A friend of mine now puts his mail in a box (with gloves) and does not open it for a couple weeks. Mail and packages can be contaminated both inside and outside.

I am thinking that ordering canned food, tp and other stuff from Amazon and then letting the box sit inside a plastic bag for two weeks might be safer than going to a grocery store depending on where you live.

I just read how long the virus stays virulent on various sources on another thread. The numbers were alarming- especially the length of time the virus remains active in the air.

I hope wiping things down with diluted Clorox will help, because I still need some things delivered from Amazon.

Here is a a Time Magazine piece with the latest research on COVD-19's ability to remain active on various surfaces and the air.

https://time.com/5801278/coronavirus-stays-on-surfaces-days-tests/

Thanks, Zalco. That's the study cited in the AP story in today's Chicago Tribune. (I lack 'linking' skills -- among other things, like a healthy immune system!)

A person’s hair (or perhaps a pet’s hair as well) is a fomite. Infectious particles can land on it and thereby spread to whoever touches it. In other words, the aerosolized mist from a sneeze or cough can land on your hair. (Time to dig out my headscarf and plastic veil.)

DH and I decided to:

-stop going to the gym (too many people breathing heavily in an enclosed room!)

-plan a week's worth of menu and stop going to the grocery store as our daily outing. We used to shop weekly from necessity when we worked, so it won't be difficult.

I'd like to keep supporting local restaurants -- but might do more carry out than eating in. The university kids won't be coming back as usual. Businesses will feel a loss.

All Ohio schools will be closed March 16 through April 3. Although kids are least likely to have adverse effects, they are potential carriers.

So, we'll be busy shut-ins for three weeks helping with the grandchildren, but we are very pleased with the governor's executive order.

We have canceled our early April trip to Europe - sniff - and got the last of our groceries this morning. Will stay home as much as we can the next couple of weeks. Fortunately I work at home [part time], but for now my husband is in a position where he is required to be at work. We do have a small family get together in a family members home this weekend that we will still attend. Thankfully there are only two confirmed cases in our state but I fully expect we will have more.

Excuse me, but while this might be fine, No one is TESTING for this virus, at least in my state.

They have not been testing at all, because we don't have it. We don't have it, because they don't test. They have now decided to test, but only if you jump through all kinds of hoops to qualify. Qualify? If you are sick, you should qualify.

When my husband was sick the first week of January, the first thing they did was a flu and strep test. It was not the flu or strep. We paid our part and the insurance paid the rest. Why not a test for this virus? OH, I GUESS THE INSURANCE COMPANIES WOULD HAVE TO PAY!

Why don't they test everyone that is sick, like they do with the flu? How can you know where it is, unless you test EVERYONE?

The US is so miles behind the rest of the first world in health care. We don't HAVE enough test kits. People don't all HAVE insurance (or money) for care. Advice is to, "first contact your doctor." Millions of Americans HAVE no internist, and we certainly don't want to divert federal funds from the defense deparment to PUBLIC HEALTH.(Why should my taxes go to help those 'layabouts'? <Sarcasm.>

My understanding is that people presenting with flu symptoms are first tested for 'flu'. Only if 'flu' is NOT diagnosed do they get tested for covid-19. I don't know how long all of this takes.

" I don't know how long all of this takes." Chisue, until h**l freezes over.

You are so right, Chisue. I wish you better health and that you and your hubby remain virus-free.

I had to take the subway yesterday for a last minute appointment that would have taken hours to walk to. It wasn't very crowded. Some people were holding the poles with napkins. Everyone was kind of checking each other out. When I got home, I thought about how I'd been sitting on the plastic seat, so I took my jeans off. Put on an apron and started cooking dinner. My husband arrived home to find me wearing an apron with no pants on. Let's just say you've got to find your fun where you can.

I don't want to further politicize this thread, but I just read an article which includes this quote from an Australian citizen:

"It is the policy of Queensland Health that anyone who tests positive is to be admitted into hospital and I have complied with their advice."

Are they using hospitals to enforce quarantine and stop the spread? It also mentions self-quarantine later in the text.

I can't imagine having enough hospital beds to be able to admit everyone who tests positive.

I am skipping the gym but at the same time I think it would be fine, because they were cleaning the equipment the whole time I was there last, and I use the wipes as well, and wash my Hands coming in and going out. Most of the people there the same time I am are over 60 so it seems especially important to keep each other safe. I’m torn on whether to go!

I’m also torn about going to the DMV. It’s time to renew my license, and I can do it online but I’d also like to get my Real ID. I’ve heard the DMV is pretty quiet right now so I could probably be in and out of there quickly. But . . . I don’t HAVE to go, and I don’t NEED the Real ID (can use passport or passport card).

If you do visit the BMV be sure they have wiped the eye exam station clean just prior to use.

For me (in Virginia), this is our communities' one and only chance to get out ahead of the virus spread. So yes, we are going to "social distance" ourselves for a week or two, then we'll know if we should persist, increase, or decrease s.d. measures.

As of yesterday the biggest hospital in central FL had NO test kits, that may have changed today. Will I change anything I do? No, I'm not sick. If I do get sick I'll get tested, oh wait! There are no test kits available. And I'm in the 'vulnerable' age group.

Go ahead everyone, I've got thick skin lol.

KennsWoods, your lol may be inappropriate, thick skin or not. This is not the time to buck the odds, but to pull together as one to get this virus stopped. If you don't get it, you can't spread it. I'd like to go back to normal. Have children being educated (every public and private school is closed in this state until Apr 24), small businesses operating, hourly service workers in many capacities employed and most of all I'd like to be able to freely come and go from my mothers senior facility.

Thinking of hair as a fomite, one might want to shower and shampoo before going to bed.

Heard of crowded emergency departments with long waits? It is because we don't have enough hospital and ICU beds - on a daily basis - even before COVID-19.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/03/who-gets-hospital-bed/607807/

Please help flatten the curve.

I plan to still go to the gym. There hasn’t been any cases diagnosed in my county - probably only because of the shortages of test kits. The gym is having us wipe down any equipment we use in class , then we place it neatly in the corner and they will be cleaned again by staff. Floors are cleaned after every class. I use purell coming and going. I’ve slowly gathered enough supplies in case one of us gets sick that we can quarantine for a month. Costco hands out wipes for the cart handles but from what I’ve read-those wipes need 4-10 minutes to kill the germs. Can’t hurt, but I don’t know how much it helps Then we are touching freezer doors, checkout buttons, etc.

One of the reasons that people are stocking up is because they know that this will not last only a couple of weeks and supplies may not be available later if they contain an ingredient from another country. Even if the supplies are available people may not feel well enough to shop. Not enough is known about the people who develop it a second time for me to feel safe with only having a week or two weeks supply of the food I eat most often.

I did go to the store today for coffee and noticed that people are making some odd, to me, food selections. I thought junk food isles would lack stuff. No, it was the vegetable isle. Flour was mostly gone but boxed mixes in good supply with no empty spaces.

I just read an interesting piece by an Italian in the quarantine zone - I think he expresses very well how his thinking has changed:one man's point of view

The cycling races he mentions are major sporting events in the country.

Also, Kennswoods, in reality, if you have reasonable suspicion that you have coronavirus, testing won't change a thing. Stay home, self quarantine. I would do so with symptoms, even with a negative test. If you are short of breath, go to the hospital.