So several of the grocery stores are starting to limit the number of people allowed inside at any one time to try and get people to not crowd, but people are still going to places like WalMart just because they're bored, instead of getting in and getting out.

My primary care physician just posted that you should wear masks when you are out in the community. I have to work next week and am not sure if the guards at work would appreciate it... I don't even have masks and was going to just use a scarf as that's better than nothing. (As an aside, a friend and I were wondering if anyone has studied rates of respiratory disease comparing women who wore a niqab and those who don't.)

My daughter has been in a funk the last two days. I'm indulging her for a couple days then I will try to do an indoor spa day or something with her this weekend.

I still am caught between wanting to support local restaurants and not wanting to get infected, so I haven't ordered take out (we usually have it several day a week) since 14 March.

Our groceries have been operating a one in and one out policy for a while, people have to stand in line outside 2 metres apart. The elderly and vulnerable are the only ones permitted to enter for the first hour of opening each day. Once in the store people are supposed to maintain distance.

Hubs seems to have recovered from whatever he had. Since there are no tests available where we live unless one is hospitalized, we have no way of knowing if he had it or not. (If he did, it was certainly a mild case.) He was able to call a hotline number in another county (practically no info is available where we live). They asked him a series of questions and said they didn't think he had the virus. They advised him to wait 3 days after his last fever before going out. We are still living in separate dwellings, just to be on the safe side.

I agree that it does seem unfair for those of us who have made the sacrifice to self-isolate to have to continue to self-isolate indefinitely while the recovered will get a pass. And if they announce these antibody tests and that people who have them can go out freely, it will just encourage more people to go out. In the same vein, I felt it was a huge mistake early on when the experts kept stressing that young people were much safer if they got the virus. I feel that's a major reason why so many young people refused to take this seriously and continued to congregate in huge crowds. What concerns me about letting those who prove to have antibodies go free is that even if they can't get the virus, they can still be spreading it around out there with their hands and thus could still infect someone inadvertently. So, for example, an elderly person who had been self-isolating is no safer getting deliveries, even if their delivery person was already immune to the virus.

I was so happy to see some posts from Sara, as I'd been thinking about you over there in Hong Kong. So impressive to see that the deaths have been so few, and grateful to know that you are being well taken care of in your home.

My state finally announced a lockdown, effective at 11:59pm on March 31. The usual rules apply, of going out only for essential needs, but I've not heard of any instances in which people are stopped and questioned. We have certainly not heard anything about fines for being out. Since March 6, not counting work (where I work alone), I have been to Walmart once, physical therapy twice, and to pick up a curbside grocery order once. So I have been on my own personal lockdown long before it was announced in my state. I can't get delivery where I live, so I'm stuck with curbside pickup. My first order took 2 days to get a pickup time. I ordered again yesterday and the earliest was 3 days out. This is for a regional chain grocery store. Kroger's earliest pickup time was 5 days out. Walmart only sets pickup times for today and tomorrow, and of course those are all taken. I guess you have to try over and over if you want pickup from Walmart.

The statistics quoted by pitegny are truly horrifying. Do you feel that the lockdown is finally starting to show some results? It seems like it should be starting to by now, since it's been a few weeks. I know that many people in the US have been begging for their state to be locked down. Especially in Florida, which is 5th in the number of cases. They finally did announce a lockdown yesterday. The lockdowns in Europe and the lockdowns in the US seem to be a lot different, with the Europe ones being much more strict. So I wonder if the lockdowns will even help in the US. I had read that 80% of the population needs to comply for it to work. If 75% comply, the result will be the same as having no lockdown at all. I live on a state highway, and there's still a good bit of traffic going by, especially considering the schools and non-essential businesses are closed.



I read somewhere that putting things in the freezer would not kill the virus. I have been bringing my refrigerator/freezer items inside and disinfecting them, and leaving everything else in the trunk of my car for 3+ days before even touching it.

Thanks for that, starfish. I'm doing the same, except that the things that would be harmed by freezing if they stayed in the car are just sitting inside the door of my apartment. A can of tomatoes does equally well there as in my kitchen cupboard, and I just won't touch it until next week.

I see we are doing the "one out one in" here now, but don't know when it started, since yesterday was the first time I've been close enough to a store to see for well over a week! I drove my son to get his groceries yesterday, and he said that even though the Walmart was enforcing how many enter the store, it didn't really help with distancing because everyone was in the grocery part, so it was more crowded than was comfortable.

Yeah, I heard that the freezer doesn't kill it... I saw a meme earlier today that said grocery shopping was like playing Pacman - you're trying to get the fruit and avoid the ghosts in the store.

I agree that the early emphasis on it only affecting old/health conditions is a reason why there are a lot of cases in the 20-35 year old range. And we still don't know if people can get it multiple times, either.

I stopped at a Safeway in Bristow on my way home (my wife wanted some sour cream for baked potatoes, and Harris Teeter was out a couple of days ago - so thankful my Tom Thumb club card works at Safeway), and while they weren't enforcing a one in one out sort of thing, they did have mats (for lack of a better term) to stay 2 cart lengths away from one another at the checkout counters.

As for takeout food, I've been avoiding that myself, but have picked up for coworkers. My wife and I have been going to Costco to get things, so that we don't run out, plus to make different things and not eat the same thing every day. Our freezer in the kitchen isn't that large, but we had one in the garage that we fired up a couple of days prior to getting the last batch of food, so as to not get a bunch of frozen food, then have to toss it because it didn't stay frozen. I took a temperature check on it three different times to make sure it was at proper temperature before we put anything in it. She said it hadn't been run in about 5 years, so had to ensure it wasn't going to conk out on us.

Next Monday will mark a month since Malaysia has been in the 'movement control order'. It was supposed to end on Apr 14, but 100+ new cases are being reported everyday so we're definitely going to be in partial lockdown for a longer time. The holy month of Ramadhan is also fast approaching so the government is playing it safe.

But we're all settling down nicely now compared to when it first began. People were panic buying, bulk buying and I've never experienced going to stores and seeing empty shelves. I had trouble finding eggs, had to go to the wet market on time to buy veges, had to drive around and check what the stores had, my grocery delivery was cancelled etc.

Essential services are still open as usual so I'm glad for that. There were some cities that were hotbeds and the government imposed a total lockdown.

We're all working from home which I'm slowly getting used to as I'm not the most disciplined person around. I work in a tech startup and we were supposed to launch our e-commerce app end of this year and this virus isn't really helping but we're doing what we can. If anything, we hope the coronavirus will help carve a pathway for a more digitalized society because I doubt this would be the last pandemic we'll encounter.

DG_Dave - In the fall, my daughter's school asked for a fridge/freezer and I had an extra one in my pantry that we hadn't used for several years, so I donated that. I'm kinda kicking myself thinking I need it now, but her school needed it for medicine for the kids... (The one her school had was duct-taped shut because it wouldn't stay closed.)

Apparently the people in Virginia are still congregating and going out. I wish the police would just enforce the orders so the rest of us can get back to normal quicker. But I guess people are selfish and don't feel like they will get it or it won't be bad..

Sadly you're right. Earlier today I went out to get pizza for me and my husband (helping a newly opened local place just next door to us), and before that I walked to one of the local CVS stores to look for hand soap (no luck, I'm afraid). The traffic on the main road was not very different from a "normal" Saturday, and there were quite a few people around on foot too. I also saw a bus with a number of people on board. As a whole, I did not get the impression the "stay in place" order had changed anything at all.

I was on the PW Parkway the other day going to work, and there were a LOT of cars out for a "stay at home" order to be in effect. With both of y'all in Fairfax County, the police really need to do something, since there's been the most cases in the state there.

I can't speak for Alexandria, LadyNym, but my store in Sterling does have a decent amount of hand soap, so you might call the one in Alexandria and ask. I'll PM you their phone number.

The police here are stopping cars to ask where people are going/have been and was it necessary.

Many restaurant are delivering meals now since they are closed to customers, and people are feasting on fresh caught lobsters, crabs and wet fish.

"wet fish"? What is that? To me, it is what I have just pulled up from the ocean.

That's pretty much what it is, fresh fish which may have been gutted and/or filleted but otherwise hasn't been frozen, cooked, dried, or smoked.

A lot of the world's restaurant quality fish and crustaceans actually come from the British Isles and the Channel Islands - in "normal" times if you fly from London to New York the chances are that the hold underneath your feet will be full of fish. Rumour has it that if you're a Brit dining out on langoustines to celebrate your arrival, your meal was probably on the same plane as you.

Here in western North Carolina, I would say that anecdotally, and from only my own observations and conversations with both scared germa-phobes and brazen daredevils alike, a little over half of the population seem to be taking seriously the stay at home orders issued by our governor, Roy Cooper, last week. People are still getting out everyday and emptying the shelves at the local groceries and Wal-Marts. The roads are less traveled but still bustling. Businesses deemed essential (and companies have gotten very creative with carving out their essentiality) are still operating... including, as just one example, the local head shop that sells paraphernalia for the still-illegal-in-NC marijuana. Here in the county in which I live we just had our first death from COVID-19 announced, with a confirmed case-load of 20. The county population is est. 160,000.

The governor here did try to implement voluntary social distancing measures much earlier, in the second week of March, but as one would guess people found ways to justify not going out and about and local business owners looked for ways to skirt the suggestions.

While many of the governors of individual states have led the way, and in states like Washington and Calilfornia they are seeing the beginnings of a flattening of the curve due to aggressive and early action, the lack of consistent and urgent and fact-based messaging at the federal level is, in my informed opinion, what is causing half of the people here in Catawba County, NC, to treat cavalierly, like the flu or auto accidents. And to think there is an economic impetus behind the "messaging" from the top (and the administration's cheerleaders) to get back to normalcy ASAP, because uhMerika, gives me ulcers worrying about my immuno-compromised mother and father and aunt and uncle. But hey, as long as the NFL kicks off in September they are expendable I guess.

I will try to remember to let you all know later in the week if people seem to be starting to heed the warnings put out by the experts, or if they choose instead to listen to people whose pronouncements are motivated by pride and economics and political power. I'm not saying we need to have a nationally issued stay at home mandate, because I don't think that law enforcement would be able to make people quarantine; rather it is going to have to come from (easily influenced)individuals consciously deciding to selflessly respect data and take expert advice. And that decision can be made quickly if they are led to it, by consistent messaging from their leader.

I'm not trying to pick an argument here, I am merely reporting what I see and offering my opinion, formed from conversations with people all along the spectrum here in my county, on why my surroundings are the way they are. As with us all I'm sure, I am grappling with a lot of different emotions hour to hour. I sure do wish everyone well, and hope we can look back at this, like coastal residents who have evacuated for a hurricane that has harmlessly turned out to sea, and say "well maybe we did too much." I think, like Dr. Fauci has said, we need to embrace any perceived overreaction as necessary, because it is better to overreact towards prevention than it is to lament later after obtaining the worst case scenario.

In the meantime I will do my part, staying away from others, and only communicating with my parents and relatives remotely. I will eat sensibly and try to limit trips to the store to once every two weeks. I will not hoard food or supplies. I will be compassionate to all whom I talk with, and if they insist that it is all overblown, try to convince them of the sanity of stringent quarantine orders. I will try to exercise indoors and if I can find an isolated running trail or route I might get out for that. I think physical activity is important for me to stay sane.

I work in food service, and we are experiencing a robust take-out business--this, despite the run on all the local grocery vendors. People are hoarding food AND swarming for take-out! So, I am still employed, but I am paying for my own insurance out of pocket. Things can change quickly however in the food industry. I will believe the stimulus check thing when I get it, and if I do get laid-off in the near term I am going to have a difficult time getting unemployment because the friends I have who are on it already said that the system crashes daily and it is one of the labors of Hercules to get registered and to get through each week to check in. But, really, I don't mind that. Financial hardship is worth slowing down the spread of a virus that could very easily kill my parents and many others. And thus far most of the local utilities are expressing leniency and waiving termination of services for lack of payment. I will be fine. I don't mind it. I don't care if it takes 6 months. To me, these stringent measures, if followed by us all, are worth it because I believe they will work.

I realize how long my post is and I apologize, retroactively. I have had a lot of pent up mental energy about this and I am grateful for the forum giving me a place to express my thoughts where someone might read them and give me feedback free from stridency or fear or conspiracy theories. We are all in this together! Take care.

Our lockdown is now extended until April 26. Already been 1/2 weeks. National newspaper said people are buying more booze and chocolate. Wonder why?

Mean has already been 3 1/2 weeks.

Try nearly three months! But our death toll remains at 4 out of a population of 8 million.
New York seems to have a population of 18 million and has 4,000 plus deaths/. Strange.

Any idea of how many cases Sara, or do they not test?

I’ll be waiting for the baby boom in nine months time.

Stay safe everyone.

I wonder if instead, once we can get out and about again, there will be more of a divorce boom!

And I was thinking this morning about how hard this must be for people fighting addictions - no in-person AA meetings, or any other 12 step groups. There are online meetings, I know, but not everyone is comfortable with technology. I hope people are able to find the support they need.

Yes they do test and the latest is 914. We had a few more yesterday as there was a flight returning some people from Peru.

We joke the baby boom will be only first-time parents. The rest of us are done with being cooped up with the kids!

Agony, you could be correct. When I still working for Citizens Advice we used to wait for the first few days after the Christmas school holidays and also after the schools went back in September, the inquiries about separating and divorce used to soar. Domestic violence is expected to soar too.

As I live on an island there is going to be a huge problem for our illegal drug users. About 97% of the drugs come in either by sea or by air and since there are no flights (well just two a day for hospital treatment on the mainland) and no domestic car ferries then there is going to be a huge shortage, I think there will be deaths from misuse of other drugs etc.

In my isolation I face a particular challenge, which is that I have a growing pile of dirty clothes and no means to clean them. There are no washer/dryer hookups in the apartment, and I cannot use the laundry room in the complex for a number of reasons that I don't want to get into here. Until the crisis hit, I had been dropping my laundry off at a laundromat several miles away for the wash-dry-fold service, but now I don't dare leave home as I have pre-existing medical conditions that make a prognosis for COVID-19 very poor. Also, the hours for the drop-off service are reduced, and it would force me to go out when I have observed that there is too much activity going on in the complex. (Too many of my neighbors are disregarding the governor's orders & Matilda's Law, and the cleaning/maintenance seem a little nonchalant as well). So now I have to figure out how I'm going to wash these clothes by hand, I guess. Most of my clothes are cotton or cotton blends, which don't lend themselves to hand washing and take a *long* time to drip dry.

Conversely, perhaps some people will find it easier to stay sober, being confined to their homes and not exposed to temptation, and not being able to easily buy drink.