Covid-19 Discussions and Stories

[BakerAunt]

Yesterday I was able to buy a small bottle of 70% alcohol (the last one) at CVS. I was also able to buy a bottle of hand sanitizer.

The hand sanitizer I've been using is old, but it was all that I had until now.

[skeptic7]

Disposable gloves and masks and sanitizer are easily available around here if you check the right stores. Its just its not every store. The hardware store had disposable gloves and sanitizer and bleach. One of the grocery stores had disposable masks. I saw cloth masks for sell at the hardware store. Reusable gloves are in short supply.

[BakerAunt]

Some people in our area flushed disposable masks and gloves. That created issues at the local sewage treatment plant. I don't know how anyone thought that could be acceptable.

[chocomouse]

One of the local small breweries here has switched to making hand sanitizer, and is selling it for $10 a bottle, all proceeds to go to a first responder fund. And people are making and donating masks to hospitals, organizations, and having huge drives at schoolyards, churches, parking lots, etc to give them to anyone who wants one. It's just amazing how everyone has come together to support people in need. Individuals are donating restaurant meals for employees at the post office, police department, bank, recycling center, etc. And the volunteer fire department is delivering groceries and meals to residents of an independent living center and other isolated residents, both ordered by those residents themselves or donated by more fortunate folks.

[skeptic7]

Chocomouse, you know such nice people. I am amazed that anyone can make and donate masks. I've sewn some but it takes me 2 weeks to get four sewn. I've done 12 so far, 7 have been given away, I'm using 2 and have 3 unallocated. I might be sending two to a friend later when I can get to the post office.

[Mike Nolan]

My wife made a couple dozen masks for friends who couldn't just stay at home. She tried two or three different patterns, some are easier to make than others.

[BakerAunt]

I made my mask using this pattern: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-t_Gz3lGwF8

I found this pattern easier than the one with pleats, but it does require two craft beads. (I had three craft beads in my stash.) Possibly, buttons could be used instead. I'd like to make a second one, so I might try that. The nose piece (made from a coffee bag fastener) is great. I needed a mask with adjustable ear holders, as others kept slipping off of my face.

I kept running back and forth between the video on the computer and the sewing machine, but the mask came together without an undue expenditure of time.

[skeptic7]

I'm doing the three pleats surgical mask, with ties around the back of the head, from directions sent to me by a friend. I read that the ones that go around the ears are uncomfortable after a while. I've added a support band that goes from the upper ties over the head that keeps the mask from slipping down. I went from adjusting the mask every couple of minutes to going throught three stores without problems.
My mask is open at the bottom so extra filters can be added. I'm pleased with how the mask works, just frustrated that it takes time.

[BakerAunt]

I've also seen headbands made with buttons, that the mask elastic can be hooked onto instead of the ears.

The governor of Indiana announced today that Phase III or re-opening will be moved up to tomorrow. I suspect that is not due to the data but to Memorial Day weekend. I'm worried because our county has seen a steady increase in cases, in part because there is now more testing. We live on the outskirts of a town that is a vacation destination, especially for the second home people, many of whom went home after coming here early in the pandemic, and now are coming back. My husband and I plan to avoid town into next week.

[Mike Nolan]

My wife had to make the elastic straps a little longer than the pattern called for so that my ears didn't get bent out of shape. She said I had a big head, though she didn't use the word 'big'. 🙂

I saw an article about how to avoid fogging your glasses while wearing a mask, one suggestion was to use a bendy straw that come down to your chin to breathe out. Seems to me that sort of defeats the purpose of the mask, though.

[skeptic7]

I saw a suggestion to wash the glasses with soap and water, leaving a slight soap film on the glasses so that the water didn't stick. I haven't tried that. A mask which fit carefully around the nose so that water vapor wouldn't travel up should work also.

[Italiancook]

I put the ham bone with meat from a recent baked ham in the freezer. I tried to buy dried beans to cook with the ham, but the grocery had none. After thinking about the dilemma for a few days, I tried Walmart online. I only wanted 1 pound, but had to buy 6 pounds. I don't know if the store being out is because people hoarded beans from the beginning of the crisis, or if they started buying them when the meat shortage began. Maybe it was an anomaly, since Walmart had them.

[BakerAunt]

There are plenty of dry beans at my local grocery store. Occasionally, they have been low, and some varieties are not available. It must be another of those cases where it depends on where in the country you are.

[kimbob]

Our county fair in August has been cancelled for this yr. Boo hoo! I hope the yearly Sheep and Wool Fest happens in October. The yearly things that we all look forward to are understandably whacked for 2020. I'll be happy to see this year end!
P.S. I desperately need a haircut

[BakerAunt]

The annual Lake Fest, which occurs in July, has been canceled here. The town is still talking about a possible Fall Fest, which I see as a bad idea.

Total number of cases in our county:
May 27--80 cases
June 2--147 cases
June 3--178 cases

We are starting to see the results of moving into Phase III (with no data to explain WHY) before Memorial Day, and they are already discussing Phase IV.

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