A couple random thoughts on Corona Virus

Sorry, no vaccine for any corona virus. These types of viruses mutate little-by-little as they move from person-to-person or animal-to-person and back. It would be like trying to hit a moving target. It's almost the same reason of getting a basic flu shot. It's a wild guess part on the CDC of what 'might' hit your area. Over 30,000 strains and the flu shot targets just 1. Best to have a good immune system overall.

I stay fairly well stocked on most things but did go today to top off the supplies. In my field of work, it is very likely that I could by away from home for a few to several days if other staff members get sick. I wanted to be sure every base was covered.

I went to a more rural community (the entire county's population was 20,500 in the 2010 census) nearest here that is surrounded by a large population of Mennonite and Amish families along with the everyday Americans. Wal-Mart there is a very large store and has more family size and larger packaged items them the Wal-Marts in the other larger towns. I am sure that a good part of the shoppers I came across today were not local. The majority of shoppers were males by themselves.

No toilet paper, paper towels, dinner napkins, very few facial tissue boxes, no Ramen noodles, potted meat and vienna sausages nearly gone, sugar wiped out, flour bigger than 1# bag, Lysol spray, cooking oil except the big 3 gallon jug, no store brand saltine crackers, soda pop almost wiped out, dog food and cat food nearly gone, kitty litter nearly gone, no bleach, white vinegar, rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizer, freezer cases about half empty overall, none of the cheapest ice cream pails in stock, and the bread isle had been hit hard but had about half what it normally there.

I did purposefully walk the entire pharmacy section just to see. With the situation with this virus in my mind this is what I saw - near full stock on Tylenol, ibuprofen and other fever and pain relievers, cough drops, throat sprays, cough and cold medicines, vitamin and mineral supplements, essential oils and carrier oils, incontinent supplies, then on across the store, garden seeds well stocked along with cool season bedding plants, seed starting and gardening supplies fully stocked, herbal teas appeared untouched, other tea bags and coffees fully stocked, frozen vegetables and fruits fully stocked as well as canned vegetables and fruits, then there were other things that don't come to mind at the moment.

@desireet02 Central OH here, we are semi-rural. I work in the local grocery store, and it was NOT my neighbors who were doing the panic shopping...people from the 'suburbs' that surround us, and close towns/cities that were 'pillaging' our store! My neighors and community members, for the most part, are common sense people, many of them farmers of one type or another (be it the neighborhood gardeners or the larger farms in the area). We do have quite a few 'urban transplants' that I imagine were less prepared.

Here is pretty much the same, tp is out daily even with a limit 2 sign. The bacon now has that same sign hanging from its shelf display in the cooler. Canned foods, carrots, and most boxes of pastas have been bought. However, most produce and international foods are in supply though. I agree that the global media will be worse before the storm calms and life eventually returns to normal. Here, some 20-30 teachers took chalk, and for three hours went to their students homes and wrote positive messages in their driveways. When families woke up, and they read the messages, the students and parents were delighted that they were thought of in such a time of uncertainty. Photos were posted on fb and there was a news coverage. Hope, happiness and peace

Just so y'all know, I work in the local grocery, and I am NOT privy to what we get in, I am also subject to the 'whims' of the just in time delivery system. As well as the ravages of the 'unprepared'. We get TP and paper towels in, and we can't even stock the shelves, ppl see it and just grab it as soon as it hits the floor, even before it is unloaded off the pallets. I know I don't really need to remind this group, but I will anyhow. Please be kind to your grocery store employees. We have NO control over what we are getting from our distribution centers. THEY are trying their best to get all stores stocked. The truck drivers are doing THEIR best to get the supplies to the distro centers and the stores. We are all doing th e best we can right now, all of us and all of you. Please keep 'social distancing', please keep washing your hands, don't make unneeded trips out...Love and virtual hugs to all of TGN!

For the most part I think people are trying to be kind and helpful to each other during this crazy time. People checking on each other and asking if they need anything from the store when we go out.

My husband did have to be at the store yesterday when it opened and fight his way down the paper good aisle to get toilet paper. He said most people were being nice about it but some were not. He said one lady tried to block the aisle with her cart and no one was social distancing. Around here you cannot find any toilet paper so I'm sure everyone was trying to get a pack. Unfortunately the only pack he could get is scented! Our garage smells like flowers. I'm hoping the scent wears off so only bringing the rolls in we need.

One of my daughter's works at Chickfila. She told me how one of her coworkers got sprayed with lysol by someone coming through the drive thru. Another got yelled at for not wearing a mask. The line at her store has been wrapped around the building and quite a ways down the road. People are waiting 25 minutes to get food and for the most part being patient and kind.

My other daughter works at Panera. They have not been near as busy. She had one customer who was upset that the napkins, straws, etc are behind the counter now. The customer started yelling and cussing and came around the counter to get her own things. She said the manager had to escort her out of the store. Another lady wrapped her debt card in a lysol wipe and refused to let my daughter take it out of the wipe and touch it even though she had gloves on and changes them between every customer. She even offered to put a new pair on in front of the lady. Kind of hard to swipe a card wrapped in a wipe!

@kbmbillups1 If somebody is that afraid of swiping their card, why are they going to Panera? Just stay home. 🙄