How's 'that' situation going now?

[Emerkeith Davyjack]

1. How is the Coronavirus situation where you live? What's closed down? Have you gone out much? Are you (Oh, what's the trendy term now " Self-distancing "?) staying inside as a precaution or actually infected or is anyone else you know? I hope, if so, you're well. Let's...well, exchange comments.
2.   I am now in Portland, Oregon. The Govenor, and then, locally, Portland declared a state of emergency. I saw the comment made that Oregon was the furthest behind on dealing with CV of the 3 West Coast states.
3.   I went out yesterday ( Sun.), I am ill and had sleep to make up to-day (Mon.) and ended up not going out - I may go out across the street to a all-nite grocery tonite-early Tues. I have not heard of a regular medical appointment Tues. being cancelled.

[ClarkKent_DC]

Distribution of tests and masks is kind of iffy. My local-area libraries still offer them, but there are no longer lines around the block to get them like there were five months ago. You do need to be careful about the expiration dates on them.

Free K95 masks are still available from CVS pharmacies; just ask the cashier. Usually they give you four, but sometimes just two, and sometimes they don't have any. One time I went to a store near where I work, and they gave me two bags of 20!

These masks are government surplus, so you never know what you might get. Some have elastic bands that go behind the head, which I prefer, as the elastic bands that loop over the ears can sometimes be too tight. Some have a rather coarse finish, while others have a pretty smooth finish and are individually sealed in a pouch. A couple times, I got the coarse ones in a plastic baggie.

On the other hand, we recently purchased a package of 10 KN95s because they were colored black. They were about $1 each, but were flimsy; the elastic broke very easily on all of them. 

[Mark Sullivan (Vertiginous Mod)]

As a church musician my wife has always had higher odds of exposure than me, and last week she finally tested positive (from exposure to one of the ministers who had tested positive, we think). A couple of days later I started showing symptoms (mainly congestion and coughing), but I have tested negative twice, so I must have a mild case. In fact I only had one heavy day: by the end of last Thursday I went to bed early with body pain and exhaustion and slept for nine hours. 

My wife has improved steadily, and today we both have some congestion and coughing left, mainly. Neither of us experienced loss of smell or taste. I'm just grateful it happened early enough to allow me to volunteer at HeroesCon this weekend.

[Richard Willis]

Haven't got it yet (AFAIK) but with all my shots and masking when required I hope for the same as you guys.

[Captain Comics]

I'm working from home and never go out unless it's someplace with good ventilation (i.e., outside). My wife works at the health department, where everybody is masked. Neither of us have gotten it.

[Travis Herrick (Modular Mod)]

Tomorrow I go into the office for the first time since March 9th 2020. This is just a one-off for now.

We're supposed to be back to full hybrid in September. I don't know if that includes me yet or not.

[The Baron]

They actually closed our office, so we're all permanently working from home, now.  Definitely don't miss spending several hours a day on the LIE*.

*Stands for "Long Island Expressway"

Travis Herrick (Modular Mod) said:

Tomorrow I go into the office for the first time since March 9th 2020. This is just a one-off for now.

We're supposed to be back to full hybrid in September. I don't know if that includes me yet or not.

[ClarkKent_DC]

Remember how I tested positive for COVID a few months ago and kept saying I never felt a thing? Well ... I tested positive this week, and I definitely feel it. 

I'm baffled in that I took a test Monday at my workplace and it came up negative Tuesday, but later Tuesday I started feeling bad, and took two home tests on Wednesday. The first, which I took early in the day, was ambiguous, but the second one was definitive. I'm also baffled in that I have had all of my shots.

Now, I've been out and about, on public transit, at church, and at a comics/anime/gaming/movies/TV/pop culture convention called Blerdcon last weekend, so I can't pinpoint where I might have been exposed. But I will dutifully isolate in my bedroom for the next week and ride it out. 

[Richard Willis]

Here is Los Angeles County the hospitalization rate has been climbing. It looks like the indoor mask mandate will be back by the end of July. I'm starting to use a mask again, since the increased infections from the latest variants are already out there.

[Richard Willis]

The L.A. County mask mandate didn't return because hospitalizations went down. My good intentions of wearing a mask again also went down.

My good news is that I just had a hospital-administered COVID test ahead of an out-patient procedure scheduled for Tuesday, August 30. I tested negative, so my procedure can go ahead as scheduled. (Nothing to worry about)

[Richard Willis]

ClarkKent_DC said:

Distribution of tests and masks is kind of iffy. My local-area libraries still offer them, but there are no longer lines around the block to get them like there were five months ago. You do need to be careful about the expiration dates on them.

If you still have rapid test kits with expiration dates that have passed, please check the FDA information for their extended expiration dates. These extended dates are based upon careful study of the stability of these lots. There are lot numbers listed with their original and extended expiration dates.

Do a search for whichever of these apply to your kits and then click on the FDA site:

ihealth covid test expiration
flowflex covid test expiration
binaxnow covid test expiration

[Travis Herrick (Modular Mod)]

We actually returned to work on a hybrid basis last week. Monday and Friday at home, Tuesday thru Thursday in the office.

I was off last week. This week my car has been in the shop (well really since last Tuesday), but since I've been working from home for about 2 1/2 years already, my boss was fine with me continuing to work from home this week as well.

[Richard Willis]

This time last month I had a hospital-administered COVID test prior to my August 30 out-patient procedure. Fortunately, I wasn't infected or my procedure would have been postponed. The night of September 23, I suddenly was doing a lot of coughing and, most alarmingly, was very unsteady on my feet. On Saturday, September 24, I was to attend a 70th birthday party for the cousin Gayle and I felt closest to. She had requested that those of us attending take a home COVID test that morning. My test was positive. Since then my symptoms aren't as bad. Even if I was COVID-negative, I wouldn't have attempted the 90-mile (one way) trip feeling the way I did. I plan to stay home. In a week I'll take another test. If it's negative, I'll make sure by taking a second test before leaving home.