Essential Outing

Last night I went to the grocery store. It was an essential outing because I needed my medications and the pharmacy we use is at the grocery store. Because I was going to the store anyway, we decided I should do some shopping to avoid a later trip. It was only the second trip to anywhere I had taken in 16 days.

Seriously.

We've been self-quarantined (and then state- and tribal-quarantined) for 17 days now. It's really going quite well. My "school" cupboards have been thoroughly cleaned, and we're doing fun activities using all the treasures I found in the cleaning. The kids are playing and learning and playing some more. I even traded the teenager an extra hour of daily screen time for an hour of "joining the family in some activity." It's been delightful to have her play games, paint, or jump on the trampoline with us every day!

As you can see in the photo, I wore a mask to the store. I also wore latex gloves. I was the only one in the store to be so attired, and I have to admit I was a little self-conscious. Not self-conscious enough to put away my protective gear, though.

I am not afraid to get the virus, although I'd rather not, of course. I am concerned about bringing the virus home and giving it to my children or my husband or someone wandering through our yard who asks for food. I do not want to be the "seed case" for our small community.

As I watched the not-very-many people at the grocery store wander near each other without masks or even awareness of risk, I was doubly glad that I had my protective gear. I had brought my own sanitizing wipes for the cart and PIN pad, and I used the self-check-out lanes. The helpful employee suggested that I should go to check-out 15 because someone was checking people out there. He seemed surprised when I said I preferred to handle my own groceries. Check-out lane 15 would have added two more people's hands to each item I purchased, people who had been exposed to hundreds of people as they worked in the grocery store. No, thank you.

And when that helpful employee brought me a second cart to put my scanned groceries in, I stopped and wiped down the cart before touching it. Again, he seemed surprised.

Unconcerned. These folks all seemed unconcerned about COVID-19. Anyone who knows me well, knows that I am not an alarmist. I am not a germaphobe. I eat food off the floor in my house. My kids get muddy from head-to-toe. I figure that playing with a neighbor when they have a cold builds immunity.

But this disease gives me pause. And so I donned my gloves and mask to grocery shop. And I will do so every time I encounter people outside my family. We will remain socially-distanced for as long as this illness remains a threat.

I urge you to, too. And take a few minutes to watch this video. I saw it yesterday and it confirmed my concerns about grocery shopping and bringing groceries into our house. I used the techniques taught today. Hopefully, they will keep us safe.

Stay at home every time you have a choice. Next month, the pharmacy will be mailing our medications to our home. One less chance to spread COVID-19 is a good thing.