90.5 WESA sent out a questionnaire March 20 asking how people were feeling about coronavirus. Over 10 days, 271 people responded. Here's what they had to say:
Editor's note: some of the answers have been lightly edited for grammar, spelling and clarity.
How afraid are you of coronavirus?
- I’m not worried about getting the virus, but I am worried about the mess it’s making. 49.6%
- I’ll probably get it, but I don’t think I’ll get very sick. 26.8%
- I’m taking my temperature every day. Times are dark. 22.4%
- Seems like we’re letting this all get a little out of hand. Is it really that bad? 1.2%
Do you think the media has overblown this threat?
- Yes 1.1%
- Maybe, somewhat 8.5%
- A little 9.3%
- No 81.1%
Are you practicing social distancing?
- If by social distancing, you mean staying at least 6 feet away from others in public, then yes. 13.7%
- Everything’s closed, but I’m still hanging out with friends and family at home. 2.59%
- I’ve basically sheltered in place, only heading out for groceries or medicine. 67%
- I’m in voluntary self-quarantine. 7.41%
- Other 9.3%
Responses included:
"I work from home but my wife and her mom, who lives with us, both work at a grocery store, so we will probably get it anyways."
"I leave to check on my grandmother and get her things if necessary, but I’m incredibly nervous about going out. I stay in , and only leave to get groceries or pick up her medicines. My biggest fear is bringing the disease right to her door. I’m afraid I’m going to kill her by trying to keep her safe."
"I've been a cenobite for over a year since I stopped driving. No problem being alone."
"Still going to work. Practicing social distancing in the office and when I go out for essential items. Otherwise, staying home. Trying to do my part to flatten the curve. Taking it seriously, but not worried for myself."
"I have to work. I’m in health care."
How many days can you survive on the food and supplies you have right now?
- 1-3 days 1.9%
- 3-6 days 8.5%
- 7-10 days 27.4%
- 11-14 days 29.3%
- 15+ days 33%
What are you most concerned about not having access to?
Did you stock up on anything specific in the last several weeks?
- Medicine 24.2%
- Toilet paper 15.1%
- Clorox wipes or other cleaning products 23.9%
- Food 76.2%
- Gatorade 6.4%
- Liquor/wine/beer 38.1%
- Ammunition 1.2%
- Other 17.9%
Responses included:
"I didn't have the chance before the hoarders took to the stores."
"Diapers."
"CAT FOOD! Most important."
"No panic buying here."
"Weed."
"Craft supplies."
"Did not stock up on anything. Food is available."
Have you canceled plans you made for the next…
Are you working from home?
How do you feel about work?
- My workplace is considered essential, so I still have to go in. 4.6%
- I'm a health care worker bracing myself for what's to come. 1.1%
- I’ve been laid off or had to close my business. 3.8%
- I’m working from home. 39.4%
- I’ve transitioned to working from home and my kids are here and now I have to homeschool them, too. This is stressful. 9.8%
- I always work remotely. Welcome to my world. 8%
- I’m retired. 2.7%
- Other. 31.1%
Responses included:
"I'm a student and now have to learn how to do all of my classes online."
"I’m an essential business but what we are allowed to do is severely restricted, so we had to cut hours significantly and our income coming in greatly decreased. Very stressful as a small business and for our employees paid hourly."
"Retired. Yay!"
"I'm a semi-retired health care worker. I quit my job, without notice."
"I was feeling burnt out, but this is catastrophic for the dental field."
"Immune-compromised and [had] to take FMLA sick time to protect myself."
"I’m working from home, but have been threatened with layoffs if I do not perform well or if things get too bad."
"Parenting a toddler and working at home is beyond stressful."
"I work for a concert venue. At the moment I am announcing a longer and longer time of postponements and worrying I’m working towards a cliff that once I fall off, I’ll be laid off."
What was your most recent online purchase?
"Something to entertain my toddler, purchased last weekend before things got crazy. Trying to limit online purchases because I don’t want anyone working extra just to deliver a bar of soap to my doorstep."
"Wigle Whiskey and coffee from Black Forge Coffee House."
"Bluetooth conference phone for my office to support long, work-related phone conference calls."
"Nothing. Trying to save money in case I get laid off, as I work for a non-profit."
"Prescription."
"Veggies from Misfit Market."
"Lumber from Home Depot to build a raised-bed vegetable garden."
"My vacation I just had to cancel."
"I tried to buy fabric and elastic so my grandmother could make masks to send to my brother (a doctor in L.A.,) but online ordering is suspended in my area. So I ordered a pasta roller a couple days ago so she could make spinach pies instead. Anything to keep her mentally sane and to keep her inside."
"Lol, probably a car part."
"Nothing. I don't want to put added stress on the people that have to work to ship it out and to me."
"Nose hair trimmer (because hearing me breathe was driving my wife crazy)."
"A new backpack and a few other things to support a local small business that I love."
"Horse nutrition."
"A viewer to turn my phone in to a VR device so we can visit the National Parks, and more, through Google Expeditions."
"A book from White Whale in Bloomfield! Need to do my best to support local small businesses."
"Dry shampoo - why bother actually washing my hair?"
What has been your biggest sacrifice?
"We've been asked to stay inside to keep others safe. It's not a sacrifice, it's a responsibility. It's also the right thing to do."
"May lose my job, but the biggest sacrifice is not seeing our family."
"My 2-year-old would say the playground and spending time with other people. I agree with her."
"Seeing my therapist in person, leaving the house, my social life."
"Postponing business development plans. Also, most upsetting cancellation has been the unscheduling of my oath ceremony as a naturalized U.S. citizen."
"Spending my free time reassuring others instead of caring for myself."
"Not being able to physically hug my children since self-quarantining seven days ago. They live in their own homes, but close enough to visit regularly."
"Giving up my dining room so I can work from home. No more dinners around the table until this is finished."
"Happy hour."
"Sacrificing work deadlines because lack of childcare is a hard challenge (kids are 1 and 5)."
"I am disabled with immune issues, welcome to my homebound hermit habits, none of you are prepared."
The information for this post was compiled by Maria Rose.
