Mostly Apolitical Thread for Discussing/Venting our Rational/Irrational COVID-19 Fears and Experiences in 2020

time for a nose piercing?

if I did it'd likely be septum not nostril so it wouldn't help, also piercers likely closed rn

Silby, are you by any chance in Cap Hill? If so, I've been making masks that have a wire nose-piece, I could drop one off for you.

Not very far, in Madison Valley, but I don't want to make anyone surmount the hill on my behalf. A more nearby friend is making masks and I think will hook us up soon with an improved model. Thanks for offering though!

I didn’t pre test the masks my boss made and wore one to the grocery store - the stupid thing was miles too loose

The conspiracy theorists are really getting to me today. Almost lost it on a friend throwing out all these ideas they “just found interesting”. Ignoring this shit clearly does not work, engaging with it just makes it grow, and now avoiding it is failing too. Soul crushing like few other things.

yep

adding "just found it interesting" to list of red flag phrases:-/

Another friend used “for those wise enough to listen” and a relative had “don’t comment til you watch to the end”. Just fuck off.

fuck off otm

the prototype of conspiracy theories is antisemitism and everyone going down the road of conspiracy theories will get there eventually, zero tolerance to conspiracy theorists

"isn't this conspiracy theory hilarious?" followed by anger and defensiveness when you make fun of it

in the same category as "it was just a joke!" followed by my favorite "where's your sense of humor?"

fuck that shit

“We should be open to all points of view, and then make up our own minds”

There are good crackpot theories on both sides...

my N95 mask can only be cleaned via boiling (no, mine would be destroyed), baking (if you have an extra oven that you don't put food in), or just worn 3+ days apart so the virus would die on it.

I didn't even know til yesterday that they're not normally supposed to be reusable.

I don’t think you need to keep kosher for mask sterilisation. If it sterilises the mask it will sterilise the inside of the oven.

Neanderthal I know the stress is built into the fact of a hospital stay in the first place, but that's good news, glad to hear it!

The Residents had the right idea in 1978... though they are flouting the 'one trolley length' rule.

https://live.staticflickr.com/5015/5577632239_7cb51a03db_o.jpg

Got a letter from my doctor today - he's retiring at the end of May. He recommends a different doctor in the same building, so I guess I'll give that guy a call?

Got a letter from my doctor today

It said i was suckers

Oh whoops maybe it was a bad idea to pour alcohol on our N95 masks. Should have baked them instead.

baking is always better than alcohol iykwim

I support alcohol AND getting baked.

the other day some bored 5g tinfoil hat nutters have set fire to a communications mast in Hudds (that was also used by emergency services as well as various phone networks) which meant the fire services had to evacuate the adjacent flats until the fire was put out, just what you need during a lockdown. Stupid fucking xenophobic conspiracy theories from dim politicians (and US presidents) have consequences.

Another one for the new moral quandries pile: the wife thinks we should go out to buy essentials when we need them, as opposed to sending for delivery, as a) this way we are running the risks, not paying someone else to (we are both able bodied, young, well off) and b) we are not depleting the stock of orders that ppl w/ less mobility than us rely on. This flies in the face of govt advice, tho frankly the govt's gotten it wrong so many times now and also is unlikely to care about the fates of the proles who deliver shopping. The only other thing I could think of is that if we go out that means more ppl are out and that means higher risk of contagion for the delivery person, who will be picking stuff up from the same places we go to. Thoughts?

I tried to explain the 5G conspiracy thing to an intelligent person the other day, I had to resort to saying that people believe it's the latest sally in a magical war between Chinese tech corporations and the remnants of the British Empire. It sounded unconvincing even to me.

xpost

The conspiracy theorists are really getting to me today. Almost lost it on a friend throwing out all these ideas they “just found interesting”. Ignoring this shit clearly does not work, engaging with it just makes it grow, and now avoiding it is failing too. Soul crushing like few other things.

― Kim,Wednesday, 15 April 2020 20:30 (yesterday) link

The good thing is that you get to decide who you consider your friend or not. These are people with whom you should consider not being friends.

Tinfoil is perfect protection against 5G, it is surprisingly non-penetrating if things like glass or paper or brick. I had to build a special shelf for our 5G modem so it could see the tower.

I've given up trying to weigh up the relative moralities of getting a delivery slot (where I can) vs going out. I offer to get my NHS friends (and neighbours) stuff they need on my delivery if I get one, which will probably result in net fewer journeys.
Some supermarkets only offer slots to vulnerable people which is fine, we're not on the list afaik.

Yeah, supermarket slots are a whole nother thing. I'm talking mostly getting stuff from Co-Op or Morrisons via deliveroo (a terrible company in its own right but that's another conversation).

I don't know why my address isn't on the vulnerable list. My partner has MS and is immune compromised. My son has autism and we have an agreement with social services that I never leave her alone in the house with him after he hospitalised her during a meltdown. Try explaining social distancing to an adult with classic autism and next to no spatial awareness. Not complaining though because still managing to get deliveries so far, touch wood.

The friend thing, yeah I know. I’m sure we’ve all had a deterioration in commonality with a lot of people. Just trying to get by.

About shopping, ideally everyone should stay home as much as they can, but practically, if people have isolated for two weeks and remain healthy and are not part of a high risk group, it’s better to leave the limited delivery options to people who just need it more. Short term anyway - they are increasing the capacity of these things so the ideal might also become the practical.

Another one for the new moral quandries pile: the wife thinks we should go out to buy essentials when we need them, as opposed to sending for delivery, as a) this way we are running the risks, not paying someone else to (we are both able bodied, young, well off) and b) we are not depleting the stock of orders that ppl w/ less mobility than us rely on. This flies in the face of govt advice, tho frankly the govt's gotten it wrong so many times now and also is unlikely to care about the fates of the proles who deliver shopping. The only other thing I could think of is that if we go out that means more ppl are out and that means higher risk of contagion for the delivery person, who will be picking stuff up from the same places we go to. Thoughts?

― Daniel_Rf,Thursday, April 16, 2020 7:37 AM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

That delivery person isn't going to stop circulating because he didn't have to come to your house. Working for the greater good means staying at home and reducing the chances of your becoming a vector.

I had no idea Deliveroo picked up supermarket shopping. Can't use it where I am anyway.

It’s no longer complicated to me. If the demand is outpacing the supply of delivery spots, the most vulnerable and the literally quarantined people need it more. Only use those services if those populations are able to get what they require. Two week+ waiting times for slots tells me that is not happening here, so I’m carefully going to the store, but as infrequently as we’re able to manage. If more availability opens up as capacity rises, that’ll be the time I stay away too.

social and moral dilemmas in the reign of COVID 19th of its name

Has anyone else noticed that junk/spam emails have dwindled to almost nothing?

I'm still get Labour Party spam and stopped the dd weeks ago!

No idea how all those police captains in Lagos are passing the time these days.

deadly viruses are the ultimate pyramid scheme.

the thing that is breaking my brain lately: all the (correct) criticism of people complaining that the economy should be reopened because they need a haircut has started to develop an undercurrent of "you're not allowed to hate all of this," which... I mean, if there's a way not to hate all this I'd love to know it

uk “lockdown” to last at least three more weeks

Has anyone else noticed that junk/spam emails have dwindled to almost nothing?

― The Corbynite Maneuver (Tom D.),Thursday, April 16, 2020 8:42 AM (two hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

still getting the occasional phishing email in my spam folder, but i haven't gotten a robocall in weeks.

I don't want to "reopen the economy" but I do need a haircut

at this point I'm assuming I won't be able to get a haircut for the remainder of the calendar year and I worry for my wonderful and treasured stylist

I'm pretty disappointed about how slowly hair grows tbh.

A horrible thing I’ve noticed recently when out: white middle-class people not wearing protection, ordering others to give them more space or telling them they’re too close. The ‘others’ are never white people, and have usually come out in masks and gloves.

This morning, wearing both, I went up to Hampstead for the first time in three weeks and was delighted to see open a place serving decent coffee (shop A) so queued up. Another coffee place (shop B) was also open for pick-ups along where everyone was queuing and having lockdown chat to pass the time. Some guy in shorts and no protection crossed the street with his gf to pick up drinks from shop B and darted between two people in the queue for shop A. As he waited in shop B’s doorway, someone who worked there (tall BAME kid with covered face and hands) approached to enter, but hung back because of the customer. Customer LOST HIS SHIT at the younger man and started ordering him to stand back when he noticed him waiting. Cue lots of tutting and nervous looks between all of us queuing for shop A.

Me: ‘He works there, you’re in his way.” Younger man looks shocked. Customer and his gf, drinks in hand, stomp off. Me, muttering: “...Dick.” From yards away, dude roars WHAT DID YOU SAY?!? I just stared straight at him. Again: “What did you just say?” Me: “It’s hard enough without you being unpleasant to people trying to go to their jobs, just chill out maybe?” When I get inside shop A, the other customer inside laughs and says “that guy WAS being a dick, I wish I’d said it.” We had a quick chat about dude and this weird pattern of racism; he said he was noticing stuff like that too.

The word wanker hardly suffices.

I think I’ve mapped the handful of decent places still open for a flat white between the Thames and Hampstead, special mention to the Greek grocers on Farringdon Road who took over when the Gazzano family closed their Italian shop (they own the building and are still landlords). For ILXors in Angel/Clerkenwell/Bloomsbury, this is worthwhile intel (and supporting small businesses is a virtue worth signalling).