The corona virus madness has now reached Germany entirely. On Friday the 13th it was announced that all kindergartens, schools and universities will be closed at least until the end of the Easter holidays (19.04.2020). Of course this is the right decision and it took way too long to reach this point. However now there is this slight problem that the kids are at home and most of the parents are working, so what to do? It won’t be easy for many families, some will have to take their paid holidays for this now, and some have to take unpaid holidays or take sick leave. Depending on the company they might also work from home (home office) or can stay home with less payment. Now we come to the problematic people such as us who are self-employed. Business has to go on for us but how to work with the kids at home? We do not get paid holidays; we do not get any paid sick leave or any other kind of support. The monthly bills still have to be paid, especially the health insurance which cost a ridiculous amount for self-employed people.
For now we will just try our best and see how we can handle it. Public life is more or less on a standstill right now, all kind of events are cancelled, gyms and other sport facilities are also closed. For some unknown reason there are some crazy people out there buying all the supermarkets empty each day so when “normal” people go to buy groceries after work they are confronted with empty shelves. Even from the government came a statement to stop these “hamster purchases” as there is no shortage of food or any other things needed for daily life and that it only causes problems for other people. It is very doubtful that those people listen to reason. My friend’s better half works at a supermarket and she is really angry with the people buying several shopping carts full at once and some of them even get violent when they are stopped by the staff.
For the next five weeks we have to see how everything develops. Thankfully both my wife and I are anyways introverts and only go out in order to buy groceries or for our business. We also have to “take care” of my parent’s groceries from now on as they are both in the critical age group with both being way in their 70s (actually closer to 80). On a side note I turned 33 yesterday but well we didn’t do anything special except that my mother had made cherry cake and the rest of the day I was busy with work as usual.
How is the Coronavirus situation in your country?
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We have the same insane “panic shopping here,” plus idiots buying up the hand sanitizers and disinfecting wipes in order to price gouge on Amazon. Thankfully, this is now illegal with emergency measure in place and they can be prosecuted. I hope they are!
In the meantime, yeah, it would be nice if the more affluent people would leave groceries on the shelves for those folks who live paycheck to paycheck.
Here it still goes on, as soon as the shops are getting products the people storm in and buy everything empty within 20 minutes. Even though some stuff such as toilet paper is limited to 2 packs per person the people just grab whatever they can and even attack the staff when stopped
It must be really hard to work from home with young children, especially lively children. You and other people who are self-employed are the hardest hit. I hope people will take this seriously and self-isolate as much as possible. It’s probably the best way to get this under control.
Although I’m over seventy and live alone, I’m lucky that grocery shopping is so easy in my area. I can shop online at my usual supermarket and either pick up my groceries in the parking lot or have them delivered. Pickup is free for the first few times; thereafter, it only costs $5.
Here we don’t have such services for elderly people. They can order food from companies but that leaves them still without any other things they might need for daily life. These days younger people volunteer to buy for the elderly so they can stay home
Stay healthy!
We try we try, sadly we still have to go each day to different shops to but whatever is needed for the business
It sounds like a challenging situation for you guys. Hope you’ll get through it! This virus thing is so scary and has brought so much uncertainty over the future. Stay safe and healthy!
Today was the first day that our city and the neighbouring city were practically deserted. We need to go out and buy for the business daily and now we can clearly see how people try to stay somewhat safe
Here we are getting back to normal and now most new cases are people flying in from abroad…
I don’t know what I was doing last week but when I saw the updated figures on Friday… OMG. Europe is doomed… and the US too.
Stay strong!
Numbers are really exploding here for the past days. So far there is only one case in my town (just returned from skiing holidays in Austria) but by now the city centre is pretty much deserted
I am in the UK and everything is still in the “advice” phase rather than law. People are advised to self isolate if over 70 or in the at risk group. Those who can work from home are advised to. Everyone is advised to limit social contacts. Nothing is actually forced to close or legally mandated. Schools and colleges are right now still open. I can work from home, so I am doing so. My husband works in a college so he is still going to work until the college closes. My son will continue to go to nursery until it closes. They are following strict hygiene and temperature checks and I want to delay us all being trapped in the home at once for as long as possible.
Here only necessary places are open such as pharmacies, supermarkets and the like, all other shops are closed. Today the city centre was kind of deserted with only few people trying to get somewhere hand sanitizer and toilet paper
Same. Emergency alert in our province, in B.C. and Ontario. Other parts of CAnada. I’m working from home.. after tomorrow. But have been for past wk. We just don’t have citrix for some employees, like our dept. an information-intensive dept.
A work colleague actuially went to Wuhan late Jan. and was in lockdown with her aging parents who live there. She visits every year. Then she was in lst set of Canadians airlifted back to Canada to an air force training facility for 2 wks. under quarantine..before flying back to our city for work. Her cubicle is near mine. No one on plane was sick after testing.
Sorry for not responding earlier, but life has been busy with the kids here for the past weeks.
Hope everything is still going well for you.
Right now many small businesses are struggling a lot as they either had to close down completly or have drastic shortage of income as no customers are coming any longer.
For us nothing much changed so far but we have to see how it developes
I’m glad to hear, CCF that your family is fine. Canada is struggling economically and of course, like every other country scrounging around for masks and personal protective equipment for health care workers.
Here the economy is hard hit as well. Thing is we could import protective masks without difficulties but the government on the other hand has troubles as they often have people taking care of this are mostly without any experience in this field
😦 Oh life, is so different now. I feel our world has narrowed with these restrictions, huge impact on tourism, airline industry, economies, etc.
Yes, everything feels very restricted now and without doubt the world will be a bit different after this crises
Unfortunately the world will be different for a few years even after we climb out of this mess.
We’re loving the lockdown here in Tasmania. Nice blog , hence the comment, read mine and comment!
Hey sorry for getting back so late but times have been messed up the past months. Lockdown was okay for us when it comes to the family however as we have our own business it was a total disaster and still havent recovers yet.
Also I must say wow, Tasmania! Just so fascinating how the internet can connect people
We are having a resurgence in some states, though not in Tasmania. We sense that Chinese students will not flood back into Australia post the Wuhan virus, subsidising our education system. Nor, tourists on whom we’re overly dependent. In its way the Virus is having a salutary effect on our wider thinking as to what type of place we wanna have in the future. cheerio http://www.thehobartchinaman.wordpress.com
be interested in your comments!