The NRC writes that the closure of the schools is a “typical Belgian compromise.” There will be no classes, but schools will remain open (for parents who have to leave home). Especially for parents in health care or public safety.
They look incredibly similar to the typical Italian compromises.
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Alright, so I was just in the store and now I know that The Walking Dead had a lot of total bs. Those cans and medicines and whatnot they break into big stores to get at? Not there. Sold out the first day of the outbreak.
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Here in Seattle I have been working from home for two weeks. They just closed the schools at least until mid-April and banned large public gatherings. The hospitals are under stress but I am hopeful that we got out ahead of the crisis and we can avoid a disaster. Props to these local epidemiologists whose predictions pushed the government to act. It feels like we’re waiting for the tsunami to hit.
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The Guardian says that SARS isn’t contagious until after symptoms start, in contrast to COVID which has can be transmitted before you know you have it. Reports have been very contradictory on this point though.
Also SARS and MERS kill a higher percentage of infected people, which paradoxically limits their effect on the population. Those people aren’t around to pass on to someone else.
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It’s really annoying that everyone bought all the toilet paper. We only have a few rolls left.
Here in New York City public schools are still open for now, but most universities have gone remote. The mayor just banned large public gatherings and Broadway officially went dark 2 days ago. My wife has given in to the panic and started stocking up on bottled water, paper towels and toilet paper, but the grocery store was completely out of disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer. She has started working from home, and luckily I already do.
Also, just like during the Blackout in ‘03, price gauging has begun and the city is trying to crack down on it. One store was busted for selling a bottle of Purell for $79!! (That’s about 10 times the normal price)
That’s happening here as well. CostCo was completely out of TP yesterday. How am I supposed to argue about hanging it over or under if there is none? We may just have to resort to using pages of Chuck’s journal instead…
Good luck to everyone, stay safe!!
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Shopping was kinda weird today. The place we went to that has the delicious confectionery next to the cheap supermarket was totally run over. The confectionery was well stocked, but I’ve never seen (so m)any deserted shelves in a shop before. We did manage to get all groceries on our list, however (except for minced meat, had to resort to deep frozen burger patties instead). From talking with some people, it appears that the situation is much more relaxed in the more expensive markets, though.
My position remains over for use, under for visuals. 
Me neither. Par-baked bread, regular bread, pasta, rice, cans, jars, cheaper vinegar, toilet paper, all completely emptied out.
I understand the soap and related products. If we hadn’t coincidentally bought a liter bottle of refill soap a couple of months back because we were nearly out, I’m sure we’d have wanted to pick up some. Although I doubt I’d have waited until Thursday… it’s not like this virus thing came out of the blue for us. But the toilet paper definitely caught me by surprise. And if we’d needed pasta, I’d be kinda miffed about that too.
I wondered if the whole thing was a bit overblown before we went by the Delhaize. They’re not exactly the cheapest. It looked plundered as well.
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Luckily some people still get their priorities straight!
I guess/hope the whole supermarket thing will normalise next week. Once all the people who think there is a nuclear outbreak have sheltered in and aren’t robbing the stores clean of canned food and toiletpaper any more.
@frenzie: still lots of TP left at Makro
Vegetables in Delhaize at the other hand had some supply chain issues:
Also dairy was mostly depleted today.
Note that this is one of the most expensive supermarkets around (also better quality imo)
Not a lot of people in the store actually-a lot less than on a normal Saturday. I think the big rush happened on Thursday and Friday.
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In our bunch of islands, people are definitely panic-buying, to the point where one of the more popular local Facebook groups started a thread where could you post what you needed and if people would be willing to shop for you or spare any extra supplies. Masks, TP, soap, hand sanitizers and baby wipes are sold out in many places. It got even worse yesterday when false rumors spread that our main shipping company was supposedly closing down for 2 weeks. Granted, we do have at least 4 (possibly 5) confirmed cases in our state, but this is worse than the panic-buying that happens right before a hurricane. It’s really sad that so many people are unnecessarily hoarding that our elderly and disabled population can’t get the supplies they need.
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If the shortage should persist I’m sure I can go over there sometime next week. Here’s a current video from a toilet paper warehouse:
https://dailybuzz.nl/buzz/embed/18289
I bought two containers of whole milk. (I always do.) Sorry. 
But also the milk was on sale, second 50% off.
PS Delhaize milk on sale = regular af Albert Heijn price.
NC, USA. Went to Staples yesterday, only customer in the store. 20 minute drive took 10 because there was about 30% normal traffic. School closure announced while I was out, I wish they had done it sooner. Very foolish to wait until this virus is widespread before taking decisive action.
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During these days in isolation, I’ve rediscovered Steam, and the beauty of the online co-op games playing. Before, I hadn’t too much time to spend, now it’s different.
My preferred co-op game is Worms Revolutions – a Team17 classic.
If you want to join me and make some challenges, please send me a request to become a friend.
My steam name is zakmckracken883
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I’m also glad that non-essential businesses like gyms had to close.
I have to admit that I would have had a hard time not going there… but luckily now I have no choice anymore.
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In Sluis they closed bars and restaurants because they were being overrun by Belgians. 
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It’s astounding and also sad what some people are saying/doing although they should know better.
Like this Boris guy. Or who in his mind would think a nationwide election would be a good idea now? The previous one didn’t have a high turnout but this one was even lover (~18%), luckily the French people aren’t as stupid as their government.
Well, I guess we’re up for that lockdown thing.
The Dutch Wadden islands are calling for people not to come. Also there’s an influx of Germans now that the German Wadden islands have closed down, apparently. The Wadden island municipalities can’t decide to shut down tourism independently, that’s a job for the Dutch security regions, which don’t want to do that.
De eilanders maken zich ook zorgen: is het beleid zoals dat door deskundigen is bepaald verstandig of is het beter het eiland af te sluiten voor mensen van de vaste wal tot de crisis is geweken?
Coronavrij zullen we ook op de eilanden niet blijven. Sterker nog: ook wij moeten, zoals de premier gisteren zei, groepsresistentie opbouwen. Maar met elkaar moeten we de beperkte medische voorzieningen op de eilanden ook niet onnodig op de proef stellen.
“The islanders worry. Is the policy by experts sensible or is it better to close the island for people from the mainland until the crisis is over?”
"We won’t remain corona free on the islands. We also have to build up group resistance, as the prime minister said yesterday. But we shouldn’t unnecessarily tax the limited medical facilities on the islands.’
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All the world will be put in lockdown, it’s the best measure to take until a vaccine will be available.
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Bad timing or genius marketing?