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

My cousin just told me that her job in DC has moved exclusively to telework *and* that her classes in her master's program at Georgetown have all been suspended until further notice. So all the students currently on spring break have nowhere to return to if they aren't prepared to return home at a moment's notice.

I was at Costco today, and they had plenty of toilet paper. But indeed, everyone seemed to be buying toilet paper. Then again, that's what you get at Costco. I did see one guy with what seemed like 6 packages of paper towels, which means, like, a bazillion rolls, and the Costco guy politely told him they were limiting purchases to two per person.

FWIW, they had someone stationed by the carts, spraying and wiping down the handle before handing them off. And I saw lots of people around the store spraying and wiping down surfaces.

My wife's job just told her they are going to have everyone work from home tomorrow, as a "test."

I am pretty much of the opinion that the only rational decision is to shut everything down now, because you will be forced to shut everything down three weeks from now when it will be too late to have much effect.

Gotta say, it has not been displeasing to walk into CTA stations that smell like bleach instead of urine.

i feel like costco needs to have a temporary no returns policy on paper goods, water, etc to keep people from hoarding right now.

lol I've seen people return open bags of chips at Costco.

I hate Costco so much, never been and hope to never go

the worst retail customers I have ever dealt with, by a wide margin

I love Costco.

i love costco, but I was a late in life member. the one in nyc sucks so bad though. everyone is very aggro. it's kind of a mandatory membership if you live in hawaii though. the gas and most products are drastically cheaper than anywhere else. and everyone who works there is so nice.

Still only 41 cases across Ontario. maybe I should be nervous about tonight's Control Top gig but I'm really not.

xpost - I refuse to step foot in a Costco ever again. My wife knows better than to even suggest it. The worst customers ever, overcrowded, rude and angry people everywhere, shoppers that just ditch their carts anywhere to block aisles. I didn't consider myself an anxious person until I first set foot in a Costco.

they treat their employees well, I'll say that in their favor. their members, on the other hand, frequently came off as the worst humans alive when I dealt with them in a previous job

I think Costcos vary significantly from location to location. For example, I learned only recently that Costco *stock* varies from location to location. There are things you can get at one that you can't get at another. There are even baked goods that differ, since the bakers apparently have discretion. And a lot of those differences reflect the clientele. For example, I am equidistant from two Costcos. One carries a whole halal lamb, the other doesn't.

from the host of a gathering of friends next weekend; people, many of whom travel quite a bit, will be flying in from all around the country:

I am not particularly concerned about corona virus overall, however, given I have a severely immuno-compromised 80 year old cancer stricken mother in my house, I will ask that if you think you are any sort of risk for carrying it, obviously, bail

. . . c'mon lads

xpost - what pushed me over the edge for Costco was watching one shopper quite literally shove an 75+ year-old man out of the way to get at a fresh batch of free cheese samples

Well, tbf, free cheese.

lol

sorry to derail, talking about even fucking Costco for a few minutes helps pull me out of the Coronoavirus spiral I've been stuck in. This week reminds me of where I was about 3 weeks after 9/11, just constantly searching news updates and absorbing way more information than is healthy

xpost oh yeah have you ever seen the pics of all the amazing stuff in japanese costcos? The hawaii ones have a lot of beach stuff and always 3-4 different pokés, kalua pork, lots of macadamia nuts, fresh saiman/ramen noodles etc.

ohhh, and they have a steal of bubbies mochi ice cream (18 pack). although i think bubbies is everywhere now.

Yeah, we were told to stop at the Maui Costco for poke! (We're still planning to go, but recognize life might intervene, if not here then there.)

My favorite Costco story was when we were looking for cheap light weatherproof jackets for a camping trip. I did some research and kept seeing reviews of a jacket sold at Costco. So I click on a (video) review, and the guy is really thorough and informative and then ends with something like "and it fits perfectly in your go-bag." Um, ok. I click on the next review, and same thing, super useful review, ends with how perfect it is for your "bug out" bag. Surprising no one, Costco might be the only company equally beloved by suburban families and preppers.

the maui one does not have gas. boooo.

derp, disregard that. it looks like it does.

But do they have toilet paper?

(Apparently they do, say forums, but it's being limited.)

I've gone from a point of relative calm to dark circles around my eyes perma-refreshing BBC news and making infinite shopping lists in the space of about three days. Why ARE thermometers like £75 now? They can't always have cost that much.

I don't understand why everyone needs more toilet paper

like, hand sanitizer, bleach, disinfectants, ok I get that. But toilet paper?

omg! i had someone pick one up for me yesterday and it was like $6usd. I was shocked it was still so accessible and cheap.

I tried in a couple of Boots and they'd sold out, and online they're all either one-star reviews or £100.

All UK pharmacies now aggressively filling queue barriers with things that could potentially look like hand sanitiser - cleansers, moisturisers etc. Yesterday there was one filled with small bottles of lube.

If you have to quarantine for 2 weeks, you better have some toilet paper. Even moreso if you are a whole family that needs to quarantine. I don't see why this is weird to people.

LOL @ accidentally picking up a small bottle of lube thinking it's sanitizer

idk I guess we don't go through that much toilet paper
xps

Anyway, I'm stocking up on lentils &c.

like i think we buy an 8-pack once a month? TMI I suppose

on the other thread we went over how much toilet paper one person usually uses a week. I probably am lowkey annoyed by people who over use toilet paper but hopefully I will never have to be a first person witness to a lot of it. All people should be able to use the amount they need to self soothe.

but at max, even with single ply, i would think an average person needs one roll a week max, even taking into account shark week or food poisoning.

If those who poop at work will be working from home, it makes sense to stock up on extra toilet paper.

oh yes that reminds me, due to underfunding the campus bathrooms are frequently either closed or out of soap

sharkshart week or food poisoning.

tt i got this thermometer the other day, Amazon doesn’t have them anymore but Argos might. It has lots of others too.

If you have to quarantine for 2 weeks, you better have some toilet paper. Even moreso if you are a whole family that needs to quarantine. I don't see why this is weird to people.

some people like to wrap up their hands in TP like boxers preparing for a big fight. i always assume their anal cavities are in catastrophic condition

I'm just stocking up for the start of the next varsity sports season.

xp: Thank god I brush with crest every night.

Anyway, a case has been announced in my county in Maryland just now.

I wonder if there will be a covid baby boom this fall?

psa: if you're having sex while wfh and end up having a wfh/quarantine baby, it'll be a sagittarius. so use some judgment and practice safe sex.

— stan of cleves (@alex_abads) March 11, 2020

Sagittarius Baby sounds like a great fictional hippy name.

xps, thanks gyac! Alas all out of stock for delivery or nearby. I found this one on Amazon that doesn't look like the worst thing?

i am so glad we have a bidet in our household