COVID-19 just got real

[Catigale]

Been pretty hard offline, sorry guys

The Admiral of our house has responsibility for all of the resources of SUNY in our state of NY - 65 campuses and 500,000

She has been going 0500-2300 since January on logistics and also bringing students back from abroad. 90% of them returned quickly, the 10% who stated are now clamoring for return. We charted about 1M in planes to get the first wave.

I occasionally listen in on the Internal calls (twice daily) - sad news for Conspiracy Theorists - I am proud of how our state people are telling it as it is, without the gore and blood of the details.

Some of you know I have one overseas in the UK - and that is a hard decision to live with, having made it in January. She can fly back but to get on an airplane right now is sheer madness.

All of our old folks are safely sequestered and have our people local to them, so I think we have done all we can.

To all the Health Care workers, Police, and People working the Crisis - THANK YOU

[Russ]

I just got a call from a client's office in New Jersey. The owner, Ira, contracted COVID-19 and is on a Ventilator. He has cancer, Lymphoma, and the next 24-48 hours will determine his fate. My clients are also friends. I've known him for over 20 years. A great guy. This is hitting close.

I'm asking prayers for his recovery.

Thanks.

[BOAT]

I will pray.

[Jimmyt]

Count me in. Sounds like he's overdue for a break...

[BOAT]

there are 34 corona viruses in Oceanside today so they closed the boat ramp.

[Herschel]

Sorry to get into this so late, but prayers, also, requested for my granddaughter who is nurse at one of the COVID19 mobile hospitals in Ft. Lauderdale. As for the Admiral and myself, being in our mid 70's and self isolating, we are utilizing Instacart services to shop online at the grocery stores near us. You can interact with your shopper while they are in the store. That really helps with adjustments as needed. You can track them on a map as they approach your home. They drop the stuff on the porch and leave. All charges, fees, and tips are dealt with online.We did find a nearby Walmart with an outdoor, unmanned kiosk for collecting pickup orders. You check in and drive to the designated parking spot, flip open the trunk. The attendant puts the stuff in the trunk and closes it, and off you go. We have a decontamination station set up just inside our front door with our sanitizing wipes, nitrile gloves, spray bottle of disinfectant, and a dedicated garbage bag for incoming packaging refuse. As I type this, my “over-washed” and dry hands cry out for moisturizer. But, my U.S. Navy training for operating a USMCR medical field facility in a nuclear, biological, or chemical attack has been brought out of “mothballs”, I am really trying to protect my sweet wife with her respiratory limitations.

[Jimmyt]

Sorry to get into this so late, but prayers, also, requested for my granddaughter who is nurse at one of the COVID19 mobile hospitals in Ft. Lauderdale. As for the Admiral and myself, being in our mid 70's and self isolating, we are utilizing Instacart services to shop online at the grocery stores near us. You can interact with your shopper while they are in the store. That really helps with adjustments as needed. You can track them on a map as they approach your home. They drop the stuff on the porch and leave. All charges, fees, and tips are dealt with online.We did find a nearby Walmart with an outdoor, unmanned kiosk for collecting pickup orders. You check in and drive to the designated parking spot, flip open the trunk. The attendant puts the stuff in the trunk and closes it, and off you go. We have a decontamination station set up just inside our front door with our sanitizing wipes, nitrile gloves, spray bottle of disinfectant, and a dedicated garbage bag for incoming packaging refuse. As I type this, my “over-washed” and dry hands cry out for moisturizer. But, my U.S. Navy training for operating a USMCR medical field facility in a nuclear, biological, or chemical attack has been brought out of “mothballs”, I am really trying to protect my sweet wife with her respiratory limitations.

You bet. Your granddaughter is a hero.

The good news is, most younger folks, without underlying problems, seem to do ok with it. My oldest daughter and two of her neighbors, all in health care, made it through fine with fever and flu-like symptoms. About a two week stretch.

Sounds like you and I are using the same supply strategy. I even ordered some electrical supplies from amazon the other day to avoid the hardware store... I will be glad when this is done.

And... Thank you for your service!

[Russ]

Sorry to get into this so late, but prayers, also, requested for my granddaughter who is nurse at one of the COVID19 mobile hospitals in Ft. Lauderdale. As for the Admiral and myself, being in our mid 70's and self isolating, we are utilizing Instacart services to shop online at the grocery stores near us. You can interact with your shopper while they are in the store. That really helps with adjustments as needed. You can track them on a map as they approach your home. They drop the stuff on the porch and leave. All charges, fees, and tips are dealt with online.

Herschel, your granddaughter is a hero as are all health care workers on the front line every day (even before this)

My clients are all shut down and as a result my company is now also dead in the water. My brother-in-law is an Optometrist in Seattle and is shut down and has taken to Instacart shopping.
He inspired me and I've started Instacart shopping myself. It's rewarding to provide groceries for people who can't/shouldn't go out. I see a lot of scared faces through the crack in the door as I'm leaving. But they are also grateful. So very grateful.

I get it. My M-I-L is in her 80s, diabetic and has lung disease. Many of us are not in a high-risk group, but it is our moral obligation to protect those who are at risk.

I have no idea what the Instacart customer's app looks like, but I am able to text customers to make changes. I had a woman with Easter candy on her list. The shelves were wiped so I asked her if she trusts me to pick something out. She told me what kind of chocolate she likes and I made some "executive decisions". She was so grateful. I dropped the groceries on her porch where I found a cash tip and a note: "Russell, I have been quarantined for weeks and I wore gloves when I handled the money and wrote this note". She was worried about ME. Imagine that?

I ALWAYS wear a mask and gloves when shopping. It's weird and surreal to go out like this. Not everyone I see wears PPE, especially young people who don't understand it's not about them.

In the stores, I see terrified elderly people masked up and shopping because they need groceries. The fear in their faces as they are near selfish people who refuse to wear masks breaks my heart. I'm sure they have health risks at stake. Unfortunately, many elderly people are not tech savvy and don't know about shopping services like Instacart, Shipt, etc. that would allow them to stay at home. I want to tell them, but at the same time it's hard from 6 feet away. I wish there was an easy way to teach them.

Wal-Mart DOES have a nice shopping service that will bring to your car. However, our Wal-Mart is so overwhelmed the next delivery slot is a week out.

I woke to 10°F this morning, so since I'm unable to even remotely think about sailing, I'll go shopping so others can stay safely at home.

[Jimmyt]

That makes you a hero too, Russ! Thank you!

[Catigale]

Dont worry about the casual contact thing too much.

We have been conditioned to think we can kill bacteria (viruses arent even alive, so you can't kill them) with chemicals but you can't make your house sterile.

Bring in your groceries, put your cold stuff away, wash your hands to the double Jeopardy theme with hot water and soap - you're good.

[Tomfoolery]

We have been conditioned to think we can kill bacteria (viruses arent even alive, so you can't kill them) with chemicals but you can't make your house sterile.

But you can mess with their DNA or RNA, which is all they are (delivery vehicle for DNA/RNA, basically) with UV-C light.

I built a UV sanitizing box with a 5W UV-C bulb and a ballast, but there are high wattage commercial systems for sanitizing places like hospital rooms with UV.

[Herschel]

Herschel, your granddaughter is a hero as are all health care workers on the front line every day (even before this)
My clients are all shut down and as a result my company is now also dead in the water. My brother-in-law is an Optometrist in Seattle and is shut down and has taken to Instacart shopping.
He inspired me and I've started Instacart shopping myself. It's rewarding to provide groceries for people who can't/shouldn't go out. I see a lot of scared faces through the crack in the door as I'm leaving. But they are also grateful. So very grateful.

correction: It is my daughter-in-law, Michelle, not one of my three granddaughters, one of whom texted me while I was typing the entry, and it must have scrambled my brain even more than it's usual angle of "heel"! But, I want to really add my thanks, Russ, for your Instacart shopping effort. It really is a powerful resource. Blessings...

[Russ]

there are high wattage commercial systems for sanitizing places like hospital rooms with UV.

Yup. My understanding is UV messes with the DNA of the virus.

Our son's girlfriend works at the hospital cleaning rooms once they vacate. She did a COVID room the other day and we asked how they sanitize.
She said they send in a UV robot that "walks" the room. At the end of the process she said the room smells "funny" probably like ozone.

[Bill at BOATS 4 SAIL]

My wife helps the 93 year old woman that lives across the street: grocery shopping, bringins in her mail, mowing her lawn, etc. She's said that she would have to be in a nursing home if it wasn't for my wife.

[NiceAft]

Catagail said:

Bring in your groceries, put your cold stuff away, wash your hands to the double Jeopardy theme with hot water and soap - you're good.

Don’t forget to not touch your face (eyes, nose, mouth) anytime before you wash your hands.