I am not much of a meat eater, so I have less personal interest in the whole meat supply chain issue, but it occurred to me - considering how many of the people working in the plants are or can easily become sick, would you want to eat anything they'd processed?

I try to buy most of my fruit and veggies and eggs from the farmers' market, but they're closed down for the time being. The food's fresher and I have more faith that the food will be less likely to be contaminated by anything.

Ooh, our farmer's market is allowed to be open although under some restrictions that I don't remember right now. I think it's produce only. And I think it's tomorrow, when I will be furloughed, so maybe I can go! I should look up how it works these days...

I'll sign on for Beverly's plan. Can I volunteer to be one of the guards if I bring my own bow & arrows? I'd like to practice my leg shots and see how fast some big game trophy hunters can drag themselves to safety.

Job~ma to you, Gudanov! Fortune favors the bold!

considering how many of the people working in the plants are or can easily become sick, would you want to eat anything they'd processed?

Framing the issue of ag worker health and safety as a consumption issue is how we got the last 100 years of failed worker protection policies. Food safety is not what's at risk here. t /soapbox

Point taken. Thanks.

The local farmers market is opening soon with strict guidelines about how it will work. I'm expecting a lot of bitching about it on local Facebook groups

Fewer people wearing masks. One Chad type dude who was one sentence away from me just calling the manager to come down and talk to him. But the dude left

Our farmer's market is open. I went last Saturday. They've spread out the vendors (taking over most of the parking lot), instituted one-way movement for customers, and insist on masks. With it being out in the open air, I felt better shopping there than I did in the grocery store.

The health and science section of the paper yesterday had an article with a doctor - a dermatologist, I think - for those who wear a mask for extended periods. To avoid rashes and serious irritations, he recommended using a fairly heavy coat of moisturizer or skin cream and not using soap to wash your face, as well as taking the mask off periodically.

In encouraging news, the person who was sending me stupid conspiracy theory videos via messenger actually listened to me. In the end she said she just didn't want to be forced to have a vaccine. Never had a flu shot, or the flu, and doesn't want to be vaccinated. I told her if her employer didn't require it she shouldn't have to worry about being forced. Then she said she did get a Tdap vaccine recently because she is a new grandmother. So, hope maybe?

I've been going for walks outside with a cloth mask and it gets so hot and sweaty after a while. I can't even imagine what it's going to be like once summer hits (and sympathize with all the folks where it's warm weather already!)