What precautions are you taking against the coronavirus in your poly networks?

Tinwen

Well-known member
The title is self-explanatory. "Don't go visit your 90y old grandma" is a no-brainer, wash your hands, what else? Are there any special precautions to be taken since in poly, not just love but also diseases are often shared with more intimate partners?
 
We're not doing anything out of the ordinary except limiting our time spent in public. I work with the elderly so I don't have a choice about being around people in their 80s and 90s. Multiple facilities nearby have confirmed cases already. It's likely I will be exposed if I haven't been already, but as generally healthy adults and child - we're not terribly concerned for ourselves.

I'm not looking forward to seeing how it affects my work. :(
 
Absolutely nothing differently than normal.

I will self isolate if and when deemed necessary by public health authorities. So far, I'm a low risk.

My metamour has a compromised immune system but is an environmentalist. About 2 years ago, he stopped commuting to work via public transport to try and reduce the amount of infections he was catching from other people. He felt guilty because of his increased carbon footprint but it did work. Now he is somewhat relieved he is driving at this time.

We already exercise some caution because of his health issues so I can't see us doing much more. For example, our less vulnerable hinge partner would probably come round with soup and stuff if her other partners were ill but doesn't because of the risk to him if she gets it and he gets it from her. She definitely exercises greater caution than she would if she didn't have significant contact with him and we support that by minding our side. If I've had contact with someone ill, I'll avoid him for a bit even if I am not symptomatic.
 
Right now, not a lot. Joan is reconsidering some of the public events she's doing; I'm mostly worrying about Knight who has a job that involves talking to a lot of random people. Artist is already working from home (his whole company is, not so much because they need to here but because headquarters are in an area that has been hit). I'm slightly planning dates to involve fewer crowds, stocking up on food, trying to plan for schools closing. Otherwise.... not much I can do.
 
Well, I feel upset because Pixi has been at a work conference in Atlantic City, NJ since Monday. She comes home tonight. One of her coworker's partners is in Switzerland so we'll see what it takes to get them back home!

They banned handshakes and hugs at her con. She's washing her hands a lot. Just the same, I am regretting she went at all, since it was optional, and this is all worse than we knew last Sunday. She is way too close to New Rochelle for my comfort!

I am not in my 70s-90s, but I am 64. I think my immune system is OK for my age, but it's not what it was at 30, that's for sure. So here's hoping she doesn't carry Covid-19 back to me.

Pixi's bf works for a very large company, and they have a ton of overseas interactions. They have probably banned overseas travel by this point. I think Pixi told me everyone is working from home now.

I went out shopping at a Walmart the other day (a rare occurrence), but washed my hands as soon as I got home. I don't think anyone sneezed on me! I will need to keep going to the grocery store, I guess... but I'll probably do a larger shopping each time to limit my need to go as often as usual.
 
I cancelled my trip to visit Puck. It was going to be my first one. We're very sad, but know it's better this way.
 
One thing my V is doing is taking megadoses of Vitamin C.
 
I have an elderly parent in failing health living with me so aside from work and picking up groceries, etc, I'm staying home and not dating except Blue (who is being extra careful due to my parent living with me.)

I wash my hands frequently and carry hand sanitizer when I'm out. The universities that my two youngest kids attend are both switching to e learning. Our local school system switched to e learning temporarily, too.
 
I haven't been dating so no worries there. However, I have been taking care of some things at my mom and stepdad's house. She 78 and he's like 85 with congestive heart disease. I don't really go into crowds anyway, so no worries there either. I just try and wash my hands after I go out.
 
There are currently no cases in our part of the state - although we know that there will be eventually. We already are pretty isolated and well-stocked up anyway - but Dude did a big Walmart run and all the cupboards and pantries are full (I'd hate to have to break open the 5 gal buckets of rice/beans/salt though :rolleyes:)

But really, I am the only one who is a threat to the household as I work in medicine. I will follow all of the screenings and precautions recommended by CDC, DOH, and my health system while at work. I won't be surprised if, at some point, I am told to quarantine - which will look pretty much like any other week that I am off work - I'll just close the doors to my "office" and sleep in here!

I won't visit my parents again until the dust settles and most of their "social" functions have already been cancelled (they are grown ups and can make sensible decisions without my input!). My sisters and BILs are all teachers, so if their kids' schools close they will be home too. So all I have to do is my job, take care of my patients.
 
There are no precautions that need to be taken beyond any regular cold or flu season: stay way from the same people you would anyway and wash your hands.

I was at a doctors today (routine STI screening) and he was dumbfounded by the pandemic panic. What really really baffled he and I is the way that it got marketed as a pandemic and the economic havoc it will wreak.

After all, the common flu kills well over half a million every year and the world goes on just fine. Mosquitoes (malaria) kills the same but nobody stops travelling. No one cancels events and conferences in flu season...

Its already got stupid.
 
I'm in a high risk for severe illness category and there are confirmed cases in my county. I'm following my governor's community mitigation plan, which is for people at high risk to stay home as much as possible. The point of the plan is to prevent local hospitals from being overrun by severe cases all at once. My partners are aware of this, but they're welcome to come over to see me as long as they're being reasonably safe about hygiene. Guitarist's partners are welcome to come over as long as they're being reasonably safe. No outside food. The closest actual city's possible exposure map is all bars and restaurants, which are exactly the places people are less likely to call in when sick.

I'm not personally freaking out, but I think it's a good idea to follow whatever guidelines or community mitigation plans your state or local government has put out. For most people, that's to wash your hands, touch your face less, avoid handshakes, and avoid crowded places if you can.
 
We're trying to be chilled about it. We're more worried about what impact it's going to have on our lives, somewhat selfishly. I live on my own, and am thinking i'm going to be very bored if we're all asked to self-isolate. but if that's the case, i'll have to make a decision in advance about whether to stay in my and Matt's city or whether to go and stay with Rob in his. Matt is being pretty chilled about everything (though cancelling the football has finally persuaded him that it might be serious), while Rob is getting some quite high anxiety. I'm not really worried about catching it (though I'd rather not), but more about what's going to happen in terms of every day life. i'm just trying to prepare for things to be different and difficult for a month or so, and stock up a bit on food without actually hoarding.
 
There are no precautions that need to be taken beyond any regular cold or flu season: stay way from the same people you would anyway and wash your hands.

I was at a doctors today (routine STI screening) and he was dumbfounded by the pandemic panic. What really really baffled he and I is the way that it got marketed as a pandemic and the economic havoc it will wreak.

After all, the common flu kills well over half a million every year and the world goes on just fine. Mosquitoes (malaria) kills the same but nobody stops travelling. No one cancels events and conferences in flu season...

Its already got stupid.

Stupid? All of Italy is on lockdown because the number of infected people is increasing exponentially. That's the only reason that the numbers are flattening in China and S Korea. The US is headed in the same direction.

Covid 19 is 10 times more lethal than flu.

I have a retirement fund in money market accounts, and I am semi retired, and I depend on this money. I am afraid to look. I'm afraid it's tanked.
 
Czechia closed schools on Tuesday and banned all events >30 people yesterday, and all restaurants have to be closed after 8 pm too. Closed borders with most of western Europe including Germany :-O Thousands of people have returned from Italy, and the decision to quarantine everyone came too late... We have just 120 confirmed cases/10 million people, but community transmission started to happen.

I'm currently sick (not with the virus, most likely), so we've been hyperaware of any contact with Idealist. I try not to cough or breathe on him, but it's very hard for us to avoid contact altogether. I'm wondering if we'll be able and strong-willed enough to ensure distance if one of us gets sick and it is likely to be the virus. Although, once symptoms show, it's probably too late. The poly aspect is, there's more people to think of. There's Meta and her kid and her parents who might get infected through the kid. (*)

I'm getting used to washing my hands thoroughly and cleaning all the doorknobs and tables once a day or so. I have yet to figure out and buy an appropriate disinfectant for my mobile phone that I can carry with me.

I'll be working from home for sure (I'm a theoretical physicist after all, and also an asthma patient). We're cancelling our gathering with friends for next week, we'll try to do it remotely. Delivery services are becoming a good friend of mine - I just hope they keep functioning well, and also, that international travel stays open for food supplies (which it should, but still, entire industries may collapse if too many people get sick at once, or entire countries get quarantined like Italy).

I'm thankful to Trump (like, for the first time ever) for closing borders with Europe. I think it would have been hard for the EU to find the courage. He said we're the ones endangering you, but because of the complete lack of data from USA I don't believe that one bit.

I'm sorry this turned political, it wasn't my original intention, but feels appropriate now.

If anyone is unsure about the implications of exponential growth, please read this Act today or people will die.

(*)Currently, our trio lives in 2 flats in a house, with Meta and the kid living upstairs and Idealis sloooowly moving his workspace down here (there's a lot of wiring and software work to do to move an ITguys office).
 
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There are no precautions that need to be taken beyond any regular cold or flu season: stay way from the same people you would anyway and wash your hands.

I was at a doctors today (routine STI screening) and he was dumbfounded by the pandemic panic. What really really baffled he and I is the way that it got marketed as a pandemic and the economic havoc it will wreak.

After all, the common flu kills well over half a million every year and the world goes on just fine. Mosquitoes (malaria) kills the same but nobody stops travelling. No one cancels events and conferences in flu season...

Its already got stupid.

I wouldn't trust a doctor who doesn't know what a pandemic is.
 
Pixi got back from her con yesterday evening. Here's hoping she didn't catch it.

She was in a hotel, a convention center, and the Tropicana for a few meals. She kept her distance from strangers as much as possible but she was in workshops 11 hours a day, and in restaurants and bar areas.

She wasn't in airports, she drove down and back. We weren't about to quarantine her when she got home. So all we can do is hope.

I'm guessing 5 million US Americans are going to catch this thing.

2 days ago I had some junk guys come by and take away our old beat up broken recliner and super hard 10 year old crappy Ikea futon style couch from our TV room downstairs. Today 2 guys delivered our big new super cushy sectional. The other seating was killing my back. We got a new flat screen for Xmas, so now we're all set for social distancing.

Thank god there were some actual adults during tRump's press conference today, medical experts, etc. We got a few answers about when testing may get underway. I can't believe he shook hands with several guys. Finally one guy gave him an elbow bump. And one young female journalist seemed to shame him into saying he'd get tested after his exposure last weekend!
 
I live on Long Island right near the hospital that first case in Nassau County. I mostly live with what are considered "high risk". My mom who will be 77 in May, but is healthy as a horse, Elaine has a heart defect/ murmur, so does her 15yr old son. And I have an autoimmune disease (Ulcerative Colitis). I make soap & I recently had bough some unscented hand sanitizer base. So we are set there.

Also right now JR & I do not plan on meeting anyone new. All we are concerned about is getting him onto his feet. We do go out to restaurants. But we are keeping this to smaller venues.

What I am beginning to worry about is upcoming vending events being cancelled. This is going to be a HUGE HIT to my business.
 
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I cancelled my trip to visit Puck. It was going to be my first one. We're very sad, but know it's better this way.

Oh Evie, I'm sad this has disrupted your planned trip to see Puck. Right decision, yes, but still sad as you say. Hopefully it won't be too long before you can manage it
 
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