Social Distancing as It Is Working in Minnesota [View all]

[MineralMan]

I had to venture out this morning to buy food and pet supplies. I left my home at 9 AM. The roads are almost empty of cars on this Sunday morning. I went to a nearby farm supply store to buy the pet supplies. The parking lot there was the least crowded I have ever seen. They had what I needed, but I did notice that their home paper goods aisle was empty of products. People in the store were carefully avoiding close encounters with others. The clerk at the checkout counter was wearing blue gloves and asked whether I wanted the receipt. I declined, and touched nothing. I sanitized my shopping cart on entering and my hands after loading the bags into my car.

Then, I went to the supermarket. Again, the parking lot was uncrowded, letting me park closer than usual to the store. The shopping cart area had an ample supply of disinfectant wipes for the cart handles, so I saved the one I had taken in with me. The shelves were better stocked than the last time I went there, although paper products like towels and TP were still not available. I found everything I went there for, though. There were no lines at the checkout aisles, and checkers were wearing blue gloves there, too. Workers stocking the shelves were also wearing blue gloves, for whatever value that has. The clerk used a wand to scan my loyalty card at a distance, and asked if I wanted the receipt. I declined. The store was uncrowded, and people were being careful to avoid close contact throughout the store. I sanitized my hands with Purell after loading bags into the car, and before entering the car or handling my keys.

In both stores, I consciously avoided touching my face at all times.

At home, I unpacked everything and put it all away without touching my face, and then scrubbed my hands with soap and hot water for the prescribed time.

Minnesotans are paying attention to the guidelines. Store employees, too, are being careful. That's the bottom line of my experience today. People are buying what they need, but doing so very carefully. That's a good thing.