A couple of telling numbers

[lenquixote66]

20 minutes ago, clo said:

We're not seeing crowded stores either. Now some shelves may be bare but I can't cure the hoarders 🙂 And when we get home, we wipe down everything we bought with a disinfectant wipe before putting away. And then we wash our hands.

We have been ordering from various stores.I cannot physically go out and my wife only goes out to walk.I posted yesterday on another board:my best friend and his wife were diagnosed yesterday with Corona Virus.He is a retired Hall Of Fame Athlete who was in great physical shape despite his age.His wife is a health care worker.

Anyone can get this virus.

[slidergirl]

15 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

It is tough to think of all the people, just getting by, whose lives are being devastated - I suppose restaurant workers are the hardest hit, followed by hospitality generally.  I’m afraid it will take a very long time for real recovery - and “normal” may be a condition existing only in memory.

I live in a resort town.  Our town council and county board took very quick action when our first "community spread" case (and first case overall) was found.  We had our restaurants closed before it became the norm other places in the country.  Those of us who were hospitality workers were encouraged to self-isolate as we have no idea what tourists were well or ill.  The country sent out press releases asking people to stay away.   We tanked everywhere - restaurants, hotels, ski areas.  I lost my job earlier than I was supposed to and the ability to stay on for the summer was erased.  I'm lucky - I own my home and I can scrape by for a little while (I can't get that unemployment).  But there are all the ski area workers who are all seasonal and expected the season to last through mid-April (at least) suddenly out of work AND out of employee housing (they are out of housing because they are crammed in there like sardines (or crew on a ship) - think 4 people in a 1 bedroom - and suddenly it's not healthy to be unable to social distance in your living quarters...).   It's going to be very hard times in my little town and others who rely on tourism.  In your own hometowns, please visit your local-owned stores and restaurants (get that carryout or curbside service!!!).  The locals are going to be hit hardest first; the "big box" and chains will go on longer.   

 

I'm going to try to import a photo: one of the people from a Cocoa Beach FB group posted it 2 days ago.  It is one of the Carnival ships docked at Port Canaveral.  The crew lit cabin lights to spell out "We'll be back".   Disney ships offshore were running their lightshows at night (you could see from the beach), the crews are out waving when they change spaces at the port (between docking and going out offshore), Disney had their characters out on deck and waving.  They are all trying to keep morale up, it looks like, during this time,  Keep it up!

 

 

[navybankerteacher]

3 hours ago, clo said:

We're not seeing crowded stores either. Now some shelves may be bare but I can't cure the hoarders 🙂 And when we get home, we wipe down everything we bought with a disinfectant wipe before putting away. And then we wash our hands.

Our local grocery has restricted hours from 6:00 to 7:00 AM to over 65’s.  They have started to restock - and are fighting hoarders by actually pulling things out of shopping carts - one pack of toilet paper of paper towels per customer.   We do wipe everything down before putting away - and I think I’ve washed my fingerprints off my hands.  Local pharmacy does not allow people in store - rx’s are delivered and left on front porch. 

[slidergirl]

35 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Our local grocery has restricted hours from 6:00 to 7:00 AM to over 65’s.  They have started to restock - and are fighting hoarders by actually pulling things out of shopping carts - one pack of toilet paper of paper towels per customer.   We do wipe everything down before putting away - and I think I’ve washed my fingerprints off my hands.  Local pharmacy does not allow people in store - rx’s are delivered and left on front porch. 

My local supermarket has done the 7am opening for over 65's, also.  It was more of a zoo than regular operating hours!  It did make me chuckle as I thought about the behavior of these people if they were on a HAL cruise - scooters, yelling, barging in to grab something, challenging someone's age...  😜   We can't go to our local medical facility to get new scrips done if we run out - we have to telemedicine a MD/NP and get them to send the renewal.  

[Lois R]

We have a couple of stores doing that morning SR shopping as well. Publix and Target both offer it.

[lenquixote66]

1 hour ago, navybankerteacher said:

Our local grocery has restricted hours from 6:00 to 7:00 AM to over 65’s.  They have started to restock - and are fighting hoarders by actually pulling things out of shopping carts - one pack of toilet paper of paper towels per customer.   We do wipe everything down before putting away - and I think I’ve washed my fingerprints off my hands.  Local pharmacy does not allow people in store - rx’s are delivered and left on front porch. 

We only have 2 grocery stores in our town .Both open between 6 and 7:30 for seniors.

One of my neighbors was on line from 4 AM and when he got inside the shelves were bare.He was told the store would re stock on Monday.

[ducklite]

On 3/18/2020 at 10:31 PM, navybankerteacher said:

And aren’t many of that 250,000 cruise employees non-US residents employed by non-US countries?

 

(I do not challenge your figure for US restaurant employees - but it does make me wonder why sometimes you have to wait a long while before being handed a menu.)

Yes to your first question.

The restaurant employee number also includes fast food, pizza and Chinese take out, Starbucks, etc.