# Share your Covidiot stories

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-covidiot-stories/852854>\
**Category:** The Quarantine Zone\
**Tags:** covid-quarantine\
**Created:** [April 29, 2020, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-covidiot-stories/852854 "2020-04-29T22:21:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 36

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**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 10, 2021, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-covidiot-stories/852854/702 "2021-03-10T23:12:08Z")

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I posted this in the current MMP thread, but I think it fits here too.

> [@So I Guess We Need A MMP](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-guess-we-need-a-mmp/937451/70):
>
> Um…
> 
> OK, here’s what happened. Our accountant had a bag of washable, white cloth face masks. He only needed 10 of them for himself, so he brought the rest into the orifice. I’m only guessing, but I think it must have been a 100-mask package. A cow-orker wanted a mask today, but the receptionist had hidden them in a drawer so she had to ask for one.
> 
> It seems that Friday (I was telecommuting that day) another cow-orker, whom I’ll call Big O, brought one of these masks he had been using to the receptionist and asked her if she’s washing them. The receptionist told him no, he has to wash them himself. He said, ‘Oh, I’ll just throw them away then.’
> 
> On how many levels is this wrong?
> 
> - That Big O thought the receptionist would be responsible for washing masks?
> - That upon learning he had to wash his own masks, that Big O’s solution was to throw the mask away and get a new washable mask?
> 
> Or most of all…
> 
> - That Big O thought anyone would want to wear a mask someone else had used, even if it had been washed?
> 
> So the masks are secured and you have to ask for them. Big-O has been banned (by the receptionist) from getting a new (cloth) mask.
> 
> SMDH

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**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2021, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-covidiot-stories/852854/703 "2021-03-13T00:18:49Z")

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My thought is that Big O must be a real joy to work with.

Standing in line for my Covid shot, the person behind me kept moving closer until I pushed my cart between us and told him to stay that far away. I could clearly see the butt-hurt look on his maskless face.

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**Author:** ![Bonum\_Legatum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bonum_legatum/32/6183_2.png) [@Bonum\_Legatum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonum_Legatum)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-covidiot-stories/852854/704 "2021-03-14T13:28:45Z")

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Another type of Covidiot: The people who must be thinking “The police don’t want to take the risk of contracting the illness so I can drive like a maniac and not worry about getting a ticket.” I hadn’t realized how bad things were getting until yesterday when I had to take a long drive and saw how many people were recklessly cutting in and out of traffic - much worse than in 2019. It’s no wonder that accidents are up even though there are fewer people on the road. Is it this bad on the interstates?

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**Author:** ![mistymage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mistymage/32/459_2.png) [@mistymage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mistymage)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-covidiot-stories/852854/705 "2021-03-25T19:15:29Z")

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Mistermage told me today one his people we’ll call “Connie” came in to his shop office area that he shares with our oldest son, wandered around the shop talking to people, did some work and then chatted with one of the actual office people. During that conversation Connie casually mentioned her 2 daughters that live with her had tested positive the day before. Office HR lady sent her home until she gets tested. Connie has been vaccinated but no one else in the shop has (300? people).

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**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2021, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-covidiot-stories/852854/706 "2021-03-30T20:24:25Z")

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> [@Bonum\_Legatum](#):
>
> Another type of Covidiot: The people who must be thinking “The police don’t want to take the risk of contracting the illness so I can drive like a maniac and not worry about getting a ticket.”

Now that you mention it, Highway 64 into Nash County, NC is an absolute nightmare in the mornings now. As soon as you cross the county line, most traffic increases speed by at least 10 MPH. Strangely enough, the typical speed traps don’t seem to be in place anymore.

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**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2021, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-covidiot-stories/852854/707 "2021-04-05T15:22:06Z")

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> [@JaneDoe42](#):
>
> Standing in line for my Covid shot, the person behind me kept moving closer until I pushed my cart between us and told him to stay that far away. I could clearly see the butt-hurt look on his maskless face.

I went in for my first shot yesterday at a mass vaccination site. There was a flight of stairs from the parking garage to the entrance. I guess people were excited to get their shots, because they lost their freaking minds about distancing. Everyone was crowding together to go up the stairs like we were being let into a rock concert. Once up at the entrance, most people recovered their wits and spread out, but the guy behind me kept about a foot and a half distance as we were going through the rope line maze. We were walking along pretty steadily for a while, and I got more and more annoyed. Finally the line stopped for a minute, and I was going to tell him to back the hell up. I turned around, looked at him about a foot away, then leaned out to see if he could back up. There was no room, so I didn’t say anything. He stayed back after that though.

Over all, it was well run and a good experience, but there were also numerous instances of volunteers not giving proper distance. Like, they would direct me to go somewhere that would make me go too close to them, but they wouldn’t step back so I could do it with safe distancing. It was weird.

Final covidiot – the Walgreens clerk who was wearing a plastic face shield. Most places have banned those, I thought. Even worse, it fastened around her neck rather than her forehead, so when she turned her head, it didn’t move with her, and her face was only about half covered. I had confidence in my own mask, but I did marvel at the idiocy.

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**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2021, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-covidiot-stories/852854/708 "2021-04-05T23:44:53Z")

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> [@eschrodinger](#):
>
> the Walgreens clerk who was wearing a plastic face shield. Most places have banned those, I thought. Even worse, it fastened around her neck rather than her forehead, so when she turned her head, it didn’t move with her, and her face was only about half covered. I had confidence in my own mask, but I did marvel at the idiocy.

I’ve never seen one worn in such a unique way, but there’s a lady at the local Harris Teeter who wears a face shield with no mask. Sometimes she’s a cashier, and sometimes she’s a bagger…and she can _never_ keep her hands off her face. 😡 She rubs her eye or nose, then grabs your groceries…

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**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-covidiot-stories/852854/709 "2021-04-06T01:58:00Z")

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> [@WolfpackJeep](#):
>
> I’ve never seen one worn in such a unique way,

It was designed that way. Like the first one here:

> **[All Products](https://zshield.com/collections/available-products?GA_network=g&GA_device=m&GA_campaign=10967415780&GA_adgroup=108698651425&GA_target=&GA_placement=&GA_creative=476179008176&GA_extension=&GA_keyword=face%20shield%20made%20in%20usa&GA_loc_physical_ms=9061079&GA_landingpage=https:%2F%2Fzshield.com%2Fcollections%2Favailable-products&gclid=CjwKCAjw6qqDBhB-EiwACBs6x8z9I5feXL0dJyujQLQ3XISbP0eE9xX2hJP7NrqjmKGFVLcYODvyfBoCg98QAvD_BwE)**
>
> Our Products

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**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2021, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-covidiot-stories/852854/710 "2021-04-08T07:55:01Z")

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> [@eschrodinger](#):
>
> It was designed that way. Like the first one here:

😮 That design would be hilarious if it didn’t completely defeat the purpose.

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**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:** [April 13, 2021, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-covidiot-stories/852854/711 "2021-04-13T21:02:10Z")

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There was a homicide in the area last week. The body was found at Semiahmoo Park. The late owner’s van (which was later recovered) was spotted at a gas station in Bellingham, and there were pictures of the suspect. Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office posted pics on Facebook.

Someone commented: ‘Those are some good clear pics. Just think how much easier it would be to identify this person if they didn’t have a stupid mask on.’

Yep. Someone just had to take a swipe at protective measures.

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**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2021, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-covidiot-stories/852854/712 "2021-04-15T22:41:42Z")

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For Covidiot of the Week, I nominate Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Oklahoma), who [continually tried to browbea](https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2021/04/15/jim-jordan-dr-anthony-fauci-heated-exchange-hearing-vpx.cnn)t Dr. Faucci about “individual liberties” and “constitutional rights” while Jordan’s flimsy, ill-fitting mask slipped beneath his own nose and stayed there.

I know this Covidiot (Or just leave off the _Cov_) was merely grandstanding–Why try to tussle with a public health expert on constitutional issues?–but using the pandemic to do so is pretty stupid. I have GOP friends in Oklahoma, and they’re embarrassed by this guy.

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**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2021, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-covidiot-stories/852854/713 "2021-04-15T23:53:43Z")

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Ohio, not Oklahoma. But hey, I’m in New York and I am embarrassed by him too.

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**Author:** ![Bonum\_Legatum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bonum_legatum/32/6183_2.png) [@Bonum\_Legatum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonum_Legatum)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-covidiot-stories/852854/714 "2021-04-17T11:33:34Z")

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I had to go to the supermarket for a prescription medication yesterday. I could see the pharmacist behind the counter slide his mask off, then proceed to pour my liquid medication from the manufacturer’s bottle into the pharmacy’s bottle - back and forth a few times. (No, he wasn’t holding it at arm’s length.) He then capped the bottle, bagged it, put his mask back on, and brought it to me.

Er, thanks for breathing all over what I’m going to be picking up and then dispensing into my mouth. I trust you had your temperature checked this morning.

Good thing I had my Johnson & Johnson inoculation 27 days ago.

(Same pharmacy, I’ve seen them drop the cap onto the floor - then just pick it up and screw it back on the bottle.)

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**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-covidiot-stories/852854/715 "2021-04-17T13:18:36Z")

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Seems strange to keep patronizing that place.

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**Author:** ![Bonum\_Legatum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bonum_legatum/32/6183_2.png) [@Bonum\_Legatum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonum_Legatum)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-covidiot-stories/852854/716 "2021-04-17T14:29:20Z")

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LSLGuy: You are correct. Time to find another pharmacy.

In this instance, the medication was unusual and it was VERY hard to find a local pharmacy that had it in stock. I didn’t want to even wait 24 hours for overnight delivery.

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**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-covidiot-stories/852854/717 "2021-04-18T12:10:49Z")

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I’ve posted before about the knuckleheadery of our shared-wall neighbors.

Yesterday they set up a bouncy house in their backyard (which is so small it could barely accommodate the bouncy house). I guess it was for a kids’ birthday party. All day long the bouncy house was filled with unmasked kids all sealed in together, shrieking and crashing in to one another. All the attending adults were crowded together in the one small patch of ground left clear. They were all unmasked and drinking steadily for hours and laughing in each other’s faces. As the day progressed and the adults got more drunk, they joined the kids in the bouncy house and were at it for an hour or more.

I can’t think of a more efficient virus-exchanging event than a sealed-up plastic enclosure full of unrelated, yelling drunks mixed up with a dozen or so shrieking children. It’ll probably be a superspreader event, but undocumented because it was a private party in someone’s backyard.

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**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:** [April 19, 2021, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-covidiot-stories/852854/718 "2021-04-19T16:23:20Z")

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A woman I know (was good friends with her husband, who took his own life 18 years ago) came to my business in March. She didn’t want to wear her mask, said she had trouble breathing with it on. I explained that, for the safety of myself and my employees, I had to insist on mask wearing.

She lost it, called me an asshole, stormed out, etc. A week later I hear that she was hospitalized with COVID-19. I didn’t hear any updates until this morning. Her son texted me that his mom had passed away from pneumonia.

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**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-covidiot-stories/852854/719 "2021-04-19T19:57:49Z")

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Sorry that was your last encounter with her, but it’s a good thing you stood your ground!

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**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-covidiot-stories/852854/720 "2021-04-19T20:51:15Z")

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> [@kayaker](#):
>
> I had to insist on mask wearing.

I don’t know what business you are in, and maybe you did more but are posting a summary, so I don’t mean this as a criticism.

I do wonder how often people confronting customers over wearing a mask get caught up on insisting on mask use, and forget to say, if you can’t wear a mask, we will accommodate you by taking your order outside from a distance, or over the phone or by computer, etc. where those are possible.

ADA accommodations don’t cease, but it is not reasonable to put employees and other customers at risk by letting someone inside an enclosed space without a mask. So, different accommodations may be required.

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**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2021, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-covidiot-stories/852854/721 "2021-04-20T01:05:30Z")

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Local Starbuck’s has signs requiring masks for inside, drive-up, and outside service.

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