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posted by Fnord666 on Tuesday March 17 2020, @11:52AM   Printer-friendly
from the sudden-impact dept.

A lot has already happened this year. SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) which can cause COVID-19 (COronaVIrus Disease 2019) has been making headlines shortly after it was first reported. The first cases were reported to WHO (World Health Organization) on 2019-12-31. The virus spread. It began as an epidemic in China . The world watched apprehensively. Reports surfaced of cases in other countries and the the apprehension grew. For many folk, it turned to fear when it was upgraded to a pandemic: WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 - 11 March 2020: "We have therefore made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic."

We have seen increasing efforts to stem the spread of the disease. Efforts have run the gamut. Closing of borders. Cancellation of sporting events. Conferences cancelled. Churches and other places of worship also closed. Schools closed. Panic buying of household goods and supplies. Supply chain disruptions affecting manufacturers. Restaurant, bars, and other such establishments closed. Work-from-home policies established and enacted.

The changes have been many, widespread, and continuing.

Reading about all the ways that "other people" have been affected is one thing. It seems different, somehow, when it hits closer to home and affects us directly. With many of our usual social activities curtailed or cancelled, it is easy to begin isolating and lose perspective. SoylentNews arose from a troubled period (the SlashCott) and a community has formed from that challenging period.

How have you been affected? Have you been infected? Had a family member or friend who was? Helped neighbors who are struggling? Hunkering down and isolating? (In a basement is optional.) Are you suddenly working from home and finding it challenging to manage your time? Still working on site, but now have a faster commute due to all the other people staying home? Catching up on watching TV shows? Reading more SoylentNews? How has your life changed?

From a somewhat different perspective, how have others helped you to cope... and how have you been able to help others? One of the potential impacts of social distancing is isolation and depression. I count myself fortunate, indeed, to have served this site for over 6 years and for all the people I have gotten to know, here. For those who may not be aware, SoylentNews has its own IRC (Internet Relay Chat) server. Feel free to drop in to #Soylent and just say "Hi!"

Social distancing is permanent when you're dead. So, practice good hygiene and stay safe.

Previously (oldest first):
China Battles Coronavirus Outbreak: All the Latest Updates
2019-nCoV Coronavirus Story Roundup
Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Roundup
Coronavirus Roundup
Coronavirus Roundup (Feb. 17)
Roundup of Stories about the SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus and COVID-19 Disease
COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 - CoronaVirus) Roundup
CoronaVirus (SARS-CoV-2) Roundup 2020-03-12
Working from Home: Lessons Learned Over 20 Years


Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by petecox on Tuesday March 17 2020, @01:26PM (10 children)

    by petecox (3228) on Tuesday March 17 2020, @01:26PM (#972185)

    Shelves at the supermarket cleared of toilet paper and many staples.

    Yet plenty of the good chocolate, 70% dark organic is 25% off! Amateurs.

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  • (Score: 3, Funny) by helel on Tuesday March 17 2020, @02:03PM (2 children)

    by helel (2949) on Tuesday March 17 2020, @02:03PM (#972198)

    Every day I have to convince my partner all over again that the three to six months of TP we have in the house is plenty and that now is not the time to stock up...

    • (Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 17 2020, @05:24PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 17 2020, @05:24PM (#972342)

      There is never a good time to run out

    • (Score: 2) by FatPhil on Wednesday March 18 2020, @01:44PM

      by FatPhil (863) <pc-soylentNO@SPAMasdf.fi> on Wednesday March 18 2020, @01:44PM (#972751) Homepage
      My local supermarket keeps doing special offers on the stuff. I've not bought any for 6 months, and I don't plan on starting now!
      --
      Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by turgid on Tuesday March 17 2020, @02:19PM

    by turgid (4318) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 17 2020, @02:19PM (#972210) Journal

    Get in a few decent Scottish single malt whiskies.

  • (Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday March 17 2020, @03:08PM (2 children)

    by JoeMerchant (3937) on Tuesday March 17 2020, @03:08PM (#972249)

    There's TP here and there in our city, but it's much more miss than hit.

    We had a big golf tournament get cancelled, so the restaurants are seriously oversupplied with perishable foods like meats... burger restaurants that normally charge $9-12 for a burger are running sales at $3 per burger.

    Gas dropped below $2 per gallon just in the past few days, about 10% off from where it had been running the previous week.

    It feels like a weird after-hurricane situation to me - everybody has electricity and is sort-of expected to try to work, if they can, but most optional activities are either not a possibility, or not advisable. Liquor stores are still well stocked... make your own hand sanitizer from 151?

    --
    🌻🌻 [google.com]
    • (Score: 2) by looorg on Tuesday March 17 2020, @03:23PM (1 child)

      by looorg (578) on Tuesday March 17 2020, @03:23PM (#972260)

      It's a bit odd but I did notice it at the store yesterday. The section of the store with things that have a short expiration date is overflowing with things that nobody apparently wanted to buy. So they are both running out of some things and cant sell enough of others.

      • (Score: 4, Insightful) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday March 17 2020, @07:43PM

        by JoeMerchant (3937) on Tuesday March 17 2020, @07:43PM (#972431)

        Modern businesses run finely tuned supply channels, based on the population's highly predictable behavior, until...

        --
        🌻🌻 [google.com]
  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by DannyB on Tuesday March 17 2020, @05:05PM (2 children)

    by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 17 2020, @05:05PM (#972334) Journal

    As I posted above earlier . . ..

    I don't get some of the hoarding.

    If you buy, say 20 gallons of milk, how long do you think they will last? The sell by date is still the same.

    Similarly if you buy 50 cartons of eggs. Do you think you're going to get to eat them all?

    --
    People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
    • (Score: 2) by shortscreen on Tuesday March 17 2020, @06:25PM

      by shortscreen (2252) on Tuesday March 17 2020, @06:25PM (#972388) Journal

      The shelf life on toilet paper or eggs (refrigerated) is pretty good. Milk can be frozen.

    • (Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Tuesday March 17 2020, @07:13PM

      by Phoenix666 (552) on Tuesday March 17 2020, @07:13PM (#972415) Journal

      We stocked up on powdered milk when news of Wuhan coronavirus first started coming out. It's not the best tasting stuff to drink straight, but it works well in coffee, recipes, with cereal, and chocolate mix.

      --
      Washington DC delenda est.