Coronavirus in Massachusetts (Boston: towns, culture, hotspots)

[charolastra00]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

Personally, I think delivery should be rationed and made available to high risk people. I'm not 80. I don't have COPD or similar where this disease is high risk of killing me.

It's frustrating being high risk with many friends who are more high risk than I am and have not been able to get delivery in weeks. I ended up going to the store on Monday and while it was pretty empty (I went at night), it still made me anxious.


What I'd like to see is some of the empty big box stores being turned into Instacart/Peapod/etc-only warehouses. They already exist in some places. Strip down the typical grocery store niceties and remove the browsing customers. That's not something that could happen overnight by any means, but I think the demand for delivery has certainly shifted long-term and enabling more delivery services rather than slamming both regular customers and delivery pickers in stores together would help on both ends. The previous delivery infrastructure can't keep up.

[Bridge781]

Yeah the grocery issue is annoying. Seems risky to go to the store but delivery dates are really backed up. Going to stores in areas where numbers are low is probably the best option now. We have a lot of frozen food but are running out quickly on things like eggs, cheese and bread. This stinks.

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

Can’t get them.

I figure the next 4 weeks is the peaking (2 to peak, 2 to fall to where we are now) so I think it’s time to dig into the stored food we bought back in Feb vs going to the grocery store.

Might make one more trip this weekend, but will be donning n95 mask and gloves. After that, riding it out on what we stocked up on.

Yes, that'll be me too. My wife got a couple of the coveted N95's yesterday and I'll be wearing one of them. Stocked up on non-perishables for the most part, what I'm finding I need to go back for at least 1x/week is the fresh fruits/vegetables. I'm not as worried for myself, but my wife is in the high risk group (not for exposure, but because of pre-existing condition).

Everyone be safe out there.

[BostonMike7]

I went out this AM. Store was relatively empty so got in and out with minimal contact. N95 and gloves were used. Got home, disrobed and showered.

I figure that will be it and we will ride it out on our stored food now.

[justyouraveragetenant]

Originally Posted by charolastra00

It's frustrating being high risk with many friends who are more high risk than I am and have not been able to get delivery in weeks. I ended up going to the store on Monday and while it was pretty empty (I went at night), it still made me anxious.


What I'd like to see is some of the empty big box stores being turned into Instacart/Peapod/etc-only warehouses. They already exist in some places. Strip down the typical grocery store niceties and remove the browsing customers. That's not something that could happen overnight by any means, but I think the demand for delivery has certainly shifted long-term and enabling more delivery services rather than slamming both regular customers and delivery pickers in stores together would help on both ends. The previous delivery infrastructure can't keep up.

delivery might be dangerous. think about it the people who deliver spend long hours at the grocery store shopping for other people.


i would hope they could drop the food off in a safe way . I would worry about the virus being on the surfaces of the packages and boxes.

I got my food and i think i will eat my emergency food soon.

[Bettafish]

Originally Posted by justyouraveragetenant

delivery might be dangerous. think about it the people who deliver spend long hours at the grocery store shopping for other people.


i would hope they could drop the food off in a safe way . I would worry about the virus being on the surfaces of the packages and boxes.

I got my food and i think i will eat my emergency food soon.

I don't think the deliverers need to do shopping?
For example, in a restaurant, they only deliver and do nothing else. Other people prepare the food and pack them.

[charolastra00]

Originally Posted by justyouraveragetenant

delivery might be dangerous. think about it the people who deliver spend long hours at the grocery store shopping for other people.


i would hope they could drop the food off in a safe way . I would worry about the virus being on the surfaces of the packages and boxes.

I got my food and i think i will eat my emergency food soon.

I'm not particularly worried about it being on surfaces. I'm very careful cleaning/unpacking my parcels - especially cans, jars, tubs, or anything going in a freezer - and make sure to wash my hands frequently.



Everyone needs to gauge their own risk, though. For me, the risk of contacting a low viral load on shopping or mail is one I find acceptable. If I was immunocompromised, I might take a different approach - and this is why part of my plan with delivery would be to get an immunocompromised couples' groceries delivered to me so I could disinfect & let sit for a day or two before dropping it off on their porch. My bigger fear is contact with other people, which is why I want to limit or even eliminate my time in stores.

Originally Posted by Bettafish

I don't think the deliverers need to do shopping?
For example, in a restaurant, they only deliver and do nothing else. Other people prepare the food and pack them.

Instacart deliverers do the shopping and deliver. They're in the same stores you'd be going to, waiting in the same lines, etc. A handful of independent stores offer curbside pickup where it's store staff putting together your order, but that's not super common. Even before all of this, why Whole Foods was often packed with Instacart delivery people filling 3 or 4 orders at a time. That's why I would love to see more Instacart-only food warehouses that would eliminate that public-facing role

[Taffee72]

The grocery store workers are not taking this seriously enough. I just got back from the store and all of the people who invaded my space, by standing right in the middle of the aisle or getting too close, etc...were the workers!

Many customers had on masks (I was completely covered up with scarves, hats, gloves and I wear glasses), but they were free as birds walking around and practically running into customers. Just milling about and getting in the way!!!

[Arya Stark]

Saw this today

https://thehill.com/changing-america...-in-your-state

It is an estimate when the cases will peak in your state and how many dead by August. I feel like 2K for MA is reasonable with a peak in cases around April 17th.

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by charolastra00

I've said this before and been chastised here, but I wouldn't be shocked if there are more than 100,000 people in Mass who are sick right now just based on how many people I know who almost certainly have it but haven't been tested and assuming asymptomatic people aren't being routinely tested.

It was how you worded it. You presented it as fact, not "I wouldn't be shocked if".