Steve Flowers temporarily shut down

[Squid]

I cruised over to Steve's site a few moments ago and was greeted with this message:

CUSTOMER NOTICE JAN 2021

We are temporarily closed in line (with) Goverment Covid-19 Restrictions as a result of Covid Cases within our office.

We thank you for your patience and support and hope to re-open as soon as we can.

Outstanding orders will be dispatched as soon as we re-open.

Unfortunate news. Let's hope that those affected make a speedy and full recovery and that Steve is back up and running in short order.

[Tinman]

That notice has been up for a while now. I too hope everyone a speedy recovery without any lasting issues.

My kids and grand kids all got together this Christmas for a super spreader event (wife and I refused any part of it). 12 family members with covid. Three still in hospital, three released from hospital and having a hard time recovering at home and the rest pulling through and getting better. Two of the three still in hospital are really hit hard and in rough shape.

[Squid]

The news was late in getting to me. Nothing unusual there.

You and your wife were wise not to take part in that event. Hoping that your family all pull through okay. I've been staying home as much as possible, even putting off a much-needed trip to Home Depot (though I'll be pretty well forced to do that soon).

[LUFF]

Here in the UK none essential shops and businesses have had to close in the lockdown .

[Tinman]

The news was late in getting to me. Nothing unusual there.

You and your wife were wise not to take part in that event. Hoping that your family all pull through okay. I've been staying home as much as possible, even putting off a much-needed trip to Home Depot (though I'll be pretty well forced to do that soon).

Thank you for the well wishes.

I don't know about Home Depot, but at Lowe's you can order online or via the phone and pay for it online or on the phone. When you arrive you call or text them and they will bring everything out and load in in your vehicle or trailer.

[Idris]

The news was late in getting to me. Nothing unusual there.

You and your wife were wise not to take part in that event. Hoping that your family all pull through okay. I've been staying home as much as possible, even putting off a much-needed trip to Home Depot (though I'll be pretty well forced to do that soon).

Thank you for the well wishes.

I don't know about Home Depot, but at Lowe's you can order online or one the phone and pay for it online or on the phone. When you arrive you call or text them and they will bring everything out and load in in your vehicle or trailer.

You still need to be careful. The evidence is that the virus can remain in a viable state on surfaces for various lengths of time. Essentially, the harder and less porous a surface it, the longer it remains active. Current thinking is that 72 h is the maximum length of time to wait before an object can be guaranteed safe. The exception to this may be deep frozen products, where there is apparently some evidence that the virus can remain dormant on the packaging o=for extended periods of time.
On that basis, you would do well to leave your order untouched in the back of the car for, ideally, three days.Alternatively, wipe it down with disinfecting wipes when you get home, and then wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds.

[Tinman]

You still need to be careful. The evidence is that the virus can remain in a viable state on surfaces for various lengths of time. Essentially, the harder and less porous a surface it, the longer it remains active. Current thinking is that 72 h is the maximum length of time to wait before an object can be guaranteed safe. The exception to this may be deep frozen products, where there is apparently some evidence that the virus can remain dormant on the packaging o=for extended periods of time.
On that basis, you would do well to leave your order untouched in the back of the car for, ideally, three days.Alternatively, wipe it down with disinfecting wipes when you get home, and then wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds.

We have all groceries delivered. We go through a ritual of putting the dry goods in quarantine for three days and wipe down everything else with disinfectant wipes. Produce all gets washed.  We've been doing this for months. One thing we will very likely continue to do (post pandemic) is to grocery shop online and have everything delivered. It's fast and simple and pretty inexpensive considering. It also totally eliminates "impulse buys."  Factoring the absence of those impulse buys usually more than pays for the delivery.

As for our (adult) children and grand children, we have kept them at great physical length. We do not visit their homes and do not allow them in ours.  Face Time and Zoom is the basis of all out communication and we participated in Christmas day's activities via face time on my ipad.

Both the wife an I have received our first Vaccination shot and are scheduled for the second one on Feb 3.  I only hope a mutation does not come along that makes the vaccination a moot effort.

[DrJeep]

It’s wise to wash your hands properly and avoid surfaces that other people have touched, but the risk of contracting Covid-19 from fomites (surfaces, basically) is very small - see this paper in the Lancet, for example https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lani ... 2/fulltext. It’s worth noting, though, that I am entirely unqualified to advise - my doctorate is not in medicine!

[Idris]

Interesting link. Thank you, Glenn.

[Tinman]

I had read that article shortly after it came out. We decided to keep cleaning the groceries as an added precaution. Obviously, all our precautions have paid off so far. Cabin Fever and going stir crazy has never been and issue with us as there is plenty of safe things to do.