back to way of life

[Like2Plan]

Where on Earth are you able to get masks? I am not able to find these anywhere!

I make mine--they are made out of cloth.

[disneysteve]

There are some no-sew mask designs online. Just Google that.

[Like2Plan]

Here are a couple of patterns from the CDC web site. (One is a no sew one from a tee shirt.)

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/DIY-cloth-face-covering-instructions.pdf

[Scallywag]

Thank you !!!

[LivingAlmostLarge]

i had a few old N95 i reused. We also had made a bunch and my mom made some. She's still making it.

I am dying to get on a plane and visit home. I worry it won't happen this year. Eating out not a big deal. I get take out most of the time and I would guess we were close to 1x/month in a restaurant anyway. But boy going grocery shopping every week will be awesome. I have gone once a month and really carefully planned. To be so free to go out when I want and shop would be awesome.

[Like2Plan]

Words I never thought I'd hear: "Honey, go get your mask-we're going shopping!" LOL

(And, if that wasn't weird enough, the other day we needed to go to a bank.... )

But, apparently no masked patrons inside the bank. As it happened, the lobby was closed, but luckily we were able to conduct our business through the drive through.

[Snicks]

Pennsylvania is still shut down. And our Gov seems to want to follow NY and NJ. So, even though I live in rural PA far, far away from Philadelphia and NYC, my life has to be on hold for cities that live like sardines.

[disneysteve]

Pennsylvania is still shut down. And our Gov seems to want to follow NY and NJ. So, even though I live in rural PA far, far away from Philadelphia and NYC, my life has to be on hold for cities that live like sardines.

PA is part of the regional consortium along with NJ, NY, CT, MA, DE, and RI to all work together on the reopening plans. I imagine that once they start reopening, the rural areas will ease restrictions first. However, the rural areas in many states are just now starting to see their COVID cases climb, probably in part due to not having as strict restrictions to begin with.

[cypher1]

Dining in for restaurants I wasn't that big into unless it was something quick, so take-out (or more) will continue. Grocery shopping habits/routine haven't or won't change. Aldis or Trader Joes once a week, Costco once every 3-4 weeks. Now if more businesses are requiring masks before entering, I won't argue.

As for other changes, I will continue to not visit my parents for their health for at least 3 more weeks. It doesn't help I've been cutting friends' hair recently, so I've now limited my contact of others even more.

[rennigade]

Pennsylvania is still shut down. And our Gov seems to want to follow NY and NJ. So, even though I live in rural PA far, far away from Philadelphia and NYC, my life has to be on hold for cities that live like sardines.

Really? I live in PA, and a couple places are opening tomorrow. We're actually excited that thrift stores are opening again! Restaurants/dine in and theme parks are not open yet, which makes sense. Im going back to work on Monday...only two days a week, then working three days remote.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I thought they would be lifting restrictions in rural areas. Here WA/OR/CA they are. Rural and parks are about to go gang busters. Of course anyone in the city is not going out, terrified because they aren't testing and somehow one of DH's coworkers whose been at home "sheltering in place" is finally tested for covid and came back positive now....how the hell that happened i don't know. But like I said I don't think anyone of my neighbors is going back to eating out or shopping that way. We're all planning kid's summer birthday parties in street outside.

Mine is at the end of the month and we are going to do it on the street.

[disneysteve]

It's been a few weeks and more phased reopening has occurred so I thought I'd bump up this thread.

How are things in your area? If things have reopened, what are you doing personally? Have you gone out to places that you couldn't go to before? Are you wearing a mask? Are others wearing masks? What changes are you seeing?

In my area, we're still mostly shut down. The shore towns and boardwalks reopened last weekend. I didn't go but people who did (and news footage) showed them to be fairly crowded. Some masks in sight but many not wearing them. Retails stores have reopened for curbside pickup only. We haven't needed to buy anything so haven't taken part in that. Nothing has changed at the supermarkets or other essential stores (Walmart, Target). They are still running the same as they've been throughout the pandemic. I was at Walmart for the first time the other day and it was fine. No crowd. Everyone masked. Nobody, including me, paid any attention to the one-way markers on the aisles so I think that's a waste of time, but other than that folks were keeping their distance and following the rules. I'm definitely seeing more cars on the road. Far from normal yet but an uptick from a few weeks ago.

[QuarterMillionMan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QArTO44OXbY

Not me but my favorite Indian casino opened this weekend but too much hassle so not going anytime soon. Appreciate the guinea pigs and canaries in the coal mine testing it out first.

[kork13]

I went to a Walmart somewhere at some point lately and the one-way marks were pointed out to me... I immediately scoffed & ignored them, as did most folks. (DW didn't appreciate my cavalier attitude... ). Honestly, I only wear a mask when a place I'm entering requires it. I do keep my distance from folks as feasible, and I still don't go out to alot of stores & other places, unless it's a necessary trip that can't wait or be combined into another trip.

Here in Arizona, it seems things are slowly getting back more toward normal. Less than half of people are wearing masks everywhere, though in almost all businesses, the employees are. In general, people are being mindful of the distancing stuff, but I'd say that most folks aren't getting hung up on it. I think folks here are less concerned about it in the heat/sun of the desert (frankly, neither am I -- I've seen many reports stating that COVID doesn't survive heat & UV exposure). Many businesses have reopened, but probably 30% are still closed. Within the last few days, restaurants have started reopening their dining rooms, but only allowing folks to sit at specific, well-separated, tables -- which I really appreciate, because I was able to sit down & have lunch with an aunt I haven't seen for 1.5 yrs, who happened to be driving through the area on her way back to San Diego.

I've left Alaska ( ), but my understanding is that Alaska has returned even more toward normal -- basically all businesses except bars and a few other places have been cleared to open, and most are doing so. Some restrictions remain (such as the table distancing in restaurants, and reduced max capacities), but I'm hearing that things are feeling much more normal + masks.

[disneysteve]

Less than half of people are wearing masks

I think this is what poses the greatest threat - people not wearing masks. The data solidly shows that it reduces viral transmission and also that about 1/3 of patients are asymptomatic. So it's those folks who feel fine and don't wear a mask who are most likely to be infecting others. There was just a story from a hair salon in Missouri where 2 employees tested positive for COVID but, at least according to the story, both the employees and the customers were all wearing masks so the risk of anyone catching it is very low. If the customers wouldn't have been masked, though, the risk would have been much higher.

Around here, wearing masks is still the law and I suspect it will be for some time to come. Our governor doesn't mess around. There are signs on the door of every business that you must wear a mask to enter and people seem to be complying with that well.

I'm anxious to see how our state numbers proceed over the next 1-2 weeks now that the beaches are open and people are out and about especially over the holiday weekend.