How Strict Are You With Social Distancing?

[mjkacmom]

I'm really over this whole thing. I don't know one, single person who had covid. My neighbors are all fine, healthy. I do wear a mask when I go out and about, but mainly because I don't want to be "that girl" My state CO is opening back up. I'm thrilled. We NEED to develop herd immunity and staying buckled up tight will never achieve that. Hospitals here are no where near "overwhelmed".

I just read this article. I know doctors and nurses at local hospitals, this is real. This is what we are trying to avoid. https://njmonthly.com/articles/health/first-responders-coronavirus/

 

[jo-jo]

First of all, we stayed out of stores for 8 weeks. We did walmart pickup or bj delivery . About 2 weeks ago, I went into a store during senior hours to pick up a few things. I felt like I was playing candy land with all the arrows on the floor going this way and that and the spots you had to wait.

We are still shopping using walmart pickup.

But I have a question. When this all started , we didn't need to wear a mask , we were told stay 6 ft away. Now we all are wearing masks but are still told 6 feet away. I'm almost positive I saw Dr Birx the other day saying if you can't stay 6 ft away , wear a mask. Has anyone else heard this type of information?

 

[mjkacmom]

First of all, we stayed out of stores for 8 weeks. We did walmart pickup or bj delivery . About 2 weeks ago, I went into a store during senior hours to pick up a few things. I felt like I was playing candy land with all the arrows on the floor going this way and that and the spots you had to wait.

We are still shopping using walmart pickup.

But I have a question. When this all started , we didn't need to wear a mask , we were told stay 6 ft away. Now we all are wearing masks but are still told 6 feet away. I'm almost positive I saw Dr Birx the other day saying if you can't stay 6 ft away , wear a mask. Has anyone else heard this type of information?

This is science, we learn more about this virus on a daily basis, the more we know, the better. We know that it is very contagious.

 

[rigs32]

I don't want to develop permanent lung damage in an attempt to gain herd immunity. I will only have outdoor socially distant gatherings with people who have been taking this seriously. We declined a family gathering that would have included two people that have been essential employees this whole time and neither has been taking precautions. It's not worth wasting all the time and effort we've put in just to get sick after a party.

I'm an attorney and currently doing my first hearing via skype. I don't see how in person hearings/trials can be conducted anytime soon as anyone inside the courthouse must be masked and it's tough to evaluate a witness's nonverbal communication when half their face is covered.

 

[Colleen27]

I'm somewhere in the middle.

I wear a mask any time I'm in an indoor public venue, even for quick trips, but not outdoors. Distancing outdoors is pretty easy in my area, especially since the parks that even should have been closed have started reopening so there's something more like the usual ratio of green space to people, and the science is coalescing around indoor settings and prolonged interaction being the primary concern for spread. I'm back to going to my mom's to help out, which also means doing her shopping for her because she's not going to stores (which, in her area, are day-before-a-holiday crowded pretty much all the time right now).

And we are going to be doing some traveling this summer, within the limits of the local restrictions in the places we'll be visiting and with our masks on of course. The summer here is likely to be cancelled because the governor put my rural county in with the Detroit metro in the reopening zones, even though we've had about a tenth the infection rate of the suburban/urban counties. Nothing local will be allowed to reopen until Detroit can, and a lot of local rec facilities have already decided that because of that uncertainty, anything that requires staff (like public pools and beaches) will not open this year. So we're going to spend some time elsewhere, where swimming and playing on a playground is not breaking any laws.

I am still social distancing & masking. Just hearing the news that the states that pretty much have opened nearly fully now have a major uptick in Covid. Florida, Georgia, Virginia, Alabama, Maryland, Mississippi, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, California and Arizona - really is worth your life or infecting loved ones to get a tan or haircut. Very very selfish to me.

If you have to work, as do I & DH, that is one thing but just because you are bored.

Remember that "uptick" is inherently relative, and that the media has incentives to frame the data in the most alarming way to get the most views and shares. FL and GA, for example, are basically flat - they've literally "flattened the curve", though we've since decided that isn't good enough - but fluctuations within the trend line are still significant enough that one day can be 20 or 30% higher than the previous day (or lower, but that's not newsworthy). And case counts are still not a very good metric because they're highly influenced by the rate of testing. The percentage positive and effective R0 are both better measures of an outbreak's trajectory, because they aren't as subject to big swings because more tests are run on Tuesday than on Sunday or because testing a specific population (like a prison) caused a one-day spike.

I've been watching Georgia, in particular, with interest because it has been a month since they reopened most things and from what I've heard from friends who live there, mask compliance has generally been low. But they haven't seen the huge spike in new cases that many anticipated/predicted - they're seeing a steady level of new cases, which would be in keeping with the idea of flattening the curve rather than of elimination (which is the strategy many seem to have moved towards), but no big spikes that would overwhelm the hospitals. I think that's a good sign, a signal that maybe the fears surrounding reopening are overblown (as fears tend to be with something this new - I'm old enough to remember when people worried about getting AIDS from public toilets), but some are so determined to see only reasons for caution that they cannot accept good data at face value.

 

[godisney14]

I'm almost positive I saw Dr Birx the other day saying if you can't stay 6 ft away , wear a mask. Has anyone else heard this type of information?

That comment by Dr Birx was part of her response to a reporter’s question asking about her opinion of a certain person not wearing a mask. She had to say something.


In any case, getting back to topic.
I am still following all precautionary guidelines. I don’t get the people who protest and argue against wearing masks and distancing. Is it that maddening to be socially mindful and slightly inconvenienced to wear a mask?
And I am definitely not going into other people’s houses yet.

 

[Colleen27]

But I have a question. When this all started , we didn't need to wear a mask , we were told stay 6 ft away. Now we all are wearing masks but are still told 6 feet away. I'm almost positive I saw Dr Birx the other day saying if you can't stay 6 ft away , wear a mask. Has anyone else heard this type of information?

The evolving position on masks had to do with two factors. One was limited supply and a fear that a general public mask recommendation would prompt a buying spree that would make things even worse for our medical professionals. Most disposable masks are made in Asia, many in China, so when this thing initially hit there were major supply-side disruptions and no one wanted to create a demand surge on top of it. The second was some lab testing that showed most masks as ineffective at blocking virus particles. However, these were done under lab conditions (spray directly into mask, swab the outside for testing) and were very sensitive because the aim was to determine best protective practices for medical settings. Since then, it has become apparent both in lab simulations of real-world transmission conditions and in data from mask-wearing countries that masks do have a containing effect. Which makes sense when you think about it - the guy next to you at the store isn't going to be licking your mask, so the question of viruses on the outer surface of the mask itself is moot; the question is how well it stops droplets from carrying into the open air around you.

 

[bcla]

I try the best I can, but sometimes it's impossible in a given location. How can you really do that in a retail business where the aisles are maybe 5 feet wide.

The one thing I can't figure out is why stores haven't rearranged their layouts to make it easier for customers to avoid other customers. I know at Walmart they've claimed that they are moving to one door in and one door out, but I haven't seen that locally. At my local Target store there's a nice wide aisle running by the checkouts. Then they've left in place the portable racks and displays right in the middle of the aisle. They could remove them or even just put them to the sides. I know they're supposed to be ultra-visible, but they need to reassess their layout.

Some stores have one-way aisles, but I haven't seen them being enforced. There are also people who insist on standing in the middle of an aisle. And then there are the checkout lines that go into the aisle and make it impossible to distance when looking for items.

 

[godisney14]

I try the best I can, but sometimes it's impossible in a given location. How can you really do that in a retail business where the aisles are maybe 5 feet wide.

The one thing I can't figure out is why stores haven't rearranged their layouts to make it easier for customers to avoid other customers. I know at Walmart they've claimed that they are moving to one door in and one door out, but I haven't seen that locally. At my local Target store there's a nice wide aisle running by the checkouts. Then they've left in place the portable racks and displays right in the middle of the aisle. They could remove them or even just put them to the sides. I know they're supposed to be ultra-visible, but they need to reassess their layout.

Some stores have one-way aisles, but I haven't seen them being enforced. There are also people who insist on standing in the middle of an aisle. And then there are the checkout lines that go into the aisle and make it impossible to distance when looking for items.

IMO, stores have given up on precautionary measures. Have you realized that stores, except for Whole Foods, stopped capping capacity inside? (At least in my area). No more lines in the middle of the day at places I’ve been to. Employees are obviously cautious, but management is now more concerned about sales numbers. Take Costco for example, in the beginning of the shut down, they had barriers at the entrance to physically separate the ingress/egress, lines to limit number of customers inside, employees walking around with signs telling people to distance. Those are now all gone. The only precautionary measures they have now are floor markers to separate customers at checkout lines and the plexiglass between cashier and customer.

 

[bcla]

IMO, stores have given up on precautionary measures. Have you realized that stores, except for Whole Foods, stopped capping capacity inside? (At least in my area). No more lines in the middle of the day at places I’ve been to. Employees are obviously cautious, but management is now more concerned about sales numbers. Take Costco for example, in the beginning of the shut down, they had barriers at the entrance to physically separate the ingress/egress, lines to limit number of customers inside, employees walking around with signs telling people to distance. Those are now all gone. The only precautionary measures they have now are floor markers to separate customers at checkout lines and the plexiglass between cashier and customer.

Not around here. Pretty much all stores have security guards counting customers and doors closed to make it easier to count entries/exits through a limited number of openings.

I went to a local farmers market on the weekend. It was really bizarre. We got there early, didn't find what we wanted, and took a walk around the neighborhood. When I got back to the car I noticed they were restricting entrance because it was too crowded.

I bought something at Office Depot yesterday. They were locking the door and opening it to let customers in/out.

 

[Walt4ever]

Flame suit on.

I have continued to work 40 hours a week at the office throughout. As has at least half my city. We sit elbow to elbow at the table in the kitchen at lunch. None of us wear masks, nor have we during this whole ordeal. I have continued to see and hug my adult kids when they visit. My youngest resumed sleepovers weekend before last. It was friends parents restricting them, not me. Some of her friends are still in lockdown, but a few have been freed. She's trying to organize enough to go to an escape room together (it was able to re-open last weekend). Some of her friends have family members more at risk, so they quite rightfully need to continue isolation. We don't have anyone that would have anything more than flu symptoms as a result of catching it, so if we haven't already, it's no big deal if one of us gets it.

I can't wear a mask, but wouldn't if I could as I believe in math, not propaganda. Assuming that those tested positive are all symptomatic (which they aren't, some are tested for "fun" - how getting the back of your skull touched is fun is beyond me - and some are because they knew they were exposed), that they are all unique (again, they aren't, some of the counts are the same person testing positive on multiple days, waiting for the negative to know they are over it), but let's assume they are all symptomatic and unique and that 75% of those with an active case are asymptomatic, never tested, so we don't know about them. That means right at 1% of the entire state, at most, are currently walking around asymptomatic and exposing people. Your state may vary, but it's just about like that everywhere, if not less. That's math. If I were to just look at my city, the % would be even lower. The likelihood of me standing within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes, AND being part of that 1%, AND breathing on someone that could die from it (i.e. immunocompromised or in a high risk group), is extraordinarily low. What small risk exists only affects those people most at risk who are making their own choice to go out, knowing that there is a risk that they could be exposed, whether or not I am wearing a mask. So their potential illness or death is on them. Not on me. They don't HAVE to go to a garden center, or out to eat at a restaurant, or to Disney for that matter. "Protecting the workers", yeah, they don't have to be there either really as most, if not all, are given the option of staying home if they are at a higher risk. I know there are exceptions, and those exceptions need to be protected if they don't feel safe going to work. Given how the majority of workers at the grocery store, home improvement, etc., have their masks on their chins or necks, with some not having them at all, most of the ones I encounter are as concerned as I am.

I do not visit my brother who lives in a nursing home. Wouldn't go with a mask either, nor standing 12 feet away. I do not go shopping during senior hours. But I do go to the store a few times a week as normal. I do the little tape lines at check out, it's pointless, but not a big deal. I am not concerned if the person behind me doesn't. The plexi sneeze shields are mostly a joke as well since everyone steps just to the side of them where the card machine is. I completely ignore the silly one way signs on the aisles, as does everyone else. If I see someone elderly while out shopping, while I believe it is their choice to be there during a non-senior hour, I do avoid walking near them if I can avoid it unless they ask for help or want to talk. An older woman asked my husband at the store on Sunday to get something off the top shelf for her. He offered to put it directly in her basket, but she moved closer to take it directly from him instead. Her choice. From their perspective, while the heart might be in the right spot trying to avoid them, the result is that a lot of seniors feel isolated. You never know, maybe they didn't have transportation available during the senior hour window, or they need to be able to socialize.

If anything, I shop more often as everywhere is still out of a lot of things, or prices are rediculous, especially on meat, so I have to shop around more. Have been out to eat 4 or 5 times since restaurants were allowed to re-open 10 days ago. At Lowes last night, went to look at water pumps. There was someone standing there already (20-ish?), so stopped a few feet away to give him space. He started up a conversation as we were both pondering which pump would be best for our respective projects. As one does when chatting friendly-like, he ended up moving closer. He wasn't concerned. I wasn't concerned. No big deal. If he had an underlying condition that wasn't evident, and I unknowingly have the virus and gave it to him just from chatting for a few minutes, and he ends up dying, aside from something around a 0.00001% chance of that happening ... that's life and is on him for choosing to go to Lowes and looking at pumps.

If the potential of death from catching this virus, or any other coronavirus (they have been around for at least 50 years - a 2005 strain that still floats about put my brother in the hospital in March of this year) is high for you personally or someone in your family that you see often, then you probably shouldn't be going out. If you accept the risk and choose to go out, that is your decision and should not have anything to do with me. If anything, assume the worse when you make your decision to go out. Assume not only that the asymptomatics are more like 50% of the general population, but assume that the symptomatics are out there too with Tylenol and Dayquil masking their symptoms and getting them thru the temp checks.

 

[disneychrista]

. I know at Walmart they've claimed that they are moving to one door in and one door out, but I haven't seen that locally.

My Walmart is one in one out. But the thing I don’t understand is they are rearranging the products. So now you have to wander around to find where the dish soap or bleach is now.

 

[mjkacmom]

IMO, stores have given up on precautionary measures. Have you realized that stores, except for Whole Foods, stopped capping capacity inside? (At least in my area). No more lines in the middle of the day at places I’ve been to. Employees are obviously cautious, but management is now more concerned about sales numbers. Take Costco for example, in the beginning of the shut down, they had barriers at the entrance to physically separate the ingress/egress, lines to limit number of customers inside, employees walking around with signs telling people to distance. Those are now all gone. The only precautionary measures they have now are floor markers to separate customers at checkout lines and the plexiglass between cashier and customer.

Still strict here at all places, lines outside.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The one thing I can't figure out is why stores haven't rearranged their layouts to make it easier for customers to avoid other customers.

I would imagine it's space constraints. Most of what you're going to have issues with is in the grocery aisles if you're at a store that has that along with other items (like Walmart and Target) you're not going to have much wiggle room.

Costco I did notice at the one near me pushed their snacks away from near the registers and put clothing items there instead but at a further distance back so they could have several 6ft markers near the checkouts. Costco however has a lot of room to do this.

Take Costco for example, in the beginning of the shut down, they had barriers at the entrance to physically separate the ingress/egress, lines to limit number of customers inside, employees walking around with signs telling people to distance. Those are now all gone. The only precautionary measures they have now are floor markers to separate customers at checkout lines and the plexiglass between cashier and customer.

However, Costco requires all customers to wear masks. Some of these measures may not be seen as needed. Costco reduced how many people could come in with a given membership but has since removed that requirement, they've also increased their hours which were previously reduced. I suspect you'll find differences among stores that have a mask policy and ones that don't. If you require all your customers to wear a mask (which is now tantamount to still keeping distance) you've probably reduced your need to rely on the other aspects.

 

[tvguy]

Please remember what we see on the media is not what "everyone" is doing. I believe most persons are consciously doing what is right: wearing masks while shopping and social distancing. Visiting with a friend is good. I just invited a friend over on Memorial Day. WE sat outside on my patio and talked for 2 hours. I wish her husband would have joined us, but he has MS, is on a drug therapy and decided it was in his best interest to stay home. And this is why we all should consider our actions when out and about because it is about ALL of us, not just ONE.

The "media" is only reporting what IS happening . But when I was at the grocery store and Walmart Sunday only about half the customers had masks despite big signs at the entrances "advising" all customers wear masks. And we are having regular protests here at the State Capitol in opposition to restrictions. https://www.abc10.com/article/news/...ally/103-25fe6999-ed12-440c-a714-0ccf4ea617fb

 

[tvguy]

IMO, stores have given up on precautionary measures. Have you realized that stores, except for Whole Foods, stopped capping capacity inside? (At least in my area). No more lines in the middle of the day at places I’ve been to. Employees are obviously cautious, but management is now more concerned about sales numbers. Take Costco for example, in the beginning of the shut down, they had barriers at the entrance to physically separate the ingress/egress, lines to limit number of customers inside, employees walking around with signs telling people to distance. Those are now all gone. The only precautionary measures they have now are floor markers to separate customers at checkout lines and the plexiglass between cashier and customer.

At least on Sunday Walmart here still had an employee counting people going in and coming out, so it is strictly being enforced here.

 

[tvguy]

Still strict here at all places, lines outside.

No lines here

 

[Colleen27]

IMO, stores have given up on precautionary measures. Have you realized that stores, except for Whole Foods, stopped capping capacity inside? (At least in my area). No more lines in the middle of the day at places I’ve been to. Employees are obviously cautious, but management is now more concerned about sales numbers. Take Costco for example, in the beginning of the shut down, they had barriers at the entrance to physically separate the ingress/egress, lines to limit number of customers inside, employees walking around with signs telling people to distance. Those are now all gone. The only precautionary measures they have now are floor markers to separate customers at checkout lines and the plexiglass between cashier and customer.

It depends on where you're at, and whether the capacity limits are a matter of corporate/store policy or are required by the state. Our stores are still limiting customer counts, though some in my area abandoned counting after realizing that even busy days were below the state rules for reduced capacity - no surprise there, since the local Kroger is a 150,000 sq ft store in a town of 4500 people. But in my mom's suburban area, stores are still allowing entry at only one set of doors so they can keep tabs on overall customer counts and stopping people from entering as needed.

 

[Feralpeg]

I wear a mask anytime I am out of the house/yard or the car. I try to be aware of distance to strangers in stores. For the most part, I've only gone to the grocery store. I did go to Target to pick up a couple of items. I immediately use a Lysol wipe when I get to my car.

A friend of my daughter has been to the house a couple of times. I know that she has been quarantining, so I'm not terribly concerned. My daughter did go on a date, but they sat outside at a restaurant away from others. They both wore masks except when eating.

I am not fearful, but I am cautious. Since I am currently undergoing chemo treatment and my counts are low, I will continue to take precautions. My daughter has systemic Lupus, so that is also a reason for care.

 

[Walt4ever]

But I have a question. When this all started , we didn't need to wear a mask , we were told stay 6 ft away. Now we all are wearing masks but are still told 6 feet away. I'm almost positive I saw Dr Birx the other day saying if you can't stay 6 ft away , wear a mask. Has anyone else heard this type of information?

That's exactly what the CDC says: "CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain." It's the politicians and media that have coerced the recommendation into all the time.