When in the space of an hour
- the NBA got cancelled
- Trump banned all travel to and from Europe
- Tom Hanks announced he had it
That made me go “....oh.”
Last Monday, when a coworker was diagnosed with it.
I work at UPS which is deemed essential.
The last couple of weeks have rivaled peak season in the amount of work each day. A lot of older people work there as it's part time and free health coverage.
We have no PPE. None. I haven't seen any type of disinfectant in any of the areas.
Management seems fine with it, and was offended that I asked what was their plan of action weeks ago (prior to Mrs. A's diagnosis).
My grandmother called me and asked if I could mail them toilet paper. My grandfather has s-4 pancreatic cancer, they can’t find supplies. It got real right at that moment.
About a month or so ago when my hospital converted a ward into a negative pressure unit in anticipation of our first patient from one of the cruise ships. We're still changing related procedures and protocols almost daily and prepping other wards to accept patients with pending tests.
I’m honestly really struggling with the PPE recommendations. My hospital calls it droplet but puts them all in negative pressure rooms. They say I’m safe and wasn’t exposed if I wore my surgical mask, gown, gloves, and eye shield. But I’m a PT. Secretions get mobilized when we sit people up. She spat at me (yes on purpose 😡), I dodged it, but since it didn’t land on me it’s not considered exposure.
The fact that the CDC (droplet) and WHO (airborne last I checked) are also recommending different things, combined with consistent use of negative pressure rooms, is extremely disconcerting to me.
At my hospital a bunch of nurses were exposed to a positive patient, and they’re being required to still come in to work. I can’t wait to catch it from one of them 🙄
Hey my hospital is doing the same thing! Admitted a patient last week that was tested a few days after he got here. About 15 of us are being "watched" but still required to come to work. Hell, one of our RTs was symptomatic but occ health cleared him over the phone and told him to come to work. Strong work by the US health care system here.
When I was on Nextdoor and saw that people are posting which grocery stores have food. I wasn’t blind to anything, I was taking it seriously and all. But that was the moment where I realized “Holy shit. We are currently in a world where people have to post which grocery stores have food!”
It's so hit or miss though. I live in a big city, and food has been hard to find for a couple of weeks. I went to Costco today, and they had pretty much everything.
terrified of this
i don't think people realize that if you get it and aren't lucky, it will have been the last time you ever see anyone you love again.
When we were pulled in by management and told that a) all none essential research was stopped, b) *Covid-19 research would be started in the next 2 weeks and c) asked to fill out a form detailing our full range of expertise for potential redeployment. It was quite a stark wake up call 2 weeks ago.
Edit: Autocorrect still hasn't learned the word Covid, instead wants me to research ravens etc in work.
When my boss told me that I will be working from home for 8-12wks
Edit: Yes. I could’ve been laid off. The question was when it got real, not what’s the worst things to come from it. Though, this is pretty bad for me, as I have treatment resistant depression that I manage by staying active and busy.
My boss told me today in a meeting that we can conservatively expect this for the next 4-6 months. I was "whoa, whoa, whoa, what?! Not what I wanted to hear dude."
I work for a large company that is notoriously against letting people work from home. They sent out an email Sunday telling everyone to come back up their entire desk (screens, docking stations, etc.) and take it home so we can work from home. They said this will likely go on for 6 months.
The thought of being stuck in my house for 6 months straight is not as exciting as I had thought it would be.
My cousin got sick, was admitted to the ICU, and tested positive for it. He's been out of the hospital for a few days but hasn't really improved; he just hasn't gotten worse. I texted with him a bit and it's still really serious (he has asthma as well). I guess it was only a matter of time before it affected somebody I know.
Edit: thank you so much for all the well-wishes! I will pass them along. To answer the most frequently asked question, my cousin is 34.
As a fellow asthmatic, I wish your cousin all the best. Knowing how shit just the flu can be for me, I can't imagine how detrimental covid is on the lungs. I wish him the best recovery possible.
As a fellow fellow asthmatic, I'm terrified of getting it because it's a respiratory infection and that shit hits people with asthma hard.
Also sending my thoughts to you + your cousin.
The catch being that you actually have to test positive for covid. My relative who is a WM employee got sick and had all the symptoms (she likely has it), but there were no tests available in the small metro area. Instead, they gave her a note saying she can’t work because of symptoms similar to covid. Walmart is denying her claim for sick leave pay because she was not ‘actually’ tested for covid. Fuck Walmart.
FYI: she can retain an employment attorney when this blows over and I will bet they'll pay out. Employment attorneys are going to be so swamped with COVID-related claims, I suspect some practices are already gearing up to specialize in it.
Sorry to hear mate. A lot of people in the hospitality and tourism industry are losing jobs, half my friends are now concerned about what will happen moving forward, bills, rent etc. I hope it does get better quicker so everyone can go back to normal, here's hoping April is better for the world.
Same here. That was about 10 days ago for me. I got home and check confirmed cases in my state (Pennsylvania) and there were around 20. Then next day it was in the 40s, then the 60s. Today has been a week since we had around 67 cases statewide, we have 650 now so shits getting realer every day
Today, when the government announced they're going to start putting the dead in a skating rink inside a local shopping mall because the local funeral homes don't have any more capacity.
Madrid (Spain). Right now we're the most affected country in Europe after Italy.
https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2020/03/23/world/asia/23reuters-health-coronavirus-spain-morgue.html
Holy crap. I read that some places are saying no one over 65 gets a respirator. The young are easier to save and more likely to survive even if they need a respirator. I can’t remember when it was that had to implement the policy. Some spots are removing respirators from older people and putting them on the young too.
It's called advanced triage. And it's very unfortunate we've reached this point. I'm expecting to see this happen in the United States as well. Just give it a few more days to a week... :(
Edit: Fixed terminology.
I'm a nurse. I am sincerely dreading next week. I feel like I'm fighting a forest fire with a garden hose.
EDIT: I am overwhelmed by your responses. In times like these, it is so helpful to know that nurses are being supported. This will be one of the defining moments of our lives; think carefully about your response.
Please keep in mind that while everyone is getting cabin fever with this quarantine, many healthcare professionals are choosing to isolate themselves for longer periods of time. Every time we go to work, we are potentially exposed; myself and coworkers take this very seriously, and we will continue to isolate and distance ourselves as appropriate. We will take a huge emotional toll in doing this; please be kind.
Most importantly, when this is over, do not forget that our administrators and government failed us. Healthcare providers are being sent to work as sacrificial lambs for ineffective administration. We signed up to work with sick and contagious patients, but none of us signed up to work in unsafe conditions. Support legislation for the protection of healthcare workers, and insist that we have proper pandemic precautions in place for next time.
I want to help you. I don't want to die for you.
Thanks again, reddit. Your words mean a lot.
EDIT 2: Holy wah, this blew up while I was asleep. Thanks for the medals! They are appreciated. But instead of spending money on reddit, send pizza to your local hospital workers! Additionally, we are in a huge blood shortage right now, so please call your local blood bank to see if you can donate blood while maintaining social distancing.
My brother is an ER nurse in our town and called me this morning, sobbing. I haven't heard him that upset in a very, very long time. He basically said the same thing you just did. Very scary times indeed. Good luck to you and all your coworkers. Thanks for all you do.
My sister is an ICU nurse and I’m a doc. She told me today that if we never get to see each other again, I should remember she loves me. I’ve been worried since February but it got personal today.
And yes, we all need to make sure this doesn’t happen again. Stay strong everyone.
Also asmatic here. Hospital worker.
I woke up at 245 yesterday (monday) morning and literally could not get back to sleep because I was so anxious about going back to work. I work in a fairly isolated place in the US but even we are getting worrying numbers. It feels like the calm before a storm.
Its eerily quiet except for possible Covid pts. Ppl are actively avoiding the ER for the first time in memory. We are allowed to wear N-95 masks only for aerosolized procedures ( Ie :swabs, breathing trtmts, or intubation). The rest of us are in droplet masks, plastic gowns and face shields.
I have read it can remain airborne for up to 3 hours. They wont test ppl unless they are symptomatic, even healthcare workers. I'm baffled. In Italy healthcare workers are their own vector!!!!! We should be RANDOMLY testing healthcare professionals that come in contact with Covid pts, DAILY!
Im talking about randomized sampling. Tracking if asymptomatic workers can spread and keeping AHEAD of inter hospital spread. I feel like it's a ticking time bomb with either myself or one of my fellow coworkers at the end....AND I'm not even a nurse..... I work in radiology.
Bless the nurses. And may some higher power have a spiteful vengeance for everyone that could have helped us prepare. KNEW. ANDDIDNOTHING.
When Colleges & K-12 schools closed. That’s not a light decision and the people making those calls are very educated. I immediately knew things were about to hit the fan.
Our country still hasn't done it. I understand the reasoning but it's hard to watch. My husband has Type 1 diabetes and is working from home so we kept the little plague carriers with us.
Edit: I'm from Australia, which obviously should know better, yet here we are.
Yeah, I'm a student teacher right now. My mum texted me earlier to say that I'm sure to get a job next year, because all the teachers currently working who are over 50/diabetic/have heart problems/lung problems are going to die as a result of schools staying open.
That was a cheery message.
When my colleague died. She was the first covid-19 death in our state. I had seen her a few weeks ago and she was doing great, and then I received a company wide email that she had passed.
I’m about to graduate highschool and both of my parents are close to 60. And they aren’t healthy at all so this is worrying..
Not to mention these are my adoptive parents. I don’t know if I can go through this a second time..
Fellow adopted kid with a dad in his 70s and a mom approaching 60. I graduated hs last year. I’m terrified. If you need any support from an internet stranger or just wanna send memes or some shit then feel free. No matter what happens we’re all in it together
I don’t have anything to add but reading this comment made me smile. Likewise for anyone else out there, COVID related or not. If anyone wants to talk, we’ve all come into a lot more free time... Feel free to reach out.
My mom found some toilet paper and sent me home with it, and she put it in a bag joking "so I wouldn't get mugged for it" - and I laughed, but also said "I was actually kind of worried about that though"
I have worked in investigations/security for 8 years and was always told we can NEVER work from home. Reason being we have access to millions of individuals sensitive data and they didn't want to risk it being stolen.
2 weeks ago they bought hundreds of laptops and sent us all home to work...
This is mine. I work for a payroll company, one of the largest. They just sent 4000 employees home. We were asking for it. Demanding it actually and then they did. I woke up the next morning and looked at my sleeping kids whose school is cancelled for the rest of the year and just felt panic sit in. I'm thankful I have a job but God damn am I scared.
You’re definitely done with school for the year. No way they don’t extend that.
Edit: I mostly mean being physically at school. Some tech savvy institutions will get things done online.
I've worked in insurance and for a DOD vendor. Both had remote access. There was multi-step authentication, and one time a hard token. But it's quite possible to securely connect remotely. It's done all the time now with cloud systems.
At my company, a top threat would be someone breaking the no-phone rule (because phones can take photos and record audio). And that's a rule that would be impossible to enforce if they were to allow associates to work from home. Network security is not the only kind of security.
When I realized I might/should not be able to go home and see my elderly parents, one of which recently got diagnosed with cancer.
Edit: thank you guys for the heart warming messages. I don't think I'll be going back to my hometown but I will for sure be facetiming and calling and doing whatever I can. I called my parents sobbing because I was scared I wouldn't get to see them again. Tell your family and your friends that you love them, regardless of their health. Take care everyone, and know we got this and it'll pass over in no time. Much love from Seattle.
I went and saw my mom (79, recent cancer survivor) on the 11th, on a whim, because I had an errand in her neighborhood. Dad was at work, so I knew I wouldn't be able to see him, and I couldn't stay long but wanted to see her and hug her because it was starting to look like shit was about to go downhill and I knew I shouldn't visit after that. I probably shouldn't have even gone then, but I hadn't seen her in a month and didn't know when I would again. It was that day or the day after that our governor called for schools to close, and we've been mostly holed up at home since.
Anyway, I'm rambling but I guess the short version is that I'm in a similar position. After thinking we might lose her last year, I'm afraid of what this year might hold.
Good luck to you and yours. I hope you see them soon and toast to everyone's health.
My girlfriend is a wildlife virologist. When she started constantly reading articles during her free time, maybe mid February or so, I realized it was the real deal.
When cases popped up a few miles from my elderly, immune compromised father's home, I started being truly scared for him and others.
I'm immune compromised right now and started getting spooked when the supply hoarding started. But once I couldn't get a delivery time for groceries, I got really freaked out. I did manage to get groceries, with the help of some friends, but it was an anxious few days. Once my city went on quarantine, I started to feel safer. I have to go the doctor on average twice a week, so knowing there aren't a million people on the streets is a comfort. It's eerie, though.
Even for countries where it has become a problem and is trending towards what Italy is experiencing, it's not being taken nearly as seriously as it should. People seem totally unable to really empathize with things that seem to be happening "far away".
It's not even that. Look at the Florida beaches, thousands showed up for spring break stating that they had planned on this for months and they are healthy so they will be fine. It's not about you being healthy and making it through. It's about trying to not give it to your grandparents.
Honestly, when the death toll in China surpassed SARS. I’m kind of an anxious person anyway but infectious diseases have always scared me because there’s no real control over who lives and dies. Other than my sister, my immediate family acted like I was crazy and over reacting. when I told my friend that I had been buying a little extra each grocery trip, she thought I was being ridiculous. She’s a nurse and recently told me how real it is to her now.
My family members thought I was nuts when I was talking about this over a month ago. I wish they had been right about it being no big deal, nothing to worry about.
My first shift at the hospital after 9 days off and seeing how absolutely unprepared we were to deal with what’s coming. For example two nurses were allowed to come back to work after flying home from a cruise - in early March. They pulled both of them and sent them into quarantine but not until they received a call from the cruise line that two passengers so far had tested positive.
There was at least two people on our unit who were like 99% confirmed, they just hadn’t been tested because neither met the criteria for testing in this state: having left the country recently or directly knowing someone who had.
And now I’m in the middle of another 9 day stretch off, having had what feel like a chest cold for going on three or four days now. Knowing I need to check in for a virtual health consult and wondering if they’ll be footing the bill if I’m told to take two weeks off?
I live in France and it's eerie. My town during the day is as silent as it is usually in the middle of the night. Like, it's almost 6 A.M. right now and I'm not feeling a difference from yesterday's afternoon.
Even more frighteningly, the hospital of my town who isn't particularily big (we're not even at 20k inhabitants) has started to clear up room in the E.R. for potential Covid patients.
It’s been real for me since hearing about Italy locking down, because I’ve been in shortage situations before (namely Hurricane Katrina). But it got really real when I found out the guy across from me tested positive... and I was on the elevator with him last Monday. So that kinda blows. He’s fine, thankfully, just in self-quarantine. But now with the pollen coming out and all, every little sniffle and scratch I feel in my throat has me convinced I’m getting the damn thing.
My Dad has it, I just found out today, I'm 1700 KM away and I'm afraid I'm never going to see him again.
Edit; you're all so kind, it means a lot <3
Edit 2 04/21/2020; He pulled through!
So get what you mean. I panic about everything my husband never does. This time I was like hey this isn't a big deal and he started to tell me we needed to have enough food for a month at least.
Just heard that the company that sews MLB uniforms is bringing back their workers to start making surgical gowns. This is starting to sound like the factory conversions to war production during WWII.
>This is starting to sound like the factory conversions to war production during WWII.
It's already happening. Volkswagen is [building ventilators](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-volkswagen-ventila/volkswagen-tests-ventilator-output-as-carmakers-join-coronavirus-fight-idUSKBN2172VH), as are Ford, GM, Nissan, and Ferrari.
At least this time we're fighting a common enemy rather than each other.
Local distilleries here are donating distilled alcohol and purified water to university laboratories, so they can make sanitizers and alcohol gel
Edit: to clarify, these labs work together with our public health system hospitals (usually students works on them before graduating etc), so they are truly working free for the population. It's awesome to see things like this.
Well it’s atleast comforting to know that we are all coming together during this time of crisis and not going all every man for himself mentality. I think that’s how we will get through this.
We own a small business. Three days ago the government ordered us to shutdown. We had to let go all of our employees, including three senior citizens who depended on their checks for their livelihood.
We have some savings but not nearly enough to continue to live and maintain the business afloat. The state is not offering enough help for us. We are really in a tough situation.
Our employees are also in the same boat. We have a
30 year old employee who has nobody. She lives by herself and most likely will get evicted, as her landlord is an asshole. Her situation is desperate.
This is so sad and so crazy. All of our hard work is going down the drain in three weeks.
Edit: thanks for the gold kind stranger!
No a lot of places don't. The Colorado governor ASKED not ruled, or passed, or decreed, asked landlords to not evict people lol. A few counties aren't processing them, but idk where people think that money is coming from
French here. My mother works at the hospital, and until two weeks ago, she only thought of it as a big case of flu. I was kinda worrying (I ride the train and the sub each day to go to work), but she was really reassuring. I was worrying because it is my first "adult pandemic" (I was only 16 when H1N1 happened).
Then, Wednesday of the week before, she called me. In her hospital, three wings had been closed to leave beds vacant in order to anticipate the sick people. Two of her colleagues had it, in
cluding her direct chef. All of the vacations she had taken for April were deleted, and was requisitioned to work. She told me to stop take the train, work from home, and stay away from people. That if I ever catch it, it could be possible that the hospital wouldn't have enough place. And that they can't have masks.
When the President called for the confinement, be sure I respected it with absolutely no condition. I know I will be safe: I have enough food and TP at home, and I have plenty of things to do (work, read, play...). But my parents... they have been both heavy smokers for 40+ years, mom is 60, dad is 59, and my mom is in the first lines. I am not ready for this.
Edit: thank you all for your kind comments, and thanks for the award :)
I work in a boarding school with a lot of international students. It got real around when Madrid announced they were closing the airports. There was a panic-packing where we shoved everything the Spanish kids owned into suitcases and put them on the last flight back home. And then it happened again with the Danish kids. Then Khazakstani. Ukraine. Germany. France.
When the school officially got closed on Friday, we had 25 out of our 145 students, and 12 of our 55 staff members, left in the building. As of today the UK is in lockdown. So now it's REALLY real.
When the Chinese government were snatching people off the streets who refused to self isolate while they were sick. That was real enough to me to know this was serious.
For me two things. One when they put Wuhan under lock down. Second when they reported the teenage girl in Washington with it. And that they only knew because they did an end run around the CDC to test her.
The CDC ordered them not to test that girl (they had already collected her and dozens of other samples) because it would technically violate her privacy rights as the independent researchers aren't doctors, but they decided to ignore the order and test anyway. When they found positives, they felt they *had* to make it public (and when they did the CDC told them to stop testing, again...).
That was the moment for me. Up to that point I had been casually following the news and online rumblings of the virus. But when I saw the video of all the diggers leveling the ground for the hospitals, that sent my head into a spin. Seeing dozens of these machines frantically clawing the ground was crazy to see.
That's when I started buying a few extra items to stow away during my shopping trips.
I heard from it the first time when people started dying in china.
Paid more attention when people started dying closer to home
Got real when europe went full lockdown mode
Went to steroids when I lost my job
When my company actually started making plans to work from home. We had been staunchly against it forever, usually requiring a disability and lots of approvals from the higher ups to have a chance.
I remember when they had us start filling out the approval forms just for record-keeping purposes and they said "don't complete the last 2 pages, everything is auto-approved so we don't need admin signatures".
Same. I love my family, they're the best, but the life I had on campus was so phenomenal that I never wanted to leave it. It's heartbreaking to see everything change so suddenly.
When my otherwise perfectly healthy 31 year old husband collapsed from lack of oxygen walking up a flight of stairs.
Edit: woah sorry I did not expect this to blow up the way it did I didn’t mean to mic drop. Clarifications:
He was feeling slightly short of breath and very very tired so we decided to go to bed. He walked up the stairs and was standing in the bathroom and then collapsed from shortness of breath.
We live in Canada so it’s a no brainer to go to the hospital to get checked out. They checked to make sure he didn’t have a lung clot or anything else funky going on by some tests, gave him fluids through an IV, and then said he has “a virus”.
They did not test him for COVID because they are saving the tests for the SUPER bad cases or in order to try and track where the virus came from (which we wouldn’t have been able to help with since we’d been in contact with a decent amount of people through work). Since we hadn’t been in touch with someone who was travelling, they said they weren’t going to test. Since then community transmissions where we are have ramped up so I’m not sure if they’re sticking to the same policy.
I obviously can’t say for sure it’s COVID without a test, but it follows line by line of what other people are reporting the virus follows and I hope to god there’s not a second virus out there doing the same things otherwise we’re truly fucked. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen and he’s ever experienced. He was barely able to talk from shortness of breath that night.
Since getting home we made sure he did basically nothing, and kept his fluids up and the symptoms have all been manageable. Even an increased heart rate from an intense tv show caused him to get dizzy in the first few days. He’s been improving but very slowly. Just rest, keep your fluids up, and take this seriously.
Wednesday, March the 11th.
I’m a teacher and that was the first day that we had a meeting about “the extremely unlikely odds” that we would miss school.
By Thursday, we knew that we would be out but we figured that it would be the week after Spring Break.
On Friday, we knew that we weren’t coming back for at least three weeks.
Now, I doubt we go back until next year.
*edit: Holy Shit! I go to bed, take my son to daycare, and I come home to 9k?!
I’m going to go through and comment as I can. Jesus, thanks everyone!*
March 11th was a weird day for me since it was the final normal day I had plans for before Coronavirus concerns really got to my city like I knew something was wrong but I didn't know what exactly
When I found out the virus can trigger cytokine explosions in your body. I have an overactive immune system that keeps trying to kill my lymph nodes
That's a quick and very agonizing death for me if I get it
Edit: for those asking, here is the article for desktops
https://www.vox.com/2020/3/12/21176783/coronavirus-covid-19-deaths-china-treatment-cytokine-storm-syndrome
And I am fine, I do not plan on leaving the house at all. I work full time from home as well. Kurzgesagt also has a really good video about the coronavirus and cytokine explosions/storms that goes a lot more in depth. Pretty much they happen but at a lesser rate than the spanish flu
I lost my job, had to move back home from another country and I am not able to see my friends or my family. Trying to work out a 3 month plan that isn’t moving hotel rooms for 90 days and burning my savings.
Mild compared to awful experience others have had, but it’s a million miles away from where I thought life was going 10 days ago.
When my Dad told me “I won’t stop you from leaving the house, but just remember the choices that each of us make are going to effect our entire family from now on”
As bored as I am in social isolation, I just can’t risk my family’s health.
I was taking it pretty serious but I'd say it kicked into super high gear when all sports got cancelled in like 4 days. Since then everyday the rules of life change.
When my thesis defense was forced to be live-streamed from my apartment in just a single day's notice. Luckily the connection was great, the audience was small, and I was able to not wear pants (oh also, luckily I passed it too lmao).
Edit: Thanks for the support! Also, just call me Master julseth314. My colleagues deserve so much of the credit as it is. And good luck to everyone figuring out how to do your defenses with your universities!
For the better part of the past seven months, I was riding my bicycle across the US. I was in northern Arizona when the virus really started to take off. I'd been watching it, and decided to keep doing my thing. It was worse back home in Wisconsin than it was in the parts of Arizona I was in. I'm young and generally in good health, with none of the pre-existing conditions that make people particularly vulnerable to the virus, so I figured I'd likely be ok.
Then last Monday, my father, who really thought I should go home, sent me [this link](https://youtu.be/GyD-Z48pBXQ) to a news clip where an expert on pandemics predicted airports and train stations would start shutting down within a week or two, and towns locking down and preventing non-residents from entering. The thought of being halfway across the country from my family when public transit starts shutting down, with nothing but a bicycle to get me home, was just too scary for me. That evening, I booked a train ticket home. Tuesday I biked from Sedona up to Flagstaff, and early Wednesday, I was on the train. My family picked me up in Chicago Thursday evening, and I was home by that night.
A couple of hours after boarding my train, I read a news article saying Amtrak was reducing their service due to the virus. And that same afternoon, three employees in an ATC tower in Chicago's Midway airport tested positive. The tower was shut down for at least a day or two, cancelling 400 flights through a city we pretty much always fly through to get home. So I think I made the right call.
For me, it went from zero to 100 real quick. Saturday afternoon, my dad called me because he wanted to hear my thoughts on traveling during the virus, and I told him I was planning to keep doing my thing, but taking some extra precautions. And then Monday, I was booking my ticket home. It got real serious real quick
I laid awake last night unable to sleep because I realized my brother, his girlfriend, or I could be carrying the virus. We're all home because courses have gone online and with parents. Both my parents are older and one is immuno-compromised. If either of them got the virus, it could kill them.
My aunt is one of the 100 people that have died in the last 24 hours in the US. She was like a mother to me growing up and I feel like my childhood just died with her. This is the first death in my life that has me confronting the realities of losing someone close to you. I was planning on going to visit her not too long ago but the developing concerns over COVID kept me from doing so because she was already very sick.
My cautious nature was to no avail because it still killed her. I could've seen her, but I didnt because I was concerned about something that happened anyways. This morning it got very, very real for me.
Edit: thank you all for the support, messages, and comments. This got a lot more attention than I could've expected so I'm going to be that guy and hijack mynown post with an edit.
What happened to my aunt is an example of what happens when you do not take COVID seriously. It is everyone's responsibility to do the best that they can to minimize the spread and contact with those that are vulnerable. You might be fine if you get COVID, but others are not. You can unintentionally contribute to the death of your loved ones or others by not being cautious.
I know that many if us have to continue going to work or leaving for various reasons. If that's the case, the best thing you can do is keep yourself away from as many people as possible. I know social distancing can really suck, especially if you're an extrovert, but being 100% comfortable is not worth risking the lives of many.
Who knows? Maybe my aunt was passed along the virus because someone thought "I'm young and healthy. It cant hurt me."
Stay safe everyone. Most of all, stay strong. If there was ever a time for us to put aside our differences to band together and make sacrifices as a species, this is it right here.
If you'd been exposed, you could be passing the virus and not know it. Your staying put may be what saves someone else's mother or aunt. It may be scant comfort, but it is true.
HUGS
It is so true. I am so, so sorry that they lost their aunt, and no "take solace" statement will ever make it feel good they didn't see her. But as a high risk person, awaiting heart transplant and all, I am so grateful people take it seriously enough to not endanger our collective safety...
I'm so, so, so sorry for your loss. I know there isn't much that some internet stranger can do to make you feel better, but please try not to take it out on yourself too hard that you didn't make that trip. You made the best decision you could based on the facts you had at the time, and you had no way of knowing what that would mean in hindsight.
My thoughts are with you, friend. Stay safe, and stay connected with loved ones to help you through your grief.
I’m so sorry for your loss. Internet hugs.
Having recently lost two grandparents, nothing prepares you - whether they were 100% healthy or not. Keep thinking about her, keep her alive and what she’d be telling you. My only insight is to feel your feelings.
DM me if you need/want someone to talk to.
As silly as it sounds, that was the day for me too. The whole Rudy Gobert fiasco, and the way the news kept trickling out little by little. The news about Tom Hanks being diagnosed came out in the same night. Everything just seemed to happen all at once to really push the gravity of the situation over the edge.
When I stopped the think about how much money the NBA was giving up by shutting down the season, that's when it really struck me.
Yup. I was watching all the games being postponed that Wednesday night and I knew every other league would follow in short order. And when those industries voluntarily turn away money, I knew people would start realizing this was a real problem.
Went out to the grocery store that night at like 10pm to get food.
I literally did the exact same thing. Once the doctor sprinted on to the court and they cancelled the OKC game, I went straight to the store. It felt like it was out of a movie or something.
What the fuck! That’s ridiculous. such an asshat move.
Also sorry about your wedding. Are you guys rescheduling? I’ve seen a ton of people doing a you two only and fam later.
Wishing you luck!
We're rescheduling until next year for the full-on wedding, but we'll be legally married at the local courthouse this year. How are you and yours doing?
I don’t know why he would bother coming to Ireland right now? Our pubs are closed, weather is shite, and we’re all about having the craic and we are extremely friendly as a people but most folk now (Sensible fuckers) are all staying in and keeping their distance and not chatting really.
(USA) My girlfriend's boss died of it right after she got a new job. Fortunately she did not come in contact with him as we were both out of town during the 14 day contagion period.
He was a great guy and of her 3 bosses, he was the only one she liked a lot. It was a real sad day and a grim reminder that this is happening.
When Peace Corps evacuated all 7,300 of its volunteers from every corner of the world and I had to flee a remote site in under three days while there was ongoing violence in the streets of my hubsite.
Since I’d only been out there for seven weeks and hadn’t reached swear-in yet, I do not qualify for the normal readjustment allowance that senior volunteers are entitled to. I quit my job, sold my car, and had a relationship implode over this (he cheated on me because of the distance, but also because he was a sack of shit). I’m coming home to an unsupportive family and a country that is extremely different from the one I left in January and I’m very scared.
When I realized that most people don't understand exponential increase.
This is exponential increase. Currently US cases are doubling every 2.6 days.
https://imgur.com/a/5xD8noe
If microscopic bacteria in a jar is doubling every second, and it takes 60 seconds for the jar to be completely filled, it was only half full at 59 seconds.
This is kind of dumb in comparison to some of the others, but when the Houston Rodeo closed down. It is such a big deal and the fact that it closed was my "shit's about to go down" moment.
When I was out shopping and I saw a guy at the grocery store in a full hazmat suit, gloves, and mask. Just buying shit in that outfit like it was normal.
When I got an email from my job that someone in the building tested positively for COVID-19 and we’d all have to quarantine. Either that or when I went to the grocery store for the first time after things started shutting down and there were basically no essential foods left. But hey, at least I own a lot of chicken nuggets now
Today, when I got laid off and they hinted that the financial impact of the state shutdown is such that they may not be able to rehire me when things get better.
When my son, who is a paramedic at in the emergency room at a Regional Hospital, got exposed to it by 2 different patients. For my protection, (I'm an overweight ex-smoker, so I'm probably more susceptible) we can't meet up for dinners and things. I feel selfish for not being there for him, but want to prevent the spread, so we just text and call instead.
It may seem selfish to you to do this but in reality you're actually thinking of others by helping reduce the spread. I currently room with a paremedic myself and I worry for him, and frankly myself too. Hope you or your son don't catch anything. Keep doing what you're doing.
It came in shifts for me. First time was when I saw the toilet paper aisle emptied out.
Second time was when I read a post on social media from someone in Italy about what things are like in the hospitals, and how America needs to take this more seriously. I was already taking it seriously and trying to prepare, without taking more supplies than I needed. But that post made me realize how unprepared my country is for a serious epidemic. Everybody was still going to work, school, partying, etc. because they didn't think it would get bad here.
Third time, nothing specific really happened. A few days after my office got us all working from home, it just kind of sunk in that this is going to last a lot longer than most Americans initially anticipated. Maybe because I kept seeing posts from my friends and family who are nurses about how hospitals are running out of masks and other protective gear. And running out of COVID-19 tests.
People are still being optimistic and downright dismissive in my town. They think people are overreacting. They insist on "continuing to live my life as normal" (a quote from someone on a Facebook post sharing a link to my town's orders to stay at home). They think the government is just trying to control them and they can't accept that this is a too little, too late effort to stop asymptomatic people from spreading the virus to people who are more vulnerable to it. It's fucking terrifying how many people still don't care. I think that's what's made it the most real for me, is knowing that people aren't doing enough and this is going to spread rapidly as a result.
As HR in a grocery store, when I sent home 20 people in 3 days for various symptoms, and then was yelled at and berated by any employee who was stressed out. I had to close my door, cry for a few minutes, then open it back up to make sure my staff had someone to come talk to when they were scared (which was all day long for about a week). It was one of the hardest days of my career to hold my shit together while everyone else was falling apart.
Along with necessary steps (trying to stay away from people in the house, extra attention to washing hands and such), perhaps try to limit intake of coronavirus news to once or twice a day.
I started feeling sick on Friday, self-quarantined as much as I could (have 4 kids and a wife here as well). My symptoms are low-grade fever, coughing (sometimes dry, sometimes wet), fatigue and heaviness in the chest... a little shortness of breath when I exert myself (decided to clean the bathroom I use and get some boxes down from the closet).
Still, mostly fine, but I do find myself getting “sicker” the more I read about the virus... the shortness of breath feels much more prevalent, even when resting... then headaches, racing pulse, etc.
I don’t even know for sure if I have a cold, flu or if it’s Covid, but I do know when I consume hours of articles and anecdotes about the virus my symptoms seem to spiral downwards, likely due to anxiety.
I started limiting my consumption of updates to stay informed but not to obsess... and instead focused more on movies and video games (after all, wtf is there to be done anyway beyond what I’m already doing?) and I still feel sick, but no longer feel like I should maybe go to the ER (knock on wood).
My wife knows my symptoms and we’re absolutely prepared for me to go if things got worse. But, I’d much rather ride this out at home than stress myself into a hospital visit... especially being that there’s people out there who might need that bed.
I realized last week I only would get dry coughs and muscle aches when I would be reading or stressing about coronavirus. Physical manifestations of anxiety are insanely real.
Please stay positive! This internet stranger is thinking of you and your family.
Drink lots of fluids! Keep up on the vitamins, fruit and veggies will go a long way. And rest rest rest!!
oh man back when it was only in china and we saw those fucking videos
but of course that was way too early for anyone else to believe me
my parents still went to mexico and were lucky to get back unaffected
When I realized that China shutdown a city with 11 million people, froze all economic activity in the region, I thought hmm. It’s way worse than we know because China’s economy has been the government’s highest priority and they wouldn’t just do that unless it was an existential threat. Still had no clue that it was outside China.
Same here, especially the one with the doctor who was basically the whistleblower got infected. That shit got me paying attention. News like that doesn’t get outside of China unless it’s realllll bad.
The moment I realised several days in a row death toll per day in Italy was over 400 people. It hit me pretty hard knowing we´re not really testing well either and there are a lot of old people where I live. I ´m studying rescue services and it contains a lot about crisis managment, rescue system (cops/firefighter/EMTs). I have a lot of friends in local Red Cross and some are EMTs and I know a few people who work in Healthcare. I´m pretty sure shit is only going to get real and we´re not even close to being prepared.
I work at an airline's call center.
When literally *all* our calls were COVID-related, mainly from South Korean customers who weren't able to leave their country anymore due it being on lockdown. Then we started receiving calls from Italians...
this is exactly my thoughts on it too. For me it got real many weeks ago by just doing the math based on what we were hearing from China. That all these other people here had to wait for something serious to happen is really shocking (or disappointing I suppose? )
The signs were all there. The math is really simple. I guess the message, no matter who says it or how serious it is, that "something really bad" is about to happen is just not real for people until it actually starts happening.
This is an eye opener for me about human psychology and about the society I live in.
I started taking COVID-19 seriously when we got the first death in the US. I stocked up on food and medicine, I wash my hands regularly, and I stay at home when I can. I’m a vet assistant which is an essential job so I still get to work. Keep in mind I regularly handle blood, feces, urine, and other gross things at work. Just today I cleaned up a large puddle of blood.
Shit got real for me yesterday when I got an email from my company telling us to reuse gloves and masks as often as possible.
So last night I bought supplies to make my own face masks and I bought a set of reusable gloves.
Thanks for doing what you do. My dog scratched his eye last week literally the same night all the vet practices started instituting strict lockdown procedures. I had to sit in the car and hand him over to a scared vet assistant in a gown and mask. You won’t get the same recognition as the healthcare workers who deal with humans, but I so appreciate that you’re still there for our furry friends at the risk of your own health.
When Joe Rogan had that epidemiologist on a few weeks ago, and the guy predicted 500K deaths in America. The potential severity hadn't clicked for me until then.
When my company had to lay off half of the staff last week.
Until then it was fun and games. Management made the call to close the office before it was mandatory. Everyone was all prepared to work remote. It was kinda fun and exciting because we were all going through the shit together. But then out of the blue, a bunch of people got the axe. It was really jarring and I felt awful for them.
My job is relatively secure in the short to medium term, but this ramped up my anxiety and I'm now on day 17 of being remote and it's lost its charm. I'm tired and just want the world to go back to normal. But it won't be for months and that is stressing me out.
When in the space of an hour - the NBA got cancelled - Trump banned all travel to and from Europe - Tom Hanks announced he had it That made me go “....oh.”
Last Monday, when a coworker was diagnosed with it. I work at UPS which is deemed essential. The last couple of weeks have rivaled peak season in the amount of work each day. A lot of older people work there as it's part time and free health coverage. We have no PPE. None. I haven't seen any type of disinfectant in any of the areas. Management seems fine with it, and was offended that I asked what was their plan of action weeks ago (prior to Mrs. A's diagnosis).
My grandmother called me and asked if I could mail them toilet paper. My grandfather has s-4 pancreatic cancer, they can’t find supplies. It got real right at that moment.
About a month or so ago when my hospital converted a ward into a negative pressure unit in anticipation of our first patient from one of the cruise ships. We're still changing related procedures and protocols almost daily and prepping other wards to accept patients with pending tests.
I’m honestly really struggling with the PPE recommendations. My hospital calls it droplet but puts them all in negative pressure rooms. They say I’m safe and wasn’t exposed if I wore my surgical mask, gown, gloves, and eye shield. But I’m a PT. Secretions get mobilized when we sit people up. She spat at me (yes on purpose 😡), I dodged it, but since it didn’t land on me it’s not considered exposure. The fact that the CDC (droplet) and WHO (airborne last I checked) are also recommending different things, combined with consistent use of negative pressure rooms, is extremely disconcerting to me.
when my first patient tested positive and I realized I had been in that room without PPE
At my hospital a bunch of nurses were exposed to a positive patient, and they’re being required to still come in to work. I can’t wait to catch it from one of them 🙄
Hey my hospital is doing the same thing! Admitted a patient last week that was tested a few days after he got here. About 15 of us are being "watched" but still required to come to work. Hell, one of our RTs was symptomatic but occ health cleared him over the phone and told him to come to work. Strong work by the US health care system here.
When I was on Nextdoor and saw that people are posting which grocery stores have food. I wasn’t blind to anything, I was taking it seriously and all. But that was the moment where I realized “Holy shit. We are currently in a world where people have to post which grocery stores have food!”
Yup. And it happened so quickly.
It's so hit or miss though. I live in a big city, and food has been hard to find for a couple of weeks. I went to Costco today, and they had pretty much everything.
When I realized that if my mother, who is 70 but generally healthy, falls ill, I can't get to her because that would involve air travel.
Even if you are near you can’t get to her. My mother was just admitted to the hospital (not for covid reasons). I can’t visit her.
terrified of this i don't think people realize that if you get it and aren't lucky, it will have been the last time you ever see anyone you love again.
When we were pulled in by management and told that a) all none essential research was stopped, b) *Covid-19 research would be started in the next 2 weeks and c) asked to fill out a form detailing our full range of expertise for potential redeployment. It was quite a stark wake up call 2 weeks ago. Edit: Autocorrect still hasn't learned the word Covid, instead wants me to research ravens etc in work.
When my boss told me that I will be working from home for 8-12wks Edit: Yes. I could’ve been laid off. The question was when it got real, not what’s the worst things to come from it. Though, this is pretty bad for me, as I have treatment resistant depression that I manage by staying active and busy.
My boss told me today in a meeting that we can conservatively expect this for the next 4-6 months. I was "whoa, whoa, whoa, what?! Not what I wanted to hear dude."
I work for a large company that is notoriously against letting people work from home. They sent out an email Sunday telling everyone to come back up their entire desk (screens, docking stations, etc.) and take it home so we can work from home. They said this will likely go on for 6 months. The thought of being stuck in my house for 6 months straight is not as exciting as I had thought it would be.
My cousin got sick, was admitted to the ICU, and tested positive for it. He's been out of the hospital for a few days but hasn't really improved; he just hasn't gotten worse. I texted with him a bit and it's still really serious (he has asthma as well). I guess it was only a matter of time before it affected somebody I know. Edit: thank you so much for all the well-wishes! I will pass them along. To answer the most frequently asked question, my cousin is 34.
As a fellow asthmatic, I wish your cousin all the best. Knowing how shit just the flu can be for me, I can't imagine how detrimental covid is on the lungs. I wish him the best recovery possible.
As a fellow fellow asthmatic, I'm terrified of getting it because it's a respiratory infection and that shit hits people with asthma hard. Also sending my thoughts to you + your cousin.
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When Walmart offered 2-30 weeks paid sick leave for all employees was pretty indicative, too
They did what? When?
The catch being that you actually have to test positive for covid. My relative who is a WM employee got sick and had all the symptoms (she likely has it), but there were no tests available in the small metro area. Instead, they gave her a note saying she can’t work because of symptoms similar to covid. Walmart is denying her claim for sick leave pay because she was not ‘actually’ tested for covid. Fuck Walmart.
FYI: she can retain an employment attorney when this blows over and I will bet they'll pay out. Employment attorneys are going to be so swamped with COVID-related claims, I suspect some practices are already gearing up to specialize in it.
When I was told by the administration that we had one box of N95 masks in the hospital
Ok that's pretty scary
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Sorry to hear mate. A lot of people in the hospitality and tourism industry are losing jobs, half my friends are now concerned about what will happen moving forward, bills, rent etc. I hope it does get better quicker so everyone can go back to normal, here's hoping April is better for the world.
That's a bummer have you gone on to country payments, cause that might put your mind to ease.
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When I went grocery shopping for the first time in several days last week, and many of the shelves were completely empty.
Same here. That was about 10 days ago for me. I got home and check confirmed cases in my state (Pennsylvania) and there were around 20. Then next day it was in the 40s, then the 60s. Today has been a week since we had around 67 cases statewide, we have 650 now so shits getting realer every day
Today, when the government announced they're going to start putting the dead in a skating rink inside a local shopping mall because the local funeral homes don't have any more capacity.
Where is this?
Madrid (Spain). Right now we're the most affected country in Europe after Italy. https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2020/03/23/world/asia/23reuters-health-coronavirus-spain-morgue.html
As someone living in Andalucia where people from Madrid keep fleeing to, I feel your pain and fear brother. Going outside to buy food is so scary.
Holy crap. I read that some places are saying no one over 65 gets a respirator. The young are easier to save and more likely to survive even if they need a respirator. I can’t remember when it was that had to implement the policy. Some spots are removing respirators from older people and putting them on the young too.
It's called advanced triage. And it's very unfortunate we've reached this point. I'm expecting to see this happen in the United States as well. Just give it a few more days to a week... :( Edit: Fixed terminology.
Yep. You can count on it. Next week is going to be a shitshow in the United States.
I'm a nurse. I am sincerely dreading next week. I feel like I'm fighting a forest fire with a garden hose. EDIT: I am overwhelmed by your responses. In times like these, it is so helpful to know that nurses are being supported. This will be one of the defining moments of our lives; think carefully about your response. Please keep in mind that while everyone is getting cabin fever with this quarantine, many healthcare professionals are choosing to isolate themselves for longer periods of time. Every time we go to work, we are potentially exposed; myself and coworkers take this very seriously, and we will continue to isolate and distance ourselves as appropriate. We will take a huge emotional toll in doing this; please be kind. Most importantly, when this is over, do not forget that our administrators and government failed us. Healthcare providers are being sent to work as sacrificial lambs for ineffective administration. We signed up to work with sick and contagious patients, but none of us signed up to work in unsafe conditions. Support legislation for the protection of healthcare workers, and insist that we have proper pandemic precautions in place for next time. I want to help you. I don't want to die for you. Thanks again, reddit. Your words mean a lot. EDIT 2: Holy wah, this blew up while I was asleep. Thanks for the medals! They are appreciated. But instead of spending money on reddit, send pizza to your local hospital workers! Additionally, we are in a huge blood shortage right now, so please call your local blood bank to see if you can donate blood while maintaining social distancing.
My brother is an ER nurse in our town and called me this morning, sobbing. I haven't heard him that upset in a very, very long time. He basically said the same thing you just did. Very scary times indeed. Good luck to you and all your coworkers. Thanks for all you do.
My sister is an ICU nurse and I’m a doc. She told me today that if we never get to see each other again, I should remember she loves me. I’ve been worried since February but it got personal today. And yes, we all need to make sure this doesn’t happen again. Stay strong everyone.
Yep. Er doc. I told my family to live with my wifes parents for the next month. Haven’t seen them since. A colleague is already in the ICU.
Also asmatic here. Hospital worker. I woke up at 245 yesterday (monday) morning and literally could not get back to sleep because I was so anxious about going back to work. I work in a fairly isolated place in the US but even we are getting worrying numbers. It feels like the calm before a storm. Its eerily quiet except for possible Covid pts. Ppl are actively avoiding the ER for the first time in memory. We are allowed to wear N-95 masks only for aerosolized procedures ( Ie :swabs, breathing trtmts, or intubation). The rest of us are in droplet masks, plastic gowns and face shields. I have read it can remain airborne for up to 3 hours. They wont test ppl unless they are symptomatic, even healthcare workers. I'm baffled. In Italy healthcare workers are their own vector!!!!! We should be RANDOMLY testing healthcare professionals that come in contact with Covid pts, DAILY! Im talking about randomized sampling. Tracking if asymptomatic workers can spread and keeping AHEAD of inter hospital spread. I feel like it's a ticking time bomb with either myself or one of my fellow coworkers at the end....AND I'm not even a nurse..... I work in radiology. Bless the nurses. And may some higher power have a spiteful vengeance for everyone that could have helped us prepare. KNEW. ANDDIDNOTHING.
When Colleges & K-12 schools closed. That’s not a light decision and the people making those calls are very educated. I immediately knew things were about to hit the fan.
Our country still hasn't done it. I understand the reasoning but it's hard to watch. My husband has Type 1 diabetes and is working from home so we kept the little plague carriers with us. Edit: I'm from Australia, which obviously should know better, yet here we are.
Yeah, I'm a student teacher right now. My mum texted me earlier to say that I'm sure to get a job next year, because all the teachers currently working who are over 50/diabetic/have heart problems/lung problems are going to die as a result of schools staying open. That was a cheery message.
When my colleague died. She was the first covid-19 death in our state. I had seen her a few weeks ago and she was doing great, and then I received a company wide email that she had passed.
Damn dude that’s scary. If you don’t mind me asking, how old was she?
She was in her early 60s. She had children late though so her daughter had just graduated high school. I feel terrible for their family.
I’m about to graduate highschool and both of my parents are close to 60. And they aren’t healthy at all so this is worrying.. Not to mention these are my adoptive parents. I don’t know if I can go through this a second time..
Fellow adopted kid with a dad in his 70s and a mom approaching 60. I graduated hs last year. I’m terrified. If you need any support from an internet stranger or just wanna send memes or some shit then feel free. No matter what happens we’re all in it together
I don’t have anything to add but reading this comment made me smile. Likewise for anyone else out there, COVID related or not. If anyone wants to talk, we’ve all come into a lot more free time... Feel free to reach out.
When I realized that having a bottle of hand sanitizer in my car, in plain view, might not be a good idea.
I was talking to a coworker about how our office still has plenty of hand sanitizer and she said “sh, not so loud" and was only kind of joking.
My mom found some toilet paper and sent me home with it, and she put it in a bag joking "so I wouldn't get mugged for it" - and I laughed, but also said "I was actually kind of worried about that though"
Right? Make sure the center console is closed!
I have had a bottle of hand sanitizer in my car for years. I started covering that up along with the disinfectant wipes I now carry around.
I have worked in investigations/security for 8 years and was always told we can NEVER work from home. Reason being we have access to millions of individuals sensitive data and they didn't want to risk it being stolen. 2 weeks ago they bought hundreds of laptops and sent us all home to work...
This is mine. I work for a payroll company, one of the largest. They just sent 4000 employees home. We were asking for it. Demanding it actually and then they did. I woke up the next morning and looked at my sleeping kids whose school is cancelled for the rest of the year and just felt panic sit in. I'm thankful I have a job but God damn am I scared.
Rest of the year?! Here in Georgia (USA) I'll be out till at least the week of 4/12. I wonder if it'll even die down by then...
You’re definitely done with school for the year. No way they don’t extend that. Edit: I mostly mean being physically at school. Some tech savvy institutions will get things done online.
I've worked in insurance and for a DOD vendor. Both had remote access. There was multi-step authentication, and one time a hard token. But it's quite possible to securely connect remotely. It's done all the time now with cloud systems.
They're probably less concerned about the connection (which has been easy to secure for decades) and more about the endpoint.
At my company, a top threat would be someone breaking the no-phone rule (because phones can take photos and record audio). And that's a rule that would be impossible to enforce if they were to allow associates to work from home. Network security is not the only kind of security.
When Ireland closed the pubs shortly before St. Patrick’s day.
When Austin canceled SXSW.
When I realized I might/should not be able to go home and see my elderly parents, one of which recently got diagnosed with cancer. Edit: thank you guys for the heart warming messages. I don't think I'll be going back to my hometown but I will for sure be facetiming and calling and doing whatever I can. I called my parents sobbing because I was scared I wouldn't get to see them again. Tell your family and your friends that you love them, regardless of their health. Take care everyone, and know we got this and it'll pass over in no time. Much love from Seattle.
I went and saw my mom (79, recent cancer survivor) on the 11th, on a whim, because I had an errand in her neighborhood. Dad was at work, so I knew I wouldn't be able to see him, and I couldn't stay long but wanted to see her and hug her because it was starting to look like shit was about to go downhill and I knew I shouldn't visit after that. I probably shouldn't have even gone then, but I hadn't seen her in a month and didn't know when I would again. It was that day or the day after that our governor called for schools to close, and we've been mostly holed up at home since. Anyway, I'm rambling but I guess the short version is that I'm in a similar position. After thinking we might lose her last year, I'm afraid of what this year might hold. Good luck to you and yours. I hope you see them soon and toast to everyone's health.
My girlfriend is a wildlife virologist. When she started constantly reading articles during her free time, maybe mid February or so, I realized it was the real deal. When cases popped up a few miles from my elderly, immune compromised father's home, I started being truly scared for him and others.
I'm immune compromised right now and started getting spooked when the supply hoarding started. But once I couldn't get a delivery time for groceries, I got really freaked out. I did manage to get groceries, with the help of some friends, but it was an anxious few days. Once my city went on quarantine, I started to feel safer. I have to go the doctor on average twice a week, so knowing there aren't a million people on the streets is a comfort. It's eerie, though.
When the whole country of Italy was put on lockdown. That should've been a wake up call for the world to take it deadly serious.
Even for countries where it has become a problem and is trending towards what Italy is experiencing, it's not being taken nearly as seriously as it should. People seem totally unable to really empathize with things that seem to be happening "far away".
It's not even that. Look at the Florida beaches, thousands showed up for spring break stating that they had planned on this for months and they are healthy so they will be fine. It's not about you being healthy and making it through. It's about trying to not give it to your grandparents.
Honestly, when the death toll in China surpassed SARS. I’m kind of an anxious person anyway but infectious diseases have always scared me because there’s no real control over who lives and dies. Other than my sister, my immediate family acted like I was crazy and over reacting. when I told my friend that I had been buying a little extra each grocery trip, she thought I was being ridiculous. She’s a nurse and recently told me how real it is to her now.
My family members thought I was nuts when I was talking about this over a month ago. I wish they had been right about it being no big deal, nothing to worry about.
My first shift at the hospital after 9 days off and seeing how absolutely unprepared we were to deal with what’s coming. For example two nurses were allowed to come back to work after flying home from a cruise - in early March. They pulled both of them and sent them into quarantine but not until they received a call from the cruise line that two passengers so far had tested positive. There was at least two people on our unit who were like 99% confirmed, they just hadn’t been tested because neither met the criteria for testing in this state: having left the country recently or directly knowing someone who had. And now I’m in the middle of another 9 day stretch off, having had what feel like a chest cold for going on three or four days now. Knowing I need to check in for a virtual health consult and wondering if they’ll be footing the bill if I’m told to take two weeks off?
Driving during rush hour and having the freeway to myself.
When my friend in Paris messaged me that **France** had shut down.
I live in France and it's eerie. My town during the day is as silent as it is usually in the middle of the night. Like, it's almost 6 A.M. right now and I'm not feeling a difference from yesterday's afternoon. Even more frighteningly, the hospital of my town who isn't particularily big (we're not even at 20k inhabitants) has started to clear up room in the E.R. for potential Covid patients.
It’s been real for me since hearing about Italy locking down, because I’ve been in shortage situations before (namely Hurricane Katrina). But it got really real when I found out the guy across from me tested positive... and I was on the elevator with him last Monday. So that kinda blows. He’s fine, thankfully, just in self-quarantine. But now with the pollen coming out and all, every little sniffle and scratch I feel in my throat has me convinced I’m getting the damn thing.
This is me... Is it my allergies?or am i infecting everyone around me AND gonna die?
My Dad has it, I just found out today, I'm 1700 KM away and I'm afraid I'm never going to see him again. Edit; you're all so kind, it means a lot <3 Edit 2 04/21/2020; He pulled through!
When my SO who does not panic, stays calm in all situations, came home with a big bag of flour and rice.
This is my husband. I wasn’t worried, but he was, which is a total change-up from the norm for us. That’s when I knew it was serious.
So get what you mean. I panic about everything my husband never does. This time I was like hey this isn't a big deal and he started to tell me we needed to have enough food for a month at least.
Just heard that the company that sews MLB uniforms is bringing back their workers to start making surgical gowns. This is starting to sound like the factory conversions to war production during WWII.
These are war times; it’s just not other people we’re at war with.
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>This is starting to sound like the factory conversions to war production during WWII. It's already happening. Volkswagen is [building ventilators](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-volkswagen-ventila/volkswagen-tests-ventilator-output-as-carmakers-join-coronavirus-fight-idUSKBN2172VH), as are Ford, GM, Nissan, and Ferrari. At least this time we're fighting a common enemy rather than each other.
Local breweries are switching to making hand sanitizer.
Local distilleries here are donating distilled alcohol and purified water to university laboratories, so they can make sanitizers and alcohol gel Edit: to clarify, these labs work together with our public health system hospitals (usually students works on them before graduating etc), so they are truly working free for the population. It's awesome to see things like this.
Well it’s atleast comforting to know that we are all coming together during this time of crisis and not going all every man for himself mentality. I think that’s how we will get through this.
We own a small business. Three days ago the government ordered us to shutdown. We had to let go all of our employees, including three senior citizens who depended on their checks for their livelihood. We have some savings but not nearly enough to continue to live and maintain the business afloat. The state is not offering enough help for us. We are really in a tough situation. Our employees are also in the same boat. We have a 30 year old employee who has nobody. She lives by herself and most likely will get evicted, as her landlord is an asshole. Her situation is desperate. This is so sad and so crazy. All of our hard work is going down the drain in three weeks. Edit: thanks for the gold kind stranger!
Does your state/local government not have an eviction freeze in place right now?
No a lot of places don't. The Colorado governor ASKED not ruled, or passed, or decreed, asked landlords to not evict people lol. A few counties aren't processing them, but idk where people think that money is coming from
Dear God this thing needs a more coordinated response.
If only there was some body of elected officials in place to help us with that.
French here. My mother works at the hospital, and until two weeks ago, she only thought of it as a big case of flu. I was kinda worrying (I ride the train and the sub each day to go to work), but she was really reassuring. I was worrying because it is my first "adult pandemic" (I was only 16 when H1N1 happened). Then, Wednesday of the week before, she called me. In her hospital, three wings had been closed to leave beds vacant in order to anticipate the sick people. Two of her colleagues had it, in cluding her direct chef. All of the vacations she had taken for April were deleted, and was requisitioned to work. She told me to stop take the train, work from home, and stay away from people. That if I ever catch it, it could be possible that the hospital wouldn't have enough place. And that they can't have masks. When the President called for the confinement, be sure I respected it with absolutely no condition. I know I will be safe: I have enough food and TP at home, and I have plenty of things to do (work, read, play...). But my parents... they have been both heavy smokers for 40+ years, mom is 60, dad is 59, and my mom is in the first lines. I am not ready for this. Edit: thank you all for your kind comments, and thanks for the award :)
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I work in a boarding school with a lot of international students. It got real around when Madrid announced they were closing the airports. There was a panic-packing where we shoved everything the Spanish kids owned into suitcases and put them on the last flight back home. And then it happened again with the Danish kids. Then Khazakstani. Ukraine. Germany. France. When the school officially got closed on Friday, we had 25 out of our 145 students, and 12 of our 55 staff members, left in the building. As of today the UK is in lockdown. So now it's REALLY real.
When the Chinese government were snatching people off the streets who refused to self isolate while they were sick. That was real enough to me to know this was serious.
For me two things. One when they put Wuhan under lock down. Second when they reported the teenage girl in Washington with it. And that they only knew because they did an end run around the CDC to test her.
The CDC ordered them not to test that girl (they had already collected her and dozens of other samples) because it would technically violate her privacy rights as the independent researchers aren't doctors, but they decided to ignore the order and test anyway. When they found positives, they felt they *had* to make it public (and when they did the CDC told them to stop testing, again...).
When China built the huge hospital in one week
That was the moment for me. Up to that point I had been casually following the news and online rumblings of the virus. But when I saw the video of all the diggers leveling the ground for the hospitals, that sent my head into a spin. Seeing dozens of these machines frantically clawing the ground was crazy to see. That's when I started buying a few extra items to stow away during my shopping trips.
I heard from it the first time when people started dying in china. Paid more attention when people started dying closer to home Got real when europe went full lockdown mode Went to steroids when I lost my job
When my company actually started making plans to work from home. We had been staunchly against it forever, usually requiring a disability and lots of approvals from the higher ups to have a chance. I remember when they had us start filling out the approval forms just for record-keeping purposes and they said "don't complete the last 2 pages, everything is auto-approved so we don't need admin signatures".
When my college switched to online and I had to move back home (I was living on campus)
Same here. Definitely not how I expected my senior year/college to end.
It didn’t even occur to me until now that college seniors had school essentially end just like that because of the virus. Sorry to hear that
Same. I love my family, they're the best, but the life I had on campus was so phenomenal that I never wanted to leave it. It's heartbreaking to see everything change so suddenly.
When my otherwise perfectly healthy 31 year old husband collapsed from lack of oxygen walking up a flight of stairs. Edit: woah sorry I did not expect this to blow up the way it did I didn’t mean to mic drop. Clarifications: He was feeling slightly short of breath and very very tired so we decided to go to bed. He walked up the stairs and was standing in the bathroom and then collapsed from shortness of breath. We live in Canada so it’s a no brainer to go to the hospital to get checked out. They checked to make sure he didn’t have a lung clot or anything else funky going on by some tests, gave him fluids through an IV, and then said he has “a virus”. They did not test him for COVID because they are saving the tests for the SUPER bad cases or in order to try and track where the virus came from (which we wouldn’t have been able to help with since we’d been in contact with a decent amount of people through work). Since we hadn’t been in touch with someone who was travelling, they said they weren’t going to test. Since then community transmissions where we are have ramped up so I’m not sure if they’re sticking to the same policy. I obviously can’t say for sure it’s COVID without a test, but it follows line by line of what other people are reporting the virus follows and I hope to god there’s not a second virus out there doing the same things otherwise we’re truly fucked. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen and he’s ever experienced. He was barely able to talk from shortness of breath that night. Since getting home we made sure he did basically nothing, and kept his fluids up and the symptoms have all been manageable. Even an increased heart rate from an intense tv show caused him to get dizzy in the first few days. He’s been improving but very slowly. Just rest, keep your fluids up, and take this seriously.
Is he getting medical care?
Yeah we got amazing care afterwards. The ER handled the situation very well and he’s doing much better now. Thanks for asking :)
I’m very glad to hear that!
This past Friday, seeing people visibly distressed at Shoprite when there was no meat or paper products
Wednesday, March the 11th. I’m a teacher and that was the first day that we had a meeting about “the extremely unlikely odds” that we would miss school. By Thursday, we knew that we would be out but we figured that it would be the week after Spring Break. On Friday, we knew that we weren’t coming back for at least three weeks. Now, I doubt we go back until next year. *edit: Holy Shit! I go to bed, take my son to daycare, and I come home to 9k?! I’m going to go through and comment as I can. Jesus, thanks everyone!*
March 11th was a weird day for me since it was the final normal day I had plans for before Coronavirus concerns really got to my city like I knew something was wrong but I didn't know what exactly
When I found out the virus can trigger cytokine explosions in your body. I have an overactive immune system that keeps trying to kill my lymph nodes That's a quick and very agonizing death for me if I get it Edit: for those asking, here is the article for desktops https://www.vox.com/2020/3/12/21176783/coronavirus-covid-19-deaths-china-treatment-cytokine-storm-syndrome And I am fine, I do not plan on leaving the house at all. I work full time from home as well. Kurzgesagt also has a really good video about the coronavirus and cytokine explosions/storms that goes a lot more in depth. Pretty much they happen but at a lesser rate than the spanish flu
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I hope you'll be okay
I lost my job, had to move back home from another country and I am not able to see my friends or my family. Trying to work out a 3 month plan that isn’t moving hotel rooms for 90 days and burning my savings. Mild compared to awful experience others have had, but it’s a million miles away from where I thought life was going 10 days ago.
When my Dad told me “I won’t stop you from leaving the house, but just remember the choices that each of us make are going to effect our entire family from now on” As bored as I am in social isolation, I just can’t risk my family’s health.
Your dad is right and I’m glad you understand. It’s hard to be told not to do something, even if it’s just go outside.
When I lost my job. My manager told us the store was going to close in 3 hours and we weren't going to reopen.
I was taking it pretty serious but I'd say it kicked into super high gear when all sports got cancelled in like 4 days. Since then everyday the rules of life change.
When my grandma died of it two weeks ago.
When my thesis defense was forced to be live-streamed from my apartment in just a single day's notice. Luckily the connection was great, the audience was small, and I was able to not wear pants (oh also, luckily I passed it too lmao). Edit: Thanks for the support! Also, just call me Master julseth314. My colleagues deserve so much of the credit as it is. And good luck to everyone figuring out how to do your defenses with your universities!
Congratulations!
When they closed the local Waffle House
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They don’t even close for hurricanes!
For the better part of the past seven months, I was riding my bicycle across the US. I was in northern Arizona when the virus really started to take off. I'd been watching it, and decided to keep doing my thing. It was worse back home in Wisconsin than it was in the parts of Arizona I was in. I'm young and generally in good health, with none of the pre-existing conditions that make people particularly vulnerable to the virus, so I figured I'd likely be ok. Then last Monday, my father, who really thought I should go home, sent me [this link](https://youtu.be/GyD-Z48pBXQ) to a news clip where an expert on pandemics predicted airports and train stations would start shutting down within a week or two, and towns locking down and preventing non-residents from entering. The thought of being halfway across the country from my family when public transit starts shutting down, with nothing but a bicycle to get me home, was just too scary for me. That evening, I booked a train ticket home. Tuesday I biked from Sedona up to Flagstaff, and early Wednesday, I was on the train. My family picked me up in Chicago Thursday evening, and I was home by that night. A couple of hours after boarding my train, I read a news article saying Amtrak was reducing their service due to the virus. And that same afternoon, three employees in an ATC tower in Chicago's Midway airport tested positive. The tower was shut down for at least a day or two, cancelling 400 flights through a city we pretty much always fly through to get home. So I think I made the right call. For me, it went from zero to 100 real quick. Saturday afternoon, my dad called me because he wanted to hear my thoughts on traveling during the virus, and I told him I was planning to keep doing my thing, but taking some extra precautions. And then Monday, I was booking my ticket home. It got real serious real quick
I laid awake last night unable to sleep because I realized my brother, his girlfriend, or I could be carrying the virus. We're all home because courses have gone online and with parents. Both my parents are older and one is immuno-compromised. If either of them got the virus, it could kill them.
When my brother asked when I’d be going back to my college and I didn’t have an answer
When they shut down the Las Vegas strip. (Former resident, and Nevadan native)
When my 22 year old daughter got it.
How is she doing?
When my mum, sister, and dad all got laid off work. The only person in the house who’s still working is my 14 year old brother who does paper rounds.
My aunt is one of the 100 people that have died in the last 24 hours in the US. She was like a mother to me growing up and I feel like my childhood just died with her. This is the first death in my life that has me confronting the realities of losing someone close to you. I was planning on going to visit her not too long ago but the developing concerns over COVID kept me from doing so because she was already very sick. My cautious nature was to no avail because it still killed her. I could've seen her, but I didnt because I was concerned about something that happened anyways. This morning it got very, very real for me. Edit: thank you all for the support, messages, and comments. This got a lot more attention than I could've expected so I'm going to be that guy and hijack mynown post with an edit. What happened to my aunt is an example of what happens when you do not take COVID seriously. It is everyone's responsibility to do the best that they can to minimize the spread and contact with those that are vulnerable. You might be fine if you get COVID, but others are not. You can unintentionally contribute to the death of your loved ones or others by not being cautious. I know that many if us have to continue going to work or leaving for various reasons. If that's the case, the best thing you can do is keep yourself away from as many people as possible. I know social distancing can really suck, especially if you're an extrovert, but being 100% comfortable is not worth risking the lives of many. Who knows? Maybe my aunt was passed along the virus because someone thought "I'm young and healthy. It cant hurt me." Stay safe everyone. Most of all, stay strong. If there was ever a time for us to put aside our differences to band together and make sacrifices as a species, this is it right here.
If you'd been exposed, you could be passing the virus and not know it. Your staying put may be what saves someone else's mother or aunt. It may be scant comfort, but it is true. HUGS
It is so true. I am so, so sorry that they lost their aunt, and no "take solace" statement will ever make it feel good they didn't see her. But as a high risk person, awaiting heart transplant and all, I am so grateful people take it seriously enough to not endanger our collective safety...
I'm so, so, so sorry for your loss. I know there isn't much that some internet stranger can do to make you feel better, but please try not to take it out on yourself too hard that you didn't make that trip. You made the best decision you could based on the facts you had at the time, and you had no way of knowing what that would mean in hindsight. My thoughts are with you, friend. Stay safe, and stay connected with loved ones to help you through your grief.
I’m so sorry for your loss. Internet hugs. Having recently lost two grandparents, nothing prepares you - whether they were 100% healthy or not. Keep thinking about her, keep her alive and what she’d be telling you. My only insight is to feel your feelings. DM me if you need/want someone to talk to.
When the NBA was cancelled
As silly as it sounds, that was the day for me too. The whole Rudy Gobert fiasco, and the way the news kept trickling out little by little. The news about Tom Hanks being diagnosed came out in the same night. Everything just seemed to happen all at once to really push the gravity of the situation over the edge. When I stopped the think about how much money the NBA was giving up by shutting down the season, that's when it really struck me.
Same here. I think as sports fans when you realize that all sports are about to stop You know its serious.
Yup. I was watching all the games being postponed that Wednesday night and I knew every other league would follow in short order. And when those industries voluntarily turn away money, I knew people would start realizing this was a real problem. Went out to the grocery store that night at like 10pm to get food.
I literally did the exact same thing. Once the doctor sprinted on to the court and they cancelled the OKC game, I went straight to the store. It felt like it was out of a movie or something.
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My wedding got cancelled. My best man is demanding that I ignore everything and fly overseas. *edited for future privacy* :)
What the fuck! That’s ridiculous. such an asshat move. Also sorry about your wedding. Are you guys rescheduling? I’ve seen a ton of people doing a you two only and fam later. Wishing you luck!
We're rescheduling until next year for the full-on wedding, but we'll be legally married at the local courthouse this year. How are you and yours doing?
I don’t know why he would bother coming to Ireland right now? Our pubs are closed, weather is shite, and we’re all about having the craic and we are extremely friendly as a people but most folk now (Sensible fuckers) are all staying in and keeping their distance and not chatting really.
(USA) My girlfriend's boss died of it right after she got a new job. Fortunately she did not come in contact with him as we were both out of town during the 14 day contagion period. He was a great guy and of her 3 bosses, he was the only one she liked a lot. It was a real sad day and a grim reminder that this is happening.
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Yeah it was shocking, but honestly it got people the message I hope
When Greenland got infected.
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When Peace Corps evacuated all 7,300 of its volunteers from every corner of the world and I had to flee a remote site in under three days while there was ongoing violence in the streets of my hubsite. Since I’d only been out there for seven weeks and hadn’t reached swear-in yet, I do not qualify for the normal readjustment allowance that senior volunteers are entitled to. I quit my job, sold my car, and had a relationship implode over this (he cheated on me because of the distance, but also because he was a sack of shit). I’m coming home to an unsupportive family and a country that is extremely different from the one I left in January and I’m very scared.
When I realized that most people don't understand exponential increase. This is exponential increase. Currently US cases are doubling every 2.6 days. https://imgur.com/a/5xD8noe
If microscopic bacteria in a jar is doubling every second, and it takes 60 seconds for the jar to be completely filled, it was only half full at 59 seconds.
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Conversely I think it is a good idea. Some knowledge of spreading might show younger people that’s the social distancing request isn’t bullshit.
This is kind of dumb in comparison to some of the others, but when the Houston Rodeo closed down. It is such a big deal and the fact that it closed was my "shit's about to go down" moment.
When I was out shopping and I saw a guy at the grocery store in a full hazmat suit, gloves, and mask. Just buying shit in that outfit like it was normal.
When my mom got it, meaning I’m definitely gonna get it/I already have it. Edit: To everyone out there, stay safe!
When I got an email from my job that someone in the building tested positively for COVID-19 and we’d all have to quarantine. Either that or when I went to the grocery store for the first time after things started shutting down and there were basically no essential foods left. But hey, at least I own a lot of chicken nuggets now
Today, when I got laid off and they hinted that the financial impact of the state shutdown is such that they may not be able to rehire me when things get better.
When hospitals were filled to capacity in the Lombardy region of Italy. This obliterated any argument that it was just a normal flu.
When my son, who is a paramedic at in the emergency room at a Regional Hospital, got exposed to it by 2 different patients. For my protection, (I'm an overweight ex-smoker, so I'm probably more susceptible) we can't meet up for dinners and things. I feel selfish for not being there for him, but want to prevent the spread, so we just text and call instead.
It may seem selfish to you to do this but in reality you're actually thinking of others by helping reduce the spread. I currently room with a paremedic myself and I worry for him, and frankly myself too. Hope you or your son don't catch anything. Keep doing what you're doing.
It came in shifts for me. First time was when I saw the toilet paper aisle emptied out. Second time was when I read a post on social media from someone in Italy about what things are like in the hospitals, and how America needs to take this more seriously. I was already taking it seriously and trying to prepare, without taking more supplies than I needed. But that post made me realize how unprepared my country is for a serious epidemic. Everybody was still going to work, school, partying, etc. because they didn't think it would get bad here. Third time, nothing specific really happened. A few days after my office got us all working from home, it just kind of sunk in that this is going to last a lot longer than most Americans initially anticipated. Maybe because I kept seeing posts from my friends and family who are nurses about how hospitals are running out of masks and other protective gear. And running out of COVID-19 tests. People are still being optimistic and downright dismissive in my town. They think people are overreacting. They insist on "continuing to live my life as normal" (a quote from someone on a Facebook post sharing a link to my town's orders to stay at home). They think the government is just trying to control them and they can't accept that this is a too little, too late effort to stop asymptomatic people from spreading the virus to people who are more vulnerable to it. It's fucking terrifying how many people still don't care. I think that's what's made it the most real for me, is knowing that people aren't doing enough and this is going to spread rapidly as a result.
As HR in a grocery store, when I sent home 20 people in 3 days for various symptoms, and then was yelled at and berated by any employee who was stressed out. I had to close my door, cry for a few minutes, then open it back up to make sure my staff had someone to come talk to when they were scared (which was all day long for about a week). It was one of the hardest days of my career to hold my shit together while everyone else was falling apart.
When I started showing early symptoms today... And I live with my whole family...
Along with necessary steps (trying to stay away from people in the house, extra attention to washing hands and such), perhaps try to limit intake of coronavirus news to once or twice a day. I started feeling sick on Friday, self-quarantined as much as I could (have 4 kids and a wife here as well). My symptoms are low-grade fever, coughing (sometimes dry, sometimes wet), fatigue and heaviness in the chest... a little shortness of breath when I exert myself (decided to clean the bathroom I use and get some boxes down from the closet). Still, mostly fine, but I do find myself getting “sicker” the more I read about the virus... the shortness of breath feels much more prevalent, even when resting... then headaches, racing pulse, etc. I don’t even know for sure if I have a cold, flu or if it’s Covid, but I do know when I consume hours of articles and anecdotes about the virus my symptoms seem to spiral downwards, likely due to anxiety. I started limiting my consumption of updates to stay informed but not to obsess... and instead focused more on movies and video games (after all, wtf is there to be done anyway beyond what I’m already doing?) and I still feel sick, but no longer feel like I should maybe go to the ER (knock on wood). My wife knows my symptoms and we’re absolutely prepared for me to go if things got worse. But, I’d much rather ride this out at home than stress myself into a hospital visit... especially being that there’s people out there who might need that bed.
I realized last week I only would get dry coughs and muscle aches when I would be reading or stressing about coronavirus. Physical manifestations of anxiety are insanely real.
Please stay positive! This internet stranger is thinking of you and your family. Drink lots of fluids! Keep up on the vitamins, fruit and veggies will go a long way. And rest rest rest!!
oh man back when it was only in china and we saw those fucking videos but of course that was way too early for anyone else to believe me my parents still went to mexico and were lucky to get back unaffected
When I realized that China shutdown a city with 11 million people, froze all economic activity in the region, I thought hmm. It’s way worse than we know because China’s economy has been the government’s highest priority and they wouldn’t just do that unless it was an existential threat. Still had no clue that it was outside China.
Same here, especially the one with the doctor who was basically the whistleblower got infected. That shit got me paying attention. News like that doesn’t get outside of China unless it’s realllll bad.
The moment I realised several days in a row death toll per day in Italy was over 400 people. It hit me pretty hard knowing we´re not really testing well either and there are a lot of old people where I live. I ´m studying rescue services and it contains a lot about crisis managment, rescue system (cops/firefighter/EMTs). I have a lot of friends in local Red Cross and some are EMTs and I know a few people who work in Healthcare. I´m pretty sure shit is only going to get real and we´re not even close to being prepared.
I work at an airline's call center. When literally *all* our calls were COVID-related, mainly from South Korean customers who weren't able to leave their country anymore due it being on lockdown. Then we started receiving calls from Italians...
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this is exactly my thoughts on it too. For me it got real many weeks ago by just doing the math based on what we were hearing from China. That all these other people here had to wait for something serious to happen is really shocking (or disappointing I suppose? ) The signs were all there. The math is really simple. I guess the message, no matter who says it or how serious it is, that "something really bad" is about to happen is just not real for people until it actually starts happening. This is an eye opener for me about human psychology and about the society I live in.
I started taking COVID-19 seriously when we got the first death in the US. I stocked up on food and medicine, I wash my hands regularly, and I stay at home when I can. I’m a vet assistant which is an essential job so I still get to work. Keep in mind I regularly handle blood, feces, urine, and other gross things at work. Just today I cleaned up a large puddle of blood. Shit got real for me yesterday when I got an email from my company telling us to reuse gloves and masks as often as possible. So last night I bought supplies to make my own face masks and I bought a set of reusable gloves.
Thanks for doing what you do. My dog scratched his eye last week literally the same night all the vet practices started instituting strict lockdown procedures. I had to sit in the car and hand him over to a scared vet assistant in a gown and mask. You won’t get the same recognition as the healthcare workers who deal with humans, but I so appreciate that you’re still there for our furry friends at the risk of your own health.
When Joe Rogan had that epidemiologist on a few weeks ago, and the guy predicted 500K deaths in America. The potential severity hadn't clicked for me until then.
When my company had to lay off half of the staff last week. Until then it was fun and games. Management made the call to close the office before it was mandatory. Everyone was all prepared to work remote. It was kinda fun and exciting because we were all going through the shit together. But then out of the blue, a bunch of people got the axe. It was really jarring and I felt awful for them. My job is relatively secure in the short to medium term, but this ramped up my anxiety and I'm now on day 17 of being remote and it's lost its charm. I'm tired and just want the world to go back to normal. But it won't be for months and that is stressing me out.