last weekend, my mother, 80+ and an asthmatic, was still talking about going to NYC in April to visit my sisters.....and at least 1 of my sisters was still encourging her. i was really annoyed with them, and hoping that they come to their senses this week.....

Nice to have this place to talk about our situations and concerns.
In my twisted way I was tempted to post a WIW to go get my Covid 19 test. It was my first time away from the house in over a week so somehow which shoes to wear had great importance. The turtleneck with the tight sleeves was a mistake as they had to take blood as well as several throat/ nose swabs (and also because I wish I had worn something more washable (or disposable)). The team in our special negative pressure room were wearing full tyveck suits with hoods and full face masks and a strap on gizmo that I think was filtering the air they were breathing and forcing it out of the suit. But that’s just a guess.
On a positive note we were one of the few first they had tested so the hospital was calm and we didn’t wait long. The downside is that our state doesn’t have local testing yet so it will be a couple of days before results are back. (And that’s down from a week prior when the turnaround was 8 days for test results as they were being sent to the CDC)

No cases on kiddo's (SoCal community college) campus reported yet, but he just got word that they're switching to remote instruction until at least late April. I would expect my husband's work to take similar measures before too long, as they've done so in Asia already. I'm glad US locales are starting to take this more seriously.

Schools, universities and public events are running as usual here. We do have restrictions on arrivals from four countries. NZ has five- seven cases, one was a hospitalisation the others more minor. But I expect it to change as do authorities.

My Dad is supposed to be heading to the US next month on a friendship exchange and then a coach tour. I am watching this space. He is fit strong fully insured and 80! We will make a call soon.

A couple of thoughts- it is a shock because for many of us times have been peaceful and economies have been doing okay. We have had lots of freedom. Changing that is hard and disruptive.

I am a fan of WW2 fiction and movies - and during the blitz women sourced nylons and went dancing and had fun. I am not comparing the two - but I think distraction and laughter and comradery is important.

I think a big danger in these situations is that people protect themselves and their family by abandoning others. Either on an individual level or a national level. I was hearted to see China supplying extra masks to Europe. I am disheartened to see EBay sellers profiteering off shortages.

A forum like this brings us all closer together.

I think it's about to get real here in more parts of the States, quite soon. Of course I live on the highly populated eastern seaboard, and a case was just discovered in my county today. We have no widespread testing, so I would guess that our rates of infection are way higher than we think.

My husband's business has gotten the news that their client (a Fortune 500 company in the hospitality industry) is suspending all projects and will be letting people go. Earnings and stocks are tanking. Events are being canceled all over the place. Schools are being closed. This all will have far-reaching implications, even for those who are lucky enough to not have their health affected.

We've stocked up on some necessities and are prepared to work from home as much as possible. We are lucky we are in a position to do that, and we are lucky that even taking a huge hit to our earning potential this year, we will be OK. Not everyone can weather a storm like what's coming.

I'm concerned about the social isolation component of preventing the spread of this virus. I know it's necessary to help "flatten the curve" and slow the rate of infection, but personally, I'm already feeling the effects on my mental state. I've been flirting around the edges of depression lately, and being isolated at home is not always good for me (even though the introvert in me craves that alone time in carefully measured doses!).

Big hugs and support to anyone out there who is affected by this, to all who are worried or fearful. Let's help each other through.

Shiny, I cooked the artichokes under pressure for 20 minutes. They were on a trivet over water. I let the pressure out as fast as possible. I had one for lunch. I thought it was delicious. I had some mayo (Best Foods) for the heart. These were extremely large. If they were smaller, they might need less time. I wrapped the others in saran wrap for later. My husband grew up in Texas and is not interested in these at all. More for me!!!

Reporting from Seattle - the US epicenter of the coronavirus. It is QUIET. Stores and retail are QUIET. It breaks my heart. Business is suffering, and so are the people whose livelihoods this affects. The impact is huge.

Generally, people here are calm and proactive. It's a good feeling.

Grocery stores, petrol stations, PT clinic, and drug stores - BUSY. Lots of dog walking too.

All private schools and public varsities closed till end of April. Most people working from home. All events cancelled. No gatherings with 250+ people allowed. People at risk are strongly advised to stay at home.

We are carrying on as regularly as we can. Greg is working from home. I am working with some clients, and have shopped with them over the last few weeks. VERY carefully. Not sure if this will continue.

We are about to make a decision on our travel plans.

We are calm, organized, prepared, strong, and doing what we can for old parents who live very far away. Also helping others where we can.

BrieN, I am glad you had a god hospital experience and great that you will have the results sooner than expected. Hang in there!

bonnie, hang in there! Talk to your hubs and children for guidance.

Sal, Greg and I are big WW2 movie and TV show fans too! HIGH FIVE. My parents lived through it in Europe and the Pacific.

Janet, YES, let's support each other, stay positive, level-headed, and take it one day at a time.

The only way out is through. Sensibly, supportively, and calmly we will weather the storm. Things are already improving in China and Hong Kong, which is very encouraging.

Universities in our state are prolonging spring break and having classes online until mid-April. But our public school is not yet affected (rural area). I still have an in-person university class Saturday.

All good thoughts to the YLF community as we navigate all that must be modified, as well as the possibility of serious illness in ourselves and loved ones. I am also concerned for all those whose livelihoods are challenged. I appreciate the wise words of all who participate and thank you, Angie for sharing your wise perspective from Seattle.

Just to make you laugh - Australia has gone into toilet paper meltdown. For some very strange reason, people are not worried about a lack of food or medication - it is toilet paper that they are stocking up on.

https://www.news.com.au/world/.....ff9cdf3ede

You have to get to the store first thing in the morning to buy the stuff and people are stealing rolls from work. I still have a 12 pack at home, so no emergency yet. I am hoping sanity will prevail and we will not need to cue up in the early morning just to purchase this basic.

Other than that, we are yet to be impacted and have very good medical facilities. Australians are a weird lot - we will look after each other EXCEPT not when it comes to toilet paper it seems.

Angie and others in Seattle, how are your hospitals doing? Wondering how the staff are managing the volume of patients and praying for them.

It became much more real for me late last night, when the University where I teach organ announced that, not only are all classes cancelled until Monday, when everything will start to be taught remotely, but also all music lessons and rehearsals are cancelled. One of my students has her senior, degree recital one week from tomorrow. (Unless that also gets cancelled, under the new protocol.) Time for this middle-aged dog to learn the new trick of teaching via FaceTime.

Until this happened, I thought some people were overreacting. I no longer think that, at all. Even though the danger hasn’t fully arrived here in Michigan yet, I think it’s only a matter of time. It feels like we’ve all been suddenly thrust into a new reality paradigm.

Love everything you said Sal. 'Keep calm and carry on' (within sensible and rational science-informed limitations) is the order of the day - as well as 'be kind'. Stay well everyone xx

Here in Belgium things seem to be quickly escalating. Some politicians are speaking out for a lockdown and I do believe we're heading there even though things don't seem dire yet (no corona in my work or family or friend circles thankfully). I'm pretty down at the moment as I just heard my grandmother, who turns 90 next week and is in a specialized home for people with dementia, isn't allowed any visitors at least for a month. Normally my mom and aunts and uncles visit every week so I worry she will get lonely and not understand at all why no one is coming (in her clearer moments). It's a conundrum I'm sure as the elderly are so prone to dangerous infection yet it seems very harsh to cut them all off from their friends and family :(.
I haven't read all of the other responses but felt the need to share with you ladies. This has truly become a global crisis quickly.

Bijou---its not just

Australians, i was in target on sunday, not a roll to be found!

Without getting too detailed I do believe I could substitute other things for toilet paper if needed..... not planning to it hoping to but?

I heard that - stocks here seem okay. No hand sanitiser or masks and restrictions on Panadol.

My DIL’s boss in Rome can’t leave her apartment without having papers giving her permission to do so.
Here I don’t think the county has any cases yet but the situation is taken seriously. It must be if the Frozen Dead Guy Festival has been cancelled.

Oh Liesbeth, my heart goes out to your grandmother, your and the rest of the family. I was thinking the same thing when I heard about these restrictions. So hard :-((

All schools in Germany are now closed effective immediately until after the Easter break. My place of work, a public library, is also closed to the public, but for now we are still supposed to come in and work in the back office. I'm still on holiday until Wednesday though and there are massive changes from day to day, so who knows what will happen next week. They also forbade all public get togethers over a certain number of people, numbers are still different depending on where you are (where my parents live it's everything over 75 people). I hear that in Berlin all bars and clubs are supposed to be closed from next Tuesday on. My one friend who lives in Berlin is going to be without income for god knows how long and doesn't know how she is going to get by. I'll probably loan her the money so that she can eat and pay her rent... It's kind of a crazy situation right now.

I hope that we can Angie,horrible photos of supermarkets trashed and people not letting old ladies have one of their many packets of pasta appearing in the social media here.Fortunately not where I live but still,does not make me proud of my fellow countrymen.ldidnt realise that one of the first symptoms of corona virus was total selfishness.

Gosh, Cardiff girl, that is terrible. I haven’t heard or seen anything like that, however I am not surprised. Just look at how people behave during our Black Friday shopping. Mob mentality.
i believe that most people rise up and extend a hand, but those who behave badly during times like these, do so in good times too when an opportunity arises ...unfortunately.

Cardiff girl, that's awful, and I hope the exception. You will make up for it by giving an elderly lady some pasta

Unfortunately we are now in a war situation where the war is against a virus rather than another country and this will no doubt see the best of human nature but also the worst.

Just an update. My university class was moved to Zoom instead. Cases rose from 8 on Thursday in my state to 32 so far today. Although our school sent out a message to parents saying we weren't closing Friday, the Governor ordered all school closed from March 18 - April 5. Our district is having school through Wednesday, despite the epicenter of cases being just 38 miles northwest of us.

Our school has now sent a survey asking parents if they have internet access and devices for students, but I fear the majority will not have at least one or the other. We have internet and five devices, but Dh uses two, I use one, and Ds1 uses one for university, meaning that in reality we have one and need one, as far as students go.

I'm not sure how they will toss together online instruction in the three days we have before mandatory extended break, but we'll see how it goes.

The wi-fi buses are smart.

I think it’s sorta interesting... one thing about Chinese news is that it’s not very slick. They don’t use language like, ‘we are adding capacity to the city’s waste processing capacity.’ They say straight up: ‘we bought five dump trucks.’ But now we’re getting straight language like that here: the governor got up and named hospitals and labs the other day that have acquired covid tests. Kaiser, Stanford, Qwest...

Not sure how federal and local are coordinating, but it’s official: government on tv from the six Bay Area counties announcing mandatory shelter in place, effective midnight. Basically only food takeaway, medicine and gas shops to be open. Does make me wonder about laundromats.

Our just governor announced non essential businesses need to close. Includes hair salons!