible but given that our particular facility is a factory where things are assembled and tested, most of us can’t. I was out last night visiting a friend and went to a super market after 10pm. Things weren’t too bad. The TP and rice was all gone and things like soup and crackers were kind of picked over. Surprisingly there were plastic bottles of water available. Everything else was plentiful. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-personally-affected-by-the-corona-virus/849340/66 "2020-03-13T17:47:32Z")
An employee with two kids, 2 & 3, told us she couldn’t find baby wipes and the supply of diapers was very low! Lots of discussion about making due without. ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-personally-affected-by-the-corona-virus/849340/67 "2020-03-13T18:13:01Z")
And we just received an email from the county administrator: Effective Monday, stay the hell home. It was immediately followed up with an email from my division manager: Hol’ up. Not so fast. If you have hearings, see clients, handle mail, you need to come in. ---
**Author:** ![Scougs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scougs/32/3158_2.png) [@Scougs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scougs)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-personally-affected-by-the-corona-virus/849340/68 "2020-03-13T18:13:17Z")
Meetings that I would have been flying to in the next few weeks all moved to virtual. Scottish Football matches all postponed indefinitely. I have a season ticket for my local club (Hearts) and was organising a bus to the Scottish Cup Semi Final on 11th April. Week long holiday in Croatia now cancelled - they are implementing mandatory 14 day self-isolation for all visitors from the UK. My accommodation was cancellable without penalty, and I’m hoping the airline will relax their cancellation policy too. The value of my share portfolio has dropped by £3000 (about 15%). ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-personally-affected-by-the-corona-virus/849340/69 "2020-03-13T19:24:43Z")
I was just informed that a friend of mine, someone I hadn’t seen in years but we have a very good friend in common, is very sick from the virus. He and a group of his friends all got it on a ski trip in Italy. Most of them are recovering but my friend is in a medically induced coma. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-personally-affected-by-the-corona-virus/849340/70 "2020-03-13T19:37:29Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I’m so sorry about your mom. It’s hard to be dealing with that on top of this CV thing. As much as you want to get on with settling things, it’s probably better to hold off. Hugs to you. ☹ Thanks ThelmaLou. I’m feeling better today since I’ve decided to let it all go for now. My retirement is certainly not turning out the way I was hoping, what with death, stock market crash and pandemic. A friend said the other day that who knew me retiring would bring on the apocalypse. 🙂 > [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I can see cleaning your fingertips with them, but one-inch squares seem too small to clean both hands. There has to be a more efficient way, like having a quick-drying gel that kill germs that comes in a small bottle that can be carried in a purse or a pocket. I use them because I hate hand sanitizer. Yeah, it will kill germs but then your hands are covered in dead germs! 🙂 Yeah, it’s irrational, but I never could get past that. So a couple little squares do the trick for me and I’m throwing away the dead germs. ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-personally-affected-by-the-corona-virus/849340/71 "2020-03-13T19:56:20Z")
Suburb of Los Angeles - My son’s school district just texted all parents informing us all schools will be closed for the next two weeks. I expect them to extend the closure a third week, seeing as the fourth week is Spring Break. All work will be done on-line, with instructions to come Monday. No known cases in the schools, but they’re closing down to be safe. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-personally-affected-by-the-corona-virus/849340/72 "2020-03-13T19:58:00Z")
MrsRico and I (early-70’s) are due to see the kids (40-somethings) and grandkids (9 & 11) for Easter to devour another gourmet feast and otherwise be family. They’re just a 3-hour drive away in our little RV. We are in fair health, were exposed to many people a couple weeks ago, have some respiratory woes but no COVID symptoms. Still, we’re not sure about going. Almost everything is postpone-able. A missed holiday beats contagion. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-personally-affected-by-the-corona-virus/849340/73 "2020-03-13T20:06:56Z")
Work has pretty much slowed to a stop. I’ve told both of my part-timers to stay home, paid time off. I have been to the office building twice in the last week, its pretty empty. All of the field workers already in place are staying there and doing what they can with what they have, conferences are all done online. Today, I woke up smelling simmering wort because my husband got up early to start cooking. Yesterday morning I woke up smelling beer because my husband got up early to bottle his last batch. I just looked in the hobby room, he has 160 gallons in brewing containers, 80 bottles newly capped and carbonating and 200 capped bottles ready to drink. We’re going to need a lot more toilet paper. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-personally-affected-by-the-corona-virus/849340/74 "2020-03-13T20:15:22Z")
Florence, Italy Airport closed. Made our way to aroma, hopefully get out tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-personally-affected-by-the-corona-virus/849340/75 "2020-03-13T21:10:00Z")
The North Texas school district I teach in–which has been on spring break this week-just announced that our schools will be closed for the next two weeks. So I’ve got some free time. Nothing was said about doing online instruction during this time, but I’m guessing we teachers will be told to prep and be ready to do that when these two weeks have passed in case the campus closures are extended. I’ll be posting some lessons online next week for my AP students anyway, because we don’t really have time to spare in those classes. Come to think of it, I wonder if all of this will affect the AP test administrations. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-personally-affected-by-the-corona-virus/849340/76 "2020-03-13T21:31:36Z")
Reform synagogue in San Antonio has canceled Shabbat services and other events. Everything that can be will be streamed or conducted via _Zoom_. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-personally-affected-by-the-corona-virus/849340/77 "2020-03-13T21:42:52Z")
Well, it’s hit me personally, now. I just arrived for dialysis and everybody has to wear a face mask and have their temperature taken. Clients, techs, nurses, everyone. No exceptions. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-personally-affected-by-the-corona-virus/849340/78 "2020-03-13T22:01:58Z")
> [@RioRico](#): > > MrsRico and I (early-70’s) are due to see the kids (40-somethings) and grandkids (9 & 11) for Easter to devour another gourmet feast and otherwise be family. They’re just a 3-hour drive away in our little RV. We are in fair health, were exposed to many people a couple weeks ago, have some respiratory woes but no COVID symptoms. Still, we’re not sure about going. Almost everything is postpone-able. A missed holiday beats contagion. It sounds like you should call your doctor and get a professional opinion about your symptoms. -My son’s school just closed. I’m expecting at least 2 weeks and possibly longer. -My daughter’s school is moving to virtual learning. They’ve set up video conferencing. We’ll see how that goes. -My sister’s district (she’s a teacher) has just announced “student free campuses” for the next 2 weeks. I think that means that they’re being jerks and making the teachers come in and sit in empty classrooms. -On the plus side, there are a lot fewer cars on the road. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-personally-affected-by-the-corona-virus/849340/79 "2020-03-13T22:05:30Z")
I forgot to add that my husband’s employer closed the offices and ended all face to face contact. All work is to be done from home. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-personally-affected-by-the-corona-virus/849340/80 "2020-03-13T22:12:25Z")
I paid a visit to my local Wal-Mart today for household staples. Just the usual, I wasn’t planning to stock up on any panic stuff, but I noticed that the entire paper products isle – TP, towels, Kleenex, etc. was empty of product. So was the cleaning supplies area. But the one shelf that I was surprised to find empty was the Ramen soup one – absolutely none where 6 shelves were usually filled. It looked like the canned soups had been picked over pretty well, too. in the checkout isle, I overheard a customer say he was going to trade his restored 1972 Camaro for two TP rolls that a neighbor had saved for emergencies. Glad to find someone so practical. Our local annual Easter parade has been cancelled, but so far, no government meetings have been. The show must go on, eh? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-personally-affected-by-the-corona-virus/849340.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-personally-affected-by-the-corona-virus/849340.md?page=5)