There are many threads going on here regarding travel vs no-travel. It is mostly North Americans reading news reports and coming up with conclusions. Why don't we ask the locals, or those actually in Europe, to report on what is happening in their area regarding the coronavirus.
So, locals....what's happening? (And please come back to update us.)
I've got a bit of a bad cold so I haven't been going out recently. I hope it improves by the weekend because it's pub night on Saturday!
Here in La Rioja they have closed all the schools, and suspended sports until the 26th.
Right now the working world goes on, but the grandparents are overwhelmed.
The main tapa bar streets, San Juan and Laurel are still functioning.
well, it makes a change from talking about the weather. Bog roll and hand sanitizers in short supply but life is as normal with an increased focus on washing hands.
The UK is expecting to be hit in the next 14 days - but it's a case of managing the hit not avoiding it so health services are not overwhelmed.
Go to the Italian forum and open the sticky Coronavirus thread on top; you will find my posts. You will also observe how I am getting pessimist as time goes by. It looked manageable and it isn't. But do not think you are safe, wherever you live; the thing spreads much faster than you think. And it is with us from earlier times than we think. Looking back in retrospect, physicians in northern Italy now observe abnormal pneumonia cases in northern Italy in December - even before news came out from China. The virus is faster than the news.
Talking only about the Delta Region in the Netherlands where I live there are now with a population of about 383.000 people 5 persons with corona. At this moment 503 persons (saidly due to that 5 casualities) for the whole Netherlands with a population just over 17 million people. Till so far there is not really an outbrake, nevertheless some more densily populated places in the country count a higher number of cases with corona.
Measurements taken are that events with a high number of spectators are canceled or held without them. Some schools are closed or students advised to study at home, the same for people who can do their job at home too. Till so far our governement is very active behind the scenes and further don’t intervene so much but gives advise how to deal with the virus like washing your hands more intense and often, avoid physical contact as much as possible and don’t travel if there is not a serious reason for it. As a result air carriers have very hard times with the serious dropping number of passengers.
As the place where I live is more or less isolated from the rest of the country and way lesser densily populated we have a relative lower number of cases and are till so far not really worried. It certainly helps that we are down to earth and have confidence in our governement and can rely on the sense of responsibility of others. Figures about people with corona in Belgium is comparable with that in my country. For the rest it's business as usual here, nevertheless it can change dramatically, bought some extra food in case it get worse, but till so far no reason to panic, we will see.
I’m in Nice, France right now and have been at my in-laws here for about a week. In the last week France has jumped from 100 to 1,700 cases. Seeing how quickly it has jumped has put people on edge. No handshaking, no kisses now, unlike last week, and it comes up in conversations. People are going about business but nervous. All concerts, opera, festivals, book readings are canceled. Soccer/le foot is being played in empty stadiums, except in Monaco, which is playing before a crowd. The tourist industry has been hit hard. It is nerve wracking.
It’s much easier to mock when it hasn’t hit your country yet, but read lachera and his tone, or what Kim wrote about her in-laws’ dangerous situation. It’s like being on a ship in a bad storm; you’re pretty sure you’ll make it, but you never know. We had a friend with a fever who was tested last night. Tonight we’re drinking a champagne toast in honor of his severe bronchitis and exhaling a giant sigh of relief because we would have been on the transmission chain. It’s nerve wracking.
and exhaling a giant sigh of relief
Let's just hope you weren't exhaling a load of Covid-19 droplets!
In Paris we are aware and watching the news and awaiting the government’s change to Stage 3 of the epidemic and wondering exactly what measures will be enacted when that happens.
My guess is that when President Macron speaks to the nation tomorrow night at 8 o’clock, he will announce the move to Stage 3. To my mind, French government officials have been pretty impressive so far in dealing with this — balanced and open, with a measured tone, but signaling that worse times are ahead. The head of the health authority, who gives the daily press briefing, is calm and authoritative and knowledgeable and responsive; the prime minister speaks clearly and calmly. They are all also fulfilling a pedagogical role.
Today the government formally forbade all visits to nursing homes. Macron has spoken of the need to protect “our” elderly and did a public visit to a nursing home himself last week.
The authorities have enacted more stringent measures in two départements that they consider are particularly hard struck — the Oise and the Haut-Rhin — and are enforcing measures as well in places like Morbihan, Brittany ; Ajaccio, Corsica; and a few other locales.
The government has put a price limit on hydro-alcoholic gels and has authorized pharmacies to produce their own in hopes of overcoming the shortage given the great demand.
I havethe “live” (continually updates) threads from Le Figaro and Le Parisien bookmarked and open and check them regularly; I also check the government sites a few times daily and keep BFM TV on (mute) all day so I see any news flashes.
Frank II,
Just to clarify, are you interested in responses just from those in Europe or from any part of the world?
emma: "A range of responses......"
Nobody knows. We're in the knee of a (quasi) exponential curve and people/places are flailing with what seems best moment-to-moment. I hear the WHO just finally got around to declaring it a Pandemic.
Seems like most of us are going to (eventually) be exposed and then deal with what happens.
The more we slow it down the more people will be around for the (eventual) vaccine => more will survive.
The more-we-slow-it-down => the more expensive/disruptive/etc. it will be.
We're already having people ... "cut our losses".
Didn't some Minister in the UK just slip with something about how "beds will be more available" and "reduced pension costs" or something like that?
Just to clarify, are you interested in responses just from those in Europe or from any part of the world
Since this is a European interest website I was focusing more on areas of Europe but I guess anything out of North American would be welcome.
Thanks for the correction. Hopefully somebody (forcefully) reminded her that this wasn't the (public) time for such. If it was public and not some leak.
Emma, that gives me such a warm-fuzzy feeling. Eek!
I’ve been traveling in Turkey for the past week.
A week ago, when I left home - Seattle, the Western hemisphere’s ground zero for the virus - people were starting to freak out. The airport (SEA) looked like a ghost town. Yet our flights to Turkey were quite full. There have been no reported cases of the virus in Turkey (yet) - so one could make the case that we are safer here than we would be had we stayed home.
Upon arrival in Istanbul, everyone got a quick, non intrusive thermal scan while walking through immigration. By and large, for the past week, everywhere we’ve been so far (Izmir to Antalya, both inland and along the coast) things seem “normal”, though somewhat slow and quiet. It is, after all, the off season, so fewer crowds are to be expected. But those in the tourist businesses (hotels and restaurants, etc.) say their business is way down - the Chinese are simply gone. And that alone marks a sudden and very dramatic change.
For us, it has been wonderful, with major sites not just free of crowds, but sometimes devoid of any other visitors at all. At Ephesus there were some tour groups, but otherwise, most places have been blissfully (for us) empty. We have had most major archeological sites entirely to ourselves, sometimes with just a few others.
Today we flew to Cappadocia, and we saw our first surgical masks on people. Here (Göreme), a very, very touristy place, business is obviously way down. Our hotel manager is lamenting the complete absence of visitors from Asia (a gigantic presence normally - there are a half-dozen Chinese restaurants and many businesses with signage in Chinese and Korean). Many shopkeepers with empty storefronts all around town.
This feels like a place that has been suffering extreme “overtourism” but that affliction or blessing (depending on your perspective) seems to have vanished overnight, and those in the business are still dizzy, stunned, and not sure how to react.
After a couple days here in Cappadocia, we head to Istanbul for a few days at the end of our trip. I received email today from our airline that our flight home from Paris has been canceled (something I knew could happen; many airlines are cutting back their schedules). They are working to rebook us and I’m confident that will happen, though possibly with a less attractive routing. We’ll see how that works out tomorrow.
I figure I f the virus is going to take me, at least I will have had a good ride and I’ll exit with a well-worn passport. For now, we are going to enjoy being here (Turkey is wonderful and we’ve loved our time here). In a week we will return to the hot zone, build a fortress out of toilet paper (if we can get through the crazies at Costco), and hunker down like our friends and neighbors in Seattle have been doing. Hand sanitizer seems plentiful here, I might buy a case of it and check that as an extra bag, then fill up the bathtub with it when I get home and spend my days there soaking in it.
Wash your hands, take your vitamins, and be kind to yourself and to others. Even without pandemics and plagues, you never know how long you have on this earth, so make every day count.
Frank II,
Thanks for the clarification. It occurred to me that information on other areas may be of interest as people adjust their travel plans to cope with the virus.
This is the current situation here in BC......
Hopefully this will improve for all of us in the near future. I'm thankful that we have forums such as this one to share information, and things like FaceTime to allow us to keep in touch with others.
David, with its lack of known coronavirus presence in Turkey, it looks like you picked a good place to go to and return from.
As to "In a week we will return to the hot zone, build a fortress out of toilet paper (if we can get through the crazies at Costco)," don't count on finding any TP at Costco. Yesterday I went on my normal weekly visit to the one closest to us in Tucson and there was no TP at all! There were also no packages of regular size rectangular tissues, only the little square ones.
I found that amusing. I asked when they might be getting some and was told that it's a country-wide Costco problem. Lots of Chicken Littles out there. I guess in situations that are beyond our control, many respond by controlling what they can.
I've only been to one Costco outside the US, in Aberdeen, Scotland. I wonder if Costcos in other countries are also experiencing this run on TP in particular?
Regarding the shortages of toilet paper, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, masks, and gloves, blame the CDC. They mention on their website that what people at risk should do is "stock up on supplies". I'm quite sure they meant to keep a couple of week's supplies on hand in case you need to self-quarantine and can't get to the market. People are panicking thinking it's the end of the world and they should stock up for a year so they make a run on toilet paper and other supplies. Luckily I just happened to buy my normal 20-roll pack a few days before that warning. That'll last a couple of months anyway. :)
I have a trip to Scandinavia coming up in the spring (May - July). I haven't booked anything yet and I've decided to put the trip on hold for now. I'll re-evaluate the situation in early April. Right now my biggest concern with travelling to Europe is not the COVID-19 virus but rather getting caught up in a lockdown situation or being put into quarantine. As the number of infected people grows, it seems like more and more restrictions are being put into place. If I can't visit museums, go on tours, etc. there's not much point in going. Other factors to consider are travel advisories to avoid travel (so far in Europe only Italy but that could change), travel insurance (can I still get travel insurance if a pandemic is ongoing), and flight cancellations.
My trip is an extended 8-10 week trip and I've taken an unpaid leave of absence from work for it. I can't re-schedule the leave of absence so if I don't go on the trip I don't know when, or even if, I would have a chance to go again (trying to get time off like this is very difficult). So I'm hoping that I can go and I'll be really disappointed and upset if I can't but I'll just have to wait and see. I arranged the leave of absence last year and I never could have imagined this pandemic happening. I feel like I'm watching a science fiction horror movie in slow motion.
It's impossible to know how this is going to turn out since the situation is changing so rapidly. Maybe the outbreak in Europe is just a wave and it'll pass in a month or two. Or maybe this is just the beginning and it's going to get worse. Maybe the outbreak will be over in a few months or maybe it'll last for a couple of years (the Ebola outbreak a few years ago lasted for about 2 years, if I remember correctly).
As for the situation here (Vancouver, Canada), there's been panic buying of toilet paper, hand sanitizer, masks, and, to a lesser extent, food and water. I find the panic buying rather disturbing because with Vancouver being in an earthquake zone emergency preparedness officials have been telling people for years to make sure they have enough water, food, medicine, and other supplies to last for at least 72 hours in the event of a major earthquake but clearly people haven't been listening. Oh well, at least now people should be better prepared for the "big one" if it hits. For the most part life is continuing on as normal, although hand sanitizer stations are now ubiquitous, medical offices are asking if people have travelled anywhere recently, churches have changed some of their procedures, coffee shops are no longer accepting re-usable mugs (contamination concerns), the news is filled with COVID-19 coverage and not much else, etc. The church I attend has made some changes - no shaking hands at passing of the peace (we're bowing instead), for communion the common cup is no longer being used (so bread only), and no coffee time afterwards.
Guernsey, as of yesterday our Government banded the first cruise boat due in on March 25. It wont be the last. Sad, but right
I have a trip to Scandinavia coming up in the spring (May - July). I
haven't booked anything yet and I've decided to put the trip on hold
for now.
Wise choice. Considering what the situation looks like at the moment, please don't come here. It is not that bad at the moment, we have our cases here in Scandinavia but we are trying to keep them as few as possible. Influential people (scientists) have recommended against any international travel, especially to high risk countries (such as the US) but the official travel recommendations so far only lists a handful of countries.
I'll re-evaluate the situation in early April. Right now my biggest
concern with travelling to Europe is not the COVID-19 virus but rather
getting caught up in a lockdown situation or being put into
quarantine. As the number of infected people grows, it seems like more
and more restrictions are being put into place. If I can't visit
museums, go on tours, etc. there's not much point in going.
At the moment, large events are banned in both Sweden and Denmark (and maybe Norway as well, there was some talk about it) and gyms, museums and other places where people tend to gather have decided to close. It might be my echochamber of mostly university-educated people, but most people seem to take it very seriously and realise we need to do a lot to avoid a similar situation to Italy.
My trip is an extended 8-10 week trip and I've taken an unpaid leave
of absence from work for it. I can't re-schedule the leave of absence
so if I don't go on the trip I don't know when, or even if, I would
have a chance to go again (trying to get time off like this is very
difficult). So I'm hoping that I can go and I'll be really
disappointed and upset if I can't but I'll just have to wait and see.
I cancelled a (much shorter) trip yesterday and I'm really disappointed that I had to do that, but considering the situation at the moment, it seemed like the right thing to do. And if we all keep our travel to a minimum, avoid close contact with other people and was our hands, this will hopefully be over in a few months.
We have a huge light exhibition (the Luminale) spread all over the city, that was supposed to start this evening, everything is set up, 1000's of photographers looking forward to this and they canceled it at noon today. Massive amounts of money lost on this.
trump is considering banning travel to state of Washington per the NYT... but you never know with him....
President Trump said on Thursday that he could restrict domestic travel to regions of the United States where the coronavirus becomes “too hot.”
Asked by a reporter in the Oval Office whether he was considering limits on travel inside the country to hard-hit states like Washington or California, Mr. Trump said the subject had not yet been discussed, before adding: “Is it a possibility? Yes, if somebody gets a little bit out of control, if an area gets too hot.”
Macron just made his address to the nation: headline being that France is closing all schools from creche through university as of Monday with no defined end date for the closure (the Education Minister was saying just this morning that there was no large-scale closure envisioned).
He announced that public transport will be maintained, but asked the French to keep their movements to those strictly necessary.
Other measures mentioned too but those are the headlines most interesting to outsiders.
No TP anywhere.
On my next trip to Europe I am going to steal bidet in the hotel bathroom and bring it home.
Here’s what I posted on the Rick Steve’s FB page on March 10
Yes another CV post. Not giving advice, but my food for thought as a
current locked down resident of Italy.We live in Verbania Italy, in Piemonte region. Have watched info on
Covid-19 stats regularity as we’ve had friends planning to visit this
week (cancelled last week) mid April (cancelled). plans to Go to a
Milan Soccer match, then Alba and Turin- (match cancelled, trip
canceled) Cousin meeting us in Sicily for 2 weeks (wait and see and
watch cancellation dates-not hopeful)It’s not even been a month since the first case in Italy. The great
majority of positive cases are in Lombardy, Emilia Romano, and Veneto
regions. Our Province, adjacent to Lombardy has only 11 cases as of
yesterday.But this is how rapidly things can change.
-A week ago 3089 cases here
-Monday our Provence was included in the expanded red zone, no leaving the town you are in, unless authorized.
- Tuesday - all of Italy in Lockdown
-today a decree was issued that all restaurants, cafes, other business are closed. Only stores that sell essentials-groceries, pharmacies
are allowed to open. Over 12,000 cases as of yesterday.Italy’s health care system is at a breaking point in the infected
areas. And this is as I sit in a hospital room, recovering from an
emergency appendectomy last Friday. What if there was no bed, no
surgeon, help for people like me with unrelated non CV issues?We have plans to leave our town of Verbania the end of April, travel
for 3 1/2 months until we board the QM2 back to US in August. (This
is the only option for our 90 pound dog Barley) Things are changing so
rapidly now, that we will wait and see and start making decisions as
we approach non refundable cancel dates. And it’s not possible to
plan alternatives till we see what happens in Europe and US over the
next couple of months. Not exactly how I envisioned our last 5 months
in Europe. But since we live here, right now it’s an inconvenience.
Once we are traveling back home, it’s a different ball game, getting
sick, quarantined, or stuck becomes lot more expensive.I’ve found the below website to have good daily updates.
A doctor who actually spoke good English reminded me that after a week of heavy duty antibiotics, I am immune compromised. Also said there are cases in Verbania so my husband needs to be 10 fold careful he doesn't bring it home when he goes to store or takes Barley out. Wow, this got crazy quick.
So here’s my opinion: Stay home, we need to ride this out together. While I’ve been well cared for, I haven’t seen my husband since before surgery, the language barrier is frustrating, and I know some Italian. At least we have an apartment, and not paying for a hotel room for what could be a month.
Other European countries are not that far behind Italy, just saying.
We are in a suburb of Seattle and it's nuts here!
Our kids live in Seattle, and our daughter texted last night and said the stores were empty where she went. Ours are not quite that bad, or weren't the other day when I went.
Things are changing by the minute here though. Our schools have closed for 6 weeks at a minimum. Many companies have mandated that people work from home. So many of the tourist sights are closed now.
The nice thing with all of this is our neighborhood specifically, but also our town has really come together to help those that are in need. Many people have offered to go grocery shopping for those that are more at risk. In our neighborhood, parents are organizing tutors to help the students stay on top of their studies. Teenagers have offered to babysit kids. It is really nice to see everyone looking out for each other!
Barnstormer--Our daughter actually just bought a bidet! She lives in an apt so doesn't have room to store a whole lot, so that was a good idea for her. I wonder if these are going to become a hot commodity soon?
Here in Bavaria public life is restricted a bit more every day. Events with more than a thousand participants have been cancelled, soccer matches take place in empty stadiums (which at least saves the fees paid by the TV stations). All traffic into Italy, which is very important here in Southern Bavaria, has been suspended until further notice. The Bavarian state theatres, including the opera houses of Munich, Augsburg and Nuremberg, were closed yesterday, initially until April 19. My wife's high school will close on Monday, also until April 19. My university is in the middle of the spring semester break, and it is still unclear how things will continue in mid April. Final exams have to be organised somehow, since without a diploma nobody can enter the job market. Thanks goodness, shops and restaurants are open, and people don't show much inclination to be infected by the almost epidemic media hysteria.
Here in DC there are few pedestrians out on the street. It appears that half the folks working from home are in line at the Foggy Bottom Trader Joe's. About 1/3 of the frozen foods were missing.
I was told the National Zoo has closed. I had hoped it would remain open except for the indoor exhibits, since the Smithsonian is closed. How much time can a tourist spend at the memorials (assuming they haven't barricaded them)?
Ok, they just announced that all the schools in the state of Hessen are closed.
In Frankfurt, all of the city museums, the Zoo, the Palmengarten, the Botanical Garden, the City Archive, the Karmeliter Cloister, the Alte Oper, 2 other theaters, are all closed from 14 Mar. - 10 April. You can no longer buy a ticket on the bus and you have to get on the bus from a rear door.
Edit: All museums are closed now, as well as the English Theater.
Swimming pools will only let 200 people in at a time, but I can see that changing soon. All the daycares are closed, so parents are scrambling trying to find care if they still have to go to work. Most of the Easter markets canceled. The Saalburg Roman Fort is closed as is Hessen Park Open Air museum.
I'm a teacher in Rochester, NY. We just had the first confirmed case in our county. We haven't closed public schools yet, but the state colleges have closed. We are constantly having meetings/communication at school with the latest updates. Some parents are choosing to keep their children at home. My district has instituted a policy of sending student Chromebooks home for grades 3-12 (normally these are kept at school) and the teachers are making lists of work that can be done independently/online. The issue is that my district is in a high poverty area and not all students have access to the Internet. The other issue is that school provides free breakfasts and lunches for most students and if they are kept home, we fear many will go hungry. Our district leaders are busy trying to figure things out. Our number one priority right now is not education- it's having a plan in place for the students to have food and someone to care for them if schools close and parents are still working. I work as a teacher of English as a Second Language, so most of my days are now spent getting updates translated in various languages so parents can stay informed and reassuring my students that they will be OK. All extra curricular activities have been cancelled. It's a scary time.
The French rail and Paris public transport authorities have announced this evening that they will reduce their schedules to at least some extent beginning Monday (in part because of the inevitable number/proportion of employees who will be unable to come to work as they will be staying home with their school-age children). They said they hope to be able to announce on Sunday late afternoon a rough guide to what service they will be able to provide on Monday.
Dinner at a glittery Paris café tonight where we often see French actors or politicians. It was almost empty, only one table occupied on the terrace, no one had an occupied table next to them, some French tv actress arrived and bumped elbows with the manager, only one waiter working. A big difference even from last week.
My husband works in a one-star Michelin restaurant in a boutique hotel. The owner has decided to close for (at least) two days next week due to collapse in business.
I am guessing the closures will become longer and more widespread as we go along.
Louisiana has closed all schools for one month and is halting gatherings of more than 250. The World War II Museum in New Orleans will be closed for a period of time starting today. Obviously, all parades associated with St. Patrick's Day and St. Joseph's Day this weekend have been cancelled.
The spring is festival season in Louisiana. The French Quarter Fest held in mid-April is being rescheduled for October. We should hear shortly about the Jazz Fest in New Orleans, which is always held in late April and early May and which can draw 80,000 in one day, and Festival International in Lafayette held in late April.
I was in New Orleans last Saturday for a family wedding. The French Quarter was packed.
Schools closed two weeks in Virginia. No sports, concerts, plays, or any public gatherings. It's really rather boring. We may go see a movie since theaters are restricted to 50 percent capacity.
I’ve lived in Switzerland for over 30 years and I used to think that their preparations for disaster were OTT. Now I’m thankful they did. Federal law requires businesses keep a stock of all essential goods to cover a three to six month period in case of war... well the day has arrived.
Out and about a bit today, everywhere was very quiet for a Saturday, public transport, cafes, restaurants all pretty empty. Most of the supermarket shelves are still well stocked, put a few things were missing. I was told by one of the staff the main issue is getting the stuff out of storage and that shelf stackers only work early morning. Some people were really stocking up big time, but from my conversations it seems the main reason is that they suddenly have five or six people at home all week to feed.
I also visited the pharmacy this morning to pick up my meds which they had auto renewed on account of the situation. And they had gallons of sanitizer etc. available, with no restrictions. The doctors office gave me an appointment of my choice to come by on Monday for an extra few jabs he recommends. So for at the moment it looks like they have got it together. I expect the hospitals are going to be the big breaking point.
Of course all schools, kindergartens and colleges are closed, so my two college kids will remain at home for at least the next six weeks. At the moment the colleges are struggling to get everything up and running remotely, so it will take a while to get used to the new normal.
Right now I’m fairly comfortable with how things are, but I have no doubt when the wave comes and it will come, our hospitals will be found wanting. But we cannot change that right now, so no point worrying about it.
Stay safe everyone and with a little luck and God’s will, we’ll be all here in 12 months time chatting away.
Fascinating account of the situation where you are in Switzerland, Jim. Thank you.
Well here in France in less than 30 minutes (midnight) all restaurants, cafes, bars, theaters, cinemas, shops, etc will close with an undetermined date for reopening.
Churches, mosques, synagogues are allowed to remain open but must not hold any actual services.
Allowed to remain open: food stores, banks, gas stations, tabacs, press kiosks/shops, and pharmacies.
My husband will come home tomorrow after closing down the restaurant where he works, as he will be on unemployment, given the mandated closure of the establishment where he works.
Funnily enough, my grocery store seemed pretty normal earlier tonight. A little more picked-over than usual, to be sure, but nothing like the completely empty shelves I keep seeing on the news.
Jim, thank you for your post.
Kim, those measures seem prudent to me.
The places you mentioned, for the most part, must remain open and functioning or there would be a full-blown crises.
It seems smart that some are limiting their hours in order to restock and sanitize the store.
Israel . . . we don't seem to be going into a spike in CoVid-10 cases, just a steady increase of new ones (200 as of this morning), so far only 2 in severe condition and no deaths. Hospitals have been using the time to prepare isolation units and delay elective procedures. Last week schools were closed for most of the week for the Purim holiday and are now closed indefinitely. Last week public gatherings were restricted to 100 people, this morning the new restriction is no more than 10 people in indoor venues. Israeli citizens and residents who returned from countries with outbreaks were required to self-quarantine for 14 days, now that requirement has been extended for anyone entering the country - tourists are required to provide a residential address where they can self-quarantine for 2 weeks or they are denied entry into the country.
The daughter of a good friend was going to be married this week. The wedding was originally planned for over 500 guests, including family of the bride from the UK and Ireland, and of the groom from the US. Her overseas family all cancelled their trips as did some of their friends who are here but quarantined. With the prohibition of more than 100 people, last week the couple scrambled to arrange a new venue with only local family and very close friends. This morning they had to cancel the wedding. This is just one story, this month is a huge one for wedding and I'm sure hundreds have been cancelled.
I will probably head to the supermarket this morning to stock up.
In Paris, we scrambled out this morning to get enough food for the day before we fly home tomorrow. The cafe and boulevard where Kim, Kate and I met up yesterday is closed down except for food shops, news kiosk, tabac. Nearly no traffic, saw no buses. Thé police are in vans patrolling.
The problem is all these images if how things are in various areas is like looking into the past. It is like the old days of travel when you friends and relatives sent home post cards. You would get a nice post card of “Big Ben”. With a nice description of how they took a cruise on the a River boat then toured the Tower of London that afternoon.
But the reality is they were at the time you read the post card just coming back down from the Eiffel Tower.
In many ways what we are seeing today is a week or two behind. The number of reported cases today is actually for many days ago. This is why this is different then most other illnesses we are used to. That LONG period were you c an spread the infection and not feel ill.
Douglas, what an apt analogy!
Good work, Douglass.
Douglas,
You should receive the "Post of the Month Award," very, very nicely stated!! Should be mandatory reading for all who think it is a good idea to continue to travel.
We are seeing the numbers ramp up each day here in Tennessee, and with each story one can only imagine the number of people with whom they interfaced....one a worker at a YMCA, then an email to all members a few hours later saying classes cancelled at ALL local YMCAs. Too bad the classes were not cancelled earlier, as a precaution. We are beginning to see more proactive closures from other organizations, though. Interestingly, the county with the most cases (so far) is the State's most affluent county!
Heard last night Apple is closing ALL stores outside of China.
The difference is the central governments in other countries are closing everything down to stop the spread. In the US, it’s city by city, business by business without central planning for either closings or healthcare. In other countries, when businesses are ordered closed, people get unemployment and healthcare continues.
Yes, this exactly. My husband is coming home tomorrow and will be on unemployment for at least a month. But with the government’s commitment, we will be able to continue to pay our mortgage, and hopefully his employer will be positioned to bounce back when this is over.
This is so so important in our ability to navigate this psychologically.
A friend of mine who lives in nearby Hambledon (posh village, home of cricket) sent me a photo from her local shop, shelves stacked full of toilet paper but the newly released Hambledon Classic Cuvee has been completely cleared out. The locals know how best to see out self isolation!
Floridians have a hard time staying "cooped-up." Many are on the beach. The small local restaurant is at 50% capacity because it had to remove chairs from every-other table to create space between diners. Restaurants and stores have stepped-up disinfecting. Many are living a more low-key, more time at home lifestyle. Houses are getting clean; dogs are getting walked; toilet paper hoarding is a thing. Schools are closed until April 15. (Big problem.). Church services are getting canceled.
The USA is slowly developing a "hive" mentality (big government solutions). Losing the pioneer "self-reliance" mentality. (personal and community responses). I understand the need for government. But, I do fear a loss of the "pioneer" mind-set. I don't desire for our society to expect the government to do everything for us rather than "pulling-up our boot straps."
As of 18 March, all retail stores are closed.
Playgrounds, fitness centers, gyms, pools, are closed. Churchs, mosques, temples and other religious buildings are open for individuals, but no services. Groceries, pharmacies, gas stations, pet food stores, are open. No tours of any kind are allowed. Restaurants, bars, cafes can only be open from 6-18:00.
I don't desire for our society to expect the government to do
everything for us rather than "pulling-up our boot straps."
Then keep voting Republican. And if your blissful Florida existence is underwater one day, then do the best you can with those bootstraps. Report back how it goes.
(Bootstraps may be a wee bit too small for the likes of a global pandemic.)
Here in Carmel, California, USA, this was Day #1 of “Shelter-in-Place”. Stay at home except for essential tasks, although you can go for walks or to parks, as long as you do not pass within 6 feet of other humans. This is not optional, it is the law. The initial duration has been set for 3 weeks, although there is speculation that it may last 6, 8, 12 weeks, or even until a vaccine is available, likely a year or more. Good grief! Thankfully, Carmel ain’t too bad a place to be stuck at. Would be very tough, though, to be stuck anywhere in a tiny apartment, with no yard, and a bunch of kids.
Removed by Author.
Time to step away from politics.
Thank God I live in the country - near a town that does not have a red light - so far we are fine. Was in Walmart yesterday a.m and they had no toilet tissue at all, canned goods were low, laundry detergent starting to disappear but praise be, the WINE SECTION is fine! Being in the Bible Belt, we might not run out as fast as the rest of the country. My biggest worry is our Dad who is going on 84 next week (small birthday party this weekend - family only) I stock for him as well so I'm not just being greedy when I shop. I work an hour drive away - even deeper country - those people are ready - good ole country people - they kill deer, their own hogs, cattle, grow gardens, have chickens, ponds with fish in them, and occasionally make their own moonshine - they are not worried (so I will mooch off them) Be safe everyone - till we can all travel again!
The entire of state of California ordered to stay home as of tonight. I hope this works and people comply.
I am chasing the deer around my yard as they munch on my garden plants. I am considering a fence
Big pain in the butt!
Hoarders are quite deservedly being publicly shamed in the press. Some stores are restricting the number of items like toilet paper that one can buy. It's the nadir of selfish narcissism. Again, stressful times brings out the best and worst in people. You really learn the true colors of person during such times.
Some stores are restricting the number of items like toilet paper that one can buy. It's the nadir of selfish narcissism.
I was standing in line at the checkout in a supermarket yesterday and the man in front had two packs of kitchen roll (the maximum allowance per person). The cashier recognised him as coming in earlier but could not be certain whether he bought kitchen roll (it was clearly evident that he had such was the look of guilt on his face). I made it clear to him in no uncertain terms what I thought of him but obviously can't repeat it on here.
Florida Crack-down.
Around 5 pm tonight, the governor of Florida shut-down restaurants except for take-out. Medical offices are shut down except for emergency procedures. (Pain or infection - something that would cause a patient to end-up in the emergency room otherwise.). Even worse - this could last until May 8.
I am a dentist. I now have to crunch numbers and figure out how to get my staff and patients through this. 2 weeks is doable. But, I think I need a longer range plan. At least I have some rum and Bourbon on hand.
So far, I am in one of the lowest risk counties in Florida. No reported cases as yet. I get daily updates from Florida dept. of Health website. Here we go!
Don't come to Florida now unless you have toilet paper.
Regarding kids and spring breaks, where are the parents who are funding the trip? That's the crux of the matter.
Updates for the state of Hessen, 21.03.2020.
*Restaurants must all close today by 12:00. They can offer delivery service or take out only.
*Groups can not be larger than 5 people
*Public transportation will stop at 00:30 and start at 0430, except for the S-8 that will continue to run to the airport and Wiesbaden
*S-bahns will only run every 30 min.
*Pay by card rather than cash when possible
*Night of the Museums has been canceled
*Stores will continue to be closed on Sundays
Grocery stores, pharmacies, drug stores, and the farmer's markets stay open.
JC, if you see anyone else out there that your intuition of their facial expressions gives you cause, give'em hell. Thank you for taking care of us so well.
It's called a Copper's Nose and rarely has it been wrong.
Hey BigMike,
Spring Breakers are age 18 or older. So, technically not kids and most college students who participate in beach vacations make their own travel arrangements. Some may get $$$ from parents. But, I know some just use money from credit cards or loans. (Spend now - pay later).
Going to the beach is not risky for corona virus and can be a good thing. The problem is "spring break" behavior. However, young adults don't want to come to Florida just to sit on a beach and "social distance" themselves.
@ BigMikeWest – “Regarding kids and spring breaks, where are the parents who are funding the trip? That's the crux of the matter.”
My daughters go to school in Tampa and live off campus in a house. They did not go anywhere for Spring break this year. They have gone the last 2 years for which they paid for the trips themselves along with half their tuition every year from money saved from working.
After the initial shock of having everything close, they are pretty much hunkering down like everyone else. No, they were not on the beaches with everyone else shown on the news, although one daughter goes out for the occasional run on Bayshore Blvd.
Not every 20-something is spoiled and irresponsible.
I don’t know any pioneers that can build respirators. Do you?
Before we start targeting people who you “think’ are buying too much remember that everyone’s circumstances are different, regardless of whether you think they look guilty or not.
If the man was genuinely buying for someone else who is unable to shop for themselves then I would have expected to see more provisions. Someone unable to leave the house requires more than kitchen roll! His reply was along the lines of he didn't buy kitchen roll earlier, yet the cashier knew that he did but without having to stop everything and refer to CCTV there was nothing she could do. He could have simply stated he was buying it for an elderly neighbour or whatever but he didn't, he looked guilty and ashamed that he'd been caught out. I've dealt with enough people in my career to know when someone is lying or not, I'm not on a witchhunt, I knew this bloke exactly for what he was.
I make absolutely no apology for my actions. It's people like him who have created this mess with provisions in the first place. It's people like him who have made the vulnerable and elderly panicking that they might be unable to buy the basics.
Reminds me of: https://youtu.be/iqwk7RMrG00
Sun baked and Joann, appreciate your perspectives.
As for hoarding, well, it's often clear that some people are just selfish, plain and simple. Let's call a spade a spade in this era of suffocating political correctness. Stores are now rationing items so everyone can have basic necessities. A simple note from someone unable to shop allows for extras. Belatedly, a little common sense 101.
There is no "thinking someone is guilty" when you see a big mama with two full shopping carts of toilet paper. C'mon.
Helpful? It is helpful in a sense that stores have learned a valuable lesson regarding hoarding that will help them make better decisions in the future; again, rationing.
Emma, you weren't there, you didn't see the bloke's behaviour or his reaction to being confronted. This was as plain a case of being caught out as possible. I don't go around being judge, jury and executioner however on this occasion his actions were blatantly obvious and he deserved my response.
I have no need to defend or justify my actions to those who weren't present and therefore are in no position to judge whether my reaction was appropriate or not.
Hey BigMike,
I appreciate you, your good nature, and your comments. I just returned from grocery shopping. You are right to take a swing at hoarding (again, more severe than just being prepared). Stores have adopted a no refund policy on certain items to dissuade hoarding. Also, limits are good.
It's time now for citizens to take stock of what they have and ask, "Do I have enough for one week?" If the answer is yes - then, back off on certain items - so those in greater need can get a few things.
I pointed to a healthy item and asked my teen if she wanted one. She joked that if she is going to die - then, she doesn't want healthy food as her "last meal."
Somehow, the soda pop companies manage to keep the shelves steadily stocked - good for mixers.
Surprisingly normal here in West Virginia, otherwise known as Best Virginia. Liquor stores are open (thank you, Lord), and no real rush at the grocery and other stores. Rather boring, really, other than the kurfuffle at Wal Mart. We're always out of step 'round here with what's going on in the cities.
I have no problem with public shaming when it's earned. Honor used to mean something, and now many people have no sense of honor or shame. For nearly a decade a phony proudly wore a medal of honor in Florida, giving speeches and being in parades. It matters that such people are called out. It's not OK. In this case the guy earned special privileges that are reserved for those of the highest levels of bravery and valor during combat.
If someone is hoarding items that leave the elderly and vulnerable without, then call them out.
When our thermometer battery died last week, there wasn’t a thermometer locally or via Costco to be bought. And we are required to take our temperatures twice a day by the CDC and local health department. It was 8 pm, we’re in isolation, and were in a real pickle.
Luckily, some octogenarians we know had an extra that they put outside for us to come collect. I’m sure most the thermometers that flew off the shelves are still in their packaging in someone’s closet.
Here in Zürich, Switzerland, where I currently live, things are relatively normal as they can be in the circumstances. I am working from home, no medium-term risk to my job, and I live alone, so I am in a rather advantageous position as one can be on a pandemic, for which I am very grateful. I had major work travel disruption, but that is minor on the grand scheme of things.
Switzerland has a very high infection rate, but we are not (maybe yet) on full-lockdown as Italy or Spain. Public transportation is operating - and very empty. It's nice Spring weather so you see couples of families going out for neighborhood walks. City parks and promenades were closed because there were too many people there.
The government response has been quite swift in terms of mitigating the economic fallout, with measures on salary/income assistance for people who lost jobs or freelancers who cannot work anymore, and grants for small businesses.
There are some worries about people self-isolating in second-homes at tourist locations and mountain destinations; these towns/villages do not have the same medical resources on a per capita basis as cities. This is also a problem in other leisure areas of neighboring countries. The fair and reasonable assumption on normal times is that people who travel are not really the seriously ill, so the temporary swell on population doesn't come with a large swell on critical hospital capacity other than emergency services for hikers with broken legs, skiers rescued from avalanches, people with heatstroke - all things that mean you can quickly remove them elsewhere after initial treatment.
Florida stopped dental offices, out-patient surgical centers, etc. - Friday evening. Then, I watched tv on Sat. Night. Places like NYC have quadruple the need for medical precautions like face masks, gowns, gloves, etc..
So, I wonder if the shut-down of non-emergency medical offices is to reduce risk of spread or to divert resources/supplies to hospitals or both.
The shutdown in Florida is currently to May 8 - much longer than I anticipated.
I like Emma's advice about chilling out on this.
So, back on topic, sorry Frank II.
I spoke with friends in Budapest yesterday, they report something that sounds very much the same as most cities in the US. Right now, 50 confirmed cases and 1 death. They have reduced some their border restrictions, but still off limits to tourism.
With two teenage boys I know full well that my average weekly shopping does not resemble some of the apocalyptic trolleys that some people are attempting to justify. I have never seen such bulk buying prior to the pandemic so the argument about voracious teenage boys is just BS.
The decimation of the beer and cider aisles in my local supermarkets is attributable to what? Elderly neighbours unable to leave their homes? Households of teenagers desperate for their daily tipple of cheap lager? No, it's selfish panic buying and people can try and justify it or put another spin on it but it doesn't alter the reality.
Emma, it's pretty much spot on. The last thing we need are a bunch of vigilantes playing jury and executioner. It would cause 100 times more harm than good. But adversity brings out all sorts of nutz. Better we pull together, accept some latitude and try and be considerate and understanding. If my neighbor is going to go sleepless with out one too many rolls of toilet paper, then maybe it's okay for him to have it And for one, I'm not going to die if I go a week without a beer.
You saying you did buy a few more bottles to tide you over now that you can’t go to the pub JC?
No, I buy my beer and wine from online 'clubs', i bought my usual Bath Lansdown two packs for £9 from Tesco as I usually do, no more. I've even dusted off my home brew kit in anticipation but I haven't bought more than I usually would.
I do, however, agree absolutely with everything you wrote in your preceeding post.
Locally, major stores like Publix still have sales on toilet paper and disinfectant. Perhaps, the stores should be allowed to charge a little extra (certainly, don't put hot items on sale!) to dissuade overbuying.
Florida has shut down its state parks.
We here in the SF Bay Area and specifically in my area.. Marin County have been on shelter in place restrictions since March 16 th.
We have lots of hiking and beach areas and over the weekend many areas were inundated . Smaller coastal towns especially were hard hit with reports of visitors from all around wiping out local small groceries making it difficult for locals to shop. Mostly folks here seem to be taking this seriously and calmly but there are of those who ,as always ,think the rules apply to others , not them.
We love to hike and are going to miss our trails. We are sad that it came to this but we are happy the county cracked down. Social distancing is for everyone's benefit. We are all in this together so while difficult it is the right thing to do.
From our County government......
San Rafael, CA – The Public Health Division of Marin County Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued an order March 22 for the immediate closure of all Marin parks to stem the tide of visitors during the COVID-19 emergency.
The closure will affect agencies and jurisdictions who operate parks and open space in Marin County. Visitors may continue to use paved pathways maintained by the County of Marin, ...….as long as people follow guidelines on social distancing.
The order comes one day after Bay Area residents flocked to Marin locations for recreation, putting vulnerable residents at risk because of unsafe social distancing and traffic that clogged the roads in beach communities...….Marin County Sheriff’s Office said grocery store workers and restaurant personnel were inundated with visitors who were not respecting public health guidelines on keeping six feet away from other people.
“They are experiencing typical summer crowds or even bigger,” “This is creating unsafe conditions for employees working at businesses that are staying open because they are deemed essential. Those workers are being overwhelmed and they are fearful about all the close contact that they’re witnessing.”
Marin’s shelter-in-place order went into effect March 16 along with six other Bay Area jurisdictions, and Governor Gavin Newsom followed with a statewide stay-at-home directive on March 18.
Of course "most people" aren't being selfish. You only need a few with double shopping carts of hand sanitizer and toilet paper to ruin the situation for others, often the most vulnerable. Thankfully, stores around here are limiting customers for certain items. I wonder why they had to do that?
There is nothing wrong with calling out people for hoarding, thus denying others basic necessities. It's the ultimate in selfish narcissism.
Enough with the dissembling and equivocation. Call a spade a spade. Lesson learned next time we must face shortages.
