Advise the neighbor that they might want to mask or distance because, "I haven't been tested so I wouldn't want to accidentally make you sick."

What about those who wear masks improperly - particularly, those who have their noses exposed and only cover their mouths?

This is a different question I also don't want to create a new thread for.

Would you speak up (and correct them) if you see someone like that in a store or, say, the DMV (where I'll need to go soon)?

By this time, you gotta figure that anyone wearing a mask improperly is either doing so on purpose to invite confrontation or is just ignorant. I don't want to get shot over it and I can't fix stupid to I'll keep my mouth shut.

@sestrahelena wrote:

By this time, you gotta figure that anyone wearing a mask improperly is either doing so on purpose to invite confrontation or is just ignorant. I don't want to get shot over it and I can't fix stupid to I'll keep my mouth shut.

Came back from Costco.

Two male employees had their masks on with the nose exposed.

One woman customer pulled hers down below the chin to chat for 10 minutes with another customer. I was in shock - like WTH? I was going around aisles and every time I came back to that area, I saw her still chatting with mask off.

I went to check-out. Saw a cashier pull her mask down to chat with the bagger. The lines were empty (not much business), so I went to a line away from her line. After loading my items on the belt of my check-out lane, the cashier scanned my card and asked if I was "retail." I had no idea what that was and asked what she meant.

She PULLED DOWN her mask to explain it to me. I'm thinking PUT THAT MASK BACK ON! WTH??? *never said a thing, but was planning my own funeral in my head* While scanning my stuff, a female co-worker of hers came to ask her some stuff and apparently chat about their previous night. During that chat, my cashier pulled her mask down AGAIN to chat with her co-worker.

At that point, I was thinking: if this woman has COVID and is spewing her virus particles all over my stuff, only God can save me now.

People don't care anymore is what I gather. Either that or they are super ignorant. Or, maybe she was immune already. I dunno. It doesn't feel nice to do this sort of thing while checking someone out, though. I think she thought I couldn't hear her the first time she pulled her mask down. Still, she could have just spoken louder. Why risk exposing me?

I didn't say anything. . .The mask pull downs were quick and not extended, so by the time I thought to say something, I didn't know what to say. I couldn't just say put your mask back on, as it already was back on by then. What am I supposed to say? How dare you take your mask down?

If there really are lots of people trying to purposely expose others, may God pay back what they deserve.

I would not say anything. It would be silly to do that. After all, my mask gets a little wonked around, torked by eyeglasses, and otherwise knocked off-center. This is enough to contend with, and I do not need to mess with other people and what they do. In short, I have a mote in my eye...

@shoptastic wrote:

What about those who wear masks improperly - particularly, those who have their noses exposed and only cover their mouths?

This is a different question I also don't want to create a new thread for.

Would you speak up (and correct them) if you see someone like that in a store or, say, the DMV (where I'll need to go soon)?

I wear a mask at the grocery store and on shops when I am inside. Outside I take it off when I am certain I can keep the 6 foot rule. I do not believe masks are healthy for anyone. I wash mine daily and still don't feel comfortable. It is very hard on the medical staff, first responders, and law enforcement to wear one most of the day with very few breaks.

Employees at drive throughs wear gloves, and they give you change or the card back. You are now exposed to every person who went through before you. Gloves add to the problem in my opinion unless they are changed with every new contact. That is not going to happen because of cost and time.

I'm not a hoarder but since the shortage I always have a new package of certain items like TP, paper towels, sanitary wipes, peroxide, rubbing alcohol, pain relievers before my current one is half empty.

Everything is different now and no one knows how things are going to be in the future, not even the "experts" who have a different answer every week. I use my common sense, I do not believe the majority of what the news says, I exercise caution, I don't eat out at restaurants inside as much as I used. Most are getting creative and providing more outside seating not as close and confined as it used to me. I refuse to live in fear, but I am not reckless.

While scanning my stuff, a female co-worker of hers came to ask her some stuff and apparently chat about their previous night. During that chat, my cashier pulled her mask down AGAIN to chat with her co-worker.

At that point, I was thinking: if this woman has COVID and is spewing her virus particles all over my stuff, only God can save me now.

People don't care anymore is what I gather. Either that or they are super ignorant. Or, maybe she was immune already. I dunno. It doesn't feel nice to do this sort of thing while checking someone out, though. I think she thought I couldn't hear her the first time she pulled her mask down. Still, she could have just spoken louder. Why risk exposing me?

I didn't say anything. . .The mask pull downs were quick and not extended, so by the time I thought to say something, I didn't know what to say.

How about:

" EXCUSE YOU! Do NOT talk to someone else while scanning my purchases. You need to pay attention to ME--the cutomer."

Improper face mask wearing may also indicate a breathing problem. It is mighty uncomfortable when you can't breathe. I find myself hiking the chin part up a bit at times. Face mask police are scary; you never know who might be unstable and violent. I would never say anything. Just step further away, do what you are able to to calm yourself.

One might opt to use instacart, etc. if improper face mask wearing, social distancing and COVID fears grips you hard when out shopping.

Fear is pretty counterproductive, as are obviously false 'wishful thinking'. We are stuck with this thing for perhaps another 6, 9 or 12 months. It will ebb and flow in societal numbers as situations change. There is little point in doing a temperature check on me to see if I am at 100 degrees or more because at 100 degrees I will feel so awful I won't be going anywhere anyway, but it evidently makes people feel 'some precautions are being taken'. If I can breathe easily through a mask it probably is not doing enough to protect me or others

There are enough situations where folks have little or no choice as to social distancing. I'm thinking specifically of folks evacuated in the California fires or to public shelters ahead of a hurricane, that we can only hope that masks, sanitizer and handwashing can keep them safe. The anti-maskers and those who won't mask for whatever misguided reasoning, are putting themselves and those they profess to care about at risk. I am fed up with them and will take my precautions for myself and those I care about. One unmasked wedding and reception in Maine in early August has been traced as the source of 175 cases of COVID and at least 7 deaths. What a way to start your life together!

Something related to the new normal that we could talk about in an upbeat way is... what does "hunker down" mean to you? (I would bet that people who have trouble adjusting to masks, distancing, and isolation would have a harder time putting together a life plan they can live with while they live, to a great extent, without other people, places, and events than people who like to be at home and have something to do there.)

Along the way to hunkering down, what was easy or difficult for you? Are you still struggling? Do you think you could now run on-line lessons in how to transition to this for people who are wired to get out there and mix it up whenever they can?

Are you one of those who are just waiting... maybe pacing the floor... twitching something in the worst moments... for that welcome news when you will pounce or even fly when they tell you: "All is well. Get out of the house and do something, already!"

Until I am moved out of my parents' home (next year), I won't be flying, going to restaurants, etc., even if we have a vaccine this year.

I am skeptical (but will continue to pray) we'll have a good one by year's end. They typically take 10 years to develop and to get through all sorts of safety and efficacy trials. A fast-tracked version will circumvent some safety protocols as a trade-off for prospects of reducing deaths, but even then I wonder how effective it will be?

If it is only 30..40...or 50% effective, would you take it? There would still be a lot of unknowns about such a vaccine. Maybe it doesn't work for you personally and you die (which can happen with good vaccines that are effective - a small number of people don't respond well to them) or there are long-term damaging side effects that haven't been studied yet, due to the hastened pace of development. That's a good question to consider: who would take a vaccine that doesn't have 85...90 ...or 95%+ success at producing neutralizing anti-bodies? What level of efficacy would you accept in the vaccine trials to take it?

in the meantime, I continue to think requiring universal masking is the best way to deal with things. I never minded reopening America, as I've said. I simply wanted to do so off low local case counts and with mandatory masking. We need to push our leaders (local and national) to require masking, imo. That protects lives and the economy.

@Shop-et-al wrote:

Something related to the new normal that we could talk about in an upbeat way is... what does "hunker down" mean to you? (I would bet that people who have trouble adjusting to masks, distancing, and isolation would have a harder time putting together a life plan they can live with while they live, to a great extent, without other people, places, and events than people who like to be at home and have something to do there.)

Hunkering down definitely means relying on your own resources--and I don't mean just financial. If you have no hobbies or limited solo activities, you will be miserable relying on your own resources. Binge watching is more fun when you share it with others than just sitting like a transfixed couch potato. Folks have been very successful with hunkering down when they tackled their residential situation to renovate, paint, clean, modify and weed out. One of my sons has handled it by learning to cook well. He started learning skills and trying recipes on the internet. He graduated to recipes in cook books, where testing prior to publication is more reliable, and he is quickly getting to the point of looking in the refrigerator and deciding what would work well together and tasting frequently to get an outcome that is tasty. We continue mostly doing what we have done since retirement fifteen years ago except volunteer activities and gym trips are off the table for now. Reading, working on investments, yard work & gardening, house keeping, home repairs/maintenance, hobbies. music, etc.

speaking of non-maskers in stores:
[www.miamiherald.com]

A group of young people in Florida purposely didn't wear a mask and went through a local Target screaming against them. Idiots.

----> In Australia, you are fined the equivalent of $200,000 for protesting mask use:
[www.washingtonpost.com]

I think they have the world's most stringent lockdown going on (at least in Melbourne): everything is closed, except supermarkets, medical businesses, and gas stations. Everyone is locked down all day/night and police enforce things on the street, while soldiers go door-to-door making sure COVID carriers are quarantined.

It's very strict. "Dictator Dan" is still popular there, despite arguably Draconian measures. 25 million people and less than 1,000 deaths. Australia's in winter right now, so it's an interesting situation. Good luck to them!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/2020 11:57AM by shoptastic.

@cjbstar wrote:

I'm not a hoarder but since the shortage I always have a new package of certain items like TP, paper towels, sanitary wipes, peroxide, rubbing alcohol, pain relievers before my current one is half empty.

I have been watching/reading global warming stuff lately and it's agreed that we have until 2030 to get our carbon emissions in line or else we'll be facing some catastrophic circumstances.

Maybe this pandemic will prepare us better for those potential upcoming human disasters or to try harder to avoid them.

I am perfectly happy at home. Hubby has been retired for years. But, I need my income and don"t have that at home.

I am happier at home in the harshest moments of winter than I am on days when Nature is calling and I can get there without snowshoes or skies. Sunshine and fresh air are good! Raw conditions are as bad as the hell-hot days.

M'kay... time for a wee vent...

Just saw a pop-up for a petition to tell the current administration that it is responsible for the covid fiasco.

What A Crock Of Unprintable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pfffffffffffffffffffffft.


This administration did not cause anyone's underlying conditions or complicating factors such as asthma, COPD, obesity, immune difficulties, unchangeable living conditions, etc. This administration did not make anyone's personal choices in matters such as partying, marrying, playing, or not masking, not distancing, or not cleansing when those actions are possible.

Some of the people are unfortunate; some are personally responsible. That is just life (even though some people might want it to be otherwise),

Gah.

@Shop-et-al wrote:

M'kay... time for a wee vent...

Just saw a pop-up for a petition to tell the current administration that it is responsible for the covid fiasco.

This administration did not cause anyone's underlying conditions or complicating factors

Gah.

We don't blame him and his administration for people's underlying conditions.

But, I believe, we rightly blame them for:

a.) Ignoring early COVID warnings back in January - Navarro said millions of Americans could die from this.
b.) Late travel bans and no U.S. testing. Travel from China was banned January 31 (but not in effect until February 22nd) and travel from Europe was banned March 11 (but not initially U.K. - a major hot spot - nor Ireland, because those two countries held Trump resorts/business).

On February 26th, Trump bragged the U.S. had only 15 cases and that it would likely go to 0 cases within days. How would he know? We had done almost zero testing. We rejected the WHO German-manufactured tests the entire world was using to create our own U.S.-made test-kits, which flopped and delayed testing for months. By early March, we had done 3,000 tests compared to 150,000 by South Korea. Rather than tell people the truth that America messed up and didn't order test kits months earlier, when there was still time to effectively catch early cases, he lied and said everything was okay and would likely go away within days.

. . .We have 200,000 Americans "officially" dead now. It didn't just go away.
c.) No nationally-coordinated, enforced lockdown and a national mask wearing mandate.
d.) Unequal bailout that favored the rich and large corporations.
e.) Constant lies, downplaying, and cover-ups (even recently, Trump has pushed for less U.S. testing) about the virus.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/2020 06:14PM by shoptastic.

"Love people and use things." (Augustine)
"Use people and love things." (Trump)

^^^That's how I feel about POTUS' value system.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/2020 06:22PM by shoptastic.

The Spanish Flu was an H1N1 Influenza virus and Covid-19 is a Coronavirus. I think it would be hard to predict, contrast, and compare the behaviors of the two.

Also, the CNN article didn't specify whether the predicted deaths were just for the USA or worldwide. If just the USA, that would be a lot for the 2nd wave. OTOH, for the world, that isn't that big of a jump from current levels.

@blamer: Sorry. No blame. No country's leadership responded in a magnificent way. Everyone was flummoxed by competing needs of the vast varieties of people in the world. Of those billions of people worldwide, it is likely that many ordinary people in addition to President Trump and other influential ones had monetary or other interests which informed their wishes and choices. A few countries (or maybe just Greenland) had fewer confounding issues to contend with and their covid responses looked better than what is happening elsewhere.

As long you, as an individual, are taking all reasonable and/or medically mandated steps for your own self and situation, you are appropriate as this pertains to covid-19. It is safe to let go of what you have decided everyone else should be doing. This is healthy, and it will free you from blame and shame.

@Shop-et-al wrote:

@blamer

Are these Trumpian labels now?

"Crooked" Hilary..."Crazy" Bernie..."Sleepy" Joe Biden.

"blamer"???

Nah. Those are too clever for the likes of me.


Meanwhile, can you believe the galls of Schumer who dares to proclaim that the potus has no right "No Right!!!!!" to replace Ginsburg. Last time I checked, the potus had a duty and responsibility to fill Supreme Court vacancies. One strong reason to do this is to allow as many sets of ears, eyes, and legal skills to examine each case that comes before the highest court. We only have nine sets at the highest level to speak for millions of us peons! I also was concerned about her final and fervent wish that she not be replaced until a new president is elected. If Trump is re-elected, she was practically commanding that the nation be hobbled for 4+ years by an empty seat on the Court. She was a goodie and then some, but she did not have the power to warp, command, or hobble. Good for Trump to fill that empty seat!

But more on topic is this: This thread reminded me to get more masks and gloves and anything else in the realm or PPE that I still can.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/2020 05:13PM by Shop-et-al.

I don't want to panic anyone but I just heard Joe Biden predict 200 million American deaths by the end of his speech. Wow, that's almost 2/3 of the population. I know, I know, he doesn't know the difference between thousand and million. Also doesn't know Vermont from New Hampshire or his wife from his sister. He's got my vote.

@LIJake wrote:

I don't want to panic anyone but I just heard Joe Biden predict 200 million American deaths by the end of his speech. Wow, that's almost 2/3 of the population. I know, I know, he doesn't know the difference between thousand and million. Also doesn't know Vermont from New Hampshire or his wife from his sister. He's got my vote.

Yes, Biden has dementia. It's sad to see and is a genuine concern for leading a nation. Nonetheless, on the specific issue of COVID, I, at least, know that he would care.

He was initially open to a re-lockdown, but then backtracked (not sure why).

Trump doesn't care about Americans dying of COVID-19. He mocks the best safety measures we have as 200,000 have died. He's not there to soothe people and fight for/with them, during this terrible time. If you're honest and caring and you do your best, people can live with the results of an act of nature. They would understand and still support you. But, he's cold, downplays and mocks everything, and covers up instead. He treats human beings as inanimate objects to be moved around on his own political chessboard for his own gain, rather than beings endowed with the highest level of value as free, conscious agents.

I tremble at the thought of God's judgment over that man.

The weather has changed enough that I am using a space heater tonight to sleep. It's cold at night now.

Furnace has been running most days for a month.

@SoCalMama wrote:

>90% of the deaths in my area are people over 65 years of age. Healthy people under 65 years of age rarely die from the flu.

Also, ABC News recently reported that 94% of COVID-related deaths were from people with pre-existing morbidity conditions. Everyone has their own level of comfort, and we should respect their choices.