Coronavirus in Massachusetts (house, restaurants, prices)

[charolastra00]

A few of my coworkers are considering reduced schedules. It's terrifying because it's been made clear that we will not be able to staff up to replace them due to budget cuts in higher ed and we're already down several open positions that will not be filled until FY 2021. Many of us are already working 50-60 hours a week. I cannot take on one more thing but my boss has already floated crosstraining again so we have backup within the team... but that really means those of us without kids will end up bearing the brunt of the load with no increase in pay.


It's a mess.

[jayrandom]

Originally Posted by lrfox

This is all true (though neck goiters is a great typo - I know what you meant). However, I don't believe that anyone assumes that the mask=safe 100% of the time. My comments are an observation on the general willingness to comply with mask requirements. In the city, it's a lot better than elsewhere. I know that doesn't mean the city is safer (data would agree that it isn't), but I'm still surprised at the unwillingness to wear a mask in many places and the downright hostility toward them elsewhere. Driving down Thames St. in Newport was jarring when I was there in July. Maybe 50% of people wearing masks walking down the crowded, narrow street. Same for a number of the state parks and beaches I've visited outside of Boston. Not enough room to ensure constant spacing and very little mask wearing.

At least at my local Target, people are 100% complying with the mask requirements, which are required 'indoors and outdoors when unable to socially distance'. Lots of people take their masks off when they leave, but are never within 10 feet of someone not in their party. I haven't been anywhere with crowds like you describe, probably because I've always avoided those crowds even before COVID.

I have had people loudly complain (iRL, not here) that they've gone to crowded places where not everyone was wearing a mask. Always these are leisure activities that if they were genuinely risk averse they would avoid even if everyone was perfectly complying with mask policies. Their concern is not risk but compliance, which is what I find problem with. That and the sense of superiority for compliance to what are at best informed guesses at the best policy.

[BostonMike7]

The only store I actively visit is Home Depot or Lowes. Everything else I online shop for. But I've seen mask compliance to be great in the stores. Every once in a while, you get someone who drops their mask to talk to someone, or to use a cell phone, but i'd say 99% of the time it's been ok.

Most people remove them in the parking lot, but usually when they are away from people. I put on my mask as I approach the store, but i'm also one to park in the boonies where nobody is, do I have about 45 seconds of walking just to get to the store. Once i'm getting close to people, mask goes on. Mask comes off when im far enough away.

Other than that, I wear the mask at work and maybe when pumping gas depending on how crowded the pumps are. If i'm the only one there, I won't put it on.

When talking to neighbors, I don't wear the mask, but we also stand 15-20 feet apart. Back in March/April, people use to go for walks in the neighborhood wearing masks, but I no longer see that. The roads are quiet enough to cross the street, or walk in the street and give people a wide berth, so it's generally not an issue.

I have no idea how the main centers of town are as I haven't really been in as crowded an area since Feb. I was built for social distancing, and have no problem staying away from crowds or other people and not losing my sanity.

I used to wear N95's only, but i'd changed to a cloth mask. My N95 supply is drying up, and I actually need them for work-type activities like sanding drywall, or when I'm doing some painting, or grinding of metal. I've been trying to replenish my supply, but you know how it is. I actually need them for home improvement projects vs wearing them in public. I'm down to my last 3-4 N95s.

[yesmaybe]

Only 175 new cases today. Still 3+ days behind in testing.

[porterhouse]

Trends continue to look undeniably good. Contact tracing capabilities is now showing as green on the dashboard. I have not seen any news as to what has changed or improved in this area, but in theory that would be huge going forward.

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

I used to wear N95's only, but i'd changed to a cloth mask. My N95 supply is drying up, and I actually need them for work-type activities like sanding drywall, or when I'm doing some painting, or grinding of metal. I've been trying to replenish my supply, but you know how it is. I actually need them for home improvement projects vs wearing them in public. I'm down to my last 3-4 N95s.

I had been wearing my N95 to the supermarket since back in March. That was by far the place I had the most potential exposure, way before the general masking orders came down. The 2 masks I have are wearing out, and the only N95s left all have exhalation ports. Wearing those amounts to a selfish act, so I might switch to KN95s when I go out instead, especially given that our numbers have come way down.

[NewfieMama]

Originally Posted by charolastra00

A few of my coworkers are considering reduced schedules. It's terrifying because it's been made clear that we will not be able to staff up to replace them due to budget cuts in higher ed and we're already down several open positions that will not be filled until FY 2021. Many of us are already working 50-60 hours a week. I cannot take on one more thing but my boss has already floated crosstraining again so we have backup within the team... but that really means those of us without kids will end up bearing the brunt of the load with no increase in pay.


It's a mess.

This is a serious issue for my company as well. We've all already taken a paycut. We are all already working about 60 hours/week now (used to be very consistent 40 hours). If any of us take a reduced schedule, it means more work for the others since we are not hiring right now. And we care about each other, we do not want to make each other's lives more difficult. We also understand that we have to work very hard for our company to stay afloat. It's truly awful--I need to do what is best for my family, obviously my kids come first. But I cannot leave these people I care about hanging like that, either.

Plus I think there is generally more nervousness about losing one's job in an uncertain economy. With my luck, I'd decide to leave my job and my husband would get laid off the next day

[mdovell]

anybody have shortages of anything yet? Seems strange when I go around and I see that one missing thing for no reason. Here weeks ago was bacon just one piece of bacon at the supermarket it's all sold out even the turkey bacon...

[porterhouse]

Originally Posted by mdovell

anybody have shortages of anything yet?

no, not at all

[id77]

Originally Posted by mdovell

anybody have shortages of anything yet? Seems strange when I go around and I see that one missing thing for no reason. Here weeks ago was bacon just one piece of bacon at the supermarket it's all sold out even the turkey bacon...

Nope. Everything’s as normal as can be around here.