Topic: Global Pandemic Lockdown

[Click'd]

For me as a semi-professional shut-in everything is the same as always.

[PlayPretend]

Everything's locking down in NY state...just had the first confirmed case in my Onondaga County, and I'm nervous about my sore throat/exhaustion/headache, although it's probably stress based.

All my friends are equally freaked out and trying to stay calm and positive.  Mostly we're all just nervous about not being able to work and get paid.

The stores are spooky right now...so many things gone, Americans panic-buying toilet paper, canned goods, meds and water.  It feels...shameful?...when you shop, like even if you legitimately need something, you're depriving someone else.  People are scuttling around and not looking at each other.

On the plus side, like others said, more time to make AGS games!   And my DND nerd friends are planning to play by webcam since we can't get together.  I'm also exploring making a comedy podcast about a world repeatedly hit by apocalypses.

I hope you're all doing great, staying healthy and calm, and loving your neighbors from six feet or more. 

[Laura Hunt]

I'm also exploring making a comedy podcast about a world repeatedly hit by apocalypses.

https://thehardtimes.net/culture/cdc-warns-against-starting-podcasts-while-quarantined/

“We ask all Americans to stay vigilant and resist the temptation to unleash something on our population much, much worse than the virus itself.”

Sorry, couldn't help it

[WHAM]

Finland just declared its first real actions yesterday, and we're enacting some emergency laws in the near future, for sake of readiness.

We're not testing people for the disease, so Finland is not reporting any meaningful numbers to indicate spread of the Wuhan virus at this time. Only people with severe symptoms will be tested to confirm a preliminary diagnosis, and all non-essential care in hospitals is being postponed.

Some of the measures decided by the Government, effective as of today, active until 14th of April unless new guidelines are set before then:

- Early childhood education and care units and the pre-primary education organised in connection with them will be kept in operation.
- The premises of schools will be closed down.
- Public gatherings are limited to no more than ten persons.
- Preparations will be launched for the closure of Finland’s borders without delay in accordance with international obligations.
- Passenger transport to Finland will be suspended as soon as possible, with the exception of the return of Finnish citizens and persons residing in Finland.
- Finnish citizens and persons residing in Finland must not travel abroad. Finnish tourists abroad are advised to return to Finland immediately.
- Finns and permanent residents in Finland returning from abroad will be placed in quarantine-like conditions for two weeks.
- Persons returning from abroad must agree on the date of their return to work after a two-week period of absence together with their employer

As for myself, I bought 3+ weeks of foodstuffs so I can comfortably wait out the first phase of all this. Got a bunch of flour, dry yeast, sugar and salt so I can make more bread as the store bought stuff will go bad or run out.
We got instructed to work from home anyway, so I'm holed up in my home now.

...which is pretty much the normal state of affairs for me anyway.

[PlayPretend]

Lol, awesome. I already saw a couple spring up too, they're like mushrooms! 🍄☁️

I'm also exploring making a comedy podcast about a world repeatedly hit by apocalypses.

https://thehardtimes.net/culture/cdc-warns-against-starting-podcasts-while-quarantined/

“We ask all Americans to stay vigilant and resist the temptation to unleash something on our population much, much worse than the virus itself.”

Sorry, couldn't help it

[Snarky]

Yeah, that's pretty funny. I particularly liked the end:

The CDC concluded the address by reminding citizens that they have their own podcast where they break down pandemics throughout the centuries, and to use the promo code “CDC” to get 15% off a purchase of Casper Mattresses.

Is there any podcast with sponsoring that isn't sponsored by Casper?

[ManicMatt]

As you might have seen in my working in progress thread (If anyone actually reads my posts there other than CassieBSG lol) you'll see I feel like I have an unknown deadline to finish my game. If something happens to me, it's going to languish on my hard drive or get delayed who knows how long. If I lose a loved one, I'm not going to be wanting to work on it at all. And I really could do with some money coming in, no matter how small!

[Mandle]

I really don't get the logic behind this 500 people limit to gatherings.
If I go to an event with 100,000 people there are 500 people around me at any given time.
If I go to an event with 500 people there are 500 people around me at any given time.
There is pretty much no difference.

[ManicMatt]

And those 500 people have another 500 people around them, and those 500 people also have 500 people around them. And so on.

Imagine a forest on fire, and then imagine a small park on fire, with the trees getting set on fire and spreading. Which one is going to be worse?

[Ali]

Yes, the likelihood of infection might not increase for any one person, but for a group of 100,000 it's got to be about 200 times higher than 500?

[MiteWiseacreLives!]

Stopped by to see if this thread had begun, worried for my old AGS friends. It’s good to read that most seem to be doing fine, very sad about Ghost late last year...
I live in Canada and things started getting a little panicky on Thursday the 12th. I work in a grocery store/supermarket and we got completely caught off guard by a wave of panic buying I’ve never seen in 23yrs doing this work, the shopping only intensified as the weekend went. We are asking everyone to work overtime, some of our team is falling sick (not to Corona though), I’ve been working 14hr days, it’s madness. People are all stocking up for an apocalypse and fear there is no supply, although we get deliveries every couple days we cannot keep up with the volume is all, perhaps in a week everyone will have there homes so jammed with groceries the can begin isolating. We finally got our first huge shipment (4x normal) yesterday, my feet hurt this morning  the logistics are very strained, so the stock in the warehouses cannot get to the stores quickly enough. Our shelves are annihilated, but we will not be out of food by any stretch. The varied responses we get from customers regarding limiting purchases are very interesting, most understand when I say think of your neighbours, others flip out and describe some medical condition that requires more than 30 rolls of TP in three days 
Schools are closed for the year in every province from what I understand, here you’re current grade is now your final grade. Gatherings of 50  are cancelled, any large event in the next three months is cancelled. Borders are closed to foreigners, except the US border which if closed would severely impact the supply chain etc. The PM is urging citizens to ‘social distance’ and stay home, not to buy more than you need and think of your neighbours (some people are...)
My wife and son will be off, I will have to work a lot in the near future as grocery stores are an essential service. Grocery store workers get exposed to so much sickness in normal times, part of me worries that my coworkers and I will all get sick as we overwork everyone and serve three times the normal customers! (We are cleaning and sanitizing as much as possible)
I hope all of you stay healthy, sorry for the wall of text. This is such a great and diverse community, it’s incredible to come here and read perspectives from around the world.

[Mandle]

And those 500 people have another 500 people around them, and those 500 people also have 500 people around them. And so on.

Imagine a forest on fire, and then imagine a small park on fire, with the trees getting set on fire and spreading. Which one is going to be worse?

True... I was trying to say that we shouldn't have a ridiculous number like 500 at the limit. It should be much lower.

[ManicMatt]

Oh, I definitely agree with that, 500 is absurd.

[Cassiebsg]

Well, they started with 1000... a couple days past and they decided it should be 100... a couple days passed and we're down to 10... soon we'll have to break the families up, in their own house if they're more than 10. 

Just been to the shop to buy a few groceries, now they have added markings on the floor for the cue lines, 2m apart, that's 4m2 for each costumer. Also the cashier had gloves and they added a plexy glass in front of the cashier. Oh, forgot to buy TP... 

[milkanannan]

Yeah, that's pretty funny. I particularly liked the end:

The CDC concluded the address by reminding citizens that they have their own podcast where they break down pandemics throughout the centuries, and to use the promo code “CDC” to get 15% off a purchase of Casper Mattresses.

Is there any podcast with sponsoring that isn't sponsored by Casper?

Yeah, no kidding ~ they seem to be  on every podcast these days. I wish they’d give it a rest. Deep, refreshing rest, in fact, the kind of rest you only get with a quality mattress like Casper.

[Snarky]

Is anyone else starting to get jealous of the smug bastards who've already been through a mild case of corona, and are now free to run around anywhere, go to restaurants without worrying about a reservation, fly around the world cheaply, get coughed on by strangers, touch their face with abandon, lick doorknobs, do without toilet paper, turn 90, become immunocompromised and just generally have a blast without a care in the world?

[Cassiebsg]

Not really, cause they can't really do all that anyway. Everything is closed, they can't travel and all the restricting still apply to then as well, since they doubtfully get a doctor's attest saying they've had Corona and can't be free to do what they like.

But at least they, hopefully, don't have to worry about catching or infecting anyone with covid-19 any more and can claim they survived it... so a little jealous for that. Now they only have to worry about all the other tons of thousands sickness one can catch. 

[Laura Hunt]

Is anyone else starting to get jealous of the smug bastards who've already been through a mild case of corona, and are now free to run around anywhere, go to restaurants without worrying about a reservation, fly around the world cheaply, get coughed on by strangers, touch their face with abandon, lick doorknobs, do without toilet paper, turn 90, become immunocompromised and just generally have a blast without a care in the world?

Hahaha well, I'm immunocompromised myself so I try not to lick doorknobs (try) or have people cough on me (too often), but otherwise yeah! Bastards! The Government should conscript these people into becoming like, shabbos goyim, but for folks in quarantine/isolation: running errands, getting medicines, shopping for groceries... THAT would wipe that smug smile from their faces, hah.

[LimpingFish]

Ireland's on the cusp of total lock-down. Everything that's non-essential will be off-limits. Pubs are already closed, theaters and cinemas too, with sporting events and concerts cancelled. Certain retail chains remain open, but this is expected to change fairly quickly. Social distancing is in effect, as well as precautions such as complimentary hand sanitizer and gloves are mandatory in some supermarkets and pharmacies. Public transport is also enforcing social distancing; being told a bus with ten people on it is full remains a strange experience.

Using these methods, we're hoping to slow infections to a manageable rate, rather than prevent infections altogether (which is nigh on impossible). We still haven't been hit with the worst of it, though, having under five hundred confirmed cases. This number is expected to skyrocket into the thousands by this time next week.

Strange times, indeed.

Stay safe, everyone! o/

...

Oh, and fuck those people stockpiling everything they can get their hands on. And double-fuck those profiteering bastards buying up hand sanitizer and reselling it at quadruple the price.

[Mandle]

I must admit, I got a chuckle out of the news story of the company that makes Corona beer coincidentally launching their new line of drinks "Corona Hard Cider", right at this time with the ad campaign showing cargo boats shipping the stocks all over the world with the tag-line "Coming ashore soon".

Talk about bad timing.