When it really happens: SHTF...

Today on the way home from work I thought that I would just pop into the larger of my 2 local supermarkets to get a few things, taking the direct route, up an earth bank and through a few shrubs, on foot of-course, arriving in the supermarket carpark, only to be greeted by a dirty great long queue, stretching along one end and one side of the large carpark. So far in the "Virus saga" I've missed out in the experience of the "queue" at the supermarket because, up-till-now, when arriving at a supermarket, the first sign of a queue, I've thought to myself "I can't be arsed with this." and simply gone home with no shopping. Today was different, lovely sunny weather, warm, arrive at the supermarket, dirty great long queue and I think, "I'll have a bit of that." and join the back of the queue.

In-store there must have been some sort of hiatus as no-one was coming out of the store and the queue was going no-where, except getting longer. Who cares it was still sunny and still warm. Eventually the queue started making it's first tentative, baby steps forward, while still religiously maintaining everyone's regulation 2m social distancing requirement. While the queue obtained some forward momentum one of the security guards from the shop made his way along the queue asking if there were any NHS* workers who were entitled to go to the front. :cool:

Out for a few groceries this afternoon, more people are noticeably skittish, and more masks in evidence, gaping airways around the sides of the noses notwithstanding, the placebo effect should be beneficial if one puckers up like a Guppy against the fabric over the mouth. :lol:

The six foot social distancing in the lineup seems good until one remembers that each successively steps into the airspace occupied by the preceding person moments before, and proceeds to further recycle the same air. A line that alternates spacing six feet right and left apparently is beyond our conceptual skills. :ugh:

Flour was completely sold out at one supermarket, but across the road 22lb/10Kg bags were plentiful for $15. (yes, only bought one) Apparently the herd assumed that since one store was empty the other must be and it was too far to go to check? :rolleyes:

As I said to the girl at the till, there must be a lot of folks buying flour who have never baked anything before but their skins. :p

Bought a 1Kg tub of bite em in sea too, but mustn't talk too much about that as wouldn't want to frighten anyone. :runaway::D

I was thinking of a bumper sticker with a couple of sheep pushing a shopping cart full and the caption, "FLOUR: IT'S THE NEW TOILET PAPER!" :lol:

So what they need is something made with flour that causes frequent bowel movements! :dancingbanana:

Well, that's all from me. :cheers:

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Originally Posted by Surpmil

more people are noticeably skittish, and more masks in evidence, gaping airways around the sides of the noses notwithstanding, the placebo effect

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Agreed...

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Originally Posted by Surpmil

Apparently the herd assumed that since one store was empty the other must be and it was too far to go to check?

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I think they have their favorite store and don't go further.

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Originally Posted by Flying10uk

Today was different, lovely sunny weather, warm, arrive at the supermarket, dirty great long queue and I think, "I'll have a bit of that." and join the back of the queue.

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F10, you're wonderfully optimistic there. Well done. :thup:

Enjoy that sun while it lasts!

Yesterday I had exactly the same thought.
One supermarket was too crowded, so I went to another one because I noticed, while driving by, that there was no-one queing in front of it, just to find out that it was still closed:lol:
They changed the opening time and so I settled for a 30 minutes wait, alone, baking in the sun.
At the very end it was just me and two more persons when it opened. We had a nice chat and went in. In a few minutes, more people arrived, but there never was a great queue anyway.
Not too bad.

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Originally Posted by Ovidio

30 minutes wait, alone, baking in the sun.

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Well, you were also UV sterilising at the time, right? ;)

We can say that, yes:D

26C is what we are told by the medico's for water temp and plenty of soap, a funny thing Thursday night I was fueling up at our local servo/pit stop in town and when I walked in there on the news paper stand were single bog rolls at a $1.40/Au ea :lol:
I had a chuckle as I thought of all things a place that sells food and bits for fishing and small auto products they had that on the floor, never thought of a world wide sh*t paper dilema.

But the good thing is they had warnings on the gas pumps to use the sanitizer inside the door when entering I did entering and leaving basically card only purchases as the Govt has now increased the tap & Go to a $200 limit per transaction.

Whist I am here Happy Easter to you all maybe some of you will have a Skype easter egg hunt organised with the grandies good luck & chow.

Hope you had sun screen on Ovidio all those days inside like the rest of us and you may crisp up Lol :madsmile:

I like running numbers because numbers can put things into perspective. I was wondering if the Covid-19 deaths were significant in the grand scheme of things so I ran the numbers this morning.

PA had 29 deaths attributed to Covid-19 yesterday. PA has an average of 371 deaths per day on a "normal" day. Covid-19 is very hard on those with heart disease, lower respiratory conditions, pneumonia, diabetes and the elderly. PA has an average of 161 deaths per day on a "normal" day from these causes. So the question becomes, how many died from Covid-19 or the underlying condition.

NY on the other hand had 798 deaths from Covid-19 yesterday. NY has an average of 165 deaths per day on a "normal" day from the underlying causes. So Covid-19 has increased the daily death toll by at least 633 people. This is pretty significant obviously.

PA had a very early shutdown, NY was encouraging people to act normally when PA was shutdown. Probably the difference.

But it also shows that with social distancing, masks, and other precautions in place this can be managed. Total shutdowns are not needed.

Meanwhile the governor of PA declared all schools closed for the remainder of the year. Online schooling continues. Still no word on opening things up.

Very interesting figures, thank you.
Here it is more or less the same.
Lombardy has been struck first. Most of the initial cases came from a big soccer game and from a cattle fair.
No info at that time that the virus was already here, so it could spread like a wildfire.
After that, once Lombardy went on lockdown and the others followed (not instantly, but still pretty quickly), the situation did not escalate elsewhere.
Lombardy, a part of Veneto and Emilia Romagna were "lost" already, but the rest seems to be holding on pretty well.
Also most of this who fled Milan one month ago, have been intercepted in the south and quarantined.
Let's hope for the best.
Now, new rumours say everybody buttoned-up until May 4th...
I think I'll get crazy.
Yesterday I went out at 10PM and walked up and down in front of home listening to an interesting podcast. 14.071 paces until it ended. For a grand total of 10.1 km. In 110 minutes. Considering all the "about-faces" I had to make, not bad.