COVID-19 and MAC: What are you doing differently to protect yourself?

Posted by kathyhg @kathyhg, Feb 27, 2020

Is anyone doing anything differently to protect themselves now that we are facing the reality of covid-19?

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Lots of excellent advice here! I try to get everything delivered or do curbside. For most of my shopping, I have to say that Walmart has a very good online service and some cities offer delivery. Besides groceries you can get household items, as well as lawn and garden, drug store needs, just about anything. Their free app is downloadable and works extremely well. There are several places that have curbside shopping and, depending on their app, it can be a good and stress free option. I still put all my groceries on a "dirty" table in my garage and wipe everything down with my homemade alcohol wipes and put the cleaned items on the "clean" table. Whatever can stay outside in the garage I will leave until the following day. Remember, to wipe down your frozen items, too. A virus can live up to 2 years in the freezer. ( The Mayo Clinic was very thorough in teaching me how to clean groceries, sundries, etc. before I cared for my sister who was undergoing stem cell transplant.) As long as there is no vaccine for this Covid-19, we are vulnerable. Stay the course, stay safe.

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@migizii It seems most of us with bronchiectasis have other risks as well, either age or other ailments. Like @astaingegerdm said, my pulmonologist and primary said to follow the CDC guidelines. My primary, also with a gerontology specialty, added "but don't make yourself and everyone else crazy."

We have VERY gradually widened our activities - specifically, seeing other careful friends and family in outdoor, small group settings. We frequent a few select local stores that take good precautions, but order the bulk of our groceries on-line for curbside pickup. Yesterday, for the first time in 4 1/2 months we ate at a restaurant! Outdoor patio, very well spread out tables, staff masked, disposable menus, they sanitize tables & chairs between customers - we felt very safe & it was lovely!

My daughter is a school nurse with two small sons, and hopes not to be in school this Fall, but if she is we have already agreed we will have to go back to distanced visits - because they & we have been isolated for months, we had gradually loosened our protocol to allow masked outdoor visits, including quick hugs and play dates, so I would be very sad...

Sue

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@sueinmn

@migizii It seems most of us with bronchiectasis have other risks as well, either age or other ailments. Like @astaingegerdm said, my pulmonologist and primary said to follow the CDC guidelines. My primary, also with a gerontology specialty, added "but don't make yourself and everyone else crazy."

We have VERY gradually widened our activities - specifically, seeing other careful friends and family in outdoor, small group settings. We frequent a few select local stores that take good precautions, but order the bulk of our groceries on-line for curbside pickup. Yesterday, for the first time in 4 1/2 months we ate at a restaurant! Outdoor patio, very well spread out tables, staff masked, disposable menus, they sanitize tables & chairs between customers - we felt very safe & it was lovely!

My daughter is a school nurse with two small sons, and hopes not to be in school this Fall, but if she is we have already agreed we will have to go back to distanced visits - because they & we have been isolated for months, we had gradually loosened our protocol to allow masked outdoor visits, including quick hugs and play dates, so I would be very sad...

Sue

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I also saw my Grandkids for the first time since Christmas last week. They have been excellent at staying home and their parents have been working from home. They were here for a week. They went home and to soccer practice for the first time. They were immediately exposed and now are in self isolation for 14 days. I too get together with a small group of like minded friends in a socially distanced manner. I had to tell my cousins I would not meet them for lunch because they do not wear masks. I also told another friend I would not meet them at an outdoor restaurant because the servers do not wear masks. I live in Illinois where it is a little stricter but I’m on the border with Iowa. Iowa is pretty open.

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Thank you for reinforcing my own sentiments.

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@fiesty76

@migizii and @astaingegerdm, Good question, Migizii. Because of asthma and chronic bronchitis, my pulmonologist advised that I'd need to follow recommended safety precautions more closely than most because of my virus vulnerability. Self-quarantined since March, I live alone and have had groceries home delivered. Just made my 1st instore trip 7/4th for household supplies.

In addition to what Ingegerd posted, I wore a hat, eyeglasses, long sleeves, socks and slacks. A store employee, wearing a mask, got too close, wet coughed and sneezed. Once home, I stripped, gargled with Listerine, used Pataday for my eyes and Alkalol, a nasal rinse with alcohol (all otc) before showering and shampooing.

As Ingegerd posted, venturing out into the world was very stressful for me. I experienced unusual fatigue later caused by anxiety of what it would be like because people in TX have been incredibly lax from the start in adhering to infectious disease experts' guidelines.

As a career educator now retired but with grandchildren waiting for public school reopening guidelines, we have been very concerned and still waiting to hear what their school district options will be.

My heart is with you and all who will be directly affected by whatever decisions are made regarding our schools' re-openings. Just thinking about this and wondering if you might ask your doc about any additional immune boosters that could be prescribed or recommended?

I wonder if one option for you might be to contact your district to ask if there will be special provisions made for staff with compromised respiratory issues and if a statement from your physician attesting to your increased vulnerability might be possible? Not pretending to advise but just wondering about the possibility? Sincerely hope you will let us know what you learn and how things go for you going forward.

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@fiesty76 I'm also concerned about my grandson and school my son did talk with the principal as he is college educated I know they will consider all ,risk and CDC guidelines in his school It's a private school so am anxious .Did you see a man 30 yrs old attempted a Covid party in TX and has died

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@fiesty76

@migizii and @astaingegerdm, Good question, Migizii. Because of asthma and chronic bronchitis, my pulmonologist advised that I'd need to follow recommended safety precautions more closely than most because of my virus vulnerability. Self-quarantined since March, I live alone and have had groceries home delivered. Just made my 1st instore trip 7/4th for household supplies.

In addition to what Ingegerd posted, I wore a hat, eyeglasses, long sleeves, socks and slacks. A store employee, wearing a mask, got too close, wet coughed and sneezed. Once home, I stripped, gargled with Listerine, used Pataday for my eyes and Alkalol, a nasal rinse with alcohol (all otc) before showering and shampooing.

As Ingegerd posted, venturing out into the world was very stressful for me. I experienced unusual fatigue later caused by anxiety of what it would be like because people in TX have been incredibly lax from the start in adhering to infectious disease experts' guidelines.

As a career educator now retired but with grandchildren waiting for public school reopening guidelines, we have been very concerned and still waiting to hear what their school district options will be.

My heart is with you and all who will be directly affected by whatever decisions are made regarding our schools' re-openings. Just thinking about this and wondering if you might ask your doc about any additional immune boosters that could be prescribed or recommended?

I wonder if one option for you might be to contact your district to ask if there will be special provisions made for staff with compromised respiratory issues and if a statement from your physician attesting to your increased vulnerability might be possible? Not pretending to advise but just wondering about the possibility? Sincerely hope you will let us know what you learn and how things go for you going forward.

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These ideas are very good and I have asked my pulmonologist a couple of them, but he has yet to answer except “follow CDC guidelines.” I have sent some questions since his cdc response so hopefully he will answer soon.....it’s been almost a week.

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@fiesty76

@migizii and @astaingegerdm, Good question, Migizii. Because of asthma and chronic bronchitis, my pulmonologist advised that I'd need to follow recommended safety precautions more closely than most because of my virus vulnerability. Self-quarantined since March, I live alone and have had groceries home delivered. Just made my 1st instore trip 7/4th for household supplies.

In addition to what Ingegerd posted, I wore a hat, eyeglasses, long sleeves, socks and slacks. A store employee, wearing a mask, got too close, wet coughed and sneezed. Once home, I stripped, gargled with Listerine, used Pataday for my eyes and Alkalol, a nasal rinse with alcohol (all otc) before showering and shampooing.

As Ingegerd posted, venturing out into the world was very stressful for me. I experienced unusual fatigue later caused by anxiety of what it would be like because people in TX have been incredibly lax from the start in adhering to infectious disease experts' guidelines.

As a career educator now retired but with grandchildren waiting for public school reopening guidelines, we have been very concerned and still waiting to hear what their school district options will be.

My heart is with you and all who will be directly affected by whatever decisions are made regarding our schools' re-openings. Just thinking about this and wondering if you might ask your doc about any additional immune boosters that could be prescribed or recommended?

I wonder if one option for you might be to contact your district to ask if there will be special provisions made for staff with compromised respiratory issues and if a statement from your physician attesting to your increased vulnerability might be possible? Not pretending to advise but just wondering about the possibility? Sincerely hope you will let us know what you learn and how things go for you going forward.

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@migizii Here in Calif. The Gov just closed schools in L.A. and San Diego school districts I think he may close in other hard hit area also will have to wait and see. He give us an update on T.V. everyday .

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@lioness

@migizii Here in Calif. The Gov just closed schools in L.A. and San Diego school districts I think he may close in other hard hit area also will have to wait and see. He give us an update on T.V. everyday .

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Thx for the info although I don’t think that will be the case here in Minnesota.

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I stay home as much as possible, wear mask when out, practice social distancing, when I get too low, I drive to a fast food restaurant where I can take advantage of the drive by window. I take long drives, walk unpopulated beach. I live alone so believe I must get out sometimes for my mental health.

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@liz223 & everyone - I always struggle with staying home, even though I don't live alone - I am by nature a people person, and an extreme extrovert. I decided early on to keep walking, and address people from a socially safe distance when I do.

I have had a number of amazing conversations with strangers in the past 4 months, all while safely distancing & wearing my mask. I apparently have become a "fixture" in my extended neighborhood, walking daily in one of my hats (nothing special) - many people wave and say "hi" or stop me to chat. I have also become something of a local "garden guru" - when I stop to compliment the many (often new) gardeners, it leads to lovely conversations.

I strongly recommend reaching out to people with a friendly greeting as you walk - it brightens everyones' days in these tough times.
Sue

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